3 Days In Kuala Lumpur Itinerary - How To Spend 3 Days In KL

Last Updated on 9th May 2024

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best things to do in Kuala Lumpur Petronas Towers

Malaysia was a country that I never, ever thought I’d visit, let alone fall completely and utterly head over heels in love with it but our three weeks in Kuala Lumpur showed me a place that I now want to visit over and over again!

Most people think that Kuala Lumpur is just a place for a layover on a flight across Southeast Asia, but that really isn’t the case. We spent three whole weeks in KL (you definitely don’t need to spend that long there, although I could happily spend three months!), but you can easily see everything this remarkable city has to offer in just 3 days.

KL is home to so many things to do and it now sits firmly near the top of my list of favourite cities in the world!

If you’re wondering whether you should plan a city break to KL (spoiler: YOU SHOULD!), or you’ve got a trip coming up and you’re looking for the perfect 3-day itinerary, I’ve put together an extensive guide of the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur in 3 days.

How to get to Kuala Lumpur

As I mentioned in my post about why Kuala Lumpur isn’t just a layover city, unfortunately, many people don’t realise just how great KL is and will often just stay in the city for a few hours on a stopover while travelling across Southeast Asia.

After spending three weeks there, however, I’m now an advocate for spending longer in KL and I firmly believe that it’s a place you need on your travel bucket list!

Getting to Kuala Lumpur is pretty easy as you can fly from most major airports around the world.

A flight from the UK to KL will take you approximately 13 hours and you can fly direct from most London airports.

You can also fly from many places in the United States, although you will likely have a stop in Hong Kong , Japan or China on the way over.

If you’re planning a trip to Southeast Asia and you’re thinking of skipping Kuala Lumpur; don’t! It’s honestly one of my favourite cities in the world and I really urge you to give it a chance if you’re ever on that side of the world!

If you are planning a trip to the Malaysian capital, keep on reading this post for my ultimate guide on the perfect itinerary for 3 days in Kuala Lumpur.

Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur for 3 days

We spent exactly three weeks in Kuala Lumpur; we only ever intended to stay for two weeks but as our 14 days were coming to an end, we decided that we didn’t want to leave quite yet so we extended our stay by another week!

We stayed in an Airbnb in the same building called Elements @ Ampang for our entire stay, but we spent the first two weeks in Farouk’s apartment (who is genuinely the nicest guy ever – he even took us out for dinner one evening!) and then we spent the last week in another apartment (where the owner is unfortunately not quite as accommodating or helpful, but it was still a great apartment!).

The first apartment we stayed in was on the 36th floor in Tower A of The Elements @ Ampang building and it is stunning. The location was ideal for getting to almost everywhere in and around the city and it was about a 45-minute drive to the airport.

For an Airbnb of its size, we couldn’t believe how affordable it was and we both said that we’d happily live there indefinitely!

There was even a “rooftop” pool (which was actually located on the 6th floor!), as well as a sauna, steam room, huge gym, conference rooms and kids’ play areas.

I really couldn’t recommend The Elements @ Ampang enough if you’re staying in Kuala Lumpur; it’s probably our favourite place we’ve stayed since we started travelling full-time!

Find somewhere to stay in Kuala Lumpur here!

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The ultimate 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary

Kuala Lumpur is a melting pot of incredible cultures, cuisines and activities.

It has influences from countries and cities all over Asia; primarily India, China and Indonesia, and you’d be hard-pressed to find another city in Asia that’s as vibrant or culturally available as KL.

There’s really an infinite number of things you can get up to in KL, but I’ve compiled a list of my favourite things that we did while we were there for three weeks!

1. Batu Caves – 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary

The Batu Caves are without a doubt one of the best and most popular things to do in KL.

These religious caves are set upon limestone hills just outside of the city and are most notably famed for the 272 rainbow steps that take you to the very top of the caves and into the temple entrance.

At the bottom of the rainbow steps, sits a 140-feet high statue of Lord Murugan; the largest of its kind in the world!

Thanks to the hundreds of steps to get to the entrance of the caves, it’s no easy feat getting there, but it is well worth the strenuous climb for beautiful views from the top, and of course the temples themselves.

Once inside the caves, you’ll find many Hindu temples and shrines where local religious believers will pray and pay their respects to the Hindu Gods.

It’s quite hard to comprehend just how impressive the Caves really are; I’d seen many pictures of them before we visited but nothing could prepare me for just how stunning they really are.

The Batu Caves, and in particular the steps leading up to the Caves, are home to dozens of monkeys who flock to the steps when it gets busy with tourists to try and steal food and water from you; so make sure all your belongings are tucked safely away!

If you intend on walking up the steps and going into the Caves, you’ll need to have your legs covered. You can always rent a sarong from the entrance if you haven’t brought your own long clothes for around 5rm (about 92p!).

Top travel tip: Get to the Batu Caves as early as you can to avoid the crowds. We arrived at around 8.30 am and it was still very quiet but by the time 9 am comes around, the crowds start to form!

2. Petronas Towers

I’m not sure about you guys, but I’m a massive weirdo and I keep a list of my favourite buildings in the world, and as soon as I saw the Petronas Towers, I knew that they would be immediately added to that list.

The Petronas Towers stand proudly in the middle of the city at 1,483 feet (452m) tall and are the world’s tallest twin tower building.

You can catch a glimpse of them from almost anywhere in the city centre and I can assure you, you’ll never get bored of seeing them!

The towers are incredibly photogenic; both from the ground below and from up high on the observation decks on the 86th floor!

Top travel tip: Buy your tickets to the Petronas Towers here!

The views from the top of the Petronas Towers observation decks are remarkable; you can see for miles around the city and it’s so fun to point out different places you’ve been to! We could even see our apartment building from the top!

3. Little India

Many cities in Asia are famous for having “little” districts of other countries such as Little India; it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy a glimpse into that country’s culture and lifestyle.

Little India in Kuala Lumpur is a great place to spend an hour or two; there’s numerous places to eat (we had a yummy curry while we were there!), as well as plenty of stalls and shops where you can pick up little trinkets and souvenirs.

While I personally don’t think it’s quite as good as China Town (see below), I’d definitely still recommend adding it to your Kuala Lumpur travel itinerary!

4. Wilayah Mosque – 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary

I mentioned it before, but KL is an absolute cultural hub with influences from all over the world.

As there are so many people living in KL from all over the world, it’s clear that there are going to be many different religions too. One of the most common religions in KL is Muslim, so there are many temples all over the city.

The Federal Territory Mosque, or the Wilayah Mosque as it’s also known, is one of the biggest and most beautiful mosques in the city and can house up to 17,000 worshippers at a time!

You can take a free guided tour of the Wilayah Mosque from a local Muslim who will happily show you around the magnificent building.

We were treated to a free guided tour while we were there and were shown the numerous domes inside the temple, as well as the grand hall where thousands of people pray every single day.

Of course, with it being a religious structure, you must dress accordingly and even if you have long-sleeved T-shirts and trousers on, you may still be required to don appropriate religious clothing free of charge.

While I’m not religious in any sense, our visit to the Wilayah Mosque was actually one of my favourite parts of our trip to Kuala Lumpur.

5. Tapak Urban Street Dining

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have likely seen me raving constantly about the Tapak Urban Street Dining food market while we were in KL.

For those of you who know me well, you’ll know just how much I enjoy trying out new foods and Tapak Urban Street Dining is the perfect place in KL to do that!

There are a couple of dozen food stalls and trucks with cuisines and dishes from all over the world.

You’ll find everything from pizza and cheesy meatballs to Indonesian noodles and rice dishes, to Indian curries and hearty beef burgers.

Basically; it’s every foodie’s dream place!

We visited this food market three times while we were in KL and I could have quite happily eaten every single meal there if it wasn’t for the fact that there were so many other incredible places to eat too!

The food stalls open at around 6 pm every night until approximately 1 am. They can get very busy, and even in the pouring rain, people flock to their favourite street food vendors to tuck into something tasty (and incredibly affordable!).

Check out my guide to the best places to eat in Kuala Lumpur!

6. KLCC Park

Situated right next to the Petronas Towers, the 50-acre area of greenery that is KLCC Park is a beautiful place to spend some time while in the city.

You’ll be treated to unreal views of the Towers, as well as all the other neighbouring skyscrapers too.

There’s even a huge children’s playground, complete with a swimming pool (more of a “dip your toes in the pool”), as well as water fountains, workout equipment and so much more!

In the evening at 8 pm, 9 pm and 10 pm, there’s also a huge water and light show inside the park, just behind the Petronas Towers which is an absolutely beautiful spectacle and a definite must-see while you’re in KL!

7. Merdeka Square

Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square literally translates as “Independence Square” and is home to some of the most astonishing and vibrant cultures in the whole of Kuala Lumpur.

The Square was previously the home to the Selangor Club Padang cricket green but is now a vast open space surrounded by culture-rich, historic buildings.

One of the most famous buildings in and around Merdeka Square is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and it’s one of the oldest and most spectacular buildings in the city.

Behind the square, you’ll find even more architecture that almost looks Portuguese and Spanish; the city also has influences from multiple European cities so it’s not hard to see some of this influence reflected within the buildings throughout KL.

Just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Square resides the Jamek Mosque which is another incredibly beautiful religious building within the city.

One of the most defining features of Merdeka Square is the almost 100-foot high flagpole with the Malaysia flag; one of the tallest in the world!

The annual National Day Parade is hosted every year in Merdeka Square where thousands of locals gather to celebrate Malaysia’s independence.

Even if you’re not too intrigued by the history of Dataran Merdeka, you still need to add it to your list of places to see in Kuala Lumpur as the architecture alone is worth seeing!

8. China Town – 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary

China Town is without a doubt one of the most fun and colourful areas in the whole city.

There’s an abundance of culture to be enjoyed in China Town; from dozens of market vendors, to plenty of restaurants and food stalls, to people selling everything from authentic Chinese garments to knock-off watches and perfumes!

The sights and smells throughout China Town are absolutely fascinating and are a delight to see while in KL.

We ate at one of the little restaurants just on the outskirts of China Town and while it wasn’t necessarily the best meal I’d ever had, it certainly felt authentic and it was so affordable too!

If you can, make sure you spend some time in China Town while in KL; even if you don’t buy anything or eat anywhere, it’s still a great place to see and soak up some culture for an hour or so!

9. Jalan Alor Night Market

Another great food market in Kuala Lumpur and arguably the most famous in the city is Jalan Alor Night Market.

Here you’ll find plenty of street food stalls selling various cuisines and dishes from all over the world.

It’s primarily Chinese food that you’ll find in Jalan Alor, but there are also many Indian, Indonesian, Filipino and Thai food stalls too so there’s really something for everyone!

We ate at a stall/restaurant in Jalan Alor when we were a little tipsy and the sweet and sour pork ribs with rice that I ate were honestly some of the best street food I’ve ever had and it cost less than £2.80!

I can still taste it now!

10. Perdana Botanical Gardens

In a city that’s as densely populated and covered in towering skyscrapers as KL, it’s safe to say that you might be craving a little bit of greenery after a while.

That’s where the Perdana Botanical Gardens come in; set upon an impressive 91.6 hectares right in the middle of the city, they’re the perfect oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle.

There are multiple gardens within Perdana Botanical Gardens, including the Orchard Garden, Hibiscus Garden and the Sunken Garden (my personal favourite).

There’s also a huge lake and little rivers and streams running through the park, and even a deer park which we didn’t actually visit as it wasn’t open when we were there!

If you have a couple of hours to spare while in KL, I’d highly recommend a leisurely stroll through the Gardens.

They’re completely free to enter and they’re an idyllic place to enjoy a picnic or just wander around to see all the beautiful flowers and trees.

The KL Butterfly Gardens are also just a two-minute walk from Perdana Gardens!

11. KL Eco Forest Park

Without a doubt, one of the most unusual, yet totally brilliant things to do in the city is the KL Eco Forest Park.

Situated right in the middle of the city, between various skyscrapers and tall buildings, the Eco Forest Park is a huge green space, complete with a canopy walk through the trees.

It’s free to do and will take you across several hundreds of metres of suspension bridges between the trees where you’ll see numerous top sights in the city such as the KL Tower.

It’s such a weird sensation being suspended high up from the ground in the trees while you can see all the huge buildings around you but it was one of my favourite things to do in the city and I couldn’t recommend it enough!

Top travel tip: Make sure you’ve packed insect repellent when going through the Eco Forest Park as there are plenty of mosquitos ready to nibble at your skin!

Bonus things to do in Kuala Lumpur in 3 days

There were a few places in Kuala Lumpur that we didn’t quite get the chance to visit properly such as the National Mosque (we did walk passed it, we just didn’t go inside) and the Menara KL Tower (which we saw many times, we just didn’t go up it).

If the list above isn’t quite enough to sate your exploratory needs while in KL, check out some bonus things to see and do in Kuala Lumpur below!

National Mosque
KL Tower (Menara)
Bukit Bintang
Sunway Lagoon
Thean Hou Temple
Sri Mahamariamman Temple

I think it’s safe to say that I absolutely adored Kuala Lumpur and I already can’t wait to go back again one day! Matt and I actually loved it so much, that we’ve even talked about living there for a few months in the future as well!

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