2 Days in Kuala Lumpur: Travel Itinerary and Expenses

Kuala Lumpur was not our primary destination during our trip last April. It was simply a layover city because I couldn't find affordable flights from Dubai to Hanoi or Siem Reap that time. I haven't been to KL before, and Ed's visit a decade ago was a work trip. So I said... why not make the most out of our two layovers? 

We had nearly 24 hours to explore the city on our first stopover, and 30 hours on our second. For a slow traveler (who loves to stop and smell the flowers), this quick trip is definitely not enough. But for somebody who has no time to spare, aka no vacation leave left (That's me!), you just have to do what you can do! 

Here's our Kuala Lumpur travel itinerary.    

Layover #1: For The Budgetarian

08:50 - Arrival in Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Philippine Passport holders can travel to Malaysia visa-free for a maximum of 30 days. There is a designated counter for ASEAN nationals; hence we passed though the immigration quickly. From the airport, we took the KLIA Ekspres. The non-stop train is the fastest airport transfer to the city. We arrived in KL Sentral in less than 30 minutes. 

Thinking that KLIA Ekspres is also the cheapest mode of transport from the airport, we booked a return ticket for 100 MYR/adult. 

11:00 - Check-in at NU Hotel at KL Sentral

For our first layover, we opted to stay near KL Sentral. We booked a 1-night stay in a cheap yet decent hotel behind NU Sentral shopping mall. 

We booked an overnight stay in this hotel room with basic amenities for only 110 AED!

12:00 - Lunch in NU Sentral

We didn't want to start our tour hungry; hence, we passed by the mall and looked for a local restaurant. We had a tasty lunch at The Chicken Rice Shop. Bill for two was 21 MYR.

13:30 - To Batu Caves

From KL Sentral, we took the KTM Komuter Train to Batu Caves. One way ticket is 2.60 MYR, and trip duration is around 30 minutes.


14:00 - Batu Caves

Although not within KL metropolis, Batu Caves in Selangor is a popular tourist destination. It is a religious site in a limestone hill with three major caves featuring Hindu shrines and temples. The most prominent structure is the golden statue of Murugan, a Hindu deity, seemingly guarding the caverns. 

There is no entrance fee in Batu Caves, unless you want to visit the Dark Cave.

One of the Hindu temples set amidst the limestone hill in Batu Caves

Follow me to the caves! But first, wear a sarong!
You can rent one at the entrance if you forgot to bring.

To get to the main cave, you have to climb 272 steps and meet cheeky monkeys! :)

view from the cave entrance

inside the main cave

16:00 - Back to the city

From Batu Caves, we traveled back to KL Sentral via KTM Komuter Train. Our next agenda was to see the Petronas Towers; so, at KL Sentral, we took the LRT to KLCC station.


17:00 - Suria KLCC Shopping Centre

From KLCC Station, we walked towards Suria KLCC Shopping Centre. We asked a few security guards on how to reach Traders Hotel. Locals can communicate in English very well, so we didn't have a hard time.

   

18:00 - SkyBar at Traders Hotel

We had some drinks and nibbles at the SkyBar while waiting for the golden hour. It is best to be there an hour before sunset, especially if you didn't reserve a table prior your visit. We settled in a cabana booth and got the perfect view of the Petronas Towers! Our bill for 2 was 124 MYR; not bad for drinks with a view!

READ: Where to get the BEST view of Petronas Twin Towers?

SkyBar is a pool bar and lounge in Traders Hotel

This view! I'm in loooove!

And another view!

19:00 - KLCC Park

Right after sunset, we headed to KLCC Park to watch the fountain show at Lake Symphony. It is also one of best spots to see the towers for free. 

Lake Symphony and The Petronas

20:00 - To Jalan Alor

From KLCC Park; we looked for the Bukit Bintang Walkway - an airconditioned and covered pedestrian bridge connecting Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre to Pavilion KL. The latter is about 11 minutes away by foot to the bustling Jalan Alor!

21:00 - Street food dinner at Jalan Alor

Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang is a lane of hawker stalls offering Malay and other Asian cuisines. The street comes alive at 5pm until late in the evening. We chose a stall and ordered the dishes recommended by our blogger friends (Thanks Doc Gelo and Riz). We had Bah Kut Tee, Char Kway Teow, Chicken Wings and Cendol. It was a hearty and filling dinner for 59 MYR.

Right after dinner, we went back to the hotel to pack up and get some sleep. Our flight to Hanoi was at 6 AM the next day! 

Jalan Alor is a foodie haven!

Char Kway Teow (fried flat noodles) is a must-try!

Durian, anyone?

How about FROG skewers? :p

Estimated Budget for Day 1 or Layover #1

Details	Estimated Expenses in Malaysian Ringgit
Transportation KLIA Ekspres return ticket, Monorail, KTM Komuter	110 MYR
Accommodation 1 night in NU Hotel	60 MYR/person on twin sharing basis
Activities Batu Caves, Skybar, Lake Symphony	0 MYR No entrance fee in these attractions
Food Set Lunch, drink and satay at Skybar, Streetfood Dinner	100 MYR
Total	270 MYR/person Around 235 AED/64 USD/3,300 PHP excluding airfare

Layover #2: For The Flashpacker

18:00 - Arrival in Kuala Lumpur International Airport

After 3 days in the Kingdom of Wonder, we traveled back to Kuala Lumpur. We, again, zoomed through KLIA. But this time, we opted to reach our accommodation by Uber. During off peak time, taking Uber or Grab is cheaper compared to buying two KLIA Ekspres tickets. But since it was the rush hour, our Uber fare was 100 MYR. Still not bad, if you ask me, as we were whisked directly to the hotel. No train rides and transfers with the luggage!     

19:30 - Check-in at  THE FACE Suites

For our second layover, we stayed in a luxurious apartment-hotel with a reasonable price! THE FACE Suites has an infinity pool with unbeatable views of the Petronas Towers and KL Tower. Apart from the city view, our 1 Bedroom Deluxe Suite is equally gorgeous. It is so spacious and we got everything we need. It has a sleek living and dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a separate work space. 

During our stay, the rate was only 273 AED/night. That's about 75 USD.  

Kitchen, dining and living area at THE FACE Suites' one-bedroom deluxe suite

The bedroom

view at THE FACE Suites infinity pool at night

21:00 - Dinner at TG's Nasi Kandar

Because it so popular on Tripadvisor, Ed and I decided to have dinner at TG's Nasi Kandar - an inexpensive Indian restaurant near Jalan Alor. We reached the restaurant via Uber (Yeah, Uber became the app we can't travel without in KL!). TG's is both a local and a traveler pit stop for authentic Malay-Indian food. We had tandoori, naan, lassi, banana nutella roti, and a set meal for 38 MYR. 

Malay-Indian dinner at TG's Nasi Kandar

The next day...

6:30 - Sunrise at THE FACE Suites' Infinity Pool

It was definitely worth waking up to! Need I say more? :)

sunrise in Kuala Lumpur, as seen from THE FACE Suites' infinity pool

Oh! Hey there, KL Tower! 

12:00 - Check-out

Having pancakes via McDelivery for breakfast in the comforts of our suite, we decided to start our city tour after checking-out. We stored our luggage in the lobby and took the monorail to KL Tower.

12:30 - Lunch in a Cafeteria near KL Tower

We had a classic Malay lunch in a small restaurant near KL Tower. Two set meals costed us 23 MYR. 

13:30 - KL Tower

KL Tower is 7th tallest telecommunication tower in the world. It appears to be taller than the Petronas Twin Towers because it is perched on Bukit Nanas hill. And that makes it a good vantage point! The KL Tower has two viewing decks and a Sky Box made of glass protruding from the Sky Deck. Wanting to experience the thrill in the Sky Box, we got Sky Deck tickets for 105 MYR each. 

aerial view of Kuala Lumpur from KL Tower

So, I took the dare! :) This is the Sky Box at KL Tower's Sky Deck.

Love on top? :p I heard lots of couples get engaged in this spot!

15:30 - Stuck in Harrods Cafe

From KL Tower, we walked to KLCC hoping to take more photos of the famous twin towers before starting our DIY walking tour. Unfortunately, it rained so hard the moment we reached the area. Left with nowhere to go, we enjoyed tea and scones in Harrods.

If it didn't rain, we could have followed this itinerary:

• Train to Masjid Jamek
• DIY Walking Tour: Masjid Jamek >> Panggung Bandaraya City Theater >> St. Mary's Cathedral >> Sultan Abdul Samad Building >> Kuala Lumpur City Gallery >>> Central Market  

Tea Time, Malaysian-style! Teh Tarik (Malaysian pulled tea) with scones at Harrods Cafe.

17:00 - Central Market

It was raining cats and dogs; hence, we decided to proceed to the Central Market (via Uber) for souvenir shopping. It used to be a wet market, but was revamped and turned into a popular tourist destination. The indoor market has stalls selling traditional goods, antiques, artworks, and food! We got some Durian Chips at 18 MYR/pack, Durian and Matcha chocolates at 5 MYR/box, and kitschy stuff at a very cheap price. 

Souvenir shopping in Central Market

19:00 - Layover over!

Because we couldn't find a free wifi zone in the Central Market, we went back to the hotel via taxi which charged us a whopping 25 MYR! In Uber, it's only 7 MYR. Anyway, it was still raining and it was about time that we say our goodbyes to KL. 

Kuala Lumpur is a great stopover city! There's so many things to do; whether you love culture, modern architecture, shopping and foooooood! I actually wouldn't mind traveling back to KL. I still have a walking tour to take, a blogger friend to meet (Hey, Riz of Lamyerda.com!) and lots of local food left to try!   

Estimated Budget for Day 2 or Layover #2

Details	Estimated Expenses in Malaysian Ringgit
Transportation Uber, Taxi, Monorail	110 MYR
Accommodation 1 night at THE FACE Suites	150 MYR/person on twin sharing basis
Activities KL Tower, Central Market	105 MYR For KL Tower Sky deck.
Food Set meal in an expensive restaurant: average 15 MYR Harrods Cafe: average 30 MYR for 1 drink and pastry	90 MYR
Total	455 MYR/person Around 395 AED/110 USD/5,500 PHP excluding airfare

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