Kuala Lumpur: Layover in 48 hours
Kuala Lumpur and the gap between Louis Vuitton and the smog of the city center
48 hours… why do you spend so little time in Kuala Lumpur? The answer is quite simple: you are in transit. In my case, in transit from Frankfurt to Sydney, Australia.
Kuala Lumpur is a city full of contrasts.
The airport is new, modern and full of European shops. Upon arrival, the fastest way to the city is the Train Klia Ekspres. It only needs 30 minutes to the city centre, called KL Central. Another point that made me very happy when I left: in KL Central you can check in your luggage beforehand. At the train station you get your flight ticket before taking the train to the airport. You can check in your luggage and it will be transported separately to the airport and loaded into the aircraft.
The city has an incredible number of faces. Around the Petronas Towers and chic malls are the neighborhoods where there is less glamour. They are all not dirty, but the smog of the city is everywhere.
Kuala Lumpur Hostels: Raggae Mansion
Since I had never stayed in a hostel before, I prepared myself at home and decided to go to the Raggae mansion. The best choice ever! The hostel looks like a small, white southern villa. The hostel is built like an E with 3 wings, which are connected down by the courtyards and on the first floor by a transition. The one courtyard is part of the attached restaurant, where there is also breakfast in the morning and the other part offers 2 couches and some armchairs, as well as a table with chairs.
Hotel room at the Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur
Dorm for 4 person at Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur
courtyard of the Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur
Inner courtyard at the Reggae Mansion in Kuala Lumpur
Unfortunately, I was only able to check in at the hostel after 6 hours, but others were similar and 2 comfortable couches were in the courtyard. These have been used by everyone to sleep before the check in. Right there I met a French girl with whom I spent the rest of the time in Kuala Lumpur.
In the evening we went to the Petronas Towers and took the obligatory photos in front of the towers. We also met there people from the hostel.
After that we moved on to eat something. We spent the rest of the evening on the rooftop bar of the hostel, where there were drinks for backpackers, food and lots of party. Admittedly, it’s not the quietest hostel, but with a pack of Oropax, the nights there are very relaxing.
The Petronas Towers
If you are in Kuala Lumpur, you should definitely take a tour at the Petronas Towers.
I had booked a tour online already before arrival, as you can read everywhere that the tours are fully booked days in advance. Yes, it isn’t realy cheap, but it is definitely worth it! You take the elevator to the top floor and look over the entire city. You reach the 86th floor in less than a minute.
Park behind the Petronas Towers
Petronas Tower
Decoration of the shopping center Suria KLCC
gallery at the Petronas Towers
exhibition at Petronas Towers
miniature of the Petronas Towers
One of the Petronas Towers
View from Petronas Tower
View to the park behind the Petronas Towers
Kuala Lumpur Petronas Towers by night
Chinatown
In Chinatown, in the middle of Kuala Lumpur, you get everything the European heart desires. Watches, handbags, technology & electronics and much more are offered. The insider tip for everyone who loves cheap and good meals is the central market. A kind of small market hall with dining area, souvenirs and lots of candy. For all tourists without half board this is the best place to get lunch and dinner for under 2 euros.
Nightlife
On the second night we wanted to have a look at the famous Skybar, one of the attractions in Kuala Lumpur. On the way there we were 6 people in a taxi… The taxi driver had no problem with driving us. One had to go into the trunk. 😉
In front of the Traders Hotel, in which the SkyBar is located at the 33rd. Floor, people were irritated by 6 people coming out of one taxi. Even in Kuala Lumpur, you seem to have never seen such a crowded taxi.
At the 33rd floor we were allowed to get in, but it was so crowded that we did not have a seat. The bar is very stylish with a kind of pool in the middle, however, the prices for drinks were pretty heavy. Unfortunately we did not get any place at the window with the great view of the Petronas Towers, so we moved on.
The others, who were already a little longer in KL, then suggested to go to the main bar street, to Changkat Bukit Bintang. There is a bar next to the other and the backpacker mood comes up there. The night life is incredibly noisy, colourful and pulsating. There are special offers for drinks or huge glasses with cocktails. Only the amount of alcohol is not that much.
huge glass in one bar in Kuala Lumpur
Bar at a street in Kuala Lumpur
It was a great evening and a very nice end of my stopover. The next day I went off to Sydney.
