A visit to Kuala Lumpur is not complete without visiting the famous Petronas Twin Towers. In fact, I would almost say a visit to MALAYSIA is not complete without visiting them. They are an icon of not just the city, but the entire country, and were designed to be exactly that. So if you are like me, the towers will be on the top of your list of things to do when you visit. I personally did the tour only yesterday, and already am writing this Guide to Petronas Twin Towers so that you will know exactly what to expect on YOUR visit.
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Table of Contents
- About the Petronas Twin Towers
- What to expect at Petronas Twin Towers
- The Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge
- The Petronas Twin Towers Observation Deck
- What else is in the area?
- Where to stay for Petronas Twin Towers
- Summary
About the Petronas Twin Towers
Before this guide to Petronas Twin Towers gets into the fun stuff, let me tell you a little about the actual towers themselves.
They were built way back in the 90’s, with construction originally beginning in 1992, and completed in 1999. At the time, the Twin Towers were the tallest building in the world, and they held that title for 6 years, until they were overtaken by several other towers around the world. Today, they sit at number 19 in the list, however still hold the distinction of being the tallest Twin Towers in the world.
An interesting thing to note here is that the Merdeka 118, which you can see clearly from the Petronas Twin Towers, is the second tallest building in the world, only beaten out by the incredible Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
The Petronas Twin Towers were designed and built by a team of several architects that included the famous César Pelli, who has built other amazing skyscrapers around the world. It was his vision to have the towers be a reflection of Malaysia, and a building that would symbolize the people of the country. It is for that reason that the towers were designed with traditional Malaysian weaving patterns, and Islamic styles and patterns
What resulted was a structure that is instantly recognizable to anyone in the world. They grace postcards, tourism campaigns, and the instagram accounts of every visitor to the city. The Petronas Twin Towers have even starred in Hollywood movies, the most notable being “Entrapment” with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones.
How tall are Petronas Twin Towers?
Would this be a guide to Petronas Twin Towers without a few statistics? Of course not! So here are a few that you really should know before visiting. Although, they WILL tell you on the tour anyway.
- The Petronas Twin Towers are 452 Meters tall, towering over nearly everything else on the Malaysian Skyline.
- There are 88 floors in total, and nearly all of them are utilized every day as office space.
- The Skybridge is located on the 41st floor, is a double decker bridge, 58.4 meters long, and is 170 meters above the ground.
- The Observation Deck is on the 86th floor, 370 meters above ground.
How to get to Petronas Twin Towers
Getting to the Petronas Twin Towers is rather easy, as Kuala Lumpur is an easy city to get around in. I was extremely impressed with this city, especially after coming from places like Jakarta, in Indonesia. There are not massive traffic jams like in other big cities, and things just seem to flow. I believe that this is facilitated by not just the infrastructure itself, but also the large open spaces that exist, meaning that not all the traffic is piled on top of itself all the time.
My first tip for getting to Petronas Twin Towers, is to stay local. This isn’t really hard, as I think that most people visiting the city will stay in a place not too far away anyhow. I visited the towers several times during my stay, and nearly every time I was able to walk from my hotel. Walking in Kuala Lumpur is a pleasant experience, and something that I really enjoyed doing every morning.
For those that are further afield and need to look at other options, there is the incredible FREE Go KL City Bus. This wonderful service whisks you around the city ticket free. The GREEN line buses will take you right the front doors of the towers. You can’t miss them!
The other easy way to get there is via the metro. The LRT Kelana Jaya Line will take you to the KLCC stop, right near the Petronas Twin Towers.
Entrance fees for Petronas Twin Towers
When I visited the Petronas Twin Towers, I was rather lucky. Due to the current tourism climate, there are not that many tourists around. Certainly not to the usual number that you will find in such a vibrant city as Kuala Lumpur, at least.
For this reason, it was easy for me to turn up at the ticket office at 10am and buy a ticket. This may not be the case on a normal day! If you DO decide to do this, and sometimes it can be unavoidable if visiting is a last minute decision, then get there EARLY. The towers don’t open for tours until 10am, but the ticket office opens at 0930am. Be first in line or you may miss out. There are only a limited number of tickets sold, and a limited number of groups allowed to visit at any given time.
For this reason, it can be better to book online to avoid disappointment. This can help you organize your day as well. Even when you buy your ticket at the counter, you will be given a time slot for your tour that may be hours away. Booking online will avoid this issue, as will a tour which is always a great option.
There are only 1000 visitors allowed a day on the Petronas Twin Towers tours. There are 20 people to a group, and they are spaced out for a better experience. Visits were once free, until Petronas began charging visitors in 2010.
Current prices for Petronas Twin Towers Tickets are:
- Adult – RM28 (MyKad), RM80 – (Non-MyKad)
- Child – RM14 (MyKad), RM33 – (Non-MyKad)
- Senior Citizen – RM14 (MyKad), RM42 (Non-MyKad)
- Infants – FREE (Below 3 Yrs)
Petronas Twin Towers Visiting Hours
The Petronas Twin Towers visiting hours at time of writing are as follows:
- 10am – 6pm, Tue – Sun, Public Holidays
- Mondays – CLOSED
- NOTE: The last tour is at 530pm
What to expect at Petronas Twin Towers
Ok. Now that all the official stuff is over with, let’s take a look at what you can expect at the Petronas Twin Towers!
When you arrive at the towers, the very best place to start is right out the front of the main entrance. Here, you will notice the rows of fountains that stretch toward the roadway. Head to the very end of the fountains, and pose for photos there. It is arguably the best spot to get your shots, and definitely one of the most popular!
There will be several photographers at this location plying their trade. They will offer to take your photo, and even to use your own phone to do so. Whether you take them up on it is up to you, although if you are a single traveler, this could be a great help. If you say no, they are usually very respectful, as I have found is the case in Malaysia.
From here, head inside through the main doors. Ahead you will see a large sign overhead that points to the right and the left, toward two entrances for the Petronas Twin Towers Tour. You can’t miss the sign as it has two very large race cars on top! Head in either direction, and down the escalators, where you will find a gym, ticket office off to the left, and the tour entrance and gift shop to the right.
Once you have your ticket, (and it is time for your tour), head to the queue near the entrance. A staff member will scan your ticket, and you will pass through Xray machines, as well as putting your belongings through a separate one, much like at the airport.
Please note that there are things you cannot bring with you up the towers. Some dangerous items go without saying. Be aware though that CAMERA TRIPODS and SELFIE STICKS are NOT allowed up the towers. I have no idea why, but those are the rules. There are lockers nearby if you get stuck.
Once through the Xray machines, you will get asked if you want a photo. This is up to you and is just an upsell. Wait in this area for a quick security briefing before heading with the rest of your group to the elevators beyond.
The Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge
The ride up the elevator is rather quick, at 6 meters per second. Inside the lift is a pretty cool feature as they play a 360 degree panorama of the view outside on the walls, which gives you a real sense of how high and fast you are going.
When the doors open you will be greeted by more staff, who escort you to the Skybridge. Here you will receive a briefing about the bridge itself, which is rather interesting.
The bridge is a double decker bridge. Only the bottom level, on the 41st floor is used by visitors. The top level, on the 42nd floor, is used by occupants of the towers to cross from one to the other. Visitor groups are limited to 20 persons each, and are allowed on the bridge for 10 minute visits.
One very interesting feature of the Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge is that it is a “floating” structure. Each end of the bridge is not even attached to the towers on either side. It is held up by the long struts underneath, and the ends of the bridge are designed to be able to move in and out of the towers as they sway. This avoids any buckling or other issues that would come about if it was actually attached to two constantly moving towers on each side.
When you proceed onto the bridge, you can actually feel it move, which is a very weird sensation at first. The views are incredible, so you quickly forget about it. Take a stroll out along the bridge, and at the midway point on either side is a little “box” which is perfect to stand inside for selfie photos.
The Petronas Twin Towers Observation Deck
On the Skybridge you were 170 meters above the ground. Now, you are heading to the Observation Deck, which is a whopping 370 meters up! Needless to say, the views are pretty good.
When your group is called, (by color of the sticker you were given), follow the staff member back to the lift, where you will be taken to the 83rd floor. Once you leave the lift, you will be led around to a SMALLER lift that can only take half a dozen people at a time. This will take you up to the 86th floor, where the observation deck is located.
You are literally at the TOP of tower 2 now. There are only 2 more floors above you, that simply house the mechanics for the building. Think, air-conditioning ducts, and elevator machinery etc. So this is the highest floor that you are actually capable of going to.
On the observation deck, there is an absolutely incredible view! The windows here are very thick glass, and you can get very up close and personal with the dizzying height. It is very, very safe though, so no need to hold your breath!
Take a stroll around the entire floor, and check out the view in all directions. If it is a clear day, you will be able to see the mountains in the distance, and pick out some of the other attractions that you might have visited whilst in KL. I had fun counting the rooftop pools of the hotels. There are SO many! I did find my favorite, though, and put it on my wish list for next time I come to town.
Around the inside of the Observation Deck are some pretty cool features. A large model of the towers, and a miniature model of the city are fun to look at to get a perspective of where you are, and what else is around. There are also some large standing binoculars that you can use (free) to look further afield through the windows.
One thing that I found pretty cool, was when you stand in the right place and look across at tower 1, you can see both the KL Tower on one side of it and the new Merdeka 118 on the other. 3 Towers in one photo!
When you are finished (you have 20 minutes) on the Observation Deck, you will be taken back down to the 83rd floor, to the “second” Observation Deck. This is really just a chance for them to try and sell you the photos that you got taken when you first arrived. There are some pretty nice souvenirs as well, but the main gift shop is back at the bottom, and is actually worth checking out.
Head back to the elevator, and wait for them to take you back to the entrance far below. Exit via the gift shop, and head into the shopping center for a well earned coffee!
What else is in the area?
The Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, are within the 100 acre KLCC Precinct. There is a lot to do around and about the area, and the Twin Towers themselves are just the start of it.
Here are a few options:
- Shop till you drop in Suria KLCC, the Premier Shopping Mall in Malaysia. The shops in here are incredible. If you like Glitz, you will love it. The mall is right at the foot of the Towers themselves.
- Take a stroll or jog around the KLCC Park. I did this nearly every morning in Kuala Lumpur. A great jogging track, incredible kids playground, Lakes, fountains and Squirrels!
- Check out the fountain ballet at night. Every night the fountains of the KLCC Park dance to a symphony, perfectly choreographed with every color of the rainbow.
- Visit Aquaria KLCC, the massive aquarium that over 6000 creatures of the land and sea call home!
- Check out Petrosains, The Discovery Centre that features Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics displays and exhibits. It is conveniently located inside Suria KLCC Mall.
- Head over to KL Tower, which isn’t too far away, and see the city views from another perspective!
There is no limit on what to do in Kuala Lumpur, including tours, daytrips and some amazing local attractions.
Where to stay for Petronas Twin Towers
The Petronas Twin Towers are located in one of the very best and certainly most popular and scenic areas of Kuala Lumpur City. It is easy to find somewhere nice to stay, and many of the very best hotels are right on the doorstep!
Here are my picks.
Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre
The Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre is very conveniently located, and was the place I stayed when I visited the Petronas Twin Towers. Great views, service, and exceptional facilities made my stay extremely memorable.
Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Set right by the Petronas Twin Towers and featuring great panoramic views of them, how can you go wrong? Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur was also the winner of the Certificate of Excellence and Traveler’s Choice Award by TripAdvisor for 5 consecutive years!
Novotel Kuala Lumpur City Centre
The Novotel is very conveniently located right across the road from the famous Pavilion Shopping Centre, and an easy stroll to the Petronas Twin Towers. With the monorail almost at the front door as well, you really can’t go wrong!
Summary
The Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur are a must for any visitor to the city. Even just a stroll around the precinct itself really makes you feel like you are actually IN Kuala Lumpur. They are iconic AND incredible!
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