Kuala Lumpur
Twin towers, colonial squares, cave temples and three cuisines on one street.
Kuala Lumpur grew from a tin-mining camp at the meeting of two rivers into a capital of towers and rainforest parks. The Petronas Towers mark the centre; the Moorish-style buildings around Merdeka Square mark the colonial city; and the Malay, Chinese and Indian quarters around them supply the food that is the city's real attraction.
Why go
For an easy, well-connected city where the eating is exceptional: satay and nasi lemak in Kampung Baru, dim sum in Chinatown, banana-leaf curry in Brickfields, and hawker centres open all night.
And for what surrounds it: the limestone temple caves at Batu, the tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands, the old port of Melaka and the island of Penang, all within a few hours.
Highlights
What people go for, in no particular order.
01The Petronas Towers and KLCC
The twin towers with the sky bridge between them, the park and fountains at their feet and the malls and hotels around. The view from the observation deck or from the park at dusk when the towers light up.
02Batu Caves
The Hindu shrine in a limestone cave north of the city, up a long rainbow stairway past a golden statue of Murugan and a great many monkeys. Thaipusam in January or February fills it with pilgrims.
03Merdeka Square and the old city
The Sultan Abdul Samad Building's copper domes facing the cricket ground where independence was declared, with the river confluence, the Jamek mosque and the Central Market a walk away.
04Chinatown and Petaling Street
The market street under its roof, the Sri Mahamariamman temple and the Guan Di temple beside it, and the old shophouses turned into cafés and bars around Kwai Chai Hong.
05The food
Jalan Alor's street stalls, the Malay kampung of Kampung Baru in the shadow of the towers, Brickfields' Little India, and Bangsar and TTDI for the newer restaurants.
06Parks and the rainforest
The Perdana botanical gardens with the bird park, the KL Forest Eco Park's canopy walk in the middle of the city and the Menara KL tower above it.
07Melaka and the highlands
The Dutch square and Peranakan houses of Melaka two hours south; the tea estates and cool air of the Cameron Highlands to the north.
Areas
Where to base yourself, and what each area is like.
KLCC and Bukit Bintang
The towers, the malls and the hotels, with Jalan Alor's food street and the monorail. The centre of it all.
Chinatown and the old city
Heritage shophouses, temples and markets, with boutique hotels and easy transit links.
Bangsar
A leafy neighbourhood of restaurants, bars and markets south-west of the centre, popular with residents.
Brickfields and KL Sentral
Little India beside the main transport hub, convenient for the airport train and onward journeys.
When to go: Kuala Lumpur
- Dry seasonMay – August
- Warm and humid year-round, with these months usually a little drier and sunnier. Afternoon storms are possible at any time.
- Wet seasonOctober – December, March and April
- The inter-monsoon periods bring heavier showers, usually short and in the afternoon, with clear mornings between.
- Shoulder monthsJanuary, February and September
- In between: hot, mostly bright, with Chinese New Year and Thaipusam bringing the city's festivals early in the year.
Getting there
Airports
One airport in our search serves Kuala Lumpur. Distances are measured in a straight line.
- KULKuala Lumpur International
Distance from
- SINSingapore320 km
- BOMMumbai3,600 km
- DXBDubai5,520 km
- SYDSydney6,620 km
- JNBJohannesburg8,520 km
- CDGParis10,410 km
- LHRLondon10,570 km
- JFKNew York15,130 km
Getting around: Kuala Lumpur
The express train runs from the airport to KL Sentral in under half an hour; the LRT, MRT and monorail cover the centre and the suburbs. Ride-hailing is the easy option for everything else.
The heat makes long walks a morning or evening affair, but KLCC, Bukit Bintang and Chinatown are each walkable within themselves. Trains and buses reach Melaka, Ipoh and Penang.
Practical facts
The country, its currency and languages, the time zone and the time there now.
- Country
- Malaysia
- Currency
- MYR · Malaysian Ringgit
- Languages
- Malay
- Time zone
- Malaysia Time
- Local time now
- Calling code
- +60
The atlas
Kuala Lumpur in figures
The figures under this guide: the climate on modelled 2001–2020 averages, how far it is from the UAE, and the places around it.
Climate
The weather in Kuala Lumpur, month by month
- Jan28°
- Feb29°
- Mar30°
- Apr30°
- May29°
- Jun29°
- Jul28°
- Aug29°
- Sept29°
- Oct29°
- Nov28°
- Dec28°
- Mild to warm and dry
- Mild to warm, humid or showery
- Hot
- Cool
- Wet
- Cold
No month is both mild to warm and not wet, on these averages.
Mean highs run from 28°C in December to 30°C in April, with about 2,522 mm of rain in a year.
These are modelled averages for 2001–2020; the seasons described above are our own reading of a typical year.
Month-by-month climate for Kuala LumpurModelled averages for an area about 50 km across, not a weather station's record: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020.
Airports
How far it is from the UAE
From DXBKuala Lumpur
5,520 km
7 hrs 15 mins · Estimate
From AUHKuala Lumpur
5,560 km
7 hrs 20 mins · Estimate
The great-circle distance, and a rough flying time: the distance at an average 850 km/h plus 45 minutes for take-off and landing. Real flights follow airways, meet headwinds and wait for traffic, so schedules differ.
On the map
Places near Kuala Lumpur
Plan this trip: Kuala Lumpur
Open the trip builder with Kuala Lumpur already filled in. Flights, stays and everything else are priced together in one quote, prepared by a person on our team.
