A Vibrant City Getaway from Singapore
9 January 2023
Student Kasja Persson takes on a weekend in Kuala Lumpur
A month ago, I took the opportunity to embark on a weekend getaway to one of the most vibrant cities in South East Asia - Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia!
Getting to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore is surprisingly cheap - especially if you are patient and willing to spend a bit longer on transport. I took the bus with a group of four other exchange students and the 5-hour bus ride was very smooth, with only one stop for immigration on the way out of Singapore and one on the way into Malaysia.
Once we stepped off the bus, we pushed through our fatigue (we had taken the midnight bus from Singapore and arrived in KL at 5 am!) and reached our first destination - the marvelous Petronas Towers. For 80 Ringgit (approximately 15 pounds) we got a breathtaking view over the whole city from a height of 370 meters.
After going up the Petronas Towers, we took a refreshing walk through the KLCC Park - this is a great location for those who are looking to get a classic shot with the towers in the backdrop. Following our morning adventures, we had a traditional Malaysian lunch which consisted of Nasi Lemak Ayam (6.90 ringgit = 1.3 pounds) and Teh Tarik Kaw Kaw (4.90 ringgit = 0.9 pounds). All so delicious and cheap!
We then retreated to our Airbnb for a well-deserved nap. Towards the evening, we took time to explore the local food and shopping culture by visiting the lively markets on Kampung Bahu and Petaling Street (the local Chinatown). The maggi goreng that we tried on Petaling Street was super delicious and the noodles were so crispy!
The following day, we had a more hectic schedule. Our central destination of the day was the marvelous Batu Caves - which was just as impressive in person as it looks in the pictures. The Batu Cave Caves Murugan Statute is the third tallest statute of a Hindu deity in the world and the tallest statue in the whole of Malaysia. Combined with the brightly colored stairs and the limestone formations inside the caves, it made for a truly magical experience.
Having eaten some Nepalese food for lunch, we then went to visit some landmarks in the colonial district of Kuala Lumpur. We saw the Merdeka Square, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and walked through the River of Life. Right before sunset, we shared taxi to go visit one last landmark - the Thean Hou Temple. With its array of lit up lanterns, it was really worth the extra travel!
We ended our trip in Brickfields Little India, where the bustling noise and local delights really showed us the vibrant soul of Kuala Lumpur. For dinner, I had some Chana Masala, accompanied by garlic naan bread and mango lassi.
This trip was definitely one of the highlights of my year abroad and I look forward to making more memories both in and outside of Singapore!