Putrajaya Things To Do - A Day Trip From Kuala Lumpur

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25 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur lies the city of Putrajaya. It was built as a planned city in 1995 because the then Prime Minister wanted to give the people of Malaysia their own administrative city. After all, Kuala Lumpur was founded by the British. Even if the city is not on many people’s radar, there are several Putrajaya sights to discover.

Highlights and Sights in Putrajaya

A trip to Putrajaya is an excellent option from Kuala Lumpur, as the city is connected to the KLIA Transit. The city is a great example of Islamic-Malaysian architecture and, in addition to some impressive buildings, also has many green spaces and parks for relaxation. What sights you can discover in Putrajaya, you will find out in this article.

Accommodation in Putrajaya – Our Hotel Tip

The Dorsett Putrajaya is located very centrally in the city. Surrounded by restaurants, minimarts and within walking distance of the Iron Mosque, it is a great base for exploring Putrajaya. The 5-star hotel often offers affordable rates despite first-class service. The rooms provide a view of the city and, of course, air conditioning, TV, safe, etc. are available.

You can find more hotels for an overnight stay in Putrajaya in this overview.

Putrajaya Sightseeing Tour

If you want to explore the Putrajaya sights on your own and not with an organized tour from Kuala Lumpur, taking a taxi is the best option. At the taxi counter you can book a Putrajaya sightseeing tour for currently 80 MYR. It does not matter whether you are alone or share the taxi (although you will, of course, save money).

The tour then lasts 2 hours and takes you to the Putrajaya sights mentioned further below. Our taxi driver was very friendly, spoke English and was able to tell us a lot about Putrajaya during the drive. So the tour was worth it.

Note: In the past, tours were offered directly from KL Sentral or from the bus station in Putrajaya (for 1 MYR). However, during our visit we were told that these are currently no longer running due to low demand.

1. Seri Wawasan Bridge

Completed in 2003, the Seri Wawasan Bridge is one of the main bridges in Putrajaya. It is a cable-stayed bridge that looks impressive even from a distance. From here you have a beautiful view of the surroundings and at night, when the bridge changes its colors, it is also very nice to look at.

From the Seri Wawasan Bridge, there is also a path leading down to the water. This is another great option to take a few photos with the Putra Mosque in the background. You will find a few visitors on the bridge, but down by the water you are usually alone.

By the way, like the other bridges in Putrajaya, the Seri Wawasan has a beautiful name, as Wawasan means something like vision or forward-looking.

2. Putra Mosque

Masjid Putra, or in English the Putra Mosque, is the main mosque of Putrajaya. It was built in 1997 and can accommodate 15,000 worshippers during prayer. Particularly impressive is the large pink granite dome and the 116-meter-tall minaret, which is one of the tallest in the area.

During a visit you can admire the elegant prayer hall supported by 12 columns and explore the courtyard. There is no entrance fee, but you should pay attention to appropriate clothing (i.e., no shorts or tank tops). However, it is not a big problem, because you can borrow robes free of charge at the entrance that cover you appropriately to explore the Putra Mosque. Definitely one of the must-see Putrajaya sights.

3. Putrajaya Sign

The Putrajaya sign is a popular photo spot, especially among locals, and is located on Putra Square directly opposite the Putra Mosque. This means you can easily combine it with the previous stop. In the background you can also see Perdana Putra, which is the office of the Malaysian prime minister (see next point).

4. Perdana Putra

Perdana Putra has been the office of the prime minister of Malaysia since 1999 and sits on a hill in Putrajaya, right on Putra Square. It has become one of the city’s landmarks and can even be visited on some organized tours.

5. Palace of Justice

The Palace of Justice is the federal court of Malaysia and also the final court of appeal. Before Putrajaya was built, the court was housed in the Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur. The building itself is truly impressive and definitely worth a photo stop on a trip to Putrajaya.

Inside there is also the Justice Museum Putrajaya, which shows and explains how the judicial system in Malaysia came into being, if you are interested. You can visit it free of charge from 09.00 AM to 05.00 PM and gain a great insight into the interior of the Palace of Justice.

6. Iron Mosque (Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque)

Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque, which is what the Iron Mosque is called in Malay, is a complete contrast to the Putra Mosque. Many mosques are built in a kind of oriental style, whereas the Iron Mosque looks very modern.

Opened in 2010, the mosque is made of 70% steel and even the windows have a steel mesh. Together with the water pools that surround the mosque, this serves as natural cooling. A very different kind of mosque and definitely worth a stop. You can visit it free of charge during the day, so it is no problem to include it on a Putrajaya sightseeing day trip.

7. Seri Gemilang Bridge

The 240-meter-long Seri Gemilang Bridge connects Heritage Square with the Putrajaya Convention Center (see next point). It is considered one of the most beautiful bridges in the city because of its oriental architecture, although each of Putrajaya’s bridges is unique.

By the way, Gemilang means something like magnificent and successful, as the bridges were essentially named after their style. So the Seri Gemilang Bridge is the magnificent bridge. From here you can also walk down to the water and take a stroll along the shore if you have some time left on your tour.

8. Putrajaya Convention Center

Since September 2003, Malaysia’s largest convention center has also been located in Putrajaya. From a distance, the building gives the impression of being a UFO. At least that is what many locals and tourists say. In reality, it represents a type of traditional sail that is known in the states of Terengganu and Kelantan.

Large events take place here every year and more than a hundred thousand delegates gather annually at the Putrajaya Convention Center, as there is space for around 10,000 people per event inside.

Even if you are not attending a conference, a brief visit in front of the entrance is still worthwhile, as you have a great view over Putrajaya from here, including the Seri Gemilang Bridge and the rest of the city.

Conclusion of the Putrajaya Tour

We personally found the half-day tour in Putrajaya very interesting. The city is completely different from Kuala Lumpur, very well maintained but admittedly also a bit lifeless. Nevertheless, Putrajaya has sights that make a visit worthwhile. It is essentially a planned city for the many government offices and, together with the neighboring city of Cyberjaya, simply a hotspot for work. If you have already seen a lot of Kuala Lumpur and are looking for a change of scenery, then you should definitely pay Putrajaya a visit.

Putrajaya: Tours and tickets

Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know Putrajaya in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for Putrajaya.

How to Get to Putrajaya

Putrajaya does not have its own airport, so you will need to fly via one of the two airports in Kuala Lumpur. You can best compare tickets, departure times and prices in an overview on Skyscanner.

From the airport it is then very easy to get to Putrajaya. The KL Transit, which runs from both KLIA and KLIA2 airports to the center of Kuala Lumpur, stops in Putrajaya along the way. But you can also use this train for a trip to Putrajaya not only from the airport, but also from downtown at the KL Sentral station.

Furthermore, you can travel from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya by bus from Chinatown or the Bandar Tasik Selatan (BTS) bus terminal, by taxi or on an organized tour. You can find more information about this on 12go.asia.

Have you visited Putrajaya? How did you like the city? Do you have any other tips for Putrajaya things to do?