Language · 11 published
Country guide
Malaysia is one country in two pieces, and the South China Sea between them is a flight rather than a drive. Peninsular Malaysia holds Kuala Lumpur, the administrative capital at Putrajaya and most of the 34,374,300 people the 2026 estimate counts; East Malaysia is the Malaysian share of Borneo, and it is where the rainforest is. Thirteen states and three federal territories share 330,803 km2. Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries, and since most of that lives on the Borneo side, planning a trip here means deciding which half of the country the week belongs to.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · thomasgl · Public domain
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
33 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Menara Berkembar Petronas
The PETRONAS Twin Towers are two 88-storey office towers at the eastern edge of central Kuala Lumpur, each measuring 452 metres from ground to the tip of its pinnacle, and joined near their middle by a double-decker bridge.
Menara Kuala Lumpur
Menara Kuala Lumpur, signed and marketed as KL Tower, is a working telecommunications and broadcasting tower that also sells a view from the top of it.
Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad
Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad stands on Jalan Raja on the eastern edge of Dataran Merdeka, and for almost all of its life it was a working office building rather than a sight to be visited.
Muzium Negara
The National Museum of Malaysia, locally known as Muzium Negara, stands as the country's principal museum dedicated to Malaysian history and culture. Located in Kuala Lumpur, it occupies a distinctive site near the Lake Gardens.
Pasar Seni
Central Market — Pasar Seni in Malay, and the name the rail stations beside it still carry — stands on Jalan Hang Kasturi at the western edge of Kuala Lumpur's old commercial quarter.
Aquaria KLCC is a 60,000-square-foot oceanarium beneath the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The operator describes approximately 5,000 land and aquatic creature exhibits, with a route that moves from terrestrial environments toward the Living Ocean.
Thean Hou Temple is a six-tiered temple to Mazu, the Chinese sea goddess, standing on 6,758 square metres of hillside at Robson Heights, above Jalan Syed Putra and about three kilometres south of the middle of Kuala Lumpur.
Petrosains is a science discovery centre located within Suria KLCC at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Muzium dan Galeri Seni Bank Negara Malaysia
Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery is the official museum of Malaysia's central bank, located in Kuala Lumpur. It occupies a distinctive modern building in the Sasana Kijang complex, near the bank's headquarters.
Muzium Tekstil Negara
The National Textile Museum, known locally as Muzium Tekstil Negara, stands as a cultural institution in Kuala Lumpur dedicated to preserving and showcasing Malaysia's textile heritage.
Muzium Polis Diraja Malaysia
The Royal Malaysian Police Museum, or Muzium Polis Diraja Malaysia, presents the history and institutional development of Malaysia's police force.
Planetarium Negara is Malaysia's national planetarium in Kuala Lumpur. Its dome-shaped building and astronomy-focused programme make it a natural choice for visitors interested in space science, the night sky and educational experiences.
The National Science Centre, known locally as Pusat Sains Negara, is Kuala Lumpur’s science museum and a hands-on learning attraction. Its futuristic building contains interactive material designed to make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics accessible to a broad public.
Taman Rama Rama Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park, locally known as Taman Rama Rama Kuala Lumpur, is a tropical garden dedicated to butterflies in Malaysia’s capital.
Zoo Negara
Zoo Negara is the National Zoo of Malaysia, established in 1963. It serves as a zoological park and conservation centre near Kuala Lumpur. The zoo occupies a substantial hillside site in Ampang, northeast of the city centre.
Kuala Lumpur City Gallery is a tourist information centre and exhibition space located near Independence Square in the historic core of Kuala Lumpur. The gallery occupies a distinctive colonial-era building that once served as the Government Printing Office.
Muzium Diraja
Istana Negara on Jalan Istana is the former official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Malaysia's constitutional monarch. The building served as the national palace until 2011, when the royal residence relocated to a new complex in northwestern Kuala Lumpur.
Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman
Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman is a preserved traditional Malay house in Kuala Lumpur and a focused stop for travellers interested in vernacular architecture.
Muzium Etnologi Dunia Melayu
The Malay World Gallery, known locally as Muzium Etnologi Dunia Melayu, is a museum in Kuala Lumpur dedicated to Malay ethnology and cultural heritage.
Galeria Sri Perdana is a Kuala Lumpur gallery connected with Malaysia's political heritage and former prime ministers. It offers travelers a way to explore national leadership through a cultural and historical setting rather than through contemporary politics alone.
Sri Taman Memorial Tun Abdul Razak
Tun Abdul Razak Memorial is a Kuala Lumpur museum and memorial dedicated to Malaysia's second Prime Minister, who served from 1970 until his death in 1976.
Berjaya Times Square Theme Park is an indoor amusement park inside the Berjaya Times Square shopping complex in Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang area.
Forest Research Institute Malaysia Museum sits within the FRIM campus in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur. It introduces visitors to Malaysian forests through the setting of a working forestry research institution.
Muzium Kraf Kuala Lumpur
Muzium Kraf Kuala Lumpur is a craft museum dedicated to Malaysian traditional arts and crafts. Located in the capital city, it serves as a cultural institution preserving and showcasing the nation's rich heritage of handmade crafts.
Pioneers Of Kuala Lumpur Museum is a heritage museum devoted to the people who helped shape Kuala Lumpur.
The Historical Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Malaysia presents the heritage of traditional Chinese medicine within Malaysia’s multicultural setting.
Muzium Seni Kraf Orang Asli
Muzium Seni Kraf Orang Asli is a museum in Kuala Lumpur dedicated to the indigenous crafts and artistic heritage of Malaysia's Orang Asli communities.
Muzium Seni Asia
Museum of Asian Art, also known locally as Muzium Seni Asia, is a Kuala Lumpur cultural institution devoted to Asian artistic heritage. It gives travelers an art-focused alternative to the city’s historical monuments, religious buildings, and modern attractions.
Muzium Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya Museum, known locally as Muzium Petaling Jaya, is a municipal museum located in Petaling Jaya, a major suburb within the greater Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area.
Muzium Telekom
Telekom Museum, or Muzium Telekom, explores the history of telecommunications in Malaysia. It occupies a distinctive colonial-era building in central Kuala Lumpur and links the city’s built heritage with the technologies that transformed everyday communication.
LFS Cinema @ Coliseum
The Coliseum Theatre is a historic cinema building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Originally established as a live performance venue and later converted to cinema use, it represents one of the city's enduring entertainment landmarks.
Federal Cinema
Federal Theatre, also known locally as Federal Cinema, is a historic entertainment venue in Kuala Lumpur. Its name connects the site with the city’s cinema and theatre culture, offering travellers a glimpse into the recreational history of Malaysia’s capital.
Taksu Gallery is an art gallery in Kuala Lumpur and a natural stop for travellers interested in the city’s creative scene. A gallery visit offers a quieter contrast to Kuala Lumpur’s malls, traffic and large public attractions.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Nine to fourteen days allows three days in Kuala Lumpur plus Penang, Malacca, or one carefully chosen island region. Sabah and Sarawak require flights from the peninsula and should be treated as distinct itinerary legs.
Malaysia's passport, visa, and arrival-card rules depend on nationality and arrival point. Use the Immigration Department's official portal to verify all three for the intended journey.
KLIA links to KL Sentral by express rail, while ETS trains and coaches cover much of the peninsula. Flights connect Sabah and Sarawak; island ferries need a separate seasonal timetable check.
February to April is a broad west-coast orientation, not a single Malaysian season. East-coast islands and Borneo have different monsoon patterns, so the ferry-dependent or wildlife leg should determine the dates.
Malaysia uses the ringgit (MYR). Cards are useful in Kuala Lumpur and major resorts, while markets and smaller transport may need ringgit cash; check the MYR amount before accepting terminal conversion.
Dial 999 for emergencies in Malaysia. Type G sockets supply 240 V; tap-water status is not recorded, so seek current local guidance at the accommodation.
