Kuala Lumpur offers visitors a variety of shopping opportunities for both traditional and modern goods, for amazing cultural souvenirs and products. As the cultural centre of Malaysia, KL has a wide range of complexes, markets and shops that enable you to shop for local arts and crafts offering value, variety and convenience. At the same time, as a modern and sophisticated city, designer brands are widely available in expansive shopping malls and centres along with the latest electronics, fashion accessories and jewellery. There is a bewildering range of shopping establishments including modern air-conditioned shopping malls, department stores, hypermarkets, shopping arcades, specialty stores, handicraft centers, duty-free shops, bazaars and night markets. Among the items high on the shopping list of tourists are pewter, batik, duty-free items, electrical products, pret-a-porter attire, sportswear and handicrafts. A novel experience for overseas visitors is the night markets or 'pasar malam' which begin their trading activities in the late afternoon.
Bukit Bintang Shopping
Sungei Wang Plaza & BB Plaza
Awarded best Shopping Complex by Tourism Malaysia in 1996 and 1997, Sungei Wang Plaza has been around for more than two decades and is one of the oldest institutions in the Bukit Bintang area. Still attracting throngs of visitors even after all these years and despite being surrounded with more sophisticated competition, it is known as the best place in the city for bargain goods and services. Adjoining Sungei Wang Plaza is Bukit Bintang Plaza, otherwise known as BB Plaza; together, they form a total of two million square feet of retail space.
Highlights: Success Blind Reflexology & Message Parlour, Gasoline Café, Green Box Karaoke, Dragon Blaze Tattoo, Piccolo Mondo
Pavilion
Extremely stylish, Pavilion KL is the city’s newest sensation. Presenting a whole range of fashion, dining, leisure and entertainment options, this sprawling shopping mall consists of 7 levels of retail space and over 450 retail outlets housing some of the most renowned brand names, both mainstream and exclusive.
Highlights: Coach, Burberry, Bvlgari, DKNY, Calvin Klein, GUCCI, Hermes, Godiva, Montblanc, Kiehl’s, Juicy Couture, Prada, Thomas Pink, Tiffany & Co., Versace, Charles & Keith, Converse, Kenko Fish Spa, Red Box PLUS Karaoke.
Starhill Gallery
Connected directly to the five-star JW Marriott, Starhill Gallery is a high-end shopping mall with seven floors of luxury retail experience. The Indulge and Adorn floors showcase a variety of designer labels with the former focusing more on fashion labels. The Explore floor presents a wide selection of the choicest brands, while those with a keen interest in art are bound to appreciate the Muse floor, with its art galleries and shops. For a little bit of TLC, you can’t go wrong at the Pamper floor, where you can find a host of urban retreats and spa centres.
Highlights: Shook! Restaurant, Porsche Design, Fendi, Asprey, Louis Vuitton, Omega, Givenchy, Dior, Tag Heuer, Lacoste, Royal Selangor, Jogoya Japanese Restaurant.
Low Yat Plaza
If you are looking for electronics, the ultimate shopping (and browsing) heaven for IT geeks and gadget freaks is Low Yat Plaza, a popular centre for electronic and IT products in the city. You can find everything you need here under one roof, from cameras to computers, at highly competitive prices. The beauty of Low Yat Plaza is that unlike any other typical IT centres, most of the shops here are interrelated to each other, so that you can combine your purchases for the best deal. Each floor is dedicated to a specific type of products, with the top three floors devoted to IT-related products.
Highlights: Red Box Karaoke, TecAsia, Bee Connection, All I.T. Hypermarket, Hewlett-Packard, Sony Centre
Berjaya Times Square
Comprising 10 floors and more than 700 retail outlets, Berjaya Times Square is a one-stop leisure destination for all ages. It houses several food courts, an indoor theme park with an IMAX theatre, a cinema, a spa centre, a games arcade, a karaoke lounge, a supermarket, a post office, a bank, an IT mall and hundreds of retail outlets offering everything from food to fashion.
Highlights: Krispy Kreme, Papa John’s Pizza, Cosmo World Theme Park & Theatre, Borders, Ampang Superbowl, Jojoba International, Digital Centre, SUBWAY Sandwiches, Anime Tech, Amusement Square.
Lot 10
Lot 10 houses a few specialty shops, some restaurants and an Isetan supermarket and department store. Built in the late eighties, it is the city’s first-ever upmarket shopping mall targeted towards the elite crowd. Lot 10 is just a few minutes’ walk away from Pavilion KL.
Highlights: Isetan, Apple Store, Timberland, Birkenstock, Crocs, Crystal Jade Chinese Restaurant, Bon Ton Restaurant.
KLCC
Suria KLCC
Suria KLCC is an immense, crescent-shaped shopping centre located at the foot of Petronas Twin Towers. It is regarded by some as the ultimate destination for shopaholics. Offering six floors of retail therapy under one roof, Suria KLCC houses major international brands as well as those which are exclusive and elusive, making it the perfect one-stop destination for shopping. Each level has its own theme and distinctive character. An LRT station connects directly to the mall on the concourse level. The mall is also equipped with customer-friendly facilities such as well-trained service staff, ample parking bays, a post office which stays open during weekends and a money changer. For international visitors, there’s the Tourist Privilege Card which grants cardholders discounts and incentives at participating outlets within the mall. Suria KLCC is also home to Malaysia’s only branch of Kinokuniya with its two floors of Japanese and English books, regarded as the city’s premier bookstore.
Highlights: Kinokuniya, Anya Hindmarch, Cartier, Rolex, Tiffany & Co., Royal Doulton, Emilio Pucci, TOD’s, Jimmy Choo, 7 for All Mankind, Louis Vuitton, Mulberry, Marc Jacobs, Bvlgari, Royal Selangor Pewter, Salvatore Ferragamo, Marks & Spencer.
Avenue K
Located across the street, just opposite Suria KLCC is Avenue K, a lifestyle mall filled with internationally-acclaimed high-fashion brands. Featuring a concept which is somewhat similar to Bukit Bintang’s Starhill, this mall aims to create a stylish lifestyle mall environment via a mixture of retail offerings and retail space aesthetics. Aside from retail outlets and five-star restaurants, the mall is also home to some of the area’s most exciting nightspots, such as Quattro Club.
Highlights: Ermenegildo Zegna, HUGO BOSS, Metrojaya, JM Weston, Calvin Klein.
Petalling Street
Petaling Jaya is home to some of the most popular shopping spots in the country. From sprawling shopping malls to the local-flavoured ‘Pasar Malam’ (night market), the city is a haven for those who just can’t seem to get enough of this activity. Aside from featuring a host of local and international brands as well as a wide range of goods, most of these shopping malls also provide excellent dining and entertainment options.
One Utama Shopping Centre
Situated in the middle of Bandar Utama, One Utama is one of the most happening places in Petaling Jaya. It has been fitted with a new wing in recent years, making it one of the largest shopping malls in the country.
This sprawling mall has hundreds of shops ranging from specialty stores to dining and entertainment outlets, spread over 6 floors of retail space. There are nine themed zones aimed to make shopping easier: the Highstreet, the Oval, the Rainforest, the Promenade, the Promenade Lakeside, the Centre Court, the Courtyard, the Sports Zone and the Entertainment Zone. It also has Malaysia’s largest indoor rock-climbing gymnasium in its new wing. This mall is adjacent to the world-class 5-star hotel One World.
Highlights: H2O, Blook, G2000, Zara, Topshop, MPH, Cinema, Jusco, Guest, GAP, Espirit
Sunway Pyramid
With a striking façade of a Sphinx that gives out an ethereal glow at night, Sunway Pyramid is of Malaysia’s best thematic malls. Featuring a 12-screen Cineplex, a 48-lane bowling alley, and an open indoor ice-skating rink, the huge mall is divided into 6 parts: Asian Avenue (for eclectic, Asian-themed fashion and goods), Oasis Boulevard (alfresco precinct divided into OB East, OB West, OB South & OB North), Fashion Central (the best from the world’s fashion capitals featuring couture, young designers and high-street brands), Marrakesh (inspired by the bazaars and souks of Marrakesh), Kidz Zone (children-centric area) and Digital Centre (a one-stop centre for IT products and the latest electronic gadgets).
Highlights: Cinema, Jusco, Oasis, 100 Vision, Comic Paradise
Subang Parade
One of the longest shopping malls in the country, Subang Parade is the pride of the Subang Jaya and USJ districts. With more than 160 retail shops offering all sorts of goods and services from apparel to high-end restaurants, Subang Parade is not just popular among the locals, but also among tourists and visitors from other states.
Highlights: Parkson Grand, Blook, Sinma, Voir, MasterMan Shop, F.O.S., Nike, Royal Selangor, Samsonite.
Petaling Jaya’s Pasar Malam (Night Markets)
Open from late afternoon to late at night, Petaling Jaya’s night markets are always abuzz with activity. The best way to experience the local culture, the night markets are a delight to the visual and olfactory senses! A huge selection of goods can be found here, from food and groceries to clothing and gadgets – and best of all, you can even haggle on the already rock-bottom prices.
Kuala Lumpur shopping is a must for all visitors. If you are planning to visit Malaysia for shopping purpose, try to plan your visit to coincide with the Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival. The mid year Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival is usually held from July to September. It is now on from 24 July 2010 to 16 Sept 2010, during which most shopping complexes offer discounts up to 75%. The Malaysia Year End Sale is usually held at the end of December. Even if you are not able to make it during this time of the year, there are still plenty of sales going on in various shopping complexes throughout the country.
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