7 Interesting Facts About the Petronas Twin Towers

A visit to Kuala Lumpur would simply be incomplete without gaping at the Petronas Twin Towers. Being one of the most iconic and recognizable landmarks in the world, people travel for miles to see it. The structure may be impressive but stories behind the building makes it so much more interesting. Here are interesting facts about the Petronas Twin Towers that you might not know.

The stunning Petronas Twin Towers

Once Upon a Time
The Petronas Twin Towers was declared by the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats as the world's tallest building in 1998. It held the title for 6 years until 2004 when Taipei 101 took the top spot. It is expected that by the year 2020, the once tallest building will be ranked at 20th place. However, at the present, Petronas remains the tallest twin towers in the world.

Pushed for Height
The building was originally planned to top off at 427 meters tall, not meant to be the tallest. As it was going to be only 16 meters shorter than the Sears Tower, the builders recalculated some structural aspects. The designers did not add new floors but added a small dome with an integrated pinnacle on top of the building pushing its final height to 451.9 meters. 

A Starlit Afternoon at Malaysia's Planetarium Negara

Do you remember gazing into the night sky as a child and your young imagination being sparked by thoughts of stars and space? Well, you can relive those childhood experiences in Malaysia's Planetarium Negara (also National Planetarium). Inside, you can experience looking at a great night sky without the need to go out, away from the city lights. You can watch a simulation of stars, constellations, and galaxies, and even feel like you're flying through space. You can also learn new stuff as the exhibition galleries feature displays on astronomy and space science. 

The Planetarium
Taking three years to build, Planetarium Negara was officially opened on February 7, 1994. Its opening symbolized the Malaysian government's serious commitment to the development of space science and technology in the country. Currently, the planetarium is supervised by Malaysia's Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment. 

The 11,000 square meter planetarium complex sits on top of a hill east of the Lake Gardens. It is located in between the KL Bird Park and Muzium Negara. The complex is easily recognizable and stands out as a blue-domed structure resembling a mosque with a minaret-like tower attached to its left side.   

The blue mosque-like structure of the planetarium

Outdoor Ancient Observatory Park
Just outside the main planetarium building is the Outdoor Ancient Observatory Park. This is where models of ancient observatories are sited. Here you'll find a replica of the famous Stonehenge and get an insight into the Chinese and Indian astronomy systems. The park also extends to a picnic area with a space theme for families and friends to hang out.

Entrance of the planetarium complex

Jai Singh Observatory of India

The Stonehenge replica made of fiberglass

In Photos: Muzium Negara's Colonial Era and Malaysia Today Galleries (Part II)

This is the second part of the photos of Muzium Negara that we wanted to share to encourage KL visitors to head off to the museum and spend a couple of hours of informative and insightful introduction to the history and culture of Malaysia. This focuses on the exhibits featured in the Colonial Era and Malaysia Today Galleries of the museum.

Here's the first part if you missed it: In Photos: Muzium Negara's Prehistory and the Malay Kingdoms Galleries (Part I)

Colonial Era
The Colonial Era Gallery guides visitors through the arduous struggle of Malaysia for independence. The gallery starts with the Portuguese Era section when Malacca was occupied by Portugal in 1511. It is followed by the Dutch Era section to highlight the taking of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641. The third section, the British Era section, traces the establishment of English presence in Malaysia until its colonization. It is then followed by smaller sections featuring the Japanese Occupation, the Education System of Malaysia, and the country's Freedom Fighters. Also included in the gallery are the impact and the changes brought about and left behind by the colonial powers in the political, social, and economic life of Malaysia.

Information on the Portuguese conquest of Malacca

Model of the Portuguese ship Flor De La Mar

In Photos: Muzium Negara's Prehistory and the Malay Kingdoms Galleries (Part I)

Visiting a museum may not be everyone’s idea of a fun time but it is a recommended activity by which tourists can learn about many facets of the country being explored. It is a great place to learn about the history, culture, achievements, and the honored men and women who built that nation. So in our travels, we would try and squeeze in, if possible, a museum visit in our itinerary.  

The good news is that the National Museum of Malaysia is within the route of the KL Hop On Hop Off Bus making it easier to include it as a stop. 

Read: City Sightseeing Onboard the KL Hop On Hop Off Bus

The Museum
After Malaysia's independence in 1957, the government conceived an idea to build a museum that will house the national historical and cultural treasures of the country. As such, a building that would house the National Museum was commissioned on the site of the former Selangor Museum which was destroyed at the end of World War II. The building is designed in the palatial style of Rumah Gadang, an aspect of Minangkabau architecture. The three-storey structure is supported by 26 concrete columns, a concept based on the combination of 13 columns in the east wing and 13 columns in the west wing, reflecting the 13 states that form Malaysia. 

Facade of Muzium Negara

The museum houses four galleries - the Pre History and Malay Kingdoms in the upper ground floor, and the Colonial Era and Malaysia Today in the second floor. There is also a spacious Central Hall, adorned by geometric mosaic tiles given by Pakistan, that houses temporary and special exhibitions.

Here are photos of the first two galleries and the exhibits that will make you want to head off to the museum in your visit to Kuala Lumpur.

City Sightseeing Onboard the KL Hop On Hop Off Bus

Planning and going through an itinerary in a city like Kuala Lumpur can be an intimidating task. It is after all a big metropolis with countless places to stop off and discover. Although you will not be able to cover everything in a short itinerary, you can always explore at your own pace and visit attractions that you want. This is where taking the Hop On Hop Off bus comes in as a great option.

Hop on hop off means you can jump on and off the bus at stops as many times as you want within a given time period for a fixed cost. It is available in many big cities including Kuala Lumpur and Penang in Malaysia. In Kuala Lumpur, it is known as the KL Hop On Hop Off Bus. It has 23 designated stops right by 70 of KL's most popular attractions. 

With the bus, you only need to get off at the stops you prefer and skip some. You can also stay on board the double-decker the entire time to get a peek at all the sights in the city. It really is a flexible and hassle-free way to get from place to place within KL. 

KL Hop On Hop Off Bus

Lower air-conditioned deck of the bus

Open upper deck of the bus offering views of the city

Hulo Hotel + Gallery: Waking Up Next to World-Class Art

During our recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, we developed an appreciation for art hotels. This is because we stayed in The Hulo Hotel + Gallery where we were welcomed by an exhibition of various artworks in the lobby, in the corridors, and even inside the room. It is the kind of place where you'll enjoy wandering around taking pictures and the kind of accommodation where you'll have unique arts experience every time you stay.

Here's a review of this small boutique property. 
  

Art transformed the overall look of the property

Location

The Hulo Hotel + Gallery's location is very strategic and is one of its main advantages. It is within the Golden Triangle, Kuala Lumpur's commercial, shopping, and entertainment center. It is approximately 450 meters to Berjaya Times Square or Imbi Station and 630 meters to Sung Wei Plaza. Numerous other shopping malls can be reached from the hotel within a walk of 15 minutes or less. Prominent landmarks such as the Royal Selangor Golf Club is only 10 minutes away by car while the Petronas Twin Towers is 20 minutes away. 

Although the hotel is close to happening places, it is already at the edge of the Golden Triangle making its neighborhood still reasonably quiet. To reach the hotel you can take the KL Monorail Line to Imbi Station and walk to Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah.

Reservation
The Hulo Hotel + Gallery doesn't have its own website for reservation of rooms. It can only be booked through online travel agencies such as Agoda, Wotif, and Hotels.com. 

Agoda offered the best deal for our stay dates. Since it also has a partnership with BPI, we got to enjoy an additional 7% discount on top of the online deal. We booked a Standard Room for only PHP646.30 per room per night. That's total savings of at least 80% from the room's full price. 

To book through Agoda using your BPI credit card, visit the microsite here.

Check-in
We arrived at the hotel at around 1:00PM. As we were earlier than the peak hours of the day, we were able to check-in immediately. Check-in was very straightforward and contrary to what is published online, no security deposit was asked from us. 

The hotels' exquisite front desk

A tourist tax of 10MYR per room is required to be paid by all foreign guests staying in any hotel in Malaysia. This tax is not included in the room rate and must be paid upon arrival. The hotel is unable to charge the tourist tax via credit card because they do not have the facility. Since we only had enough local currency for our transportation from the airport to the hotel, the front desk allowed us to pay in the evening so we'll have time to exchange our money to MYR.

Kuala Lumpur: A Budget Travel Guide for Juans

We've seen travel and tour packages to Kuala Lumpur priced from PHP12,000 to PHP15,000 per person. Some may think these are well-priced but these packages do not include meals, travel taxes, mandatory tips, and surcharges. The total cost would easily come up by at least PHP3,000. So why would you want to book these packages when you can create your own itinerary for under PHP9,900 all in? Here's our guide to doing it. 

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building as seen from
the historical Merdeka Square in KL

Note: Exchange rate used is PHP13.30 for every MYR1.

Flights
Kuala Lumpur is accessible by direct flights from many Asian cities. From Manila, there are eight daily flights to Kuala Lumpur. These flights are operated by Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines. As such, there are more flight options to get the lowest possible fare. 

Aside from checking directly with the airlines, we also use the app Traveloka as a go-to site for flight deals. The site is useful when you want to search, compare, and book flights and hotels that fit your budget and schedule. With help from the site, we got our round trip Manila to Kuala Lumpur flight for PHP4,985.50 per person. To get similarly low fares, check out by visiting its website or downloading the app in your smart phone.

Airfare: PHP4,985.50 per person 
Travel Tax: PHP1,620 per person

Accommodation
With more than 60,000 hotel rooms in the city, visitors to KL will have a wide range of accommodation options that fit any type of budget.

We stayed at the beautiful The Hulo Hotel + Gallery. The hotel is Malaysia's first boutique hotel that features the works of the country's foremost creative talents - from custom toys, sculptures, and paintings to furniture. The hotel also boasts a strategic location. It is within walking distance to KL's shopping and entertainment district, Bukit Bintang. It is approximately 450 meters to Berjaya Times Square or Imbi Station and 630 meters to Sung Wei Plaza. 

The lobby turned gallery of Hulo Hotel + Gallery

We were roommates with Brody & Friends 

When booking, we always compare rates from the hotel websites to booking sites like Agoda or Hotels.com. This way we are able check for the best deals. We booked a Standard Room for only PHP646.30 per room per night via Agoda as it offered the lowest price with additional discounts through BPI credit cards.

You can further reduce accommodation costs to less than PHP500 per night if you are on a tighter budget and are willing to stay in shared dormitories.

Accommodation Cost: PHP1,292.60 per room or PHP646.30 total per person