Visiting the KL Tower

When visiting Kuala Lumpur (aka KL), there are many activities to do. Two structures are fairly iconic to the KL skyline: The twin Petronas Tower and the KL Tower. The Petronas Towers are a must-see for their sheer size and beauty. But is the KL Tower worth a visit?

KL

I found a Groupon deal that provided a buffet brunch or high tea in the tower’s revolving restaurant, Atmosphere 360º, as well as admission to the Blue Coral Aquarium and Animal Zone at the base of the tower. The tower is a touristic spot, so there are more attractions here than just the observation deck alone. You can also do a pony ride, base jump, and others.

The price of admission to the observation deck is a bit steep at 47 MYR (about $14 USD) for adults and 27 MYR for kids (about $8). If you will be eating at the restaurant, the elevator ride to the top is free. The restaurant is higher than the observation deck.

Aquarium

We began our visit here, and the first thing we absolutely adored after our almost 30-minute walk in KL’s steamy heat was the blast of AC. They have a few nice displays, but with the charge of 28 MYR for adult admission (20 for kids), I really don’t feel it’s worth the price. I took a lot of photos, and we ended up spending maybe 10 minutes. That’s how small it is.

KL Blue Coral Aquarium

KL tower aquarium

We did see a couple of things we’ve never seen before, and the AC was nice, but that’s all I can really say that’s complimentary.

Animal Zone

Tigger got to have his photo taken with a python for an extra 10 MYR. It was 5 MYR to pet a bird. The conditions for the animals, however, were borderline criminal. Most of the animals were in tiny cages, and they appeared stressed (no wonder!). It was really sad to see them like this. If you haven’t purchased a packet, you’ll pay 20 MYR for adults and 15 for kids.

I’d recommend avoiding it, though. It makes me sad any of my money went to support this place.

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Restaurant

We ended up attending  the high tea since a certain almost teenager decided he needed 10-1/2 hours of sleep. The view from the restaurant is really quite good. It slowly revolves, so you are treated to different scenery the whole time. Although, the rotation also means you may end up getting a little more exercise if you decide you want to refill your plate or cup since you will be moving further away from the buffet area for a good part of the time you’re there.

The food selection was decent. Pastries were quite tasty, and it definitely had a Malaysian twist by offering things such as sweet potato or yam fritters.

Staff are friendly, and you can also get other drinks from the bar if you don’t want to restrict yourself to coffee or tea. The ambiance is quite lovely and peaceful and makes sitting at your table while staring at over the sprawling city enjoyable.

KL KL

Tips for Visiting

The tower is a walk from either the LRT or monorail, so be prepared for that. However, you can grab a taxi from the station and go to the tower for a very reasonable rate. At the bottom of the parking lot, which leads to a steep hill, there is also a free shuttle bus that takes you to the tower. It runs about every 15 minutes and is worth it if you’ve walked up here.

If you don’t want to pay the high prices in the restaurant, there are a few different food counters at the bottom of the tower that are pretty reasonably priced. You’re also not far from a ton of other eateries.

There is an executive and a budget taxi counter at the tower for your return trip should you desire a taxi. These are nice because not only do they call a taxi for you, but you pay them so you don’t have to worry about potentially having to haggle with the driver. They give you a ticket which you give to the driver, and you’re all set.

Final Thought

I was asked today if I felt visiting the tower was worth it. That was really a tough question for me to answer. Basically, the view is quite lovely, and you get to see the Petronas Towers from a very different angle. Is it worth $14? I can’t really say that it is. If you’re doing a package deal or want to have a romantic or special meal in the restaurant, then you’ll get a bit more bang for your buck. Aside from that, I’d say save your money and do one of the other really fun and great activities available in KL.

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4 Comments

  1. “You can also do a pony ride, base jump, and others.”

    So… the question izzz – uh, did you “base jump”??? 😉

    This, from a lass who’s slowly catching up here in Nepal, and who’s presently pecking in a cafe in Pokhara whilst gazing at the hang-gliders soaring above the lake and thinking… hmmm, am I crazy enough to try that at my dodderin’ age? 😉

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    • I don’t think they’d let me do it with enough meds to make unconscious. LOL Tigger wanted to, but you have to be 18.

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  2. What floor is the restaurant on and how did you handle that height?! Yikes!

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    • The restaurant is the highest floor. I’m not bothered by heights unless it doesn’t feel secure, like a rope bridge or something.

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