Editor’s note: In between No Reservations and Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain (who is partially to blame for having inspired my life of travel) had a show called The Layover, where he took long layovers in some cool places and shared how to maximize the time. Here, TRT writer Sam Spector shares a similar take on Kuala Lumpur, fitting an awful lot into a very short duration. For more of Sam’s truly incredible adventures, be sure to click here to visit his index page.
As I often write about, while many people like to get to their ultimate destination as quickly as possible, I sometimes prefer to stop in a new city and take a long layover and explore a place to get a taste of it to decide if I might one day return. When I recently went to Nepal, I did just that and stopped in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia has much to offer, and I was supposed to go there in the spring of 2020, but sadly, this was a trip that did not come to fruition because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you do plan to go to Malaysia, starting off in the capital and largest city (population 2 million, with a metropolitan area of 8 million people) is a great place to get your bearings.
Kuala Lumpur is a cosmopolitan city known for its incredible skyscrapers, most notably the Petronas Twin Towers. At 1483 feet, these are the tallest twin towers in the world, connected by a skybridge, and from 1998 to 2004 were the tallest buildings in the world, ending Chicago’s Willis Tower’s (formerly Sears Tower) 25 year reign. The towers were built in a way that preserves the local culture in a post-modern Islamic architectural style and are inspired by Delhi’s 12th century Qutb Minar. As these are among the world’s most famous skyscrapers, definitely go get a picture in front of them. The Petronas Twin Towers are in an area of town called the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), an area of the city that was built in 1990 and is now upscale and a leading business center of Southeast Asia. There is a beautiful urban park next to the Petronas Twin Towers called the KLCC Park that you can go and enjoy a stroll in while taking in these magnificent structures.
While the Petronas Twin Towers might be the most famous skyscrapers in town, they are not the only ones in Kuala Lumpur worth seeing; the Petronas Twin Towers are dwarfed by the Merdeka 118, which was completed in 2024. Including its spire, the Merdeka 118 stands at 2,227 feet, second in the world only to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. Finally, the KL Tower is a communications tower that stands at 1381 feet and is on top of a hill. The tower has an Islamic Lunar observatory and an observation deck at the top that provides 360 degree views of Kuala Lumpur. As the KL Tower is on a hill, the observation deck allows you to look down on the Petronas Towers and get a unique view.
Not far from the KL Tower is Merdeka (Independence) Square, the place where the Malaysian flag was raised and independence from the British was declared on August 31, 1957. The square has fountains and the flags of the various provinces of Malaysia and a massive Malaysian flag in the middle. Across the street is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, a beautiful building from the late 19th century that was the British headquarters and later became the home of the Malaysian courts, but today is a tourist center. Attached to the Sultan Abdul Samad Building is the post office that was built in 1907. These buildings were constructed using Moorish influence as well as a style common in the region called Neo-Mughal, influenced by the Mughals of India who built such wonders as the Taj Mahal and Red Fort.
Down the street is another stunning building, the white Neo-Mughal train station completed in 1917. Across the street from the train station is the railway administrative building, built in the same style and year as the train station, and next to that is the National Mosque. The National Mosque is not the oldest one in town – that is the Jamek Mosque – but it was built in 1965 as a symbol of the country’s dominant faith and its freedom from the British. I was sadly unable to enter as prayers were going on at the time, but there are reflecting pools throughout the ground, a 240 foot minaret that is designed to look like a closed umbrella, and the main mosque that looks like an open umbrella with a 16 pointed star roof. All these sites within a few blocks of Merdeka Square are worth spending a couple of hours.
Two other places of national importance to the Malaysians are the National Palace and the National Monument. The National Palace was built in 2011 and is the home to the King of Malaysia, a ceremonial figurehead role that the holder has for a five year term. The palace is built in Malay and Islamic styles and has 22 domes, many of which are bright gold, and is spread out over 97 hectares. You cannot enter the complex; however, you can stand and get a picture at the gates where honor guards stand or sit on horseback at attention. From the National Palace, you can take in beautiful views of Kuala Lumpur’s incredible skyline.
The National Monument is a solemn place dedicated to those who fought for Malaysia’s independence, primarily focused on those who fought and died against Japanese occupation during World War II. The Cenotaph at the beginning of the monument states “To Our Glorious Dead” then has the dates of World War I, World War II, and the years where the Malays rose up against British rule from 1948-1960. There are fountains, archways, and plaques with multiple languages leading up to the main monument, a 49!foot sculpture showing Malaysian fighters bearing arms and one waving the Malaysian flag. The sculpture was created by Austrian sculptor Felix de Weldon in 1966. De Weldon was most famous for having designed the US Marine Corp Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery depicting the Marines raising the American flag at Iwo Jima; having seen this work, the first prime minister of Malaysia commissioned de Weldon to create something similar for Malaysia.
Perhaps the main attraction of Kuala Lumpur is located 8 miles outside of the city at the Batu Caves. The Batu Caves were used by indigenous people hundreds of years ago to collect bat guano. The Batu Caves are massive caves located on the side of a mountain. At the base of the mogote domed mountain are numerous colorful Hindu temples that you can walk through. You will see baby and toddler girls with their heads shaved and covered in a chalky substance undergoing a ceremony there to celebrate their purity. Most notably, there is a 141 foot tall golden statue of the Hindu deity Murugan, to whom these temples are dedicated. Behind Murugan are 272 rainbow painted steps leading up to the caves. As these stairs are steep, it takes approximately 15 minutes to climb to the top.
Once you reach the top, you will find a deep caverned cave that has an internal height of 328 feet. There is a large Hindu temple inside the cave where worshippers make offerings and receive blessings from priests, and the worshippers are also given food to eat. Inside the cave are also chicken coops with boking chickens and crowing roosters. Further into the cave are another set of stairs that lead up to yet another temple on a raised ledge that invites more worshippers. Up here, there are numerous long-tailed macaque monkeys, who will often pester tourists for food and try to steal from them. The monkeys frolic along the plant-covered limestone karsts that are in the back of the cave.
Kuala Lumpur is a diverse city; 8% of the city is Indian and observes Hinduism, 42% of the city is ethnic Chinese, and 48% is ethnic Malay and predominately Muslim. As a result, there are different districts that reflect this diversity, including a massive Chinatown centered around Petaling Street. Head to Petaling Street to do great shopping and try a variety of street foods. If you are looking for a more Malay experience though, head to the Central Market, built in an Art Deco building. The Central Market is adjacent to the Klang River, and was originally a wet market, but this caused multiple disease outbreaks. However, a platform looking out over the river and a mural of the history of the traders next to the market is worth checking out. Inside the market, there are numerous shops selling craftwork, especially Batik clothing and items. Batik is a traditional way of dying clothing in patterns using a wax resist. It is famous in Java, Indonesia and in Peninsular Malaysia, and is considered a national symbol for both nations, with both countries even having national airlines that are separate sister companies called Batik Air. Having been to both Java and to Malaysia’s northern neighbor Thailand, I was surprised to discover that the Malay seem to be far more culturally like the Javanese as opposed to the Thai, and that Kuala Lumpur felt more Indonesian than Thai. Getting yourself as well as your friends and family Batik souvenirs is a wonderful way to remember your trip to Malaysia. While you are at the Central Market, hop into one of the traditional Malay restaurants for an affordable and authentic meal.
While I still hope to return to Malaysia and visit the places that I did not get to in 2020, I am glad that I got to at least make it to the capital and this internationally renowned metropolis with one of the best skylines. I hit the highlights in the city in an action packed 8 hours, but I recommend spending a couple of days and a night to fully experience the city and enjoy some of the city’s high-end restaurants and hotels with infinity pools overlooking the skyline. When you think about hitting some of Asia’s best cities, make sure you add this one to your list.
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