Crafts & Souvenirs

Cacophonous and colourful, Chinatown’s deco Central Market (or Pasar Seni) / 03 2274 6542 / centralmarket.com.my / contains some nifty jewels if you know where to rummage. Have your driver drop you at the main entrance facing the carpark and start with the lanes to the left. First up, Little Kashmir Handicrafts at #1 / 03 2273 6973 / has silky jewel-hued, crewelwork pashminas, then take the second alley along (Malay St.) for a root around Warisan Craft at #14-16 / 017 385 7128 / with its stash of Malay woven baskets, ikat tablecloths, shadow puppets, and love incense. Head back to the main entrance, then carry on down the centre, turning right just before Royal Selangor Pewter authorised dealer KL Arts & Crafts at #18 / 03 2274 6686, and at the end of the little alley you’ll find Heritage of The Orient (see Standout Stores). Retrace to the main drag, turn right and continue on for wood veneer art at #20 Arch / 03 2260 6971 / archcollection.com.my, and Tenmoku Pottery at #21 / 03 2273 2787 / which carries local-made ceramics in earthy tones and tactile patterns. Further on at #23 Asli Kraf / 03 2274 1811 / stocks colourful rattan and pandanus woven mats, trays and baskets. Next door at #25 is Tanamera / 012 611 2065 / tanamera.com.my / with great gift sets of spa prods from the Indonesian archipelago. On you swish, almost to the end of the market, turn right after Collectables and head to the corner for the little bric-à-brac stash that is Kota Pinang Enterprise at #35 / 012 473 1752 / its shelves bursting with dusty eclectibles, including a nostalgic array of old tins from Tate & Lyle to Coty talc and Cardinal polish. Now, carry on up the side with the market wall on your left, and about halfway, stop for a taste of honey at # 59 Giant B / 03 6280 2729, then off you slink to Borneo Pearls at #63 / 016 335 2002 / borneopearl.com / for some serious Sabah-sourced neck candy. If lunchtime calls, then totter upstairs to find pretty Precious Old China at # 2 / 03 2273 7372 / oldchina. com.my / for a quiet spot of Chinese antiques, wooden booths and yumsome Nyonya bites. The batik dealers are also on this floor, so head to corner shop Antakesuma at #23 / 012 206 2342 / for beach-ready sarongs and kaftans. Struggling to hoist your haul? Wrap up your spoils at the DHL / 017 871 0805 / counter near the main entrance before exiting the market and heading diagonally left across the carpark and road. The green building on the opp. corner houses Peter Hoe Evolution / 2 Jalan Hang Lekir / 03 2026 0711. Skirt round the building for the back entrance, but save most of your pennies for their larger store still to come. Exit, where you’ll espy Hong Leong Bank on the cnr, but head left past the flower stalls, before picking up a luscious pineapple tart from Happy Meal at #143 Jalan Tun HS Lee / 03 2072 6080. Ahead of you lies Chinatown, but for now hang a right at Happy Meal, cross towards Popular bookstore on your right and look for the doorway to Lee Rubber Building (opp. the Guandi Temple). Hop in a lift to the 2/F Peter Hoe Beyond (see Standout Stores) for a vast repository of Indian textiles, pareos, and home accessories, plus Malaysian designer Justin Yap’s leather bags and floaty evening wear. And if you’re a parched punter, this linger-worthy store has its own little café. Bums down!