Chinatown Kuala Lumpur is the famous Petaling Street in the centre of Kuala Lumpur. It maintains much of its traditional atmosphere, particularly at night when vendors fan out their merchandise along the street.
Locals flock to Petaling Street primarily for bargain accessories and great Chinese food.
So, go on, be brave – head down to Petaling Street with an empty stomach and an adventurous spirit.
While you can shop for anything from gems and incense to toys and t-shirts, the true allure of this night market is in wandering about and enjoying its sights, sounds and energy.
Food is plentiful with many scrumptious varieties to choose from; some of the restaurants here have been in business for generations.
Even if you don’t spend a penny, (which will be hard!), you are guaranteed to have an amazing experience here.
How to go to Chinatown Kuala Lumpur
The Petaling Street (Jalan Petaling) is located opposite the Kotaraya Shopping Complex and a short walking distance from Central Market, in the middle of Jalan Hang Lekir and Jalan Sultan.
Here are some other transportation options you can consider:
Kelana Jaya Line LRT: Take the LRT and stop at the Pasar Seni LRT station. Petaling Street is about 1km walking distance.
Ampang Line LRT: Take the LRT and stop at the Plaza Rakyat LRT station, walk pass the Pudu Sentral to go to Petaling Street. Petaling Street is about 1km walking distance.
KL Monorail: Take the Monorail and stop at the Maharajalela Monorail station. Petaling Street is about 2km walking distance.
Go KL City Bus: Take the bus and stop at the bus terminal near the Pasar Seni LRT station. Petaling Street is about 1km walking distance.
The Chinatown, Petaling Street is just a short walk from these stations.
If you are coming from KLIA / klia2 airport, you can take the Star Shuttle to reach the bus stop at MyDin Wholesale Emporium near Puduraya Bus Terminal (Pudu Sentral) and take a short walk to Petaling Street.
Pictures of Chinatown and surroundings
Here are some pictures of the Petaling Steet, Chinatown and its surrounding areas.
Chinatown Kuala Lumpur is where you get to flex your bargaining skills before you buying your chosen souvenir items.
The flea market along Chinatown is worth the visit as you can hit two birds with one stone as you shop while admiring the heritage buildings in the area.
Whether it is timepieces, fresh flowers, shoes, clothes or bags, there is something for everyone. Before buying any of the items, always ask for the best price and stretch your budget substantially.
Be mindful of imitation goods, because while some prices may be cheap, know that you will be getting replicas of named brands.
This is a market where there are no real fixed prices and everything must be bargained for.
Foreign tourists will generally be asked for twice the amount which the vendor would be prepared to accept for a product, sometimes more.
Petaling Street Market is similar to Patpong Night Market in Bangkok in that a range of branded items, which appear not to be perfect quality, are sold for prices less than those normally charged by shops selling real versions of the same product.
The likelihood is that they are fakes or imitations. Petaling Street Market is famous for these items, and they are the reason may people choose to come here.
Trainers, T-Shirts and watches seem to be the most popular items, although you can also find jeans, dresses, sun glasses, and baseball caps here are well.
The quality varies and as a general rule the better items are hidden away in the ‘factory stores’ off the main shopping street.
Food choices at Chinatown
For the best food at the best value prices try visiting small the food courts on Jalan Hang Lekir, which is a side street leading off the main Petaling Street Market towards Jalan Sultan (Sultan Road).
There are plenty of small restaurants down this street and some food courts. Here are some pictures of the food choices available at the Chinatown.
There are many stalls selling a wide range of other types of food. There are lots and lots of food stalls selling pretty much everything that gets eaten in Malaysia.
Some of stalls sell food that will be unfamiliar, and probably unpleasant, to anyone who is not from China.
At the end of Petaling Street, you can further explore the Chan See Shu Yuen Temple which dates back to 1906.
The interior of this building features open courtyard pavilions, intricate carvings and paintings. On the exterior, the temple depicts elaborate glazed ceramic sculptures which grace the facade and roof ridges.
For more adventurous tourists, further down from Petaling Street is the South Indian Sri Mahamariamman Temple.
This temple is situated at Jalan Tun H.S. Lee which is within walking distance from Chinatown.
Built in 1873, the temple is said to be the most ornate and elaborate Hindu temple in the country.
The design and decorative features include intricate carvings of Hindu deities, gold embellishments, precious stones and hand-painted motifs.
Exquisite Italian and Spanish tiles provide further ornamentation. A silver chariot housed within the premises features prominently in religious processions, transporting the statue of the deity through the city streets.
Outside the Sri Mahamariamman Temple are stalls selling garlands and strings of sweet smelling jasmine. Additionally, the strong aroma of Chinese traditional herbs and that of freshly brewed coffee waft through the air from across the street.
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