Kuala Lumpur is an enormous megapolis with many attractions for kids and adults alike – and there are a few things the little one will adore above everything else! Check those below.
1. KL Bird Park
KL Bird Park is one of the top places you should visit with kids! It’s a unique attraction as many birds fly freely there – we’ve been there twice, and we’d gladly return there.
There are no cages for most birds (there are large nets all over the park), and they just walk around you – and even try to steel your ice cream in a cafe!
It’s even one of the largest covered bird parks in the world! Some rare or large birds, such as ostriches, are kept in enclosures. Meanwhile, herons, pelicans, peacocks, crowned pigeons, flamingos on the pond, and parrots are all wandering around you.
The park is divided into a few zones, and you can also see a bird show, participate in bird feeding, shop in the local toy shop, or have a meal at the Hornbill restaurant. The KL bird park is located very close to the Islamic Arts Museum, Perdana Botanical Garden, and the Butterfly Park.
2. Aquaria KLCC
The Aquaria KLCC is another attraction in Kuala Lumpur that you must visit, especially if you’re in the city with kids! It’s located very close to Petronas Towers, right on the underground level of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
It might look not very big at first glance but in reality it occupies a couple of floors. There are many areas to explore, including a shipwreck and the longest travelator I’ve ever seen under the 90-metre fish tunnel! It opened in 2005.
3. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is an extremely large shopping mall in the centre of Kuala Lumpur. It opened in 2007 on the site of the oldest school in Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang Girls’ School. And if you’d like to escape the heat of the city and to spend some time in air-conditioned spaces with lots of cafes, Pavilion KL would be your prime destination!
It consists of 8 different areas and literal avenues of shops, starting from high-end brands like Dior, Chanel, Prada, etc., and a large food court with Tokyo Street. Overall, there are over 700 shops and restaurants! It’s a nice shopping destination where you can spend days if you’re into such activities.
You can also walk to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and Suria KLCC by a walkway – it’s much easier than searching where to cross the street; believe me, we tried both.
4. Petrosains
Petrosains Discovery Centre is a science museum in the Petronas Towers. It’s a perfect venue for kids and adults alike! The discovery centre was founded in 1999 and belongs to the famous oil and gas company Petronas.
The museum is vast, and you can easily spend 2-3 hours there. There are zones, including the ones about different scientific advances, cosmos exploration, the petroleum industry, VR and robots, and dinosaurs. At the end of the route, you’ll find a shop.
5. Batu Caves
Batu caves are a naturally beautiful series of 400 million-year-old limestone caves outside Kuala Lumpur. A Hindu temple dedicated to Murugan, the god of war, was built here over a century ago. His golden statue at the entrance was constructed by ‘Tiruvarur’ Thiyagarajan in 2006, and it’s the tallest statue of Murugan in the world!
To be honest, it’s not the easiest spot to visit with kids because to get to the temple, you have to conquer 272 steps (I nearly died when I got to the top) – actually, they were painted just in 2018!
However, because of its bright colours it looks really attractive and kids love it. And this place is also well known for the monkeys – those actually are interested in you only if you have food with you.
The festival Thaipusam is celebrated in this temple – you can Google it; it’s very unusual. Inside, you can find the main temple and the Ramaya Cave.
6. KLCC Park
KLCC Park, located by the Petronas towers, is a lovely urban park with tropical plants, a playground, and a lake. It was designed by Brazilian architect Roberto Burle Marx. A perfect place for a stroll or for a little play indeed!
Moreover, you can come with your kids in the evening to enjoy the Lake Symphony, a fantastic fountain water show with music and lights!
7. Petronas Towers
The Petronas Towers, standing 452-metre high, were designed by architect Cesar Pelli. It’s an iconic building and probably the most recognisable skyscraper in the whole of southeastern Asia, and there is no way you can miss the main attraction of the Malaysian capital when in Kuala Lumpur with kids!
For six years, from 1998 to 2004, the Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world till Taipei 101 was built (see more in my blog about Taiwan). Visiting its observation desk would be one of the best things you can do in Kuala Lumpur. First, you go to the Skybridge, which connects the two towers.
Then, you proceed to the 86 floor to observe the most magnificent panorama of Kuala Lumpur. The staff’s timing is rigorous (10 minutes on the bridge and 15 minutes on the top floor), but this is enough to take all the necessary footage. Moreover, you’ll get plenty of time at the end of the route when you reach the coffee point and the shop. You can learn about the history of Kuala Lumpur there as well!
We visited around 7 p.m. to catch a glimpse of the sunset and admire the city at night.
Alternatively, you can visit the KL Tower, a 421-metre-tall tower with an observational desk open to the public.
8. Perdana Botanical Garden
The Perdana Botanical Garden is probably the last major landmark we didn’t visit previously. It was founded in 1888 by the British State Treasurer of Selangor at the time, Alfred Venning, making it the first botanical park and large recreational area in Kuala Lumpur!
The garden is known as the Lake Garden for a reason: it’s located around a huge lake filled with fish, otters, and water birds. This is a must-visit!
It’s divided into different zones, such as a conservatory, a medicinal herbs garden, a hibiscus garden with Malaysia’s national flowers in full bloom, and a deer garden with Dama Dama deer! For kids, there is a large playground and plenty of animals.
The Perdana Botanical Gardens are located close to the Bird Park, the Islamic Art Museum, and the National Mosque.
9. Cafe hopping
Kuala Lumpur is a great place for trying desserts, ice creams fruit and delicious drinks!
One of the most stylish spot to visit in Chinatown is Lim Kee Café, which has a nostalgic Chinese vibe.
Other places we loved in Chinatown Yew Yew and the Jamboo store, where a green hairy hand gives you a drink to take away literally from a hole in the wall, and there are murals everywhere.
Central market and the outside market there is another great foodie spot: you can find here traditional desserts such as the ones with Kendal, beans and shaved ice; fresh fruits and super instagrammable ice creams!
Finally, for amazing cakes I’d recommend you to go to Naj and Belle – their savoury food is good too!
Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur
We stayed in the epic family friendly W Hotel, which opened in 2018 and overlooks the Petronas Towers.
Our room was vibrant, colourful, and stylish, and the welcome gifts highlighted the Malaysian heritage.
I also must note that at the W hotel, they treat kids like kings: just look at this wigwam George was able to use during our stay, not to mention the little toys and edible treats.
One of the highlights is the pool area, the WET Deck overlooking the Petronas towers. I’m keen to return to Kuala Lumpur right now, and the bar with food and drinks there is perfect. George absolutely adored playing there by the pool and swimming on the bean floating rafts (I presume there is some age restriction for visiting this area but our 3 year old baby didn’t cause any questions).
You can visit the Chinese restaurant Yen or the Flock restaurant, which has a buffet inside the hotel. Both were really good, and there was a great selection of food. And the Dim Sum brunch in the Yen, the Chinese restaurant, was truly fantastic.
At breakfast, you can find any food to your liking, from the traditional Malaysian dishes and desserts to the dishes of Indian and Chinese cuisines. Of course, the Western cuisine options are available as well.
You might also like my other blogs about Asia.
Hope you loved my blog,
Yours,
Anna xxx
