2-Day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary: Best Highlights and Must Eats!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital city, is a melting pot of culture, history, and modern architecture. Kuala Lumpur is known for its skyscrapers like the Petronas Twin Towers, delicious food scene, and religious sites like the Batu Caves. Obviously, you can spend several days to weeks here, but if you are short on time and want to see Kuala Lumpur’s best highlights and try local food, then don’t worry, I did all the research prior to my trip and came up with this perfect 2-day Kuala Lumpur itinerary.

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Table of Contents

Getting to Kuala Lumpur from KL International Airport

There are a few transportation methods of getting to Kuala Lumpur from KL International Airport. If you are visiting for the first time like me, I recommend either taking the train which I did or using Grab which I also did and highly recommend.

One option to get to Kuala Lumpur from the airport is to take the KLIA Express. This is an easy and relatively stress fee method.

At KL International Airport, following the signs to the KLIA Express, tickets can be purchased using the automated machines. You can then pass through the gate and wait for the KLIA Express to Kuala Lumpur.

Tickets were about RM 44-50 which is about $ 9 – 11.

We booked to KL Sentral which is the main station in Kuala Lumpur.

From KL Sentral we took a fixed taxi to our hotel, Santa Grand Signature Kuala Lumpur. The cab ride was another RM 40 so around $8.

The other and highly recommended way to get from KL International Airport to your hotel in Kuala Lumpur is to book a ride share through Grab.

Using the Grab app, we were picked up in front of our hotel and dropped off at the correct terminal. The price for Grab was RM 72 or about $15.

Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur

Did you know that Kuala Lumpur has some of the cheapest 5-Star hotels in the world. So you can stay at a luxurious hotel and it won’t affect your wallet like other places.

Depending on where you want to stay in Kuala Lumpur will have a huge impact on what hotel you decide on.

I stayed in the city center just based on the walking distances between several attractions in Kuala Lumpur I wanted to visit.

Based on price, accommodations, city views, pool, and breakfast, I stayed at the Santa Grand Signature Kuala Lumpur.

The Santa Grand Signature Kuala Lumpur had it all. The rooms were unique with amazing floor to ceiling views of the Petronas Towers. The hotel also had a roof top pool, gym, and bar. Breakfast in the morning was a nice mix of local cuisine and western items.

Again, I stayed at the Santa Grand Signature Kuala Lumpur and was very satisfied with my stay after spending 2 days in Kuala Lumpur.

2-Day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary

2 days in Kuala Lumpur is enough time to see the main highlights and try a lot of the tasty dishes. I did my research prior to visiting Kuala Lumpur and managed to fit in a few more attractions then originally anticipated that I feel are worth mentioning.

This Kuala Lumpur itinerary is based entirely on my trip to Malaysia and my recommendations. Feel free to copy my Kuala Lumpur itinerary, mix and match, or explore the city your own terms. If doing the latter, please comment and let me know what other attractions you managed to find that are worthwhile!

Day 1

Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque and River of Life

The Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque or simply Jamek Mosque is an iconic mosque and one of Kuala Lumpur’s oldest.

The Jamek Mosque is beautiful and from our hotel was on the way to Merdeka Square.

I didn’t go inside, to be honest, I am not sure if it is allowed, but I enjoyed looking at it from the other side of the river.

The River of Life is an area in Kuala Lumpur where the Gombak and Klang Rivers meet right by the Jamek Mosque. There are some nice river trails and fun murals to take photos of.

Merdeka Square

To outsiders, Merdeka Square is a huge square with a grass center surrounded by beautiful buildings. But to locals, Merdeka Square is the location of their independence that occured on August 31, 1957.

The iconic flagpole is the tallest in the world, 95m (311 ft) in height.

Central Market

The Central Market in Kuala Lumpur is a must when visiting the city, if anything just to escape the hot and humid weather during the day.

This historical market has been around since the late 1800’s although the building itself was finished in 1937.

With hundreds of shops and vendors at the Central Market, there is something for everyone. I found most shops sold cheap tourist goods but a few shops did have some worthwhile items.

You can find shops here that sell clothing, jewelry, unique art, religious items, and much more.

There was a food court here, a few restaurants, and some outdoor stalls selling snacks, fruits, desserts, and drinks. I found a cookie place here called Aeira Soft Baked Cookies that stood out to me. The cookies she made were freshly baked and the perfect treat after being on my feet all day.

Petaling Street Market

If you love cheap goods and haggling for good deals then Petaling Street Market might be just for you.

I wasn’t a huge fan of this area to include Chinatown. Honestly, it was kind of a let down, I expected more food vendors but it was full of vendors selling knock off brands.

There were a few cool areas within the Petaling Street Market area that I found were pretty neat though. So because of these attractions, I recommend at least coming to this area.

The Petaling Street Art area is a cool block of alley ways with interesting street art.

If you are looking for a cool bookstore to visit while in Kuala Lumpur, check out the REXKL. This was one of the most unique book stores I’ve visited and well worth popping in.

KL Forest Eco Park and Canopy Walk

The KL Forest Eco Park and Canopy Walk was getting a lot of hate on Google Reviews, but I had a few hours to kill prior to the food tour I scheduled that evening, so I decided to keep an open mind and visit the KL Forest Eco Park.

I’m glad I decided to go to the Forest Park in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, I had a blast on the Canopy Walk and walking through other jungle trails. I did see a few groups of monkeys here as well.

The entrance fee was RM 40 for foreigners.

Food Tour

I recommend joining a food tour on your first evening of exploring Kuala Lumpur. I just feel like on the first day of visiting a new city, it’s nice to have someone hold my hand and guide me through the process of ordering food, what to eat, and how to differentiate tourist traps and places where locals go.

I booked the Sambal Streets Kuala Lumpur Food Tour with 15 + Tastings through Viator and highly recommend this tour. The guide was great, I learned so much about Malaysia’s history, culture, and of course the food. We sampled Durian from a local fruit vendor and had Nasi Lemak, a local favorite.

If you want to read more into Kuala Lumpur food tours, I have a whole post dedicated to it, Kuala Lumpur Food Tour: Sampling Malaysia’s Culinary Delights.

Day 2

Batu Caves

On day 2 of exploring Kuala Lumpur, I highly recommend a visit to the Batu Caves.

These limestone caves are located just outside of Kuala Lumpur and are easy to get to via Grab or train.

The Batu Caves is not only a spectacular natural phenomena but also a cultural and religious site.

You’ll notice the 42.7 (140 ft) golden statue of Murugan. Behind the statue are 272 rainbow painted stairs leading to the cave entrance. Within the cave is a beautiful Hindu temple.

Oh yeah, there are monkeys everywhere here. So if like me, you love wildlife and nature, the Batu Caves is a must!

Interested in visiting the Batu Caves? I have a post on the Batu Caves with information on the caves, how to get here, and so much more. Feel free to read my post here: Guide to Visiting the Batu Caves: Everything you Need to Know

Petronas Twin Towers

After a visit to the Batu Caves, I highly recommend making your way to the Petronas Twin Towers.

The Petronas Twin Towers are a symbol of Kuala Lumpur. These impressive towers stand at a height of 452m (1,483 ft) tall and are one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.

I recommend both seeing the Petronas Twin Towers from various locations around Kuala Lumpur, but visiting the inside is well worth your time. Do not miss seeing the Petronas Towers at night, they are lit up beautifully.

For more information on the Petronas Towers to include booking a tour, admission and hours, I have a guide dedicated to Visiting the Petronas Towers.

KLCC Park

In need of a break from all the skyscrapers and shopping malls? You are in luck, there is a nice relaxing park called KLCC Park at the base of the Petronas Towers.

KLCC Park is a great place to unwind, there is so much to do here. If you are looking for things to do in Kuala Lumpur for kids, then KLCC Park is the perfect place as there are playgrounds and a waterpark.

I really enjoyed the trails within KLCC Park and the views of the Petronas Towers.

Jalan Alor Food Street

Jalan Alor is a popular food street in Kuala Lumpur located in the Bukit Bintang district.

This whole area is full of fun restaurants, food stalls, and stores. I came here at night for one thing and one thing only, Food!

I walked up and down Jln Alor street looking for a place to grab a beer and sample some local Malay dishes. Most restaurants have a similar menu and atmosphere.

I randomly sat down outside at a place called Restoran Sai Woo and am glad I did as I had one of my favorite dishes in Kuala Lumpur.

I sat down, ordered an Anchor Smooth Pilsener with a mix Satay. Jill on the other hand ordered a Crispy Fried Yam Basket which blew me away.

The Yam Basket consisted of yam that is mashed and shaped like a bowl that is full of some style of stir-fry. The dish has Chinese Five Spice in it, which I am now addicted to. But the texture of the mashed yam and other flavors made this dish a total winner!

After eating at Restoran Sai Woo, I found a Shawarma place and ate a very satisfying Shawarma.

Conclusion

I hope you found this 2-day itinerary for Kuala Lumpur to be beneficial. Although you can spend much more time in a city of this size, I feel 2 days is enough to cover the basics, see some of the main highlights, and eat incredible Malay food.

If you have to just pick a few sites to see in Kuala Lumpur, I highly recommend a tour of the Petronas Towers, seeing the Batu Caves, and of course trying the food.

Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸

Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️ 🇲🇾

Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖

For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com

Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁

Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.

In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘

I recommend checking with Rental Cars.