Holiday Shopping Tips for Malaysia

Holiday makers have a myriad of reasons forand theme park (complete with rollercoaster). The
choosing Malaysia as a holiday destination such as itsshopping here is more up-market than the Sungei
diverse culture, wonderful scenery, friendly people,Wang Plaza which is also reflected in the prices.
and fantastic food. But another reason is the greatAlthough the price you'll pay for your purchases here
shopping. While shopping may not be the main reasonis more than some of the budget outlets, you also
you choose to holiday in Malaysia, while you're thereget better quality goods so you do tend to get what
you can indulge in some retail therapy as an addedyou pay for.
bonus; especially considering the bargain prices andChina Town Markets
wide variety to choose from.Located in Petaling Street the market is open
While you will find bargains galore in most shoppingeveryday. Although the majority of stalls open from
malls throughout Malaysia the hot spot for shopping is5pm onwards the best time to visit is during the day
the capital Kuala Lumpur, which has many largeas you'll still find many stalls open without the large
shopping malls to choose from, such as:crowd. Stall holders are happy to haggle over the
Suria KLCCprice of goods of which there are lots to choose
This shopping mall is situated in the city center'sfrom. A good tip is to carry a bottle of water with
golden triangle and adjoins the Petronas Twinyou as it does tend to get very humid at the
Towers (featured in the movie Entrapment starringmarkets. Also try not to use the bathroom facilities
Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones). The mall isat the markets if at all possible as they are not as
extremely modern and is one of the more up-markethygienic as most westerners are used to.
malls in the city, with a total of six levels (an area ofGeneral Tips
1.5 million square feet). You'll find everything here thatWhen preparing to head off on a shopping trip in
you'd find in any western shopping mall plus manyMalaysia there are a few things to remember:
locally made products and all at reasonable prices.- Most shopping outlets in Malaysia don't open until
Sungei Wang Plaza11am; however they do tend to stay open until
This shopping mall is located on Jalan Sultan Ismailaround 10pm.
across the road from the Grand Plaza Hotel. While- Bathroom facilities in some of the older shopping
certainly not as modern as some of the othermalls can be an eye opener for westerners. Asian
shopping malls, what it lacks in building appeal is morestyle toilets are sunken into the ground at the level
than made up for in variety and price of theof a small step for squatting rather than western
products available. Each of the six floors spread out instyle toilets for sitting; however most malls have an
a maze of walkways and retail shops making it easyeven mix of Asian and western style toilets within
to loose hours just browsing. For ladies looking toeach bathroom.
update their shoe collection this is the place to do it.- In older malls you may also have to pay the
There are so many shoe shops here with beautifulattendant at the door not only to use the bathroom
dress shoes at bargain prices that you'll need anitself but also for toilet tissue. A good travel tip is to
extra bag for the trip home. For wearers of eyepurchase some personal facial tissues (you can get
glasses you will find a number of eyewear shopsthem in travel packs) and carry in your bag or
where you can get a new pair of modern glassesbackpack.
made within a day or two that will cost you half asWith such a large variety of goods to choose from
much as in most western cities. This mall has soat bargain prices in Malaysia you may be tempted to
much to offer that you could easily spend a wholepurchase more than you normally would. When
day there and still not reach the top floors.shopping try to keep in mind that airlines have quite
Times Squarehefty charges for excess baggage weight which
This mall is located around the corner from Sungeicould make the price of those "bargains" sometimes
Wang Plaza and is within easy walking distance. Thismore expensive than you'd pay at home, so always
is yet another large mall which also includes a hotelset yourself some limits.