There’s a bunch of long weekends coming up, and if you’re fresh out of weekend getaway ideas, here’s one that doesn’t involve hopping on a plane or driving – we feel your petrol price pain. The new ETS train from JB to KL has one-way tickets starting from just RM84 (~S$27.04), so grab a mate and have a 3D2N KL trip to remember; we’ve even got your itinerary sorted.
The current exchange rate is RM1 = ~S$0.32 as of 26th March 2026.
The early bird catches the worm, as we all know, and it’s no different here. Whether you’re catching the train to JB Sentral, the bus, or walking across the Causeway, you’ll want to get a headstart since this is a long weekend we’re talking about.
If you get there in good time, grab yourself some breakfast, and maybe stock up on snacks and dapao for your impending journey.
Catch some shuteye on the 4.5h ride to KL Sentral, stream a show on your phone, or watch the undulating vistas of palm plantations as the ETS train gets you well on your way into your KL itinerary. Barring any delays, you should arrive by 1pm, rested and ready to go.
Less than 15 minutes away from KL Sentral is The Chow Kit, a Michelin Guide-listed boutique hotel with just 113 rooms, located in one of the city’s hippest neighbourhoods. Take a walk out for brunch at The Tapestry, or go local and have chilli pan mee at Kin Kin.
Whether you lunch in Chow Kit or head straight to IOI City Mall for your midday meal, it’s a good time to escape the heat and make your way to the biggest mall in Southeast Asia. Take your pick – you can go ice skating, strap yourself into Malaysia’s first indoor roller glider, bring the kids to an urban farm, bowl, or just clock in 10,000 walking around the mall.
You may choose to have dinner at the mall, but we recommend trippin’ back to the hotel for their signature dining experience, A Taste of Chow Kit. Priced at RM200 (~S$65.05) for 2, it’s a veritable feast of modern Malaysian dishes paired with nasi ulam – a labour-intensive dish of rice with chiffonaded fresh herbs.
It’s been a long day, so we understand if you would prefer to end your day after dinner. But if you’re asking us, your body will thank you for our proposed visit to Billion Onsen & Aesthetics, a 24-hour Japanese spa where you can buy a 12h Onsen Pass (RM180, ~S$57.94) which comes with free food and drinks and unlimited use of their 4 onsen pools. They’ve got massage slots up to 11.30pm too.
Honestly, we won’t judge if you opt to spend the night here instead of booking a room at the hotel.
If onsen and massages aren’t your jam, then maybe you’d like to visit The Library by BookXcess, the biggest 24h bookstore in SEA. Besides being unendingly IG-worthy, they stock more than 1 million titles, and have all sorts of reading nooks where you might spend your sleepless night.
Image credit: Michelle P
Living out your best weekend brunch dreams is entirely possible when you stay in the Chow Kit ‘hood. Sourdough specialist House of Wheat delivers both on the vibes and the food, with their cavern-themed interiors and a wide menu of both sweet and savoury cafe options.
You won’t go wrong with one of their Sanga (from RM23, ~S$7.39) options – there’s Turkey Ham & Cheese, Mentaiko Salmon & Avocado, and even a Thick Beef sandwich.
Following that, you’ll want to catch a ride to KKV Bukit Bintang, a Daiso-meets-Miniso kind of shopping haven that’s got everything you could think of, and then more. We’re quite positive you’ll wind up leaving KKV with more than you bargained for. With 4 floors of goods to tempt you here, it’s a good thing everything is quite affordably priced.
Trust us when we say that putting a time limit on your KKV outing is a necessary evil. Grab a quick lunch at Central i-City to fuel up before exploring i-City Theme Park. Every attraction here has its own ticketing counter, but you could purchase an All Day Happyness Pass (RM175, ~S$56.67) instead.
There are both indoor and outdoor attractions here – the Virtual Sports zone was one of our favourites, and SnoWalk Aurora grants you respite from the heat with its -5°C thermostat. Don’t worry, boots and jackets are provided. As dusk falls, there’s Race Karting, where you can unleash your inner speed demon, and Sky, a 20-storey high water slide.
Image credit: Michelle P
If you’ve hit all the key attractions at i-City ahead of time, go on back to the hotel to drop your bags and freshen up, before walking out to The Row for dinner. We highly recommend Olea, a Mediterranean restaurant that’ll make for a nice treat-yo’self dinner to end the trip with.
Plus, the prices are not what you’d expect, but in a good way.
For those of you adrenaline junkies who need to make every minute of your getaway count, Go Rock Pickleball has got your back. With operating hours until 1am daily and 5 themed courts, this air-conditioned facility has been designed around rock music, with each court inspired by a different rock style.
Unlike any other pickleball court we’ve seen before, they’ve also introduced gamified playing with interactive walls, dialing up the fun factor of this sport.
Sights at the historic Chow Kit Market.
Image adapted from: Michelle P
The internet can only tell you so much about the history of a place; there’s nothing like hearing it from someone who’s lived and breathed all those decades. With the The Chow Kit’s Foodie Tour (from RM160, ~S$52.04), which you can sign up for at the hotel, you’ll eat, drink, and walk your way into Chow Kit’s heritage with a local.
It’s the last afternoon of your 3-day KL itinerary, so take a chill pill and relax with some ramen or Japanese bites at Kiku Kissa, a hidden vinyl bar in Chow Kit. If you’ve time, pop into any of the independent boutiques at The Row, or visit the edgy NEO, where you’ll find clothes by local designers.
Give yourself some leeway and make sure you’re at KL Sentral at least 30 minutes before your departure time, and then it’s a 4.5h ride back to Johor Bahru.. If you prefer, there’s also another service departing at 5.35pm, which will get you to JB by approximately 9.55pm that night.
For those of you who are back in Johor for dinner, it’s your choice to have one last meal or shop before crossing back into the +65. Otherwise, barring any delays, you should be home and ready for the week ahead before 11pm.
Of course, this 3-day KL itinerary can be fully customised to suit yours and your travel buddies’ preferences. You might want to eat your way through KL, or spa your way into paradise, so take this as a framework for your own Kuala Lumpur trip.
For more M’sia content:
Photography by: Shannon Tan, Vivien del Valle
Blue painted road zones are there to signal that you’re entering an ERP-charging area.
3-day weekends let's go
Early birds can drop by as early as 9am, thanks to the library’s extended operating…
A huge fire broke out during Christmas in 1966.
Learn how to take care of your plushies here.
Do you hear the people sing?