From Ao Nang, it’s a short 1-hour 30-minute flight to Kuala Lumpur. The airport is huge and it took us about 30 minutes to get through the customs control point. Our bags then took another 20 minutes to come out. When we exited the baggage claim area, it was like walking into a shopping center. There are lots of retail shops everywhere and we went to the lower floor to look for transportation into the city. There are several taxi offices there and they quoted about 80-90 MYR1. We had researched the night before and it was a little more expensive than usual. So we went back upstairs to connect to the WiFi and downloaded an app called Grab2. We got a Grab to our hotel in Bukit Bintang which took about an hour and cost 71.50 MYR. Once at our hotel, I found out the room had been paid but I still needed to pay the tax, and this could only be paid in cash. So I went looking for an ATM and found one in a nearby mall.
Once we had settled in, we went for a walk around the area. First, we went to get some food in the Bukit Bintang area. We were staying next to the famous Jalan Alor night market but during the day most of the places were closed. There are several malls and other restaurants in the area though. After getting food, we headed to the KLCC Park which was a short 15-minute walk away. The weather was very hot though at around 30 degrees Celcius and also very humid. So despite being a short walk, we stuck to the shade where possible. When we got close to the park we went into the KLCC building to cool down. There is an aquarium in this building as well as a food court. We then walked to the Petronas Twin Towers to see if we could get tickets to go to the top. Upon entering, there is another large multi-level mall. The ticket office is on the lower level but it was closed since it was a public holiday. Therefore, we decided to head to the Sky Deck KL Tower.
It was a 25-minute walk away, but at this point, we found out about the air-conditioned passageways. Part of the walk was still out in the open though. When we got to the entrance, the security guard said there’s a free bus service to the top every 15-30 minutes. There was some seating space in the shade and some fans at the bus stop, so we waited here for about 10 minutes before deciding to walk up. The ticket office is inside the tower and we bought tickets for the Sky Deck which cost 99 MYR each. It was around 5.30 PM by the time we took the lift to the Sky Deck. We took some pictures and then waited for the sunset at around 7.20 PM. There is a glass box for a photo opportunity with a professional photographer. You have to grab a ticket at the entrance which we found out later. Every group is given 60 seconds for pictures with a buzzer going off when time is up. The photographer takes a couple of pictures and you can also take pics with your camera. It was a great view of the sunset as you see the buildings turning on their lights as it gets dark. Next, we walked back to our hotel which took about 20 minutes. Even though the sun was down, it was still quite hot and humid outside. On the way back, we stopped by the Alor Night Market to check out the food stalls. Compared to the day, it was very busy at night with all the restaurants and food stalls open. The main road Changkat Bukit Bintang also has several restaurants, bars, and clubs. We headed back to the hotel for a bit before heading out at night to check out the nightlife. We were surprised to have found a Salsa night with some very good dancers. There were also several bars with shisha and happy hours.
The following day, we went on a trip to the Battu Caves which are to the north of the city. First, we went to the metro station and asked how to get there. They told us to first go to KL Sentral and then take a train from there. We decided to get a one-day travel pass which cost 25 MYR. At KL Sentral, we then got a return train ticket to the Battu Caves which cost 5.20 MYR each. The whole journey took us about an hour. Once at the Battu Caves, it’s a short 5-minute walk to the foot of the steps up to the cave, where a massive Hindu statue stands. Entrance to the temple caves is free and you simply have to walk up the 272 steps. Several monkeys are roaming free on the way up and inside the temples. There are several shrines inside the caves and they’re all very colorful. Once we got back down, we went to look for food in the area. We found an Indian restaurant/buffet who served meals on leaves. We decided to try it out and it was very good. We then headed back to KL Sentral which took about 40 minutes. In the afternoon, we went souvenir shopping in the Central Market. It’s a nice area with several arts and crafts stalls. We also checked out the nearby Petaling Street Market before heading back to the hotel.
In the morning before our flight, we went for a quick walk around the malls in the Bukit Bintang area. There are many huge multi-level malls and some are connected with underground passageways. It’s quite easy to get lost in but they’re a good way to get around whilst avoiding the heat. At around 3 PM, we called a Grab to take us to the airport before rush hour. It took about an hour to get to the airport from Bukit Bintang and cost 91.80 MYR. Once we checked in, we walked around the shopping mall-like airport while waiting for our flight.
