Locally known as “Brickfields”, Little India in Kuala Lumpur is a vibrant area that you should consider visiting if you happen to find yourself in Malaysia’s major metropolis. Often overshadowed by the ever-impressive Petronas Twin Towers and Petaling Street in Chinatown, Little India is definitely the most kaleidoscopic region in all of Kuala Lumpur.
What most tourists don’t know about Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur is that it is probably the most convenient tourist attraction to visit in all of the city. Why, you might ask? Well it’s literally only a 5 minute walk away from KL Sentral – the central hub for public transport in Kuala Lumpur. Whether you are travelling via Monorail, LRT, MRT, or KTM Komuter, KL Sentral can be easily accessed. It is often a wise decision to book your room near KL Sentral to make navigating the city much more convenient. Regardless of where you stay once you get to KL Sentral simply ask one of the locals which door to exit to reach Brickfields (Little India). They may direct you through the adjacent mall called NU Sentral. This is the pathway I followed when I was sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur. You will immediately notice atmospheric lights along the road and colourful green and purple buildings.
During recent times, the KL Sentral area has been undergoing lots of new development with towering cranes filling up the skyline. This modernity creates a glaring contrast to the traditional feel of Little India. As I walked around Little India, I couldn’t help but notice the shimmering windows on world class hotels filling the background of my photos. This step back in time to street-side markets and hawker stalls was refreshing and quite rare to see in such a highly developed city like Kuala Lumpur.
I wouldn’t say that the tourist area in Little India is difficult to navigate on foot. Most of the shops and restaurants are on the main street. Therefore, don’t expect to be walking up large hills or long stretches to see the action. To the contrary, I highly recommend dropping in to one of the traditional Indian restaurants in Little India. This is undoubtedly one of the main highlights of visiting Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur. If you haven’t visited Malaysia before, then you should be excited to try some of the best food in all of South East Asia. Often considered a “bit spicy,” but “very flavourful”, the Indian cuisine in Little India is simply delicious. During my visit to Little India, I enjoyed a healthy serving of tandoori chicken and naan for lunch. I also recommend finishing your meal off with a warm cup of masala tea. You won’t be disappointed. Take your time to find the right restaurant that suits your budget and level of cleanliness.
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Many of the shops in Kuala Lumpur’s Little India focus on selling traditional Indian attire. Saris are an obvious favourite, but they also sell raw fabrics. Stores are not the only place that you will find traditional clothing in Little India. I noticed various locals neatly dressed in their traditional wear. I also spotted stores selling fresh produce and neatly arranged flower necklaces. I would recommend allocating an hour or two to wandering around the shops in the heart of Little India.
If you are lucky enough during your visit to Kuala Lumpur you might get the chance to take part in one of the festivals going on in Brickfields. Remember to bring your camera because these gatherings tend to be extremely colourful.
A great one day itinerary in Kuala Lumpur starts with a pleasant morning visit to Batu Caves followed by an afternoon visit to Little India. Then, finish it off with an exotic Indian dinner full of dishes that you have never even heard of! Now, that’s a solid travel experience that is all connected through KL Sentral.
I would recommend staying at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Hotel or Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur Hotel directly beside KL Sentral. This will avoid some of the “dated” hotels in Little India and it will make it much easier for you to access the Petronas Towers, Jalan Alor, and Petaling Street using public transit through KL Sentral.
Where did we stay in Kuala Lumpur?
Since we have visited KL so many times we have stayed all over the place. Here is a list of some of the places we have stayed with some additional information about each one. You can also ask us questions below if you want even more information prior to booking.
Pacific Regency Hotel Suites – probably one of the best-hotel room bargains we have seen over the years. Massive rooms for the price. Located within walking distance of the Petronas Towers and Bukit Bintang.
Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur – the rooms are smaller than the Regency, but their breakfast is better. Also well priced and ideally located. This is popular with people doing business downtown who don’t want to spend a fortune.
Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre Hotel and Residences Hotel – formerly the Prince, this hotel is nicely situated right across from Pavilion – one of the nicest malls in KL. It’s about 15 minutes to the Petronas Towers and 10 minutes to Bukit Bintang. Nice spacious rooms.
How to find the cheapest rooms in Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur can be a great city for excellent hotel bargains. I’m talking 3 star price of a 5 star room if you shop around well before your trip. Large booking sites like www.agoda.com, www.booking.com and www.hotelscombined.com tend to offer the best prices (with the largest selection). Hotelscombined is particularly effective at comparing the hotel prices listed on the world’s leading hotel sites. I have created links to their respective property lists for KL to save you some time:
Top Rated Properties in Kuala Lumpur
Based on Verified Guest Reviews
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| Star/Budget Range | Guest Rating: Hotel Provider 1 | Guest Rating: Hotel Provider 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agoda.com (Kuala Lumpur) | Booking.com (Kuala Lumpur) | ||
| 5 stars/Luxury | Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur – 9.1/10 | Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur – 9.2/10 | |
| 4stars/Comfort | The Journal Hotel Kuala Lumpur – 8.8/10) | Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral – 9.0/10 | |
| 3 stars/Mid-range | City Comfort Hotel Bukit Bintang – 8.6/10 | Flora by Crossroads Hotel – 8.3/10 | |
| 2 star/ Budget | 1000 Miles Hotel – 8.8/10 | B Lot Hotel – 8.6/10 | |
| 1 star/ Strict Budget | Backhome KL – 8.8/10 | The Explorers Guesthouse – 8.6/10 | |
| Compare all room prices in Kuala Lumpur using www.agoda.com | Compare All Room Prices in Kuala Lumpur using www.booking.com |
Criteria:
- Properties rated based on ‘overall’ review scores from each respective website’s verified guests.
- Minimum of 50 verified guest reviews required to be considered eligible for comparison.
- All star ratings and verified guest review scores are tallied at the time of writing, and therefore, are subject to change.
Alternatively, you can immediately compare room prices in KL using the search box below:
If you have any additional questions or comments about visiting Kuala Lumpur feel free to comment below. Safe travels!
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