When you visit Malaysia, this is one of Things To Do In Kuala Lumpur that you must do! Take a trip to the busy and exciting Petaling Street. That was exactly what we did.
After the tour of Central Market, we hopped over to Petaling Street. It was just a short distance away. Only about 5 to 10 minutes walk from Central Market.
And we loved every minute of it!
Tip: There is a video of Petaling Street below. Watch It! Don’t Miss It!
About Petaling Street
Petaling Street is also known as the Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur. It has a long history in this city. The name is also Jalan Petaling in Malay, 茨厂街 (Cíchǎng Jiē) in Mandarin or Chee Cheong Kai in Cantonese.
Whichever name you call it, it is a vibrant venue. It is always crowded with locals and tourists. And busy during day or night.
It is also widely known as Bargain Hunters’ Paradise. And that is no surprise. There are rows and rows of stalls selling almost anything a person is seeking. Things such as clothes, souvenirs, electronics, gadgets, and more.
Tip: Be careful of imitation goods. Most of the brand products sold here are not the real thing.
As with most street markets, you will find much haggling happening. In fact, it is almost expected.
Tip: Haggle. Bargain. Don’t take the first offer as fixed price.
Petaling Street is also a food haven. There are dozens of restaurants and food stalls that serve popular dishes like Hokkien mee, Ikan Bakar, and more. More of a couple of these food stalls after the video.
Tip: Visit Petaling Street with an empty stomach.
Petaling Street – The Video
Take a look at Petaling Street and what this awesome place holds for you. I took the video during the day when it was less crowded.
Tip: Visit Petaling Street during the night too!
Famous & Popular Food Stall & Shop
Air Mata Kucing
When you are at Petaling Street, you must have a cup of the famous and popular drink. It is called Air Mata Kucing. The word – Mata Kucing – is Malay for Longan.
I have had many such drinks in the past. And thought this is going to be an overrated one. To my pleasant surprise, I was wrong! It was very different from any other Air Mata Kucing I have tasted before. There is no other way to say it except that you must be there to try this!
This stall is now an institution. It sells only one product. And that is the drink that is made from dried longan, luo han guo (a fruit that cools the body) and winter melon. The fruits and herb are boiled and sweetened with rock sugar.
The combination is cooling and refreshing. You can have it served hot or cold. This herbal drink cools the body and quenches your thirst. It is no wonder this stall won the Ctrip Gourmet List, Local Favorite Award in 2017!
Watch this video of the award-winning stall.
Tip: So thirst quenching. Buy one cup. Walk around. Go back and buy a second or third cup.
Where is Air Mata Kucing stall?
The stall is very easy to find. It is at the centre of Petaling Street, at the intersection of Petaling Street and Jalan Hang Lekir. On a hot day, look for a stall with a long queue of thirsty locals and tourists.
OLOIYA
There are so many really good stalls and restaurants serving great and delicious food at Petaling Street. But I cannot mention them all this time round. Maybe in the future? For now, I would like to share about Oloiya.
In the past, when I traveled for business, Oloiya caught my eye. I tried their barbecued meats, and am a fan ever since.
This is a popular brand. They sell barbecued meats. And opened their first shop in 1970. Today, there are Oloiya branches everywhere, including the one at Petaling Street.
During this trip, I spotted their shop at Petaling Street. And was pleased that they now have a counter outside that cooks and sells sandwiches with their barbecued meats. Naturally, I had to have one. And the barbecued meat was as delicious as I remembered.
Where is Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur?
It is located opposite Kotaraya Shopping Complex and short distance from Central Market.
Address of Central Market:
109 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur (according to Malaysia Tourism site)
How To Get There?
By Train
Light Rapid Transit (LRT) – Stop at the Pasar Seni Station that is located opposite The Central Market, via the Putra Line. Short walk from the station to Petaling Street.
By Bus
Public Buses – There are public buses to Petaling Street. Take bus lines KL01, SPG01, and SPG02. You can ask the bus driver to help and inform you when the bus reaches Petaling Street.
KL Hop-On Hop-Off – A City Tour Bus that stops at the station just opposite The Central Market. From there, you can walk over to Petaling Street.
GoKL – This is a Free City Bus Service for visitors. It travels on selected routes in the city. Take the Purple route to Pasar Seni stop. From there, you can walk over to Petaling Street.
By Taxi
This is also an option. And always take those that go by the meter. You can reject if they do not use the meter. Speak to the driver and agree to go by meter before you get on the taxi.
By Grab
This is my preferred option. It is so easy to travel around in cities now because of Grab. Just download the app, state your destination, a driver is assigned to you, take the transport, and you arrive at your destination. Comfortable and easy.
I have switched to Grab for my travels within a city ever since this option became available.
We have come to the end of this article. I hope you enjoyed reading this.
If you have ANY questions about this article, about Things To Do In Kuala Lumpur – Petaling Street, ANY at all, please submit your questions as comments below. I will be happy to help you out.
Wishing you and your loved ones safe and happy travels.
Timotheus
Hey everyone, I am Timotheus. When I am not giving lectures, I love traveling and visiting cities and towns all over Asia. It is a thrill for me to find and share awesome places to see, great tasting food to eat, and restful rooms to get a good night’s sleep.
