Visit Malaysia

Hit Chinatown for budget hotels including Oasis Guest House (125 Jalan Petaling), which overlooks the busy street markets from its rooftop terrace, from 20 ringgits a single a night, and Grocer's Inn, 50 ringgits a double with airconditioning (78 Jalan Sultan, grocersinn.com.my). Tune Hotels is Malaysia's one-star budget chain. The downtown KL hotel has 173 rooms with en suites and a self-service laundry and is near the Medan Tuanku monorail station. Specials start from 15 ringgits a night, though a quick look turns up doubles from 100 ringgits. Book early, get promo rates and pay extra for airconditioning and internet. (316 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, tunehotels.com).

Mid-range

There are plenty of good options in the shopping nirvana of Bukit Bintang including the business-like Berjaya Hotel Times Square, a good bet for thrifty shopaholics, from 435 ringgits a night (2117 8000, berjayahotel.com). On the same strip, the newly renovated, swanky, four-star Piccolo Hotel sits between shopping malls Lot 10 and Fahrenheit 88 on Bintang Walk, from 275 ringgits a night (2146 5000, piccolohotel.com.my). Nearby, revel in the Novotel Kuala Lumpur's outdoor pool between shopping trips, from 293 ringgits a night (1300 656 565 toll-free from Australia, novotel.com). Opposite Putra World Trade Centre, the Seri Pacific is 10 minutes from the Golden Triangle, with views of the twin towers and Genting Highlands, from 266 ringgits a night (4042 5555, www.seripacific.com).

Luxe

Hotel Maya's celebrated contemporary design has an intimate, boutique feel despite its 207 rooms. A swim in the open-air hydrotherapy pool is a must, as is a drink in its guests-only Sky Lounge, looking on to the Petronas Towers. From $US150 a night (2711 8866, hotelmaya.com.my). The 571-room Traders Hotel also overlooks the towers and is the choice for canny travellers who want a base in the city centre. From 365 ringgits a night, add about 25 per cent for a tower view (1800 222 448 toll-free from Australia, shangri-la.com). The iconic 643-room Mandarin Oriental has just opened its luxe new Arabian lounge, Casbah, complete with a DJ and meze. From 683 ringgits (Jalan Ampang, mandarinoriental.com).

Lash out

Carcosa Seri Negara is KL's most famous boutique hotel, hosting US presidents and Queen Elizabeth. Recently reopened after renovations, the two colonial mansions' 13 rooms overlook the Lake Gardens, from 1089 ringgits a night (2295 0888, carcosa.com.my). KL's top hotel for business, the contemporary-style Westin, is also a shoppers' haven, thanks to its location on Jalan Bukit Bintang. From 520 ringgits a night (2731 8333, westin.com). The Club at the Saujana is a 105-room luxe hotel 35 minutes from the city centre, set in 160 hectares of gardens, flush with spas, pools, golf courses and more, from 789 ringgits a night (Shah Alam, 7843 1234, thesaujana.com).

SHOP + PLAY

Go shop

Malaysians are accomplished shoppers and KL enjoys twice-yearly mega-sales — mid-year (July to September) and before Christmas. The main mall strip is Bukit Bintang, where you'll find Sungei Wang plaza for bargain fashion and shoes, Imbi and Low Yat plazas buzzing with electronics and Berjaya Times Square shopping mall for more cheap fashion and high-street chains as well as an indoor theme park (including Asia's longest and possibly most frightening indoor roller-coaster). Further down, new Fahrenheit is underpinned by the Japanese version of Cotton On, Uniqlo, Lot 10 is chic high-street, while impressive Starhill Gallery and Pavilion are for seriously big spenders. Out of the city centre, Mid Valley Megamall is spectacularly large and as good as anything within the city. Beneath the Petronas Towers, upmarket Suria KLCC mall is home to Malaysia's third Harrods — you get the picture.

Market love

Chinatown's Petaling Street reeks of fake leather goods and sunglasses but be prepared to spend time haggling. The art deco Central Market looks unpromising at first but reveals some cute batik fashion and thongs and a good food court. Jalan Alor is predominantly a Chinese night hawker food street awash with happy snackers and beer drinkers, who pack in after dark. The pasar malam (night market) in the Malay suburb of Kampong Baharu runs every Saturday until the early hours of Sunday, good for authentic snacking, as is Little India's frenetic pasar malam, which starts on Saturday afternoons.

Listen in

The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra's box office is at the base of the Petronas Towers — tickets for chamber concerts start at 10 ringgits, up to 95 ringgits for full-orchestra recitals (2051 7007, mpo.com.my). Roll up to Urbanattic and you might find swing bands, comedy, a discussion by design boffins or a jam session in the open-air bar and performance space. Closed Sundays (7 Persiaran Capsquare, off Jalan Ampang, Little India, attickl.com).

In the groove

Jalan P. Ramlee, in the Golden Triangle, is packed with bars full of tourists and "accommodating" local ladies, though the bars' palm-leaf roofs look a bit tired in the sunlight. Girls, the higher the heels, the cheaper the drinks every Saturday night at Neo, a tapas and luxe lounge with a mean line in cocktails on Jalan Sultan Ismail. Zouk Club, beside Petronas Towers, is a sister branch of the celebrated Singaporean club, though fickle local clubbers say it has had its day. They're all heading to Rootz nightclub on top of Starhill shopping mall. Join celebrities and young royals in the hilariously decorated loos.

SEE + DO

Icons

Top of the list for KL sights is, of course, the 88-floor Petronas Towers (pictured), which — at 451.9 metres — are the second-highest buildings in the world. Visitors can catch a lift to the skybridge on the 41st floor between 9am-7pm. Tickets are free but issued on the day, so get in early. Closed on Mondays. Allegedly, the most visited Malaysian site is Sunway Lagoon and Pyramid, an Egyptian-themed shopping centre and theme park with an ice-skating rink, man-made surf beach and 23-metre volcano, about 45 minutes from the city. (sunwaypyramid.com). Malaysia's Chelsea Flower Show gold-winning gardens are best epitomised by KL's Lake Gardens, dating from the 1880s. They include an orchid garden and bird, butterfly and deer parks.

Culture craze

The Islamic Arts Museum has temporary exhibitions drawn from across the world, as well as permanent galleries featuring architecture, Korans and manuscripts and a reconstructed 1820s Ottoman Syrian room (Jalan Lembah Perdana, 2274 2020, iamm.org.my). To sample Malaysia's mixed cultural roots, visit the city's oldest Taoist temple, Sze Ya temple (Jalan Tun H.S. Lee), the nearby intricate Hindu Sri Mahamariamman temple (Jalan Bandar) and the Mogul-influenced Jamek Mosque (Jalan Tun Perak). Snappers will love the Sultan Abdul Samad building, a Moorish fantasy and once the Sultan of Selangor's seat of power (in front of Merdeka Square).

On foot

Wander rainforest trails in the middle of the city in Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, topped by the Menara KL tower. Get a free guided nature walk if you've bought a tower ticket (38 ringgits/adults, 28 ringgits/kids). The Asian Heritage Row on Jalan Doraisamy is a series of cute pre-war houses converted into cafes, bars and clubs, which is ideal for wandering and late-afternoon aperitifs. For a different kind of footwork, visit the Kenko fish spa in the Pavilion shopping mall, where doctor fish chomp the dead skin from your feet, from 38 ringgits for 30 minutes. You can find cheaper (but not cleaner) in the Central Market.

Follow the leader

The hop-on, hop-off bus runs from 8.30am daily, covering the main sights with on-board commentary (full-day tickets 38 ringgits/adults, 17 ringgits/kids, myhoponhopoff.com). To see KL's surrounds, Viator's three-hour tour picks up from your hotel and heads to the Batu Caves Hindu temple (complete with monkeys and 272 steps) and the Thean Hou Chinese temple, then visits a batik or pewter factory with local guides (from $21.10 a person, viator.com). Learn the tricks of the Malaysian kitchen at the hands of local celeb chefs, beginning with a morning market and lunch (from 90 ringgits, rebung.com.my).

EAT + DRINK

Cafe culture

Precious Old China in the Central Market is a spinoff of the Old China Cafe, a gracious, old-style cafe serving Malay specialities: cool down with tart soursop juice or stay for lunch. Try the kari kapitan chicken and blue coconut rice, tinged with essence of pea-flower. Mains start at 16 ringgits. National Geographic's fourth cafe opened recently in Lot 10 on Bukit Bintang, a visual feast of photographs and travel books to peruse over coffee or snacks. English afternoon tea on the wide verandahs of the Carcosa Seri Negara hotel is legendary. Open to non-guests from 3-6pm. Phone 2295 0888 for reservations.

Snack attack

Some say they're the best chicken wings in KL and Wong Ah Wah's, in Jalan Alor, are pretty damned good. It'll set you back just a handful of ringgits for plump, slow-roasted wings — marry them with a few ice-cold local beers. The street Lebuh Ampang, just north of Chinatown, is the place for Indian food and banana-leaf rice. Take a seat in Lakshmi Vilas vegetarian restaurant, close your eyes while drinking chai and you could be in India: breakfast of dosai and roti canai costs less than five ringgits. You know you need chocolate, so do it in style at Armani Dolce in Starhill, with one or two absolutely perfect, handmade gold-leaf chocolates to revive flagging energies.

Top tables

Glamorous Teeq rooftop above Lot 10 shopping centre has open-air and indoor seating, with four kitchens to cater for all tastes, from Japanese to European to Thai or Malay, and lures the cashed-up, late-dining crowds. Beautiful Gonbei, in the basement of the Starhill gallery, specialises in Japanese grill — a favourite for the weekend crowds but quiet midweek. You could run around the city tasting all the second- and third-generation famed makers of hokkien mee, beef noodles, dim sum or nasi lemang, or just head to Lot 10's basement food court, which has wooed these revered cooks to open second kitchens here. Clean, cheap and popular with local city workers.

By the glass

Named the best bar in Malaysia by the local Tatler, the SkyBar in Traders Hotel is feted for its views of the Petronas Towers. It's not the only one — head to Lebanese restaurant al-Amar for a spot of star-gazing (look up and look at Robert De Niro) and shisha smoking, with live music on weekends (Level 6, Pavilion shopping mall). The happening rooftop Luna Bar, up 30 floors atop the Pacific Regency Hotel Suites, boasts a pool and sun lounges as well as views of the twin towers, so you can take a dip and cool off in KL's steamy heat at any time of the day or night (Jalan Punchak, off Jalan P. Ramlee).

Hot tip

Your brolly is your friend: equatorial KL's monsoon season runs from September to April, with May-June the driest months (though there's always a chance of rain). Temperatures average from a minimum of 23 degrees to a maximum 33 degrees. PS: "jalan" means "street" in Malay.

Getting there

KL has two international airports near each other and both are about an hour from the city. Kuala Lumpur International Airport receives main airlines including Malaysia Airlines, while the low-cost carrier terminal, LCCT, is where budget airline AirAsia operates from. Airlines on the KL-Sydney route include Jetstar, Qantas, British Airways and Singapore Airlines (all via Singapore), Emirates (via Melbourne) and Garuda Indonesia (via Jakarta).

Visas and currency

Australians don't need a visa to visit Malaysia. The local currency is the Malaysian ringgit, $1 = 3.2 ringgits.

Calling Kuala Lumpur

The Malaysian country code is +60 and 03 for Kuala Lumpur. To call KL from abroad, add +603 to the numbers listed.

More information

(02) 9299 4441, tourism.gov.my.