Kuala Lumpur with kids: the best things to do + places to visit

If you’re planning to travel to Kuala Lumpur with kids and wondering what to do, you’re in for a treat! Kuala Lumpur is not only a vibrant city full of towering skyscrapers and shopping malls but also a fantastic destination for family-friendly adventures. From interactive parks to cultural landmarks, there’s no shortage of things to do in Kuala Lumpur with children. Whether you’re exploring iconic places like the Petronas Twin Towers or relaxing in lush green spaces, in Kuala Lumpur you’ll find plenty of places to visit that will keep kids entertained. In this blog, we’ll guide you through some of the best places to visit and exciting things to do in Kuala Lumpur with children.

KLCC: Petronas Towers, shopping malls & KLCC Park

The commercial heart of the city is Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). KLCC includes KLCC Park and all the surrounding buildings. This is the most modern part of the city, with tall towers containing offices, apartments, and hotels. In this area, you’ll also find a shopping mall, a convention center, and an aquarium. When you travel to Kuala Lumpur with kids, KLCC is one of the places you must visit.

The top sights of KLCC are the Petronas Twin Towers, the most iconic buildings in Kuala Lumpur. You will probably know them: the two towers with a striking design, connected by a sky bridge. The towers are 88 stories tall, the tallest towers in the world for a few years. The Petronas Twin Towers are definitely unmissable if you’re visiting Kuala Lumpur. Especially in the evening, when they are beautifully illuminated.

At the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers is the large shopping mall Suria KLCC located. This mall, which has six floors, is one of the many shopping centers in the city. Once you exit Suria, you’ll end up at KLCC Park. This is one of the largest urban parks in Kuala Lumpur and offers a lot of things to do for children. The park has a small public swimming pool (adults can dip their feet). The kids can swim or play in one of the many playgrounds in the park.

Another great feature for kids in KLCC Park is Lake Symphony. This artificial lake is located in front of the mall entrance. Every evening from 7:30 PM, you can enjoy a fountain show with various colors. On the hour, the fountain show includes music. The Lake Symphony fountain show is one of the highlights that will surely captivate young kids when they travel to Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur skyline viewing with children

Kuala Lumpur has an impressive skyline. During your stay in the city, you should definitely look at the skyline from a great height at least once. Fortunately, there are many ways to do this. One option is to view the skyline from the observation platform of the KL Tower. Another option is the sky bar located at KLCC Park. From this location, you get an iconic view of the Petronas Twin Towers.

One of the most famous places to view the skyline of Kuala Lumpur is from the Petronas Twin Towers themselves. Through a tour of the two towers, you can visit the skybridge between them and an observation platform on the 86th floor. The downside is that you won’t be able to see the iconic towers themselves in your skyline view.

Therefore, one of my best tips for viewing the Kuala Lumpur skyline is to stay in an accommodation with a panoramic view of the city. This way, you’ll have a view over Kuala Lumpur, with all the major landmarks in sight. Kuala Lumpur has many hotels and apartments in tall towers. With more skyscrapers being built, the options for such accommodation are growing.

Bukit Bintang sights

One of the places you should visit in Kuala Lumpur, is Bukit Bintang. This is the nightlife district of Kuala Lumpur. The area features large shopping malls, such as Pavilion, Lot 10, and Berjaya Times Square. There are also many restaurants, bars, and small shops. Bukit Bintang is easily accessible by public transport, but it is also possible to walk to there when you’re coming from KLCC. There is a long pedestrian bridge between KLCC and Bukit Bintang, so you can easily walk from one district to the other. The bridge ends at Pavilion shopping mall.

Once you exit the mall, it’s immediately clear that you are in the nightlife district. The streets are bustling, music comes from bars and restaurants, and the building facades are a series of LED displays. The busiest intersection will remind you of Times Square in New York. Children will be wide-eyed at all the liveliness, flashing lights, and vibrant moving images.

One of the most fun (but also touristy) streets is Jalan Alor. This street is full of (mostly Chinese) restaurants and street food stalls. Here, you can try the most exotic delicacies, such as fried lobster. If you’ve been to Bangkok, it’s reminiscent of Khao San Road. During the day, Jalan Alor is a relatively quiet street, popular with locals for lunch. In the evening, it fills with tourists. The food in the restaurants is good but a bit expensive by Malaysian standards.

KL Forest Eco Park

Kuala Lumpur is a large city with a lot of high buildings. However, if you’re looking for nature, Kuala Lumpur offers one of the most extraordinary places to visit in a big city. You’ll be surprices to find a piece of rainforest right in the middle of the city. This piece of rainforest is called KL Forest Eco Park, formerly known as Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve.

As if a rainforest in such a large city isn’t special enough, the KL Forest Eco Park contains a Canopy Walk. This is definitely one of the highlights of things to do in Kuala Lumpur. You can walk between the tropical treetops with the skyscrapers in the background. You need to buy a ticket for the Canopy Walk, but there are also several shorter walking routes in the park that are free.

The entrance to the park is on the same hill as the KL Tower, on the opposite side of the parking lot. If you also want to see the Kuala Lumpur skyline, you can easily combine a visit to KL Forest Eco Park with a visit to the KL Tower.

Baru Kampung

One of the most unique places to visit in Kuala Lumpur is the Baru Kampung neighborhood. This is a traditional area in the city center where you can still see stilt houses. The wooden houses contrast sharply with the tall, modern skyscrapers in the nearby neighborhood.

In Baru Kampung, you’ll find plenty of places to eat. There are many street food stalls and small restaurants mainly frequented by locals. When we were there, we hardly saw any tourists. It’s a nice neighborhood to walk through and get an idea of traditional life in Malaysia. Baru Kampung is accessible by metro and via a pedestrian bridge from KLCC.

Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur with children

The Batu Caves are located outside the center of Kuala Lumpur, but that’s no reason not to travel there with your kids. Visiting this complex of Buddhist temples is one of the most impressive things to do in Kuala Lumpur. What makes them so special? Some of these Buddhist temples are located in caves.

When you arrive at the Batu Caves, your eyes will immediately be drawn to the colorful spectacle. The Batu Caves are iconic because of the large golden Buddha statue and the long, colorful stairs. These colorful stairs are a steep climb to the Temple Cave (or Main Cave). In this cave, a colorful Buddhist temple has been built. Many Buddhists come here for rituals, such as baptizing children. You can also walk around this temple (just make sure to take off your shoes).

You can climb even higher in the cave. There is an open-top cave with a smaller Buddhist temple. You can also visit the Dark Cave. This is a dark cave that houses bats and spiders. You can only visit this cave with a guide, and you need to pay an entrance fee. The other caves are free. Downstairs, there are also a few other Buddhist temples that are even more beautiful inside than the ones in the caves.

A few helpful tips for visiting the Batu Caves from Kuala Lumpur: shoulders and knees must be covered when entering the caves and temples. There are also many monkeys. It’s fun for kids, but make sure all bags are closed. You can reach the Batu Caves by car, taxi, or public transport.

Perdana Botanical Gardens

One of my other tips when visiting Kuala Lumpur with children is to visit the Perdana Botanical Gardens. This huge urban park was formerly known as Lake Gardens. Here, kids can play and escape the hustle and bustle of the city. You’ll find multiple playgrounds, including one large one. The park also has a bird park and a butterfly garden.

Another attraction in the Perdana Botanical Gardens is the large pond. In the middle of the pond (or lake) lies Bamboo Island, which you can visit via a small bridge. As you can probably guess, everything on this island is made of bamboo. Additionally, there are other beautiful gardens to explore in this park.

Other places to visit in Kuala Lumpur

In addition to the attractions mentioned above, Kuala Lumpur has several interesting spots that are surprisingly close to each other. They are all located just east of the Perdana Botanical Gardens, so we combined these attractions on one day.

Kuala Lumpur, like any other big city, has a Chinatown. This neighborhood is around Petaling Street. Go to Chinatown for markets and shops with Chinese goods to haggle over, Chinese temples, and of course, Chinese restaurants.

Another place to buy souvenirs is Central Market. This indoor market has dozens of stalls selling souvenirs, local handicrafts, clothing, and imported goods from China, such as toys. There are also a few restaurants in the building.

Merdeka Square is historically important because Malaysia’s independence was declared here in 1957. A tall flagpole with the Malaysian flag is prominently displayed. It’s a large open square, mostly made up of a vast grassy field. When the weather is good, many locals picnic or play sports here. The square is surrounded by some old, beautiful buildings, like the Sultan Abdul Samad building.

You should also definitely check out the Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad mosque. This white mosque is beautifully located at a river junction, but gets somewhat hidden between the tall buildings behind it. You can also walk along the river here. These riverbanks are known as the River of Life.

Tips for dining with Kids in Kuala Lumpur

There are plenty of dining options in Kuala Lumpur when traveling with children. Although the city also has plenty of trendy, modern restaurants that aren’t particularly kid-friendly, there are many options that are. One of them is Jalan Alor, mentioned earlier, in Bukit Bintang. Many tourists visit the most touristic street of Kuala Lumpur with their children. Additionally, the city’s shopping malls are great places to eat when you travel to Kuala Lumpur with kids.

Another recommendation is to eat at one of the Nasi Kandar restaurants. Locals frequently eat here, and they often bring their kids along. A real recommendation is Restoran Nasi Kandar Pelita, near the Petronas Twin Towers. Every time we passed by, it was full. The food is excellent (a mix of Indian & Malaysian), and it’s incredibly cheap. For just 7 Euros, we ate and drank for two people.

Child-friendly accommodations in Kuala Lumpur

There are plenty of hotels and hostels in Kuala Lumpur. One of the best tips I can give you when you travel to Kuala Lumpur with kids is to book an apartment in one of the many residential towers. It’s surprisingly cheap. For 50-100 Euros per night, you can find plenty of options. You can stay in spacious, modern apartments. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have the most stunning views from your apartment. You can also use the facilities in these residential towers, such as gyms and swimming pools. Most residential towers have a rooftop pool with the best views of the city.

We booked such an apartment, just a few minutes’ walk from the Petronas Twin Towers. The 57th floor was the rooftop, including infinity pool with views of these two towers and the rest of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. Our apartment was on the 23rd floor. Unfortunately, it didn’t have a view of the Petronas Twin Towers. However, it did offer views of the Kampung Baru neighborhood and another pool. We also had a large, quiet pool on the 6th floor, where we spent most afternoons so Luca could swim and nap.

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