Malaysia offers a variety of shopping options for every type of shopper. Whether you’re looking for cheap, expensive, fake, genuine and everything else in between, there will definitely be a chance for you to find something.
There are many shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur and other cities in Malaysia. For a list of Kuala Lumpur’s top shopping malls, check out SD’s shopping guide. All these malls are of international standards and with international and local brands lined up from top to bottom. They also provide an all in one entertainment experience with restaurants and food courts, children’s play areas and cineplexes.
For the less than normal shopping experience, the flea markets and road side stalls would be interesting. Amongst some of the flea markets that are worth a visit is the one at the Curve and Mont Kiara. The Curve offers a bazaar on the weekends where stalls are lined up and ready for eager customers. Items such as home made jewellery, clothes, bags, shoes and interesting titbits are up for grabs at cheap prices. Mont Kiara’s flea market is similar but it opens its doors on Thursdays and Sundays. It is slightly smaller in scale but the items are fairly similar and the prices are comparable.
Another interesting shopping experience would be the infamous Petaling Street. It is here where you will truly witness the epitome of bargaining and rip offs. The street is lined up with stalls selling fakes of all kinds. From football jerseys to designer bags, perfume to DVD’s, everything here is less than original. Some of them look like carbon copies but don’t be fooled. Some people in the world make it their business to imitate and it is here that imitation goods can be seen at its best. Echoes of people bargaining can be heard at every stall. A price of RM200 can be knocked down to RM50 if you know what you’re doing so test out your haggling skills. If you don’t succeed the first time, there are many other stalls down the street to conquer. The food at Petaling Street is delicious too.
The night markets (“pasar malam”) is slightly similar to the flea market but the main items you will be able to get here is food. Snacks and other delights can be found here. It is cheap and the al fresco binging can actually be fun.
Women will love shopping in Kuala Lumpur. The city has recently seen a boom in retail outlets for women’s clothing. Most of these items are brought in from Thailand and China. That would explain the cheap prices and reasonable quality. Bangsar and Desa Sri Hartamas are some of the areas where you can find these shops. They are located on the ground floor or sometimes the 1st floor of shop lots. These shops are similar to the ones that you can find at the malls but due to the exorbitant rental rate at shopping malls, many retailers have chosen to open in shop lots instead.
There are so many options to shopping in Malaysia and there’s something for everyone. Certain international brands might not be available here but they make up for it with local brands at cheap prices. One thing is for sure though, no shopping experience in Kuala Lumpur would be complete without a trip to Petaling Street and a go at haggling with the Chinese vendors. It is quite a challenge and for more information on Petaling Street and the art of haggling, visit SD’s district guide and travellers tips section.
