A Week in Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Penang

Merdeka SquareSultan Abdul Samad Building

Dataran Merdeka was once a colonial-era cricket field and is now associated with Malaysia’s independence. On 31 August 1957, the Union Jack was lowered here and the Federation of Malaya flag was raised for the first time. The Sultan Abdul Samad Building stands opposite. Take in the broad square and look across at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building’s heritage facade. The open space makes an easy orientation point before you continue through Kuala Lumpur’s older central streets.

Masjid Jamek is one of Kuala Lumpur’s oldest mosques. It stands beside the meeting point of the Klang and Gombak rivers, in a historic part of the city. Pause where the Klang and Gombak rivers meet, then stroll the nearby River of Life riverwalk for city views. The riverside setting gives this stop a different feel from the square and market.

Central Market began as a wet market in 1888 and later became a crafts centre. T.Y. Lee designed the building in the Art Deco style of the 1930s; it was renovated and reopened in 1986. Browse batik, songket, paintings and handmade goods, and look for a small souvenir that travels well. The indoor market gives you a useful pause between the riverside walk and the street stalls.

Petaling Street is part of Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, with stalls selling a range of goods. Sri Mahamariamman Temple, founded by Tamil immigrants, is on nearby Jalan Tun H.S. Lee. Browse the stalls and compare the varied goods on offer, then take a short detour to see Sri Mahamariamman Temple from the street. It is a lively way to end a day spent among central Kuala Lumpur’s older sights.

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Petaling Street Makan tour

3 hours

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Construction of the Petronas Twin Towers began in 1993 and was completed in 1998. The towers were regarded as the world’s tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004. The visit gives you two distinct views of the city: from level 41, look down at Kuala Lumpur’s roads and examine the towers’ exterior layers up close, then head to level 86 to spot KL Tower and Merdeka 118 or use the telescopes to scan farther afield.

Lake Symphony is an artificial lake on the KLCC Park esplanade outside Suria KLCC, with water, light and music displays. Take a shaded break on the esplanade and look across the artificial lake toward Suria KLCC. If you return in the evening, the fountain displays add a different reason to stop here.

Bukit Bintang takes its name from a hill about 50 metres high that once stood near Kampung Dollah; Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah and Jalan Barat later replaced it. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur opened to visitors on 20 September 2007. Make this a stop for Kuala Lumpur’s evening street life: browse Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s more than 700 stores across eight themed precincts, then choose between Jalan Alor’s food street and Lot 10’s basement, where more than 30 stalls serve food in a setting inspired by old Malaysian streets.

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Quirky Art Museum called Ur-Mu in Bukit Bintang, KL

4.9 (39 reviews)1.5 hours

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Jalan Alor is a food street near Bukit Bintang, with hawker stalls and eateries serving Malaysian and other cuisines. Evening vendors set up on both sides of the road, with satay, chicken wings, noodles and seafood among the options. Choose a few stalls for dinner and enjoy the street’s evening atmosphere after a day around KLCC and Bukit Bintang. Its central location makes this an easy place to finish without another cross-city transfer.

Batu Caves Sri Subramaniam Temple is a venue for Thaipusam. During the festival, devotees carry offerings up the steps to the temple as part of vows or acts of devotion. Climb the steps to the temple and take time to see the cave setting. The 272-step ascent makes this an active start, so bring water and give yourself room to pause on the way up.

Tours for this stop

Private Half-Day Batu Caves and Cutural Tour in Kuala Lumpur

4.9 (1,651 reviews)4 hours

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Half-Day Guided Rock Climbing in Batu Caves, Malaysia

5.0 (140 reviews)3 hours

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Batu Caves Private Tour with Pick-up from Kuala Lumpur

4.8 (167 reviews)4 hours

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Construction of the National Mosque took place from 1963 until 27 August 1965. Its design features a tall, rocket-like minaret and roofs shaped like folded and open umbrellas; the main roof is a concrete umbrella decorated with glass and white-gold mosaic. Spend time in the courtyard and notice its pools and fountains, then look for the umbrella forms around the complex. It is a calm contrast to the climb at Batu Caves.

Tours for this stop

Private Batu Caves, National Mosque & Religious Tour with Bana Leaf Lunch

4.7 (6 reviews)4 hours

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Batu Caves, National Mosque & Religious Tour with Bana Leaf Lunch

4 hours

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The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia opened to the public in December 1998. Its 20th-anniversary celebration in December 2018 included the launch of the Scholar’s Library. Follow the galleries from architecture and Qur’an manuscripts to regional traditions, textiles, ceramics and metalwork. Look for the Architecture Gallery’s replicas, including the Taj Mahal and Amir Timur Mausoleum, then compare them with the large-scale model of Masjid al-Haram.

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Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia -IAMM - Batu Caves - Selangor Pewter and Silver Leaf Monkeys with Firefly Boat Ride Combo Tour

1–9 hours

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Menara Kuala Lumpur is a tower completed in 1995. The 1995 completion marks the construction milestone for this Kuala Lumpur structure. Use the tower as your final city-focused stop after the mosque and museum. Its position on the day’s route gives you a last chance to look out over Kuala Lumpur before dinner.

Start the Melaka day trip at TBS, the departure point for your coach. Keep your ticket ready and leave time to find the correct boarding area before the ride south.

Arrive at Melaka Sentral and continue into the heritage core for the day’s walking visits. Choose a local connection that works with your return coach, or take a taxi or e-hailing ride into town.

StadthuysChrist Church

The Stadthuys was completed in 1650 and served as the Dutch governors’ residence and office until British control began in 1824. Christ Church was completed in 1753, and its red exterior dates to 1911. See the Stadthuys and Christ Church together, then visit the museum displays on Portuguese and Dutch artefacts, Peranakan domestic life and Malay heritage. The square brings several different parts of Melaka’s built environment into one stop.

The Portuguese built a fortress around St Paul’s Hill, completed in 1548, and also built a church on the hilltop. After taking over the church, the Dutch made it a Protestant church and named it St Paul’s Church. Look for the hilltop church ruins and the views across the heritage core. Nearby Porta de Santiago, a gate of the Portuguese fortress, adds another stop to notice as you descend.

Jonker Street, also known as Jalan Hang Jebat, lies in the older section of Melaka City. Browse Jonker Street’s antique shops for artifacts and collectibles, including pieces dating back as far as 300 years. Then pause at an art gallery or food outlet; the mix of shopping and dining makes the older street easy to explore on foot.

Begin the journey north at KL Sentral, where you board the ETS for Butterworth. Keep your ticket to hand and check your train details before making your way to the station.

The Butterworth ferry terminal is Sultan Abdul Halim Terminal on Jalan Pangkalan Butterworth. George Town’s ferry terminal is Raja Tun Uda at Pengkalan Weld, linking the mainland and the island. Change from train to ferry here for the crossing to George Town. The ferry connects the mainland terminal with the island, making it the next leg toward your first Penang walk.

Armenian Street is in George Town and has street art among its heritage-area attractions. Ernest Zacharevic’s George Town street-art project was created alongside the 2012 George Town Festival and included interactive murals combining painted images with real objects. Walk the lanes with your camera ready and look for murals that play with their surroundings. This is an easy first introduction to George Town on arrival, with nearby streets adding more details to notice.

Khoo Kongsi is a Chinese clan house associated with the Khoo surname clan; it was completed in 1906. The complex includes an ancestral hall, an opera stage, administrative buildings and a museum about the Khoo family. Look closely at the ancestral hall and opera stage, then visit the museum about the Khoo family. The compact visit offers a detailed architectural stop between the street murals and the waterfront.

The Clan Jetties are waterfront communities of wooden houses raised on stilts above the sea and linked by plank walkways. Chinese clans settled by the waterfront, and some families still live there; Chew Jetty is the best-known of the Pengkalan Weld jetties. Walk the wooden waterfront paths and take in the view back toward the town. The living community makes this a place to slow down, keep voices low and avoid blocking residents’ way.

The Penang Hill funicular railway began operating in 1924, and its route is about 2 km long. It remains the rail link for reaching the hill from the lower station. Ride uphill for the views and make time to explore before heading to The Habitat. The funicular makes the ascent part of the visit, rather than a climb you have to do on foot.

Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk is a viewing platform at The Habitat Penang Hill. It is one named feature within the Habitat visit, giving the stop a raised lookout point on Penang Hill. Visit Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk for a raised viewpoint, then spend time among the hill’s outdoor surroundings before continuing to Air Itam. It pairs naturally with the funicular ride at the start of the day.

Kek Lok Si is a large Buddhist temple complex in Air Itam, Penang, with several halls, the Kuan Yin Bodhimandala and the Amitabha Buddha Pagoda. The pagoda has seven storeys and combines Chinese, Thai and Burmese design elements. Walk between the halls and pagoda, then look for the bronze Kuan Yin statue on the hillside. The mix of buildings makes this a varied final visit after the more open hill stops.

Built in the late 19th century, Pinang Peranakan Mansion was once the residence and office of Kapitan Cina Chung Keng Kwee. It was built in the late 1890s on the site of the Ghee Hin secret society headquarters. Look closely at the contrasting interior details: Chinese carved-wood panels sit alongside English floor tiles and Scottish ironwork. In the dining rooms, golden woodwork, Chinese plates and cups, and European furniture give you plenty to examine at a relaxed pace.

Fort Cornwallis began as a palm-trunk stockade after the East India Company arrived in 1786. It was rebuilt in brick and stone from 1804 and completed in 1810 as a defence against pirates and other intruders. Look for surviving features such as the gunpowder room and Seri Rambai Cannon. The star-shaped fort gives you an outdoor history stop on the shore before crossing George Town for the evening meal.

Chulia Street in George Town is a place to try Penang street food in the evening, including noodle dishes such as char bee hoon and char koay teow. Curry mee is also among the street-food stalls mentioned. Settle in for a casual final meal and sample a couple of stall dishes rather than rushing between stops. Chulia Street’s evening food scene makes a relaxed end to the George Town days.