Attractions: Bars, Restaurants, Handicraft shops
Highlights: Puppet shows, Cultural Shows
How To Reach: One can reach Central Market by hiring taxis or by boarding buses, trains from the city.
Also called Pasar Seni or Pasar Budaya, Central Market is actually one of the main attractions in Kuala Lumpur. This indoor marketplace is housed in an old building that was built by the British, in 1888. Earlier it used to be a wet market for the city inhabitants. Later it was revamped and expanded several times, though it took its final structure in 1933. During 1970's, the Malaysian Heritage Society acclaimed the building as a 'Heritage Site' when its demolition was intended.
The original art-deco building was converted into a nice dining hall,
soon after. In the year 1985, Central Market was restored and reopened
as the foremost Cultural Shopping Centre of Malaysia. That's the
history, but as of now, this market is a full-fledged cultural center in
Kuala Lumpur. Indeed it is the best place to glimpse the Malaysian arts
& crafts. If you're looking to buy souvenirs and rare pieces of
handicrafts, Central Market or CM is the place to head for. Here you can find an exclusive variety of handicrafts, paintings, local crafts, t-shirts, antiques and that too, at reasonable prices. But yes, you need to be an expert at bargaining. Otherwise, you could be at loss. Perhaps you might find this two-floor building better than the plush shopping malls because it has each and every thing, ranging from restaurants, bars to ample of shopping outlets. Moreover, numerous money exchangers and ATM
machines are close at hand just in case, you fall short of
money.Here you can also see the Malaysian artists engrossed in their artworks. You can order custom-made crafts or get your portrait painted; it's just about everything in this market. There is also an open-air theatre, just outside the market, where traditional dances, puppet shows, street performances and even, weekly cultural shows are organized to keep people amused. To sum up, Central Market depicts the cultural heritage of Malaysia and is a not-to-be-missed-out destination in Kuala Lumpur.