Everything You Need to Know About Kuala Lumpur Before You Go
In the age of remote work, the possibilities of where to live for a little while are endless. I’ve found there are a lot of travel blogs out there that give great itineraries for a 1-week, 2-week, long weekend trip of some sort (and those are certainly valuable!) but there are very few that gives some guidance on how to live somewhere for a bit. Here’s a guide for how to live in Kuala Lumpur for a little while as a digital nomad.
Facts & Figures
POPULATION: 7.7 million
LANGUAGE: Bahasa Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur is the state capital of Malaysia. It is 94 square miles in size with an average elevation of 72 feet above sea level. The city floods during periods of heavy rains, usually between the months of November and February. Thankfully, they have the SMART tunnel that doubles as both a drainage system and underground transport tunnel. The Bunya Raya is the national flower but the most interesting flower is the Rafflesia, which is the largest flower in the WORLD but also the most foul smelling. Its most significant landmark is Masjid Jamek. Built in 1909, Masjid Jamek is the city’s oldest surviving mosque. Its design is inspired by Mogul architecture in Northern India. Masjid Jamek is situated at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers, which is the birthplace of Kuala Lumpur.
Money
CURRENCY: Ringgit
SYMBOL: MYR
EXCHANGE: 1 MYR = .25 USD
= .19 GBP
= .22 Euros
ATMs are located all around the city. Downtime for maintenance between 12:30pm to 2:30am. Don’t be surprised if there are really long lines!
Debit and Credit Cards accepted almost everywhere, except small local shops and public markets. It is a good idea to always carry cash (75-150 MYR) with you.
Tipping is warmly welcomed. 10-15% suggested based on the service. If you are not pleased with service, you are obliged to leave a tip. Tipping is not expected in taxis.
Exchange offices are located all around the city. They don’t have fees but it is advisable to calculate how much money you will get before exchanging. Rates will vary depending on exchange house.
Getting Around
WALKING
Daytime:
Walking downtown is the best way to explore the city. Kuala Lumpur is an urban center with a robust mix of old and new. Most famous is KLCC with its large open park and integrated business and shopping experience. It is an amazing place to have a stroll, day or night!
Nighttime:
In general, Kuala Lumpur is a very safe city. Kuala Lumpur, or commonly referred to as “KL”, is alive 24/7 so the downtown area is a good place to wander around. “The Golden Triangle” is the heart of the city, full of historical sites, and littered with local food attractions. Changkat Bukit Bintang is filled with local bars and restaurants. It is the premier nightlife area in KL.
Other
KLCC with its al-fresco dining establishments facing the park is an amazing place to chill, read a book, or just enjoy a nice, sunny day.
The KLCC park also serves as a green zone with joggers running its many jogging paths every morning and evening.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Buses
KL RapidKL bus system is quite reliable if you want to get around the city or its surrounding areas. However, the GOKL Citybus service is a free service to get around most of the city and also enjoy the sites and attractions of KL.
LRT/Monorail
There are modes of rail transportation in KL. Usually for trips around the city, the monorail service is the best option. It will bring you to all the major tourist attractions and shopping districts. The LRT service brings people into the city from the surrounding areas and back again. For visiting tourist attractions or entertainment areas outside of KL, the LRT is the best option to combat the daily traffic jams that occur twice daily, although the service ends at 11pm on weekdays and 12 midnight on weekends depending on the line.
Taxis
Cab drivers within the city are usually very unreliable although there are a few good ones. Most of them will try to take advantage of visitors, especially in the touristy areas. Hence it is good practice to always ask the cab driver if he is charging based upon the meter or not. If he is, then it is perfectly alright to take the cab. The taxi fee from downtown to the airport is around RM80 to RM120. Any taxi drive fee, within downtown, is highly unlikely to be more than RM7-RM15.
GRABCar is the leading ride-hailing platform for SE Asia and in Malaysia. Its integration of taxi services and private car service makes it the most popular choice here apart from Uber. We recommend that you download GrabCar for all your transportation needs.
Uber is great here. It also has local contenders like GRABCar in terms of fleet of vehicles under their service and pricing. Both options are highly recommended during your stay in KL
Staying a While?
SUPERMARKETS
Nigella Grocers
Hours of Operation: 9:00 - 21:00 daily (7 days a week)
KK Mart
24 hours (7 days a week)
Quick markets located all around the city
FITNESS & CLASSES
Anytime Fitness
Hours of Operation: 24/7
150-200RM/mo
Really nice gym with premium equipment and clean and modern facilities
HOSPITAL
Tong Shin Hospital
24/7
Private hospital
Prince Court Medical Centre
24/7
Private Hospital
BANKS/REMITTANCE
Ambank Berhad
Juan de la Barrera 24, Condesa, 06140 Ciudad de Mexico
8:00am - 00:30am daily
Bank Branch/ATM
Western Union
8:00am - 6:00pm
Regular post office service
PLACES TO WORK
COWORKING SPACES
Operating Hours: 24/7 (perfect if you need to stick to your local timezone)
Offer a number of different coworking options to fit your needs
Operating Hours: Mon to Fri: 9:00am-6:00pm
A coworking space designed for entrepreneurs, freelancers, startups, and corporates
LAPTOP-FRIENDLY CAFE`S
Great wifi and coffee
Stable wifi, great food, and awesome coffee
PLACES TO EAT
Malaysians will proudly say they have the best food in the world and it’s hard to argue with them. The city is blended with Malay, Chinese, and Indian culture and that’s reflected in the food. It’s probably one of the few places in the world you can be confident in getting authentic cuisine from all three.
Saloma:
Saloma is one of the most iconic restaurants in the city center with its large selection of local cuisines at affordable prices coupled with daily cultural dance performances showcasing the diversity and wonder of the Malaysian heritage.
RM35-RM50
11am-10:30pm
Amazing local Malay food
Hutong Food Court:
A meal at Hutong Food Court is a dining experience that will leave the competition in the shade. An award-winning gourmet food hall housing more than 20 neon green-lit stands, vendors here are popular KL and Penang hawkers who have been handpicked to set up shop.
RM10-RM20
10am-10pm
Traditional Asian Chinese fare
Jalan Alor Food Street
Imagine feeling hungry in the wee hours of the morning and craving for a good meal. Jalan Alor Food street has everything and more to satisfy your palate. More importantly, the pricing is extremely reasonable even for tourists.
RM15-RM30
24 hours
Chinese seafood/fried dishes
Changkat Food Alley
Apart from it being a premier nightlife area, the allure of clubbing and drinking goes hand in hand with some of the best food outlets in KL. From high-end restaurants to hole-in-wall food outlets serving up cuisine from all over the world.
RM30-RM75
24 hours
Western to Middle Eastern to Asian cuisine
NZ Garden Cafe
Any local will tell you that you have not lived the KL life without at least once eating at NZ chain of food. One of their best locations is just right in front of KLCC with an awesome view of the twin towers. Their selection of Indian styled local cuisine is some of the best in KL.
RM10-RM20
24 hours
Everything good!!
NIGHTLIFE
Marini’s on 57:
Most popular place to go out in KL while I was there. It is located in the twin towers. Very cool place and lots of people.
RM25-RM150
3pm-3am
Marini’s selection of martinis
View @G Tower:
View Rooftop Bar is a nightclub with three distinct sections on the 29th floor of G Tower Hotel KL. A popular after-work bar, people come for the great cocktails and music
RM25-RM150
3pm-3am
Come here for the awesome views and signature cocktails. Great place to unwind and have a chat.
No Black Tie
No Black Tie is KL’s leading jazz bar and where some of the region's most established musicians have performed. The unpretentious bar has been around for a while.
RM25-RM100
5pm-3am
Walking up the nondescript pathway to No Black Tie’s heavy wooden front doors you will feel like you are joining a secret society: inside, the stylish, intimate room has got the look of a speakeasy
Nagaba Bar:
A lovely bar set in a beautiful colonial-style terrace, the expansive and stylish Nagaba Bar and Restaurant is divided into three distinctly different levels: the Industrial Lounge, Opulent Lounge and Rooftop.
RM25-RM100
5pm-3am
A lovely corner to dine and drink (plus, being at street level, it allows you to people-watch!), great emphasis placed on the in-house traditionally-cooked meals with a modern twist
TREC:
TREC Kuala Lumpur is also the new home of Asia’s most popular super nightclub Zouk KL. Boasting 11 nightlife concepts under one roof,.
RM30-RM150
2pm-5am
Try exploring all 11 concept areas
DAY TRIPS
A mixture of arts & culture mixed in with some retail therapy and Asian food trek
Pricing varies
Distance varies
We recommend taking this early in your trip so you can get a taste of what Kuala Lumpur has to offer in one compact day
F.R.I.M. (KL Outskirts):
A serene rainforest with a canopy walkway and nature trails filled with a diversity of rainforest flora and fauna.
RM10.60 (transport + meals not included)
Takes approximately an hour to reach - requiring six rivers to cross. (18 km)
Canopy walk through a multi million year old rainforest!
Chilling River (Selangor):
The waterfall is also a fish sanctuary surrounded by lush rainforest.
RM1 (transport + meals not included)
Takes approximately an hour’s trek in the rainforest to reach and cross the requiring six rivers to cross (87 km)
Explore this beautiful nature reserve and experience fresh air
Elephant Sanctuary (Kuala Gandah):
An elephant sanctuary that rescues and relocates Asian elephants whose habitats are being lost to development.
Aims to raise public awareness and support research into Asian elephants
Price varies
110 km
Watch the elephants being washed and fed right in front of your eyes.
Sunway Lagoon (Selangor):
A multi-theme park extravaganza, offering over 80 attractions spread across 88 acres.
Price varies
21 km
OVERNIGHT TRIPS
Malacca (The Historic State):
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Earliest Malay sultanate in Malaysia.
Rich history of colonial rule by the Portuguese (16th century), Dutch (18th century) and British (19th century).
Taste multicultural cuisine from Malay, Chinese, Indian and Baba & Nyonya influences.
Price varies depending on activity
145 km
If you want a day of history, culture, and a taste of Asian cuisine, then be sure to visit Malacca
Isle of Penang (Pearl of the Orient)
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Founded by the British in 1786.
Historically a key British port city on the Straits of Malacca besides Singapore.
THE undisputed food capital of Malaysia. . . Offers multicultural cuisine, beautiful coasts and historical attractions.
Price varies depending on activity
355 km
Haven for multicultural cuisine
Cameron Highlands (Valley of Tea):
Malaysia's largest hill-station area filled with tea plantations, vegetables and strawberry farms.
Temperatures in these 1300m to 1829m heights rarely top 30°C.
Explore genteel tea culture, eco-conscious trekking, unexplored forests and some interesting temples at Cameron Highlands.
Price varies depending on activity
205 km
Explore lush valleys of tea and strawberry plantations
Isle of Langkawi (99 Island Archipelago):
Oldest land in Malaysia - 550 million years old.
A tropical paradise of 99 isles.
Duty free destination.
Azure clear waters, relatively pristine beaches and intact rainforest jungles awaits first time visitors.
Price varies depending on activity
413 km
Andaman Sea facing beaches have crystal clear waters and fine grain sand.
Senkinchan (Land of Fish and Rice):
One of the major rice producing areas in Malaysia with the highest yields.
Explore endless paddy fields and taste fresh seafood from the fishing village.
Experience one of the world’s biggest firefly colonies at night.
Price varies depending on activity
93 km
Learn about the local industries while indulging in the freshest produce from land and sea
SAFETY & TIPS
Kuala Lumpur is safe city, or at least as safe as any other city in Asia. There are few dangerous areas as long as you use common sense. Occasionally there are street demonstrations that occur, in which case you will want to stay away from where they are congregating..
Also, we recommend discretion if you want to discuss topics like politics or religion with locals, since it might be touchy subject. Be tactful in your conversation, and you will be fine to enjoy an excellent verbal discourse. Otherwise just smile….and walk away.
WALKING AROUND
Kuala Lumpur is alive 24/7. As most big cities, the downtown area is the best place to relax, enjoy, and explore, especially if you are a foodie.
CRIME
For an urban metropolis of 7.7 million inhabitants, Kuala Lumpur is a safe city. Violent crimes and gun-related violence rates are low and seldom targeted at visitors. Pickpocketing is also not as ubiquitous as in more touristy capitals of Asia, but common sense should be exercised and due vigilance maintained especially in crowded places. In particular, motorcyclists are known for swiping cell phones right from your hands while you are walking down the street, so stay aware and hold them tightly! When my cellphone got swiped, I had to go to the “black market” to find it and buy it back!
STRAY ANIMALS
Kuala Lumpur has a problem with stray cats especially around the roadside eateries. You might also see a rat or two. For your own safety, just leave them alone and don’t feed the cats. Generally, common sense is good enough.
NEIGHBORHOODS
Some places can a bit noisy from the surrounding bars and clubs you might hear construction from time to time. KL is always growing!
LGBTQ+
Kuala Lumpur has LGBT friendly bars, spas and much more but not everyone is accepting. Please be careful in the public and avoid PDA when possible.
DRINKING WATER
While the tap water should be fine for brushing your teeth and rinsing dishes, it is recommended that you either boil your water or buy bottled water.
ALCOHOL LAWS
While open container laws are usually pretty loose for foreigners here, we still recommend you be respectful and keep your drinking to bars, restaurants, and private areas. Legal drinking age is 18.
GREETINGS
Physical contact during greetings are not the norm here in Kuala Lumpur unless it is family or a close acquaintance. This is due to Malaysia being a Muslim country. Men and Women do not touch each other even in friendly settings unless they are related by blood or marriage. As for other races, it depends on their cultural upbringing so best to just keep to a simple handshake.
EMERGENCY
Dial 999 for Medical or Crime emergencies. Dial 994 for Fire emergencies.