Here's the thing: MotoGP in Malaysia is an absolute flagship event, spanning four decades of racing across circuits like Shah Alam and Sepang. With more than 30 million having visited already in 2026, the country's capital Kuala Lumpur offers a wildly striking skyline that blends modern architecture with old town vibes. If you are heading out for the grand prix, there is an entire world to explore beyond the paddock.
You simply cannot start anywhere else than Kuala Lumpur, home to the Petronas Twin Towers. Standing at an intimidating 451.9m tall each with 88 floors, these engineering feats were envisioned by Argentine-American architect Cesar Pelli and completed in 1998, just one year before Sepang became the permanent Malaysian home. A high-end shopping centre sits directly beneath them, and the world's highest double decker skybridge links them on floors 41 and 42. Heading up to the 86th floor observation deck gives a strange view where you miss the towers entirely, instead revealing a constantly changing south east Asian skyline dominated by the 421m tall Menara Tower from 1996 and the massive Merdeka 118.
Completed in 2023 and opened in 2024, Merdeka 118 stands at an astonishing 678.9m tall, making it second only to Dubai's Burj Khalifa. It sits right behind Chinatown and Bukit Bintang's vibrant nightlife, housing residences, observation decks, offices, and a hotel. While the rooftops offer high society vibes like Marini's on 57 and Helipad KL—an old helicopter landing pad turned into an open-air bar at 152m high—the honest grit of the streets is where the capital truly comes alive.
Down on the surface, Jalan Alor serves as the most famous street food zone filled with delicacies from Malaysia and wider south east Asia. Petaling Street anchors Chinatown with shops and restaurants galore, while Jalan Sultan boasts old, new, and restored buildings where you could easily eat every meal of the day. Other district highlights include the street art of Pasar Karat and the food and night market at Kasturi Walk. Once you have eaten your fill, you can walk between the Sree Veera Hanuman Temple and Sri Kandaswamy Temple, or travel 30 minutes back towards Brickfields "Little India" and KL Sentral train station to visit the stunning Thean Hou Temple. Of course, a short ride out of downtown KL brings you to the Batu Caves, which are absolutely spectacular—just watch out for the monkeys.
If you want to venture further out for more Malaysian treats, Malacca offers an incredible Chinatown, ancient temples, and the Sungai Melaka River in one of the country's most colourful and soulful cities. Heading north leads you to the lushness of Ipoh or Penang, celebrated by many as the street food capital of the world, where you can take in the colonial architecture of Georgetown. For wildlife and island escapes, Borneo offers orangutan spotting, while Langkawi Island in the north provides an original island paradise without the party-centric crowds found in places like Thailand's Koh Phangan and Indonesia's Bali.
Truth be told, no time in Malaysia is truly enough. True to its slogan as Truly Asia, the country remains one of planet Earth's gems, offering an unforgettable gateway for anyone making the trip for the grand prix at Sepang.
