When visiting Malayisa, a stop in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur is absolutely necessary. Often the city is referred to as KL by many locals and tourists alike. The city is located in the western part of Peninsular Malaysia. It is best known for the cultural diversity and amazing landmarks. These include the Petronas Towers, Batu Caves and Merdeka Square. Visiting the temples is a great way to get familiar with the city and learn about different religions and cultures. This is a comprehensive guide to visiting the temples in Kuala Lumpur.
Before Visiting
When visiting temples in Kuala Lumpur there are a few things to keep in mind. You want to have the best experience possible on the first try to avoid wasting time and money. Here are the things to know before you visit:
- Wear appropriate clothing. Certain temples are more strict than others. For women we recommend always covering your shoulders and knees. Pants or a long dress is helpful and you can cover your shoulders with a scarf or a shirt with sleeves.
- Arrive really early or right before closing time. This helps you avoid the crowd and the heat of the day.
- Be ready to take the stairs. Every temple has stairs, sometimes it is a ton. Wear appropriate shoes that are easy to take on and off as many temples request shoes off at the door. Most of the temples do not have elevators.
- Be respectful of others and of the temple itself. Even if the religious temple doesn’t align with your views, it is important to respect the area and those there to pray.
Batu Caves Temple
Likely the most famous temple in Kuala Lumpur is the Batu Caves. It is well known for the rainbow stairs that lead into a beautiful cave area. If you arrive bright and early, you can get photos of the stairs with no one else on them. Once you’ve entered the cave, take some time to walk around and really enjoy the beauty of the area. There is a small temple at the bottom that you can also walk around. When we visited they were actively praying and a man was playing musical instruments.
At the bottom of the stairs is a lady selling scarfs. If you forgot one she will let you buy one for around $15. If you are wearing shorts, you can buy two and she will wrap them around you. *Confession: we got up super early and I wasn’t thinking so I ended up having to buy two scarfs for this. Peep the photos above.*
Also at the bottom is a man selling pigeon feed. There were 100’s of pigeons that you can feed and take photos with. We worry about diseases and safety so this is not an activity we partake in.
After your visit to the cave, continue to walk along the road to find the huge eagle statue. This is also a great area to grab a snack from a food cart. We got a huge breakfast for less than $3!!!
Address: Gombak, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
Cost: Free to enter
Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour
When to Visit: at open 7 am
Thean Hou Temple
If you are looking for a different vibe, Thean Hou Temple is very different. It is a Chinese temple dedicated to Mazu, goddess of the sea and protector of fishermen. The architecture is a combination of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism with modern and traditional touches. It is recommended to walk around the entire area as the back of the temple has many statues and a beautiful green space. In the front area they decorate for the Chinese calendar with gorgeous flowers and large floral animals.
The best time to visit is in the evening when all of the lights turn on. It illuminates the area and creates a magical feeling. Inside it is possible to buy incense and other goods for offerings. The seating around the outside is perfect for taking in the temple and observing as people provide offerings. It also is a great spot to look out over the city. At the bottom of the temple there are multiple small shops selling souvenirs and snacks.
**Important Note: This temple is harder to reach. We ended up walking pretty far as public transport is not as accessible in this area.**
Address: 65, Persiaran Endah, Taman Persiaran Desa, 50460 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Cost: Free
Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour
When to Visit: At sunset
Federal Territory Mosque
A completely different experience is visiting the Federal Territory Mosque. It is also known as Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan. Situated up on a hill, this mosque is a great place to take in the city skyline. Unlike the temples previously mentioned, the mosque is quite different for multiple reasons. Upon entering, you are not allowed to walk around on your own. The guided tour is free and they have different language options. All females are required to wear full coverings. This can be rented and include a long robe with long sleeves and a scarf to cover hair. The men are required to wear pants or rent a robe. Shoes cannot be worn once inside.
The guide was extremely helpful to learn about the history and the religion. They allow you to choose if you want an in depth history or just a walk around to take photos. We chose to learn more about the history. The mosque is stunning with a of design traditional Islamic architecture and modern elements. The main prayer hall is capable of holding thousands of worshippers. They also have books to purchase to learn more about the religion and history.
Address: Anjung B, Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan, Jln Tuanku Abdul Halim, Kompleks Kerajaan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Cost: Free unless renting a robe or tipping for the guide
Time: 1 hour
When to Visit: This varies, plan to visit in between prayer times. Check the website here to see when the prayer times are happening each day.
Other Activities in Kuala Lumpur
If you are ready to do a different activity during your visit to KL, here is a quick list of our favorite spots:
- Maxwell Food Court for dinner
- MidValley Mega Mall for shopping
- Forest Eco Park for getting into nature (bring bug spray!)
Transportation for Temples
We used Grab as our primary transportation while exploring. It was generally very cheap and the app is super easy to use. We liked the flexibility of going whenever and wherever we wanted. The drivers were also very knowledgeable and a great way to learn about new places to visit.
Public transportation includes city buses and a few different types of trains. There is the commuter train, the monorail, the MRT, and a few others. Some of these require you to buy tickets or passes ahead of time. If you are savvy with using train systems, this may be an easy route for you. As we are not as used to utilizing them, we chose to walk if possible or use Grab.
If you prefer to rent a car click here. The city can be confusing and parking can be an issue so be prepared when you are driving for these issues.
Kuala Lumpur is an awesome place to spend some time! We would love to hear about your trip and share tips, drop us a comment below!
Looking for more backpacking ideas? Check out our other posts!
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