If you’re wondering if visiting the KL Tower is worth it, when the best time to go is, and what the ticket prices are like, this complete guide will help you plan your trip.
While the Petronas Towers are Kuala Lumpur’s most famous skyscraper, they may not be the best choice to get a view of the city. The KL Tower is slightly less popular among tourists but also cheaper and a lot easier to visit.
To go to the top of the Petronas Towers, you need to pre-book a designated time slot, and the popular times do tend to sell out quickly. The slots are strictly constrained to 45 minutes, and you cannot stay longer than that.
The KL Tower, however, has no such rules and you get to go whenever you like and stay as long as you wish.
I also think the view is better at the KL Tower since you get to see the Petronas Towers, which makes the skyline a lot more recognisable.
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Why you can trust this article about the KL Tower
Hi, I’m Victoria and I’m here to help you plan your trip to Kuala Lumpur and the rest of Malaysia.
I spent a year living and working in KL, and now that Bali in Indonesia is my permanent home base, I get to come to this beautiful city several times per year since it’s so close.
Because I was living in Kuala Lumpur permanently, I have a lot more insight into the city than a normal tourist would and I can help you plan your trip there with accurate and up-to-date travel advice.
Whether you’re looking for the best affordable places to eat, the best shopping malls, or guides to attractions like the Batu Caves, Thean Hou Temple or the KL Tower, I’ve got you covered.
I go to the KL Tower at least once every time I visit the city, so I’ll be the first to know if something changes.
Where is the KL Tower located?
The KL Tower sits just west of Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) on the outskirts of Bukit Bintang. It’s within walking distance from all other popular sightseeing points such as KLCC Park, the Petronas Towers, Pavilion Shopping Centre and many more.
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How to get to the KL Tower
The Tower is located on Bukit Nanas Hill, where you can also find the Forest Eco Park. Getting there can be slightly tricky. You can walk, but since it’s uphill in the humidity, it won’t be a very pleasant experience. If you do decide to attempt this, I would recommend walking through the Forest Eco Park to at least give you something to see on the way up.
There is also the main road that leads up to the KL Tower. It’s better to choose this route on the way down in my opinion.
The easiest way to get to the KL Tower is by simply taking a Grab or taxi. This will take you right to the doorstep and won’t cost much, depending on where you are taking it from.
The KL Hop-on Hop-off Bus also stops there.
The closest Monorail station is Bukit Nanas, and Dang Wangi is the closest MRT station. From both, you’ll have to walk for roughly 20 minutes to reach the tower.
Kl Tower facts
The tower was built in 1995 and it serves as a communications tower as well as being a tourist attraction. While the viewing platform is 335 metres high, the tower technically measures 421 metres because of its large antenna. In addition to that, it sits on top of a hill (Bukit Nanas), which makes it feel a lot higher than it actually is.
The KL Tower is the seventh-largest free-standing tower in the world. Right next to it, there is a 100-year-old jelutong tree, which was not harmed during construction. Specific measures were taken to protect it despite its proximity to the construction site. You can visit the tree from the lobby of the tower.
The tower has a revolving restaurant from which visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the city during a nice dinner.
Every year a race is held for who can climb the stairs to the top of the tower the fastest.
Opening hours of the KL Tower
The opening hours for the tower are 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM every day. This might differ slightly during public holidays. Check out the official website for details.
When is the best time to visit the KL Tower?
Like with most popular tourist attractions, the best time to visit the KL Tower is early in the morning. I’ve had the best experiences at the tower at 9:00 AM in the morning when it opens. During that time, you’ll be sharing the platforms with only around 20 other people at the most.
If you’re interested in going into one of the glass bottom “Skyboxes” you should definitely avoid peak periods. The lines for the Skyboxes tend to get very long during the day, whereas in the morning you can go as often as you want.
Another factor is the heat. If you choose to go to the KL Tower Sky Deck, the open-air platform, you’ll be completely exposed to the sun with little shade. In the morning this isn’t too much of a problem but the hot afternoon sun will definitely keep you from staying too long.
The tower is also a lot quieter during the week as most people tend to visit on the weekend.
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KL Tower tickets and prices
There are two decks at the KL Tower: the Observation Deck, which is enclosed, and the Sky Deck, which is open-air. The prices are as follows:
Observation Deck Malaysian Citizen RM 30 (~ €5.80)
Observation Deck Foreigner RM 60 (~ €11.75)
Sky Deck (includes Observation Deck) Malaysian Citizen RM 71 (~ €13.90)
Sky Deck (includes Observation Deck) Foreigner RM 110 (~ €21.54)
You can buy tickets online or at the tower. If you’re planning on visiting during the day, it might save you time if you buy the tickets online in advance. Otherwise, there is no reason to.
These tickets are quite expensive, especially for South-East Asia. However, I do think paying more to see the Sky Deck is worth it. I was pretty underwhelmed by the Observation Deck and thought going all the way to the top made a big difference.
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The different platforms
After buying your tickets in the lobby you’ll get on an elevator that takes you to the Observation Deck. Here, you can spend as much time as you like wandering around the circular deck. There is a small gift/snack shop.
However, don’t stay for too long. The more exciting platform is definitely the Sky Deck, as it is open-air and even higher.
They tend to open this platform slightly later than the Observation Deck (around 9:15 AM to 9:30 AM). I’m not exactly sure why, but it’s usually something to do with the elevators. If you ask the staff kindly they tend to let you use the stairs to go to the top before anyone else. I can’t guarantee that this works every time, though, in my experience, it usually does.
The Sky Deck is circular, but you cannot walk all the way around. On opposite sides are the two Skyboxes for which you have to draw a number to wait in line. Glas railings separate the visitors from the steep drop below.
KL Tower Skyboxes
The so-called “Skyboxes” are glass-bottom boxes suspended over the side of the tower. They are open-air and not for the faint of heart.
To avoid actual lines forming, the tower has a ticket system in place. To draw a number, you have to go inside back to where the elevators are. Then, you wait until your number appears on one of the large screens. There are two different Skyboxes, so be careful which one you draw a number for.
You need to take off your shoes to go into the Skybox, and up to three people can go into one box at once. However, if you draw a ticket, you are guaranteed to be alone in the box if you wish and won’t have to share it with strangers.
Each person gets to spend five minutes in the box, but not more. You can ask some of the friendly staff to take your picture.
If you have the chance, I can recommend trying both of the Skyboxes. The views are very different, and the experience is unique.
They have also recently started offering “Tower Walks”, where you can walk along the edge of the tower strapped into a harness. Tickets are pretty affordable, and even though the experience is quite short, it’s worth it.
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Food and restaurants
In the lobby, you’ll find a good selection of small restaurants if you get hungry after your visit to the tower. They aren’t the cheapest, however, and the prices at these KL Tower restaurants can be slightly higher than around town.
If you’re not in a rush, then why not head over towards KLCC instead, where you’ll find some of the city’s best and cheapest restaurants?
How long should you stay?
I would say you can spend around one hour at the KL Tower if you do not have to wait in line. This gives you plenty of time to look around, take photos and enjoy the views. If you’re going during rush periods, add at least 30 to 60 minutes in wait time.
With so many great photo opportunities in KL, you’ll love these Malaysia-inspired Instagram captions.
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What is close to the KL Tower?
After you visit the KL Tower, there are plenty of things to do close by. I highly recommend the Forest Eco Park, which sits right next to the tower. Unfortunately, they increased the entrance prices quite a bit in recent years, but it’s still a nice place to visit.
There are also the Upside Down House and the KL Mini Zoo, both of which I am not a big fan of. If you want to read more about why, then check out our 19 Things to do in Kuala Lumpur and 6 you should skip post here.
If you want to go a bit further, why not check out KLCC or Bukit Bintang, with its many attractions. Experience KL’s hidden bar scene by visiting one of the many secret speakeasies in the city or go on a shopping spree in the great selection of shopping malls in the city.
The possibilities in KL are always endless.
KL Tower FAQ
The ticket price for the KL Tower is RM 110 for adults who are not from Malaysia.
Both the KL and the Petronas Towers are well worth visiting for tourists, but the KL Tower has a slightly better view.
There is no dress code for the KL Tower; just make sure you are wearing shoes and a shirt to get in.
The KL Tower opening hours are from 9:00 AM until 10:00 PM.
The construction of the tower was initiated by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Since the tower is very narrow, it only technically has 15 stories, despite its height.
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Before you go…
You’re ready to visit the KL Tower, but have you planned the rest of your trip to Kuala Lumpur? You might like our guides to the Batu Caves, Cave Villa, the KL Bird Park and the Butterfly Park.
Our guide to the city’s neighbourhoods are also highly recommended.
Did I miss anything?
If you have any questions or feel like something is missing from this post, please leave a comment below or contact me.
