Insider tips for travellers to Kuala Lumpur

Insider tips from passionate travellers – Cathay Pacific’s own people

24 November 2017

On The Ground Kuala Lumpur

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Linda Lim

People manager

The family traveller

Kuala Lumpur has plenty to do if you’re travelling with young kids. My three-year-old daughter loves the Mini Zoo next to
KL Tower, which is also a petting zoo.

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is great for kids to learn about the different species of birds. Look out for the peacocks roaming around the walk-in aviary.

For a day trip, try Sunway Lagoon, a theme park southwest of the city. Older kids will love the amusement park rides and water slides in the wet zone; while little ones can play on the manmade beach.

If you prefer to escape indoors (where there’s air conditioning), Aquaria, at the Convention Centre, is filled with sharks, otters and turtles.

Hornbill bird at Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. — John Sones Singing Bowl Media / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images

Anna Choi

Country manager, Malaysia

The weekender

The Unesco World Heritage-listed city of Malacca, just a two-hour drive away from KL, offers an ideal weekend getaway.

Kick off your visit with a chicken rice ball – a Malacca speciality – on Jonker Walk. Try Chung Wah or Hoe Kee. Just come early as the queues can be long.

Explore the city’s history with the Malacca River Cruise, a 40-minute ride along a waterway that was once a trade centre for the Malacca Sultanate, taking in local villages and old warehouses set against the cityscape.

No trip is complete without Peranakan food, which marries the immigrant Chinese and local Malay flavours. Try ayam pongteh (braised chicken in sweet bean paste) and ikan goreng cili garam (deep-fried fish with spicy chilli).

Maylin loo

Marketing and communications account manager

The foodie

With the city’s invigorating mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian food, it’s easy to see why my favourite weekend activity is eating.

Nasi lemak is widely considered to be the national dish: rice cooked in coconut milk, served with sambal (a local spicy sauce), fried peanuts, anchovies and chicken. Village Park Restaurant’s is one of my favourites.

Klang – a town 40 minutes away – is the home of bak kut teh. This Chinese dish has a broth infused with herbs and spices like cinnamon and star anise, and loaded up with pork ribs, mushrooms and tofu puffs.

Banana leaf rice is another quintessential Malaysian experience: steamed rice heaped on a banana leaf with a load of sides and Indian curries. Try the one at Sri Ganapathi Mess in Petaling Jaya.