Long Layover Kuala Lumpur: 11.5 hour edition

October 24, 2019 12:40 AM

What is your best advice for a long, 11.5 hour layover, in Kuala Lumpur?

Any insights for me as I fly into Kuala Lumpur in the morning? Visa requirements leaving the airport (I have a US passport)? Itinerary suggestions? Any suggestion or recommendation welcome.

posted by jadepearl to Travel & Transportation around Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (7 answers total)

Best answer: Get a Malaysian visa (difficulty unknown), catch the awesome fast train from the airport into KL, enjoy KL. It's a lovely tropical city with interesting modern Islamic architecture and great food. Have you seen Kuala Lumpur Layover - A complete guide?
posted by Thella at 12:56 AM on October 24, 2019 [2 favorites]

That layover guide above is exceptional. On a personal note I'll add that we liked the park at KLCC as much as the towers. At night they do a light show with the fountains that is very cool (not sure your timing will work out for that). The Batu Caves were incredible; I'd visited other cave temples in Malaysia but this one is particularly impressive. Protect your camera, glasses, etc from the monkeys!

If you choose to do that, definitely download Grab. It's Southeast Asia's answer to Uber, but works a little differently as often you will pay cash at the end of your ride rather than pay through the app.

We found the food court at our airport terminal to be really good. It's not like a US/UK/etc. food court. The food is actually quite tasty and high quality, and super-cheap to boot. Have some roti!
posted by rednikki at 1:45 AM on October 24, 2019

Best answer: US passport holders don't need a visa for Malaysia. Roti canai is breakfast for the gods.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:07 AM on October 24, 2019 [1 favorite]

It's true... and be sure to buy some mangosteens from a street seller. Usually, durians are being sold somewhere nearby, maybe the same stall. You've heard about those, can't miss 'em, bigger than a football,and pointy. You should also try some if you're curious but beware, it's an acquired taste, like eating custard in an outhouse.

But I'm recommending the mangosteen, everybody loves them, even Queen Victoria. No need for refrigeration, pop 'em open by pressing one between your hands (specifically, by linking your fingers together and holding it between the bases of your palms). The asymetric white fruit within tastes vaguely like strawberry? Don't eat the purple part, throw all of that away and reach for another.
posted by Rash at 1:25 PM on October 24, 2019

Best answer: I highly recommend the Batu Caves; I'd argue it's the best thing to see in KL besides the famous Petronas Towers. You can find it at the end of one of the city subway lines, which seemed very convenient for an activity that feels anything but urban.

The site has a Hindu temple complex inside of a natural geologic formation. You're greeted by a huge (100+ foot) statue of a deity, get to climb a tall staircase populated with native monkeys, and finally get check out the caves themselves and the temple structures inside!

Unsurprisingly, there's lots of good of Indian food between the subway stop and the caves temselves. Get yourself a thali plate on a real banana leaf!
posted by charlemangy at 7:26 PM on November 2, 2019

Also, no need to worry about a visa with a US passport. And the old train station building is quite cool!
posted by charlemangy at 7:29 PM on November 2, 2019

Response by poster: Had a great time in Kuala Lumpur layover. Here are my recommendations for future travelers:

1) do a small exchange for local cash to buy your train ticket;
2) people are very nice and don't be afraid to ask for directions to the correct train line to get to the Batu Caves;
3) Buy bottle of water from the vendors between the train station to the caves because there are water refill stations at the airport and the weather is hot and humid;
4) learn from me, do not accidentally have a bag of candy on the outside of your backpack pocket;
5) be real calm when a temple monkey jumps on your back and do not play tug of war with it. Also, be careful of the bananna peels on the temple steps.
6) the food court at the airport is quite good.

Thanks to all for the wonderful advice.
posted by jadepearl at 7:49 PM on December 31, 2019 [1 favorite]