The image of beautiful twin towers (Petronas Tower) would always crop up in my mind’s eye whenever one talked about Malaysia or Kuala Lumpur. And yes, I’ve always nursed a desire to visit the place, if only to climb on to the Petronas Tower. Lady Luck finally smiled on me when I was assigned to cover one of Bollywood’s biggest award shows in Kuala Lumpur, the the 16th International India Film Academy Award (IIFA). But my joy was short-lived as the tight schedule kept me engaged in work. Luckily, we managed to squeeze out a day for this beautiful city. Waking up early, a heavy breakfast in us, backpacks,
water bottles and a guide with us, we set off to explore Kuala Lumpur.

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9 am
KL Bird Park is a good option to begin a tour of the city. This is the world's largest free-flight walk-in aviary. There are lots of things to do in this park ~ one can chase peacocks and hornbills, pose with owls and parrots on one's shoulder, watch ostriches lay eggs and be awed by soaring storks and flamingos in near-natural surroundings. A must visit to those with any interest in birds or nature.

Mid morning (11 am to 12 noon)
The next stoppage was the city's most iconic landmark, the Petronas Tower. No one can miss these towers as it is visible from every part of the city. The highlight of the tour lasts just  10 minutes but one ends up taking a lot of time clicking selfies with the twin towers. The high-speed elevator’s first stop is on the 41st floor, where a bridge links the two towers. Then it goes up till 86th floor, from where one can have a panoramic view of the city. For film buff, this is the same place (linking bridge), where Shah Rukh Khan starrer Don was shot. The Menara, Kuala Lumpur communications tower, is close by and one must make sure to get on to its observation deck, which is 276 metres above ground level, giving an impressive views of the metropolis.

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Around noon
From here, one must visit the Golden Triangle (Bukit Bintang), a popular shopping and entertainment hub. Popular malls areas are Pavilion, Lot 10, Farenheit and then the bargain mall Sugei Wang. One can finish the afternoon with a nice meal in one of the numerous food courts any of these malls.

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5 pm
The best place to spend evenings in the Malaysian Capital is China Town. Located in the pedestrian-only Jalan Petaling, this district is teeming with diners, shoppers and traders in narrow laneways. Thread your way through the stalls and choose a meal from whichever eatery takes your fancy; or, for something a little classier, sample Nyonya cuisine ~ a fusion of Chinese and Malay traditions. And one must not to forget to pick up some quaint souvenirs to take back home.

 9 pm:
At night don't forget to grab a typical Malay dinner at Jalan Alor, KL's most famous eating street. The place is always brimming with dozens of Chinese restaurants and food stalls. And yes, along with food, don't miss its array of massage centres, with services ranging from traditional Chinese Tui na ~ a pressure-point massage ~ to the classiest of Western-style day-spa treatments. Considering a day well spent, on must treat oneself to a reflexology foot massage.

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