What's in Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA is one big playground for a shopaholic.

The country is known for many things—from virgin rainforests to famous skyscrapers, multicultural cuisine—and don’t forget, shopping.

It is second nature for most Malaysians, said a tourism officer.

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But who can blame them when the whole country is swarming with over 300 shopping centers.

When to go

The best time to go shopping in Malaysia is now, with the ongoing Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival which kicked off on July 24 and will last until Sept. 16. Serious shoppers from neighboring countries in Asia and the Middle East flock here during the sale period which lasts for almost eight whole weeks.

Shopping route

In Kuala Lumpur, a city known for its overwhelming number of shopping malls, the only question is: where to begin? From glitzy high-end malls to bustling street markets, one will have a field day with the many available shopping choices. 

A good place to start is at the Golden Triangle, the commercial, shopping and entertainment hub that encompasses a number of major streets in Kuala Lumpur.

Bukit Bintang, located inside the Golden Triangle has been likened to Singapore’s Orchard Road, Tokyo’s Ginza and New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is the newest and poshest mall in the Bukit Bintang area. It is huge with an area of 1.37 million square meters and over 450 stores across seven levels offering the best mix in local and international retail.

Pavilion KL is home to high-end luxury brands like Bally, Burberry, Bvlgari, Diane von Furstenberg, Gucci, Hermes, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tod’s, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent.

There is a good mix of malls in the Bukit Bintang area. Catering to the middle-to-low-end market is Sungei Wang, a bargain shopper’s paradise with hundreds of small boutiques selling all kinds of goods from handicrafts to fashion accessories, gadgets and cosmetics.

At the heart of Kuala Lumpur, nestled at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers is Suria KLCC. Louis Vuitton’s second branch in Kuala Lumpur is located in Suria KLCC. Other designer brands include Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Chanel, Mulberry and Paul Smith.

Suria KLCC is also home to contemporary fashion brands like Zara, GAP, Banana Republic, G2000, Miss Sixty, 7 For All Mankind, Salabianca and AX Armani Exchange.

The Japanese Bookstore, Kinokuniya, also has a huge branch here. Foreign visitors shopping in Malaysia may take advantage of the tourist privilege cards offered by malls like Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and Suria KLCC.

All one needs to do is present one’s passport at the concierge of each mall to get the card and enjoy the freebies and discounts from participating stores. Some malls even have a welcome gift for tourists upon registration.

It is also advisable to get a copy of the mall map and a shopping directory upon entry to know your way around as it is easy to get lost in a seven-storey mall. If shopping for home furnishings and the like is your thing, head to Petaling Jaya where Ikea is located. This is Asia’s largest Ikea store that is sprawled across an area of 36,000 square meters.

Ikea offers everything needed to complete your home under one roof from furniture like sofas, beds, tables, wardrobes to soft furnishings like curtains, bed sheets, towels, and rugs to any accessories for your kitchen, bedroom and bathroom to lightings, vases, plants, posters, frames and more.

Sunway Pyramid, is also in the area of Petaling Jaya. It is Malaysia’s first themed shopping and entertainment mall. This mall is hard to miss with its unique architecture featuring an Egyptian-inspired pyramid with an eye-catching lion standing guard at the entrance. The mall is also a component of the amazing Sunway Lagoon Resort, a world-class integrated resort destination.

Other shopping centers located in Petaling Jaya are One Utama, The Curve and Tropicana City Malaysia is not only a great place to buy international branded goods; it is also home to local brands that have made it internationally. It is sensible to check out these brands, as they are usually cheaper in their own turf.

For fashion, there’s Jimmy Choo, British India, Padini, Lewre, Vincci, Carlo Rino, Habib Jewels, Radioactive and Sembonia; for electronics, there’s Pensonic, Fujiaire and Khind; and if in the market for cars, there’s Proton and Perodua.

Beryl’s Chocolates are made in Malaysia and one can even visit its chocolate factory to see how they are made.

Shopping in Kuala Lumpur is not only confined to malls. There are a number of bazaars, flea markets and night markets in the city.

The most popular is Central Market, a former wet market built by the British in 1888 that is now a heritage site and a landmark for Malaysian culture and heritage.

Walk along the themed streets that represent Malaysian cultures: Malay Street, Straits Chinese, Little India, Jonker Street and Blue Mansion and find an assortment of goods like handicrafts, art, batik and various souvenirs.

Mall race

Filipinos proved that they are world-class shoppers, too. To launch the Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival last July 24, media representatives from all over the world participated in a shopping mall race around Sunway Pyramid Mall.

Tourism Malaysia hosted a total of 119 participants from 19 countries via the Mega Familiarisation Programme (Mega Fam) in conjunction with the Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival. The Mega Fam participants included travel agents, journalists, and crews from Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Nepal, Russia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Yemen.

After an afternoon mall race reminiscent of a tricky treasure hunt and an Amazing Race episode, Team Philippines, composed of media representatives from the Visayas and Mindanao, emerged as the over-all champion beating the 18 other foreign groups.

Victorious and in great spirits—we couldn’t have chosen a better way to end our six-day tour in Kuala Lumpur.

*Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) operates a daily Airbus service to Kuala Lumpur, leaving Kuala Lumpur at 1:20 a.m. with the return flight departing Manila at 8:55 p.m. One may book flights and tour packages through www.cebupacificair.com or http://funtours.cebupacificair.com or call reservation hotlines (02)7020-888 or (032) 230-8888. The latest updates can also be found at cebupacificair on Twitter or Facebook.