Shopping in Malaysia

Malaysia offers a wide range of shopping goodies ranging from delicate Oriental items to branded designer goods. There are many shops selling latest designer brands, electronic hardware, elegant Malay garments and beautiful hand-crafted wooden baskets. The best places for modern shopping are Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi and if you are on the lookout for cultural handicrafts, then Malacca and East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia are the best place.

The capital, Kuala Lumpur has many shopping establishments, duty-free shops, bazaars and night markets. Among the items high on the shopping list of tourists are pewter, batik, duty free items, electrical products, sportswear and handicrafts. The Shopping Carnival held in March/April in Kuala Lumpur and other major cities is great opportunity for shopping. The popular shopping centers in and around Kuala Lumpur are Bukit Bintang area, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Petaling Street, and Jalan H.S. Lee.

Like Kuala Lumpur, Penang is another great city for shopping in Malaysia with main shopping areas concentrated in Jalan Penang, Lebuh Campbell, Lebuh Kapitan Keling, Lebuh Chulia, and Lebuh Pantai. During the annual Penang Shopping Carnival, one can take the delight of bargaining. You can also enjoy shopping at delightful venues like Campbell Street and Little India. Bargaining is in vogue in Penang and you should not hesitate to haggle over the price especially in smaller shops.

Apart from Penang and Kuala Lumpur, another place for great shopping in Malaysia is Langkawi, which is the regional shopping hub for duty-free goods offering both international and local products. Here, the town of Kuah is the main place where you will find many stores and malls offering the lowest prices of tax-free goods. Perfume stores, cigar shops, confectionary outlets, wine boutiques and other retail venues are in plenty in Langkawi Island.

Malacca is very famous when it comes to the shopping of handicraft product and antiques. However, you can also do modern shopping here as there are many shops and malls selling designer brands. Some of the traditional items you can get here are Nyonya clogs, Southeast Asian and Indian clothing, handmade tiles, charms, crystals, antiques and more. You can also make your time to visit Malacca’s biggest shopping malls – Mahkota Parade and Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall.

The East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia is also a good place for handicraft shopping with the town of Kota Bharu known for its highly skilled artisans and diverse cottage industries. Some of the worth visiting places are local batik factory, the kite factory and the silver craft centre. Kota Bharu is famous for the ‘songket’, a cloth designed with gold or silver threads displaying high skill and artistry. You can also head to Johor Bahru City Square and Plaza Pelangi for your picks of handicraft or fashion products.

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