The Perfect 3 Day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary For First Timers
Looking for the perfect 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary for your first visit? We’ve got you covered.
After spending just over a month in Kuala Lumpur, we can safely say it’s one of our favourite cities in Southeast Asia. It’s clean, safe, affordable, and has so many amazing things to do. Whether you want to eat great street food, explore temples, or wander through a beautiful park, it really has something for everyone.
In this 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary, we’ll show you exactly how to spend your time, get around the city with ease, and make the most of your time in Kuala Lumpur.
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Kuala Lumpur 3 Day Overview
Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of how you should spend your 3 days in Kuala Lumpur:
- Day 1 – Petronas Towers, KLCC Park, Perdana Botanical Garden and more!
- Day 2 – Batu Caves, Federal Territory Mosque, and more!
- Day 3 – Thean Hou Temple, Chinatown, and more!
How To Spend 3 Days In Kuala Lumpur
3 days is the perfect amount of time for you to get to know Kuala Lumpur on your first visit. This KL itinerary will cover all the major attractions and some of our favourite hidden gems, so you get the most out of your time.
Day 1: Iconic Landmarks, Parks & Culture
What better way to start your time in Kuala Lumpur than by checking off some of the most iconic sights. Today has the perfect mix of city attractions, culture, and nature.
Morning
Start your day by visiting the iconic Petronas Towers. The Petronas Towers are the tallest twin towers in the world, measuring 452m tall, and are unique in the fact they have a two-story sky-bridge halfway up. There is an observation deck on the 86th floor, giving you incredible views over the city.
Tickets for the Petronas Towers observation deck sell out weeks in advance, so make sure to book your timeslot in advance to avoid disappointment.
If you’re not one for heights, or have left it too late to buy tickets, no worries. You can still go inside the Petronas Towers for free.
Inside the Petronas Towers is the Suria KLCC shopping mall. It is such an iconic place, you need to at least have a wander through. The shopping mall is made of beautiful marble and everything just seems to shine. Theres quite a high proportion of luxury brands inside Suria KLCC, but you can also find highstreet favourites such as UNIQLO.
If you continue to walk through the Petronas Towers and Suria KLCC, you’ll emerge to find the beautiful KLCC Park. KLCC park is one of our favourites in Kuala Lumpur, with some stunning photo opportunities of the Petronas Towers.
It’s not the biggest park, but it is well worth spending an hour or so exploring. There is a splash park for children and a beautiful artificial lake. It’s also a popular place for runners, with a track built around the outside.
Insider Tip – Bring a refillable water bottle as there are several drinking water fountains around the park.
Afternoon
After a relaxed morning, take a 15-minute walk from KLCC Park to Bukit Bintang. This is the beating heart of the city, filled with huge shopping malls. There is always something going on in Bukit Bintang. There are also tonnes of food outlets here, including local and international cuisine and street food stands.
We recommend spending an hour or so exploring Bukit Bintang and stopping for lunch on your way to your next spot. The air-conditioned shopping malls will provide a nice break from the midday heat and humidity.
The next spot on your first day in Kuala Lumpur is the Islamic Arts Museum, another beautifully air-conditioned spot.
The easiest way to get there from Bukit Bintang is to order a Grab. It takes around 15 minutes to drive there. Alternatively, take the MRT Kajang Line from Bukit Bintang to Pasar Seni, then walk for around half an hour to reach the museum.
The Islamic Arts Museum holds the largest collection of Islamic artwork in the world. It contains everything from sculptures to jewellery and even carved wooden doors. It is incredibly beautiful and will take around 1.5 hours to see.
Entry Fee – 20 MYR per adult
After seeing the Islamic Arts Museum, walk a few minutes down the hill to the National Mosque of Malaysia. Entry to the mosque is free and you will be given a robe if you are not appropriately covered.
Opening Hours – 9:30-12:30 & 15:00-18:00
It only takes around 30 minutes to wander around the mosque, but it’s incredibly beautiful to see. You cannot go inside the prayer hall, but there are local Muslims stood at the open door to answer any questions you might have. They were very friendly and we learnt a lot from them.
Insider Tip – Just outside the mosque are several stalls selling food, drinks, and ice cream for just a few ringgit. Kuala Lumpur can get very hot, so take full advantage of this before your next stop!
Spend the rest of your day relaxing and strolling around Perdana Botanical Garden. It’s much bigger than KLCC park, so don’t expect to see it all, however it’s our favourite park in Kuala Lumpur. You cannot miss it!
Make sure to head down to the lake, and keep an eye out for beautiful birds and lizards as you explore.
Evening
For your first evening in Kuala Lumpur, head to the Jalan Alor Night Market for dinner. The street food in Malaysia is delicious! To get to Jalan Alor, take the MRT Kajang Line from Kwasa Damansara to Bukit Bintang. From there, it’s only a 5-minute walk to the food market.
Whether you want to try a traditional Laksa, or grab a few different bites, there’s something for everyone here. It also has amazing views over the city skyline and the atmosphere is buzzing.
Alternatively, take a street food tour to discover all of the best dishes in Kuala Lumpur. This is such a great experience and is highly recommended (though it’s not for vegetarians or vegans).
Afterwards, take a 20-minute stroll back to KLCC park to watch the iconic Symphony Lake Water Show. The show is different every night of the week, using fountains, lights, and music in a beautiful performance. It looks like the fountains are dancing. The show is at 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm daily.
Insider Tip – head to the opposite side of the lake to the Petronas Towers. This part is usually less busy, has a great view of the fountains, and you can see the Petronas Towers all lit up at night too!
Day 2: Batu Caves & Sacred Sites
The second day of this Kuala Lumpur itinerary starts at another of the most iconic places, before visiting two of our favourite hidden gems. We’re pretty sure you won’t have heard of at least one of them!
Morning
Start your second day in Kuala Lumpur with an early alarm, before getting a Grab to the popular Batu Caves. We recommend getting here for around 7.30am in order to beat the crowds.
Insider Tip – Huge tour buses start arriving at Batu Caves at around 8:45am and don’t stop arriving until late afternoon.
Batu Caves is famous for its brightly painted staircase. It makes absolutely beautiful photos, but make sure you actually climb to the top too.
There are 272 steps to get to the top, but it’s a pretty easy climb. At the top is a huge cave with two temples inside. Most people stay at the base of the stairs, so it’s also a great way to escape the crowds!
Dress Code – Batu Caves is a temple so make sure knees and shoulders are covered.
You will find a lot of monkeys and pigeons at Batu caves. Don’t show that you have any food, and don’t carry plastic bags as these attract them. Please don’t feed the monkeys as it makes them more reliant on humans, and more aggressive.
Visiting Batu Caves will probably only take around 30-60 minutes. But don’t worry, we’ve got the best hidden gem.
Turn left away from the stairs, towards the souvenir and food stalls, and you’ll come across the entrance to Cave Villa. This was one of our favourite places in the whole of Kuala Lumpur, and was SO quiet, especially considering the crowds at Batu Caves just metres away.
Entry Fee – 5 ringgit per person
As you enter, you’ll walk on a zig-zag bridge over a beautiful lake filled with the biggest fish we have ever seen. We’re talking over a metre in length. You’ll then reach the entrance to the first cave. We had no idea what to expect, we only visited Cave Villa on a whim, but it just kept getting better and better.
There are two caves to visit, and each one is painted in bright and neon colours. There are lots of artworks and figures telling the stories of Hindu Gods. We cannot emphasise how incredible these caves are.
In the first cave, you’ll also find a reptile and amphibian park, containing different species of snakes, turtles, frogs and toads. It was pretty cool, but some of the enclosures were definitely too small.
You can also find a bird park in Cave Villa, and watch one of the traditional dance performances. We spent far longer at Cave Villa than we did at Batu Caves. We definitely think you need to dedicate around 1.5-2 hours of your itinerary to it.
For lunch, head to Oh Yeah Banana Leaf just around the corner and try a traditional Indian dish. You can select a few different dishes, and they will be served to you on an actual banana leaf. The Indian food in Malaysia is incredibly good, and a banana leaf is the best way to sample it.
Afternoon
After lunch, head to another of our favourite places in Kuala Lumpur. This is another place often missed on KL itineraries, however we loved it.
Take a Grab from Batu Caves to the Federal Territory Mosque (Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan). It takes around 20 minutes to drive there. If you can, we would recommend leaving Batu Caves by around 12:00-12:15.
The Federal Territory Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques we have visited in Malaysia. The design was inspired by the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. With grand arched doorways, white marble floors, and intricate turquoise domes, it is absolutely stunning.
This mosque is a lot bigger and more beautiful than the National Mosque in the first day of this itinerary. Like the National Mosque, you wil be given appropriate attire to enter the mosque. This includes covering legs and shoulders for men, and everything for women including hair.
Insider Tip – If you’ve got long hair, make sure to bring a hair band or claw clip – it makes the hijab much easier to put on and stay on!
You will be assigned a local Muslim guide to show you around the mosque. Our guide was incredible. He was so informative, telling us all about the design and history of the mosque, as well as Islam. The tour lasts between 45-90 minutes, depending on how many questions you have!
The reason we suggest leaving Batu Caves by 12:15 is that if you arrive before 1pm, you can actually sit at the back of the prayer hall whilst the 1pm prayer takes place. This is such an incredible experience, and one you cannot get at many other mosques around the world as a non-Muslim.
The tour costs nothing, but you can make a donation at the end if you want to.
Evening
After an early start, spend the evening relaxing in your hotel. We have some great suggestions after the itinerary of hotels with rooftop pools that offer incredible views over the city and Petronas Towers.
For dinner, we highly recommend visiting Gardenman. This is one of our favourite restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, with outstanding service, excellent local dishes, a romantic atmosphere, and very reasonable prices. I can personally recommend the vegetarian nasi lemak – it’s the best I had in Malaysia.
If you enjoyed the Symphony Park Fountain Show, feel free to go back and watch it tonight!
Day 3: Temples, Chinatown & Historic Kuala Lumpur
The last day on this Kuala Lumpur Itinerary is a pretty busy one, ticking off the last major sights in the city.
Morning
Start your day at another of our absolute favourite places in Kuala Lumpur: Thean Hou Temple. It’s located a little out of the city centre, so it’s best to get a Grab here. We recommend visiting as early as possible, as it is another spot that can get pretty busy.
Thean Hou Temple dates back to the 19th Century and is absolutely beautiful. It is painted in red and white, with hundreds of Chinese Lanterns hanging throughout. It makes for some really beautiful photos, especially in the early morning light.
Outside of the temple is a little garden that you can wander round. There’s a few water features and statues and it’s very peaceful. As the temple is built on top of a hill, you also get stunning views over the city, especially on a clear day.
Most people spend around 1 hour at Thean Hou Temple. After you have finished your visit, take a Grab back towards Chinatown.
The next place on this three-day itinerary is Sri Mahamariamman, a vibrant and colourful Hindu temple. This is the oldest and largest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur and the level of craftsmanship in this building is insane.
Every inch of the temple has some kind of statue, carving, or painting depicting a Hindu God. We have never seen a building so colourful. Despite being right in the centre of the city, the temple is incredibly peaceful, with bells ringing quietly in the breeze. It’s not a huge temple, and yet we found ourselves spending a lot longer than expected there, admiring all the intricate details.
Insider Tip – Make sure to cover your knees and shoulders to enter, and you will be charged a small amount to store your shoes while inside.
Afternoon
As you’re in the heart of Chinatown, there are plenty of great options for lunch. We recommend having a wander and seeing what you fancy! There are good cafés, Chinese restaurants, Malaysian restaurants, fast food… Literally anything you fancy you are sure to find in Chinatown.
The first place we recommend visiting after lunch is Petaling Street. This is arguably the beating heart of Chinatown. This street market is huge, selling everything you could imagine, though most of it is knock-off goods. It gets pretty crowded, but that’s part of the experience. If you do want to purchase anything, make sure to bargain for a good deal.
After a wander down Petaling Street, head to RexKL. This is a trendy spot, though full disclaimer, it can get pretty busy too. RexKL is a cultural hub built inside of an old cinema. It’s not massive, but has several floors to explore.
The ground floor has several food outlets, designed in a food truck kind of style. The ramen is supposed to be really good if you’re feeling peckish! The second floor has a very popular photobooth (there was a long queue for this when we visited), as well as a few vintage shops.
Most people visiting RexKL visit for the third floor: the bookstore. This is one of the most unique bookshops we’ve ever visited. The shelves have been turned into stair cases, bridges, and windows to sit in. It is such a cool design. It does get pretty cramped in there with the crowds, but it’s still such a cool place to see.
The last spot in Chinatown we recommend visiting is Kwai Chai Hong. This little street is filled with interactive street art. It’s a great place to pop by for some fun photos! If you’re visiting George Town as well, it’s not quite as extensive as the street art there, but it’s still fun to see.
Evening
For your last dinner in Kuala Lumpur, head to Malaya Cafe on Rodger Street. This cute little restaurant has so many different Malaysian dishes to choose from and is highly rated.
After dinner, head over to Merdeka Square. It was in this square that Malaysian Independence was announced in 1957, so it has huge historical significance. Today, you’ll find families gathering here in the evenings, blowing bubbles and flying kites. It really lets you experience the Malaysian culture and it is just such a nice atmosphere.
Head down to the River of Life for 9pm to see the blue mist and fountain show. It is a beautiful spot, both during the day and night.
Where To Stay In Kuala Lumpur
For this itinerary, we would recommend staying in the KLCC or Bukit Bintang areas. Bukit Bintang is definitely a lot more lively, so if you want a quieter place to stay, KLCC is best for you.
✅ Best Budget Stay – Royce KLCC By Dormeo Destinations
This hotel contains many apartments and suites with incredible city views. The apartments are comfortable and contain everything you need, including a washer-dryer. The standout feature is the rooftop infinity pool with views over the Petronas Towers.
✅Best Mid-Range Stay – Impiana KLCC
The Impiana is perfectly located, just a 5-minute walk from both the Pavilion and Petronas Towers, which is perfect for this itinerary. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, and the breakfast buffet is huge. Some rooms come with a view of the Petronas Towers.
✅Best Luxury Stay – Grand Hyatt KLCC
This hotel is walking distance from both the Pavilion and the Petronas Towers. It offers an outdoor swimming pool and a bar with a view of the iconic towers. The rooms are incredibly spacious and comfortable, and the service is excellent. Plus, prices start at just £106 per night in high season, which is just insane for this level of hotel.
How To Get Around Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is a big city and some attractions can be pretty spread out. Throughout this Kuala Lumpur itinerary, we’ve given the best way to get between attractions. But, if you have a bit more time, here’s the best ways to get around.
- On Foot – Some attractions, particularly those in KLCC, Bukit Bintang, or Chinatown, are easily walkable. Walking allows you to discover little cafés, restaurants and hidden gems you may not stumble upon otherwise.
- Monorail & Light Rail – Kuala Lumpur has a great Monorail and light rail system which we use regularly. You can get to many places very quickly and cheaply.
- Grab – Grab is like Uber, and is the best way to travel longer distances in Kuala Lumpur. It tends to be very affordable and a quick way to travel further.
Getting From KLIA To The City Centre
Kuala Lumpur International Airport is actually really far from the city itself. If you’re arriving via KLIA, here’s the best ways to get to the city.
By Private Transfer
Booking a private transfer in advance is easily the best way to get to Kuala Lumpur from the airport. It’s relatively low-cost, and your driver will be at the airport waiting for you when you land. You’ll be taken directly to your hotel, so no waiting around or walking long distances with your luggage. It’s completely hassle-free.
By Grab
Grab is the next easiest way to get to the city. It will take you from the airport directly to your accommodation, completely hassle-free. It generally costs less than 100 MYR, and will take between 45-60 minutes to reach the city depending on where you are staying. You may have to wait for a while for your Grab to reach the airport, however, especially at night.
Insider Tip – The Grab pick up point is located at door 4 on level 1 of the airport. Follow the signs for ‘ehailing’ after immigration.
By Public Transport
If you’re on a really tight budget, you can get the KLIA Ekspres train to KL Sentral. This takes around 30 minutes, but you will then need to walk, get further public transport, or a Grab to your accommodation. It is cheaper, but a lot more hassle than getting a Grab.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have a few questions about this Kuala Lumpur itinerary? We’ve answered the most common questions below.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur has a wet and a dry season. We’ve visited in both and they each have pros and cons. Dry season runs from June to September, however for the best weather and fewest crowds, we would recommend visiting in May-June.
How Long Should I Spend In Kuala Lumpur?
We recommend a minimum of 3 days in Kuala Lumpur. If you have more time, 5 days would give you a better overview and allow you to see all the major attractions. However, 3 days is enough to see most things.
Do You Need To Dress Modestly In Kuala Lumpur?
Dressing modestly is a matter of preference. Malaysia is a Muslim country, and even the non-Muslim locals tend to cover knees and shoulders. Personally, I tend to dress pretty modestly out of respect for the local culture. However, this is not a requirement.
No matter how you dress, make sure to wear loose-fitting natural fabrics to combat the heat and humidity.
Is Kuala Lumpur Safe For Tourists?
Yes, Kuala Lumpur is perfectly safe for tourists. We’ve spent over a month in KL and have never felt unsafe. As with any city around the world, pickpockets may operate in busy and crowded locations. Of course, you should exercise the same caution as you would anywhere in the world, such as not going out late at night by yourself and keeping an eye on your belongings.
Wrap Up
Kuala Lumpur is one of our favourite cities in Southeast Asia, with so much to do. This 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary covers all of the key sites, as well as our favourite hidden gems, in a logical order to make the most of your time.
With the perfect mix of iconic sites, temples, cultural hubs, and nature, this itinerary ticks every box. We hope you enjoy Kuala Lumpur as much as we do.
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