Travel Guide

Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide

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This gleaming capital city of Malaysia has everything, from glitz and glamour to the cultural and spiritual serenity. The city is divided into various districts and its main hub comprises of China town, Bukit Bintang, and KLCC. Together they are called the Golden Triangle. Culturally rich, Kuala Lumpur presents the best of past and present of Malaysia to its tourists.

Known as the cultural center of Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur can be termed as the melting pot of various cultures and ethnicities of Indian, the Malays, and the Chinese. These three diverse cultures together form the Malaysian population. With cultures so different yet so beautifully blended together, the capital city of Kuala Lumpur becomes the perfect place to experience the unity in diversity.

With the most important festivals constituting to be the public holidays of the country as a whole, Kuala Lumpur is the place where you get to see the best of celebrations and culture interspersing. With every social group, free to practice their own religion and traditions, the country enjoys exceptional communal harmony across its distance. Kuala Lumpur, being the capital city has a perfect blend of the Malay elite, that predominantly belong to the political class, the Chinese and Indian Middle class that strives for a good living through business and jobs. Almost all the citizens including the Chinese are educated and are fluent in English speaking. Chinese generation born and bought up in Malaysia speak almost all the prevalent languages frequently.

The major festivals and occasions of the city of Kuala Lumpur includes Chinese New Year, Thaipusam in Batu caves, Ramadan month, and even Valentine’s day. The day of love celebrated with huge fervor in the city with malls offering special deals and discounts, and decors.

Malaysian Ringgits is the currency used in Malaysia. It is further divided into 100 sen (cents). 1 Ringgits equals 0.24 US dollars. An upper middle class income economy, Malaysia is one of the world’s 13 countries to have recorded an average growth of 7 percent on an annual basis.

The city of Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas are one of the fastest growing regions of the country. Although, most of the country’s political offices have been relocated to Putrajaya, the city of Kuala Lumpur still maintains its position as the thriving city in the political scenario of the country. The city of Kuala Lumpur is still the hub of the country’s finance, education, insurance, real estate, business services, wholesale and retail trade. Along with these sectors, restaurants and hotels, transport, storage and communication, utilities, personal services and government services contribute to the 83% percent of the city’s income and the remaining 17% comes from the construction and manufacturing sectors.

With increasing numbers of financial sector companies opening up in Kuala Lumpur, the city is touted to be the global Islamic financial sector hub of the city. Tourism also plays a very significant role in driving the economy of the city. With Kuala Lumpur being world’s 6th most visited city with over 8.9 million tourists every year, the contribution of tourism is immense in driving the economy of the city and the country as a whole. The city is full of clubs, night bars, local markets, plethora of malls and other entertainment and recreational arenas to keep the tourists entertained.

Malay Peninsula states its existence in the history dated back to the 10th century, but it was in 1963 when the North Borneo British territories and Singapore were granted freedom to form Malaysia. Although within two years, Singapore was separated and Malaysia became an independent nation. Although it is still unknown who founded the city of Kuala Lumpur and named it the same, but the metropolis was once just a small hamlet of a few huts and small shops that together made it nothing more than a trivial town.

The small town of Kuala Lumpur suffered quite a lot during its early years due to many social and political problems including high number of deaths due to the then, untreatable Malaria, flood, and other diseases. Post the year 1882, Chinese came and started settling in to the commercial center of the town. Frank Swettenham, the first ever British general of the Federated Malay states (Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang) was instrumental in bringing the city out of its misery. He was the one who got the streets of the city cleaned, suggested building houses with brick to reduce the threat of fire and destruction from flood. He also preached the idea of building wider roads for reduced fire risks.

In the year 1886, with the efforts initiated by Swettenham resulted in railway starting between Klang and Kuala Lumpur which assisted in the rapid growth of the town. Kuala Lumpur further expanded with a vigorous pace during the 20th century and finally achieved the status of a ‘city’ due to its phenomenal growth in the rubber industry. But the city suffered various setbacks during the world war II and following the British rule. It was only after Kuala Lumpur gained independence in 1957 that it turned its focus towards tourism and began promoting it seriously for long term outcome.

The city of Kuala Lumpur is sized at 94 square miles with an elevation of 72 feet above the sea level. Even after so much of developments, the city is almost every year flooded during the rainy season. Kuala Lumpur was under the rule of the Japanese army from January 11th 1942 till August 1945. The reign ended with the surrender of SeishirÅ Itagaki following the nuclear attacks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The federation of Malaya gained independence from the British rule in the year 1957.

  • Kuala Lumpur literally means a muddy junction between two rivers. The name was so gives because the city is located at the junction of Gombak River and Klang River.
  • Kuala Lumpur is home to the world’s tallest twin towers- Petronas towers. It has a double decker bridge that connects the buildings on its 41st and 42nd floors. This magnificent building was built in a short span of just 6 years.
  • The city of Kuala Lumpur is fondly known as KL and the residents of the city are called KLites.
  • Thanks to the tropical rainforest climate, flooded streets with submerged vehicles is a common sight in Kuala Lumpur almost every year.
  • The Kuala Lumpur tower is the world’s seventh tallest tower. It is the tallest telecommunication tower in Southeast Asia
  • Kuala Lumpur is fondly called as the shopping paradise and is the retail hub of Malaysia. The city has the 4th largest shopping mall in the world with a total area of 5000 sq ft
  • Kuala Lumpur, one of the fastest growing cities in the world, was not even a city until 1972. It acquired the status of a city in 1972.

There are practically only two seasons in Kuala Lumpur- Dry and Wet. With an average rainfall of 250m, it’s hard to imagine very hot or extremely cold months. Malaysia as a country records humid climate throughout the year. Being in the equatorial region, the country as a whole has a tropical rainforest climate. The city of Kuala Lumpur is surrounded by Titiwangsa Mountains in the east and its west side is protected by Indonesia's Sumatra Island and therefore, the country has a tropical rainforest climate through the year.

Although the city of Kuala Lumpur experiences sunny days almost all days of the year, there are months when the rains are abundant and floods are a common scene. Come the monsoon season in the months of October to March and the city experiences rainfall as high as 290m and there’s water and flooding everywhere. For a first-time tourist, it may all seem too crazy and scary but for a Kuala Lumpur resident, it is a scene of every year and the citizens are well prepared to deal with it.

The country records an average rainfall of 250cms and an average climate of 27 degrees. The weather is almost constant throughout the year with the hottest month being March with approximately 28 degrees’ temperature and coldest month being January. The wettest months of the year are the month of November which experiences the maximum rainfall and the entire city is practically flooded.

Kuala Lumpur is easily reachable through air from all the major countries in the world. Being a tourist city, it observes frequent flights. The other islands of the country are easily accessible through ferry and air.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang is the main airport of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia, situated around 50kms south of the city. It operates direct flights to destinations in six continents around the world. There’s another airport that served as the main airport of Kuala Lumpur until 1998 and now serves as the additional airport now, specially during the tourist season when the rush is high. This airport is the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, also known as Subang Skypark.

Within the city, it is the same scenario like most of the developed capital cities. The main mode of transportation is road and there are high end highways built all across Kuala Lumpur to facilitate daily commute of the locals and tourists. Other modes of transport frequently used are the rail and bus. However, the use of the local transport is quite low with its locals and the public prefer to take private cars and taxis as the main mode of transport in the city. Soon, the city is operating the Kuala Lumpur monorail service that will link the commuters to various key locations including airport and iconic landmarks.

Kuala Lumpur is one of the few cities of the world that has major part of its transport running entirely on Natural gas. There are designated taxi stands on the streets and the commuters can hail taxis from there. Needless to say, taxi fares are charged a bit higher from foreign tourists and therefore, it is better to know the regular fares beforehand from your hotel staff or local friends.

To enter Malaysia, tourists do not need any visa. However, the visitor’s passport must be valid for another six months from the date of entering in the country. Once inside the country, the officials shall issue a social visit pass stamp on your passport. However, there are distinct bifurcations based on the nationalities that determines the duration of the visa-free entry in Malaysia. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Syria citizens are granted only 14-day visa free entry.

The entire country of Malaysia is a picturesque paradise of natural beauty, warm people and gorgeous islands. Just outside the city of Kuala Lumpur is some of the country’s very best attractions.

Cameron Highlands (206km)- Regarded as one of the best hill stations of Malaysia, Cameron Highlands almost equals the size of Singapore. With a tropical climate and extensive beauty, it is also one of the oldest tourism spots of Malaysia that has still fabulously retained its charm and has an added advantage of ultra-modern amenities for the visitors. For bird watchers, it’s a haven as it’s a protective home to various rare species of animals and birds. Drained by 8 rivers and much of it covered with forest area, the highland makes for a superb tourist place.

Langkawi Islands (413kms): One of the most picturesque and tourist friendly islands in Malaysia, the Langkawi islands is your ticket to see the unbelievable natural beauty of limestone cliffs, emerald green waters, and hidden shores. A very important reason for many tourists to visit Malaysia the Langkawi Island offers some of the best beaches in the world with rich flora and fauna and a contemporary modern infrastructure that offers all the amenities for your perfect relaxation and enjoyment. With legend woven in its history, it’s a great place to visit for lush green countryside and impeccable landscapes.

Putrajaya (30kms): A planned city built on the marshland and a former oil estate, Putrajaya is a contemporary metropolitan designed with a European feel. With its very close proximity to Kuala Lumpur, it becomes a must visit attraction for all the tourists. From Putrajaya, botanical garden to Mercu Tanda, the place has lot many attractions for the visitors including the famous Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Whether you’re looking for budget dinners or amazing fine dines, Kuala Lumpur has the best of both available for you in plethora of options. You’re in special luck if you’re a seafood lover. From Japanese, Chinese to Indian, Arabic, and Malay food delicacies; Kuala Lumpur gives you the best of local and international cuisine.

Famous mainly for the seafood, Kuala Lumpur is all about great food and celebratory drinks. Having an ethnic influence of the Indian cuisine, the use of spices is very varied and the diversity can be experienced across all its dishes. For the street food lovers, Kuala Lumpur is nothing less than a paradise. In Kuala Lumpur, street food is less an economical food option but more, the way of life. From the fine dine public to the backpacking tourists, the middle class or, the foodies; each and every one is in love with street food of Kuala Lumpur.

There are special juice bars open for you after that exhausting morning workout sessions to cool you off. Dare to move out of your comfort zone and try out the local delicacies of the city and we promise you’ll be bowled over. Some of the recommended tryouts from our list of exotic dishes of Singapore include the Nasi Lemak, ikan bakar, Roti canai, Char siew, Hokkien mee, Cendol, and many more.

Countless bars, amazing pubs, and a nocturnal nightlife scene is what best describes the nightfall scene of the capital city of Malaysia. The swanky rooftop hotels not only give you thumping beats to let your hair down for the night but also offer an amazing view of the skyline of the city. The nightclubs of Kuala Lumpur are full of hip hop tracks and international albums that are enough to shake anyone’s legs.

Find the best of all night party options in some of the elite pubs of the city such as bulldog English Pub, Beach Café Club, Zouk Club and more. The city has a vibrant nightlife scene for its tourists. Take a cultural night tour with us and you can see the best of Kuala Lumpur, its events, its nightlife and the best of crowd in their very best.

The crowd of the Kuala Lumpur is not limited to only the local youth party goers. There are expats and international tourists as well. Alcohol is an inseparable part of such places and almost every popular national, international brand are easily available at the bars to attract the tourists. Almost throughout the year, international celebrities heat up the nightlife scene of the city and are loved by the people here. However, if you want to purchase alcohol in Kuala Lumpur, you must be at least 18 years of age and should have a valid ID to prove it.

Find the best of all night party options in some of the elite pubs of the city such as bulldog English Pub, Beach Café Club, Zouk Club and more. The city has a vibrant nightlife scene for its tourists.

Offering a pretty comprehensive shopping scene, Kuala Lumpur is home to the best of international brands and the best fake ones too. Whether you’re looking for some high-end fashion in places such as Bukit Bintang and KLCC or for the budget shopping with the delight of haggling such as in Chinatown market; Kuala Lumpur offers you ample shopping opportunities.

The commercial hub of Kuala Lumpur is a world of shopping for everyone, even for the ones who think they can control the urge to shop. A must visit place for everyone, Kuala Lumpur is a shopper’s paradise and the range here can literally make anyone weak on their knees. From modern aesthetics to cultural gems, the cities have everything to make you a shopaholic.

Some of the perfect places to shop till you drop are the 9 signature malls of Kuala Lumpur that can challenge the shopping aspirations of any traveler. Whether you want to do bargain shopping or designer purchases, Malaysian tourists are sure to return with bag full of stuff and beautiful memories. From the famous Chinatown Street in Kuala Lumpur to souvenirs, arts and handicrafts, from the Megamalls of modern city to its night markets; Malaysian shopping experience in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur is in every way a perfect way to enjoy the holidays.

Bukit Bintang is the most significant place with the highest concentration of malls in the city of Kuala Lumpur. Besides the uber upmarket retailers, the market area characterizes various happening night markets selling amazing arts and crafts, counterfeit goods and other souvenirs.

Petronas towers- world’s tallest twin towers iconic to the existence of the city, it has 88 floors. Until 2004, they were also the highest building in the world.

Aquaria KLCC- with over 250 different species across 5000 aquatic and land animals, this oceanarium located beneath Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre is a must visit.

Bukit Bantang- the most famous shopping district of Kuala Lumpur, it is the city’s most prominent retail belt with landmark shopping centers, recreational and entertainment areas along with amazing eateries.

Bird Park- with an average of 2 lac visitors annually, the Bird park is one of the well-known attractions of the city with over 3000 birds across more than 200 species in an enclosed coop. 90% are local birds from the same geography while 10% are imported from the across the world.

Batu Caves- The Batu cave temple is dedicated to lord Murugan, the Hindu deity, and is one of the most popular Hindu shrine outside India. It is also the center of Rock Climbing development.

Petalling Street- with dozens of restaurants and food stalls, Petalling street is one of the most famous tourist attractions of Kuala Lumpur.

Genting Highlands- An entire hill dedicated to world class resorts accessible both by road and cable car, a visit to the Genting Highlands. There’s a planned indoor outdoor theme park, a casino, clubs, uber luxury resorts, and the First World Hotel- the largest hotel in the world.

Rayna tours offers you the best excursions to the city of Kuala Lumpur and beyond. We have exclusively designed the best packages for Kuala Lumpur and the best of Malaysian islands to provide you with a comprehensive trip of the country. We also offer tailor made packages on request. Enjoy the gleaming city of Kuala Lumpur in its full might only with Rayna tours. We have élite short and long duration tour packages that include the superb attractions of the city. Whether it is the city sightseeing tours or the cultural night trips, package tours of days or only one-day sightseeing; Rayna offers you the best of travel options for Kuala Lumpur.

Rayna tours takes you to the best of Kuala Lumpur across all pocket ranges. The tour itinerary saves both your time and our hard-earned money without compromising on your comfort, thanks to our exclusive customization. Whether it is a 24-hour layover or a week-long luxury vacation, whatever is your schedule, we promise to give you the best packages, tailored just for you.

Our Kuala Lumpur tours ensure that you get to the best of entire city and beyond. We make sure that with the help of the detailed tour you get to explore the place like a local. From the off beaten paths to the hidden gems, we take you across the length and breadth of Kuala Lumpur. Even if you’re in Kuala Lumpur on a 24-hour layover, we promise to take you to see the best of the capital city even in that short duration. From your stay, your food choices, sightseeing preferences, and your comfort, we promise to take care of everything so that you enjoy a memorable time with your loved ones.

We now also offer exclusive tailor-made packages at the most affordable rates possible. Our team is forever working towards creating interesting and exciting packages for you. Still, if you have some special requirements, feel free to let us know and we will try and customize our packages as per your needs. What makes Rayna the best tour operators in Kuala Lumpur is the extraordinary professionalism and warm cordiality that we extend to our guests.

The entire Malaysian country experiences a hot and humid climate all-round the year, but that doesn’t deter the tourists from visiting it. Kuala Lumpur also has a hot climate but with serene Genting Highlands at a stone’s throw away distance, it has ample of opportunities to cool off. Kuala Lumpur records an annual average mean temperature of 26 degrees.
Although, tourists flock the city almost all through the year, the best time to visit the city is from December to February and May till August. It is best to avoid the city in its wetter months of March to April and September to November.

Best Selling Kuala Lumpur Tours

  • Kuala Lumpur City Tour
  • Sunway Lagoon Day Tour
  • Full Day Genting Excursion
  • Putrajaya and Agricultural Heritage Park

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