Things to do in Malaysia
Malaysia was the first international travel destination I explored with my family. As it was our first international travel plan, we had booked it via a travel agent. I still remember when we had got our passport from the courier office and suddenly dad proposed let’s go to an international destination and so followed the excitement.
We had booked a South-East Asia package which covered- Singapore and Malaysia for 9 days. It started with 6 hours layover in Bangkok followed by 4 days in Malaysia and the rest 4 days in Singapore.
Important things you must know about Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur the capital of Malaysia, is a culturally diverse city and has seen a rise in the tourism industry for many years now. Kuala Lumpur is a mix of a different culture from Chinese, Indian, Malay people and other ethnic groups living together.
The best time to explore Malaysia is from March to September as it is dry in the eastern side of Malaysia, but if you planning to explore the western side then November to August is the right time.
Malaysian Currency: 1 Malaysian Ringgit = 16.73 Indian Rupee. There are options available to convert your home currency in the city but avoid doing it at the airport as it is very expensive. The best way is to convert it is in your own country and carry a few extra dollars.
Malay is the official language in Malaysia, English is very commonly spoken in Malaysia too. Apart from this Tamil is also another language spoken in the country.
Transportation in Malaysia
We had booked our itinerary through a travel agent so we didn’t have to look out for local transports, buses or metros. We had our group bus which we used to transfer from one site to another. But if you are an explorer you must try their local transport which is cheap and easily accessible compared to taxis.
The subway is called KTM Komuter and it is very well connected to the different parts of the city. Tickets are in the form of plastic tokens. You can access them at every station at the ticket office or vending machines.
Staying in Malaysia:
Kuala Lumpur is an inexpensive city to visit with plenty of options to stay in a budget. We stayed at Grand Seasons Hotel, Jalan Pahang which is a 4-star hotel which would cost you around Rs. 5273 INR per night which is expensive as it being a high-end hotel but you can always look out for 3-4 star hotels which would range in between 2000-3000 INR per night.
The best way to pick the stay is by booking a hotel in the city centre where you have easy access to market, pharmacy and metro.
Do check out booking.com to get good deals, they also allow you to book the hotel without paying advance and their cancellation policy is also flexible.
If you are in a big group always opt for an apartment stay or homestay it is cheaper and better. And if you are a solo traveller than hostels are the best and the cheapest option.
Best Sight-Seeing places in Malaysia:
The Petronas Tower:
Known as the Petronas Twin Towers are twin skyscrapers and was the tallest building in the world till 2004.
The interiors of the towers embed the conventional handicrafts and weaving concept. The floor designs are based on elaborate patterns of pandan weaving and bertam palm wall matting. The fun fact list of this tower can go endless, but the best part was the lift. The tower has 29 double-decker high-speed passenger lifts you can reach the top of the tower in 90 seconds. The ride was thrilling and you could feel your ears shut while you in the lift.
You can purchase the tickets online or at the counter at the concourse level inside. Make sure to select the time slot preferably sunset is a good time to be at the top and get good clicks.
You can purchase the tickets online or at the counter at the concourse level inside. Make sure to select the time slot preferably sunset is a good time to be at the top and get good clicks.
Price: Adult- 80.00 | Child (below 12 years old)- 33.00 | Infant (below 3 years old)- Free
P.S. Monday they remain close and the visiting hours for the tourist are 9 am to 9 pm and on Fridays, they are closed between 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm.
Kuala Lumpur Tower:
Also called as KL Tower- it is one of the prominent features of the Malaysia city’s skyline and you can easily access the top of the tower by purchasing the entry ticket. It is the 7th tallest telecommunication tower in the world standing at 421 meters high.
If you are into an adventure you can also go for a thrilling bungee jumping experience from the tower or encounter breathtaking views of the city skyline from the Observation Deck. And if you are scared of heights than you can simply opt to walk around the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve (where the tower is located) and endure a variety of flora and fauna only found in Malaysia.
You can pick between 2 options either experience the Observation Deck or the Sky Deck.
Observation Deck: RM 49.00 pp Adult | RM 29.00 pp Kids- 4 to 12yrs old
Sky Deck: RM 99.00 pp Adult | RM 52.00 pp Kids- 4 to 12yrs old
Istana Negara (Royal Museum):
It serves as the official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong and has witnessed many royal celebrations, formal events and gatherings of world leaders.
You can get access to this place at 8.00 am – 5.00 pm daily by purchasing the entry ticket. You can also opt for Hop on and Hop-Off Bus ticket which allows you to self explore the city by dropping you off at the main sight bus station.
Entry Fees: Adult: RM 10 pp | Kids (6-12years): RM 5 pp
Then Hou Temple:
The Thean Hou Temple built by the Hainanese community of Kuala Lumpur and is located on atop Robson Heights in the city centre. Just a 10 mins drive from Kuala Lumpur city centre can, this temple features the 3 goddess idols namely: Tian Hou (The Heavenly Mother), Guan Yin (The Goddess of Mercy) and Shui Wei Sheng Niang (The Goddess of the Waterfront).
Make sure to check out their tortoise pond, especially if you travelling with kids, you will find hundreds of tortoises cramped together.
The visiting hours for the temple is from 8 am to 10 pm. Would suggest to include this place 1st in your itinerary as post 10 am it gets crowded. There are no entry fees for this temple, you can always look for donation boxes if you wish to donate.
Tugu Negara Malaysia: (Malaysia National Monument)
The National Monument is a statue which was built in reminiscence of the heroic warriors who perished fighting for the freedom of our country. This historic sculpture has also marked its place in the book of records for being the tallest freestanding group of bronze sculptures.
Opening Hours: 07:00am – 18:00pm
Entrance Fee: Free
Perdana Putra:
Overlooking the Putrajaya lake, Perdana Putra a 6 storey stone clade complex serves as an office place for Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Chief Secretary. We managed to get a tour in Precinct 1 which covered Putra Mosque and Dataran Putra too.
Our tour guide explained the history behind each symbolic structure and gave us a bus tour around this area.
The Mines Shopping Mall:
Riding through the lake we headed to Mines shopping mall through a boat taxi to get a unique experience of a waterway flowing right through the middle of a mall.
It is a must-visit to enjoy the experience and do some shopping. There are many IT stores which they call DigiMart and other fashion products. They also have a rooftop landscape garden for kids called Splash Park with playground and water play space. You also have food stalls in the mall, try the durian puffs a sweet Malaysian treat and other Malay cuisines.
Batu Caves Temple:
Called a Malaysian national treasure, Batu Caves Temple is a must-visit, it is mostly a day unless you planning to go to Genting. The amazing limestone caves at the top is a must-see as they are around 400 million years old. There are temples outside the caves and few idols at the top once you climb 272 steps to reach the top.
The highlight of the caves is the Monumental statue of Lord Murugan, a Hindu deity standing right at the entrance of the caves.
You can also add some adventure to your day trip by exploring the Dark caves inside. The entry fee for the Dark Cave is 33RM pp and it includes a guide, flashlight and helmet.
Opening Hours: 07:00am – 18:00pm | Entrance Fee: Free
Genting Highlands:
Located at 6000 feet high lies the Genting Highlands a hill station with unlimited fun and experiences to be loved.
It is known as Malaysia’s Las Vegas to be precise. Known for its casino, nightlife, rides, attractions, shopping entertainment and also the First World Hotel- which is the world’s largest hotel in 2006 as listed in Guinness World Record. It is a 5lakhs sq ft indoor theme park with many malls and amazing dining experience for friends and families. If you plan to go by bus it will take about roughly 1.5 to 2 hours to reach from Kuala Lumpur. Which will be followed by a 15 minutes cable car ride up to the hill station.
Genting Theme Park Ride Pass Pricing
All Park Outdoor Park Indoor Park
Adult / Teen RM66 RM50 RM30
Child RM45 RM35 RM28
Senior Citizen RM45 RM35 RM28
Family Package RM200 RM153 RM102
Most of the tour packages will include a 1 or 2-night stay to cover this place. We stayed here for 2 nights and it was a great experience. Also, if you looking for accommodation you can always opt to stay below the hill station as the prices on the hill station for the stay is expensive. We stayed in Resorts World Awana you can check their reviews here.
Hope you guys like the blog, this is what all I covered in my Malaysia trip back in 2010, there are many things to add to this, which I cannot comment on as I couldn’t experience it, but sure will plan a trip soon so I can share more updates with you guys.
