Kuala Lumpur is a fascinating Southeast Asian city with plenty of wheelchair accessible attractions & sights. I quickly realized that my three days in the city would not be enough to check out all the city has to offer, and I am hoping for an opportunity to return soon. I was armed with a KL Pass, which provided free or reduced entry to many of the city’s top attractions (check back soon for a complete post about the pass) and included a ticket to the city’s wheelchair-friendly hop-on/hop-off buses. In this article, I’ll share with you my experiences touring Kuala Lumpur as a power wheelchair user. If you have visited KL, please share your experiences in the comments below.
A green asterisk indicates the attraction is included as part of the KL Pass.
PETRONAS Twin Towers
The hallmark of Kuala Lumpur’s magnificent skyline, the PETRONAS Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004. The pinnacle spires at the top of the 88-floor buildings reach to a height of 1,483 feet. Tower 1 is occupied solely by PETRONAS, a Malaysian oil and gas company. Tower 2 houses the Malaysian offices of numerous companies, including Boeing, IBM and Microsoft.
I had the opportunity to tour the Skybridge (the world’s tallest, at a height of 558 feet) and the 86th-floor observation deck (in Tower 2) as part of a press visit. I was able to enjoy fantastic views of the city, along with a close-up view of Tower 1’s nearby rooftop. The tour is a box every visitor to the city will want to check. Be aware, however, that the tour is scheduled, and you will have only a limited amount of time in each section. My group was offered no more than 15 minutes on the upper observation level.
The tour was wheelchair accessible, and accessible bathrooms were available on the ground level, and in the mall which is connected to the PETRONAS Towers. For more information, or to plan your visit, consult the official website at www.petronastwintowers.com.my. You can also read more about my visit in the following blog post: Battle of the Kuala Lumpur Observation Towers.
KL City Center Park
The KL City Center Park measures 20 hectares (~50 acres) and sits at the foot of the PETRONAS Twin Towers. The park is open to the public – free of charge – and is a great place to take a stroll and a reprieve from the city’s Central Business District, which circles the space. The stated goal of the park’s designers was to “leave the world a little more sensitive and a little more educated to the importance of nature.”
The park’s features include a man-made lake with a water show synchronized to music, jogging tracks, a children’s playground, and a splash pool (pictured to the left). The park is modern and wheelchair accessible: pathways are smooth and well-maintained, and ramps have been installed where necessary. Wheelchair accessible bathrooms are also available.
Aquaria *
Aquaria KLCC is an aquarium that is located beneath the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, which is steps away from the PETRONAS Towers and KL City Center Park. Aquaria opened its doors in 2005, and is now home to more than 250 different species of marine life.
I am not a big fan of aquariums or zoos, but I visit them in every city because I know many of my readers are parents planning trips with their children. I have seen my share of aquariums, and they are typically cookie-cutter experiences… fish swimming in tanks. But Aquaria KLCC is home to the most incredible feature I have seen – a massive tunnel that runs beneath the aquarium’s main tank. But this tunnel features a travelator, which carries able-bodied passengers through the beautiful maze of sea life. Wheelchair users and moms with strollers will need to stay on the fixed walkway (seen in the photo above), but will have equal access to the underwater world that surrounds the walkway.
Admission for adults is 64 MYR (~$16), but I highly recommend you check it out for a couple of hours. The sheer size of the tank and length of the glass tunnel will leave you speechless. For more information, visit www.aquariaklcc.com.
Kuala Lumpur Tower *
The KL Tower was constructed between 1991 and 1994, and opened its observation deck to the public in 1996. The tower is a communications station, and its rooftop antenna reaches 1,381 feet into the sky. Menara Kuala Lumpur is presently the 7th tallest freestanding tower in the world, and it sits atop a beautiful hill in the city.
Wheelchair users are able to reach the observation deck by way of an elevator, where it is possible to take in breathtaking views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. Tickets are priced at 52 MYR (~$13 USD) for adults, but admission is included with the KL Pass. For more information, visit the tower’s website at www.menarakl.com.my. You can also read more about my visit in the following blog post: Battle of the Kuala Lumpur Observation Towers.
KL Tower Mini Zoo
At the end of your visit to the KL Tower’s observation deck, be sure to check out the Mini Zoo that is right next-door. The entire facility is not accessible to wheelchairs, but the upper level is, and I was able to purchase admission at a discounted rate.
As part of my tour, I was able to interact directly with birds, bunny rabbits, a baby kangaroo, an iguana and other creatures. I was able to feed monkeys, but unfortunately only through the cage. While this isn’t the most accessible or most impressive zoo out there, it’s a nice place for a photo op and an opportunity to interact with some animals. The baby kangaroo was very precious, but the photos did not turn out well enough to share.
Merdeka Square
Merdeka translates to independence, and this square has played a significant role in the celebration of Malaysia’s independence from the United Kingdom. The flagpole at the center of the square stands 95 meters (~312 feet) tall, making it one of the tallest in the world. The Malaysian flag was raised here for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957, following the final lowering of the Union Jack.
The square is the site of the annual Merdeka, or National Day Parade. It is surrounded by other important landmarks and tourist sites.
Kuala Lumpur City Gallery (& I♥KL Sign) *
If you’re vacationing in Kuala Lumpur, your Instagram feed won’t be complete without a shot of the I♥KL sign, which is located outside of the City Gallery.
The KL City Gallery’s main attraction is a 40 ft. by 50 ft. model of Kuala Lumpur. Multimedia projectors \animate the model to highlight the city’s history and development. Unfortunately, due to a step/barrier at the building’s entrance, I was unable to experience this for myself. I have reached out to the gallery, and hope to work with them to make the experience accessible to all.
The I♥KL sign, which sits outside of the gallery, is accessible to everyone – free of charge. If you would like to learn more about the gallery, visit www.klcitygallery.com.
MUD: Our Story of Kuala Lumpur *
MUD is a musical theatre performance that introduces the history of Kuala Lumpur is an easily accessible way. The hour-long performance takes place in a theater that previously served as the administration center for the Kuala Lumpur Sanitary Board. The venue is wheelchair accessible.
I have taken the following description from the show’s website:
It all began in 1880 during the mining boom. The glint of tin promised riches and attracted an influx of pioneers from across the Asian region to the muddy junction of the two rivers, Sungai Lumpur (now Sungai Gombak) and Sungai Kelang. We meet Mamat, Meng and Muthiah, three friends who came to this frontier town of Kuala Lumpur in search of opportunities and a new life.
Through their journey we encounter a host of colourful characters, each with their own enduring personalities and stories. Together these characters and stories form the cultural mosaic of what we all now know as modern Kuala Lumpur.
Tickets to the show cost 85 MYR (~$21 USD) for adults, or you can use the e-purse on your KL Pass to make the purchase. Shows run twice daily, at 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – except during Ramadan, when only the 3 p.m. show is offered.
Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Constructed from 1894-1897, the Sultan Abdul Samad building is a beautiful piece of architecture in Kuala Lumpur. The building’s architect, A.C. Norman, was inspired by Mughal architecture, which he found in the designs of Muslim mosques in India.
The building, which sits across the street from Merdeka Square and on the banks of the Klang River – near its confluence with the Gombak River – houses the offices of the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture of Malaysia. It previously held the federal and supreme courts. While the building is not open to the public, it is a beautiful piece of the KL skyline, and visitors from around the world delight in its breathtaking design. The clocktower, spiral staircase and copper domes add to the city’s beauty.
St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin is the seat of Rt. Rev. Datuk Ng Moon Hing, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia. Construction on the present cathedral building began in 1894. The cathedral sits at one end of Merdeka Square, and I had an opportunity to tour the interior. The church was designed my architect A.C. Norman, who was also responsible for the design of other buildings in Kuala Lumpur – including the beautiful Sultan Andul Samad building across the street.
Due to Malaysia’s history as a former colony of the United Kingdom, St. Mary’s Cathedral is a respected piece of Kuala Lumpur’s history. Worship services are held each Sunday. For more information, visit the cathedral’s website at www.stmaryscathedral.org.my.
Little India – Street Market
The Brickfields neighborhood in Kuala Lumpur is colloquially known as Little India due to the large Indian population that exists there. It is a popular spot for both locals and tourists, due to the street markets and food vendors that are spread throughout the neighborhood. I was able to peruse many of the stalls of a street bazaar, which were selling everything from bracelets and jewelry to handbags and clothing. Most of the stalls were accessible to me as a wheelchair user.
My favorite part of Little India was the large selection of street food. I cheated on my first visit and purchased a western-style meal – chicken nuggets and fries – but the nuggets were the best I have ever had. Since my trip to Kuala Lumpur was during Ramadan, it was especially lively in Little India after 7:30 p.m., when Muslims break their daily fast. It was a truly powerful experience, dining at a table on the street, surrounded by such a diverse collection of people, and looking up to see the crescent moon peeking through the cloud cover on a dark night.
My favorite market area, which is just outside of the Brckfields neighborhood, sets up along Jalin Masjid India, a street that runs nearby the Masjid Jamek LRT station. The street is lit up at night, with lights strung up across the roadway that is shared by pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes and vehicles. I highly recommend a stop at this Little India market, for a meal, shopping – or both!
St. John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral
St. John’s Cathedral is the seat of Archbishop Julian Leow Being Kim of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. As a Roman Catholic myself, I make it a point to visit the Cathedral in every new diocese I visit.
Although the current building was constructed in 1962, the first Church existed on the site in 1883. It is located near the Kuala Lumpur Tower, and I stopped there for prayer and to light a couple of candles on my way to visit the tower. The Cathedral’s website is broken, but you can visit the Archdiocese’s website at www.archkl.org.
