Kuala Lumpur
We spent some wonderful days in Malaysia, enjoying the variety this underestimate country has to offer. Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas towers served as a symbol of progress, attracting investments and development. With 452m the tallest towers in the world, until being overtaken by Taipei’s Tower 101, they certainly still form an impressive landmark. In particular when lighted at night.
Many hotels offer a stunning view on KL’s skyline, such as the Traders, our favourite for its attractive value vs. price. Not the newest, Traders features a decent restaurant on 6th floor (try the Caesars salad), and free snacks on their Club floor offering splendid views on KL. Don’t miss to take a dip in the skyline pool, if you go there in the evening, then you may just stay for a drink or two enjoying some lounge music as the poolside is transformed into a relaxing lounge in the evenings. Other fine hotels include the Shangri La or the Mandarin Oriental.
Kuala Lumpur is definitely one of the easiest and relaxed cities in South East Asia. Use UBER or GRAB to get a ride, explore the Central Market or relax in the closely Parks, where our kids in particular enjoyed the beautiful butterfly park. And as you are there, don’t miss to have lunch at Ginger, the best Thai in town. And if you want to give your kids a treat, take them for an hour to the Berjaya Times Square Indoor Theme Park, or if you have a day to the Sunway Lagoon waterpark.
Langkawi
Langkawi offers spectacular beaches, in particular the long white sand proceeding the Four Seasons where we caught some dramatic stills. We stayed however in the brand-new St Regis opened in 2016, showcasing designs by Bill Bensley. By the way, Bill Bensley is by far our favourite hotel designer, see some of his stunning works here! The restaurant Kaya Puti showcases his distinct signature design. The restaurant’s terrasse is one of the best spots on the island to enjoy spectacular sunsets and enjoy a luscious drink.
We heard a lot of good things about the very recently opened Ritz Carlton, built on the rocky northern part of the island offering stunning views on the Strait of Malacca. Definitely adding this to our travel bucket list.
For Families
Langkawi though offers so much more than stunning hotels as there is plenty of things to do with families. Our young kids in particular enjoyed the Wildlife Park, where children get hands-on experience feeding birds, monkeys and most favourites petting little guinea pigs, rabbits and hedgehogs.
Another must do includes to spend some time at the Kilim Geoforest Park, where you can enjoy a tour through the lush Mangrove forest, not only enjoy stunning views of the scenery but also offboard to enjoy a stroll through a bat cave. Highlight for the seafood fanatics is definitely to catch your fresh lobster at the fish farm, just to then enjoy freshly prepared to your taste. Though don’t expect a gourmet experience beyond your seafood, the sides are pretty basic.
Find our full list of favourite places in Malaysia here
Some snaps from Kuala Lumpur here
Some impressions from family activities here