Backpacking Kuala Lumpur: A Budget Day Trip in the National Capital of Malaysia

By vivomigsgee in Travel April 9, 2020

“Malaysia, Truly Asia” – the tourism tagline of Malaysia is still vividly etched in my mind from the moment I first set foot in a foreign land many years ago. On a personal level, I can claim that Malaysia is very dear to me, simply because it is the first country outside the Philippines that I visited. Anything about traveling abroad as a first-timer had been challenged with the maiden international trip as my college folks explored Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia in Borneo Island way back 2014.

Just a quick trivia, Borneo Island is politically divided among three countries: Malaysia (26% covered territory) and Brunei (1%) in the north, and Indonesia (73%) to the south. It could have been my first tri-country trip had it been properly planned. I guess it wasn’t meant to happen that year. Fast forward 2020, I returned to Malaysia as part of an unusual three countries excursion (Singapore-Malaysia-Indonesia) and this time, it’s none other than Kuala Lumpur.

Backpacking Kuala Lumpur is pretty much easier and cheaper than I thought. As the national capital of and largest city in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is a major destination in Peninsular Malaysia and one of the leading cities in the world for tourism and shopping. I intentionally included Kuala Lumpur in my first tri-country trip for 2020 for it is just a bus ride away from Singapore. You’ve probably think of Johor Bahru when it comes to the typical route of tri-city, but hey, I don’t want to follow the crowd as there’s nothing much to do or see other than Legoland (which personally I’m not really a fan of).

Named as one of the New7Wonders Cities, Kuala Lumpur is brimming with world-class attractions and fun activities that every first-timer in this promising city should tick-off without necessarily breaking the bank. So, whether you’re on a layover or planning for a day trip in Kuala Lumpur, here are top 15 free destinations you should include in your KL itinerary.

1.) Batu Caves

Visited Batu Caves around 7AM and it was still surprisingly dark, with only a flock of pigeons at sight. So, we waited for the sunrise to finally do some photo ops and before the massive influx of tourists fill the area. Batu Caves is a limestone hill and one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, and is dedicated to Lord Murugan (golden statue of Hindu diety standing 140 ft tall at the cave’s entrance). You can visit the temple complex inside by taking the colorful 272 steps leading to the mouth of the cave.

2.) Masjid Jamek

Masjid Jamek Mosque, also known as Friday Mosque, is recognised as the oldest Islamic place of worship in Kuala Lumpur. Overlooking the Klang River, it offers breathtaking photo opportunities for travellers due to the combination of ancient Moorish, Islam and Mughal architectural styles, verdant surroundings, and distant views of KL’s other iconic landmarks.

3.) River of Life Bridge

Can you blame me if I call Kuala Lumpur an Asian city above the clouds? Well, this spot sits on the banks of the Klang River, depicting a view of the city that is somewhat floating up in the sky – a confluence of old, new and natural environment thriving as one element to showcase a beauty like no other. This unique chunk of KL, the focusing on the River of Life, a regeneration project that made into the Independent’s “World’s 10 Best Waterfront Districts”.

4.) Panggung Bandaraya

Gazetted as a heritage building under the Antiquities Act, Panggung Bandaraya is a historical theatre hall located across the Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the junction of Jalan Tun Perak and Jalan Raja. The theatre formerly occupies the historic Old City Hall of Kuala Lumpur. You will see a lot of artists in this area that are totally inspired by the building’s architectural design and cultural value.

5.) Dataran Merdeka

Literally Independence Square, it was formerly known as the Selangor Club Padang and was used as the cricket green of the Selangor Club. Notable features in the square are as follows: a 95-metre flagpole, one of the tallest in the world, is located at the southern end of the square, a flat, round black marble plaque marks the location where the Malayan flag was raised for the first time and the Cop’s Fountain, built in 1897 as a memorial to Steve Harper, a popular police inspector.

6.) Sultan Abdul Samad Building

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building is among Kuala Lumpur’s earliest Moorish-style buildings. As a distinguished landmark, it is set to the east of Merdeka Square and originally served as the secretariat for the colonial British administration. Serving no official purpose as of date, it remains one of the city’s most important tourist attractions and a historical landmark in the city.

7.) Public Bank Berhad

Public Bank Berhad is a bank based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia offering financial services in Malaysia as well as the Asia-Pacific region. Fronting Petronas Twin Towers, it exudes a beauty on its own, perfect for a backdrop for your selfies, especially at night.

8.) Kuala Lumpur City Gallery

Looking for authentic Malaysian food when in KL? ARCH Cafe at KL City Gallery serves the finest traditional Malaysian delicacies. Try the specially home-made recipe ‘Nasi Lemak’, Malaysia’s National dish – fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and ‘pandan leaf’. I tell you, it’s simply the best in town! Pair it with three layer tea with grass jelly for a perfect makan makan experience!

9.) Jalan Alor

If Singapore has Haji Lane, Malaysia has Jalan Alor. Vibrant street murals have been hidden in plain sight in various back lanes in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. From the vibrant flora and fauna to psychodelic rainbow motif, be on the hunt for these imaginative street graffiti, strike a pose and appreciate the story behind these alleyway masterpieces. It’s totally for FREE.

10.) Jalan Bedara

Just like Jalan Alor, this alleyway is also an artist’s playground. It is less touristy compared to Jalan Alor but equally paints an instagram-worthy photo.

11.) Bukit Bintang Night Food Court

This street will transform as a foodie haven at night. Bukit Bintang Food Court is a bustling thoroughfare lined with vibrant food stands & restaurants serving eclectic street eats. Sure, the food is the main draw but the atmosphere is also truly memorable with lots of red hanging lanterns just like you’re in Chinatown. You should visit this place and feast on every gastronomic delight.

13.) Menara KL

The Kuala Lumpur Tower (or Menara) KL is a communications tower located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its construction was completed on 1 March 1995. It features an antenna that increases its height to 421 metres and is the 7th tallest freestanding tower in the world. The roof of the pod is at 335 metres.

13.) Malaysian Tourism Centre (MaTiC)

The Malaysia Tourism Centre, or MaTiC, in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur is a heritage building and landmark and a good place for newly arrived visitors to obtain tourist information on Malaysia. In addition to the tourist information counters you can also find a 24 hour tourist police office in case you find yourself in difficulties such as lost passport or you are unlucky enough to be the victim of a crime. Other services include free internet zone, money changer, free cultural show at 3pm daily, a counter and bus stop for the KL Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and more.

14.) Petronas Twin Towers

Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia’s highest skyscrappers and one of the world’s tallest buildings, are utterly stunning – a marvelous sight to behold daytime or night. Resembling a pair of silver rockets, Petronas Towers were designed to herald the meteoric rise of KL city from tin-mining shanty town and Malaysia as a whole into the global economy. Definitely a must-vist when in KL!

15.) Berjaya Times Square

Ending this list with the first and last destination we’ve visited in Kuala Lumpur – Berjaya Times Square. Berjaya Times Square is one of the city centre’s most easily located structures, strategically linked with trains, taxis and SG-bound bus. Berjaya Times Square is a 48-storey, 203 m twin tower, hotel, condominium, indoor amusement park and shopping centre complex in Kuala Lumpur. You can tour around for free but undertaking a culinary journey with a variety of good restaurants that offer tasty and inexpensive fare throughout the complex is something you should try too, just right at the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Budget Tips in Kuala Lumpur

Truly, a budget day trip in Kuala Lumpur is doable. In fact, I only spent less than PHP 2,000 (170 MYR) in this particular jaunt covering travel expenses from transportation to food. Just like what I did in Singapore, we only visited those must-visit attractions in Kuala Lumpur with no entrance fees. Food and transportation costs in general are way cheaper, making KL a perfect destination for budget backpackers.

Budget allocation in Kuala Lumpur as follows:

Accommodation – Php 0 (sleep at a sleeper (overnight) bus)
Bus fare (Roundtrip SG to KL) – Php 1,312.58 (36.06 SGD)
Train fare – Php 113.46 (9.4 MYR)
Food (controllable) – Php 481.59 (39.9 MYR)
Entrance Fees – Php 0
TOTAL BUDGET = PHP 1,907.64

How to Get to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Singapore

Peninsular Malaysia is bordered by Singapore at its tip in south. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia can be reached via Singapore either by train, bus, ferry or plane. Among these transportation options, the cheapest way to get to Malaysia via Singapore is traveling by bus. Numerous buses depart daily from Singapore to your choice of destination in Kuala Lumpur and vice versa. You have a choice of at least 9 bus operators, all differ in prices and level of comfort.

A great place to start your search is redbus.sg. Book your tickets online to skip the hassle of lining up in the ticketing office and ensure seat reservations in advance. The cheapest one way ticket (reschedulable) will cost you 13-20 SGD. The bus will usually take 4 to 6 hours to reach Kuala Lumpur (direct or with bus stops) so make sure you know the KL destination for drop off (KL Sentral, BTS, etc).

To maximize your day tour in Malaysia and save on accommodation cost, book a round-trip overnight bus operated by Starmart Express with terminal located at Golden Mile Tower in Bugis, Singapore (11:30 PM departure) and bus stop at Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur (05:30 AM arrival the next day). Travel time includes cross-border checkpoint and immigration clearances so be ready with your passport for verification procedures. Traveling back to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur is also a breeze, with the exact bus stop and bus schedule transiting in reverse order. Both bus terminals are located in the city center, accessible by local trains (Bugis Station in SG and Imbi Station in KL). The reclining bus seats were convenient, with charging ports and more leg space.

How to Get to KL, Malaysia from Cebu, Philippines

The only way to get to Kuala Lumpur from Cebu is via air. Flight cost and schedule to and from Kuala Lumpur varies per airline. For a start, use skyscanner for possible flight options and route recommendations.

If you’d ask me, the cheapest (Cebu to KL) flight I snagged from a seat sale promo worth Php 1,500 round trip. This is by far the cheapest international flight that I ever booked. Wanna know my secret? Here’s the answer: PROMO FARE TRAVEL HACKS

This article is part of the tri-country trip blog series, so if you want to know more about it, give the following features a read: