Kuala Lumpur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and each year it receives countless number of tourists. The vibrant night-life and the looming skyscrapers have made KL one of the most alluring metropolises in SE Asia. If you are on a hurricane trip in this part of the world then it makes sense to carve out at least 36 hours for this remarkable destination. One cannot possibly experience everything that KL has to offer in 36 hours but it will be a whirlwind adventure that will remain etched in memory for years to come.
Day One – Morning in Kuala Lumpur
We assume that you will arrive in the Malaysian capital early in the morning to make the most of your stay. After a long flight you will obviously want to have breakfast and the best place for that would be Valentine Roti which serves the best roti canai (an excellent breakfast dish) in KL. One may ask for roti canai with sardines, egg or onion. It is a very filling dish and costs only RM 6. From here you can can walk for around 25 min and reach the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. This is a great chance to explore the city by walking or you may hail a taxi and reach the twin towers within 8 – 10 min. Once you reach KLCC you will come across an outdoor park that has beautiful fountains, Aquaria KLCC (a world-class aquarium) and a snazzy looking mall at the ground floor of KLCC. However, due to time constraints, you may want to skip all these and buy the special sky bridge ticket that will cost you RM 142. From the sky bridge one can enjoy amazing views of the city.
Day One – Afternoon
All these should take up 3 – 4 hours and it would be time to check-in to your hotel. Since this is more like a layover trip, we suggest that you put up in a budget or less expensive hotel in the Bukit Bintang area. If you want lunch then you can try SaoNam (www.saonam.com.my), a Vietnamese restaurant that is very hard to locate but well worth the effort. You can then head to Pavilion KL which is located in the Golden Triangle. The mall has 7 levels of retail shops including all the top brands like Gucci, Burberry and Prada. If you are coming here during the sale then you can definitely pick up a few items. On your way back to the hotel you can stop at Islamic Arts Museum which is a marvelous place wherein one can admire the decorated pottery and the beautiful carpets.
Day One – Evening
As night slowly sets in, it’s time to visit Petaling Street and check out the night market stalls here. Here you get cheap knock-off of almost everything on this planet – Louis Vuitton handbags, Nike jerseys, smoking devices, Rolex watches etc. Here you will find the odd stairways illuminated by the pink lights – we will not go into the details but you can skip or visit these places as per your desire. From here head straight to Jalon Alor street for delectable street food. You can get delicious Malay and Thai dishes and food here is very cheap. We tried a small plate of noodles and a small bowl of coconut ice-cream and both were delicious. If you are a nightlife junkie then it is time to head back to the hotel and hit the bed.
Day Two – Morning (24 hours has elapsed)
After having the breakfast at the hotel, you can now visit the Merdeka Square. This is the spot where Malaysia declared its Independence in 1957. The square is surrounded by colonial style buildings which definitely portrays a strong British influence because of the colonial past. After this one should visit the Putrajaya Mosque en route to the airport. It is a new administrative city that was built by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia. Visit the Medan Selera Taman Warisan Pertanian at Putrajaya to have the last Malaysian dish just before you leave the city. The next stop is at the airport and we are pretty confident that if you follow this itinerary then you will get a short introduction to the country and its culture.
