Year 1: Life That Began by a Rooftop Pool in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur

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Hello. Our family relocated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2019, mainly for our children's education. Starting with this article, I'm running a series looking back at our six years there, one year at a time. Year one's setting was Mont Kiara, an area known for its high-rise condominiums — and this is the story of the rooftop infinity pool where our early days abroad unfolded.

What you'll find here

Why we relocated, and how we chose our first neighborhood
Life in a Mont Kiara high-rise condo with a rooftop infinity pool
How we spent time with our kids in year one

1. Moving to Kuala Lumpur for our children's education

The main reason we relocated was our children's education. Wanting them to grow up in an English-language environment, we chose an international school in Malaysia and moved our family to Kuala Lumpur in 2019.

For our first home, we chose Mont Kiara, an area clustered with high-rise condominiums. It's known for its large population of expatriates and international families, and the everyday infrastructure was solid. Fresh off the move and still finding our footing, I remember prioritizing ease of living above all else when picking this area.

💡 Tip with kids: right after relocating, you have zero local knowledge. Choosing a first neighborhood with solid infrastructure and plenty of families in a similar situation makes settling in far easier.

*A kindergarten nearby, with an enrolment banner out front.*

2. Life in the sky: the rooftop infinity pool

Our home in Mont Kiara was a high-rise condominium. Unlike typical Japanese apartments, Malaysian residences often come standard with shared rooftop pools and gyms, and our building had an infinity pool on the roof with sweeping views over Kuala Lumpur.

*Walking along the edge of the rooftop pool with my child. The Kuala Lumpur skyline stretches out behind us*

Heading up during the cooler morning or evening hours, we could see the cityscape below all the way to the hazy hills in the distance. Even on weekday evenings it was often nearly empty — having what felt like a private pool was one of the small luxuries of condo living.

*Reaching out to my child floating on a swim ring by the pool, another child swimming in the background*

Inside, our living room was set up with floor cushions to relax on, and when the kids were little I'd often let them eat fried chicken we'd picked up right there.

*Having a snack in the condo living room*

💡 Tip with kids: when choosing a condo, don't just check the pool and gym — maintenance fees and security setup (guards, access cards) vary a lot between buildings, so confirm both during your viewing.

*Heading up to the rooftop pool, the city spread out beyond.*

*From the roof of our condominium. This view became ordinary to us.*

3. Floating with water wings: June and December pool time

Our year-one pool photos span two moments — June and December. In June, my child was still getting used to the water, floating with the help of arm wings while I stayed close by.

*Reaching out to my child floating in the pool with water wings*

By December, a little more confident, my child was already play-swimming across the pool.

Same pool, but you can see how much more comfortable my child had become with the water over six months — a small marker of year one.

💡 Tip with kids: with a climate you can swim in year-round, even freshly-arrived kids get plenty of chances to grow comfortable in the water. Arm floats and sun-protective rash guards are easy to find at local supermarkets or online.

*In a ring float. She was still too young to swim on her own.*

*With arm bands on, getting used to the water little by little.*

*A rice omelette with a face drawn on in ketchup.*

*The peace sign had become second nature by now.*

*Near the end of being one — still a very young face.*

*Home from kindergarten. Our elder daughter already looked like a big sister.*

*At the playground — towards the end of our first year.*

*Spinning around in a hotel lobby, just for fun.*

*It is these small, ordinary moments that stayed with me most.*

4. Looking back on year one

Year one was full of the logistics of setting up a new life with zero local knowledge — but the small daily luxury of that rooftop pool in Mont Kiara carried us through. In the next article: the second home we moved to after the pandemic years, and the international school our kids came to attend.

Q. What was hardest about year one? A. Finding a home with no local knowledge, and sorting out all the paperwork for daily infrastructure — water, electricity, internet. There was a lot we didn't know, but being in an area like Mont Kiara with many other expats made it easier to find people who'd been through the same thing.

Q. How was the climate for a family with kids? A. Hot and humid year-round, tropical climate. With no real seasons, being able to use an outdoor pool all year was a nice outlet, especially for a child still adjusting to a new country.

📌 Last updated: July 2026. Prices, systems, and operations change. If you're considering relocating, please reconfirm with official sources and current information.

*A birthday. We put up decorations and celebrated as a family.*

*Their grandmother came out to join us.*

*An indoor playground in a shopping mall — where you go on a hot day.*

*Eating out. Pizza was easy for the children, so we ordered it often.*

*Worn out from playing, and asleep where she fell.*

5. You might also like

Series overview → Malaysia — 6 Years Living Abroad
Next year → Malaysia Relocation Diary — Year 2 (2020-21)
Start here → Home

All photos in this article were taken by our family during our time in Malaysia in 2019. Systems and prices change, so please reconfirm with official sources or on-site information if you're considering a similar move.

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