Malaysia

The Detour That Stole Our Hearts

Malaysia wasn't supposed to be part of our trip. But when conflict in the Middle East disrupted our flights home from India, we suddenly found ourselves with an unexpected opportunity to extend our travels.

Was I upset about having to spend another week exploring the world?

Not even a little.

Obviously, the circumstances behind the disruption were terrible, but as far as our own travel plans were concerned, I was perfectly happy to stay on the road a little longer.

After extending our time in India to explore Kerala, we eventually found a route home through Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia had been on our radar for years, and suddenly we had the perfect excuse to visit!

We arrived early in the morning, and I'd booked our hotel room for the previous night so we could check in immediately. No waiting around for an early check-in. We went straight to our room at the beautiful EQ Kuala Lumpur, admired our view of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, and enjoyed a lavish international breakfast buffet before heading out to explore.

We spent the day wandering through the city and KLCC Park, where we took the obligatory photos in front of those magnificent towers.

That evening, we snagged front-row seats at SKY51, EQ's spectacular rooftop bar. With cocktails in hand, we watched the sun set over Kuala Lumpur and the city lights begin to sparkle, with the Petronas Towers putting on a particularly spectacular show.

And then, naturally, we went looking for food.

On our way to Jalan Alor Night Market, we spotted shops selling kunafa, that heavenly Middle Eastern dessert made with crispy pastry, melted cheese, and sweet syrup. We'd first fallen in love with it in Egypt and happily rediscovered it in Istanbul. Apparently, Kuala Lumpur was determined to keep the tradition going.

Who were we to argue?

We wandered through the lively night market, sampled street food, browsed the shops, and even found a tailor and laundromat for Vuong. Because apparently, no matter how far from home we travel, there's always some laundry to deal with.

I had just one night in Kuala Lumpur before flying home, while Vuong stayed a little longer. But that brief visit was enough to make quite an impression.

We loved the energy, the incredible food, the mix of cultures, the modern conveniences, and the surprisingly affordable luxury. In fact, we've even talked about Malaysia as a possible place to retire someday.

Not bad for a country we hadn't planned to visit!

We'll definitely be back. And next time, we're staying longer.

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