If you’re thinking about going to Kuala Lumpur with kids you’re in for a pleasant surprise. We’ve just spent 8 nights in Kuala Lumpur with our four children aged 4, 7, 10 and 12 and can’t recommend it enough! We’re travelling the globe on a 1-year trip and Kuala Lumpur remains one of our families’ favorite cities. It’s very safe (although the usual big city safety rules apply), but it’s also clean, child friendly, and has great transport options (especially for large families).
But more importantly, it has just so, so much to do beyond high rise building views. Kuala Lumpur is a very large city with nearly 9 million people. Its iconic Petronas Towers are a sight to behold and well worth going up. You’ll also most likely come across the enormous Merdeka 118 which is under construction. It is set to be the second tallest building in the world once completed. They’ve also just opened the Skyline Luge which could be worth a look.
So what did we do in Kuala Lumpur with kids in tow? There’s a lot of information on the internet and sifting through what’s right for your family can be overwhelming. Follow our 8-night itinerary! We had a great time, plenty of down time in between and didn’t feel like we missed out on anything. Use this guide to narrow down what works for your family.
While you’re in the area, we highly recommend a trip to Langkawi Island – one of Malaysia’s hidden gems.
8 Night Kuala Lumpur Itinerary with Kids
- Day 1: We arrived from Melacca via bus so our first day is always settling in and grabbing groceries for the week. Travelling with a family of 6 on a budget means a lot of self-catering, but you also tire of eating out when travelling for long periods. It’s especially difficult eating out with 2 gluten free people in the family so breakfasts and in between hangry snacks are really important.
- Day 2: For our first activity Kuala Lumpur with kids, we chose the Petrosains Science Discovery Centre. It’s really interactive, affordable and a really nice morning. Cities can be a bit overwhelming and sometimes just boring for young kids. Starting off with a very child focused activity we find helps the kids settle into (and enjoy) a new destination quicker. The robotic dinosaur section was especially impressive – check out our Instagram Reel here.
- Day 3: Next up is Aquaria KLCC – an impressive aquarium that hosts the longest under water tunnel in Malaysia. We’ve been to a few of these now and this one was by far the most impressive and also well priced.
- Day 4: Start your day exploring the KLCC Park which is in front of the Suria KLCC Mall. It has free outdoor swimming pools and a massive playground suitable for all ages. Once you have worked up an appetite head back to the Suria KLCC mall and enjoy lunch at the food court. Malaysian malls have the BEST food courts, really affordable, delicious and with both Asian and Western options. We had some of our best Thai food in Malaysian malls!
- Day 5: Get an early morning start to beat the crowds and head to the Batu Caves which you can read about here. This one is more for the adults, but the kids also enjoyed it due to the local wildlife antics. It will only take up your morning, leaving the afternoon to burn off some energy at the impressive Berjaya Times Square Theme Park which you can read about here. It’s an impressive indoor theme park, reasonably priced and well worth the visit.
- Day 6: Another early morning start, this time to get to the Petronas Towers first thing to get your tickets. Pre booking online always sells out, up to 10 days in advance. However, if you arrive early when the ticket office opens at 9am, they have an allocation of walk in tickets for each day. You can read more about our experience with the Petronas Towers here.
- Day 7: Rest day, we include a lot of down time as we travel full time. We enjoyed our apartments pool and playground, rested then headed back to the KLCC Park for dinner and to watch the Esplanade Lake Symphony. It’s an impressive free water and light and water show – click here for times.
- Day 8: Pavilion Shopping Mall – it was decked out for Christmas while we were there. It’s a very impressive world class shopping mall. Up the road from the Pavillion Shopping Mall is the Jalan Alor food street. This is a great example of a Malaysian night market; the kids were well fed and happy!
Our 3 Tips for Kuala Lumpur with Kids
- Apple Air Tags. In big cities or airports like Kuala Lumpur with kids, we get them to wear apple air tags on their wrists like watches. You can buy wrist straps from Amazon and they give us peace of mind should we lose a child in a busy space. If they get lost, they just stay put and we can track where they are via the app.
- Tropical Storms. Plan your outdoor activities for the mornings as Kuala Lumpur has some pretty spectacular tropical storms that roll through in the afternoons. Like clockwork! Be sure to utilize the covered walkways to help stay dry, a mixture of above and below ground.
- Transport Options. Whilst Kuala Lumpur has great public transport options, Grab works out cost effective and easier for a family of 6.
