Exploring Kuala Lumpur

While fellow Filipinos celebrated National Heroes Day on August 31, my friends and I celebrated Malaysia's Independence Day. We happened to have planned our tour around the city on the same day as well.

Booked a cab in the hotel to service us around the city for the day for MYR 100 per person. But it's better not to because the tourists spots are just near each other and it will be so much cheaper if you just take the bus or monorail. There's also the Hop On Hop Off.

Batu Caves
This is perhaps the farthest from the City. There are two ways to go here: (1) by taxi, which costs, if I remember correctly, MYR 120, one-way, and (2) by monorail.

Be sure to dress appropriately.

Hindu deity, Murugan. #MalaysiaTrulyAsia #travel #asia #culture #UOtraveller #UOaroundyou

A photo posted by nini (@jemappellenini) on Sep 4, 2015 at 8:37am PDT

Almost there guys!

Just a few more steps

Walked 272 steps just to see...

The lair of monkeys

Merdeka Square
In this area, you can already visit 3 or 4 tourist spots, mostly museums actually. We weren't able to enter any of those museums, but we got to celebrate Hari Merdeka! Sort of. We got there just when it ended.

Music Museum

National Textile Museum

Thean Hou
While searching for places to go in KL, I stumbled upon this and loved the look and colors.

Honestly, from what I've seen on TV and movies, I've always wanted to pray in a temple, light an incense, ring the big bell. I've always wondered what doing those meant. Quite interesting.

They have Chinese Zodiac statues in one area. I had to take a photo with my zodiac sign, The Horse:

Year of the Horse pose

We also went to KL Tower just to see what's there. Nothing, really haha my experience at Seoul Tower was much better with their visual in the elevator going up, making it seem like you were going to space, and going down, like you're going back to Earth.

Then we ended the day at Central Market to shop for pasalubong. Don't shop for food there. It's cheaper in the supermarket. But they have nice home decor and accessories.

I would definitely go back to Kuala Lumpur to check out the museums in Merdeka Square.

Tips on shopping in KL

Spent the August long weekend in Kuala Lumpur with my college friends! Originally, our main objective was to go to Legoland. Once we girls got there, we just had to go shopping!

Shopping malls we went to:

1. Fahrenheit 88
2. Lot 10
3. Sungei Wang
4. Berjaya Times Square (BTS)
5. Central Market

Bukit Bintang is shopping paradise! Malls are all lined by next to each other.

For bazaar clothes, go to Sungei Wang and BTS. Sung Wei is like Greenhills while BTS is like Market Market.

Sungei Wang is located at Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is right across from Lot 10.

Berjaya Times Square (BTS) can be found in 1, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Shopping day! 😥😂 #MalaysianBrightLikeADiamond #shopping #mall

A photo posted by nini (@jemappellenini) on Aug 31, 2015 at 11:31pm PDT

For high end and branded items, check out Pavilion.

Pavilion is right across Sephora at Star Gallery. 

4th stop: Pavilion #MalaysianBrightLikeADiamond #shopping

A photo posted by nini (@jemappellenini) on Sep 1, 2015 at 12:37am PDT

Fahrenheit 88 has boutique stores and an outlet store. Lot 10 is quite small but you can find H&M and Zara here.

Fahrenheit 88 can be found between Sephora at Star Gallery and Lot 10. 179, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, WP Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Lot 10 is between Fahrenheit 88 and Sungei Wang. 50, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia



If you're looking for locally made items, check out Central Market. But never buy packs of instant coffee and milk tea. Don't get blinded by the buy 3 for RM50. Go to the grocery store cos they sell those for RM12 only!

Don't shop all in one day. Sungei Wang and BTS will already consume one whole day. There are a lot of stores to check out here.

Some stores don't allow you to try the clothes on which makes shopping faster but a bit tricky if you are not sure what style looks good on you.

Not much of a make up fan, but for those who are, you may want to check out Sephora at Star Gallery. (I prefer going to Myeongdong in Seoul, South Korea, aka make up heaven!)

#shopping

A photo posted by nini (@jemappellenini) on Sep 1, 2015 at 1:43am PDT

Heard about Beryl's Chocolate and planning to buy some to bring home? You can find these in bulk at Central Market. But if you plan to try out different varieties, you may want to buy at KLIA2 instead. It's much cheaper cos there's no more GST included.

Chocolate lover 😍🍫 #chocolates #pasalubong #beryls

A photo posted by nini (@jemappellenini) on Sep 2, 2015 at 5:21am PDT

On your way to the airport, taxi drivers also offer to bring you to buy chocolates. Not sure if it's at the Beryl's Chocolate Kingdom. You might find all the varieties of Beryl's chocolate there.

We also visited Johor Premium Outlet Store, and it sure was worth the visit! Since it's an outlet store, there were a lot of discounts and promos!

The only proof I have that we went shopping in JPO. We only had 2 hours to shop 😂 #MalaysianBrightLikeADiamond #shopping

A photo posted by nini (@jemappellenini) on Aug 30, 2015 at 10:37am PDT

If you plan to go on a shopping spree in KL, book your flight some time between June and August, in time for their 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival! Lots of promos await ;)