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Guides for the Business Traveler
Kuala Lumpur (2006)
4 hours in Kuala Lumpur (2006)
Margie T. Logarta enjoys the view from what were once, up until recently, the tallest buildings in the world, then listens to the Koran, adds to her art collection and still finds time for plenty of shopping.
 | Petronas Towers Although now dwarfed by the Taipei 101 tower, the Cesar Pelli-designed Petronas Towers are still the tallest twin towers in the world. The best view is from the seating nooks, skillfully woven into the adjacent Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) Park—the work of the renowned Brazilian landscaper Roberto Burley Marx. Entrance to the awe-inspiring Skybridge is free, but only about 800 tickets are issued daily, Tuesday–Sunday and public holidays (10 a.m.–12:45 p.m.; 3 p.m.–4:45 p.m.), and line-ups start at 7:30 a.m. Some hotels are able to secure tickets, but for a fee. In June, the KLCC took its place beside the towers in the KLCC complex, occupying 7.26 acres. It comprises the 3,000-seat Plenary Hall, 500-seat Plenary Theater, 104,518 square feet of exhibition space and the 1,800-seat Conference Hall, among other impressive new facilities. |  | Pucuk Rebung at KLCC Suria Malls don't have to be all about commercialism. Pucuk Rebung (level 3, Ampang wing) combines shopping with the educational experience of viewing rare and priceless Malaysian and Southeast Asian artifacts from the Pucuk Rebung collection. When you drop by, ask if Henry Bong, the gallery-boutique's founder, is around. The former banker is an amazing fount of knowledge on the region's past and will be able to explain every item on display. Open 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday, and 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. |  | Islamic Art Museum Within the pristine white walls of this museum (Jalan Lembah Perdana) lie the history, heritage and struggle of Islam, laid out in a logical and comprehensive manner. Exhibits include scale models of famous mosques, such as the one in Mecca, and verses of the Koran which appear on an LCD screen as an imam chants them. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (including public holidays), and is closed on Mondays. |  | Bintang Walk A popular shopping alternative to the grubby hawkers' stalls is Bintang Walk, a trendy row of pedestrianized cafés and trattoria-type restaurants stretching along Jalan Bintang, from the JW Marriott to the Lot 10 department store. It's packed every day of the week, and giant electric fans ensure that the dining experience is a cool one. This wildly successful idea—brainchild of businessman Dato Francis Yeoh—has now been copied across the city. |  | Artrageously Ramsay Ong Art Gallery Head northwest from Bintang Walk to the food street of Jalan Alor for Sarawak artist Ramsay Ong's gallery-souvenir heaven (43 & 45 Cangkat Bukit Bintang). The shop sells Malaysian tribal fabrics, funky accessories and even blue glassware from Morocco. Ong is a great raconteur as well as a talented artist, so leave plenty of time for a visit. Open 10:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m. daily, except Sunday 2 p.m.–10 p.m. |
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