Kuala Lumpur is an exciting, modern Asian metropolis, highly developed and full of tall skyscrapers and shopping malls; but beneath its shiny modern exterior you can still find the Asia of old, with bustling markets and street food, amazing historic sites and places of worship. Malaysia’s capital city has a cosmopolitan feel, with a real mix of cultures that truly defines Malaysia. As a backpacker, Kuala Lumpur is a fantastic city to visit with plenty of budget places to stay, cheap eats and sightseeing, along with a super cheap and efficient public transport system. Read on for your backpacker’s guide to Kuala Lumpur.

Things to do

Kuala Lumpur has a whole range of interesting sights, attractions and activities, from interesting historic sights to amazing shopping.

Merdeka Square

A good place to start is at Merdeka Square, the historic colonial part of the city, from which the city was governed by the British. Merdeka Square is actually the old cricket field and the cricket pitch still exists in the middle of the park. Surrounding the square are lots of beautiful historic old buildings, perhaps the most dominating being the Sultan Abdul Samad building. There are also some interesting museums and galleries in this area to check out.

Chinatown

Chinatown is a must see in Kuala Lumpur for its old buildings, cheap eats and excellent shopping. At the heart of Chinatown is the Petaling Street Market which really comes to life at night time. Haggle for a bargain or try out some of the amazing food down the side alleys. Another great place to shop and to escape the heat of the day is at the Central Market, still in its original historic building. This is a great place to buy souvenirs and handicrafts, and there is a good food court here as well. There are also some interesting temples in Chinatown, such as the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple, built in 1864.

Petronas Towers

The most iconic building in Kuala Lumpur - and probably the most popular sight - is the Petronas Towers. These architecturally beautiful towers are the tallest twin towers in the world. It is pricey to go up to the sky bridge which connects the two towers, however it costs nothing to look at this amazing structure from below. It is a good idea to visit the Petronas Towers both during the day and at night time when the towers are all lit up. Below the towers is the Suria KLCC shopping mall, with lots of expensive brands for window shopping and to enjoy some air conditioning. Next to the shopping mall is KLCC Park, perfect for a wander and a picnic.

KL Bird Park and Botanic Gardens

The KL Bird Park is the largest free flight walk in aviary in the world, allowing you to wander through an amazing sanctuary and get up close with the 3000 birds that call the aviary home. If you can’t afford the entrance fee to the park, take a walk through the nearby Botanic Gardens and visit the Orchid & Hibiscus gardens for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Masjid Negara

Located between the Botanic Gardens and Chinatown is Masjid Negara – the National Mosque of Malaysia. This beautiful mosque can hold up 15,000 worshippers, and the prayer hall is particularly beautiful to visit. Foreigners are allowed to visit the mosque outside of prayer times and will be given a robe to wear.

Batu Caves

Hop on the train and head out to the outskirts of the city for a morning visit to Batu Caves. This is a Hindu cave temple and one of the most important Hindu places of worship outside of India. At the entrance is a massive golden statue of Lord Murugan, behind which you climb 272 stairs up into the cave temple. Lots of monkeys call this place home and you are sure to meet plenty of them as you climb the stairs.

Where to stay

Kuala Lumpur has a whole range of accommodation options, from hostels and budget guest houses to five star hotels. The best place to find the cheapest guest houses in Kuala Lumpur is Chinatown in the old part of the city. This bustling area is full of charming historic buildings with lots of budget guesthouses and cheap eats, which has always made it a backpacker favourite.

If you want to stay closer to the newer part of the city, stay in the Bukit Bintang area. Prices here aren’t quite as cheap as in Chinatown, however there are still plenty of budget guesthouses to choose from, and you can walk into the city centre from here.

Where to eat

Kuala Lumpur is an amazing food city, with an interesting mix of cuisines from the different cultures that call the city home. The best way to eat on the cheap and try some of the best food is to eat at the many hawker stalls that line the city’s streets, particularly at night. Chinatown has an abundance of hawker stalls and cheap restaurants. Head along Jalan Sultan at night time and you will be spoilt with options.

Another wonderful and cheap place to eat is on Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang. This is possibly the best food street in Kuala Lumpur with lots of cheap hawker style restaurants lining the entire street. It particularly comes to life at night when tables and chairs extend out onto the street itself for the ultimate street dining experience.

When you are in some of the more expensive areas of the city, head to the food courts in the shopping malls, such as the one at Suria KLCC for cheap and tasty eats.

How to get around

Many of the city’s sights and attractions are located close together, making the city quite walkable. Chinatown and the historic centre of Kuala Lumpur is a great place to travel on your own feet. To get to other parts of the city, use Kuala Lumpur’s excellent and cheap public transport system. The city is well connected with light rail, commuter trains and a monorail system. An excellent train service connects you to the airport from KL Sentral. From here you can take the LRT to Chinatown or KLCC, or take the Monorail to Bukit Bintang.