Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands and Batu Caves: A Guide for Indian Travellers

Adding Malaysia to a Singapore holiday is one of the best-value upgrades you can make. Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, is a 5 to 6 hour coach ride from Singapore, and it feels quite different: soaring towers next to colonial buildings, Hindu cave temples, cool hill resorts and some of Asia's best street food. Indian passport holders also currently enter Malaysia without a visa.

This guide covers the main sights included in our Singapore and Malaysia packages, the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower, Batu Caves and Genting Highlands, plus practical tips on visas, money, food and getting around.

The Petronas Twin Towers, 452 metres tall, were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004 and are still the tallest twin towers in the world. A visit takes you to the Skybridge linking the towers on the 41st and 42nd floors and up to the observation deck on level 86, with views across the city. Tickets are sold in timed slots and can sell out, so book ahead. Even without going up, the towers are spectacular from the KLCC Park fountains, especially at night, and the Suria KLCC mall at the base is a favourite for shopping.

On our Budget Escape and Quick Escape, Petronas Twin Towers admission is included; other packages include a photo stop on the city tour.

KL Tower (Menara Kuala Lumpur), 421 metres tall, stands on a forested hill in the city centre, so its observation deck is higher above the ground than the Petronas Towers' deck. The open-air Sky Deck and the glass-floored Sky Box give thrilling views, and the revolving restaurant is popular for dinner. KL Tower observation and Sky Deck access is included in our Singapore & Malaysia Family Adventure and KL, Genting, Sentosa & Universal Studios Getaway.

Just 13 kilometres north of the city, Batu Caves is one of the most important Hindu shrines outside India. A giant golden statue of Lord Murugan, about 43 metres tall, stands at the foot of 272 rainbow-coloured steps leading up to the Temple Cave, a vast limestone cavern with shrines inside. During Thaipusam, in January or February, hundreds of thousands of devotees gather here. Visit early in the morning to avoid heat and crowds, wear clothes that cover shoulders and knees (sarongs are available), and keep snacks out of sight of the cheeky macaque monkeys.

About an hour from Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands sits at around 1,800 metres in the Titiwangsa mountains, where temperatures are often 15 to 25°C, a welcome break from the heat. The Awana SkyWay cable car glides up over the rainforest, often through the clouds. At the top you will find Resorts World Genting with its hotels, malls, restaurants, the casino, the indoor SkyTropolis Funland and the outdoor Genting SkyWorlds theme park, which opened in 2022. On the way up, many tours stop at the Chin Swee Caves Temple or the strawberry farms.

A Genting day with a two-way cable car ride is included in most of our Singapore and Malaysia packages; the Budget Escape also includes the SkyWorlds theme park, and the Private Family Escape includes dinner. Carry a light jacket; it can be cool and misty.

• Merdeka (Independence) Square: where Malaysia's independence was declared in 1957, surrounded by the Moorish-style Sultan Abdul Samad Building.
• National Mosque (Masjid Negara): modern Islamic architecture; visitors are welcome outside prayer times, with robes provided.
• Bukit Bintang: the shopping and entertainment district, with Pavilion mall and the Jalan Alor food street.
• Little India (Brickfields): near KL Sentral, with Indian restaurants, sari shops and temples.
• Central Market and Petaling Street: handicrafts, souvenirs and bargains.

Indian passport holders currently enter Malaysia without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, under an exemption that has been extended to 31 December 2026. You must fill in the free Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online before arrival, and immigration may ask to see your return ticket and hotel booking. Rules can change, so we confirm the latest position for your travel dates. You still need a Singapore visa for the Singapore part of your trip; see our Singapore visa guide.

Indian travellers feel very much at home: Malaysia has a large Tamil community, and Indian food is everywhere, from banana-leaf rice in Brickfields to roti canai and teh tarik at 'mamak' stalls open late into the night. Vegetarian food is easy to find in Indian restaurants, and Genting has a wide choice of restaurants, including Indian. Street-food lovers should try Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang.

• Currency: Malaysian ringgit (MYR). Cards are widely accepted in malls and hotels; carry cash for stalls and temples.
• Getting around: Grab is cheap and reliable; the LRT, MRT and monorail cover the city centre.
• Plugs: three-pin UK-style sockets, as in Singapore.
• Dress: modest clothing for mosques and temples.
• Time: same as Singapore, 2.5 hours ahead of India.

The easiest way is by express coach between the two cities, about 5 to 6 hours including the border crossing; see our Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by bus guide. You can start in Singapore and fly home from Kuala Lumpur, or the other way round. Two nights in KL covers the city and Genting; three nights adds Batu Caves and KL Tower at a relaxed pace. All our options are on the Singapore Malaysia tour packages page.