Five Days in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Penang

Merdeka SquareSultan Abdul Samad Building

Dataran Merdeka was formerly a colonial-era cricket field and is now associated with Malaysia’s national independence. On 31 August 1957, the Union Jack was lowered at the square and the flag of the Federation of Malaya was raised there for the first time. The Sultan Abdul Samad Building stands opposite the square. Take in the open square and the heritage landmark opposite it. The Sultan Abdul Samad Building’s exterior and lighting have been part of conservation work, giving you details to look for as you view the facade.

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. River of Life is a city project focused on reviving those rivers. Pause at the river junction, where the Klang and Gombak meet. The River of Life riverwalk gives you a relaxed stroll and city views alongside the mosque.

Central Market began as a wet market in 1888 and was later repurposed as a crafts centre. Architect and engineer T.Y. Lee designed the building in the Art Deco style of the 1930s; it was renovated and reopened in 1986. Browse locally made crafts and souvenirs, including batik, songket, paintings and handmade goods. The market’s Art Deco building makes the shopping stop a change of scene from the riverside and square.

The construction of the Petronas Twin Towers began in 1993 and was completed in 1998. They were regarded as the world’s tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004. From level 41, look down on Kuala Lumpur’s roads and inspect the towers’ exterior layers at close range. The visit then reaches level 86, where telescopes bring farther views into focus alongside sights such as KL Tower and Merdeka 118.

Lake Symphony is an artificial lake in the KLCC Park esplanade, outside Suria KLCC, with water, light and music displays. Choose a scheduled light-and-sound display and watch the fountains perform as water, light and music combine. Several evening show slots make this a simple way to finish sightseeing without adding another indoor visit.

Batu Caves Sri Subramaniam Temple is a venue for Thaipusam in Selayang, Selangor. During the festival, devotees carry offerings up the steps as part of vows or acts of devotion. The temple visit centres on the climb up the steps and the cave setting. Batu Caves is also a focus of Thaipusam observance, when devotees carry offerings as acts of devotion.

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 complex includes a prayer hall, courtyard and pools with fountains. Look for the umbrella-shaped roof forms and the tall minaret, then take in the courtyard and pools. The mosque sits beside the Malaysian Railway Station and near Perdana Lake Gardens.

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 architectural replicas and Qur’an manuscripts to regional traditions expressed through textiles, ceramics and metalwork. Look for the large-scale model of Mecca’s Masjid al-Haram and jewellery among the collection, then visit the Scholar’s Library.

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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, also called KL Tower, is a tower in Kuala Lumpur completed in 1995. That completion year is the key historical detail for visitors looking at the structure during a city-view stop. Finish with a view over central Kuala Lumpur from a high point in the city. After the museum galleries, the tower offers a different way to see the city’s layout.

Use TBS as the departure point for your Melaka day trip. Set the coach times around the hours you want in the heritage centre and at Jonker Street.

Arrive here and transfer to the heritage core. Dutch Square, St Paul's Hill and Jonker Street form a compact sequence of visits once you reach the centre.

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; its red exterior dates to 1911, and it remains an active Anglican church. Take in the red buildings around the square, including the Stadthuys and Christ Church. The museum inside the Stadthuys covers Portuguese and Dutch artefacts, Peranakan domestic life and Malay heritage.

The Portuguese built a fortress around St. Paul’s Hill, completed in 1548, and also built a church on the hilltop. The Dutch later made the church a Protestant church and named it St. Paul’s Church; the hill became known as St. Paul’s Hill. Climb to the church ruins and look across the heritage core from the hilltop. The remains are identified with the Portuguese-built Chapel of Our Lady of the Hill.

Jonker Street, also known as Jalan Hang Jebat, lies in the older section of Melaka City and is part of the city’s older urban area. Browse the antique shops for artifacts and collectibles, then dip into the art galleries and food outlets. Jonker Walk also suits an evening of shopping and dining, with souvenir shops adding another reason to linger along the route.

Start the northbound rail journey here. The ETS ride takes several hours, so pick a departure that leaves enough time for the ferry crossing and your first George Town walk.

The Butterworth ferry terminal is Sultan Abdul Halim Terminal on Jalan Pangkalan Butterworth. The George Town terminal is Raja Tun Uda at Pengkalan Weld, linking the mainland with the island. Change from rail to ferry here for the crossing to George Town. The terminal links the mainland and island, making this the handover point between your ETS ride and local sightseeing.

Armenian Street is in George Town, Penang, 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. Look for Kids on Bicycle, painted by Ernest Zacharevic, and Boy on Chair nearby. These works make a good first walk through the heritage area, with painted scenes set alongside real objects.

Khoo Kongsi is a Chinese clan house associated with the Khoo surname clan and was completed in 1906. The complex includes an ancestral hall, an opera stage, administrative buildings and a museum about the Khoo family. See the clan-house complex, from its ancestral hall to the opera stage and family museum. The mix of communal, ceremonial and administrative spaces gives this stop a distinct character.

The Clan Jetties are waterfront communities of wooden houses raised on stilts above the sea and linked by plank walkways; some families still live there. Chinese clans settled by the waterfront, and the jetties form part of George Town’s maritime heritage. Walk the waterfront and see how homes meet the sea. Chew Jetty is the largest and most prominent of the jetties, with a long walkway and a temple.

The Penang Hill funicular railway began operating in 1924, with a route about 2 km long. Its operating history and short rail route define this hilltop transport link. Ride the funicular uphill and spend time taking in the hill setting before heading to Kek Lok Si. The rail journey is the distinctive part of this stop, rather than a long road climb.

Kek Lok Si is a large Buddhist temple complex in Air Itam, Penang. Its seven-storey Amitabha Buddha Pagoda combines Chinese, Thai and Burmese design elements, and a bronze statue of Kuan Yin stands on the hillside. A visit here lets you spend time in a Buddhist place of worship and pause at its different areas. Move through the grounds at a considered pace to take in the surroundings, rather than making only a brief stop at the entrance.

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. Chulia Street Curry Mee is also among the street-food stalls in George Town. Settle in for a casual street-side supper and compare the stalls as you walk along Lebuh Chulia. The evening setting makes this a relaxed last stop after the hill and temple visits.