For those who have never had the pleasure of shopping in a South East Asian country before, get ready to get an eyeful! You’re travel mates will literally have to drag you away from the thousands of fantastic deals you’ll surely find during your Malaysia holidays. Malaysia shopping comes in a huge variety from fashionable department stores to street markets brimming with hawker stalls.
Definitely expect to bargain for prices, unless they are clearly marked on goods. In this area of the world bargaining is a regular thing and expected by locals and tourists. Be respectful, polite and friendly. Make fair offers and know your Malaysian currency, the Ringgit, and what it’s worth or you’ll find yourself arguing over pennies. Malaysian currency rates change so keep up on them. The Pound Sterling will get the best exchange rates but the U.S. dollar is widely accepted as well.
Rivaling Honk Kong and Singapore, Kuala Lumpur is a hot shopping destination. The best know mall here is Suria KLCC complete with beautiful fountains, a piazza and manicured gardens and is full of well-known couture shops. The center is one of the largest shopping centres in Malaysia and close to the Petronas Twin Towers where you can get the best views of the city from the Sky Bridge. Transportation is unnecessary as you can walk over in a few minutes.
The largest of shopping centres in Malaysia is Times Square. Here you can find any variety of gift shop Malaysia offers, leading fashion stores, book stores, cinemas, dining facilities and more.
Lot 10 and Star Hill are also popular shopping centres in Malaysia. Jalan Batar and Petaling Street are at the center of busy Chinatown where Malaysia shopping is fantastic! Textiles, clothes, handbags and shoes are a few of the many goods offered at unbelievable prices!
Chinatown is also know for beautiful jewelry crafted with gold and silver and embellished with gemstones of all kinds. Exotic, indigenous jewelry, striking wall hangings, teapots from Myanmar and India, curios, ornaments and more can be bought from the many Nepalese traders frequenting the area.
Other popular Malaysia shopping areas include Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Ampang and Jalan H.S. Lee. When you get sick of shopping (if ever!), consider a half-day trip to visit some of the area attractions such as the impressive Batu Caves or take a load off tired feet at one of the excellent Malaysia spas in the city.
Langkawi and Labuan, both islands in Malaysia, are well-loved duty-free zones for Malaysia shopping. Watches, cosmetics, pens, cameras, perfume and other electronic goods are all offered. Specialty goods in Malaysia include silverware, pewter, batik, brassware and pottery. You can find out about getting cash back on duty-free goods at Malaysian Royal Customs. Duty-free areas can also be found in Padang Basar, Rantau Panjang, Pengkalan Kubur in Kelantan and Hitam in Kedah. When visiting Langkawi Island make sure to browse through all the bazaars, sidewalk stalls and night markets for the best of the best.
In Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur and Penang there is more of an eclectic mix of duty-free shops where you can spend your Malaysian currency. When inside a gift shop Malaysia souvenirs of all sorts can be found. Gift shops are full of colorful art, handmade clothing, carvings, jewelry and a host of other items. When looking for batik hit a specialty gift shop Malaysia has where they obviously specialize in the craft to get the best quality and selection of vibrant colors.
