Shopping
Petaling Street (Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown)
This is where most travellers gravitate to when in KL - usually looking for bargains and cheap food. Lodging is aplenty here - not to travellers' expectations sometimes but will suffice for a night's stay in a central location. Chinatown is still very much a local hangout where in the daytime, the wet market still caters to their loyal customers who have been buying their groceries here for decades, the temples are not only a tourist attraction but very much in operation, a few of its food outlets have been around for 3 generations, the banks and even the coffee and liquor shops have their steady clientele. The wholesale florists along the Malaya Hotel stretch are a good place to buy bouquets for a reasonable price. However, when night falls, the street market begins its jostle. Restaurants serving cold beers, stalls selling fake watches, branded goods, you name it...fill up the streets.
Masjid India (Little India)
Not too far away from Chinatown is Masjid India. Predominantly of Muslim Indian community, the businesses reflects their customs and lifestyle. Rows of Indian Textile shops, money changers (you can get pretty good rates here), Bollywood VCD shops, Imported clay and brass pots, sarees etc. This colourful street is great to visit if you're interested in Indian ware.
How to get there: Masjid Jamek station. You can take either the Star LRT or Putra LRT.
Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Jalan TAR)
This was the main shopping district back in the 1950's. There was Peiping Lace, China Company, Selangor Pewter, Noritake, Robinsons, PJ Hendry & Sons, PLAL stores etc. serving an expatriate community craving for imported products. All except PLal stores have vanished when shopping malls took over the market and competition was too tough for the old timers. Now, these shops are home to carpet bazaars, textile shops - catering to the cheaper, bargain shoppers. One of the few places that seems to still draw travellers to Jalan TAR is The Coliseum Cafe & Hotel established in 1921 and still growing strong. Here, diners have a choice of Western and Local cuisine but many come here for the sizzling steaks and the ambience. The old cinema next door to Coliseum is one of the remaining functioning cinemas left in KL. All the other cinemas have given way to open carparks and bazaars.
How to get there : Star LRT
Suria KLCC
Perfect if you don't mind venturing into the city. The place to meet and be seen is the long row of upmarket restaurants lying along in an arch facing the park. Have a leisurely walk and browse around to find a restaurant that fits your fancy. Italian, Japanese, fusion, Asian, popular landmarks like Dome and Gloria Jeans, fancy chic names like Chinoz and Tango. Don't hang about too long, grab a seat before someone else spots that one empty space that twenty others have been waiting for.
There's a website for Suria KLCC is http://www.suriaklcc.com.my/
Getting there: Putra LRT stops at KLCC.
Bintang Walk (Jalan Bukit Bintang)
A street of shopping malls namely Starhill Shopping Centre and Lot 10 with exclusive brand names as tenants such as Gucci, Prada, Versace, Mango to KL Plaza, Sungai Wang Plaza and Bukit Bintang Plaza with its specialised tenants from trendy, fad clothing to electrical goods. Imbi Plaza and Plaza Low Yat are the two malls to go if you're looking for anything to do with computers.
The latest addition to a list of places to visit for shopaholics, is the Pavilion. The new shopping and entertainment complex takes up where use to stand - Bukit Bintang Secondary School, Bukit Bintang Primary School, The Weld Swimming Pool and The Eden Seafood Restaurant . This includes 2 school fields. Imagine the floor space to cover! The Pavilion
How to get there : The Monorail
Bangsar Shopping Centre (Bangsar)
A suburban shopping mall just a short drive from the Bangsar hub at Telawi. Very popular with expatriates who shop for groceries at Cold Storage and Mister Ho's. For the young and impressionable, there are the usual coffee places like Coffee bean and Austin Chase. Weekends are packed due to the street bazaar activity.
Mid Valley Mega Mall
A gigantic shopping mall not far from Bangsar with such a variety of clothes, food, speciality shops - it'll make the faint-hearted swoon. In september 2007, the annexe called The Gardens was officially opened, making MidValley more confusing and a lot larger. I hope there's enough parking space.. Want to take a look at what you're in for? Check out their website for a list of tenants at http://www.midvalleygardens.com.my/
Flea Markets
Sunrise Mont Kiara Fun Day ABC Market
The Courtyard, Plaza Mont Kiara
Sunday 10am-6pm, Thursday 6pm - 10pm http://www.plazamontkiara.com.my
Getting there: Intrakota Bus Route 339 leaves from Jalan Sultan Muhammad(in front of the Klang Bus Station) to Plaza Mont Kiara. Monday - Friday : 6.45am to 7.00pm, Saturday : 6.45am to 3.00pm
| Time Schedule from Jalan Sultan Muhamad |
Time Schedule from Mont' Kiara |
| 6.45am, 7.30am, 9.15am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm, 5.00pm, 6.15pm |
7.40am, 8.30am, 10.00am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 5.20pm, 6.30pm, 7.00pm |
Weekend Flea Market
Amcorp Mall, PJ
Sunday 10am-5pm
Household and collectable
Getting there: The Putra LRT line taking the stop at Taman Jaya. It's a 5 minute walk to the mall
Summit USJ Flea Market
Menara Summit, USJ
Sat & Sun, 10 - 5.30pm
Cheap antiques, used books, records
Nightlife
Bangsar
This is where the hip, the stylish and the beautiful, and not forgetting to mention, the wannabes hang out to be seen on weekends. Night clubs and bars, trendy restaurants and specialty coffee cafes line the streets. On "Ladies' Nights' and weekends, party goers are seen spilling out of the more popular spots like Finnegan's, Flam's and Telawi Street Bistro. Bangsar is alive almost 20 hours a day. Have breakfast at the Dome, Coffee Bean, Starbucks or San Francisco Coffee, lunch at Red Chamber, have tea at Alexis or Cocomo, and spoil yourself with some fine dining at Grappa's. Alternatively, you can simply park yourself at a sidewalk of a café and people watch. Sometimes this is more fun than being part of the herd.
Dress down Sunday evenings and drive to Bangsar for its ever-popular night market - fresh flowers, fresh groceries, lots of titbit for you to snack on and of course, cooked food to take home for dinner.
How to get there - there isn't a taxi driver in KL who does not know how to get to Bangsar. But if you're looking for an alternative - take the Putra LRT and stop at the Bangsar station.
Sri Hartamas
Sri Hartamas is relatively new compared to Bangsar. Relatively less pretentious, but not necessarily less show-offish. Distancewise, they are hardly fifteen minutes drive away from each other. Chill out at Souled Out for some good food and entertaining live bands. Finnegan's also has a bar here, and also very popular. Try some Penang style dishes at Penang Village or at Little Island Café, and stop by at Strudels for some dessert.
You are spoilt for choice here when it comes to eateries, both local and international.
How to get there - Taxi.
Mont Kiara
Get back to Asia by stepping into Chakri Palace for some posh panache and pricey Thai meal. And if you feel like returning to the hyper hurried world, have your caffeine fix at Starbucks or make a quick stop over at MacDonald's. Mont Kiara may be only a tiny enclave, but there is certainly something for everyone. http://www.plazamontkiara.com.my
Getting there: Intrakota Bus Route 339 leaves from Jalan Sultan Muhammad(in front of the Klang Bus Station) to Plaza Mont Kiara. Monday - Friday : 6.45am to 7.00pm, Saturday : 6.45am to 3.00pm
| Time Schedule from Jalan Sultan Muhamad |
Time Schedule from Mont' Kiara |
| 6.45am, 7.30am, 9.15am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm, 5.00pm, 6.15pm |
7.40am, 8.30am, 10.00am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 5.20pm, 6.30pm, 7.00pm |
Changkat Bukit Bintang
Old terrace houses down this street are slowly being converted into trendy pubs and restaurants. Food choices from Brazilian, Mediterranean, French to Japanese and German have made their mark here. For a little bit of the local cusine, there's the food street in Jalan Alor or a little more upmarket Bijan (malay cuisine) for variety.
How to get there: The Monorail
Heritage Row (By the side of Sheraton Imperial Hotel)
Another new place to go is this Heritage Row. Old terraces converted into pubs and restaurants, this seems to be the place for the trendy crowd.
Beach Club and Beyond (Jalan P.Ramlee)
This is the reigning champion for night activity. Forever crowded, Beach Club has its mixed clientele of Foreigners and Locals. Down the road are a few drinking parlors that seem to have taken the crowd. Rum Jungle, Thai Club etc is fun but can be a bit rowdy.
Zouk, Velvet Underground(Jalan Ampang)
Zouk has finally set foot in town. Different nights for different attitudes - something for the individual's taste in music but for those into dance music, hip hop - go for weekends. Resident and guest DJ's are there to put the punch back into being.
How to get there: Bukit Nanas(Monorail)/Dang Wangi(Putral LRT)
Location: 113 Jln Ampang,Kuala Lumpur. Tel:03 2171 1997
Liquid (Centrepoint - Central Market)
When at Liquid, just be yourself .... bar on the lower floor, dance on the upper floor. Check out for the Mr. Liquid competitions etc...
How to get there: Putra LRT at Pasar Seni stop.
If you need to know more about what's happening right now in the nightclubbing scene, get onto: KLUE
Location: 2.04 Mezzanine, Central Market Annexe, Jalan Hang Kasturi,Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03 2026 1430
Paul's Place (Old Klang Road)
This is the place to go if you're into Live gigs. It can get pretty lively...
How to get there: train N/A
Location: 8, Jln 2/137B,Resource Industrial Centre,off Jalan Klang Lama, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 016 276 8962
Alexis Bistro & Wine Bar
Live music often during weekends especially jazz,blues ...music that wont really throw you off your seat.
How to get there: train N/A
Location: Ground Floor , Great Eastern Mall, 303 Jln Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel:03 4260 2288.
Atmosphere, Barfly, Bliss
All 3 located within the same building, often has Guest DJ's playing weekends.
How to get there: Bukit Nanas(monorail)
Location: 12 Jln Sultan Ismail. Tel: 03 2145 9198
Nuovo
Just across the road from Atmosphere and Beach club, the incrowd still hanging around?
How to get there Bukit Nanas(monorail)
Location: 5 Jln P.Ramlee,KL.Tel: 03 2161 6666
Zeta Bar
Seems to be a very popular dance club at the moment.
How to get there: KL Sentral station
Location: Hilton Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03 2261 2261
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