5 Best Markets in KL and Selangor

While our malls are already well known, Kuala Lumpur has a dizzying number of street markets where visitors can experience authentic Malaysian food and culture. Whether you’re a visitor or simply a local who’s feeling tired of the city’s slick and haute couture malls, why not pay a visit to one of the many street markets operating every week? Below, you can find a list of the top 5 markets in KL. No matter what you’re searching for – food, fresh produce, clothes, handicrafts, or accessories – you’ll be sure to find a wide variety of goods for sale at affordable prices.

Petaling Street

Well known as a bargain hunter’s paradise, Petaling Street is a shopping haven in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Once evening falls, hundreds of stalls open up in this happening area to sell all kinds of stuff at dirt-cheap prices.

The vendors here are usually open to haggling, so keep your eyes peeled and you can collect handbags, watches, trainers, or clothing at a mere fraction of their normal cost. Best of all, Petaling Street contains a smorgasbord of delicious local cuisine, particularly with a number of well known food hawker stalls spread throughout the street. Make sure to come in with an empty tummy so that you can enjoy everything that they have available!

Address: Chinatown Kuala Lumpur

Opening Hours: 6pm-1am daily

Central Market

One of KLs most popular tourist attractions, Central Market – also known as Pasar Seni – was originally built back in 1888. Strategically located in the middle of Kuala Lumpur, this market can be considered a focus for the city’s artistic community. Underneath its covered walkways, you can find a maze of boutiques and stalls selling local handicrafts such as batik prints and souvenirs.

While it’s open all year long, Central Market’s vendors pull out all the stops during festivals such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, and Deepavali, filling the area with light and color. The market is divided into a number of zones (Chinese, Indian, etc.), with vendors focused on showing the unique arts and culture of each of the races of Malaysia.

Address: No. 10, 1st-3rd floor, Jalan Hang Kasturi

Opening Hours: 10am-10pm daily

Chow Kit Market

The largest wet market in KL, Chow Kit Market is the best place to find fresh meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and spices. This lively and bustling market is not for the faint hearted – wandering around, you’ll see live fish swimming in pails and slabs of meat being cut up and butchered. Yet despite all that, Chow Kit Market remains staggeringly popular among locals and tourists alike.

Aside from a mouth-watering variety of food, the dry section of the market contains all sorts of goods such as clothes, shoes, DVDs, and more. While the vendors here aren’t quite as keen to bargain, you can still pick up some seriously good deals if you’re paying attention.

Location: Jalan Haji Hussein, Chow Kit

Opening Hours: 6am-5pm daily

Taman Connaught Night Market

Located in Cheras, the Taman Connaught Night Market is open every Wednesday night. It is one of the best foodie spots around, with over 700 stalls packed up and down a two kilometer road. While there are plenty of stalls selling cheap clothing, accessories, and handicrafts, the main feature in this market is definitely the food.

You can discover all sorts of delicious foodstuff from the classic fried chicken or char kuey teow to trendy drinks and Instagram-worthy snacks such as the rainbow cheese toast. Don’t forget to try the stinky tofu – you’ll see (and smell) it from a mile away.

Location: Jalan Cerdas, Taman Connaught, Kuala Lumpur

Opening Hours: 6pm-12am (Wednesday only)

Kampung Baru Market

Also known as the Kampung Baru Sunday Market, this night market runs from Saturday evening all the way up to early Sunday morning. It’s located in the Kampung Baru area – the oldest known Malay village in the city center. Here you can still find traditional wooden houses hidden in the shadows of modern skyscrapers such as the KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers.

The Kampung Baru Market is popular among the local Malay community, with stall selling many traditional Malay clothing and decorations. Visitors can also find some amazing food stalls offering traditional Malay dishes such as grilled fish, satay, nasi lemak and colorful kuih of all kinds.

Location: Jalan Raja Muda Musa, Kuala Lumpur

Opening Hours: 6pm-1am (Saturday only)