Day Trips from Kuala Lumpur: Putrajaya, Malacca, Cameron Highlands and More

Kuala Lumpur is a great base for exploring. Within two hours of the city you can walk through a 500-year-old port town, admire a pink-domed mosque on a lake, ride a cable car into the clouds or watch fireflies light up the mangroves. Adding one or two day trips turns a city break into a proper Malaysia tour.

Here are the best day trips from Kuala Lumpur, with travel times, what to see and practical tips. All of them can be added to our Malaysia packages with a private car and driver.

Distance: about 25 km south of Kuala Lumpur, 30 to 45 minutes by road. Time needed: half a day.

Putrajaya is the planned administrative capital of Malaysia, built around a large man-made lake. Its highlights are the rose-pink Putra Mosque beside Putra Square, the green-domed Perdana Putra prime minister's office, the elegant bridges, and the steel Iron Mosque (Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin). A lake cruise by boat or a traditional perahu is a relaxing way to see the city. Non-Muslim visitors can enter the Putra Mosque outside prayer times, with robes provided at the entrance.

A Putrajaya tour combines well with the airport, since Putrajaya lies between Kuala Lumpur and KLIA, so it can be added on your arrival or departure day.

Distance: about 150 km south, around 2 hours by road. Time needed: a full day, or an overnight stay.

Malacca (Melaka) was a great trading port ruled in turn by the Malacca Sultanate, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British, and its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Melaka tour usually covers:

• Dutch Square: the red Stadthuys and Christ Church, Malaysia's most photographed square.
• St Paul's Hill and A Famosa: the ruined hilltop church and the surviving gate of the Portuguese fortress.
• Jonker Street: antiques, cafes and a famous night market on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.
• Melaka River cruise: a 45-minute boat ride past murals and old warehouses, beautiful after dark.
• Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple: one of the oldest Hindu temples in Malaysia, on Harmony Street.

A Malacca day trip from Kuala Lumpur is long but rewarding; stay overnight to enjoy the night market and river lights at a relaxed pace.

Distance: about 200 km north, around 3.5 hours by road. Time needed: best overnight.

Cameron Highlands is Malaysia's largest hill station, at 1,300 to 1,800 metres, with temperatures often between 15 and 25°C. Visit the rolling BOH tea plantations for tea and scones with a view, pick strawberries, walk through flower and cactus nurseries, explore the misty Mossy Forest boardwalk and browse the Kea Farm market.

Travelling to Cameron Highlands from Kuala Lumpur means a winding mountain road for the last hour, so carry motion-sickness tablets if needed. A day trip is possible but tiring; one night makes for a much better Cameron Highlands tour.

Distance: Batu Caves is 13 km north of the city; Genting is about an hour away. Time needed: a full day for both.

The most popular day trip of all, and included in every Malaysia package we offer: stop at Batu Caves for the golden Lord Murugan statue and the 272 rainbow steps, then ride the Awana SkyWay cable car to Genting Highlands for cool air, Chin Swee Temple, shopping and the SkyWorlds theme park. Read our Genting Highlands guide and Kuala Lumpur guide for details.

Distance: about 70 km north-west, around 1.5 hours. Time needed: an afternoon and evening.

Evening tours to Kuala Selangor combine Bukit Melawati hill with its silver leaf monkeys, a seafood or local dinner, and a quiet boat ride along the river to see thousands of fireflies twinkling in the mangroves. Fireflies are best on dark, dry nights. Nearby, the Sky Mirror is a sandbar that appears at low tide; when it is covered with a thin layer of water, it reflects the sky like a mirror. Trips run only on certain days of the month, depending on the tide.

Sunway Lagoon, about 30 minutes from the city, is a full day out with water slides, amusement rides, a wildlife park and Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon. In the evening, i-City Shah Alam, about 40 minutes away, glows with millions of LED lights in its City of Digital Lights, with rides and a snow attraction for children. Read our guide to Malaysia with kids.

• Start early to beat traffic and heat; KL's rush hours can add an hour to the journey.
• Use a private car for families and senior citizens; it is more comfortable and flexible than buses for Putrajaya, Malacca and Kuala Selangor.
• Dress modestly for mosques and temples in Putrajaya, Malacca and Batu Caves.
• Check days and timings: Jonker Street night market runs on weekend evenings, and the Sky Mirror depends on tides.
• Carry water, sunscreen and an umbrella; afternoon showers are common.

Our Kuala Lumpur tour package, Malaysia family tour package and Genting Highlands package already include a Kuala Lumpur city tour and the Genting and Batu Caves day. Add an extra night or two in Kuala Lumpur and we can arrange a private Putrajaya tour, a Malacca day trip, a Kuala Selangor fireflies evening or an overnight stay in Cameron Highlands. Our Malaysia itinerary guide shows how to fit them in.