Menara Kuala Lumpur

Menara Kuala Lumpur stands on Bukit Nanas, a small forest reserve in the middle of the city, and because the hill adds height the top reaches well above most of the buildings around it. There are two levels for visitors: an enclosed observation deck with windows, and an open-air sky deck above it with glass-floored boxes projecting over the edge, which is where the queue forms. Unlike the Petronas skybridge, the view from here includes the twin towers themselves, which is the main argument for coming. At the foot of the hill, the KL Forest Eco Park keeps a canopy walkway through the last stand of old forest left in the city centre.

History

Groundbreaking took place on 1 October 1991, and construction went in three phases, the first, widening Jalan Bukit Nanas and excavating the site, finished on 1 August 1992. The tower also serves as an Islamic observatory for sighting the crescent moon that marks the start of Ramadan and the two Eids (Wikipedia, Kuala Lumpur Tower).

Highlights

• The open sky deck - the outdoor level with glass boxes projecting over the drop.
• The Petronas view - the twin towers seen from outside rather than from within.
• KL Forest Eco Park - a canopy walkway through the forest reserve at the tower's base.
• The night skyline - the city lit up from the observation level after dark.

When to go

Late afternoon into evening is the popular slot, since one ticket gives daylight, sunset and the lit skyline, and it is also the longest queue. Haze is common and can flatten the view for days at a time. Sky deck entry is timed and limited, and photographs in the glass box mean waiting your turn.

What to expect

Ticket tiers are confusing and the sky deck costs considerably more than the enclosed deck, with foreign pricing on top. The glass box is a two-minute experience with a staff photographer and a long line. Haze frequently reduces the view to a grey blur. The shuttle up the hill runs infrequently and the walk is steep in the heat.

Nearby

Bukit Bintang and the KLCC park are both a short ride away; Batu Caves lies north of the city.

Key facts