You only have one day in Kuala Lumpur! What can you possibly see in KL in just 24 hours? How much could you realistically squeeze into a Kuala Lumpur 1 day itinerary? Well, you’re in the right place – grab a pen and start making some notes!
We live in Kuala Lumpur and… I like to think that we know it pretty well. We once managed to show a friend who was visiting us around Kuala Lumpur in less than 12 hours! (And that included quite a few hours in the pub). So if you have a whole 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur you’re laughing!
We have designed the ultimate Kuala Lumpur 1 day itinerary for you bursting with insider tips and local knowledge.
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What is there to do in Kuala Lumpur in one day?
Plenty. Of course, a lot of what you want to do in Kuala Lumpur is going to depend upon your personal interests.
We’ve been living in KL for over 2 years and we still haven’t seen everything… BUT we believe that you can see most of the main sights easily in one day. Something I could never say about my home city, London!
If you’re looking for a 1 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary, you are in the right place. Let us guide you through what we believe are the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur in just one day. This one day in Kuala Lumpur itinerary is going to be packed but not too overwhelming.
So pack your comfortest sandals and let’s start…
What to do in Kuala Lumpur in 1 day
As you only have one day in Kuala Lumpur, we are definitely going to be focusing on sightseeing over exploring museums and parks. As we all know visiting museums and parks will take up the majority of any day. This 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur itinerary will keep up the pace.
One of the key things to do when you’re trying to see as much of Kuala Lumpur as you can in only 24 hours is to use Grab cars to get around. Grab cars are the Asian versions of Uber and unlike Uber, you can pay the driver with cash – so it’s great for tourists!
Local Tip: Be careful using Grabs and taxis in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). Sometimes the traffic is so bad that it’s quicker to walk or get the MRT!
One day Kuala Lumpur itinerary
Although you only have one day in Kuala Lumpur this itinerary you don’t need to get up really early! You’re on holiday after all!
Our one day in Kuala Lumpur itinerary is all the basics in a little bit of a rush. But don’t worry we factor in plenty of time for you to grab leisurely meals and even have a few cocktails.
Kuala Lumpur itinerary day 1: Morning
Have breakfast at your hotel (or find a busy food stall nearby for some nasi lemak or our favourite roti canai). Then head to Merdeka Square for around 9:30 am.
Today is going to be jam-packed so having a good lie-in and hearty breakfast in the morning will really help keep your energy levels up throughout the day.
Let’s kick off this one day Kuala Lumpur itinerary in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. From your accommodation, find your way to Merdeka square. Use Google Maps, book a Grab/taxi or ask your concierge on the best way to get here. It might even be walkable from your hotel.
Merdeka Square: The historic heart of KL
Merdeka Square, a former colonial cricket ground, became famous on the night on the 31st of August 1959. The moment the nation of Malaysia was born.
Malaysians waved goodbye (good riddance!) to the British colonial rulers and hoisted the flag of the newly independent nation of Malaya onto the 95 m flag pole that stands in Merdeka Square.
If you happen to be visiting Medeka Square on a Monday morning, make sure you stick around until 9:45 a.m. and see the weekly ceremonial flag-raising ceremony.
Merdeka Square is surrounded by stunning Anglo-Islamic architecture. On one side you can stay the copper-clad domes and ornate columns of the eye-catching Sultan Abdul Samad building. Directly opposite on the other of the lawn, you will see the exclusive mock-Tudor Royal Selangor Club.
You will also be able to see St Mary’s Anglican Cathedral which looks very out of place nowadays in Central KL. It would look much more at home in an English village!
The beautiful building in the Southeast corner of Merdeka Square is the National Textiles Museum. It is free to enter and opens at 9 a.m. If you wish to start your itinerary a little earlier and take it in the history of Malaysian textiles and fabrics it’s a great option.
The River of Life
Cross the road and walk slightly behind the Abdul Samad Building until you see the murky waters of the River Klang.
This area is currently being heavily renovated. You will see several signs around explaining the River of Life that has been created. The aim to provide leisure and walking areas alongside the river and promote rivers as sources of life- rather than a deluge of pollution to be avoided!
In the early morning, the cooler temperatures make meandering along the river a very pleasant experience.
Just 2 minutes walk from Merdeka Square you will see Masjid Jamek, an elegant mosque with domes, landscaped gardens and white steps running down into the confluence of the Rivers Klang and Gombak. (In the past many worshippers arrived by boat!)
If you’d like to go into Masjid Jamek (outside of prayer times only), walk around the other side to the main entrance. Otherwise, continue South and you will soon come across Central Market.
Central Market
Housed in a wonderful art deco building, Central Market has been transformed from a workaday wet market into an arts and crafts shopping centre aimed at tourists. It is a great place to buy souvenirs and Malaysian crafts to take home.
The market opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m every day. Inside the market, you will find some great souvenir shops, a couple of really nice restaurants (we like Precious Old China on the mezzanine level) and a museum/gallery of ethnic arts on the second floor. Note: the Ethnic Arts Museum doesn’t open until 11 a.m.
Just next to Central Market you will see Kasturi Walk. Take in the handsomely-restored Chinese shophouses and imagine what Kuala Lumpur was like in the early 20th century. The huge arch over Kasturi Walk is meant to represent moon kites.
If you didn’t have breakfast at your accommodation, take a quick detour into Madras Lane Hawkers Centre on Madras Lane. It opens at 8 a.m. every day except Mondays and you can buy cheap and filling local meals here.
Chinatown: Temples and Shrines
After you leave Central Market and Kasturi Walk, walk left along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock for two blocks. Then turn right on to Jalan Tun HS Lee. There are some wonderful shophouses here. Keep an eye out for the art deco architecture.
However, the two things that are going to grab your attention on this street are the Chinese Guandi Temple and the colourful Hindu shrine, Sri Mahamariamman.
Sri Mahamariamman Temple
Sri Mahamariamman Temple opens at 6 a.m. in the morning and is free to enter. You will need to pay a few ringgit to store your shoes in the cloakroom outside.
Founded in 1873, the incredibly ornate 5-tiered Temple Tower, the colourful statues of Hindu Gods and ornate shrines are well worth a visit. This is a working temple and will usually be crowded with local Malaysian Indian families at prayer.
Chinatown’s Wet Market
Right outside the temple, on the opposite side of the road, you will see a small alleyway. In the morning, you will already see crowds entering this alley which leads into Chinatown’s wet market.
If you’re sensitive about seeing live animals squashed in tiny cages ready for slaughter or nervous when walking past open fires, you may wish to avoid this stop.
Otherwise, it’s well worth popping your head into this atmospheric local market. I’ll be honest and admit that I find the smell (of raw meat) too intense but if this is your first visit to Asia a visit will be an enlightening experience.
Chinatown: Petaling Street Market
When you reach the end of Jalan Tun HS Lee, turn left onto Jalan Sultan and then right onto Jalan Petaling. You have now reached the most famous street market in the city: Petaling Street Market.
As you will be visiting early in the day some of the stores will not yet set up but you’re not missing much as most just sell tacky tourist Supercars and rip-off merchandise.
Kwai Chai Hong Alley
Walk all the way through the market to 139 Jalan Petaling until you see the Bubble Bee Cafe. Look above the Bubble Bee Cafe entrance and you will see a mural of a small girl peeking down from the top floor. If you’re in need of some refreshments or rest, the Bubble Bee Cafe says pretty decent coffees and snacks.
What you’ll actually looking for isn’t in the cafe but rather what is behind it! You can reach Kwai Chai Hong Alley either by walking through the cafe or around the block.
Kwai Chai Hong Alley is Kuala Lumpur’s latest Instagram hotspot.
Following the popularity of street murals in Penang and Melaka, this once dark and dingy alleyway has been painted with beautiful interactive Instagram-worthy murals depicting traditional Malaysian street scenes. It’s a great selfie spot!
Kuala Lumpur itinerary day 1: Afternoon
Lunch in Chinatown
If you’re already feeling hungry, we really liked brunch at Merchant’s Lane 美真林. The cafe doesn’t open until 11.30 am on weekdays but if you’re there at the weekend it opens at 9:30 a.m. Find the narrow staircase at 150 Jalan Petaling. This charming cafe has a hip Cosmopolitan vibe and does interesting fusion takes on Malaysian classics like a Nasi Lemak set with coconut pancakes instead of the obligatory side of white rice.
If Merchant’s Lane is a little over your budget, wander back into Chinatown towards the market and eat at one of the market stalls. The roast duck stands can be particularly good.
just passed merchants name right at the end of July tiling you will say another Chinese temple. add info
Menara KL
Now that you’ve explored Chinatown, it’s time to go somewhere completely different. Jump in a Grab car or take public transport to Menara KL. If you decide to walk, it will take around 20 mins and you will get very sweaty!
Menara KL is the really tall tower that you’ve probably already spotted as you arrived in Kuala Lumpur. Menara KL is built at the top of Bukit Nanas. The base of the tower is 100 m above sea level and the observation decks are at 276m (indoor deck) and at 300m (open-air deck).
If you’re not afraid of heights, you can stand in the skybox and peek through the glass floor at the ground below. The Observation Decks open at 9 a.m. in the morning and the entrance prices range from 52RM – 105RM per adult depending on which decks you visit. Note that children are not allowed on the open-air observation deck. Check the Menara KL website for more details.
At the base of Menara KL, there are plenty of tourist attractions including virtual reality simulators, an upside-down house and a 150-year-old Jelutong Tree right in the lobby of the tower.
Save your money though because most of the best things are free. namely the KL Forest Eco Park!
KL Forest Eco Park
Right on the doorstep of Menara KL perched high on Bukit Nanas is this wonderful small park, KL Forest Eco Park.
Wander across the wooden canopy walkways while taking in the views of Menara KL Tower framed by jungle. KL Forest Eco Park is a tiny pocket of rainforest right in the heart of Central KL.
The short walkways only take 10 to 15 minutes to walk around. If you are lucky, you might see a troop of monkeys by the entrance watching for tourists bringing in snacks.
KL Forest Eco Park is a great way to get a quick taste of the Malaysian rainforest if you only have one day in Kuala Lumpur.
Batu Caves OR Thean Hou Temple
So here’s the bad news – with only one day in Kuala Lumpur you’re going to have to make a decision. Both these temples are well worth a visit but unless the traffic is in your favour you’re going to have to choose just one!
Ideally, you’ll be finished at the KL Forest Eco Park/ Menara KL around 3 pm. Negotiate with one of the many taxi drivers at KL Tower or book a Grab car online to your chosen temple.
Thean Hou Chinese Temple is definitely one of the most atmospheric and captivating Chinese temples in KL. As long as the traffic isn’t too heavy you can easily add in a quick visit to admire this gorgeous temple. It should take around 15 minutes by car.
If you are running early, you may be able to squeeze in a quick visit to Brickfields (Kuala Lumpur’s vibrant Indian area) as well.
Apart from my parents, all our other visitors have absolutely loved visiting colourful, chaotic and captivating Batu Caves in Gombak.
It can take up to 25 minutes by car to reach Batu Caves but this amazing complex of Hindu Temples set in limestone caves is one of the popular sites in Kuala Lumpur with good reason.
Check out our detailed Batu Caves with kids post for all the information that you need. Even if you aren’t travelling with kids, there is lots of information in here on the dress code, different temples and other practical advice.
Batu Caves rose to the next level of international fame last year (among non-Hindus that is) when the staircase up to the Main Temple was painted in rainbow colours. Climbing the 272 stairs whilst dodging gangs of thieving macaque monkeys is a very memorable experience.
1 day in Kuala Lumpur itinerary: Evening
So you’re probably wondering how I have managed to miss the most iconic landmark in the whole of Kuala Lumpur of our one day in Kuala Lumpur itinerary so far. Well, you could say that I’ve saved the best to a last… I certainly believe that dusk is the best time of day to the Twin Towers.
KLCC Park and Petronas Twin Towers
Just before dusk, head down to KLCC park. In tropical Malaysia, the sun sets around 7 p.m. all year round so aiming for 6 -6.30pm is a good bet.
KLCC Park is located right at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers. For a short while, these pair of gigantic skyscrapers were the tallest buildings in the world. They lost that claim to fame pretty quickly but they are still visually stunning – especially at night.
If you want to you can pre-book a ticket to go up the Towers and take in the expansive views over the Klang valley at night.
However, we think that the best views are not from the Towers but of the Towers. The place to stand is right next to the lake outside of Suria Mall in KLCC park. Walk to the far side of the lake and look up! You will see the matching towers looming over you. It’s a great spot for a selfie!
What’s more the lake in KLCC park has a musical sound and light show every night.
The fabulous KLCC Lake Symphony Light and Sound Water Fountain showtimes are 8 pm, 9 pm and 10 pm daily. At light only shows run at 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm daily.
If you’re travelling with small children, do not miss the Play Park in KLCC. It is absolutely GIGANTIC and the kids will love it.
The evening is a great time to go as it will be cooler and the play equipment will not be too hot to touch. There is also a splash pool next to the Play Park.
If you have an early start the next day and want to finish your one day in Kuala Lumpur itinerary here. Pop into Suria Mall where you will find plenty of chain restaurants and a popular food court.
But the night is still young so if you have some energy left, let’s head to a famous night market for dinner…
Dinner on Jalan Alor
For dinner, we suggest (like every other travel blogger) that you head to Jalan Alor.
Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang is Kuala Lumpur’s most touristy Pasar Malam (or night street market).
Now normally, I’d always recommend getting off the Tourist Trail and eating where the locals eat but there’s just something about the hustle and bustle of Jalan Alor that makes us take our visitors there.
The food is very hit-and-miss. You’ll be sitting on plastic chairs on the street and getting jostled about by the crowds but there’s something about the carnival-type atmosphere that makes any meal outside on Jalan Alor memorable. We can’t really recommend a favourite place to eat – we usually choose one of the busiest restaurants.
Changkat Bukit Bintang (‘Pub Street’)
After dinner, head out to sample some of Kuala Lumpur’s nightlife. The closest option from Jalan Alor is the 5-minute walk around the corner to Changkat Bukit Bintang.
Walk down the hill passing a number of sleazy massage parlours and there you will see a pedestrianised (at night) street filled with tourists/ expat-orientated bars and pubs. There’s a good vibe on this street especially when international sports is being shown in the bars.
If you’re a secret shopaholic or a non-drinker, a great alternative is to walk over to Bukit Bintang and explore the super malls like Pavilion.
Cocktails at a Rooftop Bar
Like most Asian cities some of the best nightlife is up high. Kuala Lumpur has dozens of rooftop bars all around the city. Some of our favourites are:
- Heli Lounge Bar – very touristy but a great spot for sunset
- Vertigo at the Banyan Tree Hotel – the highest, classy atmosphere
- Marini’s on 57 – for close-up views of the Petronas Towers
As you enjoy a few cocktails looking over the bright city lights of KL and reflect on your jam-packed day, we hope that you feel like you got a good sense of Kuala Lumpur.
We really hope that you found this 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur itinerary useful. If you enjoyed it, please share it on social media
Kuala Lumpur Essential Information and Resources
Language: English is spoken everywhere (or at least Manglish -the Malaysian patios). Nearly all menus and signs in central KL are in English.
Whilst the official language of Malaysia is Bahasa Malaysia, most of the population will speak some Mandarin or Tamil as well. You will find that many of the security guards and wait staff aren’t local so English is best as a means of communication.
Accommodation: find the exact hotel to suitable your needs in Kuala Lumpur on booking.com or agoda.com. It is also easy to find a spacious apartment in decent condos right in the city centre. Check out airbnb.com or use the filters options on booking.com options to search for apartments.
Opening Times and Public Holidays: Malaysia has A LOT of public holidays so always check if the attraction you are planning to visit is open before setting off. Opening hours are normally from 10 a.m. till 8 p.m although many restaurants don’t open until lunchtime.
Money: There are ATMs everywhere. Like when travelling in any big city, be discrete when you take large quantities of money out. The Malaysian currency is called the ringgit (RM).
Medical Care: If you need help whilst you are in Kuala Lumpur, we have previously been happy with the service at Pantai Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital and in the Twin Towers Medical Centre. Pharmacies are also useful sources of information for minor ailments.
SIM cards: We highly recommend purchasing a small amount of data for your phone when travelling around Kuala Lumpur. Malaysians use their phones for everything and will automatically expect you to use yours too. Having some data is great if you want to use Grab Cars to get surround. Free Wi-Fi is available in most cafes.
Safety: Kuala Lumpur as safe as any other large world city. The main hazards to be aware of are bag snatching by gangs on motorbikes, random holes in the pavement, a complete lack of safe pedestrian crossings (you’ll spot people running across 6 lanes of fast traffic) and air pollution. Also, don’t be surprised if a rat runs over your feet if you’re out and about in the city at night!
Kuala Lumpur with kids: If you’re travelling with young children, check out our in-depth guides on KL with kids and exploring Kuala Lumpur with a toddler to learn everything from where to buy nappies to the best playparks to visit.
Where are you going to next in Malaysia?
We really hope that you enjoy your short visit to Kuala Lumpur but honestly, you’re missing out if you don’t experience some other parts of wonderfully diverse Malaysia!
We have family travel guides on Penang | Langkawi | Fraser’s Hill | Melaka as well as a detailed 2 week Malaysia itinerary (covering Peninsular Malaysia AND Sabah).
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Travelling around Southeast Asia with kids? We have been living, holidaying and travelling in SE Asia for almost two amazing years now. Find out our best Asia with kids travel tips, discover the best family-friendly destinations in SE Asia and learn how NOT to make the (many) mistakes we’ve made by checking out our collection of in-depth family travel posts on Myanmar | Thailand | Malaysia | Singapore | Vietnam | Cambodia and more.
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