Cheap flights to Kuala Lumpur are available from Sydney and the Gold Coast flying AirAsia. Malaysia Airlines offers cheap flights directly into Kuala Lumpur from Brisbane. Departures from Darwin include a connecting flight in Singapore on SilkAir. Flights exiting Perth have a flight time of 5 hours and 30 minutes. Cheap flight options from Melbourne are available on Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia. For departures from other cities, including Adelaide, it may be preferable to book a domestic flight to one of the above departure points. Kuala Lumpur has 2 main airports and the international terminal is approximately 50km from the city. Approach an Airport Limo counter to purchase a taxi voucher just before exiting the terminal. These are reasonably priced and in the absence of this, you may experience severely inflated prices. Bus services operated by Skybus run directly into KL Sentral and this is the most economical option. The KLIA Ekspres train service is the most convenient ground transport option. Departing the airport terminal every 15 minutes, the train takes less than half an hour to KL Sentral.

Navigating the chaos of Kuala Lumpur can be challenging, amplified by the humidity so plan ahead and stay hydrated. Rapid KL provide extensive inner city travel with buses that have five major stops including KL Sentral and KLCC (the convention centre stop). The Light Rail Transit System (LRT) has two lines and the KL Monorail has just 11 stations. These are the main transport services, each with a differing ticketing system but easy to familiarise. Taxis are a cheap option despite the congested traffic and may be a welcomed rest from the bustling streets and crowded public transport.

Get your SkyBridge walk at the Petronas Twin Towers done early on so you can concentrate on seeing the rest of Kuala Lumpur! Visit the Bang Negara Money Museum and the peculiar Police Museum. There are beautiful collections at the Asian Art Museum and Islamic Arts Museum and both are worth a wander. Enjoy the interactive displays at Petrosains Science Discovery Centre or picnic in the tropical rainforest setting of the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve in the middle of the city. Hike to the seven waterfalls of Hutan Lipur Kanching for a cheap afternoon adventure just outside the neon and concrete KL chaos. Explore the giant aviary at the Bird Park or the underwater residents of Aquaria at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Berjaya Time Square Theme Park is an indoor amusement park or you can visit the 5 parks that make up Sunway Lagoon, including spooky Scream Park. Spectacular Chinese architecture endears many to the Thean Hou Temple as does the charm of Sri Mahamariamman. Complete your Malaysian adventure with a visit to the limestone magic of the Batu Caves. This Hindu shrine is worth every minute and all the sweat of the 272 step climb.

One Utama Shopping Mall has over 650 shops and is representative of the retail calibre of Malaysia. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is huge and has a lovely row of exclusive boutique street-style shopping. High-end couture can be found at Suria KLCC which occupies a number of floors at the bottom of Petronas Twin Towers and the Mid Valley Megamall is a great, less centralized mall. Haggle at the Central Market, Jalan Petaling Market and Chow Kit Market. Ask around for night markets on any day of your stay and incorporate a visit to both the Lorong Tuanka Abdul Rahman night market and KL Downtown Night Market. Sample the tasting menu at Cilantro, pistachio and white chocolate cheesecake at Frangipani and the spare rib goulash at Amadeus Bistro & Wine Bar. Try the fried signature dish at Dancing Fish and finish with lychee gelato. Follow the locals for the best cheap meals and try Yong Tau Foo (a stuffed, fried and boiled dumpling/vegetable dish in soup) at Foong Foong. Party hard at Zouk, Mist Club and The Butter Factory. The relaxed atmosphere at Sultan Lounge is matched at perfect wine sipping spot Hakka Republic. Choose View Rooftop Bar for the best rooftop cocktails and Marini’s on 57 or No Black Tie for a cool evening of jazz.