7 days in Kuala Lumpur

Day by day

1. Day 1: Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC Park

   Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC Park, then Jalan Alor food street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Petronas Twin Towers

      KLCC · 1.5 hours · mid-priced. Daily visitor numbers are limited; book timed tickets online several days ahead, especially at weekends and in school holidays.

   2. Late morning

      KLCC Park

      KLCC · 1 hour · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Nasi lemak

      Roadside stalls in the morning, often wrapped in banana leaf and paper, and Malay restaurants and mamak shops all day.

   4. Evening

      Jalan Alor food street

      Walk the full length first, then choose stalls with local diners; check seafood prices before ordering.

2. Day 2: Aquaria KLCC and Batu Caves

   Aquaria KLCC and Batu Caves, then Merdeka Square and Sultan Abdul Samad Building in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Aquaria KLCC

      KLCC · 1.5–2 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Batu Caves

      Gombak · 2 hours · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Roti canai

      Mamak (Indian-Muslim) restaurants across the city, many open late or around the clock.

   4. Evening

      Merdeka Square and Sultan Abdul Samad Building

      Visit in the evening when the Sultan Abdul Samad Building is lit up and the square is cooler.

3. Day 3: Menara KL (KL Tower) and Petaling Street

   Menara KL (KL Tower) and Petaling Street, then Masjid Jamek and River of Life in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Menara KL (KL Tower)

      Bukit Nanas · 1.5–2 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Petaling Street

      Chinatown (Petaling Street) · 1–2 hours · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Char kway teow

      Hawker stalls in Chinatown, Jalan Alor and food courts; the best stalls cook each plate to order.

   4. Evening

      Masjid Jamek and River of Life

      View the mosque from the riverside walkway at night, when the lights and mist effects are switched on.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Melaka

   About 2–2.5 hours each way by bus each way. Getting there: Express bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS).

   1. Morning

      Travel to Melaka

      About 2–2.5 hours each way by bus (Express bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS)); about 145 km.

   2. Day

      Melaka

      Peranakan food such as nyonya laksa and chicken rice balls is the highlight.

   3. Evening

      Back in Kuala Lumpur

      Dinner: try KL Hokkien mee.

5. Day 5: Central Market (Pasar Seni) and Sri Mahamariamman Temple

   Central Market (Pasar Seni) and Sri Mahamariamman Temple, then Changkat Bukit Bintang in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Central Market (Pasar Seni)

      Chinatown (Petaling Street) · 1 hour · free.

   2. Late morning

      Sri Mahamariamman Temple

      Chinatown (Petaling Street) · 30 minutes · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: KL Hokkien mee

      Late-night Chinese hawker stalls in Chinatown and around Jalan Alor.

   4. Evening

      Changkat Bukit Bintang

      A street of bars, pubs and restaurants in old shophouses, popular with expats and visitors.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Putrajaya

   About 20 minutes by train, then a short taxi ride each way. Getting there: KLIA Transit to Putrajaya & Cyberjaya, then taxi or bus.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Putrajaya

      About 20 minutes by train, then a short taxi ride (KLIA Transit to Putrajaya & Cyberjaya, then taxi or bus); about 25 km.

   2. Day

      Putrajaya

      Lake cruises give the best overview.

   3. Evening

      Back in Kuala Lumpur

      Dinner: try Satay.

7. Day 7: Kwai Chai Hong and Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

   Kwai Chai Hong and Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, then KLCC and Bukit Bintang rooftops in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kwai Chai Hong

      Chinatown (Petaling Street) · 30 minutes · free.

   2. Late morning

      Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

      Perdana Botanical Garden · 2 hours · low cost.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Satay

      Jalan Alor, Malay night markets and Kampung Baru stalls in the evening.

   4. Evening

      KLCC and Bukit Bintang rooftops

      Hotel and tower rooftop bars with views of the Petronas Towers and Menara KL.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Petronas Twin Towers before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 nights, KLCC keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Chinatown (Petaling Street) ($) suits budget, culture, solo travellers and food lovers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–18 hours of visiting over 7 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.9 hours in December to 12.3 hours in May.

More or fewer days

• One day in Kuala Lumpur
• 2 days in Kuala Lumpur
• 3 days in Kuala Lumpur
• 4 days in Kuala Lumpur
• 5 days in Kuala Lumpur

Questions travellers ask