Best Places for Day Trips Out of Kuala Lumpur
If you are wondering about the best places for day trips out of Kuala Lumpur, I have compiled a list for you here. This is perfect for those who want to venture out of Kuala Lumpur or KL City, especially when you have extra days to spend here.
This list is also great for those on a business trip to KL, as you can even consider visiting some of the beautiful places outside Kuala Lumpur that are closer.
Best Places For Day Trips Out Of Kuala Lumpur
With today’s technology, most popular places can be easily found using applications like Waze or Google Maps. If you are self-driving, you can get a local SIM card in Kuala Lumpur and use your smartphone to guide you to these places.
Below is a list of places to which you can take a day trip out of Kuala Lumpur and return in the evening. Most of the day trips below can be booked through a tour company or by renting a car and self-driving to the places.
Batu Caves is one of the most popular destinations just out of Kuala Lumpur. |
Batu Caves Day Trip
This is probably the easiest and most popular place for a day trip out of Kuala Lumpur. Located about 20-30 minutes’ drive from KL, it is one of the most fascinating cave temples in the world. Here, you can visit an amazing place and work out at the same time.
Two hundred seventy-two steps lead uphill towards a Hindu cave temple, while at the foot, one of the largest Hindu statues in the world awaits you.
You can take public transport here using the KL Commuter Train from KL Sentral, self-drive, or take a Batu Caves Tour Package from one of the many travel companies in KL city. It is best to go in the mornings, as the weather is good.
If you have the opportunity, try the local Malaysian Indian restaurants there. Tip: Watch out for the stray monkeys, as they tend to grab food if you are holding it.
Travel Time: About 20-30 minutes one way
Total Time to Spend: 2-4 Hours
What to See: Hindu Cave Temple, Lord Murugan Gold Statue, Art Cave and Hanuman Statue
Genting Highlands is being renovated for the all-new 20th Century Fox World Theme Park. |
Genting Highlands Day Trip
A popular day trip destination from Kuala Lumpur is no other than Genting Highlands, as it is only about 60 60-minute drive up before you take the Awana Skyway cable car to the peak.
Genting Highlands has also rebranded itself as Resorts World Genting in recent years and is one of the top entertainment tourism spots in Malaysia.
The much talked about 20th Century Fox World Genting theme park, which is the first in the world, will also be opened in early 2018, and currently, the existing theme park is closed.
Genting’s main attraction is its cool mountain climate, accompanied by an entertainment city that houses Malaysia’s only casino and the largest hotel in the world. Public buses, taxis and tour companies provide transport to Genting Highlands.
Travel Time: About 60 minutes one-way
Total Time to Spend: 4-10 Hours
What to See: Resorts World, Indoor Theme Park, Casino, Gardens
Berjaya Hills is also known as Bukit Tinggi and is a popular place for a day trip. |
Berjaya Hills Day Trip
Another highland after Genting is Berjaya Hills, less crowded and about 750 meters high. Formerly known as Bukit Tinggi, this hill has one main resort and a unique French-themed town replicating a traditional French village.
This place is great for families who love the outdoors and nature. There is much to explore here through simple walking and trekking. A recommended place to visit is the Japanese Garden.
Some tour companies offer packages to Berjaya Hills, but this place is best visited on your own, meaning you should rent a car and drive up there. However, if your expectations are high, visiting Genting Highlands is best. Berjaya Hills is a very mellow place compared to Genting.
Travel Time: About 80 minutes one-way
Total Time to Spend: 5-8 Hours
What to See: Colmar Tropicale French Town, Japanese Garden, Rabbit Farm, Trekking
Taman Negara Day Trip
Who would have thought you could do a day trip to Taman Negara? Yes, you can leave at 8.30 am and return to KL city by 9 pm. Generally, it is a full-day activity if you do it on a day trip.
Malaysia’s oldest national park is accessible, and for day-trippers, you can experience the rainforest canopy walk, river cruise, visit the Orang Asli village, and the beautiful rainforest here.
Taman Negara is Malaysia’s premier national park and is highly recommended for anyone who loves the rainforest and nature.
The best way to travel to Taman Negara is also to use the day tours offered from Kuala Lumpur. Alternatively, you can opt for one of the many tour packages for Taman Negara, depending on how long you want to stay there.
One recommended travel company is Ivy Holidays, which operates a tour counter in Kompleks Selangor on Petaling Street. They run daily transfers to Taman Negara at 8.30 AM.
Travel Time: About 4-5 hours one way
Total Time to Spend: 12-14 Hours
What to See: Canopy Walk, River Cruise, Native Village, 130 Million Old Rainforest
Sekinchan is well known for its Paddy fields and beautiful landscapes. |
Sekinchan Day Trip
The area of Sekinchan in Selangor is a unique landscape and photography destination, which most millennial travellers are heading to as a lifestyle destination.
Generally, Sekinchan offers vast rice fields or Paddy Fields for photography and an old town filled with character and charm.
From what I know, there are mainly homegrown attractions here, like local seafood, restaurants, and temples. No official tours are being sold, so you need to arrange this by self-driving there or booking a private tour here.
Travel Time: About 120 minutes one-way
Total Time to Spend: 6-8 Hours
What to See: Paddy Fields, Old Malaysian Chinese towns, great food
Ipoh Day Trip
One of the less-visited cities is Ipoh, in the bordering state of Perak and just north of Kuala Lumpur. Ipoh was once a thriving city as it was known as a tin miners town, rich with cultural and historical influences.
There are quite a few places to visit in Ipoh, and one full day would just make half of the list. Lonely Planet listed Ipoh as one of the top 10 places to visit in Asia for 2017.
For those travelling with kids, there is the Ipoh Lost World theme park and, possibly, the new Movie Animation Park Studios or MAPS Ipoh, which is to be opened in mid- to late 2017.
For those seeking a unique wellness getaway, check out The Banjaran Hot Springs Resort. Other well-known attractions include Kong Heng Square, Sam Po Tong Cave Temple, the main Ipoh Old Town area and the fantastic Ipoh food.
Some companies sell tours to Ipoh, or you can self-drive or even take the ETS Train service to Ipoh from Kuala Lumpur.
Travel Time: About 120 minutes one-way
Total Time to Spend: 6-10 Hours
What to See: Heritage Buildings, Ipoh Old Town, Railway Stations, Cave Temples, Ipoh Night Bazaar
Melaka’s Red Square is the epicentre of tourism. |
Melaka Day Trip
One of the most popular day trips out of Kuala Lumpur is a visit to historical Melaka city. Located about 90 minutes from KL, Melaka has much to see and do, so you can easily spend a full day there.
From famous Jonker Street, lined with intriguing shops, to centuries-old historical sites, there is a little of everything for any traveller visiting here.
One of the fun things to do in Melaka is take a river cruise and climb the Tamingsari Tower. Melaka is also well known for its Peranakan Culture, and the popular Melaka food, which can be found in many places, is a must-try.
Travel Time: About 90 minutes one-way
Total Time to Spend: 5-8 Hours
What to See: Too much. Lots of history, attractions and incredible food here
Kuala Selangor boasts of historical tourism, which dates back hundreds of years. |
Kuala Selangor Day Trip
It is a must for anyone who wants to see the famous Kuala Selangor Fireflies. This old area of Selangor also provides a good cultural and heritage experience, especially at Bukit Malawati, where the old lighthouse is located on a hill by a fort.
Other things to do include visiting the fishing town of Kuala Selangor, where you can see the locals going about their daily chores. End the day with a Malaysian seafood dinner at any of the local restaurants.
As the firefly tours start at about 7.00 PM, you should head to Bukit Malawati in the morning, explore the local fishing villages before going for the firefly tour, and then end the night with a seafood dinner.
There are daily Firefly Tours in Kuala Selangor sold around Kuala Lumpur city, or you can rent a car and self-drive here.
Travel Time: About 120-140 minutes one way
Total Time to Spend: 6-10 Hours
What to See: Fireflies, Lighthouse, Fishing Villages, Temples, Seafood Restaurants
Port Dickson is developing at a rapid rate to cater to tourism. |
Port Dickson Day Trip
Malaysia’s oldest beach destination, Port Dickson, is still frequented by locals. It offers a super-long stretch of beaches, around 12 miles.
Attractions here include Avani Gold Coast, a resort shaped like a palm tree (like the Dubai Palm), Lexis Hibiscus, a new resort shaped like a hibiscus flower over water, lots of beaches, and a few interesting tourism spots.
Some tour companies offer daily tours to Port Dickson, or you can self-drive here from Kuala Lumpur.
Travel Time: About 90 minutes one-way
Total Time to Spend: 5-8 Hours
What to See: Beaches, Lighthouse, Lexis Hibiscus, Avani Gold Coast, Old Port Dickson Town
The man-made Putrajaya administrative capital of Malaysia is just 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur. |
Putrajaya Day Trip
Anyone who wants to see the best modern governmental architecture must visit Malaysia’s administrative capital. Getting to Putrajaya is also easy, as many highways lead here, and the road signs are good.
Apart from administrative buildings are the Putrajaya Wetlands, botanical garden, lakeside and many other exciting places. Many tour companies sell Putrajaya day tours, and if you are adventurous enough, you can rent a car and self-drive here.
Travel Time: About 40-60 minutes one way
Total Time to Spend: 3-6 Hours
What to See: Putrajaya Mosque, Wetlands, Boulevard, Bridges
Conclusion
If there are any other day trip places that deserve to be mentioned in this list, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Generally, the best way to explore outside of Kuala Lumpur would be to use a professional tour company’s service, as you will save a lot of time. However, at times, tour companies want to make a fast buck, which in return provides average services.
Therefore, many travellers nowadays prefer to explore on their own by taking public transport, renting a car, or even relying on ride-hailing services to move around and search for the best places for day trips out of Kuala Lumpur.
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