How to Spend 48 hours in Kuala Lumpur - Share Your Tips to Win a Prize!

As explained in more detail here and here, each week for 8 weeks, I'll be starting a forum thread asking readers to share their tips/suggestions/anecdotes about a destination I'll be visiting in the next couple of months.

The author of the best comment (most useful, funniest, etc - as judged by me) will win a small prize and will also be entered into the Grand Prize draw with the other weekly winners, where you could win 2,000 Norwegian Reward CashPoints (worth ~£185).

All contributions are very welcome - particularly things like:

• Recommendations on what to see/do/eat/drink
• Thoughts on the best hotels (particularly sweet spots using points!)
• Tips on how to get around
• Best airport lounges and other airport info
• Best ways to fly there using points/miles
• Amusing/interesting stories about the destination/travelling there

This week's destination is Kuala Lumpur, where I'll be spending about 48 hours, arriving on a Friday evening and leaving on Sunday evening.

In particular, I'm wondering whether the Hilton is significantly better than the Hilton Doubletree (with DIamond status); where the best places to eat and drink are; and whether it's best to take the airport train or a taxi.

Share your knowledge, help me out, and maybe win a prize!

 

If you do one thing in KL, make sure it's the Batu caves. The caves themselves are really interesting (the tour into the protected areas is worth it imo), the mischievous monkeys are also very entertaining, but it's the statue of Lord Murugan which is truly something to behold. It's also really easy to get to, it's got it's own train stop.
For food, the best recommendation I have would be for dessert, of you like chocolate then a trip to a Molten Chocolate Cafe is a no brainer. It's the richest chocolatey food you'll ever eat, and utterly decadent.

 

Check your bags in at the station and take the KLIA express to the airport. Most major airlines have a desk there and it saves lots of time queuing at check in desks on arrival at the airport. It's seriously quick and easy.

 

With only 48 hours, I wouldn't travel too far. The high speed train into the city is an easy, quick, and relaxing way to travel in.
Some unique things to do:

- visit a night market. Classic and definitely a part of the local community. I have super fond memories of visiting our local street market weekly. Petaling Street has a popular one that's always fun for tourists. Practice your bargaining skills

- Hawker stall/mamak stalls. Nothing like sitting on cheap stools at an aluminium folding table (extra points if its balanced precariously over an alley drain) in the middle of the night gobbling a dirt cheap maggi mee goreng (fried ramen noodles) and a teh tarik (tea). Classic after-bar fuel-up spot.

- experience the juxtaposition of major skyscrapers on one street and crumbling colonial storefronts on the next street in downtown KL.

- consider going to a mall food court or a local dirt-cheap hawker food court (my fave is the SS2 Wai Sek Kai hawker food court and ordering a bunch of diverse dishes (all at crazy cheap local prices) and just try a bit of everything.

- uber is a viable and generally safe way to get around.

- consider a daytrip to Malacca. Only an hour from the city and filled with fascinating history and very interesting streets and architecture. Well set up for tourists.

- I haven't checked out the cost of regular car rentals in KL, but for daytrips and flexibility, consider Go Car, a new ridesharing platform. RM50 membership fee + RM14.90/hr or RM99/day.

Have a blast - the best part of KL is experiencing the sheer vitality of 3 diverse cultures mixing together. And the food is like nothing else in the world.

 

You have to download the grab app as they have taken over from uber in KL.

For an overview of how the country is growing and to stay I air conditioning take the MRT monorail from pavilion shopping centre in town to sungai buloh and back. It’s amazing and cheap.

Eat at Din Tai Fung restaurant in Pavilion Mall kl. Great for dumplings.

Walk over to KLCC mall from pavilion mall. There is a lot of covered walkways.

Get a foot massage somewhere. Way cheaper than in the West.

For an amazing lunch buffet the KL Shang ri la used to be great. I think it still would be.

 

Cheers! - About how long does it take to get to the caves?

Chocolate Cafe definitely sounds good too!

 

Fantastic tips - thanks! Will definitely check out some of the hawker centres - really looking forward to the food!

 

It takes about an hour from central KL on public transport, and the caves are right next to the station. Be prepped for a lot of stairs once you get there though!

 

Thanks again Lucky - I confess to being ticklish so might give the foot massage a miss, but the rest sounds perfect!

Considered staying at the Shangri-La actually (but ultimately I just can't say no to the value of the 10k Hilton Points Doubletree given we'll have lounge access etc), so would definitely be nice to head over there for lunch.

 

good tips thanks

 

thank you