Kuala Lumpur is an amazing city with an outstanding blend of cultures, incredible food, and rich history. Going to at least one observation deck to get incredible views of KL is a must. The two most famous observations decks are Petronas Towers and KL Tower. In this blog post I will share my review of Petronas Towers vs KL Tower to help you pick the best option. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.
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Overall recommendation
The KL Tower observation deck is my top choice. That’s because it’s an open-air observation deck and it has a 360-degree view of Kuala Lumpur.
While Petronas Towers are the world’s tallest twin towers, it’s nicer to get a view of them from KL Tower. The Petronas Twin Towers only offers an indoor experience and you only get an up-close view of one of the towers.
This is just my personal preference and your mileage might vary. But at least you’ll know what to expect from both options so you can choose the right one for you.
KL Tower (Menara KL)
KL Tower, also called the Menara Kuala Lumpur Tower, is a 421 meter telecommunications tower. It’s the seventh tallest telecommunications tower in the world and one of the tallest buildings in KL.
The top of KL Tower has a 360 degree open air observation deck. You’ll be able to get a spectacular view of the city, including the iconic Petronas Twin Towers.
The KL city skyline is gorgeous and visiting KL Tower’s observation deck is one of the top things you should do in the Malaysian capital.
Ticket prices are similar for KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers, about $30 USD. If you are on a tight budget and can only visit one of them I recommend you go with KL Tower.
I would say 2 hours is enough time to visit KL Tower. You will be able to get some cute pictures on the ground level with the KL Tower sign and the KL Tower in the background. And you’ll also have plenty of time to go up and enjoy incredible views of the city.
Getting to KL Tower
If you decide to walk to KL Tower I have to warn you that you’ll have to go on an incline road for about 15-20 minutes. While this elevated walk typically sounds great, remember that the weather in KL is incredible hot and humid. So it will feel like a workout and you’ll be really sweaty by the time you reach the tower.
I took a Grab car to KL Tower and I walked back after my visit. It was a much nicer experience.
If you decide to visit both KL Tower and the Petronas Towers I suggest you start with KL Tower and then go to Petronas. This way you can get a Grab ride to KL Tower and then walk from KL Tower to Petronas as the two attractions are a short walk from one another.
Petronas Twin Towers
The Petronas Twin Towers are probably the most iconic landmarks of Kuala Lumpur. They are also a symbol of the city and the tallest twin towers in the world.
I lived in NYC, so I’ve seen plenty of skyscrapers: Empire State Building, World Trade Center, Chrysler Building etc. But I have to say there is something special about the Petronas twin skyscrapers. They have that wow effect that not a lot of tall buildings have.
The observation deck is less impressive compared to KL Tower. That’s because the entire experience is indoors, while you get an outdoors experience at KL Tower.
In addition, you’ll get a close-up view of one of the twin towers since you’ll be in the other one. But the panoramic views of both twin towers from KL Tower is much better.
They do have some interactive exhibits and opportunities for taking pictures, like a glass box, which are pretty cool. And of course, there is a souvenir shop too.
You will have to pick a time slot when visiting the towers. They have slots available every 15 minutes. Since it’s such a popular tourist attraction the tickets sell out, so I suggest you buy your ticket in advance.
After the visit you should make a quick stop at KLCC Park to take some pictures with the twin towers in the background.
At the base of the towers you can find the Suria KLCC shopping mall. It’s one of the best malls in the city and it has a lot of shops. If you’re looking to go on a shopping spree while in KL, I recommend the Suria KLCC mall, as well as Pavilion Mall.
FAQs about Kuala Lumpur
Where should I stay in Kuala Lumpur?
You can read my full guide on where to stay in Kuala Lumpur here.
I stayed at Villa Samadhi, a 5-star boutique hotel that offers so much lush greenery and serenity that you forget you’re in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
I had access to the pool from my room and it was fantastic. The perfect way to cool down after exploring the city in hot and humid weather.
You can find a full review of Villa Samadhi here.
What is the best time to visit Kuala Lumpur?
I visited late March and the weather cooperated for the most part. No matter when you visit it will be hot and humid and temperatures will be around 25-32 degrees Celsius (77-90 F). However, because of the humidity, it feels like it’s even hotter.
There will most likely be thunderstorms. It happened almost every day when I was there. But the good news is that they mostly last for a few hours. And other than that it tends to be pretty sunny.
How can I get to the city center from Kuala Lumpur International Airport?
Public transport
You can take the KLIA Ekspres train from the Kuala Lumpur airport to KL Sentral, the main train station in the city. The trip takes about 30 minutes. Trains run every 15-20 minutes, depending on the time of day.
You can also take the bus from the airport to get to KLCC. This is the cheapest option, but it usually takes over an hour to get to the city. So I recommend this option only if you’re on a very tight budget.
Grab
Grab is the most popular e-ride app in Asia. It’s basically the Uber of Asia. So make sure to download the app before your trip.
The app is super easy to use. The service is very reliable and you can easily get a car.
This is the most convenient option to get to your hotel from the airport.
Plus, Grab is really affordable. The trip from the airport to the city center takes about one hour and it cost me only about $15. The same trip in NYC would cost you 10X this amount.
If you don’t want to download yet another app, then you can schedule a private transfer.
How can I get around Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur is a huge city and I didn’t find it very walkable. Pretty much everyone drives there.
If you need to get from one destination to the other I recommend you get a Grab car. The prices are really affordable. It usually costs only a few dollars and it’s the easiest way to get around.
How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad?
The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.
I use Airalo. You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for. After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.
You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.
Is Kuala Lumpur safe for a solo female traveler?
Yes! I felt safe the entire time I was in Kuala Lumpur. I didn’t see any pick pockets or scammers. People are used to seeing tourists and are very friendly.
I have to say that I felt safer in KL than I felt when I visited a Western European capital city.
Kuala Lumpur could be a great destination for a first solo trip to Asia since they use the Latin alphabet, they speak English, and it’s a more developed place compared to other countries in Southeast Asia.
Do I need cash for my trip to Kuala Lumpur?
Yes, you will need cash when you visit Kuala Lumpur. The food markets, some restaurants and some stores only accept cash. Compared to Singapore, cash is a lot more used in Malaysia.
There are plenty of ATMs in the city, so if you forget to get some at the airport there won’t be any problem. If you need to exchange money there are also plenty of exchange places in the city as well.
Pro tip: always get cash from an ATM in the country you’re visiting instead of going to an exchange place. Your bank will always have better exchange rates when taking out cash in a foreign currency from an ATM.
Do I have to tip in Kuala Lumpur?
No, you do not have to tip in Kuala Lumpur. No matter where I ate I never had to leave a tip.
Do I need to book tickets for attractions in advance?
I highly recommend you book all the tickets online in advance of your trip. The popular tourist attractions can get sold out if you don’t book in advance.
Do people speak English in Kuala Lumpur?
Yes, they do. The level of fluency varies from person to person, but I had no problems communicating in English with everyone during my trip.
Do you recommend Kuala Lumpur as a solo destination?
Yes, I think Kuala Lumpur is a great place for a solo trip. There are plenty of things to do, the food is delicious, the people are friendly, and I felt safe.
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Ioana was born and raised in Romania, lived in NYC for 14 years, and is now back in Romania. She fell in love with traveling when she was little and used to visit her aunt in Vienna. Then in high school she was able to visit Siberia, Turkmenistan, Istanbul, and Tokyo through chemistry competitions. As an adult she started to travel solo once she turned 30 and visited 20+ countries so far. Ioana is a full time travel blogger and content creator with an audience of 80K+ people on Instagram. She loves to share travel recommendations and tips.