At the heart of Kuala Lumpur is an area which never sleeps, Chinatown, based in Petaling Street, is also a well-known « bargain hunter ‘s paradise ». Deeply immersed in the Oriental culture, heritage, and history, Chinatown is undoubtedly one of the most famous tourist attractions in Malaysia. Noticeably, it is the place that you can find all sorts of stuff from Chinese herbs to imitation goods.
Central Market
Originally built in 1928 in Chinatown, the Central Market was used to sell raw food and vegetable. By 1890, the market changed its business direction to offer handicrafts of famous craftsmen. Therefore, visitors definitely find a variety of goods at remarkably « reasonable » prices, from batik fabric, embroidery, wood carving to souvenirs. Certainly, tourists will choose « eyes – catching » gifts that are matched with their relatives when shopping here. Amazingly, tradesmen sometimes sing and dance as marketing tricks to attract the attention of buyers, creating a great atmosphere.
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
It might not have occurred to you that a house of worship could be both cultural and attention-grabbing at the same time. The Sri Maha Mariamman in Chinatown is one of the most popular tourist spots among worshippers and visitors alike in Kuala Lumpur. Firstly built in 1873 by the Tamil immigrants but was only opened to the public in the 1920s. Then, in 1968, the temple was built 5- storey tower at the entrance, featuring more than 288 unique statues of Hindu deities made by sculptors from India. Today, with more than a century of history, it is entitled the oldest as well as the richest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur.
At the annual Thaipusam festival, visitors and worshippers flock to this sacred temple to engage in it. The festival begins with a large car carrying the statue of Lord Muruga and his two consorts (Valli and Teivayanni) up to Batu Caves on the northern edge of the city to celebrate this festival.
Kasturi Walk Market
Kasturi Walk is a covered, open-air flea market set along Jalan Kasturi, a lane alongside Central Market. Opened in 2011, this market is full of stalls and kiosks offering various kinds of products from clothing, bags, shoes, to fruits. Bear in mind, you should bargain because the sellers often offer a pretty higher price than the original one. Get there, you have a chance to enjoy attractive specialties like dim sum of Chinese recipes or rojak of Indian recipes one the street.
Featuring the simple architecture but solemn atmosphere, Kuan Yin Temple is a place of worship of the goddess Mercy. Built in 1880, nestled in Chinatown, this temple grasped the characteristics of traditional Baotian style. If you tend to explore the prominent features of the religious Kwan Yin temples in Malaysia, you should visit three golden Buddha statues in the main hall. Furthermore, you can buy incense outside the temple to burn incense to the Goddess.
Chan See Shu Yuen Temple
Built between 1897 and 1906, Chan See Shu Yuen Temple served as a temple and a community center in Kuala Lumpur at the same time.
Chan See Shu Yuen Temple features prominently in its spacious courtyard and a delicate architecture with terracotta pillars illustrating Chinese history and myths. In addition, going inside the temple, visitors see statues of warriors battling against lions, dragons, and other mythical creatures.
Sin Sze Si Ya Temple
Seized the title of the oldest Taoist temple in Kuala Lumpur, Sin Sze Si Ya Temple is considered as the Chinese Community Center in Chinatown, especially in traditonal festivals like Lunar New Year. The locals come here to burn incense and pray for peace and good luck for themselves as well as family. Most significantly, some of them go through the table in front of the Buddha statue because it was said to bring about luck.
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