There are destinations that are truly exotic and Kuala Lumpur is one of them. Capital and largest and most important city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur It is also one of the most important cities in the Islamic world.
Its postcard is known for the Petronas Towers, one of the tallest buildings in the world, but it has many other attractions that can be seen on a trip. Let's see today what to see and do in Kuala Lumpur in 3 days.
Kuala Lumpur
It is at the confluence of two rivers and was founded by royal orders in the year 1857. By then they wanted to open a tin mine and for this reason a group of Chinese miners was sent to work in terrible conditions. Many of them died but the mine was opened and the city was founded, so this part of Malaysia came to life.
The British, neither dull nor lazy, got in there as soon as they could, assigning a captain and favoring the unstable political climate. The British-appointed captain eventually emerged victorious from the civil war and grew the town until his death was succeeded by an Englishman.
The Japanese arrived with World War II and stayed until 1945, after the two atomic bombs. It was in 1957 that Kuala Lumpur gained its independence from Great Britain. and became the capital of Malaysia after the formation of this state in 1963.
The city is always hot and humid, with constant rains, especially heavy in the monsoon season. Malay is spoken here, but you can hear Mandarin, Cantonese and Tamil. And yes, in business English abounds. The culture here results from the mixture of peoples so it is a combination of Chinese, Indian, Malate and indigenous.
Although the federal government administration was relocated, Kuala Lumpur remains the commercial heart of the country, one of the most important financial centers in this part of the world.
Kuala Lumpur in 3 days
The city is relatively young, if we compare it with the other major cities in Southeast Asia, but it has a light of its own. The city is reached by plane entering through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, located just half an hour from the city center. They are joined by a train, the KLIA Express.
In the city there are many types of accommodation and it is truly one of the best cities in the world to find cheap and good accommodation. For cheap options you can go to Bed KLCC, with shared and private rooms, just minutes from the Petronas Twin Towers. For something more there is the very stylish QWOLO Hotel, right in the heart of the city, the Bukit Bintang. And if you have money to spare, then The Majestic, five stars.
Now the interesting thing What can you do in Kuala Lumpur in 3 days? There are many possible itineraries, always according to your tastes. But let's suppose that you don't have particular tastes and that many of you don't know about this city, that you are visiting for the first and perhaps the only time in your life. What is there to see, then?
Day 1 in Kuala Lumpur. The adventure begins. The Petronas Towers They are the classic that you cannot miss. You can't leave here without some great photos and a visit. Are the tallest twin towers in the world and symbol of the city and its entry into the 41st century. The observation deck connects both towers on the 86st floor and the views are unforgettable. There is also another observation deck on the 370th floor, with even more spectacular views, 427 meters above the ground (total height is XNUMX meters).
The towers They were designed by the Argentine architect César Pelli and they are intelligent structures since they have a system that coordinates telecommunications, electricity, lighting and security, among other issues.
Each tower measures 452 meters from the ground to the top, they are 88 meters long and weigh 300 tons or 42.857 adult elephants. The construction lasted six years and the cost was 1.6 billion dollars. You can visit the Petronas Twin Towers from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. They are closed on Mondays. The ticket price is RM 80 per adult and the guided tour in the afternoon is RM 1200.
If you like the heights of a modern city, you can also get to know the KL Tower, offering 365º views of the city and features an open-air observation deck. In addition, it has two solid glass boxes that seem to hang 1300 meters high. Don't get dizzy! This tower is open daily from 9 am to 10 pm and costs RM49 per adult. The skydeck RM99.
Leaving the heights for a moment, we go to traditional and more cultural sites. The Merdeka Square It is such a site, it is the historic heart of Kuala Lumpur and is where the Independence Day (31 August) parade takes place every year. here is the ESultan Abdul Samad building, today the seat of the Malaysian government, with bronze domes and many bricks and symmetrical arches. By his side is the Textile Museum and Music Museum, in case you want to take a more cultural walk.
On the west side of the square there is a group of Tudor-style colonial buildings: they are the Royal Selangor Social Club. Originally only the most important members of colonial society attended, most of them English. Today they have been supplanted by the richest Malays. And to the north of the square is the Cathedral of Santa Maria.
On the other side of the river is the Panggung Bandaraya Theater and beyond the Sultan Abdul Samad Jamel Mosque with its minarets and three white domes. Not far from Merdeka Square you can get lost in the stalls of the Local Chinatown. Chinatown is always colorful and with character and you will see a bit of everything: there is the Guan Di Temple, Taoist, dedicated to the God of War, a few meters from the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Hindu. This last temple is a beauty decorated with many colors and statues.
Another of the most touristic sites in Kuala Lumpur is the Petaling Market, full of stalls, and a little further on, the Central Marketl, which works in a beautiful light blue and white building in the Art Deco style. Both are good places to buy souvenirs and in the case of the latter, the food court is worth a stop.
When the sun goes down and you're already a bit tired, there's nothing better than watching the sky turn orange with a drink in your hand. for that you can go to Heli Lounge Bar, which works in an office building and has great views of the city. You can find it at number 34 of the Menara KH tower and it opens at 5 pm. The little bar at the heliport does it an hour later.
Day 2 in Kuala Lumpur. You can start the day walking through the Botanical Gardens, a super green oasis that is close to the Negara Mosque. There are deer, lots of birds and flowers. Both in the morning and at night it is a place forTo relax and escape the heat for a bit of the asphalt They open from 7am to 8pm.
Just as there is a Chinatown, there is also a Indian neighborhood in Kuala Lumpur, a Little India. It is located just opposite the Central Station and is called Brickfields. It is an ideal historical area to explore on foot. You will see everything.
Then you can take a taxi and travel about 15 minutes to the Thean Hou Temple, a Chinese temple overlooking the city. It is all red, gold and white and its decorations are detailed. In his prayer hall you will see three huge golden statues, one for each deity, with dragons and phoenixes hanging from the ceiling. And when you look at the city there you can see the Petronas Twin Towers.
Back you can leave behind the cultural and historical part and dive a bit into the modern. To the east of the city center is Bukit Bintang, a very popular area among tourists Westerners, with restaurants, bars, hotels and nightclubs. There is also the Jalan Alor food market, a world of flavors and aromas where Chinese, Indian, Taoist and Malaysian cuisines mingle.
Day 3 in Kuala Lumpur. Maybe it's the day to go to the outskirts, to try doing some day trip. The truth is that there are many options and among the most popular are these: visit the Batu Caves, the garden city of Putrajaya or the historic port of Melaka.
All the Batu Caves they are super popular. This is a Hindu religious site consisting of many rock-cut temples reached by climbing 272 steps. It's pretty impressive. You can arrive by train, in half an hour of travel, about eight stations.
The second day trip that we propose for day 3 in Kuala Lumpur is to get to know the beautiful city of Putrajaya, a garden city which is now the administrative capital of Kuala Lumpur. It's only 20 minutes away by train, it has wide boulevards, the Putra Mosque, modern Islamic in style, with a pink exterior, many ornate buildings facing the lake, with green paths from which you can admire it and of course, there are boating .
And filially, go up Melaka. Since 2008 it is World Heritage according to UNESCO and it is a beauty that you reach by combining train and bus from Kuala Lumpur, in a trip that takes more or less two hours.
As you see, Kuala Lumpur is a very beautiful destination and complete. Perhaps so few hours are not enough, but our itinerary of Kuala Lumpur in 3 days in doubt it will leave you with a good taste and desire to return.