Shopping in Malaysia
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Night Market
KK’s brilliant Night Market is a place of delicious contrasts: it huddles beneath the imposing Le Meridien as venders hawk their knock-off wares. The market is divided into two main sections: the southwest end is given over mostly to produce, while the northeast end (the area around the main entrance) is a huge hawker centre, where you can eat your way right through the entire Malay gastronomy. If you’ve never seen a proper Southeast Asian market, this place will be a revelation.
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Jalan Petaling
The commercial heart of Chinatown is one of the most colourful and busiest shopping parades in KL, particularly at night when stalls cram the covered street. It offers everything from fresh fruit and cheap clothes and shoes to copies of brand-name watches and handbags, and pirated CDs and DVDs. Be prepared to bargain hard.
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Tamu
Every Sunday a huge tamu takes place on the outskirts of this small, sleepy town. The market is a congested, colourful and dusty melee of vendors, hagglers, browsers, gawpers and hawkers, all brought together by a slew of everyday goods in a bustle that consumes the whole town each and every week. A smaller version takes place on Wednesday.
A tamu is not simply a market where villagers gather to sell their farm produce and to buy manufactured goods from traders; it's also a social occasion where news and stories are exchanged. Sadly tourists now often outnumber buffalo, and the fascinating local Bajau horsemen have mostly moved away from the car park, though some do put…
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Penang Pewter
Something you'll see in many shops, particularly along Jln Penang, is Penang Pewter. This is a small shop but has a large array of Penang Pewter direct from the factory. As Malaysia's second-name Pewter company, Penang Pewter can be a real bargain compared to the picture frames, goblets, vases and the like produced by its upscale compatriots. The company's newest claim to fame is its gold-plated pewterware, which it happily adds to its 600 or so available items.
If you're not fussed about great quality or brand names, even cheaper pewter items, many of which you can get custom engraved, are available in small shops around Komtar shopping complex. Pewter was once made with…
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Jln Hang Jebat & Jln Tun Tan Cheng Lock Antique Shopping
Taking time to browse Chinatown's eclectic mix of shops is an activity in itself, even if you hate shopping. Start with the antique shops along Jln Hang Jebat (Jonker's St) and Jln Tun Tan Cheng Lock where you'll see dusty old junk, polished ancient relics and everything in between. Unless you really know your antiques, be very cautious about spending money in these shops. Rumour has it that some folks build new furniture out of old, discarded wood to make 'antique' pieces.
Prices are high and haggling is essential.
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Pudu Market
Arrive early to experience KL’s largest wet (produce) market at its most frantic. Here you can get every imaginable type of fruit, vegetable, fish and meat – from the foot of a chicken slaughtered and butchered on the spot to a stingray fillet or a pig’s penis. Attached is Pusat Makanan Peng Hwa, an old-fashioned 24-hour food court where you can join locals and market traders wolfing down rice porridge, noodle soup or chicken rice (all under RM10).
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Ayurvedium
KL's spas draw on traditional therapies from India, China and Southeast Asia, reflecting the diverse ethnic groups who inhabit the city - a perfect way to unwind after a cramped flight or the train ride from Thailand or Singapore. The best place to start your quest for indulgence is the swish Starhill Gallery on Jln Bukit Bintang. The 'Pamper' floor is dedicated to exclusive spa and beauty treatments: Ayurvedium specialises in traditional Indian herbal treatments.
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Mydin's Wholesale Emporium
Mydin's Wholesale Emporium is part of a nationwide chain that sells everything from toothpaste to watches and DVDs at rock-bottom, no-need-to-bargain prices. Penang is a fun place to shop with plenty of outlets for local crafts and antiques, as well as cameras and electronics at competitive prices (although Kuala Lumpur has a wider range). Bargaining is usually required, except in department stores like this. Jln Penang is the best shopping street in Georgetown.
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Escentials
KL's spas draw on traditional therapies from India, China and Southeast Asia, reflecting the diverse ethnic groups who inhabit the city - a perfect way to unwind after a cramped flight or the train ride from Thailand or Singapore. The best place to start your quest for indulgence is the swish Starhill Gallery on Jln Bukit Bintang. The 'Pamper' floor is dedicated to exclusive spa and beauty treatments: Escentials specialises in facial treatments.
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Filipino Market
Sandwiched between the Central Market and the Night Market, the Filipino Market is a good place to shop for inexpensive souvenirs. Offerings include pearls, textiles, seashell crafts, jewellery and bamboo goods, some from the Philippines, some from Malaysia and some from other parts of Asia. Needless to say, bargaining is possible here and you should be wary of fake pearls etc. Next door, there is a fruit market that stays open until late.
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Royal Selangor Pewter Factory
Located 8km northeast of the city centre is Malaysia’s leading manufacturer of pewter. As well as traditional tankards and the like, it has commissioned modern designers to produce some very appealing gifts. For RM50 you can try your own hand at creating a pewter dish. Take the LRT to Wangsa Maju station and then a taxi (RM3). Alternatively, visit its main outlet ([tel] 3182 0240) on level one of Suria Kuala Lumpur City Centre.
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Mid Valley Megamall
This colossal complex, next to KL Komuter Mid Valley station, is indeed mega and probably the best one-stop shopping, dining and entertainment experience in KL. In a separate building you’ll find the Gardens Mall, a more luxe environment embracing designer international brands as well as a hotel and serviced apartments. On level 2, check out local designers at 2201 Fashion Avenue and KN Key Ng (www.keyng.com.my).
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Chow Kit Market
It’s sensory overload at this lively market, where tightly jammed stalls sell clothes, toys, buckets, stationary, noodles, spices, fresh meat and live, flapping fish, as well as a staggering array of weird and wonderful tropical fruit. Shops in the lanes around the market, particularly Jln Haji Hussein, specialise in made-to-order songkok, the traditional Malay-style fez.
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Gurney Plaza
The most chic mall, with international chain stores like The Body Shop and Esprit. Mac users will find an Apple store here, and there's a massive music store, bookstore and several electronics outlets. The state's biggest cineplex, Golden Screen Cinemas is here, as well as a mini theme park, fitness centre and a health spa. Shop all day, then dine at the colourful hawker centre in the evening.
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Orangutan House - Lorong Hang Jebat
Having mushroomed to an impressive three outlets, this hip and brightly painted T-shirt shop adds its own brand of zest and colour to Chinatown's multifaceted personality. All shirts are the work of local artist Charles Cham and have themes spanning from Chinese astrology animals to rather edgy topics (at least for Malaysia) such as 'Use Malaysian Rubber' above a sketch of a condom.
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Top Spinning Academy
If you enter this shop, be prepared for a very enthusiastic traditional top-spinning lesson by gasing extraordinaire Simpson Wong. You aren't expected to purchase anything although you probably will if you get the hang of the spin - a top is only around RM2. Mr Wong is a charming fellow who genuinely appears to just want people to play tops with him. Go in and make his day.
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Jln Bukit Bintang
A road packed with Chinese massage and reflexology centres if the top-end spas seem out of reach. Pricing is fairly consistent - around RM65 per hour for a full body massage and around RM25 for thirty minutes of foot reflexology, though you can bargain down - but standards vary and some places are slightly seedy. One reliable option on the strip is the local branch of Old Asia.
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Tile Shop
Intricately beautiful mini-replicas of the fine European tiles that grace some of Melaka's fine colonial buildings can be found here. You'll also find flat ceramic pictures of teapots and Chinese household items in stylish frames. A tile or art piece will cost around RM30. While here, peep into the shop next door that makes papier-mâché temple offerings.
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Capsquare
A new focus of the Little India area is CapSquare, an attractive complex for business, residential and entertainment purposes bordered by Jln Munshi Abdullah, Jln Dang Wangi and the muddy Sungai Kelang (Kelang River) – head here on the first and third weekends of the month for a bazaar featuring food, fashion and interesting knick-knacks.
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Shopping Centres
Major shopping centres in central JB are Plaza Kota Raya (Jln Ungku Puan), the flashier Johor Bahru City Square (Jln Wong Ah Fook) and Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar; Jln Wong Ah Fook). Other large malls to the north of the city centre include Plaza Pelangi (Jln Tebrau), Holiday Plaza (Jln Dato Sulaiman) and Best World (Jln Tun Abdul Razak).
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Midlands Park Centre
This huge shopping-cum-recreation complex (an 8-storey building) has everything from a myriad of shops and fast-food places, to a bowling alley and Adventure Island, to a water theme park on the roof. The water park is the main draw. It has a giant pool, plenty of thrill rides and views of Pulau Tikus and the northern beaches.
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Curve
The latest addition to the KL shopping scene, this swish, ubermodern mall has loads of international names, including Ikea and Tesco. It's about 15km west of the centre in Petaling Jaya; a free shuttle bus runs three times a day between the mall and the Royale Bintang Hotel on Jln Bukit Bintang (see the website for details).
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Saberkas Weekend Market
If you land in Miri on a weekend, don't miss the Saberkas Weekend Market, which takes place from Friday evening to midday Sunday, about 3km northeast of Bintang Plaza. It's one of the most colourful and friendly markets in Sarawak and vendors are more than happy to answer questions about the various products displayed.
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Bee Chin Heong
This interesting outlet sells a colourful, bewildering assortment of religious statues, furniture and temple supplies; if you’re after a huge Chinese couch, a household shrine or have RM55,000 to spend on a 2m-tall carved wood Buddha, this is the place to come. Even if you’re not buying, it’s still worth a look round.
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Kompleks Bebas Cukai Duty-Free Shopping Complex
Kompleks Bebas Cukai duty-free shopping complex, about 2km east of the Causeway, proudly proclaims itself one of the largest duty-free complexes in the world, with more than 160 shops. In general, you won’t get much in JB that you can’t get in Singapore, though prices tend to be lower.
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