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Kuala Lumpur, called KL by locals, is Malaysia's federal capital and largest city at 6.5 million (city-proper population of 1.8 million). Kuala Lumpur is a cultural melting pot with some of the world's cheapest 5-star hotels, impressive shopping districts, food from all parts of the world, and natural wonders within day-trip distance.
Kuala Lumpur's equivalent of a Central Business District (CBD) located to the north-east of the Old City Centre. The area is brimming to the seams with shopping malls, bars and five-star hotels, along with the iconic Petronas Twin Towers.
This is the traditional core of Kuala Lumpur where you’ll find the former colonial administrative centre, with the Merdeka Square, Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the Selangor Club and the former central railway station and railway administration building. This district also includes Kuala Lumpur’s old Chinese commercial centre which everyone refers to now as Chinatown. The highest skyscraper in Malaysia (Merdeka 118) is located in this part of the city.
The National Museum, the National Mosque, Botanical Garden, Bird and Butterfly Parks, Orchid & Hibiscus Gardens, Islamic Arts Museum and National Planetarium are located here. A short walk north of the garden is the National Monument.
Brickfields is Kuala Lumpur’s Little India filled with saree shops and banana leaf rice restaurants. Kuala Lumpur’s main railway station, KL Sentral, is located here. Bangsar is a popular restaurant and pub district while Mid Valley, with its Megamall, is one of the city’s most popular shopping destinations. Seputeh is home of the Thean Hou temple.
Located to the north-west of the Golden Triangle and an extension of the Old City Centre. Home to modern shopping malls, traditional street markets and budget accommodation options. Kampung Baru, the last Malay village of Kuala Lumpur, is a food paradise of street stalls and restaurants in traditional kampung setting.
Largely suburban, these districts to the west of the city house some interesting pockets of restaurants and drinking areas. Bukit Kiara - a secondary rainforest - is the most popular hiking and mountain biking spot of KL. This district also merges into the northern part of Petaling Jaya (PJ).
Located east of the city, Ampang is home to Kuala Lumpur’s Little Korea and most foreign embassies and high commissions. Cheras is a suburb with many Chinese residents here.
This huge area to the north of the city is home to several natural wonders attractions, such as the Batu Caves, the National Zoo and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.
This district may not interest travellers much, although Kuala Lumpur’s National Stadium and National Sports Complex Bukit Jalil are located here.
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Chow Kids
Volunteer with the street kids of Chow Kit (KL) to "help improve the quality of life for the children of Chow Kit whose parents are usually former and current drug addicts & sex workers in Kuala Lumpur". Chow Kids offers training for volunteers who wish to spend any amount of time interacting and helping these deserving children.
SPCA Selangor is an animal welfare organisation dedicated to protecting defenseless animals and to alleviate their suffering. Volunteer to help out at the animal shelter, SPCA's marketing and communication department or SPCA's outreach events.
Love animals? Volunteer at the National Zoo - Zoo Negara outside the city. Simply fill out the Volunteer Form on the website and show up for a shift at the zoo in a variety of areas. Their volunteer website gives for more information.
By plane
Kuala Lumpur is served by two airports: Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the main airport and served by all long-distance jet flights, whilst Subang Airport is limited to regional flights.
By train
The government owned Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malayan Railway or KTM) operates modern electric trains, called the Electric Train Service (ETS), along the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
By boat
Kuala Lumpur is not by the sea, so it is not possible to get in directly by boat. The nearby Port Klang, about 40 km west of Kuala Lumpur, serves as the main port for this region.
By bus
Buses are a cheap, comfortable and popular transport option for Malaysians, with services reaching virtually all corners of Peninsular Malaysia and also to Thailand and Singapore.
By car
Most important roads in Peninsular Malaysia lead to/from Kuala Lumpur.
Fares
Touch 'n Go is a reloadable smart card that can be used to pay for all public transport throughout the city. The card costs RM10 plus the amount you wish to load.
By train
The rail network is operated by RapidKL (lines 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12), KTM (lines 1, 2, 10) and ERL (lines 6, 7).
By bus
Double-decker KL Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing tour buses serve 42 notable places. There is free Wi-Fi on board. An information commentary is given through headphones.
By taxi
The best way to get around Kuala Lumpur is by Grab, originally a Malaysian company and now the Southeast Asia equivalent to Uber.
By car
Kuala Lumpur has good quality roads, but driving in the city can be a nightmare with massive traffic jams, a convoluted web of expressways and often-confusing road signage.
On foot
Walking in Kuala Lumpur is a distinctly mixed bag. The old centre of Kuala Lumpur fairly compact and the old buildings in various state of repair are great for exploring on foot.
Accessibility
Like many cities in South East Asia, Kuala Lumpur presents a great challenge for travellers with mobility impairments.
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Subang · International · SZB
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