Page 14 - Flipbook

Only in
Malaysia’s capital is rich in shopping opportunities.
uala Lumpur is the best walking town in southeast Asia. with
a population of less than 2 million, it has all the amenities of a much larger city yet retains
an intimate, almost cosy charm. wandering the streets of kL, you soon discover that the city is one great emporium. retail outlets range from sidewalk vendors working out
of cardboard boxes to luxury boutiques and department stores, all offering an alluring array of chic, delicious and entertaining ways to part you from your money.
Posh markets
KL is a young city and it really came into its own in the years after World War II. From the beginning, Jalan Bukit Bintang (Star Hill Street) has been the city’s prime retail district. Today it’s an elegant, tree-shaded avenue of lavish international shops and malls - the modern Asian marketplace is air-conditioned against the steamy tropical heat.
Tomorrow’s fashions
If Starhill Gallery is too sedate for you, the liveliest marketplace in town is just around the corner. Sungei Wang Plaza, on Jalan Sultan Ismail, is a bright jumble of tiny shops (anchored by the fine Parkson department store) where scrappy young designers work out of hole-in-the-wall boutiques.
Antiques and more
Central Market is a great place to
pick up T-shirts and other souvenirs from pushcart vendors; there are also shops selling antiques, vintage toys
and Malaysian crafts like songket,
a fine cloth woven with gold and
silver threads. KL’s most delicious
place to shop for antiques is Precious Old China, a Malacca-style Nyonya restaurant at Central, where even the chair you sit on is for sale (And yes, the lunch is excellent).
Malay tradition
Without a doubt, the best-known Malaysian brand is Royal Selangor, the pewter-maker celebrating its 125th anniversary. Royal Selangor products are sold at fine stores throughout the city and at the airport, but the most fun place to shop for pewter is at the factory in the suburb of Setapak. You’ll start your tour in the small museum, then visit the factory floor (where you can bang out your own pewter dish) and finish up in a beautiful shop that sells a wide array of teapots, tankards, fruit bowls and picture frames. All portable-andunbreakable! EV
14 JANuARY 2012