Photos

Closeup of one of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. These 88-floor towers - the tallest twin towers in the world - were completed in 1998. A two-story skybridge on the 41st and 42nd floors connects the towers and is the highest two-story bridge in the world. A double-decker elevator system is used in the towers - the bottom part for odd floors, the top part for even floors.

Petronas Towers close up showing the double-decker walkway between the towers.

Looking up one of the Twin Towers to the double-decker walkway. A Malaysian national flag hangs hear the entrance.

View of the National Museum and the Twin Towers from Perdana Lake Gardens Park. The National Museum is the primary museum in the country. It opened in 1963 to serve as a repository of Malaysia's cultural heritage and historic past.

Kuala Lumpur (Muddy Confluence) as seen from the Petronas Twin Towers. As the largest city and capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur serves as the seat of parliament and the official residence of the king.

The Strait of Malacca, located between Peninsular Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world and serves as the main shipping channel between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans. Piracy continues to be a significant hazard in the area.

The Thean Hou Temple is one of the largest and most ornate Chinese Buddhist temples in Kuala Lumpur. Officially opened in 1989, it is dedicated to Tian Hou (The Heavenly Mother). There are three altars in the Prayer Hall - one to Guan Yin (Goddess of Mercy), one to Tian Hou (Heavenly Mother), and one to Shui Wei Sheng Niang (Goddess of the Waterfront).

The Batu Caves, fronted by a statue of Lord Murugan, are a series of caves and cave temples built into a limestone hill located in the Gombak district north of Kuala Lumpur. Originally the caves were a shelter for indigenous folk; later the Japanese dug guano out of the caves. In 1891, they were turned into a Hindu shrine. The best known temple is Cathedral Cave; there is also an Art Gallery Cave, a Museum Cave, and a Ramayana Cave (devoted to the life of Rama).

The statue of Lord Murugan at the Batu Caves. Constructed of tons of concrete, steel reinforcing bars, and gold paint, the monument - unveiled in 2006 - took three years to complete. In Hindu mythology, Lord Murugan was a Hindu deity created by Lord Siva to defeat the demon Surapadman.

The statue of Lord Murugan, a Hindu deity, overlooks the plaza before the Batu Caves.

Some of the 272 steps leading up to Cathedral Cave at Batu Caves.

The interior of the limestone cave known as Cathedral Cave.