Description: Petaling Street is the main thorough fare through Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown district and no visit to the city would be complete without a trip here. It has all the hustle and bustle that is expected of a thriving area of a Far Eastern major city and is full of atmosphere and great smells.
The street is lined by all manner of shops, cafes, hotels and backpackers hostels and offers something for every visitor. The area really comes alive though in the late afternoon and into the evening when the centre of the wide street plays host to a temporary market of hundreds of stalls. The stalls sell all kinds of 'replica' items including watches, designer tee shirts and bags. You are free to barter exceptionally good deals on all of the wares and it becomes something of a fun battle of wills to get a good price on a copy Breitling watch or a Armani sweater.
Along the sides of the street are lots of buffet type cafes frequented by locals and offering a mouthwatering choice of Malaysian delights for bargain prices. When you enter one of the cafes you are met with delicious smelling food laid out on counters and you simply take a plate and help yourself. You are charged by the number of different items you have on your plate and you pay and take a seat at one of the long benches. The choices range from spicy prawns and beef rendang (the national dish) to jasmine rice and garlic covered vegetables. We got a large plateful of food that was more than enough for lunch for two of us and it cost just two pounds.
There are a number of places to visit in the area. Firstly, when you get off the monorail, you should stop at the Chinese Temple on your right hand side, which is the largest in the area and is full of ornate carvings of major events in Chinese history. Just off Petaling Street on one of the side streets is the Sri Mahamammian Indian Temple which is fronted by a huge ornate sculpture made from gold, precious stones and tiles that shouldn't be missed. At the top of Petaling Street is the central market which is full of bazaar type stalls offering a range of local crafts and souvenirs as well as health food shops.
If you want to head here for an evening meal, go to the Old China Cafe which offers great food in an atmospheric setting at very reasonable prices.
You really do have to go to Petaling Street to experience the fabulous atmosphere and bustling feel, if nothing else - it's a great place to go and experience the real Malaysia.
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