“Dizzying” is a word a lot of visitors use to describe Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia’s capital city. Expect sensory overload: glittering skyscrapers and gleaming temples, fragrant food stalls in crowded markets, roaring motorbikes and honking horns.

Amid the chaos, you’ll find islands of serenity in Kuala Lumpur’s many parks and its famous butterfly garden. Planning a visit to this delightfully dizzying city? Be sure to download the Grab app before you go, which locals use for everything from calling a cab to paying a restaurant bill to getting food delivered. This Kuala Lumpur travel guide offers more tips and suggestions for things to do, taste, and see.

3 reasons to buy travel insurance for Malaysia

1. You need protection for medical emergencies. You should know before you travel that Medicare/Medicaid does not apply overseas, most Malaysian medical providers do not accept U.S. health insurance, and Malaysian hospitals will require you to pay out of pocket for any care received.¹ Protect yourself from unexpected medical expenses by purchasing travel insurance with emergency medical benefits, which can reimburse the cost of covered emergency medical care (up to the limits in your plan).
2. Trip cancellation and interruption protection is a must. While KL is a pretty inexpensive destination, getting there certainly isn’t cheap. Travel insurance with trip cancellation/interruption benefits can reimburse your nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs if you have to cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason.
3. 24-hour assistance provides help in an emergency. While KL is generally considered safe for tourists, purse snatchings, pickpocketing, thefts from vehicles, and burglaries all are concerns.² If you’re the victim of a crime, or if anything else goes wrong on your trip to Malaysia, our 24-hour assistance team will do their best to make things right. Download Allyz® TravelSmart app for rapid access to assistance.

3 of the best travel insurance plans for Malaysia

1. OneTrip Basic is a good choice for international travelers on a budget. It includes the essentials: up to $10,000 in emergency medical benefits, up to $10,000 in trip cancellation/interruption benefits, and more.
2. OneTrip Prime is our most popular plan for overseas vacations, with trip cancellation/interruption, baggage and trip delay protection, emergency medical benefits and more. It also covers kids 17 and under for free when they’re traveling with a parent or grandparent (free coverage for kids is not available on policies issued to Pennsylvania residents).
3. OneTrip Emergency Medical is designed for travelers with few prepaid expenses who don’t need trip cancellation/interruption protection.

3 of the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur

1. Shop Central Market. Founded in 1888, this lively marketplace offers a little taste of everything. Visit a fortuneteller. Admire some art. Get a pedicure where live fish nibble your toes. Try batik painting. Shop for souvenirs. And if you’re hungry, dozens of vendors sell treats of all kinds.
2. Visit the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. The largest collection of Islamic art in Southeast Asia can be found at this museum, from modern photography to ancient pages of the Qu’ran. Look for activities to try while visiting, such as taking a class in Islamic calligraphy or joining a curator’s sharing session.
3. Take an evening stroll through KLCC Park. This park in the heart of Kuala Lumpur is just 50 acres, but at night it becomes a wonderland. Take in the nightly music, fountain and light show at night at Lake Symphony, and enjoy the stunning view of the Petronas Towers.

3 of the best hotels in Kuala Lumpur

The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur was built in 1932. The hotel was the height of luxury, becoming the “venue for extravagant parties, Sunday curry tiffin lunches and that most European of traditions, the tea dance.”³ The hotel fell out of favor in the 1980s, was turned into an art museum, and then was restored. Today, the Majestic Hotel offers elegant, Art Deco rooms, gracious staff, and a spectacular breakfast. Plus, the location near the National Mosque and the train station is hard to beat.

We’re a little bit in love with The Chow Kit, a boutique hotel in Kuala Lumpur’s one-time red light district. Treat yourself and stay in the Towkay-Soh Suite, ('The Boss Lady Suite' in the local Hokkien dialect), a large suite with skyline views, curated art pieces, and a reading corner. Take a walking tour of the surrounding historic neighborhood and visit some of the best-known food stalls.

Prepare to be wowed by The RuMa Hotel, which has been selected as one of the world’s most incredible hotels by Fodor’s Travel. The RuMa is known for dramatic, moody interior design and luxurious rooms with oversized bathtubs and views of the Petronas Towers. One reviewer called it “an island of beauty and calm in the center of this wild amazing city.”

3 of the best Malaysian restaurants in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian cuisine is a complex swirl of spices and cultures: The national dish is nasi lemak, or rice cooked in coconut milk, served with crispy anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, roasted peanuts, and cucumber. Don’t forget the sambal: a thick, cooked chili paste that’s a must-have condiment.

To taste some of the best nasi lemak in Kuala Lumpur, head to the Village Park Restaurant. You can tell you’re in the right place because of the lines: one of delivery drivers and one of people waiting for a meal. (A posted sign says “Please Q.”) Food writer Seth Lui recommends the nasi lemak ayam goreng, which comes with a deep-fried chicken leg: “It’s crunchy, juicy, has a light crispy crust and bursts with the aromatic flavours of fresh herbs and spices the moment you bite into it.”⁴

Unforgettable fine-dining Malaysian can be found at the Michelin-starred Beta KL. The “Tour of Malaysia” tasting menu might begin with a northern dish of duck pekasam (duck with fermented fish), then head east for blue swimmer crab with noodles, then south for patin fish, a local catfish. (Order the “Flora of Malaysia” for the vegetarian version.)

While in Kuala Lumpur, you should try the “king of fruit”: the durian. This spiky, custardy fruit is beloved for its creamy, vanilla-flavored flesh… and infamous for its stinky, funky smell. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can buy the fruit (in season) from a durian stall. If you’d like to taste durian in a more elegant (and less smelly) form, go to a bakery such as YuBake, which is famous for its millecrepe cake layered with several kinds of durian.

Ready to explore the islands? Book your trip, get travel insurance, and you’re good to go. See the best plan options for international travel from Allianz Travel Insurance.

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