Top of the World – the Twin Towers

Let’s look at the record holders, the tallest buildings in the world (source – Wikipedia®).

Each tower of the twins are now the seventh tallest building in the world. It remained the tallest for six years (1998 to 2004), until the Taipei 101 came up on 2004. However, it is by far still the tallest twin tower in the world.

Height Comparison Information

This afternoon, my destination is the tour to the Twin Towers.

Getting Tickets

Quite a hassle, this is. Specially, if you are not very much aware of the procedure. You have to purchase tickets to enter (or climb) into the towers. The tickets are available at the Concourse Level of the base.

However, if you plan to purchase tickets from the counter, you have to reach there quite early, say around 8AM in the morning. Even by that time also don’t get surprised if you face queue of miles long. The tower is open for visitors from 9AM to 5PM except of Mondays and Malaysian public holidays.

The tickets are sold for time slots of 15 minutes each, and each slot only allows 20 visitors. So if you reach the ticket counter early, you have the luxury of choosing your preferred time slot for the day (of course, the rest of your day travel itinerary will have to be structured as per that). Need to keep in mind that, you have to report with your tickets 15 minutes before your scheduled ticket time.

The better way is to purchase the ticket online. Here is the web site for you https://eticket.petronastwintowers.com.my/. Select your day and time that suits you and report to the entry gate 15 minutes before the time. Purchasing advance tickets is only possible via online, at the counter you will get tickets for the same day only. I booked it online and at the time I visited it costed me 84MYR.

What the tour include

Well, those who haven’t visited any of these similar towers – the experience of looking at the surroundings from the top will be fascinating. Apart from some videos about the company that built this (PETRONAS – Petroliam Nasional Berhad, a Malaysian oil and gas company) and information on interesting facts about the towers, you are entitled to visit the Skybridge and Observation deck.

The Skybridge is at the level 41 and the Observation deck is at level 86.

Worth to recollect here is that the movie Entrapment was shot here in this Skybridge where Sean Connery and Catherine Jeta-Jones were trying to escape after stealing some USD $8 billion (ufff…)

Our very own Bollywood film Don was also shot there.

However, the bad part is you have only 15 minutes in hand!

I had booked my tickets on the 4.30 PM slot, but reached there at around 2PM (was at Batu Caves that morning). Had my lunch in the food court at the basement level, roamed around the KLCC Park and finally reported to the entrance gate at around 4.

KLCC Park

After crossing all the queues, and security checks the group entered into a superfast elevator which took us to 20th level. There we were demonstrated about the technologies and architecture of the building. Were detailed about the Petronas company.

The elevator then quickly took us to level 41 – where the Skybridge is.

Dwarfing all

from the Skybridge

The group spent a few minutes on the skybridge. Fortunately for me it was a beautifully sunny and clear day, we could see the far Titiwangsa Mountains also from up there.

We were then taken to the Observation deck – at level 86. The view was even more superior from there. The whole KL megacity and beyond are visible by the naked eye.

the other sibling

You have got a small area where the twin tower model is displayed, along with lots of interesting facts.

the Observation deck

Those huge sky-scrappers of KL started looking much tinier from there, and all of a sudden those distant mountains came so close.

Mountains came so close

Soon enough, our time was up (15 minutes you have got). The elevator brought us down to the ground level – good thing that was when you feel that weightlessness while descending. The journey inside the elevator is also interesting, as you are filled with more information in case you have missed one earlier.

After getting down I explored some nearby areas – having some time at hand.

One thing may should be kept in mind that in case you couldn’t manage a ticket to the twin towers, the nearby KL Tower is also great to visit. And you would have almost similar view from the top like here. However, the mad rush is absent there and one can manage entry to the KL tower anytime very easily.

KL Tower from the top

While roaming around, found a McLaren showroom nearby – had to go there of course.

Fast and the Furious

My flight back to Delhi was around midnight, so had a couple of more hours at hand. From there I started for the Central Market – http://www.centralmarket.com.my/. It is one of the oldest marketplace in KL, of course now totally renovated.

Again, the MRT line – from KLCC to Pasar Seni. The central market is just outside the Pasar Seni MRT station (please see the post Capital of Couple Capitols for MRT line guide).

Built in 1888, this market is a must visit if you want to see the Malaysian arts, crafts, culture and heritage. One stop shop for any kind of souvenirs of Malaysia. Explore the traditional dresses for every age group – these stuff you won’t get from the Bukit Bintang area.

Inside Central market

All kinds of attractive items you have got there – handicrafts, gifts, jewelleries, accessories, souvenirs, antiques, fashion items etc. But make sure you bargain very hard – there is no fixed price even if you see those big boards announcing so.

Masks

I purchased a few items from there, had an early and brief supper there.

Took the MRT line again, and reached back to the Taman Jaya station. Have to catch the flight back home.

KL Airport

There are quite a few spots left in KL, but hopefully, next time.