Chinatown Malaysia

December 11, 2009

Chinatown Malaysia

Welcome to Kuala Lumpur (KL) – you are in for a real bargain-hunting adventure! You would probably want to take a stroll along the original Chinatown; also commonly known as Petaling Street. Petaling Street maintains much of its traditional atmosphere, particularly at night when vendors peddle their wares on the streets.

Food is aplenty here with many delicious choices to choose from. Some of the restaurants have been operating at the same location for generations and are reputed for their scrumptious delicacies. Look out for Woo Hin restaurant; it is the only family-run food joint that has been around the longest here in KL. Throngs of hungry visitors also make a beeline (literally!) for the infamous Hokkien Mee (yellow noodles fried with pork, vegetables and fishcakes and smothered with thick brown gravy). The food served at the open-air stall is well-worth the wait and hungry patrons continually revisit it for a tasty meal.

Chinatown

Many other shops here open their doors to the eager shopper. The range of items available here is incredible, ranging from handbags, clothes, shoes, jewelry to leather goods. Petaling Street is also noted for its dazzling display of gold fashion accessories encrusted with precious gemstones! In fact, the whole street is brimming with stalls and that’s where the fun of bargain-hunting begins.

The hotels in Chinatown are very personalized; presenting to tired visitors a home away from home concept! Most of them operate on a small-scale, and are owned and managed by family members. These charming little hotels offer clean rooms and good hospitality to add on to your memorable holiday. Retaining the charm and character of yesteryears, hotels in Chinatown offer good value for money for budget conscious traveler.

One must remember that bargain-hunting only happens at the stalls. A successful bargain for an item you’ve likened to can reach up a fifty-percent discount or more! Proper shop owners do not entertain bargaining but maintain friendly customer service; cheerfully attending to the many change of clothes you try on.

Thankfully, the place has been renovated since; transparent roofs have been built overhead and re-constructed roadworks have made the streets shopper-friendly. This is especially good for tourists as one is able to while away hours of shopping and food-tasting regardless it’s rain or shine. To get there, hop onto the Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan, commonly known as STAR Light Rail Transit (LRT) and get off at the Plaza Rakyat stop. Upon exiting the station, walk straight on ahead and turn right after Nando’s restaurant. You are able to see Petaling Street (or Chinatown ) at the next right traffic junction. Or, take a cab ride to Petaling Street right away and save the hassle of traveling on the LRT with your entire family. Go with an open mind, a growling stomach and simply enjoy the night market for its energizing blend of local sights, food, and shopping!

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