1) Petronas Towers

You can’t visit Kuala Lumpur without getting your picture taken in front of the iconic Petronas Towers. These massive, tapering towers of glass and steel are connected by the Skybridge at levels 41 and 42. Visitors to the towers can take in the city’s skyline from the bridge or at the observation deck 360 meters up; or simply visit the modern mall in the lower six stories of the building.

2) Be a Star Shopper along Bukit Bintang

Kuala Lumpur’s shopaholics congregate along Bukit Bintang, an avenue of shopping malls and boutiques in the center of the city. Budget hunters will love Sungei Wang Plaza, while Pavilion mall will suit those looking for luxury.

There’s also plenty of entertainment venues and places to eat and drink along this avenue, so it’s OK to shop hungry.

3) Get a Thrill on an Indoor Rollercoaster

Not sure what to do on a rainy day? Families traveling to the Malaysian capital can combine a shopping trip for the adults with an amusement park adventure for the kids at the Berjaya Times Square Mall. This complex featuring an indoor amusement park is just a short walk from Bukit Bintang.

And, if you don’t want to take a ride yourself, it’s always fun to watch other visitors whiz above you on the twisting roller coaster.

4) Visit the National Museum

Malaysia’s National Museum offers an accessible yet comprehensive view of the country’s diverse cultural history. The galleries’ permanent exhibits feature weapons, homewares and cultural artifacts from the Malay culture and that of other ethnic groups represented in the history of Malaysia.

This is near the Lake Gardens, and so a visit here could be easily combined with a trip to the Bird Park or Orchid Garden.

5) Stroll through the Orchid Gardens

Home to 800 species of orchids from Malaysia, this one-hectare section in Kuala Lumpur’s Lake Gardens complex offers a chance to marvel at nature’s unerring designs. After enjoying the orchids, the adjoining hibiscus garden next door is also worth a visit. Budget travelers take note: entrance to the garden is free on weekdays and only 1 RM on weekends.

Check out where to stay in KL here.

6) Pay Your Respects at Batu Caves

One of Kuala Lumpur’s star attractions is located out of the city proper, but shouldn’t be missed just on account of the commute. Batu Caves is a Hindu temple housed in natural limestone cave formations about 13 kilometers north of the capital. The caves were converted into the present impressive place of worship in the 1890s.

If you’re in Malaysia in January, the colorful festival of Thaipusam is held at Batu Caves and is a must-see.

7) Enjoy Food from the Subcontinent in Little India

Malaysia’s unique location near the Spice Islands and on the peninsula between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea has made it a natural point of congress between many different cultures. During the period of British Colonialism, many people from present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka immigrated to what is now Malaysia to work with the British Army or on British tea and rubber plantations.

In the present day, visit K.L’s Little India district in Brickfields, near the main railway station, to immerse yourself in the cultural heart of Malaysia’s thriving Indian population. Offering some of the best tastes of the Subcontinent, from thalis to dishes hot from the tandoor, it’s also a great place to find silks, jewelry and other imports.

8) Shop and People-Watch in Chinatown

Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, based in the streets and alleys around Petaling Street, features a pedestrianized shopping zone for all your souvenir needs, well-preserved colonial architecture, and an array of tantalizing restaurants. Malaysia’s population of Chinese ancestry has brought a myriad of tastes together from Asia’s largest country and—daring travelers whisper—perfected them here. Try local favorites by sampling the dim sum options, claypot rice, and Penang curry.

9) Make a Royal Stop at the Old Palace

Much is said about the Chinese and Indian influences on Kuala Lumpur’s districts, but don’t forget to pay homage to Malay culture as well. Malaysia is a monarchy, and a few rooms in one of the royal family’s palaces can be toured. Visit the Istana Negara at noon to see guards wearing traditional Malay ceremonial uniforms change their posts.

10) Flock to the Bird Park

Enjoy a quiet morning or afternoon with Malaysia’s feathered residents, at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, situated in the Lake Gardens. This family-friendly attraction is a huge aviary where 200 species of birds fly around freely and visitors can get up close to their favorite winged animals.

What are your favorite places to visit in Kuala Lumpur? Feel free to share them in the comments.

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Here are the Philippines’ 10 best, listed in no particular order.

1. Palawan

If there is one thing that anyone of limited vacation time should explore first in the country, it should be Palawan. Palawan is the Philippine’s last frontier, and as such, abundantly blessed by all imaginable attractions that a traveler could possibly wish for.

If you ever wonder if there is such a litter-free city in the midst of a jungle, all you need to do is set foot in Palawan’s capital, Puerto Princesa. White sand beaches are scattered in wanton abandon in this province, and so are karst limestone formations that rise out of emerald-turquoise waters yet unspoiled by commercial fishing and irreverence of the sea. Are you aching to get more action underwater? Drop anchor at Tubbataha Natural Reefs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. How about a subterranean (mis)adventure? Try the recently proclaimed member of the New7Wonders of Nature, Puerto Princesa Underground River. Do you want to shake hands – or maybe just observe up close – one of the earliest aborigines of the Filipino people? Then visit the vanishing Batak tribe on northeastern Palawan. The list of possibilities could go on. With Palawan comprising more than 1,700 islands, the list of attractions and activities might as well be endless.

2. Batanes

As the northernmost province of the Philippines (and the smallest too), Batanes has easily escaped the Filipinos’ imagination for wanderlust because they did not know there was Eden there! Batanes has only come to national attention when brave adventurers started coming back from these islands of far north and shared tales of rapture and longing at the sight of Batanes’ pristine and rugged landscapes, idyllic rolling pastures, nature-compatible architecture, and a distinct culture suggesting Austronesian and Taiwanese ancestry. Rising out the blue Pacific Ocean and China Sea, Batanes is more than postcard-worthy. The unspoilt natural beauty is more than just skin-deep: The Ivatans, as the people of this province are called, are famed for their culture of honesty, a rare value reflected in unmanned “Honesty Cafe” where shoppers can just come in, serve themselves or pick up needed merchandise, and leave their payments in a drop box.

3. Davao City

You haven’t seen the Philippines if you have only been exploring its capital city, Manila. Travel to the country’s south and you will see that (almost) crime-free urbanization, discipline and cleanliness can all coexist in one place in the very region reputed to be the political hotbed of the Philippines. That place is Davao City in Mindanao. It is the embodiment of a livable city, the gold standard (outside of Palawan’s Puerto Princesa) of how a city should be. Davao has three categories of adventure for the intrepid (and the faint of heart) traveler: wildlife, ‘mild life’ and colorful life.

Davao City is home to the Philippine’s highest peak, the almost-3,000-meters-above-sea-level Mt. Apo. It is also home to the rare Philippine Eagle, bred here in captivity. Being a city, Davao offers all the ‘mild life’ pleasures to tourists who may be used to creature comforts back home: night life is thumping yet safe, and shopping can be fun yet budget-friendly. Davao’s ‘colorful life’ can be summed up in its ‘Kadayawan’, a thanksgiving festival inspired by Davao’s ‘lumad’ (ethnic tribes living at the foot of Mt. Apo) when they give thanks to their deities after a bountiful harvest. Chavacano, Davao’s dialect, is a variant of the only Spanish-based Creole spoken in Southeast Asia.

4. Mountain Province

This landlocked province in Northern Luzon has long been a tourism favorite. It was the site of the original Filipino pride, the rice terraces, before they were eclipsed by Palawan’s subterranean river. There is more to Mountain Province though than meets the eyes: A traveler who looks closely enough might chance upon coffins hanging on mountainsides containing even the recently deceased. This rather unique burial practice is mostly found in Sagada where natural rock formations – above and below ground – abound.

5. Bohol

Bohol is the Philippine’s “chocolate” factory for its carefully scooped mounds of earth rising out of the plains by the thousands, known to everyone as the Chocolate Hills (because the green grass wither in the summer). It would have been less mesmerizing if there are only a dozen of them, but these perfect creations of natural phenomena spread out for miles and miles that you cannot believe the hills were an accident of nature. Beyond the hills, Bohol is also fringed with the requisite white sand beaches that easily rival Boracay’s. These beaches are rather touristy, so one can enjoy the comforts of civilization while enjoying the gifts of nature. For a romantic day trip, tourists can wine and dine at the Loboc River after they ‘play’ with the tarsiers.

6. Cebu

A destination of choice for investors (outside of Manila), Cebu attracts talented labor pool from all over the country and is well-equipped with the necessary infrastructure to keep pace with the demands of the foreign market. Culturally, Cebu has one of the most colorful religious festivities in the Philippines, being the first province that Magellan landed on when the Spanish arrived in 1521, an achievement of the Crown represented by Magellan’s Cross. It also doesn’t hurt that off the coast of Cebu lies some of the most delectable beaches in the country.

7. Vigan, Ilocos Sur

If there is one place in the Philippines where Spanish architecture remains intact and well-preserved on a citywide scale, it is in the city of Vigan in the province of Ilocos Sur. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vigan boasts of cobblestone streets that have been first laid down when the Spanish arrived in 16th century, and colonial houses complete with furniture from that era. Everywhere a visitor looks, he or she is transported to a world that is barely surviving in other parts of the country – all the more important to tick off Vigan on your bucket list.

8. Camarines Sur

Long before ‘CamSur’ came to Filipino attention as a tourist destination, Naga, its capital, is already famous as the home of the miraculous “Lady of Penafrancia.” Today, CamSur is better known for literally making waves in the surf- and wakeboarding arena. Caramoan Islands off the coast of CamSur came to media attention when “Survivor” chose it at its Philippine location. Even with this worldwide endorsement, Caramoan remains barely explored and retains an obvious natural charm that gives “getting lost in the wild” a new meaning.

9. Donsol, Sorsogon

All over the world, there are only a few places said to be highly concentrated with whale sharks. Donsol, Sorsogon, once a lethargic fishing community, rose to tourism prominence when pods of whale sharks or “butanding” were “discovered” off its shores in 1998. Locals have seen these whale sharks for over 100 years, but believed they could harm when approached. A chance encounter with a diver proved otherwise. Since then, Donsol has become a mecca for “butanding” watching and even interacting (although you would be well-advised to keep distance from these gentle giants of the deep for reasons of keeping them truly wild.)

10. Negros Occidental

Popular to Filipinos as the home of authentic chicken “inasal” (grilled chicken), Bacolod, Negros Occidental’s capital, entices visitors with more than just a generous helping of juicy “pechopak” (chicken breast and wing) and garlic rice. Home to the majestic – and active! – Mt. Kanlaon, Negros Occidental delights travelers of all colors and stripes with jaw-dropping views of the volcano’s summit, breathtaking vistas of the Sulu Sea from Sipalay to the south, and well-preserved Spanish-era mansions in Silay to the north. It also doesn’t hurt to come during the wildly bacchanalian MassKara Festival in mid-October, when the province’s full colors are showcased without reserve. More than the painted smiling faces of Bacolod, the true gem of Negros Occidental lies in its varied geography and natural wealth hidden in its jungles and excavated from its bosom. The real deal-maker however is its people – warm, welcoming and generous, even in the face of adversity.

Also, you can check out where to stay in the Philippines.

Photos by Benson Kua, tharty, Ed-meister, Bernard Gagnon, Qaalvin, georgeparrilla, benjieordonez, Shubert Ciencia and jeff pioquinto, sj

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