Joanna James
Experience Malaysia and its people by visiting the vibrant street markets of KL. Not only are the bazaars havens for the shopaholic, offering everything from fresh food to clothes and handicrafts, but they are ideal for experiencing local culture as well. Listed are markets worth a visit.
Listed as KL's most popular street market, Petaling Street takes up a large area in vibrant Chinatown. Open daily, the huge stretch of the bazaar is covered by an expansive hood, shielding happy shoppers from rain and sun. Shop to your heart's content at this, super cheap market offering knock-off watches, trainers, bags and clothing; remember haggling is a part of life there and you don't need to feel shy to do so. Petaling Street is also well-known for its excellent range of cuisine served at the many Chinese and seafood restaurants located along the precinct. While KL is home to some of the best hotels & resorts in Malaysia, there are many offering you easy access to top attractions, like the well-placed properties belonging to Berjaya Hotels & Resorts amongst other well-known hospitality brands in the country.
This market is located next to Central Market and is very popular for its selection of tee-shirts, handbags, watches, flip flops etc. Kasturi is not as crowded as Petaling and offers an equally impressive range of cuisine. Easy to reach from a well-located resort in Kuala Lumpur, the market is a five minute walk from the Pasar Seni LRT station. At the entrance to the market is a giant wau bulan made from pewter, which is a traditional Malaysian kite, an iconic symbol of the country. The bargains are good at this bazaar although the range of goodies is not as impressive as Central or Petaling markets.
For a dose of traditional culture visit Malaysia's largest and most popular wet market. The place is ideal to observe local lifestyles and traditions, there you will come across rows of seafood, including live fish doing the rounds in a pail, while slabs of meat are chopped up on open counters and busy shoppers together with enthusiastic sellers conduct their daily business. Not a place for the faint-hearted, Chow Kit Market will certainly be an interesting browse. Beyond the wet market is the dry market where you are rewarded with heaps of local food. The dry market is much cleaner than the former and is where you will be able to not only enjoy a good meal but also indulge in some shopping at stalls selling anything from shoes to DVDs.
If you are on the scout for traditional Malay products, then visit the Kampung Baru Market run by KL's Malay community. Shop for traditional sarongs, songkok, baju kurung etc. Also, beautiful handicrafts and jewellery make excellent gifts or souvenirs. The market starts on Saturday evening and runs until the morning hours of Sunday.
Held every Wednesday, this 2km long marketplace, boasts over 700 stalls. The place is well stocked up on a load of cheap goodies, such as clothes, shoes, handbags, household goods and handicrafts. The locals love this bazaar more so for its variety of Chinese eats like char kuey teow, creamy laksa, and exotic varieties of satay and curry noodles.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
