Blue Heart Journey: Petronas Twin Towers

The Petronas Twin Towers are by far the most spectacular buildings in Kuala Lumpur and among the most remarkable in the world. The towers are visible from almost anywhere in the city center and become the main focal point in the skyline when lit up at night. They were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 at 1483 feet. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai claimed that title in 2010 standing at 2722 feet high.

Neither Douglas nor I have a fear of heights, so riding to the top was pure enjoyment for us. The Petronas Towers are 88 stories high with the Skybridge connecting both towers on the 41^st and 42^nd floors. Interestingly enough, the Skybridge is not connected to the Towers. It was built separately and lifted up to its current position over the course of three days. We attended a scheduled group tour of the building where our tour guide provided detailed information about the infrastructure of the buildings and specifics on its construction. The entire building is covered with glass windows providing wonderful panoramic views of the city.

The Towers were not built by the same company. Tower 1 was built by Japanese company Hazama Corporation and Tower 2 by Korea’s Samsung Engineering and Construction Company. It took six years of twenty-four hour construction to build the Towers. Tower 1 is entirely occupied by Petronas Company (Malaysia’s national oil company) while Tower 2 is widely open for leasing.

One morning while exercising on the jogging track in front of the Towers, I walked to a recommended area nearby to snap a few full frame photos of the iconic buildings. Douglas and I also dined at Sky Bar in Trader’s Hotel which is situated directly across from the Towers. Since we went in the evening it allowed us to get some gorgeous night shots of the Towers lit up. Sky Bar provides a perfect venue for tourists to capture great photos while enjoying an upbeat lounge setting and partaking of scrumptious foods and drinks. I arranged for us to go on a Wednesday to take advantage of the free margarita drinks special for ladies. Douglas enjoyed my margaritas while I sipped on a fun mocktail.

At the bottom of the Towers is Suria KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center) Shopping Mall. You have to be prepared to empty your wallet in this mall. This luxury mall consists of a wide variety of stores that are mostly expensive brand names.

KLCC is a complex that encompasses Petronas Towers and other venues such as KLCC. It was built on the grounds of an old horse racing track. The complex also holds the Convention Center and a large park with paths for walking, running, and biking. I exercised on that track nearly every morning of our trip. It was a welcome change from the many people and bikes that consume the sidewalks of Hanoi.

The Petronas Twin Towers are a must see for any traveler passing through this lively city. Book your tour in advance as they sell out quickly and can only release a certain number of tickets per day. Great experience and great memories!