Kuala Lumpur surprised us.

Not because of the famous skyline. Not because of the towering twin towers. And not because of the endless shopping malls.

Kuala Lumpur surprised us because it is a city of layers.

Many visitors rush through on a 48-hour stopover, ticking off the obvious sights before heading to the beaches or islands. We did what we often do when travelling full-time—we slowed down, stayed longer, wandered without much of a plan, and discovered that Kuala Lumpur reveals itself one level at a time.

In fact, after a few days we started referring to it as Donkey Kong City. Not because of giant gorillas throwing barrels at tourists, but because getting anywhere seemed to involve a combination of stairs, escalators, elevated walkways, underground passages and the occasional complete loss of direction. Just when you think you've reached your destination, another level appears.

If you're willing to look beyond the surface, you'll find hidden food courts beneath office towers, rooftop gardens above busy roads, elevated walkways connecting neighbourhoods, and entire worlds tucked away inside markets, temples and residential streets. Sometimes the best route is not the obvious one. Sometimes it's the escalator hidden behind a convenience store.

For slow travellers, Kuala Lumpur is one of Southeast Asia's most underrated cities.