Find yourself in Malaysia? Looking to amp your Instagram feed while you’re at it? Chances are you answered yes to both the questions. Kuala Lumpur is a beautiful city, surrounded by plentiful trees amongst the concrete skyscrapers, giving you a wonderful combination of both nature and business. Work life is relatively fast paced in this developing city, but incomparable to developed cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong. Restaurants, cafes, clubs and bars line the night scene once the sun goes down with the brilliant lights on the KLCC and KL tower shining on throughout the night.
As a young explorer myself, I find tumbling into instagrammable spots around the city rather uncommon and prior research is needed to find the best spots to snap a photo for your online admirers, or maybe just for your own private collection of memories. Even so, I’m happy to list down my personal suggestions for the top instagrammable spots around Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1. Petaling Street, KL Chinatown
Having stayed in Kuala Lumpur for over 4 years while completing my college and university years, I had the opportunity to roam around KL, searching for beautiful and glorious landscapes for my aesthetic fix, especially during after-work hours, when I can expect less people to be at these ‘touristy’ venues. As a traveller that enjoys the peace and serenity in discovering hidden gems without having to brush shoulders with another thousand visitors, I can definitely attest to this.
I would personally recommend visiting Petaling Street around 5pm – 8pm when the dark sky compliments the neon light signs of shops and restaurants in this area. There’s just something uniquely pleasing when I catch the neon signs and the street vendors, let me tell you, they look so good on camera. If you are the type that can handle the loud sounds, dirty alleys and crowded walkways through KL Chinatown, then you should be able to handle this like a PRO. Make sure to increase the brightness while taking night shots to capture the unique charm of Petaling Street.
Pro tip: While you’re busy snapping your pictures, shop till you drop as street vendors sell a vast collection of Prada, Gucci, Versace and Chanel bags, assorted bags and belts, ties and other non-perishable items. Albeit not original and fake, it is by far cheap and good to be used for a few months. (Plus, no one will be able to tell the difference!) If you fancy Soy Milk, there’s a Soya Bean Vendor located in the middle of KL Chinatown which I personally recommend going to. Nothing like a refreshing cup of soy milk after some adventure!
Watch out for: Pickpockets and thieves are all too common here. So beware of your valuable items and keep your bags close to you at all times.
2. Putra Mosque, Putrajaya, KL
Whenever you find yourself in Putrajaya, a visit to the pink-domed mosque named after the first prime minister of Malaysia, Tungku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj is a definite must. The stunningly exquisite architecture combines the best of both Middle Eastern and traditional Malay influences in the building of the mosque. Non-Muslim visitors are more than welcomed to enter the mosque to the main prayer hall with zero admission charge. Guests have to be properly dressed (skin to be covered respectfully) and women on menstruation are not allowed to enter the main prayer hall. Guests are given prayer robes and shoes have to be removed upon entering the mosque. To get to this area, I would recommend driving by yourself or hailing a Grab Car as it is quite a distance from the main city centre of Kuala Lumpur. Taxis would be aplenty at the location but watch out for overpriced fares.
Pro Tip: It is worth it to check out this pink-domed mosque because it is simply too exquisite to be left out. If you are a non-Muslim looking to enhance your knowledge about Islam and its wonders, I personally would recommend a long visit to this mosque. There is also a food court before the mosque, so fill up your tummy and prepare to be amazed when you enter the mosque!
Watch out for: Again, this tourist attraction is a magnet for pickpockets as the area surrounding the mosque is crowded and you can see tourists from all over the world enjoying the scenery, taking gorgeous pictures of their own and busy licking their ice-creams.
3. Moroccan Pavilion, Putrajaya, KL
Not able to visit Morocco? Fret not. Located in close proximity to the pink-domed mosque lies the Moroccan Pavilion in Putrajaya. This spot is one of my favourites by far, simply because the beauty of the architecture captures the very essence of Moroccan heritage and lifestyle. Trust me, it’s totally worth the time. Plus, your Instagram feed won’t be the same again! It’s not a rare sight to witness wedding photoshoots take place here, I’ve even seen a wedding proposal here once and suffice to say, I left the spot with the same giddy look as the happy bride-to-be!
Pro Tip: Charge your cameras and click away! I would recommend taking close shots of the details on the Moroccan tiles. The pavilion is not as large as the pink-domed mosque but definitely as beautiful. There are Moorish influences in every place of this pavilion, whether it be the doors, the fountain, the walkway or the tiles on which you walk on.
Watch out for: Do be careful and pay attention to where you’re walking because you’re almost walking on water as you continue your path through the Moroccan establishment. Bring along your water bottle and a small towel to beat the heat, lose the sweat and stay stunning for your photos!
Conclusion
There is beauty everywhere, but you must be willing to search for it. I live by this rule all the time, not just to get beautiful Instagrammable shots, but to make life enjoyable, pleasurable and meaningful as well. Inspirations can come from anywhere, and it’s worthwhile to spend our lives finding the beauty in everything and everyone.