Last year, while going on our annual trip to India, we decided to stop by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and explore the beautiful city, enjoy delicious cuisines, and finally see the Petronas Towers illuminated at night, a long-time bucket list dream.
🛬 Arrival in Kuala Lumpur
We arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at around 4:30 PM – after a 6-hour flight from Sydney. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of eating joints and creative cafés at the airport. From quick local snacks to fusion cuisines, the airport is definitely foodie-friendly.
We caught a taxi to The Ruma Hotel and Residences (taxi price – 150 MYR). Although the weather was pleasant, we ended up stuck in peak-hour traffic, which made our journey longer than usual.
The hotel itself was beautiful – serene interiors, artistic decor, and a calming vibe that made us feel instantly at home. For dinner, we dined poolside at the hotel bar, enjoying pizza and fried glass noodles, and a lovely view of the dazzling Patronas Twin tower.


Our son, tired after the long journey, fell asleep on the lounge couch while we were still eating. To our surprise and gratitude, one of the hotel staff quietly brought over a blanket to cover him, making sure he was warm and comfortable. It was such a thoughtful gesture – one of those small moments that really warmed my heart.
🌳 Day 1: KLCC Park, Aquaria, Petronas Towers & Mall Adventures
After a lovely hotel breakfast, we strolled over to KLCC Park, a peaceful green space in the heart of the city. The park was only a few 100 meters from the hotel. Aquaria KLCC is located beneath the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

Aquaria KLCC is home to a 90-meter-long underwater tunnel – the longest in Malaysia – where we watched sharks, giant stingrays, and groupers glide gracefully overhead, giving the feeling of being under the ocean. My son enjoyed looking at various displays and searching for some hidden or camouflaged reptiles. We spent around an hour in Aquaria and headed out to explore the park.
The playground area was a big hit with my son. We strolled in the park, enjoying a lovely day in the city. The Patronas Twin Towers was visible from the park and I couldn’t wait to see it up close.
We walked to the Petronas Twin Towers, then explored the massive Suria KLCC Mall. For lunch, we stopped at TGI Friday’s, where we had a Little Italy lamb burger, kids’ burgers, mojitos, and a bright green Grinch milkshake. The afternoon ended with a swim at the hotel’s rooftop pool.

🕌 Day 2: Batu Caves, City Landmarks, and a Cultural Trail
On Day 2, we decided to explore the popular and iconic landmarks in the city. We kicked off the day with a hearty hotel breakfast before setting off on a private taxi tour (350 MYR).
First up was the famous Batu Caves, with its towering golden statue and colorful steps. The Batu Caves temple complex is home to the world’s tallest statue of Lord Murugan, standing at 42.7 meters (140 feet) high and painted with over 250 liters of gold paint. I had seen this landmark in so many Instagram posts that it felt surreal to see it in real life. It was stunning, but the weather was also very hot and humid. The climb wasn’t intense at all, although the monkeys did give us a scare. I even saw one monkey leisurely licking an ice cream that it had snatched from a tourist.



From here we drove see the Palace Gate, then a peaceful Buddhist temple, and the National Monument, all steeped in history and grandeur. We made a quick stop at the National Mosque, then wrapped up with a quick stroll around Independence Square, admiring the colonial architecture and wide open lawns.


Thean Hou Temple


But by midday, the heat was overwhelming, and our 6-year-old was getting restless and tired. Rather than push through more stops, we decided to cut our trip short and head back to the comfort of the hotel.
As soon as we reached our room, we slipped into our swimsuits and plunged into the pool for a relaxing swim. In the evening, we returned to KLCC for a light walk and dinner, taking things slow and soaking in the evening breeze. And I finally saw the Patronas Tower shimmering brilliantly against the night sky.

🎢 Day 3: Genting Highlands with Kids – Rides, Cable Cars, and SkyAvenue Mall
After breakfast, we called a Grab taxi to Genting Highlands, a high-altitude resort destination just an hour from KL. The adventure began with a ride on the Awana Skyway Cable Car – an exciting glide over lush rainforests and misty hills. My 6-year-old was thrilled by the views from above.
And I was thrilled by the fact that there was a series of escalator built on the mountainside that took tourists to Chin Swee Buddhist temple. For comparison the approximate height of the escalator is about 10-11 storeys. Unfortunately, it was closed when we visited but I would definitely love to ride “million” escalator.

At the top, we entered the Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park, where we spent hours enjoying rides, dance, music, and food. Some of the rides that my son enjoyed are: Epic Hummingbird Flyers, Rio Carnival Chaos and Ice Age Adventure.



Just next to the theme park is SkyAvenue Mall, one of the highest altitude shopping malls in the world – and a city in itself! I was amazed by the sheer size of the place. The mall features one of the largest indoor LED display systems in Asia.

Imagine my surprise when I also found a massive indoor theme park inside the mall. Skytropolis Funland, a 400,000 sq ft indoor theme park with roller coasters, VR rides, and carnival games, all under the same roof as luxury boutiques. My 6 year old was mostly interested in a car ride and play arcade games. 😄
After an eventful day in Genting Highlands, we rode the cable car back to the Awana Bus Terminal and booked a taxi on Grab app.
🧘 Day 4: Airport Relaxation and Final Bites
Our final day was relaxed. During the drive, we learned that Kuala Lumpur has two airports – KLIA and KLIA2, the latter serving budget airlines and our point of departure. We got enough time to enjoy a rejuvenating body massage at the airport, explore more food options and buy some souvenirs.



I ordered this interesting drink with 3 options in one cup – coffee, tea and cham. Before we made our way to the security check, we devoured a warm bowl of Taiwanese handmade chew chew noodles.

With our feet relaxed, tummy full, we bid goodbye to a trip full of flavor, fun, and memories.
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Sounds like a fun and action-packed holiday, Raj! I’ve heard a lot of good things about Batu caves, and also some scary monkey stories! The Murugan statue is surely an icon worth visiting, though!
It is iconic, although the weather was very humid and hot we tried to make the best of it. Thank you.
What a detailed post! I’ve been to Malaysia once, years ago, during an 8-hour stopover at Kuala Lumpur airport on our way from the US to India. We spent the time resting in our room and slept through it all—and honestly, it was so worth it. 🙂 Maybe someday we’ll plan a proper trip and get to experience all the wonderful things you’ve described here.
Malaysia has never made it to our travel list for some reason. Maybe, we should look at it now for a short trip. Thank you for the detailed itinerary.
Batu caves looks good in the movies I’ve seen it, but I’ve heard the monkeys make it scary. I’m just digging your drink with 3 options! So creative.