Posts Tagged ‘the petronas towers skybridge’

When the official opening ceremonies for the PETRONAS Towers were held on August 31, 1999, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad signed a memorial plaque and his signature was beamed up to a giant screen hanging from the Skybridge.  In no small consequence of that ceremony, the number of foreign tourists travelling to Malaysia since the construction of the PETRONAS Towers has increased dramatically from 5.5 million tourists a year in 1998 to 22 million in 2008.  The Skybridge is an inspiring location that has enchanted the world and inflamed their imaginations.  Both major films shot on site called for the protagonists to take a breathtaking walk on top of the structure and for most tourists a visit to Kuala Lumpur would not be complete without a walk on the Skybridge.

Getting to the PETRONAS Towers is easy from anywhere in Kuala Lumpur and the metro station is quite close by.  Getting tickets is not always so easy however, and on many days long lines start forming as early as 6 AM for people hoping to get tickets for admission to the tower f bridge for that day.  The ticket office opens at 8:30 AM and the line, which often weaves back out onto the street, begins to move fairly quickly at that point.  There are only 1700 tickets given out for each day, so late arrivals are sometimes frustrated.  Once in front of the ticket window, visitors are given a choice as to the time for which they would like their appointment.  Each person is allowed to obtain up to five of the free tickets, and the 6PM time slot is preferred by some as it is the last tour of the day and therefore lasts a bit longer.

Once ticketed visitors arrive for their appointment they are given a badge and ushered into a room where they are given 3D glasses and shown a short promotional film about the PETRONAS Company and the towers.  After the presentation they are loaded into one of the shuttle elevators that travel very quickly up to the 41^st floor, arriving in less than one minute.  The group is then guided out onto the lower of the two decks of the Skybridge and allowed to remain for ten minutes, at which point the next group arrives.  Unfortunately there are no explanatory signs pointing out landmarks, but most visitors do report that the tour staff is uniformly friendly and polite.

As one would expect, the view from 170 meters off the ground is notable.  The massive greenery of Kuala Lumpur is mixed among attractive groupings of other high rise structures and older buildings.   There is often a slight haze and other skyscrapers do in fact block a fair amount of the view.  It is general knowledge that the best view aerial in Kuala Lumpur is from the top of the nearby KL Menara, where there is no time limit and a much less obstructed view of the city.  The KL Menara rooftop is actually the best place from which to view the PETRONAS Towers, particularly at night.  Regardless of the view, it is a definite thrill for most tourists to set foot on the Skybridge. Obviously, this trip to the Skybridge is not the best place for people with a fear of heights.

Back down on the ground floor there is a small museum to visit that includes some interactive displays and a dramatic Tesla coil demonstration.  The PETRONAS Towers contain a number of ground level features that are worth visiting.  The six story shopping mall get rave reviews from both upscale and budget conscious shoppers.  Sophisticated restaurants are scattered throughout the complex and a huge food court in the lower level boasts food from all over the world.

From outside the buildings, the views of the tower are impressive, particularly at night when the tops of the towers are brightly illuminated.  The views of the towers from immaculate tropical KLCC park next door are also much appreciated.  The large fountains in front to the buildings light up at night and there are special water shows scheduled from 6:30 in the afternoon until 10:30 at night.  Visiting the nearby Aquaria KLCC is on many tourist itineraries and they can be accessed through the tower buildings.