Special Report

Petronas Towers

2nd Tallest building in the world after Taipei 101. A view from the Skybridge at the 41st floor of Petronas Tower is not to be missed. There are 82 floors in the Towers, but viewing is allowed only from the 41st floor. It is best to check-in early, before 8 am. The view from the Skybridge is breathtaking. You marvel at the greenery and the shapely buildings in KL. Even when there is a slight haze, it doesn't marr the view much.

There’s a huge food court on the bottom floors, sophisticated dining above a world-class shopping center that blows you away, designer shops, local handicrafts, jewelry and others at prices which make your jaw drop. For having "it all" under one roof, it far surpasses anything in North America, and thankfully without an amusement park atmosphere, and for designer goods, rivals the Yevropeisky in Moscow.

Menara KL Tower

This is the tallest tower in Southeast Asia and the 4th tallest in the world, and it’s built on a hill! As soon you enter, a beautiful Malay girl with a warm smile escorts you to the observation deck which is approx. 421 meters high. From there you have a bird’s eye view of the whole beautiful and green city of Kuala Lumpur. Audio tour gadgets will tell you about the city, and every building which you see through the windows.

Petronas Towers are right in front, and this is the best view for photographs with their full height.

Best time to visit is from 18:00 to 19:30 as the sun is getting ready to set, and lights of the city are switching on, so that you can see the whole of the city clearly.

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park

The world’s largest aviary. Located in the serene and scenic Lake Gardens, the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is a bird sanctuary and tropical paradise for nature lovers. Spanning three hectares of verdant valley terrain, it is one of the largest parks in Southeast Asia. Featuring thousands of birds representing nearly every major species of this region, the park is also a haven for plants with a great variety of lush foliage. Visitors will enjoy strolling through the park along a maze of walkways, amidst greenery. Scenic rest stops for picnics are scattered throughout the park.

This place is really clean and huge and the birds have spotless cages and the enclosures are very well maintained. Beware that there are not a lot of food outlets so bring plenty of bottled water.

There are a lot of other places to visit nearby such as the deer farm and butterfly zoo.

Chinatown

The bargain basement of South East Asia. The main attraction of China town is "Petaling Street", which is the one of the hottest and favorite tourist destinations. Here you can get a very realistic copy of most top brands of the world, from a Rolex to a Ferrari F1 shirt. Intellectual Property sleuths would have a field day with the goods from Gucci, Christian Dior, Esprit, D&G and so on.

This is where eastern haggling skills are paramount. Whatever the hawkers start at, figure you are going to get them down by 75% and you’ll both be happy in the end.

If this sort of shopping is beneath you, then pitch up on the Terrace of the Petaling Cafe (Swiss Inn Hotel) and watch the world go by. If you are sitting there you won't be hassled by the market traders. Get a tower of Carlsberg, maybe some food, sit back, relax and soak up the atmosphere.

Aquaria KLCC

The world’s largest aquaria. The two level 5,500 sq m Aquaria has 19 giant tanks with various environments to keep and display fishes from various parts of the world. This “Ocean of Discovery ” is in the heart of the city within walking distance of Petronas Towers, Lake Gardens and Central Market. It features some 5,000 aquatic and marine animal exhibits of over 150 different species from Malaysia and around the world and is themed around two of the world’s major rainforests – Malaysia and the Amazon. It is also one of the few places in the world to see the rare Sand Tiger Sharks from South Africa. The aquarium is also home to monkey- eating catfish from Endau Rompin, sharks from Singapore and the endangered fresh water tortoise called “Chitra-chitra ”.

Malaysian Cuisine

If you visited Malaysia without savoring its local delicacies, you would be missing out on a truly sensational experience. Regarded as one of the world's most delicious, Malaysian cuisine has its roots in the culinary traditions of its multi-cultural society. Together, this wonderful diversity has created a blend of cuisine that is uniquely Malaysian and endless in variety.

Primarily consisting of Malay, Chinese and Indian food, Malaysian cuisine also comprises hybrid classes of food derived from cross-cultural influences such as Mamak (Indian-Muslim) and Nyonya (Malay/Chinese) cuisine. A dish with the same name can also exist in different variations.

Malaysians enjoy eating out. With so many choices, it is inevitable that Malaysia has earned the distinction as a gourmet's paradise with an incredible range of cuisine: from traditional local fare savored at busy local hawker centers to international cuisine served at the finest restaurants.