Malaysia is the most culturally diverse country I ventured to in South East Asia. This led to plentiful experiences to try a variety of foods. Its diversity spans from its capital city, Kuala Lumpur, known as a financial district and shopping hub, to its food capital, Penang, known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Penang was one of my favorite small towns, as the street art made for a fun scavenger hunt throughout the city. Keep reading for my travel itinerary, loose notes, and favorite recommendations.
Travel Dates: Thurs. May 23 – May 26, 2019 (3 days)
General Tips:
- WiFi – public WiFi is not common in Malaysia, this made it difficult to use Grab, oftentimes we went into nearby stores to use wifi or asked a local to call a Grab for us
- Grab – Very similar to Uber, my preferred method of transportation throughout Malaysia
- Customs – When traveling between two countries, make sure to leave extra time for customs at the airport
- Temple clothing etiquette – women should wear clothes that cover the shoulders and knees
Day 1 – Phuket → Kuala Lumpur (KL)
Exploring the city
- Batu Caves – the main tourist attraction, 272 steps to the top of a Hindu temple within a cave, females need to cover their shoulders and knees, monkeys love to hang around here
Review: green – cool place to take pictures, be careful of monkeys because they frequently steal things from tourists’ purses/backpacks - Twin Towers – most famous buildings in KL, connected to a popular mall, best view from the KLCC park across the street
Review: green – great areas to walk around and take pictures of the skyscrapers - Skybar at Traders Hotel – great rooftop view of the twin towers, affordable happy hour deals
Review: green – amazing views, good happy hour prices, minimal crowds
- Water and lights show – 10 min show below the twin towers, best to see from across the water at the KLCC park
Review: yellow – great to see if you are nearby, but not a must-see - KLCC Mall – inside the Twin Towers buildings, mixture of high-end and mid-priced shopping, many varieties of foods
Review: yellow – many popular brands, food court in the basement with a large variety of great options - Jalan Night Market – popular street with food stalls, gets more crowded throughout the night
Review: yellow – very crowded, many street food options to try, store owners can get aggressive for you to eat at their stall
Day 2 – Kuala Lumpur → Penang
Transportation to Penang
- Coach bus: ~6-hour bus ride, recommended used easybook.com for best prices
- Hotel – Apollo Inn
Exploring Penang
- Georgetown Street Art – Penang is known for its amazing street art, earning the UNESCO World Heritage Site title, city street art map available from most hotels/hostels
Review: green – very fun and interactive, similar to a scavenger hunt, a great way to explore the city - Gurney Drive – famous for its street food, listed as one of the 25 best streets for good food, two large malls located nearby
Review: yellow – 1 high-end mall and 1 mid-tier mall, shopping isn’t comparable to KL - Avatar Secret Garden – Avatar-themed outdoor experience that lights up at night, recommend going after 7 pm
Review: yellow – took around 10 minutes to see the entire exhibit
Day 3 – Penang
Exploring Penang
- Penang Hill – steepest train in the world, recommend going early in the day to avoid the heat, 30 minutes away from the city by train, entrance fee is 30 MYR
Review: green – several things to check out once you make it to the top, there are beautiful hiking trails, you can easily spend 2 hours or more here
- Kek Lok Si Temple – biggest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, 15 min walk from Penang hill or quick ride on local bus
Review: green – cool to see the very big statue, 8MYR round trip per person, great cultural experience, have to take 3 modes of transport to get to the top - Three Sixty Revolving Restaurant – great rooftop at sunset, Sky Bar is underneath, 40 MYR for cocktails, 88 MYR for all you can eat buffet
Review: green – nice views, plenty of seating, live DJ
Recommendations We Missed
- Chinatown – cool to see, great food
- Tropical Spice Garden – very well maintained garden to visit in the morning
- Floating Mosque – women should remember to bring a shall to cover shoulders and knees
- Chulia Street Night Stalls – food looked great
If you found this itinerary helpful, comment with other travel suggestions to do in Malaysia!
