While there’s tons to do in the city, you are missing out if you don’t experience one or more day trips from Kuala Lumpur. Getting outside of the city limits is a great way to better experience the culture and beauty of Malaysia. Here are five of our favorite day trips that are located two or less hours outside of Kuala Lumpur.
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Melaka
If you love history, Melaka is one of the best day trips from Kuala Lumpur you can choose. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is located about 90 miles southeast of Kuala Lumpur and is one of the oldest cities in the country. Formerly known as Malacca, it was one of Southeast Asia’s most important trading ports. So it’s no surprise that is known for melding Malay, Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, Dutch, and British cultural influences.
Things to Do
Start your visit in Red (Dutch) Square which gets its name from the many red buildings dating from the Dutch occupation of the city. Visit Stadthuys (Dutch administrative building) which holds a small history museum. Also go inside Christ Church for a peek at an 18th century Anglican church. You can also pose for a photo at Queen Victoria’s Fountain. Then walk up St. Paul’s Hill to visit the ruins of a 16th century church and experience the panoramic views of the city. Also visit A Famosa Fort to see the remains of a Portuguese fortress, one of the oldest European structures in Southeast Asia.
For lunch, you will want to try Nyonya cuisine, which is a fusion of Malaysian spices and ingredients cooked with Chinese techniques. Atlantic Nyonya Cuisine by Aunty Ruby,Cottage Spices Nyonya Restaurant, or Samfu Restaurant at Hotel Mimosa are all solid choices.
In the afternoon, visit Cheng Hoon Teng Temple and Kampung Kling Mosque. These sites will give you an understanding of the diversity of religion and culture that live in harmony in the city. And if you love antiques, spend a little time on Jonker Street perusing the shops. (Note – if you want to experience the Jonkers Night Market, you will need to visit on a Saturday or Sunday evening.) Taking a 45 minute river cruise is also highly recommended.
Logistics
Located about two hours outside of the city, you can visit Meleka via rental car or taxi. You can also take a bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan to Melaka Sentral, and then take a taxi or Grab into the historic city center. If you want a guided tour and an easy day, take a group tour.
Genting Highlands
If you are traveling with kids (or kids at heart), a day trip to Genting Highlands from Kuala Lumpur is a great option. Not only can you experience beautiful views and cooler temps, there are several theme parks to keep kids excited about the day! Genting Highlands is located about 40 miles north of Kuala Lumpur.
Things to Do
Your first stop of the day is taking the Awana SkyWay cable car up to the highlands. This 10 minute ride provides beautiful views of rainforests and mountains. Make sure to stop at the Chin Swee Station where you will find the Chin Swee Caves Temple. A half hour is enough time to see the main sites here, although you could spend several hours seeing it all.
Theme park enthusiasts, or those with kids, will want to spend most of the day at Genting SkyWorlds or Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park. At Genting SkyWorlds you will find movie-theme attractions ranging from family-friendly carousels and boat rides to more thrilling simulators, drop towers, and dark rides. This park is outdoor and can be impacted by bad weather. One admission fee pays for access to all rides. Skytropolis is indoor and you can pay for an unlimited ride pass or for rides individually. The rides here also range from family-friendly attractions to more thrilling drop towers and roller coasters. Both offer a variety of food options, so you won’t have to worry about lunch or snacks.
Skytropolis is located inside SkyAvenue Complex. This shopping center also features upscale retail shops, diverse dining options, and lots of entertainment. You can see a movie, be wowed by the sites and experiences at Ripley’s Adventureland, and win (or lose) a few bucks at SkyCasino. If you are there after 6 p.m., you can see the Sky Symphony Light Show hourly until 10 p.m.
Logistics
Genting Highlands is a little over an hour away from Kuala Lumpur. It’s easy to drive there in a rental car, or you can take a taxi or Grab rideshare. Or you can take a bus from any major bus hub in Kuala Lumpur to the Awana Bus Terminal. From here you can walk to the Awana SkyWay cable car. You can also take a group tour or private tour.
Kuala Selangor
If you love nature, animals, and natural phenomenon, Kuala Selangor might be the best of these day trips from Kuala Lumpur for you! This coastal area is located about 45 miles northwest of Kuala Lumpur.
Things to Do
The top of Bukit Melawati (Melawati Hill) was the site of a heavily fortified fort dating from the late 18th century. Today you can see the fort walls, royal graves, a well, cannons, and other relics. The Kuala Selangor Lighthouse is also located on the hill, but it is not open for visitors. The hill offers beautiful panoramic views of the coastline and the Straits of Mallacca, as well as a chance to see silver leaf monkeys that roam freely.
Kuala Selangor Nature Park features mangrove swamps, inland secondary forests, muddy estuaries and mudflats, and a brackish lake. It’s a great place to see birds, silver leaf monkeys, and long-tailed macaques. Visit the Information Center to learn more about the park’s flora and fauna. There are four hiking trails available. The Egret Trail takes about 30 minutes, the Pangolin Trail about an hour, the Costal Bund Trail about 2 hours, and the Langur Trail about 2.5 hours. You can also use observation hides and towers for better views of the wildlife.
The absolute best things to do in Kuala Selangor involve natural phenomenon. All involve booking boat tours and lucky timing. First, there’s a island that only emerges during low tide. Referred to as Sky Mirror, it offers a mirror-like reflection of the sky during specific lunar periods. You can charter a boat to float through mangroves along the Selangor River to see thousands of fireflies synchronously light up the forest at Kampung Kuantan Firefly Park. A final natural phenomenon is blue tears, marine algae that glow a bioluminescent blue. You can see this by taking a speedboat ride to where the Selangor River meets the Straits of Malacca. Fortunately, you can book a boat tour to see both the fireflies and blue tears together.
Logistics
If you want to spend an entire day in Kuala Selangor, it’s best to rent a car. The sites are spread apart, so it will be difficult to rely on pubic transportation. If this doesn’t sound fun, then there are group tours from Kuala Lumpur that depart in the afternoon and return late in the evening. These tours include Bukit Melawati and a boat tour to see the fireflies and Blue Tears. If you want to see the Sky Mirror, you can also book a group tour from Kuala Lumpur that leaves early in the morning.
Sekinchan
Sekinchan is a farming and fishing village about 60 miles north of Kuala Lumpur. This is one of the best day trips from Kuala Lumpur to see rural Malaysia.
Things to Do
The first thing you will notice as you drive through the region are huge paddy fields of rice. If you are visiting in March, April, or October, the fields are a lush green. In May, June, November, and December, they turn golden yellow as they ripen for harvest. Stop at the Sekinchan Paddy Gallery to learn how rice is planted and processed and purchase pearl rice to take home. Rent a bike to explore the rice fields more extensively.
Take a stroll on the sandy coastline of Pantai Redang. Here you can admire the local fishermen at work and taste their catches at nearby seafood restaurants. This is not a beach for swimming, but it is great for relaxing by the waves and birdwatching.
Another must-visit place in Sekinchan is Nan Tian Temple. This Chinese temple is located in the middle of a paddy field. For great views, go to the second floor of one of the towers. And before you head back to Kuala Lumpur, stop by Ah Ma House for Malaysian snacks and desserts. Try their specialty, kuih kapit (egg waffle), and admire the vintage decor of the shop.
Logistics
Two of our day trips from Kuala Lumpur can be combined if you have a rental car. You have to go through Kuala Selangor to get to Sekinchan. It would make sense to drive to Sekinchan first and spend the morning and early afternoon there, then go to Kuala Selangor to see some sites and the fireflies and blue tear phenomenon in the late afternoon and evening before heading back to Kuala Lumpur.
If you just want to to go to Sekinchan, you can take a taxi or Grab rideshare. You can also take a guided tour that includes sites in both Sekinchan and Kuala Selangor.
Putrajaya
While Kuala Lumpur is the official capital of Malaysia, Putrajaya was created to serve as the administrative capital of the country. Developed in the 1990s, the city is filled with late 20th century architecture. Putrajaya is located 20 miles south of Kuala Lumpur.
Things to Do
Start your visit at Putrajaya Square. Here you will see the impressive outside of Perdana Putra which houses the prime minister’s office. It’s also the location of Putra Mosque which sports a pink dome and is perched right on the edge of a lake. Guided tours are available, but you must be dressed modestly or rent a hooded robe to go inside. You can also get a great view of Putrajaya Bridge from the square.
Not too far from Putrajaya Square is Taman Botani Putrajaya. This is the largest botanical garden in Malaysia and feature more than 750 species of plants from all over the world. Highlights are the Moroccan Pavillion Islamic Garden and themed areas including Explorer’s Trail, Sun Garden, and Palm Hill.
Another amazing mosque is the Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, also called the Iron Mosque due to its stainless steel construction. Like the Putra Mosque, guided tours are available, but you must dress modestly or robe up to go inside. And if you want to see where the Malaysian prime minister lives, go by Seri Perdana. You can’t go inside, but it’s worth seeing from the outside.
Perhaps the best way to see Putrajaya is on a lake cruise. Many types of cruises are available, ranging from tourist cruises to taking a traditional Malaysian boat.
Logistics
Putrajaya is probably the easiest on our list of day trips from Kuala Lumpur. You can get there easily by rental car, taxi, or Grab rideshare. You can also take the MRT Putrajaya Line train from KLCC or Conlay Station to Putrajaya Sentral. While you are in the city, you can walk or use Grab to get around. You can also take a half-day group tour.
Which of these day trips from Kuala Lumpur are on your itinerary?
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