6 best day trips from Kuala Lumpur

Day trips compared

The day trips

145 km · About 2–2.5 hours each way by bus

1.Melaka

A UNESCO-listed trading port with Portuguese, Dutch and British layers: the red Stadthuys and Christ Church, the ruined A Famosa gate, a riverside walk and the Jonker Street night market. Peranakan food such as nyonya laksa and chicken rice balls is the highlight.

Getting there

Express bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS)

Best for

Culture, Food lovers, Couples, First-timers

25 km · About 20 minutes by train, then a short taxi ride

2.Putrajaya

Malaysia's planned administrative capital has the pink-domed Putra Mosque on a lake, the Prime Minister's office at Perdana Putra and a series of architecturally ambitious bridges. Lake cruises give the best overview.

Getting there

KLIA Transit to Putrajaya & Cyberjaya, then taxi or bus

Best for

Culture, Families

50 km · About 1–1.5 hours by road and cable car

3.Genting Highlands

A hill resort at about 1,800 metres with cool air, a casino, malls and a theme park, reached by a long cable car ride over the rainforest. The Chin Swee Caves Temple sits on the hillside below the summit.

Getting there

Bus from KL Sentral or ride-hailing, then the Awana SkyWay cable car

Best for

Families, Nightlife

70 km · About 1.5 hours each way by road

4.Kuala Selangor fireflies

After dark, small boats glide along the Selangor River at Kampung Kuantan, where thousands of fireflies flash in the mangrove trees. Tours often stop at Bukit Melawati hill to see silvered leaf monkeys and a seafood dinner.

Getting there

Tour or car with driver; best as an evening trip

Best for

Couples, Families, Quiet stays

200 km · About 2.5 hours each way by ETS train

5.Ipoh

A former tin-mining town with colonial buildings, street murals, Concubine Lane and Buddhist temples inside limestone caves. It is known for white coffee, bean sprout chicken and dim sum.

Getting there

ETS electric train from KL Sentral

Best for

Food lovers, Culture

200 km · About 3.5–4 hours each way by road

6.Cameron Highlands

Tea plantations cover the hills of this cool highland area, with strawberry farms, jungle trails and the Mossy Forest boardwalk. It is a long day trip, so most visitors stay at least one night.

Getting there

Bus or car; best as an overnight stay

Best for

Quiet stays, Families, Couples

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• KTM Komuter trains run from KL Sentral to Batu Caves in about 30–40 minutes, and the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit link KL Sentral with the airport.
• GoKL free city buses run loops linking KLCC, Bukit Bintang, Chinatown and KL Sentral, and are a good option in short hops.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask