Malaysia’s capital and largest city has much to offer travelers. Perhaps best known for the Petronas Twin Towers (the world’s tallest twin towers), KL is a very popular tourist destination and routinely makes the list of top 10 most visited cities in the world.
A mix of colonial, modern, Asian, and Malay architecture flows through the city, giving it a unique look you don’t usually find in other Southeast Asian capitals. The National Palace and the House of Parliament are two examples of stunning KL architecture–well worth a look even if you don’t plan on exploring inside.
More great things to do while you’re in Kuala Lumpur include visiting Merdeka Square, shopping at Chinatown’s Petaling Street, and exploring KL Bird Park.
Kuala Lumpur is considered one of the best shopping destinations in Southeast Asia–not only does the city have almost 70 shopping centers, but it’s also full of indoor/outdoor markets (like the gigantic Central Market, with over 800 shops and stalls) and a great place to pick up hand-carved wood and pewter.
If you don’t mind a quick trip out of town, the massive limestone Batu Caves, home to holy shrines and thousands of bats, are less than an hour away.
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2. George Town
The older part of Malaysia’s second-largest city has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site–but George Town is just as famous for its food as it is for its architecture. Known as “the food capital of Malaysia,” George Town offers some of the best street food in Asia, best experienced in places like seafront Gurney Drive and Chulia Street, a popular backpacker’s destination and one of the oldest streets in the city.
While George Town’s port and waterfront area is a tourist’s favorite, there’s much more to see and do here. The city’s tallest skyscraper is home to the U-shaped Rainbow Skywalk, an outdoor glass viewing platform set 68 floors up in the air. For a less nerve-racking view of the city, take the tram up to the top of Penang Hill–the cityscape is particularly beautiful at night.
Less adventurous travelers might want to check out the Batik Painting Museum Penang before they grab some batik souvenirs from a local market, or visit the colorful 19th-century Kek Lok Si Buddhist temple.
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3. Gunung Mulu National Park
The park, named after Mount Mulu, attracts visitors from all over Asia who come here for trekking, caving, hot springs, and the natural beauty that caused this place to receive a UNESCO World Heritage Site classification.
Climbers can reach the top of Mount Mulu after a 24-kilometer trek with an elevation of 1,200 meters that starts at the park headquarters–but for those looking for a more relaxing day out, there are also easier trails within the park.
The park’s main attractions are, however, its caves and the millions of bats that inhabit them. Set deep into the surrounding rainforest and karst cliffs, the caves are record-breakers in several ways–including featuring Southeast Asia’s longest cave system and the world’s largest cave passage. And at 115 meters high and 600 meters long, Sarawak Chamber is the largest cave chamber in the world, which is tricky to reach and can only be explored as part of a guided tour.
Kayaking, mountain biking, and taking a walk in the 500-meter-long canopy skywalk are also popular park activities.
