Kuala Lumpur is the wonderful capital of Malaysia and home to the famous Petronas Towers! With 3 days in Kuala Lumpur, you can experience the cultural mix of Indian, Chinese and Malay shown by beautiful temples, delicious food and a variety of markets!
In this 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary, we’ll show you the best things to do, how to get around and our recommendations on where to stay in the bustling capital.
We have visited Kuala Lumpur twice over the last few years, once for 3 days and the second time for almost a week! It’s safe to say we wouldn’t say no to visiting again and it’s one of our favourite Asian cities!
The city is so diverse with a blend of old meets modern. Tall skyscrapers and shopping malls have taken over the city but you can still find an old Chinatown and classic street markets.
Kuala Lumpur is a popular layover city in Southeast Asia which makes it very easy to spend 3 days in Kuala Lumpur seeing the major highlights and eating the best food.
This post may contain affiliate links. We will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using these links, at no additional cost to you.
Quick Tips for a 3 day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary
- Currency – Malaysian Ringgit (compare your own currency here)
- Language – Malay (also Mandarin and Tamil)
- Cuisine – Malay, Chinese & Indian (noodles, rice, dosas, soups, curries, roti & more)
- Apps – GoogleTranslate, GoogleMaps, Grab, Booking.com &, Hostelworld
- Power Voltage – Plug G, 240V (Same as the UK)
- Sim Card – Digi, Hotlink or grab one on Klook!
Visiting more of Malaysia? Check out our Cameron Highlands Itinerary, Penang itinerary, Melaka itinerary and Ipoh itinerary
Popular activities to book in advance: Petronas Tower Sky Tickets & Batu Caves Half Day Tour!
Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is an urban jungle filled with skyscraper hotels and small cosy guesthouses. There’s something for everyone! We highly recommend staying in a neighbourhood in the city centre such as KLCC, Bukit Bintang, Chinatown & KL Sentral during your Kuala Lumpur 3 day itinerary.
If you’ve ever dreamed of staying in a hotel that has a rooftop pool – Kuala Lumpur is the place to do it on a budget! It’s hard not to come across one on Booking.com and most of them have amazing views of the sparkling Petronas Towers!
Kuala Lumpur Hotels, Hostels & Guesthouses
Hotel 1000 Miles $ – Perfect location, great price with private & dorm rooms. We stayed here twice on our Kuala Lumpur itinerary! – Find on Booking.com here!
Mingle @ Highstreet $ – One of the best hostels in Kuala Lumpur for meeting other travellers, they have many social activities including free dinner and volleyball in the pool! Find on Hostelworld here!
D’Majestic Place $-$$ – A modern hotel near Bukit Bintang with a rooftop pool! We have also stayed here twice as it’s budget-friendly and comfortable and the pool is incredible! There’s also two Chinese veggie places around the corner – Find them here on Booking.com!
Ceylonz Starlight Suites Bukit Bintang $$ – If you’d like a little more luxury, book a stay at Ceylonz with modern hotel rooms and an impressive rooftop pool – Find on Booking.com here!
Best Time to Visit Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur has a tropical humid climate all year round with two monsoon seasons from October to January and March to April.
Don’t let the rain put you off though, if you’re spending 3 days in Kuala Lumpur there could be rain or sunshine throughout any month!
The best time to visit Kuala Lumpur is from May to July and December to February in between these rainy seasons. The weather will still be hot and humid but not as much as other months and you can enjoy the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur!
3 Day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary: Best Things To Do (2024)
Now we’re going to get into the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur in our tried and tested travel guide! We’ve also included how to get around the city and a few more tips at the end of this Kuala Lumpur itinerary.
The days can be mixed around depending on the weather or what time you arrive and leave the city. This is your Kuala Lumpur travel guide!
Day 1 – Mosques, Markets, Chinatown & Petronas Towers
Once you arrive in the city, head to your accommodation and drop your bags off. If you’re on a budget in Malaysia, Hotel 1000 Miles is in the best location to start this 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary!
You can also get around the city on a KL Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus!
Discover Merdeka Square
The first place to visit on your Kuala Lumpur itinerary is Merdeka Square and the beautiful historic buildings that surround it.
Merdeka Square is right in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. The square itself isn’t too exciting, but as ‘Merdeka’ means independence in Malay, the square is important in the city!
A parade is held each year to celebrate the 31st of August 1957 – the day that Malaysia became independent!
It’s not too hard to find as it’s near the Masjid Jamek metro station and other popular places to visit! So it’s definitely worth checking out on your 3 days in Kuala Lumpur.
There’s also a few more things to see in the same area. We highly recommend crossing the river to see the best views of Jamek Mosque.
- The ‘I Love KL’ Statue
- National History Museum (Textiles)
- The architecture of the Royal Selangor Club
- Kuala Lumpur City Gallery
- Jamek Mosque
Walk around the Central Market
After you’ve crossed the river to see the mosque, head south to come across the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur.
The Central Market is open every day and is filled with many different types of shops! During our Kuala Lumpur trip, Amy bought some sterling silver earrings from the friendliest of shop owners and went back to buy more the next day!
As it’s quite touristy, the prices are a little higher than the average, but you can still find some great deals and the building has air-con!
Get lost in China Town
On your 3 days Kuala Lumpur itinerary, it’s time to explore China Town, one of our favourite areas in Kuala Lumpur. There’s a blend of well-kept temples, crazy street markets, cute street art and cafes. It’s also a great place to shop!
Check out Guan Di Temple, a beautiful red Taoist temple and Mahamariamman Temple, a Hindu temple from the 1800s!
There are many places to eat around China Town, including some cafes which we’ll mention further down! We grabbed lunch at Happy Sambodi Vege Restaurant, which is just outside of China Town but totally worth it for affordable buffet Chinese food!
Shop in Petaling Street Market
You can’t visit Chinatown without stumbling across the famous Petaling Street Market during your Kuala Lumpur 3 day itinerary. It’s actually pretty hard to miss, as it’s the busiest area!
You’ll find almost anything in the hectic streets of Petaling Street Market, from watches, bags, shoes and clothes to tech, exotic fruit and skincare items!
If you’re not familiar with markets in Southeast Asia, then just remember that many designer products aren’t designer if you’re buying them at a market. Good deals though!
There are also some food halls and small food huts in between all the commotion. We’ve visited this strip more than three times and bought a couple of T-shirts.
Visiting Thailand? Here’s our 1 Month in Thailand Itinerary!
Explore the Street Art & Cafes
On our 3 days in Kuala Lumpur, we had to find some street art which is a common theme for cities in Malaysia.
A little to the south of China Town you can find Kwai Chai Hong, a small area with beautiful street art and colourful houses. We saw a Stranger Things street here too! If you wander around the area you’ll find street art on most of the street here!
If you’re looking for some cosy cafes or a cup of coffee to keep you energised for the of the day, here’s a few ideas:
- The Hungry Tapir – a vegetarian restaurant serving a variety of food including drinks and desserts!
- Luckbros Kopi – a modern cafe serving coffee and nasi lemak!
- Merchant’s Lane – This cafe is one of the old shophouses along Jalan Merchant
Admire the Petronas Towers
Depending on what time you arrived in Kuala Lumpur, it may be almost dark now. Whether it’s light or dark, head to the famous Petronas Towers to get close to one of Malaysia’s icons!
From China Town, hop on the KJL at Pasar Seni Station and head north to KLCC Station. Tickets are very affordable and it’s the best way to get around Kuala Lumpur!
The Petronas Twin Towers were once the tallest buildings in the world when they were built in 1996, standing at 452 metres, since then many other buildings have taken over. However, they’re still the tallest twin towers in the world!
Get your tickets on Klook for a discount when visiting the Sky Deck of the Petronas Towers!
Stay for the beautiful light show in the evening that happens from 8 pm to 10 pm. The towers themselves also light up and sometimes change colour on special occasions. There is also a huge fancy mall underneath which we recommend checking out another day on your Kuala Lumpur 3 day itinerary.
If you’re looking for food, very close by is Tapak Urban Street Dining – a street market with stalls and food trucks and loads of seating! We opted for Minf Houze Vegan Cafe which is past KLCC Park and served delicious Malay food!
Watch the city from above at a Roof Top Pool
The best way to end the first day of your 3 days in Kuala Lumpur is with a dip in a sky-high swimming pool!
Kuala Lumpur was the first time we’ve ever stayed in a hotel with a pool on the top – and it was so worth it! Many hotels and some hostels have beautiful rooftop pools for affordable prices.
We stayed at D’Majestic Place on our most recent trip to Kuala Lumpur and we also stayed there in 2019! We paid around £16 both times, however, the prices may have changed!
Another great choice is Ceylonz Starlight Suites, which is a little more luxurious but still a great price for the value!
Also check out our 2 Weeks in Malaysia Itinerary!
Day 2 – Urban Parks, Bukit Bintang & Street Food
If you are staying in a hotel with a rooftop pool, definitely take the opportunity to go for a morning dip! We split our time in KL between D’Majestic Place for the pool and Hotel 1000 Miles to save some money!
Nasi Lemak is a popular breakfast to have in Malaysia and you’ll find lots of local places selling it! There’s also local stalls selling fruit if you want a grab-and-go breakfast!
Feel the nature at Forest Eco Park
Forest Eco Park is a lovely breath of fresh air in the middle of busy Kuala Lumpur. You’ll still be surrounded by skyscrapers but it really feels like you’ve stepped into the jungle!
The park has tree-top canopies to walk across and they’re pretty photogenic spots in Kuala Lumpur! We spent a while here admiring the forest and the scenery.
Note – The park has recently started charging an entrance fee for the KL Forest Eco Park. It was free for so many years! For a foreigner, it’s now RM40 and for a Malaysian it’s RM10.
Whilst you’re nearby, you can walk over to the base of the KL Tower. There’s a cost to go to the top and visit the Sky Deck, but you can see the whole city! Get your tickets on Klook!
Explore Bukit Bintang
Next on your Kuala Lumpur 3 day itinerary is to explore the mesmerising neighbourhood of Bukit Bintang. It’s one of the main areas in Kuala Lumpur in the city centre and you can find huge shopping malls, indoor theme parks, street art, street food and a mini Piccadilly circus!
It’s only a 20-minute walk from the Forest Eco Park to the centre of Bukit Bintang and once you arrive, you’ll notice the malls straight away!
Stop by the Bukit Bintang Crossing before hitting up all the malls! There’s also more hidden street art all over Bukit Bintang, such as Alor Backspace Street Art and Jalan Rembia Street Art
Check out the Malls in Bukit Bintang
It’s going to be pretty hard to choose which malls to visit during your 3 days in Kuala Lumpur. Here’s a little breakdown of what the malls in Bukit Bintang are like!
- Berjaya Times Square (BTS) – One of the biggest malls in Malaysia! It has an indoor theme park, many shops and massive food courts. The LG and G floor are the best to visit!
- Plaza Low Yat – A huge tech store if you need to grab any new gadgets!
- Pavillion – Another great place to shop and find a variety of familiar & popular shops!
- Lot 10 – You’ll find shops such as H&M and Nike here and there’s a big food court on the lower floor filled with Chinese food!
- Fahrenheit 88 – Connected by a bridge to the Pavillion, this mall includes Uniqlo & Karaoke!
- Starhill Gallery – Filled with designer brands!
- Sungei Wang Plaza – One of the most affordable and oldest malls in Kuala Lumpur!
Inside all of these malls is a whole variety of food from different cuisines, different themes and classic fast food chains. We came across a vegan burger spot which was a big change compared to our Malay, Indian and Chinese food diets!
Indulge at Jalan Alor Food Street
One of the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur is to visit Jalan Alor Food Street Market in Bukit Bintang. It’s currently open from 4 pm until late and is always bustling!
It’s definitely a known tourist destination, but that just means there’s going to be more food to enjoy! You can also find fresh coconuts and fruit, including durian!
Before it became popular, the street would just serve Malay food but it’s since adapted to many more cuisines such as Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. There aren’t many vegan choices for meals, but we still enjoyed looking around!
Here’s our tips on how to save money for travelling for your Malaysia trip!
Day 3 – Batu Caves, Little India & Downtown
On the last day of your 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary, you’ll discover a beautiful cave temple and the colourful streets of Little India.
Discover the Batu Caves
The Batu Caves is one of the most famous things to do in Kuala Lumpur and is definitely worth visiting, even if it’s a little out of the city centre.
The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside of India and is dedicated to the Hindu God of war (Lord Murugan) which is the reason for the huge statue in front of the stairs.
The beautiful rainbow stairs were painted in 2018 and caught the eye of many around the world and made the temple even more popular. Inside the Batu Caves, the limestone Temple Cave is the most popular stretching 300 feet high including Hindu shrines and many bats!
There are also so many monkeys around and they will find your food if you have any. We saw someone walking up the temple with bottles of milk in a plastic bag and the monkeys tore through it in seconds!
Note – For religious reasons, legs must be covered when entering the temple and climbing up the stairs.
How to get to the Batu Caves?
The best way to get to the Batu Caves from the Kuala Lumpur city centre is by the KMUTER train. Head to KL Sentral Station (near Little India) and grab a ticket to the Batu Caves. The journey takes around 30 minutes. Ticket prices can change but it could cost around RM 11.00 per ticket.
There’s also a Batu Caves Half-Day Tour with GetYourGuide if you’re worried about catching the wrong train, although the public transport is great! It’s also possiblek to visit the Genting Highlands on a Genting Highlands and Batu Caves Day Tour!
Visit Little India (Brickfields)
After your beautiful morning at the Batu Caves, it’s time to hunt for the best Indian food in Little India. Head to the same station at the Batu Caves and go back to KL Sentral.
KL Sentral is the perfect entry point for exploring Little India and you’ll soon notice all the Indian clothes shops, jewellery stores and the smells of Indian restaurants.
There’s also a few temples in the area to visit such as Sri Kandaswamy Temple, Vivekananda Ashramam and Maha Vihara Temple.
For lunch, we highly recommend Saravanaa Bhavan and Singh Chapati House although most restaurants in the area are great!
Head to KLCC Park & Mall
There are so many things to do in Kuala Lumpur and it’s going to be difficult choosing how to spend your last day! We chose to head back to our favourite area – the Petronas Towers.
This time to explore the malls and say goodbye to the impressive twin towers that made us want to visit the city in the first place.
Catch the public transport to KLCC and walk over to Suria KLCC to shop, eat and admire the beautiful modern mall! Don’t forget to look see the towers from both sides of the mall for different views.
Also take the time to walk around KLCC Park, the little slice of nature next to one of the tallest skyscrapers! We can’t get enough of this area.
Bring a lightweight Joby GorillaPod on your trip to Kuala Lumpur to take photos of yourself even if there’s no one around. We now carry the tripod on all of our trips as it’s easy to take. in a day bag! There’s also a Joby Phone Tripod too!
Alternative Ideas for 3 days in Kuala Lumpur
- KL Tower – Find tickets here!
- Perdana Botanical Gardens
- National Palace (Istana Negara)
- Masjid Wilayah Mosque (Federal Territory Mosque)
- Thean Hou Temple
- Hop on a Kuala Lumpur Half-Day City Tour with a guide that will answer all of your questions!
- Head to a water park to escape the heat, if you have more than 3 days in Kuala Lumpur! Get your tickets to Sunway Lagoon!
3 Day Kuala Lumpur Breakdown
Day 1 – Mosques, Markets, Chinatown & Petronas Towers / Day 2 – Urban Parks, Bukit Bintang & Street Food / Day 3 – Batu Caves, Little India & Downtown
Best Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is a foodie city, like most of the cities in Malaysia! You can’t go wrong with most of the places in the city if they look busy and smell good. Here’s a few that we came across during our 3 days in Kuala Lumpur and more!
- Sweet Veggie (Pudu) $ – Our favourite Chinese buffet restaurant in KL (location)
- Sangeetha Veg Restaurant $-$$ – Indian Food in Masjid Jamek (location)
- Happy Sambodi Vege Restaurant $ – Affordable Chinese food (location)
- Sala (Berjaya Times Square) $$ – Western vegan food in the mall (location)
- The Hungry Tapir $$ – Amazing veggie & vegan food including desserts (location)
- Minf Houze Vegan Cafe $-$$ – Vegan Malay food near KLCC Park (location)
- Singh Chapati House $ – Indian food in Little India, Brickfields (location)
Also, check out the Atmosphere 360 Revolving Restaurant in KL Tower for a full dining experience!
~ Pick up a few Sustainable Travel Products before your trip to Kuala Lumpur ~
How to get around Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is huge, with different neighbourhoods and the main highlights spread out. Luckily the city has a pretty good public transport system to help you get around during your 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary.
- Metro & Bus – The best way to get around Kuala Lumpur is by public transport!
- Taxi & Grab – Grab is a great way to get around Kuala Lumpur if public transport will take too long, they’re fast and reliable. Download the app!
- Car – Browse Discover Cars for rental cars in Malaysia.
- Check out the KL Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus.
How to get to Kuala Lumpur
Flying – Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the best place to arrive if you’re travelling from around the world. KL airport is huge and a popular destination for layovers. It’s likely you’ll pass through it when travelling around the different islands in Southeast Asia.
Bus – One of the best ways to get around Malaysia is by bus! Check for times and prices on 12Go, RedBus or EasyBook. They are so comfortable! You can get buses from within Malaysia or Singapore.
Train – You can also catch the train in Kuala Lumpur, arriving at KL Sentral Station! Check times on 12Go here!
How to get from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the city centre
Kuala Lumpur International Airport has two terminals (KLIA & KLIA2) and both are easy to get to or from with public transport.
A train ticket from the airport to KL Sentral takes around 30 minutes and costs around RM 55. The bus is the cheaper option at RM 15 but can take 45 minutes to an hour (in KLIA2).
Book your KLIA Ekspres Airport Train Tickets on Klook.
There’s also the option of Grab, which can be cheaper than the train if there are more than 1 or two people!
Travelling more of Malaysia?
Alongside this 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary, we’ve put together a few travel guides for other destinations in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is the perfect entry point to the country and there’s truly so much to discover!
Cameron Highlands is the beautiful tea region of Malaysia – Cameron Highlands Itinerary
Ipoh is a little more unknown in Malaysia, in between the Cameron Highlands and Penang – The Best Ipoh Itinerary!
At the other end of Malaysia is the wonderful Penang and George Town, check out our – 4 Day Penang Itinerary!
Heading to Malacca? Check out this Day Trip to Historic Malacca from Kuala Lumpur or visit with our 2 day Melaka guide.
How many days to spend in Kuala Lumpur
We recommend spending at least 2 days in Kuala Lumpur to see the main sights such as the towers, the Batu caves and other areas in the city centre.
As you’ve seen from this 3 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary, there’s so much to do to fill 3 days and more. In total, we’ve spent almost 2 weeks in Kuala Lumpur split up three times. If you’re travelling Malaysia it’s likely you’ll visit the city more than once anyway!
With 3 days in Kuala Lumpur, you can start to get a sense of the city and check out different neighbourhoods. We also recommend visiting the Petronas Towers during the day and night and the atmosphere is always amazing!
What to do in Kuala Lumpur in one day?
If you only have one day on your Kuala Lumpur itinerary, we highly recommend visiting the Petronas Towers, KLCC Park, China Town and a trip to the Batu Caves. With only one day in the city, catching a Grab to different destinations may be the best way for you to get around!
What to do in Kuala Lumpur at night?
- Lake Symphony Light Show at the Petronas Towers
- Sunway Lagoon Night Park
- KL City of Lights Tour with Hop-on Hop-off Bus
- Rooftop Bars
- Jalan Alor Street Market
Travel Essentials for a Kuala Lumpur Itinerary
- Stainless Steel Water Bottle – There’s free drinking water all over KL, just look for filtered water machines!
- Amazon Basics Packing Cubes – We can’t go anywhere without our packing cubes now!
- The Little Bodhi Microfibre Towel – Great for hostels or rooftop pools!
- Rain Mac in a Bag and a Backpack Cover are two more essentials we need in rainy weather!
- Anker Power Bank – Keep your phone juiced!
- Joby GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit – We love our Joby GorillaPod and use it for our Sony A600. – Joby Phone Tripod.
➤ Here’s our Southeast Asia Packing list for a 40L backpack!
Don’t forget about Travel Insurance! – SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
SafetyWing is a very flexible monthly-rolling travel insurance to help you stay safe on your trip anywhere in the world. Find out more here!
Is Kuala Lumpur worth visiting?
Kuala Lumpur is a city worth visiting in Malaysia! It’s one of the best introductions to the country and there’s so much to do in the city.
We loved both of our visits to Kuala Lumpur and are excited to visit again in the future! It’s a city we would love to stay in for a while and explore different neighbourhoods!
If you can only pick one place to visit in Malaysia, we recommend Kuala Lumpur with Penang being a close second! There is definitely more to do in Kuala Lumpur though and the city spreads so far!
Check out our other Malaysia Posts:
- Cameron Highlands Itinerary
- Ipoh Itinerary: 2 Days in Ipoh
- 4 Day Penang Itinerary
- 2 Week Malaysia Itinerary
- The Best 2 Day Melaka Itinerary
- Also browse our Thailand, Sri Lanka and Philippines guides!
That’s the end of our 3 Day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary: Best Things To Do (2024)! Have fun in the capital of Malaysia and if you need any more help planning – send us a message on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers) or leave a comment below!
LIKE THIS POST? PIN IT FOR LATER & SHARE IT WITH OTHERS!
