What great city doesn’t have a Chinatown? Surely, any city without one wishes it had one. But that’s not the case for Kuala Lumpur, because Petaling Street, or Jalan Petaling in Malay, is the heart of its Chinatown.
A street flanked on both sides by two imposing Chinese arches and crowned with a green roof designed to resemble a large Chinese dragon. It’s worth noting that these “small decorative details” are much more contemporary than the history of the neighborhood.
They are the result of a remodeling in the 2000s, a facelift for a neighborhood that dates back to the late 19th century, when Chinese immigrants settled in that part of the city.
Today, converted into a pedestrian street, it brings life day and night to one of the most interesting shopping areas of the city where there is a large “knock-off” market.
At the Flea Petaling Street Market, there are hundreds of stalls where you can find the latest model bag, t-shirt, trousers, watch or sneaker, imitations of the major international brands.
Of course, you have to haggle. Come on, I’m sure you’ve done it before. Start by offering half of what they ask and from that amount on… the game begins.
And besides shopping, remember that you are in a Chinese area, and that means: real Chinese food. Take advantage of the opportunity to try those Chinese noodle dishes or anything else you can think of that is on the menu. In this case, originality is guaranteed, no imitations here. And of course, it’s cheap; you can’t ask for more.
Both the street market and the food stalls are open well into the night, so we recommend visiting them after sunset, so that the smells of the food mix with the lights, the colours… and yes, you are in Malaysia’s little China. By the way, it is also a good area to look for accommodation as you will find good prices.
In the area you will find the Guan Yin temple, a Chinese temple built to worship the Goddess of Mercy or the Chan See Shu Yuen, one of the largest and oldest Buddhist temples in Malaysia where again bright colors, red or green, will mix with gold to worship Buddha.
Nearby is the Sri Mahamariammam Hindu temple, with a simply spectacular ornamental façade, crowned by the Raja Gopuram tower that shares the styles of temples from southern India.
Chinatown is located in the centre of Kuala Lumpur, so as we say in these cases, it is rare not to stumble upon it by chance. However, if you’re arriving in the city at that moment, the easiest way is to take the LRT (Light Rapid Rail) train line and get off at Pasar Seni station.
From there, in just a few minutes, you’ll be facing the grand gates of Little China.
You can also visit as part of a tour, like the walking tour of Kuala Lumpur’s heritage, where, in addition to Chinatown, you’ll get to explore the other two cultures- Indian and Muslim- that coexist with the Chinese.
Or the walk and discover Kuala Lumpur’s architectural and heritage gems tour.
