The Petronas Twin Towers are the pride of Malaysia and signify the country’s growth as an industrial nation…
I must admit that flying with Malaysian Airlines soon after the incidents surrounding MH370 and MH17 gave me the jitters. Being abruptly woken up when the aircraft hits some heavy turbulence doesn’t make you feel any better! After I gathered myself up, I looked out of the window to one of the most amazing views I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing. Malaysia Airlines flight 178, that took off from the Bandaranaike International Airport was gliding over the Indian Ocean as it emerged out of a light thunder storm and crept into the airspace above the Malaysian Peninsula.
The horizon ahead of us was jagged with mountainous silhouettes painted in shades of orange, red, and yellow resembling a scene straight out of a picture postcard. For some reason I looked back at the dark rain cloud to witness two flashes of lightening in quick succession. The first was a cloud flash, which just lit up the dark cloud like a backlight, while the next was a ground flash (probably a ‘sea flash’ because we were above the ocean?), that pierced the sky. Soaking in the picturesque sunrise, we touched down at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Putrajaya
Kuala Lumpur is the Capital of Malaysia but, due to overcrowding and congestion, the Malaysian government moved its administrative capital to Putrajaya, a planned city to the south of Kuala Lumpur.
Putrajaya, named after the first Malaysian Prime Minister, is renowned for its 20th century architecture.The Putra Mosque is one such architectural masterpiece. Considered as the principal mosque of Putrajaya it’s made of rose-colored granite crowned with a pink dome. Located next door, with a distinctive green dome, is Perdana Putra, the building that houses the office complex of the prime minister.
Bridges
Bridges play a significant role in the design of Putrajaya. Surrounded by a man-made lake, Putrajaya is accessible via 8 bridges.
Seri Perdana Bridge connects the Royal Palace and the Prime Minister’s Office. It’s built in Moorish style, with eight rest pavilions from where pedestrians get an awesome view of the famous landmarks in Putrajaya. Inspired by the Khaju Bridge in Iran, the huge three-decked Putra Bridge is the main bridge leading to Putrajaya providing vehicle, monorail and pedestrian access.
Seri Gemilang Bridge is a ceremonial bridge that connects Heritage Square with the popular Putrajaya Convention Centre. Resembling a slender version of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the Seri Saujana Bridge that features a unique symmetric cable-stayed structure and a through-arch bridge.
Lastly, the Seri Wawasan Bridge portraits a futuristic asymmetric cable-stayed design with a forward-inclined pylon giving it a sailing ship like appearance.
Kuala Lumpur City Centre
The Kuala Lumpur City Centre, KLCC to the locals, is known for its upscale fashion malls and luxury hotels. At the centre of it all are the futuristic Petronas Twin Towers.
Considered as the tallest twin towers in the world, the Petronas Twin Towers are the pride of Malaysia, signifying the country’s growth as an industrial nation. The towers are connected at the 41st and 42nd floors via the Sky Bridge to which guests are allowed access during selected hours of the day as part of a guided tour package.
The tour also provides access to the 86th floor that is home to the information centre which uses augmented reality to engage with and relay information to visitors. You can also quietly sit down near a window and enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur. The tower viewer binoculars built in to the interior design allows you to have a closer look at the city from this vantage point in the sky.
On the 4th floor of the Petronas Twin Towers, is the Petrosains Kuala Lumpur, an interactive science discovery centre dedicated to the field of petroleum science. This museum style arrangement adds an element of fun to present various scientific exhibits ranging from space age innovations to fossils. The 7000 square metre space is divided into 11 main showcases that can be visited in any order.
Aquaria KLCC, said to be the largest aquarium in the world, is located on the concourse level of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Tiger sharks, lethal sea snakes, blue rays, bright coral fish, and seahorses are some of the star attractions of the 150+ species of marine life you will see in this aquarium. The 90 metre walk-through tunnel equipped with a moving travelator lets you walk through the giant tank that hosts sand tigers and huge stingrays.
The Rocky Shore Touch Pool gives visitors the chance to touch a Bamboo Shark as it swims around the shallow pool. And for those of you who dare, the aquarium has a Diving with Sharks program where you can get up close and personal with tiger sharks and stingrays. And if you don’t have a diving permit, you can join the Cage Rage program, where you can jump into the tank within the confines of a submerged cage.
Menara KL Tower
The Menara KL Tower is easily Malaysia’s most recognizable and popular landmark. The tower, standing at 421 meters, is taller than the Petronas Twin Towers with its spindle-like apex visible from almost anywhere in Kuala Lumpur.
The viewing deck of the tower, is 100m above the sky bridge connecting the twin towers and gives an amazing view of the city below, especially if you visit during night time.The tower’s architectural-style is a reflection of Malaysia’s rich Islamic heritage complete with Arabic scripts, Islamic tiles, and archetypal Islamic floral patterns. The tower also plays host to Atmosphere 360, a revolving restaurant where you can have a meal or high tea whilst enjoying the view.
Street food
If having a meal in a fancy restaurant is not what you’re looking for, then hit the streets and experience some splendid Malaysian street food, ranging from Nasi Goring to rolled ice cream.
A few authentic dishes that you must try are Batu Maung Satay (Grilled Meat on Skewers), Koay Chiap (Duck and Noodle Soup), Nasi Lemak (Rice Cooked in Coconut Milk), Char Kuey Teow (Stir-Fried Noodles), Otak Otak (Fish Cakes), Mee Goreng (Soft Noodles Served with Lettuce), and Kuih Kosui (Glutinous Rice and Coconut Dessert).
For those willing to try something unorthodox, I recommend the batter fried frog legs; it tastes just like Chicken!!
Berjaya Times Square
One of the largest shopping malls in the world, the Berjaya Times Square boasts of over 1000 shops, office spaces and a leisure center.
Located on the 5th and 7th floors of the Berjaya Time Square is Malaysia’s largest indoor Theme Park that reels in adrenalin junkies from far and wide. Of the six heart-attack inducing rides, my favorite was the ‘Supersonic Odyssey’! 800 meters long and reaching a top speed of 80 km/h, the Supersonic Odyssey is Asia-Pacific’s longest multiple-inverted roller coaster, which is definitely not for the faint hearted.
