13.- 20. October 2025

.. And so we went for one week in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. It wasn’t planned at all. The decision was made just three weeks before, after I had managed to make a small mess of our two-month visa application for Indonesia. Luckily, it turned out to be a gift. We all experienced it as an exciting detour, and everyone was open and curious about this new city.

Kuala Lumpur surprised us immediately. A large, modern metropolis, yet deeply shaped by its Muslim identity. Mosques, calls to prayer, and modest dress blended naturally with glass towers, shopping malls, and heavy traffic. It is a city of contrasts, huge in scale, intensely alive, and built around food.

Above the city

We were incredibly lucky with where we stayed, location vice. Our Airbnb was right next to the world-famous Petronas Twin Towers. We lived on the 33rd floor, with a truly spectacular view. From our windows, the city stretched out in every direction, glowing at night and wrapped in mist in the mornings. The apartment was spacious and comfortable with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a combined kitchen and living room.

But also, the very first thing we saw when we arrived, was a long list of everything that could be broken and what it would cost us to replace it. Not the most reassuring sight when traveling with two children. One of the more amusing points on the list was a fine if we brought durian into the apartment. After you have smelled a durian once, you might consider banning it too.

Living a little in hiding

We were also given strict instructions: never show our access card, never tell the guards where we lived, and never carry bags through the lobby. There were signs everywhere saying that Airbnb was forbidden in the building. If we were stopped and our key card was taken, we would be the ones fined, according to our host. That was enough to make me deeply uneasy.

I even sent a rather passive-aggressive message to the host saying I didn’t feel safe with the arrangement. Bjarne, on the other hand, remained calm and practical. He said it wasn’t our problem anyway.

Unfortunately, my nerves got the better of me. I stopped going out for my morning runs, something I had done every day in Bali. When I went out with the children, I rushed through the lobby, avoiding eye contact, trying not to attract attention. Once, Hannes fell and hurt his knee, and one of the guards came toward us. I pulled him up by his arm, crying and bleeding, and hurried away. Poor boy! I was simply too anxious.

Enough about that. Because apart from this, we had a truly wonderful time!!

When world politics came to our street

During the very week we were there, Kuala Lumpur was preparing for, and hosting, a major international event. Leaders from across the world were arriving in the city to attend the ASEAN Summit, one of Southeast Asia’s most important political meetings. Security was visibly increased, roads were sometimes closed, and convoys of official cars passed through the streets.

Among the many international figures expected was Donald Trump, together with several Asian and global leaders. There were constant motorcades around our building, and from our place on the 33rd floor we could watch them glide through the streets below.

A City of Light: Deepavali

That same week, the city was also celebrating Deepavali, the Hindu Festival of Lights. The large Indian community of Kuala Lumpur were all preparing for this celebration. We were often woken at night by fireworks, echoing between the tall buildings.

Shopping malls were beautifully decorated, and on the floors we saw the most delicate sand mandalas; colorful kolam patterns made by hand to welcome good fortune and light into the home. Deepavali celebrates the victory of light over darkness!

I forgot to take any photos!

About the food!

Kuala Lumpur turned out to be a gift from the gods of food too. We ate extraordinarily well everywhere: in shopping-mall food courts, in markets, in small local places we found by coincidence. The city is a meeting place of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cuisine, and the variety is endless.

Fragrant curries, roti canai, satay, laksa, dim sum, delicate noodle soups. We even ate the best burger we have ever tasted, which says something about the level of cooking here. Some of the Chinese noodle soups were so good that the children fell completely silent while eating.

One of many hidden food courts. Down here we found the best noodle soup!

Facing the National Fruit

We did dare to taste durian. I actually liked it. The flavor is surprisingly good, considering the smell. Astrid could not keep it in her mouth, and Bjarne hated it. Hannes knew his limits and kept a four-meter distance, haha.

This did nothing to improve the reputation of that penetrating scent. Durian is, after all, Malaysia’s national fruit.

Rain, our view, and the streets

We explored the city on foot, walking between skyscrapers and older, more charming neighborhoods. In the evenings we watched beautiful fountain shows and illuminated buildings. We visited the best markets with vintage and art, libraries, and modern food halls. Places like Central Market, Bukit Bintang, and the cultural areas around KLCC became our daily routes. And some days it was just as lovely to stay at home and enjoy the view from our 33rd-floor “bird’s nest.”

It was monsoon season, and on some days the rain was truly heavy. It was thrilling to sit high above the city while the sky opened, with thunder and lightning and sheets of rain washing over the towers.

The monsoon rain made the whole city dark.

The Bird Park and the first monkey

One day we went to the large bird park in the city, the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. It was surprisingly expensive, but also beautifully maintained. We saw an incredible number of birds: hornbills with enormous beaks, flamingos, peacocks, and parrots in every color among thousands of other species. There were also a few other animals, so in the end we really did get value for the money.

It was here that we met our first macaque monkey.

We were certain the monkeys belonged to the park. Two of them were sitting together on a bridge. We walked past, and they let us pass, pausing to watch us calmly. When we had gone by, I turned around to look at them again. They were playing and fighting a little, probably siblings.

I was fascinated and wanted to come closer.

This time, it was absolutely not acceptable.

One of the monkeys bared its teeth and ran straight toward my legs. I ran back toward my family, with the monkey chasing me. These monkeys were wild, slipping through holes in the fences in search of food.

I learned the hard way that I had broken several golden rules for meeting macaques. Avoid eye contact. Keep your distance. Do not show your teeth. Do not walk straight toward them.

Luckily, it ended well. The monkey only wanted to chase me away and tell me that I was not allowed to do that.

Batu Caves and the Sacred Steps

We also took an excursion to Batu Caves, with its famous staircase leading up to the limestone caves, and to the neighboring Ramayana Cave, where a long story from Hindu mythology is told through statues, light, and music. It is such a strange, colorful, and exciting place.

Even though it rained, we climbed all 272 steps to the top. The stairs were full of monkeys, and I forced myself to ignore my fear. At the top, a fantastic view waited for us, and inside the cave a vast, echoing space opened above us, with temples and shafts of daylight falling through the ceiling.

—

We wandered through beautiful side streets and exciting neighborhoods full of street art, food, concerts, and small, stylish shops. This city has real character. It is complex, lively, and full of positive surprises.

Kuala Lumpur gave us food, storms, light, fear, laughter, and a city full of contrasts. It is a city we would love to return to, and a country we would love to explore more deeply. Malaysia already feels rich, in many ways.

A week in Kuala Lumpur