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chinatown (jalan petaling)
Chinatown Kuala Lumpur attractions are made up of beautiful temples, sprawling flea markets, and quirky art galleries, all of which are definite must-visits on any traveller’s sightseeing itinerary. Accessible within a five-minute walk from Pasar Seni LRT station, the blue-hued Central Market and the neighbouring Kasturi Walk house a warren of boutiques, handicraft and souvenir stalls while Petaling Street is a lively and vibrant night market with hundreds of stalls selling all kinds of stuff at dirt-cheap prices.
Many of the attractions in Chinatown Kuala Lumpur are perfect for those who want to soak up the local culture, as there are plenty of ornate Buddhist and Taoist temples that are hundreds of years old. From the gleaming Sri Mahamariamman Temple to the tranquil Kuan Yin Temple, visitors can’t help but be mesmerised by these well-preserved landmarks. Meanwhile, aspiring artists and travelling art lovers can also drop by at Chinatown’s numerous art galleries, which host exhibits by modern local and regional artists.
Chinatown Attractions
Chinatown is practically filled with Chinese restaurants and hawker stalls selling all sorts of delicacies from steamed buns to seafood. Almost everywhere you look, a Chinese restaurant greets your eyes, the glorious smells wafting from its kitchen beckoning you to come inside and sample what’s cooking.
But those are not the only things you can find here; there are many more popular delicacies that are unique to Chinatown and can’t be found anywhere else in the city. What’s best about these places is that they are all open until late at night, well into the wee hours of the morning.
A lively and colourful section of the city full of interesting sights and smells, Chinatown Kuala Lumpur restaurants top the list of best budget eats in Kuala Lumpur, helping you make the ringgits in your pocket stretch further. Letting you to eat out for less without the stress, you will love the fact that the Pasar Seni light rail transit (LRT) train station is located here, making it easy for tourists to access. Plus, a lot of these restaurants are usually open late, making them the perfect places to eat for travellers who are out late.
Expect to find hawker stalls inside simple coffee shops, Chinese and Thai seafood restaurants, quirky bistros that double as art galleries, and even award winning fine diners – the best places to eat in Chinatown Kuala Lumpur are certainly a surprise. From steamed buns to smoked pork meat, you will find so much variety at the best Chinatown Kuala Lumpur restaurants.
Chinatown Restaurants
Nightlife in Chinatown Kuala Lumpur is in a league of its own; it’s not about rows of clubs, pubs and bars offering music-and-alcohol-fuelled entertainment, but the extra colour that seems to grow more vibrant at night, lighting up Petaling Street and its surroundings. Chinatown’s Petaling Street night market serves as the area’s main attraction – even bigger and more happening than during the daytime – giving you a kind of nightlife that is quite different from what you may be used to.
Located just a two-minute stroll from the Pasar Seni LRT station, Chinatown Kuala Lumpur nightlife is mostly frequented by budget travellers staying in this part of KL, where a couple of watering holes can be found within walking distances from backpacker inns and inexpensive guesthouses. One of the most popular bars in the area is Reggae Bar Chinatown, a groovy and colourful bar that serves a satisfying selection of alcoholic beverages with reggae music being played on constant rotation.
Chinatown Nightlife
Kuala Lumpur Chinatown Shopping Shopping In Kuala Lumpur Chinatown Shopping in Kuala Lumpur Chinatown is a must when visiting this big, bustling city. Spread across several streets including Jalan Petaling, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Jalan Hang Kasturi, Chinatown’s shopping bargains are deals of a lifetime, especially at the Petaling Street Night Market. What’s more, shopping in Chinatown is not just about buying modern items; a lot of locals visiting the herbal shops are here to purchase traditional medicine.
Without a doubt, Jalan Petaling, or Petaling Street as locals call it, is the most popular. Housed under a green glass roof, which allows the daily market to operate all day, it is crammed with market stalls selling reproduction designer handbags, shoes, apparel and more. Central Market KL is not too far away either and remains a favourite Kuala Lumpur Chinatown shopping spot for its one-of-a-kind local artwork and souvenirs.
Chinatown Shopping
Believe it or not, there are more exciting things to do in Kuala Lumpur Chinatown than hunt for reproduction designer bargains. That’s not to say this section of the city’s shopping scene is uninteresting – rather that Chinatown activities are so much fun, that they sometimes eclipse its staggeringly rich and attention-grabbing retail landscape.
Expect to find a lot of massage parlours, especially those specialising in Chinese reflexology that is such a popular pastime with locals here. This area is certainly the best place to experience this ancient Oriental art. As a result, prices for a session are particularly competitive, making it truly worthwhile to indulge in. Besides that, the night market in this area makes for a great walking street where you can watch the local way of life, or even sample flavourful hawker food. Allowing you to take in the sights, sounds and smells of KL at its most raw, Chinatown Kuala Lumpur activities are certainly a great option during your city vacation.