Kuala Lumpur Chinatown: Petaling Street and Nearby Stops
Contents
Petaling Street is the market street at the heart of Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown, and the best way to see it is on foot. Start at Pasar Seni station, then drift between the covered market, two old temples, the crafts of Central Market and the mural lane at Kwai Chai Hong. Everything sits within a few minutes' walk.
Take the LRT Kelana Jaya Line or the MRT Kajang Line to Pasar Seni.[1] From the station it is about a 3-minute stroll to Petaling Street.[2]
Choose a short Chinatown route
Start at Central Market. The building went up in 1888 as a wet market and became a craft market in the 1980s.[2] Today you find batik, songket and wood carvings, Chinese calligraphy, porcelain and jade, plus Indian textiles and jewellery.[2] Then walk on to Petaling Street and let the stalls pull you in.
Add a temple if you want a quieter break. The Hindu Sri Maha Mariamman Temple dates to 1873 and is a four-minute walk from the market.[2] The Sin Sze Zi Ya Temple, founded in 1864, is the oldest Taoist temple in the city and sits near Central Market.[2] You can buy joss sticks there for RM10 and burn them as part of the ritual.[2]
Petaling Street is a place to browse and haggle. Rows of stalls sell affordable clothing, replica watches, accessories and souvenirs, and bargaining is part of the fun. Start lower than you intend to pay.[3] The market is a wet market by morning, busy before sunrise with fruit, vegetables and seafood, and it turns into a buzzing bazaar at night.[2] For food, look for the old stalls serving Hokkien mee, asam laksa, wan tan mee and curry noodles.[3] Dim sum and stir-fried Chinese dishes are easy to find too.[2]
Things to Do
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Add nearby art and food stops
Kwai Chai Hong, the "Little Ghost Lane", is a separate lane behind the shophouses on Jalan Panggung, not an entrance to the market. Children who played here in the old days gave it the name. The lane was an abandoned alley until it was redeveloped in 2018.[2] Its murals show Chinatown life from the 1940s to the 1960s, and a QR code beside each one plays the story behind it.[2] Come in the afternoon, when natural light brings out the colours.[2] The lane is open daily from 9am to midnight.[4]
To reach it from Pasar Seni station, follow the MRT Exit Pintu A signs towards Jalan Panggung.[4] Cafes, galleries and restaurants line the lane, so it works well for a coffee stop.[2]
REXKL, a former cinema, is another good detour. Cafes, shops and art galleries now fill the old building, and it hosts events and exhibitions.[2] For crafts and souvenirs, see our Central Market visitor guide for shopping details.
Getting around
Pasar Seni is the easiest way in. If you arrive on the Ampang Line, change to the MRT to reach it.[2] From the KL Monorail, get off at Maharajalela and walk about 14 minutes to Petaling Street.[2] The Rapid KL PULSE app shows live timings and station access.[1]
A simple plan: Pasar Seni, Central Market, Petaling Street, then a temple or Kwai Chai Hong. Leave extra time for snacks along the way. See our Malaysia travel overview for onward planning.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Rapid KL (Prasarana Malaysia Berhad): Station Halo @ Pasar Seni. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [2] Tourism Malaysia: 5 Best Hotspots in Petaling Street You Don't Want to Miss. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [3] Tourism Malaysia: Top Places to Visit in Kuala Lumpur: Petaling Street. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [4] Kwai Chai Hong: Kwai Chai Hong: Operating Hours and Getting Here. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Petaling Street is the market street. Central Market, two temples and the mural lane at Kwai Chai Hong sit nearby, all within walking distance.
Take the LRT Kelana Jaya Line or the MRT Kajang Line to Pasar Seni station. Petaling Street is about a 3-minute walk away. From the Ampang Line, change to the MRT first.
Yes. They are a few minutes apart on foot, so they pair well. Add a temple or Kwai Chai Hong if you have time.
Kwai Chai Hong is behind the shophouses on Jalan Panggung. From Pasar Seni station, follow MRT Exit Pintu A towards Jalan Panggung.
Kwai Chai Hong is open daily from 9am to midnight. The market is busiest in the early morning and comes alive again in the evening, so both ends of the day are good. Temples and shops keep their own hours.
Hokkien mee, asam laksa, wan tan mee and curry noodles. Dim sum and stir-fried Chinese dishes are common too.
Yes, at the market stalls. Start lower than you intend to pay and agree the price before you hand over money. Central Market prices are mostly fixed.
Yes. Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is about a four-minute walk from the market, and Sin Sze Zi Ya Temple is near Central Market. Dress modestly and follow the rules posted at the entrance.
