Petaling Street ( Chinatown )

Introduction

The Petaling Street (Chinatown) in Kuala Lumpur is like the Bukit Bintang of the older part of Kuala Lumpur. It is a place where the hustling and bustling never comes to an end. Day or night, visitors keep coming to Petaling Street to either dine on the famous street foods here or to get some good bargains on things sold here. Petaling Street is the shoppers' paradise if you want to bargain your way to some cheap things. There is almost everything here from clothes, souvenirs to electronic items to fabrics. Other than cheap stuff, Petaling Street is renowned for selling imitation goods like handbags, wallets, watches and shoes from brands like Adidas, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Nike and so on. Food here is also aplenty.

There aren't many proper shops here. Most of the shops here are the little stalls but many locals claim that at these stalls are where the best street foods can be found. A famous delicacy in Petaling Street is the salted roast duck which is sold at a mobile stall- the stall is built on a motorcycle. Be sure to be there early as the roast ducks are sold out by lunch time. Other than shopping and eating here in the Chinatown, there are other attractions nearby as well. Two places not to be missed are the Central Market Kuala Lumpur and the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur. A stone's throw away is the Central Market of Kuala Lumpur. Here you will be able to experience the rich culture of all the races in Malaysia. In the market, there are the Lorong Melayu, Lorong India and Straits Chinese which allows visitors to understand more of the difference in the culture of our people.

At the Central Market is also the place you can get great souvenirs which are all locally made such as kebaya, batik, songket and handicrafts. The Sri Mahamariamman Temple which is located at the edge of Petaling Street is the richest and oldest Hindu temple you can find in Kuala Lumpur. Its history dates back to the year of 1873 and has since been an important place of worship for the Indians here. Due to its history and influence, this temple is a vital part of the culture and heritage of Malaysia.