St Giles, Chinatown hotels

Deeply immersed in Oriental culture, heritage and history, Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist spots in Malaysia. Chinatown is a vibrant and colourful area that never sleeps and it is also a well-known bargain hunters’ paradise due to its bustling night market.

Don’t Miss

Visitors to Chinatown have a number of interesting attractions to choose from. The extravagantly decorated Sri Mahamariamman Temple is Kuala Lumpur’s main Hindu temple and it’s definitely one for every visitor’s itinerary. It is a very impressive temple incorporating Spanish and Italian tiles, precious stones and gold in its design, a truly spectacular sight.

The Malaysian Heritage Walk, called Kasuri Walk by locals, is a covered open air flea market. Here vendors sell everything from local snacks and fruits to clothing and shoes. All the goods on sale are reasonably priced.

The Warehouse, housed in a colonial style 100-year-old former textiles warehouse in Chinatown is a hip and quirky art gallery with a café and restaurant. Renaissance-style couches, woven rattan chairs, terracotta tiles and pillars give The Warehouse an odd, eccentric look. The art gallery has a series of rotating exhibits by modern, local and regional artists. It is well worth a visit if you are looking for something completely different.

Restaurants and Bars

Chinatown boasts a fantastic array of bars and restaurants. The majority of them specialise in Cantonese snacks, seafood and Hakka noodles but there are also charming bistros and cafés serving up mouth-watering western cuisine. Most of these restaurants are open until the small hours, making it easy to grab a bite to eat at any time. There are also a number of exciting nightspots in the area for those who want to party the night away.

Shopping in Chinatown KL

Chinatown is a vibrant, bustling area and there are many bargains to be found along its busy narrow streets. Petaling Street market is a shopper’s haven; here there is an eclectic mix of everything from shoes to watches, DVDs and CDs. Alternatively, souvenirs can be found in Central indoor market, housing stalls that sell artwork and handicrafts created by local artists. Here the merchandise is inexpensive and is comprised of traditional goods such as embroidery, carvings, souvenirs and sculptures.