Shopping in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is probably the first city in Malaysia which most tourists visit. For some, it is also the only city which they visit. However, if time allows it I would strongly recommend a longer stay in Malaysia to explore the less well-known towns or even fly over to East Malaysia!

Besides the sightseeing and tasting of local food that you do in Kuala Lumpur, another attraction here would definitely be the shopping. The first place that I would recommend is definitely the Bukit Bintang area. For lack of a better comparison, this would be Malaysia's equivalent of Singapore's Orchard Road. For those who love variety, this is where you will find it. There is something for everybody. The more popular malls located here are Sungei Wang Plaza (particularly for teenagers), Lot 10 and Starhill Gallery. Lot 10 has the Hutong food court while Starhill Gallery has the Feast Village where many restaurants are clustered together such as the Luk Yu Tea House and the Pak Loh Chiu Chow Restaurant. On the other hand, IT geeks would probably head to Low Yat Plaza for bargains! If you venture a little farther, you can visit the Pavilion which has many branded goods and departmental stores like Parkson and Tangs. Since September 2012, the first H&M outlet in Malaysia has opened its flagship store at Lot 10.

Nearby the Bukit Bintang area is the Berjaya Times Square. It is conveniently located and can be easily reached via public transport as it linked to the Imbi monorail station. This shopping mall is huge and offers a variety of goods. Prices are good too as you can find tops for RM15 and above, shoes for RM30 and above and many more bargains. This mall is also a must visit especially if you are coming with small kids as they would love the Cosmo's World Theme Park which is an indoor theme park located within Berjaya Times Square. Connected to this mall is also a hotel.

For those who prefer something more unique to Malaysia and something different besides the usual shoe or clothes shopping, head to the Central Market. The shops here sell local handicraft such as the wau (Malaysian's version of the kite) and batik. For art lovers, there are also paintings for sale. Bargain well and hopefully you will walk away with some really good souvenirs for yourself or your friends and family.

Personally, I do not really enjoy visiting Chinatown but I would say go ahead and visit to experience the place. Here, you will find fakes galore. If you decide to purchase anything, always bargain! Besides this, you can also enjoy local snacks and drinks such as sugarcane drink and roasted chestnut as you explore the area. The central section of Chinatown would be at Jalan Petaling (or Petaling Street).

Last but not least, I would recommend a visit to Suria KLCC. Not so much for the shopping again, but because it is located right beneath the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. If possible, visit in the later part of the day so that you can catch both a day and night view. If you cannot visit the area, you can look out for the towers as they are visible from most areas within the city centre. If you decide to shop here, you can head to the departmental store like Parkson. Other major retailers include Isetan and Marks & Spencer.

After shopping for the entire day, you can rest your feet while enjoying the food at various restaurants. You can also choose to end your day at the various clubs or nightspots. Kuala Lumpur has some great spots with awesome views of the city. For me, one of my favourite spots is Marini's on 57 where you can chill out while enjoying the beautiful view of the Petronas Twin Towers.

Although Kuala Lumpur is an interesting city to visit, as with all big cities, there are some things that you have to take note of. Snatch theft is common here. Hence, if carrying a handbag, be aware of your surroundings. At pedestrian crossings, also look left and right before crossing. Although pedestrians should have the first right at the crossing, cars may not stop and give way. To be safe, assume that they will not stop for you.

Despite all this, I wish you a wonderful time shopping in Kuala Lumpur if you have the chance to visit!