Ended up spending a really long stretch of time in KL, long enough for the city to stop feeling like a destination and start acting like a strange second home. One day it’s skyscrapers, another you’re in some back-alley village food spot with plastic chairs and the best meal of your life.
What to see if you have short time:
Petronas Twin Towers - KLCC Park after dark is unbeatable.
Batu Caves - monkeys plotting your downfall included.
Chinatown (Petaling Street) - chaos, snacks, neon.
Masjid Jamek - peaceful pocket in the city core.
Less touristy / weird / underground stuff:
RexKL - a former cinema turned creative maze with indie shops, zines, vinyls and random events.
The Zhongshan Building - micro-galleries, experimental music, local designers, zero tourist traffic.
Chow Kit Market - raw, loud, and real; sensory overload training ground.
Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman - a traditional Malay house tucked between modern towers.
Thean Hou Temple at night - surreal and almost empty after 9 PM.
Heli Lounge Bar - a functioning helipad that becomes a bar.
TREC (stick to the small rooms) - the only places with actual underground electronic vibes.
Stuff you absolutely should eat: Nasi Lemak Nasi Kandar Char Kuey Teow Roti Canai Teh Tarik and tons more. Just dig into any street food stand you see. Go wild.
KL is messy, loud, humid and addictive in the best way - perfect if you like cities that refuse to stick to one mood. 🖤