Things to Do in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur Cruise Port, located 40 miles (64 kilometers) outside of the city , provides a gateway to the metropolis of Kuala Lumpur. Unless you're a golfer looking to improve your handicap at Port Klang Golf Resort, the port is mostly used as a transport hub. Activity-packed shore excursions help you cover more ground in Kuala Lumpur.

 

 As Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur is a melting pot of Chinese, Indian, and Malay cultures and Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic religions. On arrival at the cruise port, travelers generally head out on a sightseeing tour of the city's most photogenic attractions, which include the Batu Caves and the iconic Petronas Towers. Taking a private shore excursion means you can customize your itinerary and make the most of limited time in Kuala Lumpur as you visit only the sights that capture your interest.

 

To save time, you can take a chartered taxi into the center of Kuala Lumpur or opt to rent a car. Most Kuala Lumpur shore excursions include port pickup and drop-off, meaning you won’t have to spend the day worrying about missing your boat.

 

The port has a taxi counter, free Wi-Fi, a lounge, and a shop selling essentials such as water and snacks. ATMs and money exchange bureaus are plentiful, and English is widely spoken at the port.    

In the heart of the mangrove forests of Semawang in Sandakan, the privately owned Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary allows travelers to observe the rare and distinctive proboscis monkeys in their natural Borneo habitat.

Besides housing myriad bars, restaurants and shops, Kuala Lumpur City Centre houses Suria KLCC, a massive six-floor shopping mall occupying the lower levels of the Petronas Twin Towers and filled with international retailers and an excellent supermarket.

The Langkawi Crocodile Farm on the island of Langkawi, Malaysia, houses one of the largest collections of crocodile and alligator species in the world. The reptiles range from newborns to fully grown, some world record-holders and some that are handicapped. The crocodile farm covers an area of 20 acres.

Visitors come to Langkawi Crocodile Farm to see more than 1,000 crocodiles. The first section is where you'll find the baby crocodiles along with signs that provide facts about these little guys. There is also a pond where both crocodiles and alligators are located, with signs explain the difference so you can try to tell them apart. At the feeding pond, you can watch crocodiles snap at and devour their meals. You can also walk on a bridge above another pond where crocodiles are lounging. There is also a gift shop where you can buy fun croc-themed souvenirs.

Oriental Village is best known as the home of the Langkawi Cable Car and Sky Bridge. The cable car transports visitors some 709 meters into the sky to the summit of Mount Mat Cincang—the second highest peak on Langkawi.

While the Langkawi Cable Car is undoubtedly the main draw here, Oriental Village has become a popular attraction in itself, offering enough in terms of shopping, eating and entertainment to fill a full day out. This sprawling, open-air complex features a vast array of souvenir and retail outlets, galleries, health spas, a hotel, and even a huge lake at its center. 

Popular attractions at the Oriental Village include the duck tour, elephant adventure, and the tiger exhibition. Langkawi Oriental Village food court is also a crowd-pleaser, offering a variety of tasty Malaysian dishes at more than reasonable prices.

Bask in the bioluminescence of thousands of fireflies as they do their mating dance around the berembang trees along the Selangor River at Malaysia’s Kampung Kuantan Firefly Park, in Kuala Selangor. Each species of firefly has a different light pattern and together, as they swarm around their chosen branches, they create a symphony of light in the mangrove swamps—one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular displays.

Head down to the jetty after sunset, alight into one of the silent electric boats, and glide over the dark river to watch the amazing light show provided by these little luminescent lovelies. While it’s possible to make your way to the small fishing village of Kuala Selangor on your own, many visitors find it convenient to join a guided tour from Kuala Lumpur, which often includes hotel transfer, a boat ride to see the spectacle, and a waterfront seafood dinner. You can also combine the fireflies display with an afternoon visit to Kota Melawati (Fort Altingsburg), where you may be able to spot silvered-leaf monkeys.

Reaching the jetty in Kuala Selangor from which firefly tours depart can be a bit complicated; taking your own car or joining a guided tour make for the most convenient experience. If you visit independently, make sure to arrange your return transportation ahead of time or plan to spend the night in the village.

Kuala Selangor’s fireflies are visible throughout the year thanks to Malaysia’s tropical climate. During the monsoon season, from October to December, be prepared for heavy showers that could disrupt the viewing experience.

Situated off the beaten tourist path, this village at the mouth of the Selangor River maintains a traditional atmosphere that feels worlds away from the big city. The fireflies might be the biggest draw, but there are plenty of other attractions in the area as well, including the 19th-century Bukit Melawati fortress, Sri Shakti Temple, and the outdoor sanctuary of Kuala Selangor Nature Park.

Looming 1,381 feet (421 meters) atop the Bukit Nanas (Pineapple Hill) in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the Kuala Lumpur Tower (KL Tower) is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Visible from all around, it also affords a spectacular 360-degree view from its observation deck. 

The KL Tower offers different viewing experiences: standard admission tickets for the enclosed Observation Deck and additional tickets for the open-air Sky Deck and Sky Box. For the best value, combine a visit to the KL Tower with the nearby Petronas Twin Towers, visit as part of a Kuala Lumpur city tour that also includes sights like the Central Market and Batu Caves, or opt for a night tour that includes a buffet dinner at the tower’s revolving restaurant.

The Kuala Lumpur Tower is located within the KL Forest Eco Park, just a short walk from the Petronas Towers; free shuttles run from the park’s main entrance up the hill to the KL Tower. The closest stations are Bukit Nenas on the KL Monorail and Dang Wangi station on the PUTRA LRT line. 

The tower is open daily year round,and can get busy, especially in peak season (December and January). Opt to visit in the morning to avoid the crowds or in the evening for a dazzling nighttime view.

The KL Tower is just one of the many family-friendly attractions in the KL Forest Eco Park. After looking down over the city from the Sky Deck, venture into the surrounding rainforest to brave the canopy walk, visit the Malaysian Cultural Village, or spot wildlife along the nature trails. There’s also the Blue Coral Aquarium, where you can see sharks and clown fish, and a mini zoo with monkeys, parrots, and snakes. 

Look past the pirated goods stalls and you will see a heritage area of old Chinese shop houses selling spices and food stalls selling local dishes like Hainanese chicken rice and nasi lemak.  The side streets leading from Petaling Street are where you will find wet markets and shops selling everything from spices to electronics to funereal wreaths.

Other highlights of Chinatown besides shopping are the temples, some of the finest examples in Kuala Lumpur. There is the stunning Hindu temple Sri Mahamariamman and the two late 19th-century Chinese temples Koon Yam and Chan See Shu Yuen.

With more than 70 rides, tons of interactive shows, a handful of wild water slides and seven LEGO-themed exhibits, LEGOLAND Malaysia has become a top destination for families traveling to Kuala Lumpur. 

While the massive park offers little visitors plenty to do and see, one of the favorite stops among visitors is MINILAND, where some 30 million LEGOs have been used to recreate iconic Asian landmarks on a much smaller scale. Kids can bring the models to life with the touch of a button and watch trains, planes and cars travel through the tiny land. 

Even the water park, which includes 20 slides, pools and rivers, is LEGO themed, with 70 models build by LEGO experts. Kids can even construct their own rafts from soft LEGO bricks and float down one of the park’s lazy rivers.

The Kuala Lumpur National Monument (Tugu Negara) commemorates the 11,000 people who lost their lives fighting for Malaysian independence. The 51-foot (15.5-meter) bronze statue of seven soldiers, built to replace a colonial-era cenotaph that now stands behind it, is part of a site that also includes a central pavilion with regimental emblems.

There is no entrance fee to visit the National Monument. It’s difficult to reach by public transport but quick to experience once you arrive, so the site is a popular stop on Kuala Lumpur day tours. Many tours visit simply as a photo stop, so military buffs who want to really take in the cenotaph—which has a list of fallen heroes from two world wars and more— should visit independently. Alternatively, work with a guide or driver on a private Kuala Lumpur National Monument tour.

The National Monument is an easy, scenic walk from the Perdana Botanical Garden (Lake Gardens) but fiddly to access from elsewhere. A taxi from Kuala Lumpur city center should take no more than 15 minutes. Alternatively, catch a KTM Komuter train from KL Sentral, get off at Bank Negara station and walk more than a mile (2 kilometers). Many will find it quicker and easier to join a tour or ride a hop-on hop-off bus.

The Kuala Lumpur National Monument is open seven days a week throughout the year, from 7am to 6pm. To beat the crowds, arrive early in the day. The site is often used for ceremonies on Remembrance Day (the Sunday closest to November 11), Warriors’ Day (July 31), and Malaysia Day (September 16).

The most striking element of the Kuala Lumpur National Monument is the towering bronze sculpture of ascendant soldiers. If the style looks familiar, that’s because it shares a sculptor: Felix de Weldon, the man responsible for the famous depiction of U.S. Marines raising the flag over Iwo Jima during World War II. Like it, the bodies in the group are portrayed in energetic harmony.

Formerly known as the State Mosque of Sarawak, the Kuching Mosque is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The original mosque built on the same site in 1847 — a simple structure made from wood and pitch — was renovated several times before being completely rebuilt to its present form in 1965. In October three years later, the new state mosque opened to worshipers.

Located in the center of town near the open air market, the pink and white, gold-domed mosque opens its doors to non-Muslim visitors outside of prayer times, offering an opportunity to learn about Islam and its practice in Malaysia.

Encompassing a relatively small area of 26.8 square miles (6,952 hectares), Lambir Hills National Park protects what might be the planet’s most biodiverse and complex forest ecosystems. This jungle-covered swathe of land is home to a staggering 1,173 species of trees, as well as monkeys, deer, flying squirrels, wild boar, gibbons and 237 counted species of birds.

While the wildlife is reason enough to visit, it’s the park’s numerous jungle waterfalls that tend to attract visitors, many with pools at their bases where trekkers can go for a cooling afternoon swim. About a dozen marked trails range from a short 20-minute walk to the Latak Waterfall to strenuous, all-day trek to the highest point in the park. A 130-foot (40-meter) wooden tree tower along the Pantu Trail gives visitors a glimpse into the jungle canopy.

Set just 14 miles (22 km) outside of the capital city of Kuching, the sandstone mountains of Kubah National Park offer some of the best day trekking and plant-spotting opportunities in the immediate region. Although myriad species of birds and mammals, such as arguas, pheasants, and bearded pigs, roam the tropical rain forest, Kubah is ultimately known for its stunning array of plant diversity, particularly palms. And if swimming beneath a waterfall sounds like the perfect afternoon, there are plenty of opportunities to do just that.

A walk down the hour-long Palmetum trail offers views of over 100 different types of palm trees, while other short walks such as the Belian Trail amble past exotic flora, like giant mushrooms, figs, durian, and rambutan. Those wanting to catch a glimpse of native Sarawak wildlife should head to the Matang Wildlife Centre located within the park boundaries. At this conservation center, where wild animals are rehabilitated for release back into the wild, visitors can observe orangutans, sun bears, and civets, a cat-like mammal with similarities to a mongoose or otter.

Set in an old colonial building beside Merdeka Square, the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery is a great place to learn about the history of the Malaysian capital. It features a collection of paintings and photographs recording the city’s past, plus miniature-scale models of its most famous landmarks.

A huge timeline chronicles the city’s history, from its origins in the 1850s up until the present day. The two main attractions at the gallery include the small-scale model of the historic Medeka Square, as well as the Spectacular City Model Show, which represents modern-day Kuala Lumpur. There are videos of the city’s proudest and most important events, such as the 16th Commonwealth Games, and photographs of the progress of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. The museum also features displays on the country’s multicultural population, with traditional national dress such as baju kurungs and sarees on display.

Before leaving, visitors can enjoy some Malaysian food at the gallery’s ARCH Cafe, before taking a look around the gift shop, which offers locally-made handicrafts like batik, pewter, and hand-woven items.

Insider’s Tip: Be sure to pick up the gallery’s free Walks & Tours Map – it was initiated by the gallery founder, Andrew Lee, and has all the best Kuala Lumpur landmarks highlighted.

The Langkawi Cable Car takes riders high above the Langkawi rain forest on Mt. Mat Cincang (Gunung Mat Cincang) for a panoramic view of the surrounding islands and sea. Also called SkyCab, the cable car boasts Malaysia’s longest free span mono-cable car—at 3,117 feet (950 meters)—and is among the steepest on the planet.

The Langkawi Cable Car is a great way to orient yourself upon arrival on Langkawi Island. The top station, which sits 2,323 feet (708 meters) above sea level, offers 360-degree views over the island and southern Thailand. Some tours to the cable car also include a visit to the Oriental Village or Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls, or an afternoon of island-hopping around Langkawi.

The easiest way to reach the Langkawi Cable Car is to hire a taxi; it’ll cost only a bit extra to have the driver wait while you enjoy the views.

For the best photos (meaning good light and fewer tourists), plan to arrive early—check the website for hours of operation—and be one of the first to board the cable car. Avoid visiting on local holidays or school vacations when Malaysian families turn out in droves. 

The Langkawi Cable Car is part of the larger Panorama Langkawi. The two most popular attractions, in addition to the cable car, are the SkyGlide funicular and the Langkawi SkyBridge, a curved pedestrian bridge suspended about 328 feet (100 meters) above the surrounding forest.

This one-of-a-kind museum features street art style murals with a truly unique slant. That’s because most of the images and displays in this popular tourist spot are designed to allow photo-loving travelers to snap off-beat pictures that thanks to lighting and angles, play tricks on even the soundest of minds. 

Expert staff stands by to help guide and position visitors to ensure each and every picture that pairs traveler with art is perfectly styled, leaving viewers to ask, “just what is going on here?!” Be sure to download the museum-specific app that allows visitors to view their photos in a special 3D way, adding just a bit more fun to a trip to the tricky Made in Penang Interactive Museum.

Considered among the world’s most beautiful train stations, the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station showcases the Moorish style of architecture favored by the British during Malaysia’s colonial era. Built in 1911 and designed by A.B. Hubback, the station is one of the most recognizable (and most photographed) landmarks in the city, thanks to its white arched facade and onion domes on the roof.

Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station took over as the city’s major train transport hub in 2001, but the old station still operates on a smaller scale (for commuter trains mostly) and remains a popular sightseeing stop.

Thanks to Langkawi’s status as a Duty Free Port, shopping in the city is popular and inexpensive. Established in 1966, the Langkawi Craft Complex (Kompleks Kraf Langkawi) specializes in traditional Malayan handcrafted items — things like hand-dyed batiks, silver jewelry, ceramics and woven tote bags.

The complex often hosts craft demonstrations and cultural performances. A series of on-site exhibitions cover topics like traditional wedding ceremonies, Islamic heritage and local legends.

What was once a worn and weathered trading area in Kuching has been transformed into one of Malaysia’s best public spaces. The Kuching Esplanade, also referred to as the Kuching Waterfront, officially opened in 1993 and extends for a little less than a mile (1.3 kilometers) between the Main Bazaar and the Riverside Suites. 

Once lined with wharfs and warehouses, this stretch along the south bank of the Sarawak River is now lined with cafes, souvenir shops and food stalls, along with several historic buildings and points of interest, like the Sarawak Steamship Company building and the Chinese Museum. With little road traffic, the area is ideal for strolling, particularly in the evening when the riverside lights blink on. Tiled mosaics along the esplanade depict Malaysian ethnic motifs, while placards offer insight into the area’s history.

One of two South Asian enclaves in Kuala Lumpur—the other, also known as Little India, is in Brickfields—Little India sits conveniently near Chinatown, making the pair an easy destination for food tours. Set around Jalan Masjid India (Indian Mosque Street), this bustling district offers rewards from markets and sari stores to eateries.

You don’t need a tour to soak up the atmosphere in downtown Kuala Lumpur and, needless to say, there’s no entrance fee to Little India. It’s often a quick photo stop on Kuala Lumpur orientation tours.

However, if discovering Kuala Lumpur’s diverse cuisine is on your to-do list—and it should be—then a food tour that explores the Indian food on offer either here or in Brickfields is a must. You’ll cover more ground than you would independently, head straight to the good stuff, and taste more than you’d be able to taste outside the food-tour context. 

Jalan Masjid India is conveniently placed in the heart of town, within easy walking distance of Chinatown and the Central Market. If you’re coming from elsewhere in Kuala Lumpur, hop on a Light Rail Transit (LRT) train to Masjid Jamek. The station connects lines 3, 4, and 5 (Ampang, Sri Petaling, and Kelana Jaya, respectively).

Little India can be visited at any time of day but is particularly charming early in the evening when the night market on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman is in full flow. To enjoy the best breads, particularly the area’s signature roti canai, come in the morning, as these are primarily breakfast snacks.

It was Chinese miners who founded the city of Kuala Lumpur, during a tin boom in the 19th century. Ever since its inception, under British colonial forces, the city has been a mixture of South Asian, Chinese, and Malay influences. Besides classically Indian food, look out for Malay Indian fusions known as “Mamak” when touring LIttle India.