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This 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) walk across central Kuala Lumpur covers some of the main sights in the city centre.

Understand

This is a very diverse hike, during which you can experience the most bustling parts of the city as well as rain forest stretches that you will most likely have all for yourself. By no means should this be your only walk in the city. The Titiwangsa Lake Gardens and the Botanical Garden with all its sights should be on your list as well.

Prepare

About the only equipment you will need is comfy shoes, sun screen and possibly insect repellent. There are countless restaurants, food stalls and mini markets along the way. Some top picks are highlighted. The hike will take you around 3 hours of pure walking. With museum and sightseeing stops - especially at KL Tower - plan at least 5 hours for the whole trip. It is best to take this walk early in the morning or in the late afternoon, in order to avoid the hottest hours of the day.

One option could be to start the walk at around 16:00-17:00 at Maharajalela station to arrive at the observation deck of KL Tower shortly before sunset (Between 19:00 in November and 19:30 in July). The attractions in the second part of the hike (namely Changkat Bukit Bintang, Pavillion, KLCC Park, Petronas Towers and Saloma Link Bridge) are all even more impressive in the dark. Chow Kit market will already be closed at this time though (This should not hold you back to at least take a stroll around Kampung Baru in the dark).

Get in

The sightseeing walk can be accessed at numerous points. If you are planning to walk the whole distance it is advisable to take the Monorail to either 1 Maharajalela Maharajalela station on Wikipedia (southern end) or 2 Chow Kit Chow Kit station on Wikipedia (northern end).

Walk

Map
Map of KL sightseeing walk (Edit GPX)

Chinatown

Exit Maharajalela monorail station and walk towards northwest. You will reach Chinatown and the colonial district.

1 Chan She Shu Yuen Temple. Calm ancestral hall for the Chan clan. Chan She Shu Yuen Temple (Q96096567) on Wikidata

2 Kwai Chai Hong. Back alley with Instagram-worthy murals. Kwai Chai Hong (Q93494466) on Wikidata

1 Petaling Street. Market with low-cost counterfeit products. Petaling Street (Q3239125) on Wikidata Petaling Street on Wikipedia

1 Wan Tan Mee Food Stall. It serves a Malaysian dish of noodles with wontons, called Want Tan Mee. Don't get discouraged by the rather uninviting environment in the back alley. RM 6.50.

2 Central Market & Kasturi Walk. Another market with items similar to the ones in Petaling Street. Central Market (Q1041262) on Wikidata Central Market, Kuala Lumpur on Wikipedia

3 Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. The oldest Chinese temple in Kuala Lumpur. Sin Sze Si Ya Temple (Q2494864) on Wikidata Sin Sze Si Ya Temple on Wikipedia

4 Merdeka Square & Flag pole. Malaysia declared its independence here in 1957. Independence Square (Q3043065) on Wikidata Independence Square (Kuala Lumpur) on Wikipedia

5 Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Formerly the offices of the Colonial Secretariat it houses the Courts of Law today. Sultan Abdul Samad Building (Q615958) on Wikidata Sultan Abdul Samad Building on Wikipedia

6 River of Life walkway. Beautiful walkway opposite Jamek Mosque at the confluence of Gombak and Kelang rivers (Thus the name "Kuala Lumpur", which means "Muddy River Mouth").

7 Masjid Jamek. One of the oldest and most beautiful mosques in the city. Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque (Q1143296) on Wikidata Jamek Mosque on Wikipedia

Golden Triangle

Jungle, nightlife and shopping awaits you in this part of the city.

8 Muzium Telekom. If you are interested in the history of telecommunication in Malaysia this could be worth a visit. Telekom Museum (Q7393613) on Wikidata Telekom Museum on Wikipedia

9 St. John's Cathedral. A historic Catholic cathedral and the seat of the archbishop. Makes for a good photo motif with the KL Tower in the backdrop. St. John's Cathedral (Q5552448) on Wikidata St. John's Cathedral (Kuala Lumpur) on Wikipedia

1 KL Forest Eco-Park Canopy Walk. Nice canopy walk over the jungle. Since 2020 an entrance fee has to be paid. Many visitors think that the price of RM40 is not worth the visit. 40 RM (foreigners), 10 RM (locals).

10 Kuala Lumpur Tower (Menara KL). The viewing deck provides a stunning 360° panorama of the city. Kuala Lumpur Tower (Q745016) on Wikidata Kuala Lumpur Tower on Wikipedia

1 Changkat Bukit Bintang. Night life hot spot of KL. Changkat Bukit Bintang (Q18657751) on Wikidata

2 Jalan Alor Food Stalls. A massive collection of restaurants and stalls sell almost everything that culinary Malaysia has to offer. Alor Street (Q18651495) on Wikidata

11 Street Art. Colorful back alley.

3 Halab, Jalan Beremi 7, +603 2110 1458. M-F 10:00-04:00. Very yummy Middle Eastern food. The lamb dishes are especially good.

12 Bukit Bintang junction. The beating heart of the city. Bukit Bintang (Q591717) on Wikidata Bukit Bintang on Wikipedia

3 Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. The main shopping destination for locals and tourists alike in the centre. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur (Q7155871) on Wikidata Pavilion Kuala Lumpur on Wikipedia

13 Aquaria KLCC. A gigantic aquarium housing over 5,000 aquatic and terrestrial species. Aquaria KLCC (Q29168) on Wikidata Aquaria KLCC on Wikipedia

14 KLCC Park. Urban park, which is surrounded by skyscrapers. KLCC Park (Q6332465) on Wikidata KLCC Park on Wikipedia

15 Petronas Twin Towers. The most iconic landmark of the country. Petronas Towers (Q83063) on Wikidata Petronas Towers on Wikipedia

Kampung Baru & Chow Kit

Stunning contrast between the village charm of Kampung Baru to all those highrisers, which are only a stone's throw away.

16 Saloma Link Bridge. Pedestrian footbridge with extraordinary design. Beautifully lit during night time. Saloma Link (Q85513950) on Wikidata Saloma Link on Wikipedia

4 Chow Kit Wet Market. The largest wet market in Kuala Lumpur. Chow Kit Wet Market (Q96072504) on Wikidata

Stay safe

Kuala Lumpur is a relatively safe city. Nonetheless it is important to stay alert. Pickpocketting and snatch thefts with scooters can happen. Chow Kit - the northern terminus of this hike - is considered a bit "rough" for KL standards. Thus if you want to avoid risks better don't go there after sunset.

This itinerary to KL sightseeing walk is a usable article. It explains how to get there and touches on all the major points along the way. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.