Have you ever been to Kuala Lumpur? Rephrase: Have you ever been outside the airport? We hadn’t either – but after finding out that you could fly direct from Darwin to Kuala Lumpur for less than anywhere else in Australia – and on a short 5-hour flight? We had to check it out!
Thanks to AirAsia, we’ve got the ultimate itinerary for 48 hours in Kuala Lumpur.

It’s a city of contrasts – we wandered busy streets in Chinatown and explored quiet laneways in Chow Kit. We ate from street food stalls at the markets and at the highly rated restaurant in our hotel. We saw incredible colourful temples, and art down alleyways and side streets. We drank masala tea in Little India, and rooftop cocktails in the city centre. We visited a traditional village from the 1800s, with views of the iconic Petronas Towers only a few blocks away.

KL is the perfect place to stop over for a couple of days before your big Asia or Europe trip – or just get away for a weekend from the NT! So if you’ve got a couple of days in the Malaysian capital… here’s everything we’d do during 48 hours in KL:

48 hours in Kuala Lumpur: DAY ONE

High Street Studios / LOKL Coffee Co
Start the day with an easy walk through the quiet morning streets, to a hidden creative pocket of the city centre. It’s only fitting that the We Are Locals team got our first coffee at LOKL COFFEE CO – a really funky café in High Street Studios, a pocket park and creative hub on a street filled with cafes, bookstores and creative studios. If matcha is your thing, make sure you pop back here and try the viral hole-in-the-wall (literally) matcha spot: Jamboo.

Walking Tour of Chow Kit
For the first morning, it’s always great to get some local context, and there’s no better way than with a local guide. Booked through The Chow Kit – an Ormond Hotel – we went on a couple of hour stroll with Fuad Fahmy, a long-term resident of Kampung Baru (which means “New Village” in Malay), a historic Malay enclave located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur – a stark contrast to the Petronas Towers you can see just behind it! Fuad took us down some historic streets and talked us through the revitalisation of this once infamous area of the city. We got to try the best local food stalls, and walked through the iconic Chow Kit Wet Markets – an experience that’s all the richer with a local guide!

Botanic Gardens & KL Bird Park
After getting our bearings and a greater understanding of the city, we moved on to some greenery with a walk through the green heart of the city, exploring the free tropical botanical gardens, and popping into one of the world’s largest free-flight aviaries at the KL Bird Park.

RexKL
Get some more steps in, or order a Grab to RexKL, a converted cinema that is now a super cool cultural hub – think vintage shops, art, and food stalls – and one of the coolest bookstores we’ve ever seen! Peruse the books, snap a picture (it’s hard not to) and grab a coffee or matcha from the shops downstairs –Stellar Coffee is locally roasted and that was our pick for coffee, or a strawberry matcha from Summation!

Kwai Chai Hong
As Darwin Street Art enthusiasts, we couldn’t let an opportunity to check out the street art pass us by – so make sure you pop into Kwai Chai Hong. It just used to be an unused alley made up of the back of everyone’s stores, but since street artists painted the historic pieces, it’s become an atmospheric laneway of restored shophouses and vibrant murals – with some trendy bars and restaurants! The power of street art!

Chinatown Food Crawl
Nibble your way through the neighbourhood — check out Petaling Street, but if you want to skip the crowds and the tourists, pop across to KAFEI DIAN for lunch, a Chinese café in a historic post office. The Ginger Duck and the Kaya Toast are a must-try! 

Central Market
On your walk home, pop into The Central Market – this was a hot tip by our local guide earlier in the morning. Swing in here for the best kinds of souvenirs from your trip. We got a real silk cushion cover that is incredible – but there are lots of authentic and handmade arts and crafts here for a true slice of Malaysia.

The Row – Dinner & Drinks
Enjoy your evening in this revitalised strip of 1940s pre-war shop houses filled with bars and eateries, with a fantastic view of the Petronas Towers down Jalan Yap Ah Shak – which is also full of cafés and bars!

DAY TWO

Batu Caves
We were told to head out early to beat the crowds at Batu Caves, and this advice was sound – we left the hotel at 7am and were some of only a handful of people climbing the steps at 7.30am. You can board the KTM train or catch a Grab to get there. We saw LOTS of people getting photos on the 272 colourful steps and of course – they are very cool – but please make sure you go into the cave! The incredible 325m high formation was our favourite part. Inside the cave is a colourful Hindu temple built in 1920 – so it’s asked that you cover your shoulders and knees out of respect.

Hot tip: watch out for the monkeys!

Little India
From the caves, head to Little India, a cultural district that’s a little less touristy than Chinatown – a vibrant street full of spice shops, saris, and street eats. Grab a roti and a masala tea from any of the street food vendors to fuel up for the day.

National Museum Visit
While walking the streets, we really wondered about the absolute mix of architecture and religion that we encountered at every corner. So, we decided to go to the museum and find out more about where we are and how it all fits together, rather than just wandering around wondering. If you’re a museum goer, the history of Malaysia is very interesting, and this museum is a fascinating way to spend an hour or two.

Coffee at Lazy Eye Coffee
Walk back towards Chinatown from the museum and pop into this hidden local café (it’s behind the black door with graffiti on it) for a midday caffeine boost – try their very own brewed coffee kombucha if you’re feeling adventurous! If all the walking has you hungry, head further down the street to try the viral Cookie Crumbs cookies or a delicious beef roti.

Jadi Batek – Batik Centre, Bukit Bintang
Learn about traditional batik and its history in Malaysia, and pick up a handmade piece, or try your hand at the batik-making process, and produce your very own masterpiece! Batik is an artform, using wax in a special canting to draw lines, and painting over them with colours, washing the wax off afterwards to create the outlines of your design with clean fabric.

Rooftop Pool / Bar
Make your way further into the City Centre and enjoy some downtime and city views before dinner – we loved the views and the vibe at the @21 Rooftop in KLCC.

The Chow Kit Kitchen & Bar – Dinner
Jump on the monorail back to Chow Kit and enjoy the ‘A Taste of Chow Kit’ dinner platter from The Chow Kit Kitchen & Bar. This modern restaurant is a highly rated nod to traditional Malay flavours and local produce. The A Taste of Chow Kit dinner allowed us to try a delicious Johor Laksa – and a host of flavours of seafood, meat and sides – all delicious! 

GETTING THERE:

We are still mind blown that it’s just a 5-hour flight from Darwin with AirAsia – it’s so doable for a couple of days! It’s easy to book your flights and accommodation in one go on the AirAsia MOVE app too – and Darwin to KL direct is just $239 one-way. Incredible! Check out the flights, here.

STAY:
Most research you do will tell you to stay in the ‘heart of it’ in Bukit Bintang – we’re here to tell you that the real heart of KL is in Chow Kit. We wanted to stay in KL’s most authentic neighbourhood, a little less skyscrapers and suits. As art deco lovers, we chose The Chow Kit –  a restored art deco building that oozes simplified luxury, and gives a real historic lens to your stay, rather than skyscrapers and shopping centres.

The Chow Kit has 113 rooms available, and is within easy walking distance to The Row, The Petronas Twin Towers in KLCC, and near various public transport stations. A highlight was the local walking tour organised by the hotel, so this is a huge bonus of staying here!

We’ve got a discount code: TCKWEARELOCALS10 – available to book between now and 15/3/2026 – and for stays available for the whole of 2026 – book here!

GETTING AROUND:
We ended up doing about 50,000 steps because we loved walking the streets and seeing all the different architecture, but the public transport is fantastic. You can get the Monorail between KLCC and Chow Kit, jump on the trains at various stops across the city, or call a Grab!

BEFORE YOU GO:

Fill in the MDAC (Malaysia Digital Arrival Card) while you’re waiting in the airport in Darwin – you’ll be able to breeze through the passport gates when you land in KL! Click the link here or from the Smart Traveller website, as there are some dodgy ones if you Google it!

Download the Grab app to your phone and consider getting an E-sim or turning on roaming if your provider allows it!

DO YOU HAVE MORE THAN 48 HOURS IN KL?
Check out:

• KLCC Shopping Centres
• The Academy
• Thean Hou Temple
• View from the KL tower
• Royal Selangor Visitor Centre

Happy Getaway!