CA · Ontario · 45.42°N 75.69°W

ottawa

National museums, canal paths, spring tulips and a walk across the river to Gatineau.

Best time
May brings the Tulip Festival, and June–October are good for the canal and river paths. Winter is very cold; the Rideau Canal Skateway only opens when the ice is thick enough.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly to Montreal or Toronto with one stop, about 20–26 hours all in, then about 2 hours by train from Montreal or 4.5 from Toronto. Ottawa is 12 hours behind KL, 13 from November to early March. Malaysians need a Canadian visitor visa, or just an eTA if flying in with a valid US visa or a Canadian visa held in the last 10 years.
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CA · Ontarioottawa45.42°N 75.69°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,National museums, canal paths, spring tulips and a walk across the river to Gatineau.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingOttawaCA, Ontario
KLottawa
≈ 14,609 km from KL, as the crow flies
Photo of Ottawa

Photo: Suwannee.payne · CC BY-SA 3.0

1 / 5

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Canada's capital is a manageable city of national museums, riverside paths and Gothic parliament buildings. It pairs easily with Montreal, two hours away, and suits anyone happy to spend a morning in one good museum.

Makan

  1. BeaverTailsFlat, stretched fried dough with cinnamon sugar, an Ottawa original from the ByWard Market.Map ↗
  2. ShawarmaOttawa's favourite late-night food, from Lebanese-run shops all over the city.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Parliament HillGothic buildings on a bluff above the river. Centre Block is shut for a long restoration, but you can tour the House of Commons in West Block.Map ↗
  2. Rideau CanalA UNESCO-listed canal through the centre, with a flight of locks beside Parliament and paths along both banks.Map ↗
  3. National Gallery of CanadaCanadian and Indigenous art in a glass building, with a giant spider sculpture outside.Map ↗
  4. Canadian Museum of HistoryAcross the river in Gatineau, with a hall of totem poles looking back at Parliament.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Halal is easy: many of the city's shawarma shops are halal, and Ottawa Tourism keeps a halal dining guide.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.