Putrajaya is the government hub of Malaysia and has a reputation for stunning architecture. Some tourists visiting KL will take a few days to explore this nearby planned city, while the locals scoff and ask why.
Putrajaya is unique in that it doesn’t quite feel like Kuala Lumpur. This city is relatively new and was meticulously planned from day one (ignoring the embarrassing broken monorail bridge). Everything in Putrajaya is so… organised, which is definitely not an adjective anyone would use to describe KL.
If you’re going to check out Putrajaya, prepare yourself for a more low-key visit. The good thing is that Putrajaya has a lot of free attractions, so you don’t have to plan or commit to anything. Here are my recommendations for the top things to see while in Putrajaya.
Putra Mosque
Admission Price: Free
Opening Hours: Daily, 6 am–10 pm | Visiting Hours: Saturday-Thursday: 9 am-12.30 pm, 2 pm-4 pm, 5:30 pm-6 pm, Friday: 3 pm-4 pm, 5:30 pm-6 pm
This salmon-coloured mosque is one of the most iconic landmarks of Putrajaya. Any photo of the city will include Putra Mosque. It is made of pink granite and gives the illusion that it’s floating on the river. The intricately designed dome is 50 meters in diameter.
Admission to Putra Mosque is free, and tourists should try to visit outside prayer times. Visitors will receive a complimentary robe to cover up with, and you must remove your shoes before entering the prayer hall. The area for tourists inside the mosque is at the edge of the room – the rest of the space is reserved for prayers. It would have been nice to go deeper towards the middle of the room, but we could still get good pictures of the dome from our allowed area. Once outside the prayer hall, tourists can freely roam the courtyard around the mosque.
Putrajaya Lake
Admission Price: Free | Opening Hours: 24 hours
This artificial lake is the centrepiece of the city. The bulk of the lake is southwest of the Seri Saujana Bridge. Two smaller rivers flow from it and surround the main island and the peninsula where Putra Mosque is. Some of the best times I had in Putrajaya were just strolling along the riverside and enjoying the view. There are boats that offer sightseeing cruises, but it’s supposedly crappy. Some reviews claimed it was a long wait before departing, as the boatman tried to fill the boat with tourists before getting underway. Cruise Tasik Putrajaya is one tour company charging RM30-50 (MyKad and foreigner price) for a 45-minute tour.
Putrajaya Steps
Admission Price: Free | Opening Hours: 24 hours
The Putrajaya Steps were built to commemorate Putrajaya’s 25th anniversary in its Silver Jubilee Celebration. This just looks like a staircase at street level. At the top, however, is Taman Putra Perdana with fountains, a monument to Putrajaya’s induction as Malaysia’s federal administrative centre, and a megalith (rock) park. There are 250 stairs to the top, and the steps supposedly light up at night.
Taman Botani Putrajaya
Admission Price: Free
Opening Hours: 9 am –12 pm & 2 pm – 5 pm every day except Tuesday, Closed on Tuesday
Putrajaya’s botanical garden is built on the riverside, next to Taman Putra Perdana. There are some random obelisks and artful wire structures, but to be honest, there are not many flowers or interesting flora here. This botanical garden is more of a manicured park with easy paved paths among the trees and the river. The Moroccan Pavilion is worth checking out if it’s open.
The park “closes” in the middle of the day, but tourists can still check out the Interpretive Centre. This is the main building next to the parking lot with a ticketing desk. No one is at the ticket desk during the lunch break (12 pm to 2 pm), but some staff saw us hanging around and let us in 20 minutes early. Be aware that the canopy bridge from the Interpretive Centre might have macaques on it or hanging out in the nearby trees.
Seri Wawasan Bridge
Admission Price: Free | Opening Hours: 24 hours
This is the bridge to the east of Wawasan Putrajaya Park. A pedestrian path on both sides of the bridge allows for easy river crossing if you don’t have a car. Pedestrians can get panoramic views of Putrajaya from Seri Wawasan Bridge. Once night falls, the entire length of the bridge is lit up with bright neon lights. Seri Wawasan Bridge is a popular spot for tourists and locals once the sun goes down.
Putrajaya Wetlands Park
Admission Price: Free | Opening Hours: 7 am – 7 pm
Putrajaya Wetlands Park is the largest man-made freshwater wetlands in Malaysia and the tropics. Aside from eco-tourism and spotting the local wildlife, the park offers many family-friendly activities. There are camping and picnic areas, BBQ pits and observation towers for visitors to make a day of it. There are also bikes, canoes, paddleboats and trams available to rent to get around the park.
Persiaran Perdana
Admission Price: Free | Opening Hours: 24 hours
The main boulevard of Putrajaya is one of the most satisfyingly orderly streets I have ever seen. It’s like when someone with OCD plays a city builder video game and creates the perfect city centre. A spacious mosaic-tiled pedestrian path in the middle of the two traffic lanes is decorated with pretty potted plants and flowers at regular intervals. Impressive federal buildings flank on either side in a variety of styles – modern, Moorish and art deco. Even if you’re quite far at the opposite end of the boulevard, there is a clear sightline to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Architecture
Admission Price: Free | Opening Hours: 24 hours
I don’t care much about architecture, but it is one of Putrajaya’s selling points. Some noteworthy buildings are:
- Perdana Putra (Prime Minister’s Office)
- Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia (Federal Court of Malaysia/The Palace of Justice)
- Putrajaya International Convention Centre
- The Perbadanan Putrajaya (Putrajaya Corporation) building
- Masjid Besi
- The Millennium Monument
- The other bridges – Seri Saujana, Seri Gemilang and Putra Bridge
Saturday Worthy?
One full day is the maximum you need to see what you want in Putrajaya. You could even do it in one evening if you don’t plan to go inside any gated attractions, like the mosque or botanical garden.
If you skip a stop in this planned city, you won’t miss anything that you haven’t seen before. Putrajaya is for the completionists (or curious, slightly bored residents like me). Putrajaya can still be a worthwhile stopover, though. Say, to have a shorter commute to KLIA before you fly home, or if you’re driving further south to Johor Bahru or Singapore.
