Kuala Lumpur has plenty of popular attractions such as the Batu Caves, Thean Hou Temple, or the Petronas Towers. But it also has some other amazing spots that people don’t know about. In this blog post I will share the the top 8 Kuala Lumpur hidden gems so you can explore them when you’re in town. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.
Are you looking for help with planning your trip? Check out these helpful resources:
- Flights
- Accommodation for all budgets
- Rental cars
- Activities, tours, and day trips
- eSIM for international data
1. KL Butterfly Park at Perdana Botanical Gardens
I think of Kuala Lumpur as a mix of jungle and concrete jungle. That’s because the city has plenty of skyscrapers, but it also has plenty of green spaces.
So it’s a great place in South East Asia for both city kids and nature lovers.
The beautiful gardens are one of these green spaces. It has over 80,00 square feet. The butterfly park is a separate enclosed area that has trees and plants and a lot of species of butterflies flying around.
The butterflies are really pretty and come in all sizes and colors. You can spend some time watching them and just walk around all the green areas.
The butterflies won’t come sit on you. I tried to keep my hand out thinking one of them might rest on it, but it didn’t happen. They seem to just do their thing and not interact with people.
The garden itself is on the small size, but very well kept. There are bridges, gazebos, and cute alleys. And even a little waterfall.
I’ve never been to a butterfly park before, so I loved the experience here.
I do need to warn you that it’s really hot there. There is no AC and the greenhouse effect makes it feel really hot and humid.
Also at the botanical gardens there is the KL Bird Park, so you could visit this one as well.
2. Central Market
Central Market is a cute market that has been operating since 1888 in Chinatown. It has lots of shops where you can buy souvenirs, traditional batik art, and handmade objects from local artisans.
One of the shops also offers a batik painting workshop here where you can paint your own souvenirs to take home. I visited during Eid, so they were closed, but if you want an immersive experience I recommend you sign up for this.
3. Sin Sze Si Ya Temple
Also in Chinatown is the oldest Taoist temple in Kuala Lumpur, Sin Sze Si Ya. This is one of Kuala Lumpur’s best-kept secrets that my local friend introduced me to. There weren’t any tourists, just locals praying and making offerings to the gods.
It’s a really special temple with a lot of history. There is a long table inside the temple and the legend says that if you crawl under the table from one end to the other and make a wish, this wish comes true.
4. BookXcess RexKL Bookstore
Another hidden gem is this cute bookstore, which is only a short walk from the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. As you get there go to the top floor. There you’ll see a lot of books arranged in multiple bookcases that have some empty spots where people can sit.
It’s the perfect place to snap some adorable pictures. And if you want to buy a book as a souvenir from your Kuala Lumpur trip, this is a great place for that too.
5. Kway Chai Hong alleyway
I loved Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur. It’s probably my favorite neighborhood. While the capital city of Malaysia is a modern city with a lot of skyscrapers and unique architecture, Chinatown is the perfect spot to experience a different side of the city.
Another cool spot here is the Kway Chai Hong alleyway.
It’s one of the most instagrammable spots in the city. It has restored pre-war shophouses, lots of impressive street art, the oldest lamp post in Kuala Lumpur, and a great speakeasy bar.
It’s one of the best spots in KL to take some epic pictures. It’s just so cute! I loved this secret side of Kuala Lumpur.
6. Kampung Baru Ramadan Bazar
I visited Kuala Lumpur during Ramadan. They have these local markets where they sell food during the Ramadan period every day between 4-7pm. This way people who don’t have time to cook before sunset can grab food.
My local friend took me to the Kampung Baru market so I can experience this seasonal bazar. It’s not really a night market, but it’s a late afternoon one. I loved it so much!
There were so many food stalls selling local dishes. I sampled as many as I could. My advice is to get small portions from a lot of stands so you can try more things.
They have both savory and sweet food. And the best part is that prices are very reasonable, so you can definitely try a lot of dishes and experience the rich culture of Malaysia through food.
This market is one subway station or a short drive away from the Petronas Twin Towers.
7. Shopping malls
I have been to multiple shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur and the shopping scene is elite. There are so many options for everything you would want to buy.
Suria KLCC (which stands for Kuala Lumpur City Centre) is the mall at the twin towers. It is big and it has a lot of shops and dining options.
Another great mall to check out if you have time is Pavilion. It has over 700 shops and restaurants.
8. Day trip to Malacca
While most people take day trips to Genting Highlands or Cameron Highlands, I think Malacca is a hidden gem. I highly recommend it as a day trip destination.
Malacca is a port city with a very tumultuous history. It was a city perfectly positioned for international trade. In the early 1500 it was conquered by the Portuguese.
Then the Dutch defeated the Portuguese and ruled Malacca from 1641 to 1798. Then in the 1800’s it was ceded to the British in exchange for another place on Sumatra.
During World War II it was ruled by the Japanese. And as of 1963 it became part of independent Malaysia.
The city has a lot of influences from both the Portuguese and the Dutch. It’s a very unique city to visit and to learn more about its history.
I went on this day trip and I opted for the private guided tour. The driver was amazing and he shared so much about Malacca both as we were driving there and after we arrived. But he also gave us free time to explore on our own.
It takes a bit under 2 hours to get to Malacca from Kuala Lumpur, so it’s s pretty short trip. You leave KL around 7am and return in the early afternoon, so you can make plans for dinner in KL.
FAQs about Kuala Lumpur
Where should I stay in Kuala Lumpur?
I stayed at Villa Samadhi, a 5-star boutique hotel that offers so much lush greenery and serenity that you forget you’re in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
I had access to the pool from my room and it was fantastic. The perfect way to cool down after exploring the city in hot and humid weather.
You can find a full review of Villa Samadhi here.
What should I eat in Kuala Lumpur?
There are 3 cultures that co-exist in Malaysia: Malay, Chinese and Indian. The Malay people come from Indonesia and they were the first to arrive in Malaysia.
The Chinese came to set up the tin mining business. Malaysia used to be a big exporter of tin and they needed the mining knowledge that the Chinese people already had.
During the British colonial era, the British brought Indians to Malaysia to work on rubber plantations and to build the railroads.
Both the Chinese and Indians stayed in Malaysia and these 3 distinct cultures are still preserved in today’s Malaysia. Which also means that you get to eat Malay, Chinese and Indian food when you visit Malaysia.
You can do a food tour to try as many dishes as possible.
Banana leaf (Indian food)
For the best Indian food you need to go to banana leaf restaurant where they actually serve you the food on a large banana leaf.
You will be served rice, a lot of different kinds of veggies, some pickles, curries, and meat (if you eat meat). The veggies are the same for everyone, but you can pick the type of rice you want (plain or biriani) and the type of meat or fish.
The place where my local friend took us was Sri Nirwana Maju. The food here was delicious.
Chinese food
When you’re in Kuala Lumpur you must eat on Jalan Alor Food Street once. It’s a street full of street food stalls and restaurants that becomes alive at night.
We ate at Meng Kee Grill Fish and shared a bunch of dishes. It’s nice if you’re eating here with a larger group since you’ll be able to try more dishes.
Everything we had was really good, so pick whatever sounds good to you from the menu.
Malay food
Make sure you try nasi lemak, one of the most popular dishes in Malaysia. It’s made from rice, chicken, egg, peanuts, small dried salty fish, and some cucumbers.
What is the best time to visit Kuala Lumpur?
I visited late March and the weather cooperated for the most part. No matter when you visit it will be hot and humid and temperatures will be around 25-32 degrees Celsius (77-90 F). However, because of the humidity, it feels like it’s even hotter.
There will most likely be thunderstorms. It happened almost every day when I was there, but they mostly last for a few hours. And other than that it tends to be pretty sunny. I visited outside of the rainy season though.
How can I get to the city center from Kuala Lumpur International Airport?
Public transportation
You can take the KLIA Ekspres train from the Kuala Lumpur airport to KL Sentral, the main train station in the city. The trip takes about 30 minutes. Trains run every 15-20 minutes, depending on the time of day.
You can also take the bus from the airport to get to KLCC. This is the cheapest option, but it usually takes over an hour to get to the city. So I recommend this option only if you’re on a very tight budget.
Grab
Grab is the most popular e-ride app in Asia. It’s basically the Uber of Asia. So make sure to download the app before your trip.
The app is super easy to use. The service is very reliable and you can easily get a car.
This is the most convenient option to get to your hotel from the airport.
Plus, Grab is really affordable. The trip from the airport to the city center takes about one hour and it cost me only about $15. The same trip in NYC would cost you 10X this amount.
If you don’t want to download yet another app, then you can schedule a private transfer.
How can I get around Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur is a huge city and I didn’t find it very walkable. Pretty much everyone drives there.
If you need to get from one destination to the other I recommend you get a Grab car. The prices are really affordable. It usually costs only a few dollars and it’s the easiest way to get around.
How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad?
The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.
I use Airalo. You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for. After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.
You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.
Is Kuala Lumpur safe for a solo female traveler?
Yes! I felt safe the entire time I was in Kuala Lumpur. I didn’t see any pick pockets or scammers. People are used to seeing tourists and are very friendly.
I have to say that I felt safer in KL than I felt when I visited a Western European capital city.
Kuala Lumpur could be a great destination for a first solo trip to Asia since they use the Latin alphabet, they speak English, and it’s a more developed place compared to other countries in Southeast Asia.
Do I need cash for my trip to Kuala Lumpur?
Yes, you will need cash when you visit Kuala Lumpur. The food markets, some restaurants and some stores only accept cash. Compared to Singapore, cash is a lot more used in Malaysia.
There are plenty of ATMs in the city, so if you forget to get some at the airport there won’t be any problem. If you need to exchange money there are also plenty of exchange places in the city as well.
Pro tip: always get cash from an ATM in the country you’re visiting instead of going to an exchange place. Your bank will always have better exchange rates when taking out cash in a foreign currency from an ATM.
Do I have to tip in Kuala Lumpur?
No, you do not have to tip in Kuala Lumpur. No matter where I ate I never had to leave a tip.
Do I need to book tickets for attractions in advance?
I highly recommend you book all the tickets online in advance of your trip. The popular tourist attractions can get sold out if you don’t book in advance.
Do people speak English in Kuala Lumpur?
Yes, they do. The level of fluency varies from person to person, but I had no problems communicating in English with everyone during my trip.
Do you recommend Kuala Lumpur as a solo destination?
Yes, I think Kuala Lumpur is a great place for a solo trip. There are plenty of things to do, the food is delicious, the people are friendly, and I felt safe.
Need inspiration for your next trip? Check out some of my other articles.
Paris solo travel: everything you need to know
Andorra itinerary: everything you need to visit
Warsaw itinerary: ultimate guide for your first visit
Barcelona 3 day itinerary: the best things to do
Doha itinerary: the best guide for your first visit
Tallinn in 2 days: everything you need to know
Beginner’s guide to NYC: everything you need to know
The best guide for solo travel to Amsterdam
Solo female travel to London: the ultimate guide
The best Oradea 3 day itinerary: a native’s top picks
Istanbul solo travel guide: is Istanbul safe for women?
Helsinki in 2 days: everything you need to visit
Solo travel in Vienna: how to have the best trip
Florence 4 day itinerary: the best guide for solo travelers
Athens 4 day itinerary: ultimate guide for your first visit
4 Day Dublin itinerary: everything you need to know
Solo travel in Milan: the best things to do
Solo travel to Toronto: the ultimate 2 day itinerary
Ioana was born and raised in Romania, lived in NYC for 14 years, and is now back in Romania. She fell in love with traveling when she was little and used to visit her aunt in Vienna. Then in high school she was able to visit Siberia, Turkmenistan, Istanbul, and Tokyo through chemistry competitions. As an adult she started to travel solo once she turned 30 and visited 20+ countries so far. Ioana is a full time travel blogger and content creator with an audience of 75K+ people on Instagram. She loves to share travel recommendations and tips.