Birthday Celebration Part 2: Malaysia Edition

After our extended layover in Abu Dhabi (read about my Birthday Celebration Part 1 here!), we finally flew to Malaysia and arrived at our Serviced Residence, The Manor, around 9pm. My family had already arrived the day before, so some of them were waiting to greet us at the reception area. Since Ton and I were checked in on a different floor from the rest of the family, navigating the elevators was a little confusing at first.

That said, the rooms were beautiful and spacious — perfect for settling in after a long trip. My family’s 3-bedroom unit was especially nice, since everyone could stay together in one apartment while still having their own rooms. It felt homey and made the reunion vibes even better. Here are a few photos I took of our one-bedroom:

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A Birthday Surprise

 

After dropping off our bags, we went straight to my family’s apartment — and surprise! They had decorated the place and lined the living room with gifts sent all the way from family and friends in Manila. It turned into a mini reunion + birthday party, complete with me opening gift after gift after gift. My heart (and luggage!) felt so full.

I wasn’t able to take a proper photo of everything before packing and unpacking them again in Saudi, but here’s a quick one-second video of the ones I managed to capture.

Here is also a soft copy of the magazine, my cousin (in-law) aka younger sister made me! 

On second thought, I did take photos of the gifts using the husband's phone but we mistakenly reset the phone before fully backing up the phone! hehe! 

And here's the aftermath photo of the living room with all the gifts and wrappers!

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Day 2: Petronas Towers & Night Market

The main highlight of the day was, of course, a photo at the iconic Petronas Towers — because well, it’s the Petronas! Before that, we had lunch at Kyoto Katsu in KLCC Mall, and absolutely loved it. My favorite takeaway? The iced tea cubes — frozen tea used as ice so your drink never waters down. Genius! I’ve been making it for Ton at home ever since.

After a bit of shopping at KLCC, we took our touristy shots outside the towers (Malaysia bucket list item) before heading to Mydin for pasalubong shopping. It’s a massive three-floor store — bulk chocolates and candies downstairs, electronics and clothes on the second floor, and a full grocery on the third. Pro tip: bring reusable bags! They don’t provide plastic bags, though you can buy a sturdy shopping bag (similar to the blue IKEA ones).

By evening, it was time to explore Jalan Alor Night Market. The food variety was amazing — definitely more about the experience than cheap eats, but worth it for the atmosphere.

 

We wrapped up the night with some pre-packing and family catch-up before bed.

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Day 3: Batu Caves & More Food Adventures

Next on the itinerary: Batu Caves — a must-visit attraction in Malaysia, and the best part is it’s free! The place was alive with pigeons fluttering around and cheeky monkeys climbing everywhere (especially if they saw food or drinks in your hands).

I knew my limits though, so instead of taking on the 272 steps (plus more inside!), I opted for a little window shopping at the stalls nearby and treated myself to some Indian food while waiting for the rest of the family. Huge kudos to my 4-year-old niece who went up and down those stairs like it was nothing!

We cooled off at Pavilion Mall afterward and had our very first Din Tai Fung meal. The star for me? The Salted Egg Shrimp — so good I had to ask around where to find the salted egg paste. (Discovered too late it’s sold in groceries, so I ended up hunting for it at the airport instead!)

Our mall stroll continued with stops at Pop Mart for blind boxes, a craft store, a bookshop, and finally KKV (where we all bought cute things we didn’t really need, but couldn’t resist).

Since it was our family’s last day together, we ended the night with delivery dinner at the hotel — everyone in matching family reunion shirts. Around 9pm, the airport pick-up arrived, and farewells were said. Thankfully, our family group chat keeps the daily connection alive, so goodbyes didn’t sting too much.

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Day 4: Me-Time & Malaysian Farewell

With the family gone, Ton and I enjoyed a slower day. We returned to KLCC Mall (round two at Kyoto Katsu because I forgot to take a Cricut Scrapbook Title photo at the Petronas. I designed this scrapbook title myself so forgetting is not an option! haha! If you want to recreate this design, it's available in my Cricut Design Space). Ton tried the wagyu, while I stuck with my favorite order.

Afterward, we treated ourselves to a massage — because, well… we’re old. Haha. Later that evening, Ton’s Uncle and Aunt picked us up for dinner at The Exchange TRX Mall, which was absolutely stunning. This time, we finally had authentic Malaysian food at G’Rai (after days of Japanese and Chinese dining).

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Heading Home

The next day, it was time to fly back to Saudi — where reality meant a clothes washing and ironing marathon, this time in prep for our next adventure.

Malaysia was short but so, so sweet. From family reunions and birthday surprises to iconic landmarks and delicious eats, it was the perfect continuation of my birthday celebration trip.