How to Book a Tour of the Petronas Twin Towers

We started the day looking for some place to get our laundry done. We found a laundromat and laundry service about two blocks away from the hotel. They offered either do-it-yourself machines or folded service for 5 MYR (Malaysian Ringgit or $1.10 US) per kilo. We gathered up seven kilos worth of clothing for them to clean and to fold with pickup the next day. Seemed like a bargain and let us discover Kuala Lumpur.

We headed to the bus terminal, less than a block behind the hotel, and figured out which bus would take to the Central Market. Before we could board the bus, though, we had to wear masks at the direction of the bus driver. So, Don went around the corner to 7/11 and bought a couple for about $1. Once masks were in place, we got going. Helpful locals recommended the best stops to use. After skirting an entry controlled office building, we crossed over the river and the highway and walked right up to the InstaGram photo spot for the Central Market building which was filled with many interesting stalls selling local and imported goods. Since it was hot, I bought a hand fan. After meandering through, we headed to Chinatown located just two blocks away. Don had a great time shooting pictures.

At Chinatown, we entered through the usual, stone lion, guarded portico and wandered down the street between the many stalls. We couldn’t buy anything since we really don’t have available weight in the luggage and still meet the maximum air allowances.

We hailed a cab to the Petronas Towers, so we could reserve our spot to go up the next evening. Most days the available tour slots are sold out and today was no different. There was a woman in front of us who had missed her time slot and was not allowed to go up, so forfeited her fare and that of her family. Staff adheres strictly to the policy!

The Petronas Towers are the tallest twin towers in the world as opposed to the Burj Kalifa in Dubai, UAE, which is the tallest single building. Like the Burj, these towers are accessed through a shopping center featuring the usual luxury, branded stores. We were glad we took this side trip as the rest of this day was sold out.

We walked around the expansive gardens, stainless steel statuary, and the dancing fountain for about an hour. As the sunset, we used another taxi to return near Chinatown for the night food market. This driver, however, suggested a different food market as bigger and better, so off we went to the Jalan Alor, Night Street Food Market.

More details in the next posting.