Kids: Big Sister 10y1m, Twins 7y7m
Flights: Hong Kong - Kuala Lumpur - Amsterdam - Kuala Lumpur - Hong Kong on Malaysia Airlines
Booked through: Flights booked through Sunpac (needed the stopover and my husband on a different itinerary on partly the same flights) after researching online for the cheapest flights to go home to Europe for the summer while having a nice stop over on the way. This was my 4th visit to KL but the kids hadn't been yet.
Stopovers are a great and cheap way to see more of the world ... Istanbul, Dubai and this summer it was going to be Kuala Lumpur. My husband had decided to join us later so we could fly back together instead of spending 3 weeks home alone at the end. The result ... mommy was spending 4D/3N in Kuala Lumpur with the kids. Sounds like a bad and crazy idea? Not at all, looking back I can say it was super easy and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Of course it helps that the kids are very good travelers and have relatively easy personalities in general. But it's also all about having the right attitude, being flexible and prepared!
I booked the Shangri La in Kuala Lumpur, exactly 24 years after I was first there, as a teenager. Got a great deal, 3 nights pay 2 in a Horizon Club Room floor (it was less expensive than 3 nights in a regular room). I got a complimentary rollaway for big sister and the twins and I shared the king bed. Really couldn't beat the rate for a 5* hotel and the value for money was excellent. Great breakfast, complimentary afternoon snacks and evening drinks ... with kids, honestly, the best deal ever. It's number 1 for a reason in Tripadvisor.
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I wasn't going to drive myself crazy with sightseeing from 9 to 5 with three kids in tow. After all the kids were tired from a long school term and this was basically a relaxing stop before heading to Europe. At the airport, we booked an airport premium car transfer just after customs. Smooth, easy and safe. We spent the afternoon at the pool, ordering some satay, having snacks in the lounge and watching a movie in the king bed together which we borrowed from the club.
Next day we walked over to KLCC and the Petronas Towers and visited Petrosains, a very hands on science museum. It was super quiet, kids got lots of personal hands-on attention and we stayed for over 2 hours but could easily have stayed longer. They loved it. Cool, quiet and educational, and not too expensive (we got the family package). Yes, there is a lot about oil, a non-renewable energy source, but still interesting and lots of things to learn, see, touch and try. After our visit we had lunch in one of the mall restaurants, Chinoz on the Park. Nothing special but they had kids menu, could sit outside and the environment was relaxing. We spent most of the afternoon at the pool before having some evening drinks and heading to the Pavillion Mall by taxi and had dinner at the kids' favourite Din Tai Fung ... they're all over Asia and always well received!
Day 3 started with the Hop On Hop Off bus ... not one of my favourite things to do but I figured it would be good way for the kids to see Kuala Lumpur in a safe and easy mode of transport without having to walk for ages. The bus loop itself is too long (apparently 3-4 hours in total and lots of stops aren't very interesting), so you kind of have to plan ahead. We stopped at Chinatown (Petaling Street) for a little bit, then headed to the National Parliament for some pictures (it stopped there for 5 minutes), visited the KL City Gallery (lots of fun for 30 minutes) and looked around Merdeka Square area. We got off at KLCC and had a drink at the Skybar on top of the Traders Hotel with an excellent view of the Petronas Towers. Obviously the kids spotted the play and water area in the KLCC park so they had a little splash on our way back ... one of the twins literally slipped one second after taking her shoes off so she was soaked all the way back! After our usual afternoon ritual ... snacks, pool, shower and a drink ... we headed to Bijan restaurant for a Malaysian dinner. Unfortunately they had buffet style only (not my thing) due to Ramadan, but with lots of grilled fish, satay and banana fritters the kids hit the jackpot! Would still recommend it, albeit a little touristy (quite a few Chinese taking pictures of every single food item available).
Our last (long) day started at the Bird Park which was the number one priority for one of the twins. Even though I believed the place needed a huge overhaul, the kids thought it was great, especially the picture opportunity with the birds. The place just looked run down, the educational center was pathetic, but luckily we were early so it was quiet and enjoyable. But to be totally honest, I thought it was too expensive for what it was, but again, the kids had a good time and it was fairly educational. We headed back to KL Sentral with a taxi and then hopped onto the monorail which was high on the other twin's list. However, it must have been, literally, one of the least efficient public transport system I have ever experienced in a developed country. Stations were out of order, super slow, long waits between trains ... a taxi would have been cheaper and about five times faster. The girls and I weren't too pleased but it was his big wish from the minute he saw the rail from our hotel room so we had a go ... but won't be doing it again, he can just tick it off his list!
After some quiet and packing time, we headed to the pool for the last time. Thank god the hotel allowed us a complimentary late check out at 6 pm, so we hung around in the club afterwards, had some dinner at the hotel and headed to KL Sentral to catch the KLIA Ekspres for our midnight flight, just 28 minutes. A taxi would have been about the same in terms of money with the 4 of us, but it bought is some time, kept them awake and they thought it was exciting to try a different "Airport Express". It's very convenient especially when you're checked in at KL Sentral and you don't have much to carry or do anymore. Free wifi as well. As always the kids did great on the 12 hour flight, it was smooth, on time and we hit Dutch soil at 6.30 am local time and they had a decent amount of sleep (about 7 hours).
Kuala Lumpur alone with 3 kids? Definitely doable. Safe? Yes, I'd think so. I haven't felt unsafe at all. I made sure I left most of my money and bank cards in the hotel safe as I heard about bag snatchers, especially on motor cycles. I just used a back pack during the day which had everything we needed in one place. Was careful when using my credit card (and mostly used the one with a pin code except to pay the hotel), and I only got them out when I was able to keep an eye on my cards as my card was copied 14 years ago and thousands of Dutch guilders had been taken out of my account about 6 months after returning from Penang. Úsed metered taxis in the (early) evening and stayed in the popular areas ... KL might be less safe than Hong Kong but it's still safer than many European and American cities. And as always common sense is the most important.
There are plenty more things to see in Kuala Lumpur with children ... or even slightly outside the city like the Batu Caves and Melakka, so you could easily spend a short week there without running out of things to do.
I've reviewed the hotel, the attractions and Bijan restaurant on Tripadvisor as well, so go to My Tripadvisor to read my contributions for more details.
