A riveting beauty in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is truly a must-visit country. We visited this country along with Singapore in the summer of 2023. We had been delaying this combination of vacations (Malaysia-Singapore) for obvious reasons – the hype! However, we were enticed by the country, and it was all worth the hype.

Malaysia is vast and has varied topography, hence it wasn’t easy to tour Malaysia in just three days. Therefore, we ditched the beach destinations and covered the mainland only to be bewitched by Kuala Lumpur and Genting Highlands.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, a city that teems with verve and vitality, is a potpourri of cultures. Our first destination in KL was the Petronas Twin Towers. With plentiful skyscrapers, KL’s Petronas Twin Towers pride their way through the sky. Known as the ‘Jewel’ of the sky, Petronas is a must-visit tower for it wears two looks – the majestic svelte of the day and the glamorous diva of the night.

The KLCC park situated in the middle of the city is a beautiful park to visit and view the Petronas at night. The apartment we chose had a magnificent view of the KL Tower peeping at the apartment’s infinity pool. This indeed was a sight to behold!

As it was raining, we could not visit the Sky Deck and the Observation Deck of the world’s 7th tallest building. Regardless, we roamed around Merdeka Square and visited some shopping malls to evade the rain.

The highlight of the trip was the KL Bird’s Park. A paradise for all bird lovers, KL Bird’s Park houses a variety of birds. Interestingly, the birds own the space, and you feel like one of them. You can see them perched on a bench, some tailgating you, others trying to snatch your popcorn. It was a visual delight, and our son had a blast there. We also visited the aquarium at KLCC for our son, who is a huge fan of turtles and whales. His penchant for animals (of all kinds) has been in conflict with our interests; however, we have now learned to accommodate his needs in our itinerary.

On the last day of our stay, we visited Batu Caves and Genting Highlands. The drive to the cave and hills promises you a panoramic drive. With the lush greenery and mist-filled curvy roads, the drive to Genting is blissful.

Batu Cave and Genting Highlands

Our first stop was Batu Caves – that popular Murugan temple you see in most South Indian films. Technically a cave on a limestone hill, Batu Cave is a perfect blend of tourism and spirituality. You must climb over 250 steps in a myriad of colors (rainbow steps) to visit the temples inside. It is a must-visit place even if you aren’t a spiritual person because of the sheer beauty of the cave complex. A colossal statue of Lord Muruga, beside the colorful steps leading to the cave set against the backdrop of mystic caves, is indeed a visual treat.

Next, we reached Genting Highlands after a scenic drive up the hill. Genting is a shopper’s paradise and promises you unlimited entertainment. We started by exploring Genting Highlands’ Premium Outlets (Awana), which house a hue of brands and retail outlets. You can indulge in a fine shopping opulence or simply stroll through the mall. There are interesting cafes and restaurants to pamper your taste buds as well! With brands you love at affordable prices and plentiful choices to get spoilt, this outlet is indeed a shopper’s dream come true!

Later, after a traditional Malaysian Cuisine, we headed to Sky Awana for the cable car ride to the top of Genting Highlands. The ride offers you a spectacular view of the hill, passing through a few stations where you can disembark and explore. However, due to rain and the subsequent mist, our view was rather blurry. Nevertheless, upon reaching the peak, we enjoyed the Jurassic Centre and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.

Food in Malaysia

Food in Malaysia is appealing to Indians, especially South Indians. Honestly, the authentic Malaysian food did not agree with the likings of our taste buds. Nevertheless, their nasi lemak stole our hearts. Other than nasi lemak, we did not experiment much and preferred the plentiful South Indian restaurants. Did I mention that visiting Malaysia is like visiting Chennai? The guilt of not visiting Chennai for ages was quenched by visiting Malaysia. Filter coffee, Saravana Bhavan, and Batu Caves took me down the lane of my Chennai days.

Our vacation in Malaysia was truly mesmerizing, exposing us to the beauty of Southeast Asia. This, in fact, doubled our excitement in exploring Singapore. Malaysia is that fine tapestry that hangs on the walls of Southeast Asia, and its beauty has truly ignited our lust to explore more of Southeast Asia.