Travel Hacks

Day 4 in Malaysia: 5 Must-see Shopping Havens in Kuala Lumpur

On our 4th day in Malaysia, Rubel and I spent the whole morning traveling by bus from Penang to Kuala Lumpur. The entire road trip took around 4 hours, since other passengers were picked up at the Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal (plus one stopover). But we were able to arrive in KL just in time for lunch. We also met up with Rubel’s sister-in-law, Melody at KL Sentral (where we alighted), and went directly to Tune Hotel via cab. Yes, we came back to the same hotel since we loved its room and amenities. It was a budget traveler’s haven!

Penang to KL via Alisan Golden Coach (comes with reclining seats, power outlets, Wi-Fi connection)

Melody wanted to show us around the Central Market area, so we left immediately. So when we finally settled in at our hotel, the three of us headed straight to Sultan Ismail LRT (a 5-minute walk from the hotel via footbridge). The single journey ticket from Sultan Ismail to Pasar Seni is 2.20/person. 

DIRECTIONS: From Sultan Ismail, get down at Masjid Jamek Station. Then alight at the next train that’s bound for Pasar Seni. 

MUST-TRY EATERY: A TASTE OF NASI GORENG AT 77 ES TELER JUARA INDONESIA

It was only in Kuala Lumpur that I got to taste Nasi Goreng, which means fried rice in Indonesian and Malay. I’ve been hearing about this complete meal, but I’ve never got around to tasting it. But I finally got to when Melody brought us to 77 Es Teler Juara Indonesia, where different variants of the Nasi Goreng dish were being offered. I ordered a hearty plate of Nasi Goreng Ekor (ox-tail) from the eatery by Kasturi Walk, which was just beside the Central Market. 


The stir-fried meal, which included savory ingredients (i.e. Egg, chicken, seafood, shallot, garlic, tamarind, chili, sweet soy sauce), was the best meal that I’ve ever had throughout my stay in Kuala Lumpur. I love eating spicy cuisines. So the Nasi Goreng Exor, no matter how hot it was, was a winner for me! It was just so spicy and flavorsome.


WANDERING AROUND CENTRAL MARKET, KASTURI WALK & PETALING STREET

We went around (1) Central Market right after lunch. But we didn’t stay long since the marketplace didn’t offer much for me to buy anything. But the place was definitely packed with different kinds of souvenirs ranging from printed shirts to keychains. We also explored the entire stretch of Kasturi Walk (offers an alfresco ambiance), where several kiosks were lined up selling food and other souvenirs.


Rubel and I were looking for other distinct items to take home, so Melody took us to (2) Petaling Street (also known as Chinatown), which was just a short walk from the Central Market. Then again, we still didn't find anything that we fancied. Anyway, there were several Class A items being sold on the street market that closely resembled several original brands. So if you’re looking for certain shoes, watches and sunglasses, Petaling Street may just have what you’re searching for.



We didn’t feel like going back to the hotel, so Melody suggested that we explore the other malls in Kuala Lumpur. Rubel, who was going to be a groomsman for a November wedding, was looking for an inexpensive suit and pants. So we all decided to check the establishments within the (3) Bukit Bintang area before heading to (4) Pavilion Mall. Sadly, we didn’t get to find any that fancied his interest and budget. So we just walked and headed off to (5) Suria KLCC. 


DIRECTIONS: Take the Pasar Seni LRT back to KL Sentral and pay RM 2.20/person. Once you alight, walk towards the Monorail station and take the Titiwangsa route. The KL Sentral Monorail, which costs 2-2.10 RM/person can take you all the way to Bukit Bintang Station.

We literally walked from Pavilion Mall to Suria KLCC, which took us around 45-minutes to reach. It was definitely exhausting but was certainly a great experience. It was actually nice to have had an opportunity to walk around Kuala Lumpur via their covered walkways, especially since it was also raining at the time. Not only did we get a good workout that afternoon, we also got to see the city on foot.

CAUGHT AWE-STRICKEN WITH THE DAZZLINGLY LIT PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS

We had some afternoon snacks at Suria KLCC before parting ways with Melody. Soon after, Rubel and I met up with Joanne for dinner. It was such a surreal moment, since we didn’t expect to be in the same country at the same time. She was on a layover in Kuala Lumpur and was booked at a hotel nearby. So when we fixed our schedules, we made dinner plans right away. I felt ecstatic, since it has been months since I last saw her. Our short time together was even more amazing since we got to take pictures together with the Petronas Twin Towers as our background. That night just felt so euphoric.


We ended the night by walking home. We dropped off Joanne at her hotel, and then walked right back to ours, which was 30-minutes by foot. We were pretty tired just halfway through our walk. But I made a deal with Rubel that if he could make it back to our lodging, I’d treat him with some sweets. Thankfully, he made it. :P

Explore & Be Free!
Mai


Read More About My Malaysia Trip Here:

Day 5 in Malaysia (KL): A great end to a 6-day journey!

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2 comments

  1. Is it Tune or Tunes Hotel, the famous budget which offers guests only a bed and everything else is for a fee?

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's TUNES HOTEL. And yes, they offer the usual, fully furnished room/s with fan and private T&B. But if you'd like to have air conditioning in your room, plus gain access to their cable TV and WI-Fi, then you may purchase these at an extra cost.

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