48 (AWESOME!) HOURS IN KUALA LUMPUR
My first time in Kuala Lumpur, and most certainly not my last!
There's just something about visiting a new country or city that gets me excited. It's the unknown, about feeling anonymous and about immersing yourself in something you have never had the opportunity to do before. Kuala Lumpur has been high on my visit list for the last few years, so naturally I jumped at the opportunity to head over there and spend some time discovering a new place! Even if it was just for 48 hours, I feel like I got to do everything I wanted and more.
Stay in the hustle and bustle ... without feeling like you're in the hustle and bustle
I mentioned it in my Singapore post, but when I'm looking for destination accommodation, I look for two things. Firstly, a central location close to everything I want to see and do, and secondly, substantial amenities that make my stay more than just a hotel room. It doesn't have to be fancy, but something to provide some dimension to my stay is what I'm after!
While in Kuala Lumpur, I had the absolute pleasure of staying at Oasia Suites - the most perfect location where I found myself either walking to where I needed to go, or being less than a 15 minute drive away. My highlights of the Oasia Suites were:
The size and amount of amenities in the room: For someone who finds it impossible to travel light (haha, oops!), the room size at Oasia Suites was amazing! A lounge room, kitchen, dining, bedroom and big bathroom were just what I needed (and more!). Lots of room for me to spread out, get comfortable, and not have to be crammed into one room. Also note the shower with a view ... it seriously can't get any better than that!
The Executive Lounge: Situated next to the rooftop pool, the Oasia Suites Executive Lounge has couches, coffee machines, an incredible view - everything you need for little time out in a luxurious space.
The Restaurant: On my arrival to Oasia Suites, I was welcomed with dinner and to my delight, a delicious drink in a coconut!. I had the best salad of my life, and the breakfasts every morning were pretty on point too, with the ability to order basically anything at your request. When you love your food and especially Asian cuisine, that's a pretty big deal!
Location: As mentioned, the location of Oasia Suites is second to none! I pretty much walked to everywhere I needed to be in the 48 hours and took in some beautiful tropical views, as well as "the real" KL and incredibly vibrant streets of bars and restaurants that were still cranking past midnight.
Visit the Petronas Towers!
I'm not usually one to fall in love with a man-made structure, but boy are the Petronas Towers beautiful! I'm talking jaw dropping, incredible, stunning, next level amazing - probably the most beautiful building I've ever laid my eyes on! No photos do it justice, so I'll just leave you with those descriptive words and urge you to go visit them for yourself. Ahhhhmazing!
While the Petronas Towers are two side-by-side towers (the biggest twin towers in the world!), a third tower also exists with a bar called Marini's on 57. We were lucky enough to get a window seat and let me tell you, sipping on delicious (and not even over priced!) cocktails while taking in the view of the sparkling Petronas Towers aint all that shabby!
TAKE IN THE VIEW FROM KL TOWER
While we are discussing tall buildings, I have to give a little plug to the KL Towers (yes, another one!) and the uninterrupted, 360 degree view of Kuala Lumpur that it gives when you get to the very top! Even better, the KL tower is a stone's through (literally!) from the Oasia Suites. There is nothing more breathtaking and incredible than looking over the top of an entire city, taking in every part of it (the diversification in KL is amazing!), and admiring it's beauty. One of my favourite moments during my time in Kuala Lumpur and something I won't be forgetting any time soon.
RELAX TO THE MAX
There is an abundance of 'cool stuff' (for lack of a better word, hehe!) to do in Kuala Lumpur that I tried to pack as much as I could into my 48 hours there!
In an attempt to truly relax, I visited the Kuala Lumpur Forest Eco Park, the most beautiful tropical rainforest in the heart of the City (and only a 5-minute walk from the Oasia Suites!). There's no better feeling than getting lost in the trees while seeing buildings in the not-too far distance. You could easily wander through the spiral staircases, bridges, bush trails and forest tracks for hours. Paradise, well and truly found!
As I mentioned in my Singapore post, I'm finding it increasingly important to ensure I am taking the time to relax, refresh and recharge while on holiday! To my delight, I found that Oasia Suites offered pilates by the rooftop pool each day, something that I got on board with and thoroughly enjoyed! What is it with enjoying exercise while high up in the sky that gets me excited?! Also embracing the 'heathly' lifestyle part of my stay was the restaurant at Oasia Suites - you always feel better indulging when it's good for you - right?!
EAT LIKE A LOCAL!
Immersing myself in the food culture of any country is one of my favourite parts of a holiday, especially when I'm in Asia - they certainly know how to do the most delicious food! My favourite meal while I was in Kuala Lumpur (actually, my favourite meal I've had all year!) was at Organica Lifestyle Cafe in Bangsar! 100% organic and 150% delicious! I haven't had anything like it, and to know it was good for me too makes it even better (they also have Australian coffee - score!). Complete with an in-house Yoga studio, the most Instagrammable pink stools and the cutest dog ever - I was completely won over by this place and so glad we found it!
No trip to Kuala Lumpur can be complete without also visiting the Central Market foodcourt for a taste of the cuisine as real as it gets! Hidden amongst the market stalls (so many hidden gems!) is Gyuniku Signature - a wooden furnished, exposed brick 'hole in the wall' restaurant that looked to be family run, producing the most delicious and authentic food. I even tried some Asian dessert which I can't personally recommend but I wish I liked those types of desserts! The main meals, however, were so delicious. Definitely stop by!
LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY
It's been a while between musicals for me, but every time I go along to one I'm reminded about how great they are! MUD The Musical, showing every day in Kuala Lumpur's oldest theatre, is an awesome display of musical history about Kuala Lumpur and how it became the capital of Malaysia. So much to learn and all done in a fun way - yes please!
Thank you to Far East Hospitality and Oasia Suites Kuala Lumpur for having me and giving me the opportunity to explore (and fall in love with!) the incredible Kuala Lumpur!
Ashleigh x