Kuala Lumpur is a collision of cultures, of old versus new, chaos of both the ordered kind and otherwise. It can be a mind-boggling city to navigate on foot and the heat will zap the hardiest of travellers, but spend a few days here and you will come to realise that underneath its concrete jungle veneer lies a place with soul, energy and infinite secrets to discover.
Stumble across Hindu temples erupting between office high-rises and encounter Chinese-Malay run kopitiam (coffee shops) serving buttery kaya toast and thick, sweet coffee. Next door a 24 hour Indian Muslim mamak sports tables strewn with cones of roti tisu and down the road, a cocktail bar hides behind a sign indicating the entrance to a toy shop. Kuala Lumpur is a city of enthralling contrasts. A city that serves every kind of traveller’s budget- here are our tips on where to stay, what to eat and what to do in this dynamic city.
Note: all addresses & directions for restaurants, activities and sights are listed at the bottom of this post.
Disclaimer: Chasing a Plate’s stay at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Central and The Hulo Hotel + Gallery and our attendance on the “Off the Eaten Track ” tour with Food Tour Malaysia were complimentary. All opinions are our own.
Day 1 Morning
KL is an early riser so follow suit and start your day with a traditional breakfast at a kopitiam. You’ll find these Chinese Malaysian coffee shops (kopi is the Malay word for coffee) offer a perfect rest stop during your days of exploring in KL. But you’re here for the big attraction- wobbly soft-boiled eggs, kaya toast and mugs of sweet kopi-c (coffee with evaporated milk and sugar), sure to set you up for the day! Kopitiam’s are scattered all around the city but we love Onn Loke Kopitiam in Chinatown (address below). Slap bang in the middle of the wet market and run by Uncle Lee who’s been making coffee for the past 40 years, you’ll get a real insight into local life by breakfasting here.
If you still have room, skip over to Bunn Choon on Petaling Street (address below) and nab a couple of their famous egg tarts to munch on. These flaky, custardy tarts are really popular so get there early so you don’t miss out.
You’ll be full, so time to walk it all off by doing some mall hopping. Malaysians are shopaholics and you’ll find almost all luxury and high street brands represented here including Uniqlo, Zara, H&M, Nike, Adidas and Sephora. Bukit Bintang is a good spot to start with Farenheit88, Lot 10 and Pavilion KL malls all within easy walking distance of each other. Prices are cheaper than in the west and there are great bargains to be had (we nabbed a pair of Nikes for $40USD) so start pounding that pavement.
Afternoon
If you’re shopped out and need a break, head to Lot 10’s Hutong Food Court. There are over 30 vendors here who have been handpicked because of their heritage food brands- whether it’s Penang’s famous char koay teow or Kim Lan Kee’s hokkien mee, you’re bound to find something to appeal to your tastebuds.
Full bellies ahead! It’s time to take in a spot of culture at the Islamic Arts Museum (and escape the heat!) Established in 1998, this museum has become a custodian of Islamic Art and houses 12 permanent galleries featuring everything from jewellery and textiles to architecture. It’s well worth a wander around for a couple of hours.
Evening
We think one of the best ways to come to grips with a city is through its food. And Malaysia, being such a melting pot of ethnicities offers a lot to explore- much more than you could possibly fit into a couple of days. Enter Food Tour Malaysia who offer two KL food tours- a walking food tour and an ‘Off The Eaten Track’ tour.
Chicken satay on the grill
If you want a glimpse into how the locals eat, what they eat and where they eat, opt for the more intrepid ‘Off The Eaten Track’ tour which sees you zipping around the city in a van accompanied by a knowledgeable, gregarious guide. Over the next 4 hours you might sample nasi lemak, roti, curry, traditional Malaysian drinks or satay- rest assured, there’ll be plenty of it so make sure you’re wearing your loosest pants. It’s a whirlwind of amazing food, drink (alcohol not included) and insight into Malaysia and its people.
Incredible nasi lemak sampled during our “Off the Eaten Track” tour
Day 2 Morning
Let’s keep it traditional on the breakfast front! Chilli pan mee is an extremely popular noodle dish in KL and there’s no better place to sample it than Restoran Kin Kin (address below) whose menu consists of chilli pan mee and nothing else. This Malaysian Chinese dish consists of bouncy wheat noodles, a soft poached egg, minced pork and fried anchovies which are tossed in the bowl together with as much chilli as you can handle. Think of it as KL’s answer to spaghetti bolognese. If your hotel room comes with breakfast, visit Restoran Kin Kin for lunch or just a snack.
Chilli pan mee from Kin Kin
After breaking your fast make your way back to KL Sentral and take some time to explore Brickfields or Little India. Indian pop music blares from speakers, shoppers jostle to buy sweets to take home and the sweet fragrance of chrysanthemum and frangipani garlands waft through the air. It’s an invigorating area to walk around and if the heat gets too much, nip into NU Sentral mall for a bit of respite.
By now, the chilli pan mee will be a distant memory and seeing as you’re in Little India you can’t leave without sampling some of the city’s tastiest food. Wander and partake in a progressive street food lunch- samosas, roti pisang (deep fried banana) pani puri- there’s lots to choose from or if you want something more substantial a banana leaf curry or roti and a cup of teh tarik (pulled sweet tea) should do the trick. If you have a sweet tooth, order a roti bom, a crispy roti filled with a sprinkling of sugar and far too much margarine than is decent. Trust us, it’s addictive.
Afternoon
Now you can’t leave KL without taking the time to gander at the two impressive towers that are synonymous with KL’s skyline. We have two pretty amazing spots for you to check out. The first is the 39th floor of the Grand Hyatt hotel. Emerge from the lifts into the lobby and there’s no escaping the magnificent view of the Twin Towers.
Our second viewing point allows you to have a wee tipple and enjoy the sunset whilst you watch the lights of KL’s buildings slowly glimmer to life. Heli Lounge is a bar set up on a helipad. Yes, a helipad. The spectacularly lit Petronas Towers makes for some good snaps from this angle. The drinks at Heli Lounge are nothing to write home about but that’s not really what you’re here for, although don’t imbibe too many- the only thing separating you and a topple off the edge is a flimsy elastic queue barrier! Make sure you get here before 7:00pm or you might find it hard to nab a table.
The epic view of the Petronas Towers from Helilounge
Evening
Heli Lounge is a short walk to Jalan Alor where you’ll be dining tonight. Restaurants serving Chinese, Malay and Thai food are a plenty along this stretch together with fruit, ice-cream and dim sum sellers. If you’re not into establishments where waiters thrust their restaurant menus at you as you walk past and crammed tables where you rub shoulders with other tourists (and you shouldn’t be!) walk down the hill and eat at Wong Ah Wah (address below). Here you’ll find tables of locals devouring huge plates of Wong Ah Wah’s famous chicken wings and washing them down with Chinese tea or beer. We can attest to the magnificence of the bird here and their seafood dishes are fantastic. They’re also a little less pricey than up the road.
Chicken wings at Wong Ah Wah, Jalan Alor
If it’s durian season and you’ve still got room, you have got to don a plastic glove and get into it! Love em or hate em, when in Malaysia you must sample the ‘King of the Fruits’. Durian vendors line Jalan Alor and prices for a whole durian range from 35-60RM/$8-15USD per kilo with the Musang King, fetching the highest prices. It’s pungent smell puts many off but once you get a taste for it, you won’t be able to get enough of this custardy, rich fruit.
If you’ve still got it in you, jump into an Uber or Grab (details below) and toast your Kuala Lumpur city adventure with a nightcap at PS150, a cocktail bar located in Chinatown (address below). Look for a sign for a toyshop and you’ll be in the right place- this moody, atmospheric speakeasy which channels different Indochine eras is the ideal spot to celebrate a successful couple of days of exploring.
A Penicillin and a Jungle Bird at PS150
48 hours in Kuala Lumpur, DONE!
We hope this Kuala Lumpur travel guide has helped you eat and explore like a local, not a tourist.
Getting around:
KL isn’t the easiest place to get around on foot and the train and monorail stations aren’t always close enough to justify the 15 minute walk at each end in the heat. Uber and the local equivalent Grab are your best bet for getting around. They’re plentiful and cheap, especially if there are more than two of you travelling and can often work out the same or just a little bit more than public transport. Grab often offers some great deals e.g. first ride free up to 25MYR/$5USD (this is enough to get you anywhere in the city).
If you need to purchase a local simcard when you arrive in order to use Uber and Grab, Malaysia has a number of providers who offer reasonably priced datapacks. We use Digi and paid 45MYR/$10USD for a 3 week 3GB data pack and a small amount of credit for calls.
Sleep like a traveller:
Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral
5 Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur Sentral
www.aloftkualalumoursentral.com
Room rates start from 355MYR/$80USD based on double occupancy
Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral has got a lot going for it. It’s modern, tech-centric, brilliantly located (it’s connected to KL Sentral where both buses and the train arrives into from the airport) and although it’s a big hotel (482 rooms) it still retains a boutique environment. Aloft’s most affordable rooms (Loft and Urban) are kitted out with king size beds, flat screen TVs, generously sized bathrooms and filter coffee and tea making facilities- we found them amazingly comfortable. And if breakfast at Nook is included in your room rate, you are going to have a ball! Who doesn’t love a good buffet breakfast? We reckon Aloft kick it up a notch by offering Western, Chinese, Indian and Malay options- you’ll even find a Sarawak laksa station!
Breakfast at Nook, Aloft Sentral Kuala Lumpur
We loved their tech-centric focus- their wifi is excellent- perhaps the best in any hotel we’ve ever stayed in, there are pods in which to charge your devices in the lobby and iMacs to use in their business lounge. And if all that wasn’t enough guests have access to the pool, a huge bonus considering the sticky KL weather with the adjoining Mai Bar delivering Malaysian Princess Mai Tai’s at the touch of a button. Highly recommended!
The pool at Aloft Sentral Kuala Lumpur
The Hulo Hotel + Gallery $$
196, Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah, Pudu
Book a room at Booking.com
Room rates start from 140MYR/$30USD based on double occupancy
If a smaller property is more your thing, The Hulo Hotel + Gallery in Bukit Bintang might be just the ticket. This boutique property champions Malaysian artists with each room devoted to an artist’s work and the lobby and hallways are filled with paintings and sculpture. Their most affordable room, the Deluxe Double is simply furnished with a double bed, flat screen TV and small bathroom. It’s comfortable and has everything you need. The staff are friendly, eager to please and make you feel right at home.
The Hulo Hotel + Gallery’s lobby
Chanelling Bruce Lee. Artwork by Vince Low in one of The Hulo’s Deluxe Double rooms
The Hulo doesn’t have an onsite restaurant and breakfast is brought in from local vendors and delivered to the room at a set time. To allow for a bit more flexibility or a sleep in we suggest eschewing the hotel breakfast for one of the many surrounding kopitiams or local spots. We suggest Restaurant Win Heng Seng for amazing egg tarts and delicious pork noodles (address below).
Chasing a Plate’s Pricing Guide
$ under 15MYR/$4USD per person
$$ around MYR/$USD per person
$$$ around MYR/$USD per person
Eat and drink like a traveller:
Onn Loke Kopitiam $
5, Jalan Sang Guna (Penjaja Gallery Jalan Tun HS Lee), Kuala Lumpur (enter from Japan HS Lee, look for the Big Mouth Bak Kut Teh sign and enter here. The kopitiam is on your left and has bright blue doors.
Open 7am to 2pm.
Bunn Choon $
153, Jalan Petaling, City Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Open 9:00am to 5:00pm
Tuesday to Sunday
Kin Kin $
40 Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman
Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Open daily
6:30am to 6:00pm
Heli Lounge $$
Bukit Bintang 34th Floor, Menara KH, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur
Open Monday to Wednesday 5:00pm to midnight, Thursday to Saturday 5:00pm to 3:00am and Sunday 6:00pm to 11:00pm
Wong Ah Wah $$
Jalon Alor
Open Tuesday to Saturday 5:00pm to 4:00am, Sunday 5:00pm to midnight, closed Monday
PS150 $$-$$$
Ground Floor, 150, Jalan Petaling
Tuesday – Saturday : 6pm – 2am (L.O. 1am)
Sunday: 4pm – 11pm (L.O. 10:30pm)
Closed on Mondays
Dress Code:
Sunday – Thursday : Dress as you wish…
Friday & Saturday or Eve of Public Holidays : Dress to impress…
Book a table online so you don’t miss out!
Restoran Win Heng Seng $$
183, Jalan Imbi, Imbi
Open daily except Wednesdays from 7:00am to 3:00pm
Explore like a traveller:
Food Tour Malaysia
Off the Eaten Track Tour
7:00pm to 11:00pm
160MYR/$35USD
Islamic Arts Museum
Jalan Lembah Perdana, Tasik Perdana, Wilayah Persekutuan
Open daily 10:00am to 6:00pm
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