Shopping · Kuala Lumpur · Malaysia
Shopping in Kuala Lumpur
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Kuala Lumpur is one of Southeast Asia's mall capitals, with luxury brands, electronics and local fashion, plus markets for crafts and street food. Best souvenirs: Batik, Selangor pewter and Malaysian white coffee.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Batik
Where to shop
Bukit Bintang
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Lot 10, Fahrenheit88 and Berjaya Times Square line Jalan Bukit Bintang, with Low Yat Plaza for electronics.
KLCC
Suria KLCC at the foot of the Petronas Towers, with department stores, international brands and a food court.
Mid Valley and The Gardens
Twin malls next to Mid Valley station, with everything from budget fashion to luxury labels.
Chinatown
Petaling Street stalls, Central Market crafts and independent boutiques around Jalan Sultan.
Markets
Petaling Street market
Chinatown's covered street of stalls selling clothing, accessories and snacks; bargaining expected.
Central Market
Fixed-price crafts, batik, songket and Malaysian art in an air-conditioned art deco hall.
Chow Kit Market
The city's biggest wet market for produce, spices and Malay snacks, best visited in the morning.
What to buy
Batik
Hand-drawn and block-printed batik scarves, sarongs and shirts from Central Market.
Selangor pewter
Pewter tankards, frames and homeware, a craft linked to the region's tin-mining history.
Malaysian white coffee
Ipoh-style white coffee, roasted with margarine, sold in packs at supermarkets.
Kaya
Sweet coconut and egg jam in jars, eaten on toast at breakfast.
Songket
Malay brocade woven with gold or silver thread, used for ceremonial dress.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Chinatown (Petaling Street)
Petaling Street
Chinatown's main street is covered by a green roof and lined with stalls selling clothes, bags, souvenirs and snacks, with old coffee shops and food stalls in the side streets.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- After dark
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Market · Chinatown (Petaling Street)
Central Market (Pasar Seni)
An art deco market hall from 1937, painted pale blue, now filled with craft and souvenir shops selling batik, songket weaving, pewter, wood carvings and Malaysian art, plus a food court upstairs.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Art
Street · Bukit Bintang
Jalan Alor food street
Every evening, Jalan Alor fills with plastic tables, grills and seafood tanks, serving satay, chicken wings, char kway teow, grilled stingray and tropical fruit.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
Street · Chinatown (Petaling Street)
Kwai Chai Hong
A once-neglected back lane behind Chinatown shophouses, restored with murals and installations showing family life in 1960s Chinatown, reached through a small arched entrance.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
- Art
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Teh tarik, Cendol and Durian. Every mamak restaurant; order it 'kurang manis' if you want less sugar. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| KLCC | $$$$ | The Petronas Towers, Suria KLCC mall, a landscaped park and international hotels |
| Bukit Bintang | $$$ | Malls, massage parlours, Jalan Alor's food street and Changkat's bars |
| Chinatown (Petaling Street) | $ | Shophouses, temples, street stalls and hip cafés around Petaling Street |
| Brickfields and KL Sentral | $$ | Little India's banana leaf restaurants beside the main rail hub |
| Kampung Baru | $ | Traditional Malay village of wooden houses below the city towers |
| Bangsar | $$$ | Affluent residential suburb of restaurants, cafés, bars and malls |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in MYR. Tipping is not customary. Many restaurants and hotels add a service charge, and rounding up taxi fares or leaving small change for good service is appreciated but optional.
- Remove shoes before entering homes and some shops or guesthouses.
- Alcohol is heavily taxed; look for happy hours or stick to coffee shops serving beer.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in March–May and September–November; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- March: Ramadan bazaars and Hari Raya Aidilfitri — end-of-fast celebrations (dates move about 11 days earlier each year)
- September: Mid-Autumn Festival — lanterns in Chinatown and at Thean Hou Temple (September or early October)
- October: Deepavali — festival of lights, celebrated in Brickfields (October or November)
- December: Christmas displays in the malls of Bukit Bintang and KLCC
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, nightlife and food lovers
Bukit Bintang
Malls, massage parlours, Jalan Alor's food street and Changkat's bars
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Kuala Lumpur?
Batik, Selangor pewter, Malaysian white coffee and Kaya.
+Where is the best shopping in Kuala Lumpur?
Bukit Bintang: Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Lot 10, Fahrenheit88 and Berjaya Times Square line Jalan Bukit Bintang, with Low Yat Plaza for electronics.
+What are the best markets in Kuala Lumpur?
Petaling Street market, Central Market and Chow Kit Market.