Looking up at Kuala Lumpur's mesmerising skyline in Malaysia. Photo / Getty Images
Why you should go
Boasting every characteristic of a big metropolis (food, shopping and non-stop resources for insomniacs), Kuala Lumpur delivers all these things with an Asian twist that makes the experience so intoxicating. We’re talking big, sloppy bowls of Malaysian street food, ferocious haggling at balmy night markets, and that mesmerising concoction of old-world Asia fused with slick city aesthetics.
Top spots
The express train will connect you from the airport to the inner city in 28 minutes. It would be remiss to skip the iconic Petronas twin towers, so head to Saloma Link Bridge for the perfect vantage point. Come nightfall, it’s lit up like a Christmas tree and the skyline views are particularly punchy.
Another night-time top pick is KLCC park. Lovely for a picnic during the day, as darkness falls Lake Symphony – an hourly fountain show – shoots coloured water 42m into the air, with musial accompaniment. For children, KidZania is a tiny city created entirely for big imaginations. Allow your little one(s) to choose from more than 100 careers and “play” doctor, reporter, chef (you name it) for an entire day. They’ll commute, perform real-life tasks and then get to spend their pretend wages across the little city.
Best eats
For cheap but authentic eats, Jalan Alor is a hectic mecca of street eats and hawker stalls. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Michelin-starred Dewakan showcases every flavour of Malaysia, while drinking up the 48th-floor views of Naza Tower. For equally impressive panoramas, head to Vertigo at the Banyan Tree Hotel. located on Level 59, complete with rooftop ba. Nurse a cocktail or two before descending to street level for dinner. Bustling Petaling Street China Town is a sensory overload of peddlers and street kitchens.
For more things to see and do in Malaysia, visit malaysia.travel
Telegraph: “A bingo card of disappointments.”