Travel Forum / Destinations / Asia / June 2005

Shopping in Malaysia Guide

If you've heard of the legendary charms of its scenic sights, its
multi-faceted culture and traditions and the hospitality of its
people... you're about to discover yet another facet of its unique
attraction.

Shopping in Malaysia is an adventure in itself a hunt for the rare and
exotic treasures of the Orient. Situated at the cross roads Asia, it
presents the visitor with the best of the region has to offer. Its
ever widening range of products also include an extensive variety of
branded designer goods from the fashion capitals of the world.
Whatever it is you're looking for, you'll find the treasures worth
hunting in Malaysia!

Another irresistible enticement is the comparatively 'soft' Malaysian
ringgit which enables tourist dollars to be stretched much further
here. The exemption of duty on certain items has also resulted in more
competitive pricing and made shopping in Malaysia a much more
attractive option.

Shopping in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, the commercial hub of the country, has its fair share of
famous landmarks, historical relics and heritage buildings plus a
pulsating night life to keep the visitor occupied day and night. None
of these, however, would be complete without the sheer fun and
excitement of bargain hunting within the cool comforts of ultra-
modern, one-stop shopping complexes or the thrill of browsing among
antiques and curio items in the older establishments in the older
parts of the city. Mingle with the jostling crowd at the numerous
roadside stalls or share in the heady excitement of the carnival like
'pasar malarn' or night markets.

Things you can get in Kuala Lumpur
Handicrafts of local origin range from intricate silver, brass and
pewter items to pottery, rattan and wickerwork. Batiks of silk and
cotton come in tantalisingly vivid hues. The bold designs and dazzling
colours of Malaysian Batik set it apart from others within the region.
Art objects and curio items from the orient vie for attention with
carpets and rugs of lustrous silk and fine wool in traditional designs
of intricate geometric motifs or patterned in beautiful flowery
designs of pastel hues. There's ready-to-wear apparel of every design
and colour and trendy shoes and handbags. From the fashion centres of
the world come designer collections, elegant footwear, exclusive
watches, optical items and quality fabrics. Electrical appliances,
electronic equipment, computers and cameras are available too. And the
list goes on.

Main shopping areas in Kuala Lumpur

The main shopping areas in Kuala Lumpur are the Jalan Tuanku Abdul
Rahman area, Jalan Petaling/Jalan Bandar area and Jalan Bukit Bintang.

Jalan Tuanku Abd. Rahman
The main shopping area along Jalan Tuanku Abd. Rahman, stretches from
the Jalan Dang Wangi junction to Jalan Tun Perak and is lined on both
sides by a quaint mix of ultra modern buildings sandwiched between
pre-war buildings whose gracious facades have been lovingly preserved.
China Arts and Peiping Lace are a must for lovers of Oriental Art,
antiques and curios. Both shops stock an irresistible collection of
fine embroidered bed and table linen, carved rosewood furniture,
chests and cabinets, Chinese ceramics, jade and ivory carvings. Shops
dealing in oriental carpets may also be found here. Jalan Masjid India
which runs almost parallel to this area is the place to go to for
ethnic goods of Indian origin, sarees, sarongs and textiles.

Petaling Street and Jalan Bandar are at the hub of Kuala Lumpur's
bustling Chinatown. Shops here offer a variety of textiles, clothes,
shoes and handbags at bargain prices. The area is also known for its
jewellery shops with their fascinating variety of fine jewellery items
beautifully crafted in gold and set with priceless gemstones. Nepalese
traders offer exotic ethnic jewellery, wall hangings, ornaments,
curios and teapots from India and Myanmar. Make-shift and mobile
stalls jam the streets with their offerings of dried foodstuff, herbs,
fruits, flowers and herbal remedies. This is the place to hone your
bargaining skills; where a poker face and the 'gift of the gab'would
be plus points in your favour. This unusually busy street becomes more
lively at night with the sprouting up of stalls offering a diverse
range of products from ethnic goods, clothing and cosmetics to
'designer watches'! The bright lights from the shop fronts and stalls
combine with the blaring music to lend the area a festive carnival
air.

Jalan Bukit Bintang
Jalan Bukit Bintang, the 'Golden Mile' of Kuala Lumpur owed its fame
in the heyday of the post- war era to 'BB Park', the entertainment
complex located on the site of the present Sungei Wang Plaza and BB
(Bukit Bintang) Plaza. Today, the area is barely recognisable; gone is
the gaily lit fairground of merry-go-rounds and ferris wheels and in
its place are ultra-modern shopping and commercial complexes,
interspersed with towering international standard hotels. Shoppers
would lose all sense of time, browsing through the shops of Lot 10,
Sungei Wang Plaza, BB Plaza, Starhill and Kuala Lumpur Plaza.

KL SENTRAL
After the completion of KL Sentral as the capital's one stop hub for
trains, buses, cabs and the most convenient way to reach KLIA or to
reach Kuala Lumpur from KLIA. It only takes 30 minutes or else via the
ERL Link. From KL Sentral, hotels are available in abundance, not only
within the vicinity of KL Sentral with the completion of new 5 star
hotel Le Meridian. Within a five minutes distance, you have Mid Valley
which also boasts to new hotels : Boulevard and Cititel. Besides that,
you may also book rooms at the YMCA (Young Men's Christian
Association)
Besides offering railway transport (KTM, ERL & PUTRA) there are also
Monorail services available. However, to make use of the STAR Link,
you will have to take a Putra train to Masjid Jamek before switching
to STAR trains. PUTRA trains go as far as Petaling Jaya. STAR trains
however go as far as Ampang, Pandan Indah, etc;. For more info, you
can visit www.klsentral.com.my

Brickfields ( Jalan Tun Sambanthan )
Over the years, Brickfields has grown to be a major shopping spot
taking over the likes of Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman due to it's
strategically positioned area which can be accessible via KL Sentral.
However, Brickfields has proved to be more of a shopping hotspot for
grocery items such as spices, pulses and herbs. Among forerunners and
pioneers in business here are Citra Spice Mart (M) Sdn Bhd which is
situated behind YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association). More details
on them are available at http://www.citras.com.my . There are also
many temples in Brickfields. Among those are Kandaswamy Temple, Sithi
Vinayagar Temple and even the Buddhist Maha Vihara temple.
Food outlets are in abundance in Brickfields. All kinds of varieties
are available from Malay Cuisine to Chinese to Indian cuisine. Even if
you are a vegetarian, it is nothing to worry about. Gopala's
Restaurant is one of the big vegetarian outlets in Brickfields.
From accomodation to groceries to eating spots and even for prayers.
Brickfields is a one stop centre. The bonus point about Brickfields is
that it is only 10 minutes drive away from Bangsar (Night hotspot) and
20 minutes from Sri Hartamas. Besides that, it only takes 15 minutes
to reach Petaling Jaya and you will be able to reach the town centre
within 5 minutes.

Main shopping centers in Kuala Lumpur

Mid Valley Megamall, the latest, biggest is set to be one of the
largest retail, food, and entertainment centers in Malaysia and Asia.
It is the first retail mall to house three leading and successful
anchor tenants, Carrefour, Jusco, and Metrojaya. Furthermore, 18 mini
anchors and more than 430 specialty shops will complement these three
anchors. Other retailers include, among others, 66 fashion stores, 52
food and beverage outlets, a 36,000 sq. foot bookstore, an 18-screen
multiplex, which is the largest in Asia, and a 38 lane bowling alley.
Shoppers will not only enjoy the pleasantries of patronizing the Mid
Valley Megamall but they will also welcome the extensive security
measures taken by the management to ensure safety in the car park
areas. Mobile and foot patrols are incorporated, as well as numerous
strategically located cameras. Any vehicles or inter-compartment
movement within the car park areas will be monitored online through
sophisticated computer and security systems. Bright lighting is also a
standard feature and buggies are available to ferry the elderly and
those requiring assistance. Strategically located near a network of
roads and highways that links to all major residential suburbs, the
Mid Valley Megamall is well positioned to be a regional mall devoted
to providing a one-stop, all occasions, all price points shopping
experience that will cater to all shoppers. The mall also acts as a
major step towards transforming Kuala Lumpur into an international
city of excellence.
<http://www.midvalley.com.my>

Times Square
Times Square has taken over the fame of Mid Valley Megamall, or at
least it has a bit. Times Square is an excellent Berjaya Times Group
venture. It boasts numerous outlets and international brands. The
different thing about Times Square is it's Theme Park. It is Genting
Highlands Theme Park of Kuala Lumpur. If you are in for some
rollercoaster fun, then Times Square is your definite location!
Besides it's theme park, there are also cinema theatres. It is located
just opposite Sungei Way (Low Yat Plaza) and can be reached via
Monorail transport which can be boarded from KL Sentral.

Sunway Pyramid is a 'one-stop' mega theme shopping, entertainment, and
convention landmark. It is a 2.5 million sq ft masterpiece of an
irresistible world where every visit becomes a memorable treat for the
senses. Sunway Pyramid will feature a convention and exhibition center
(the largest in the Klang Valley outside Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia's
first theme open atrium ice-skating rink, a 10-screen Cineplex, a
48-lane bowling alley, and 5,000 covered parking bays.

Suria KLCC , The Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is strategically
located at the junction between Jalan P. Ramlee and Jalan Ampang. This
shopping mall is actually found in the Twin Towers and has been
designed to assist in making your shopping experience an enjoyable and
pleasurable one. It is a one-stop shopping center for the family with
a wide range of goods available from every department
One Utama, the glamourous new shopping centre which boomed up within
the past two years. Major stores there includes IKEA and TESCO. GSC
Cinemas are also situated in One Utama which is located in Damansara.

BB Plaza and Sungei Wang Plaza are two modern shopping complexes
housed within a huge building which fronts Jalan Bukit Bintang and
Jalan Sultan Ismail. BB Plaza houses Metrojaya, a large department
store offering moderate to high priced goods ranging from clothes and
accessories, shoes, handbags, cosmetics and toyd items. Other stores
within the complex sell books, computer ware, electrical goods,
furniture and pharmaceutical products.

Sungei Wang Plaza comprises many small outlets offering leisure wear,
sports gear, optical products, shoes, handbags and watches. Parkson
Grand, a departmental store within the plaza offers apparel, handbags,
cosmetics, toys and household goods.

In the vicinity of Petaling Street is the Kota Raya Shopping Complex.
It offers a wide range of apparel, shoes, handbags and textiles at
bargain prices.

Shaw Parade. This shopping complex is located at Jln. Changkat Tamby
Dollah in Pudu. With Kerry's Supermarket and Department Store as its
anchor tenant, the complex attracts a steady stream of shoppers daily.
Other shops within the complex offer photographic items, videos,
clothing, shoes, home decor and speciality items at competitive
prices.

Located in the bustling Pudu area is the Pudu Plaza, an ultra-modern
shopping complex.Dominating an area known for its pre-war shop houses,
the complex houses numerous shops offering just about everything, from
shoes, bags and off-the-peg clothes to traditional herbal remedies.

The Weld is situated at the junction between Jalan Raja Chulan and
Jalan P.Ramlee. It also houses many small shops offering a range of
exclusive shoes, handbags, optical goods, cosmetics, clothings,
fabrics, paintings and exquisite wood carvings.

At Jalan Putra, is The Mall, with Yachan as its anchor tenant. This is
also a good place for 'haute couture' end exclusive jewellery, shoes,
handbags, watches and eyewear. There are also many shops specialising
in antiques, souvenirs and apparel.

S&M Plaza located along Jln. Tun H.S. Lee at its intersection with
Jln. Cheng Lock is one of the latest additions to the Chinatown scene.
It houses many little shops offering a variety of goods from the
tiniest of hair ornaments to clothing, shoes and handbags. There are
also gift-shops, music shops, bookshops and toyshops with a bit of
everything for everyone.

Alpha Angle, one of KL's latest shopping centres, is located at Wangsa
Maju, about 20 minutes drive from the city centre. Jaya Jusco, its
anchor tenant, offers an assortment of goods from clothing to
household items. Other stores offer the latest in shoes, handbags and
fashion apparel. Housed within the ultra-modern complex is a gourmet
centre with various food outlets offering a veritable selection of
local fare.

Ampang Point is a stylish shopping centre near the junction of Jalan
Ampang and Jalan Ulu Kelang, in the vicinity of Ampang Putri Medical
Centre, Ampang Municipal Council and the LRT Station. Its anchor
tenant is the exclusive Royel Department Store where fashionable
shoppers can find all their needs.

Ampang Park Shopping Complex, located at the junction of Jalan Ampang
and Jalan Tun Razak, holds its own among the newly established
complexes. It houses many little boutiques for the fashion conscious,
jewellery shops, shoe shops and also shops dealing in electrical and
electronic equipment.

Midpoint is a newly established shopping complex situated in Pandan
Indah. Its anchor tenant, is the Fajar Supermarket Department Store.
The complex attracts a steady stream of shoppers daily. Other shops
within the complex offer a variety of items such as videos, clothing,
watches, shoes, home decor and special items at competitive prices.

Sogo Kuala Lumpur is one of the largest department stores in Southeast
Asia. There are eight shopping floors where you can find everything
you need, from the freshest produce and the most exotic delicacies to
exclusive goods and the widest variety of basic necessities as well as
futuristic, fun-filled joy rides and games.

Pearl Point located along Jalan Klang Lama is a newly established
shopping complex. It offers an assortment of goods, from clothing
items to household goods in its various departments.

Within the Bangsar residential area, out of the bustling city centre,
is The Bangsar Shopping Complex and Bangsar Village.The shops here
offer exclusive textiles, watches, silver and crystal, apparel, shoes
and handbags and quality furnishings. It's also a good place to browse
for antiques and oriental furniture.

Pertama Complex, along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, is a good place to
go for a wide range of goods ranging form sports gear, apparel, shoes
and handbags to watches and gold jewellery and souvenirs at very
reasonable prices.

Strategically located at the junction between Jalan Sultan and Jalan
Dato' H.S. Lee, UDA-Ocean offers value-for-money purchases. It is a
one-stop shopping centre for the family with its wide range of goods,
from groceries, handicrafts, ladies' and gents' fashion to toiletries
and baby products.

Just across the Klang river from the Dada Bumi Complexis 'Pasar Seni',
housed within the conserved structure that was formerly the wet
Central Market of Kuala Lumpur and which still bears the same name
today. Inside are numerous specialty shops offering a range of
handicrafts, antiques, curios and the works of local artists.

Yow Chuan Plaza and its new neighbour, City Square, are situated
across the road from Ampang Park Shopping Complex. A covered
pedestrian bridge links these two complexes for the convenience of
shoppers. Items on offer are mostly exclusive items including
jewellery, shoes, bags, designer clothes, watches, cosmetics and
perfumes for the upmarket group. This is also a good place for antique
and souvenir collectors.

Kuala Lumpur Plaza, also along Jalan Bukit Bintang, is a good place to
shop for exclusive watches and top-of-the-range travelling bags,
designer shoes and handbags and beautifully designed jewellery. Its
anchor tenant, Mun Loong, offers a wide range of apparel and household
items. The newest take of the adjecks shopping complex along the
Golden Mile of Jalan Bukit Bintang is Starhill Plaza. It is an elegant
edifice in brown marble and gold trimmings. The anchor tenant is the
renowned Tangs of Singapore, and the finest international names are
all found here, offering clothes, jewellery, watches, accessories,
leather goods and various designer items.

Lot 10, situated across the road from Sungei Wang Plaza to which it is
linked by a covered pedestrian bridge, is one of Kuala Lumpur's recent
additions to the shopping scene. Its anchor tenant, Isetan offers
mid-range to high priced items which include clothings, shoes,
handbags, accessories, cosmetics, household items and sports gear. The
top floor of the store is devoted to exclusive designer clothes. Other
stores within the complex offer equally exclusive optical goods,
shoes, sports gear and designer clothes.

Imbi Plaza, at the junction of Jalan Imbi and Jalan Sultan Ismail, is
the place for computers, computer peripherals and related items.

What to Buy

Fashion/Designer Boutiques
The emergence of famous names on the Kuala Lumpur shopping scene is a
clear indication that prestige shopping is here to stay! The Lot 10
shopping centre designated its entire 4th floor as the 'Prestige
floor' housing exclusive names such as Jaegar, Donna Karan, Nina Ricci
and Hanae Mori, to name a few. At City Square, along Jalan Tun Razak,
the aura of exclusivity and understated elegance pervades the entire
ground floor. Designer boutiques may also be found at Kuala Lumpur
Plaza and the Kuala Lumpur Hilton Hotel shopping arcade. Not to be
outdone, many other shopping complexes have also alloted several lots
to accommodate 'Designer Corners' offering select but impressive range
of items.

Fashion wear range from classic suits in pure wool and linen, elegant
dresses for evenings, chic dresses and smart casuals for day time wear
to cheerful, fancy leggings, cycling shorts and sweaters in vivid
rainbow colours for the young and 'young at heart'. There is also an
equally impressive range of menswear and accessories, leather goods,
timepieces and writing instruments, not to mention the mind boggling
display of fashion eye wear of every imaginable shape and design.

Batik
Malaysian Batik is renowned for its vibrant colours, bold prints and
its versatility. The fabric is particularly suited for light and
breezy resortwear in exotic ethnic or gay flowery prints; and trendy
shirts for informal evenings. High fashion batik is hand drawn mostly
on fine silk, crepe de chine or silk jacquard. Each design is limited
to only one piece to ensure its exlusivity. Scarves and kaftans make
popular souvenir items as do table cloths and napkins fashioned from
batik. The innovative home owner might also find the beauty of batik
bedspreads most appealing.

Some of the more beautiful collections of batik may be purchased at
the following outlets:

Aran Novabatika, Ampang Park Shopping Centre, Jalan Ampang, Kuala
Lumpur
BaraKaff Eleganza, Yow Chuan Plaza, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur
BMB - Wisrna Kraftangan, Jalan Tun Perak, Kuala Lumpur
Faruzzi Batique, The Weld, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur
Karwani Creations, Ampang Park Shopping Centre, Jalan Ampang, Kuala
Lumpur
Tjanting Batik, 22, Jalan Sernarak 3, Kuala Lumpur

Electrical Appliances/Audio-Video Equipment
These items are popular not only among locals but also among foreign
visitors because of their competitive prices. Some of the bigger and
well known outlets include the following:

Audio Lab, Sungai Wang Plaza, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
Hock Sin Leong, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
Kee Huat Radio Co., Jalan Tuanku Abd. Rahman, Kuala Lumpur
National Showroorn, KL Plaza, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
Pertama Raya, Lot 10 Shopping Centre, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala
Lumpur
Pertama Audio, BB Plaza, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur