10 Things to Do in Kuala Lumpur for the Perfect Weekend Getaway

Fancy a quick getaway but running out of annual leave? How about visiting the capital of our neighbouring country, Malaysia? Kuala Lumpur can at times be faster to get to when compared to the travel time from Woodlands to Orchard these days (no thanks to the recent NSL breakdowns).

Being just a short 1 hr flight away and SGD rising ever so steadily against the Ringgit, there has never been a better time to visit Kuala Lumpur than now. Here are our travel blog‘s top 10 attractions & things to do in Kuala Lumpur for the perfect weekend getaway.

 

 

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

If you love shopping, you MUST visit the Pavilion at Kuala Lumpur. Pavilion is a 10-storey mall located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It has over 550 shops featuring brands such as Under Armour, Paul Smith, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger and many others. Apart from fashion, Pavilion also offers a great variety of food options such as Ippudo, DC Cafe, Old Town, the popular Hokkaido Cheese Tart among many others. A shopping trip at Pavilion can easily take up to 3/4 of a day because there are just so many things to see, eat and do!

 

While it won’t necessarily break the bank, be prepared to spend a bit more at this mall as Pavilion KL is considered a shopping mall with mid to high range brands. However, there are still loads of promotions that you can take advantage of. Rejoice if you’re a UnionPay Cardholder, as you stand to receive 5% in rebate vouchers when you use your UnionPay card at stores such as Bally, M Pavillion, Aigner, Stuart Weitzman, Givenchy, Roger Vivier, Hackett London, MCM, Emillio Pucci, Tod’s and more.

Street Food @ Jalan Alor Street

Are you as much of a foodie as the people behind our food blog are and can’t visit a country without trying their local food? Then head on down to Jalan Alor Street which only opens at night and has plenty of food lining the street on both sides.

At Jalan Alor, you’ll be able to find some Malay street delicacies such as the Kueh Tu Tu, Coconut Ice Cream and more. You can also have your dinner at one of the many restaurants that would cook your dinner in their own local style. The best part? It’s pretty affordable and you’ll even have street performers singing in the background as you dine (donations optional).

Massage @ Bukit Bintang

Your feet is bound to be pretty sore after all the shopping and walking the entire day. Ease those tight muscles and grab a massage at Bukit Bintang. Bukit Bintang is a vast area located right beside Jalan Alor (so you can also grab a massage before dinner) where you can find numerous massage parlors. With prices for a massage starting from just RM60/hr, you can grab a massage whenever you feel like it!

KL’s Batu Caves

Out of everything on our must-visit list, Batu Caves is the one attraction that I would highly recommend to those who hasn’t visited.  Batu Caves is a temple and limestone galore located on top of a 272-step hill. The steps are pretty narrow so I would discourage anyone with walking difficulties to attempt it. But if you managed to persevere and reach the top, you’ll be welcomed by a beautiful sight of limestones which are said to be around 400 million years old.

Aside from the monkeys that you’ll meet on the way up, you should also keep to the left side of the stairs to visit the “Dark Caves”. The Dark Caves is a conservation site that offers tours for people to explore and find flora and fauna within the caves. Equipped with nothing but a helmet and a torchlight, you will be able to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitats. Do note that the tour is 45 mins long, so do schedule enough time if you are intending to join this tour.

To get to Batu Caves, you can either get a cab or take a train to the Batu Caves station. You probably shouldn’t book those tour buses if you are intending to join the conservation tour, as tour buses don’t usually cater much time for you to take a leisure walk around Batu Caves.

Day Trip from KL to Genting

Genting needs no introduction. Gambling, shows, theme parks, cool air etc, Genting Highlands have had tourists coming from all over the world. Located just slightly over an hour’s drive away from Kuala Lumpur, it’ll almost be a crime to visit KL and not take a day trip up to Genting.

Aside from the casinos and theme park that Genting is most popular for, visitors can also spend their time shopping at the newly-opened Genting Highlands Premium Outlets.

Open daily from 10am to 10pm, Genting Highlands Premium Outlets is located near the foot of the mountain right beside the cable car centre. Its 600,000 sq. ft space has over 150 outlet stores for you to shop at. Get your favourite stuff from brands such as Superdry, Coach, Adidas, Under Armour, Topman, Nike, G2000 at up to 65% off retail price!

Despite being low on cash from all the shopping I’ve already done, I’m glad I had my trusty UnionPay card on hand which was accepted at majority of the stores at Genting Highlands Premium Outlets. So, paying for my shopping was cashless and effortless!

Good news if you are heading over to Malaysia during this year-end holiday season, as UnionPay is launching a new promotion with various brands such as Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, Pedro, Tumi, Charles & Keith, Godiva, Victoria’s Secret, offering discounts of up to 10% off!

Redeeming the promotion is easy-peasy, simply download the UnionPay International app on your mobile phone which is available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, enter “Malaysia” as the country and the app will return with a list of promotions that you can download. Click on the ‘Receive a coupon’ button at the bottom of each deal and present the QR code to the participating merchant and show your UnionPay Card (card number starting with 62) to enjoy these additional savings on your travels. Trust me, every few dollars saved during your trip adds up, and you can use these savings to shop even more!

So don’t miss it, the promotion starts from 1 December 2017 and ends on 30 June 2018!

Zouk Kuala Lumpur

Calling all party animals! Party your night away at the leading club in all of Malaysia – Zouk KL. Ranked as one of the top 21 clubs in the world by DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs global poll, Zouk KL promises a night of fun and laughter that had millennials from around the world fly into Kuala Lumpur just for the experience.

SkyBar @ Traders Hotel KL

If clubbing is not your thing and you prefer to have your drinks sitting down, head up to the award-winning Sky Bar at Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Located on the 33rd storey of Traders Hotel, Skybar is one of the most popular rooftop bars in KL. That should come as no surprise, thanks to its DJs and amazing view of the Petronas Twin Towers at night. If you are looking for a romantic date venue, there will be no better place to bring your partner to than to the 2016 Asia’s Best Bar (The Asian Club and Bar Awards).

Petronas Twin Tower (KLCC)

No trip to Kuala Lumpur is complete without a visit to the most iconic landmark of the country – the Petronas Twin Towers. Standing at 482m tall, the twin towers were formerly the tallest buildings in the world and you can purchase tickets to head up to their observatory deck for a bird’s-eye view of the city. However, do note that tickets are limited and are sold on a first-come-first-served basis. If you would like a view from the top of the towers, it’s recommended that you do so in the morning to avoid disappointment. Otherwise, you can also enjoy retail therapy at the mall located right beside the towers. UnionPay cards are widely accepted in KLCC.

Noble House Restaurant

Do you like fine Cantonese delicacies? Noble House Restaurant is the award-winning fine dining Chinese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. The restaurant is famous for adding their own modern touch to traditional Chinese dishes and its accolades speak for itself. Their speciality dishes include but are not limited to Braised Australian Whole Abalone with Oyster Sauce, Pan-Seared Foie Gras, Ying Yang Pomfret, Scrambled Egg with Milk & Lobster Meat etc.

UnionPay Platinum and Diamond Cardholders can enjoy the U Dining Collection privileges such as 10% off the a la carte food menu. Curating over 80 of the finest restaurants located in key cities around the world, including Michelin-starred restaurants, restaurants by famous chefs, chain restaurants and feature restaurants, UnionPay’s U Dining Collection will whet the appetites of even the most discerning palates with exclusive dining privileges that heighten the overall dining experience. Browse through the specially curated list of fine dining restaurants at the U Dining Collection website, and make your reservations via the UnionPay Concierge hotline (+65 6336 4506) to enjoy exclusive benefits such as priority seating, discounts, or complimentary dessert, wine and champagne.

I managed to save a great deal and used that money on more shopping 😊

Trek Bukit Tabur

If you are looking to take the path less travelled, how about trekking Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Tabur? Trekking isn’t naturally the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks about KL. But for those who are willing to do it, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the Klang Gate Dam. Bukit Tabur is less than an hour’s drive from the heart of KL and will take you approximately 2 hrs to complete the hike.

 

Exploring Kuala Lumpur with UnionPay Cards

UnionPay International is a global payment network that covers 162 countries and regions. As one of the fastest growing payment networks in the world, UnionPay Cardholders can enjoy exciting privileges in Kuala Lumpur and around the world. These include:

·             Discounts at popular retailers in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Bali, Manila, Boracay, Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo and many more!

·             Exclusive e-Coupons with U Plan: Download the UnionPay International app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to enjoy U Plan e-Coupons. Simply redeem these e-Coupons through the app by presenting them to participating merchant’s point-of-sales counter together with your UnionPay Card (card number starting with 62), to enjoy additional savings on your purchase.

·             Global Airport Fiesta: UnionPay’s Global Airport Fiesta offers up to 25% in discounts for UnionPay Cardholders at over 100 airport duty-free retail outlets worldwide. Travellers can enjoy exclusive discounts on top of duty-free prices at some of the most popular airports in the world.

In Singapore, UnionPay Cards are issued by BOC, DBS, ICBC and UOB. For more information on how to apply for UnionPay cards, visit http://www.unionpayintl.com/sg/info/.