Four Days in Kuala Lumpur, Landing at 5am With No Plan

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I landed in Kuala Lumpur at 5am, jetlagged, with no plan at all. That’s how I travel: no itinerary, just decide on the day and walk. It was my first ever trip to KL, about four days as part of my nine countries in two months trip, and somehow I went from a capsule pod at the airport to the top of Batu Caves’ 272 rainbow steps. It was honest, warts-and-all travel: the jetlag, the heat and plenty of “I don’t know what’s going on here” moments. Here’s the route I ended up taking, in order, so you can borrow it or just use it as a starting point.

Before you fly

If you’re searching for flights into KL, I compare fares on Aviasales, and my full method is in How I Find Cheap Flights. I travel light, and I explain why in Carry-On Only.

Sort your data before you land, so maps work straight away when you’re half asleep. Airalo has eSIMs for Malaysia.

Step one: sleep it off at the airport

Arriving at 5am is brutal. Rather than drag myself into the city with nowhere to go, I checked into a capsule pod hotel at KLIA, the Capsule Transit, and slept off the flight. If you’re landing at a silly hour, this is the move: you get a few hours’ proper rest before you even think about sightseeing.

Into the city: the KLIA Ekspres

Once I’d had some sleep, I took the KLIA Ekspres train into town. I was still jetlagged and, as I say in the film, felt “a little bit drunk”. It took me to KL Sentral, the city’s main transport hub.

Getting around: the MRT and plastic tokens

From KL Sentral I switched to the MRT. The first thing to get your head round is the ticket: for a single journey you get a little plastic token, and you tap it at the turnstile. It took me a moment to work it out, but it’s simple once you’ve done it once. For more on how I get my bearings in a new city, see my getting-around guide.

Chinatown at night

My first evening was in Chinatown. It’s the place for street food, and I had chicken rice. I sorted out some laundry, found a street-art alley and walked over the lantern bridge. It’s a great area just to wander.

The 40p train to the Petronas Towers

Then I took a train to the Petronas Twin Towers. The ride cost me about 40p. That’s what I paid on that trip, and it’s one of the cheapest ways to reach the city’s most famous sight.

Seeing the towers up close is something else. My first reaction, which you can hear in the film, was simply: “Wow… look at that.”

KLCC Park: shade, a giant banyan and a lot of sweat

Right by the towers is KLCC Park. There’s a giant banyan tree worth stopping for, and you’ll want any shade you can find, because the heat is serious. Take water, and take your time.

The old railway station and Merdeka 118

Next I headed to the Old KL Railway Station, a beautiful Moorish-style building. From there you can spot the huge Merdeka 118 tower on the skyline. It’s a nice contrast: old KL and new KL in one view.

Batu Caves: Hanuman, the Ramayana Cave and 272 steps

The big one. Batu Caves means heading out of the centre, and it’s the highlight I’d tell anyone to make time for.

• The Hanuman statue is the first big sight.
• The Ramayana Cave is lit up in neon. Entry was RM15 when I went.
• The 272 rainbow steps lead up to the main Temple Cave. In that heat, my legs were burning by the top. Go slowly.
• The Temple Cave at the top has blessings and oil lamps. Remember it’s a place of worship, so be respectful.
• The macaques. There are a few cheeky monkeys about. Keep a close eye on your bag and anything you’re holding, especially on the way down.

If you’d rather go with a guide or book an organised trip out there, you can compare Kuala Lumpur tours and tickets on Klook.

My route at a glance

If you want to copy it, this is the order I did things in:

1. Arrival: land at 5am, then sleep in a capsule pod at KLIA.
2. Into town: KLIA Ekspres to KL Sentral, the MRT with its token turnstiles, then Chinatown at night for chicken rice, the street-art alley and the lantern bridge.
3. The sights: the train to the Petronas Towers, KLCC Park, the Old KL Railway Station with Merdeka 118, then Batu Caves and its 272 steps.

It’s not a polished itinerary, because I didn’t plan one. But it hits the big sights, uses cheap public transport and leaves room for wandering.

What it cost me

Two prices from the film are worth knowing:

• The train to the Petronas Towers: about 40p.
• The Ramayana Cave at Batu Caves: RM15.

Both are what I paid on that trip, so check current fares before you go. Plenty of my route was free to look at: wandering the Chinatown streets, walking through KLCC Park, standing under the towers and admiring the old railway station. KL is a city where walking and cheap trains get you a long way.

Tips for a no-plan visit to KL

• Don’t fight the jetlag. An airport capsule pod after an early arrival is money well spent.
• Learn the token system. One quick go and you’re sorted.
• Use the trains. On my trip the ride to the towers was about 40p.
• Respect the heat. Water, shade, and slow down on the steps at Batu Caves.
• Mind the monkeys. Bags zipped, snacks away.
• Eat in Chinatown for good, cheap street food.
• Be honest with yourself. There’ll be “I don’t know what’s going on here” moments. That’s half the fun.

Once you’ve done your KL route, I’d love to know where you went. If KL is one stop on a longer trip, see Turn the Layover into a Second Country for how I build extra stops in for free.

Prices were correct at the time of writing and can change. Prices I mention are what I paid on that trip.