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4-day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary – Malaysia Budget Travel Guide

Last Updated on June 2, 2025 by Roxanne Tamayo

Kuala Lumpur, the bustling capital of Malaysia, is a vibrant mix of modern skyscrapers, colonial architecture, diverse cultures, and incredible street food. Whether you’re a history buff, foodie, or adventure seeker, KL has something for everyone. This 4-day Kuala Lumpur travel guide will help you plan your itinerary with essential travel tips, budget breakdowns, and the best places to visit.

Best Things To Do in Kuala Lumpur and 4-Day KL Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival & Iconic Landmarks

Morning:

  • Petronas Twin Towers – Start your trip with the most famous landmark in KL. Visit the Skybridge and Observation Deck for breathtaking city views.
  • KLCC Park – Take a stroll and capture stunning pictures of the towers.
  • Aquaria KLCC book with Klook – A fantastic marine life experience for families and solo travelers alike.

Afternoon:

  • Menara KL Tower – Get another amazing city view from one of the tallest telecommunication towers in the world.
  • Bukit Bintang – KL’s shopping and entertainment district, perfect for retail therapy and street performances.

Evening:

  • Jalan Alor Night Market – A must-visit for street food lovers. Try satay, char kway teow, and durian ice cream.
  • Changkat Bukit Bintang – Experience KL’s nightlife with trendy bars and pubs.

Day 2: Cultural and Heritage Tour

Morning:

  • Batu Caves – One of Malaysia’s most sacred Hindu sites with its iconic golden Murugan statue.
  • Thean Hou Temple – A stunning Chinese temple known for its intricate architecture and beautiful city views.

Afternoon:

  • Merdeka Square & Sultan Abdul Samad Building – Discover Malaysia’s colonial history in the heart of KL.
  • Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia – A must-visit for art lovers and history enthusiasts.

Evening:

  • Little India (Brickfields) – Enjoy South Indian cuisine and experience KL’s Indian heritage.
  • Petaling Street (Chinatown) – Shop for souvenirs and enjoy local Chinese-Malay street food.

Day 3: Nature and Theme Parks

Morning:

  • Perdana Botanical Gardens – A lush green space with beautiful gardens and lakes.
  • KL Bird Park – Home to over 200 species of birds in an open-flight aviary.

Afternoon:

  • Sunway Lagoon Theme Park – Ideal for families and thrill-seekers, featuring water rides, amusement parks, and a wildlife park.

Evening:

Day 4: Day Trips from Kuala Lumpur

Genting Highlands

Malacca

  • A UNESCO World Heritage site, famous for Dutch colonial buildings and delicious Nyonya cuisine.

Putrajaya

  • Visit Malaysia’s administrative capital with its grand mosques and futuristic bridges.


Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur?


Travel Tips for Kuala Lumpur

  • Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
  • Best Time to Visit: March to October (dry season)
  • Transportation: Use Grab for taxis, MRT, LRT, and Monorail for public transport.
  • Local Etiquette: Dress modestly when visiting religious sites, and always remove shoes before entering temples.

Budget Breakdown

  • Accommodation: $30–$100 per night (budget to luxury hotels)
  • Food: $5–$20 per meal (street food to restaurants)
  • Attractions: $10–$50 (depending on entry fees and activities)
  • Transportation: $10–$20 per day (public transport & ride-hailing services)

My Personal Experience of my 4-Day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary

Let me show you my Malaysia 4 Days Itinerary, trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last September 21 to September 24, 2013. My FB friends want to know the total expenses for my first out-of-country trip. This is a gift to celebrate 4 years of blogging and online work. 🙂 

After a few months of receiving my passport last February 2013, I never thought I could go out of the country within a year. Thanks to Cebu Pacific for its PhP199 fare and to Metrodeal for the 3D/2N at Ibiz Hotel with City Tour & Transfers for P2999 plus 5 pesos single transaction fee online banking. For Metrodeal, the requirement is a minimum of 2 persons per room so I tagged along with a blogger friend. We added an extra night and paid for P1500.

bookings

Flights from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur

Our original flight should have been Cebu—Kuala Lumpur—Cebu, but suddenly, a week before our flight, Cebu Pacific emailed me about the changed schedule to CEB—MNL, MNL—KL and going back KL—MNL, MNL—CEB. Having a connecting flight is very tiresome. Refer to the image below to see the expenses I had at the airport.

airport expenses

A few days before the flight, I bought some dollars at East West Bank for $102 at an exchange rate of PhP44. Upon arrival, we changed it to Malaysian Ringgit. Refer to the image below to see the details.

pocket money

Tips and Tricks

If you would like to stick to spending your pocket money, then here’s a suggestion. Our transportation would only cost us MYR 14.4 for a 4D/3N stay because our hotel was just a walk from Titiwangsa Station. Our only means of transportation was a train/MRT/LRT going to additional itineraries on our list. The tour guide/driver only picked us up during the half-day tour and hotel and airport transfers, which were part of the package.

Based on other reviews that I’ve read, you can spend less than MYR 15 for lunch and dinner a day if you are good at spotting cheaper dishes. During the tour, our driver only spent MYR 3 for lunch. We had our complimentary breakfast at the hotel. We went to KFC and McDonald’s for lunch or dinner, which were quite expensive. If you could save a lot on your food, then you could spend a lot on shopping for souvenirs.

budget suggestion

However, I withdrew MYR 50 on the first night. The Money Exchange company was already closed late evening with a certain withdrawal fee. I spent excessive amounts of money on chocolates, coffee, and souvenirs at Beryl’s Chocolate, Jadi Batik, and Chinatown. Another withdrawal of MYR 50 with a withdrawal fee, then swiped and shopped ’til I dropped in Berjaya Time Square Mall. I also paid a baggage fee going home from Manila to Cebu. Visa Debit usage was in Philippine pesos when I checked my balance online.

misc fee

 Here are the detailed expenses for my trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I hope you will find this blog post helpful. 🙂

details

Here’s the Malaysia 4 Days Itinerary

DAY 1 
6:00 AMMEET UP AT CEBU SOUTH BUS TERMINAL
6:15 AMMCIA CHECK-IN
8:25 AMDEPARTURE TO MANILA
10:10 AMMANILA ARRIVAL
 TAKING BRUNCH AT BURGER KING
2:10 PMDEPARTURE TO MALAYSIA
4:55 PMMALAYSIA ARRIVAL in LCCT
5:55 PMMEET UP WITH OUR TOUR GUIDE/DRIVER GOING TO IBIZ HOTEL
7:00 PMIBIZ HOTEL ARRIVAL
BEYONDWALK-AROUND, LOOKING FOR ATM MACHINE AND DINNER
10:00 PMBACK TO HOTEL – SLEEP
  
DAY 2 
7:00 AMWAKE UP AND BREAKFAST
8:30 AMHALF-DAY CITY TOUR
 PETRONAS TOWERS
 THE KING’S PALACE
 NATIONAL MONUMENT
 BERYL’S CHOCOLATE KINGDOM
 MERDEKA SQUARE
 MONEY CHANGER
 LUNCH AT A BANGLADESHI RESTAURANT
12:45 PMBACK TO HOTEL
12:45 PM TO 5:00 PMREST AT THE HOTEL
5:30 PMTRAIN RIDE WITH CONNECTING RIDE GOING TO PETRONAS TOWERS PLUS DINNER
9:30 PMBACK TO HOTEL AND REST
  
DAY 3 
7:00 AMWAKE UP AND BREAKFAST
9:30 AMTRAIN RIDE WITH CONNECTING RIDES GOING TO BATU CAVES
12:45 PMBACK TO HOTEL PLUS LUNCH
1:00 PM TO 5:00 PMREST AT THE HOTEL
5:00 TO 9:00 PM OR BEYONDTRAIN RIDE GOING TO CHINA TOWN (SHOPPING A LITTLE)
 WALK GOING TO BUKIT BINTANG
 BERJAYA SQUARE MALL SHOPPING
9:30 PMBACK TO HOTEL AND SLEEP
  
DAY 4 
9:55 AMWAKE UP AND BREAKFAST
11:00 AMBACK TO OUR ROOM PREPARING OUR THINGS
12:00 NNCHECK-OUT
12:00 NN TO 4:30 PMSTAYING AT THE HOTEL LOBBY FOR WI-FI
4:30 PMPICK-UP GOING TO THE AIRPORT
5:55:00 PM TO 12:00 MNLCCT ARRIVAL
 STAND-BY AT THE AIRPORT WAITING FOR OUR FLIGHT AT 1:20 AM
 LATE DINNER AT 9:00 PM
  
DAY 5 
1:20 AMDEPARTURE BACK TO MANILA
4:55 AMMANILA ARRIVAL
7:10 AMDEPARTURE BACK TO CEBU
8:25 AMCEBU ARRIVAL

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32 Comments

  1. excessive spending on chocolates, coffee, Kuyawa ni ah, chocolates dyud gi pag tripan.
    You should post this in a series and in planned manner.
    Each location you visits should be in a table with individual post.

  2. Hi there. My friends and I will travel to Malaysia this coming November.. will we survive if we have 10k pocket money (for food, transpo and pasalubongs :-D) each?? This will be my first time to travel and still a newb for the must knows in planning a trip. Btw your blog is realy helpful. Cheers!

  3. I am going for Malaysia first time after my family trip with bus tours from san francisco. After reading your informative blog I am able to know about the tourism in Malaysia and got many answers of my questions especially visa question ^^

  4. Enjoyed your blog. Hope you come and visit Sabah, Malaysia Borneo. I enjoyed Cebu and Bohol very much and can’t wait for Manila next month!!

  5. Hi po…Newbie here… do you think 20k is enough to survive a 10 day stay at Singapore and Malaysia?.. 5 DAYS EACH.would appreciate a reply.

    1. Hi JP,

      Everytime I go out of the country, I always bring 20K at least. Cash for 20K and for emergency sa debit card ko.

      If I have to compare it with my 2nd Japan trip for 9 days, I spent like 16K. So I think ok lang sya.

  6. Hi Roxanne,

    I will be traveling in Malaysia by October. I will arrive there Oct 20 in the evening and go home by 25th 10 am. How much do I need if I will go there? Please give an estimate for food, transpo and pasalubong. I will travel alone 😀 Please send me an e-mail @ carey.stone@ymail.com

  7. Hi Roxanne,

    I will be having my first out of the country vacation in Malaysia. I will arrive in Malaysia on Nov. 19, 10:30am and will be depart from there on Nov.22, 10pm. Could you please help mo how much money will I be spending for food, transportation and souvenirs. I am a solo traveller. Kindly send me an email on redugerioaimeeroselle@yahoo.com. Thank you very much in advance.

  8. Hi roxanne!me and my mom will to malaysia on mar 20-24 our arrival from malaysia will be at mar 20 at 6pm and our departure will be at mar 24 at 6pm also, do you suggest if we can go to singapore with that schedule?

    1. Hi Lory Mae,

      In my personal opinion, for 4 days I don’t want to go to Singapore because there are several things I can visit in Malaysia. Some other people can visit Malaysia and Singapore in those 4 days. But me, NO. It’s too tiring. I’d rather get around Malaysia. Thanks.

      1. Hello po,
        First time ko kasi mag travel
        May nababasa kasi ako na na ooffload?
        Anu po ba dpat gawin pra di ma offload? Anu anu kailngan ko dalhin?

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