|
 Malaysia is a shopper's paradise. Shopping in Malaysia is an adventure of discovery. Since it is situated at the crossroads of Asia, it presents visitors the best that the region has to offer. Shops, bazaars and shopping centers throughout the country offer a staggering variety of clothing, cosmetics, shoes, handbags, household conveniences and electronic goods. It has rare treasures of the Orient, branded designer goods, and even intricate local handicrafts.
The Malaysia Ringgit exchange is comparatively lower, thus enabling tourist dollars to be stretched much further here. The exemption of duty on certain items has also resulted in more competitive pricing and made shopping in Malaysia a much more attractive option.
The exemption of duty on a range of items has resulted in more competitive pricing and makes shopping in Malaysia an even more attractive option. Malaysia has duty-free shops in Lubuan and Langkawi as well as at the Kuala Lumpur and Penang international airports and city centers. Duty free areas are also found at Rantau Panjang and Pengkalan Kubur in Kelantan, and Padang Besar and Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah. Duty-free items like cameras, watches, pens, cosmetics, perfume, cigarettes, liquor and electronic goods are among the cheapest in the world.
Local regulations ensure items are price-tagged and prominently displayed, particularly at department stores in shopping complexes where prices are fixed. Sophisticated shopping malls where everything has been designed for shopper convenience, contain banks, foreign currency exchange counters, restaurants, supermarkets and hundreds of shops offering tremendous variety.
For light, casual shopping there are roadside stalls, bazaars and night markets in towns throughout the country. A major attraction is the bustling night market or 'parsar malam' which stocks a bewildering variety of goods, local foods and fruits. Shopping at bargaining at night markets is acceptable. It can be quite a humorous exercise as the traders are generally enthusiastic and friendly. Cash is accepted at night markets while major credit cards are accepted in most shops in the malls and shopping complexes.
An interesting mix of duty free shops can also be found at city centers and airports in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Penang. The things that are uniquely Malaysia are handicrafts of local origin. They range from intricate silver, brass, and pewter items to pottery and rattan. The bold designs and dazzling colors of Malaysian Batik set it apart from others within the region.
One can also shop for items that come from fashion centers of the world. They are items like designer collections, elegant footwear, exclusive watches, optical items, and quality fabrics. Electrical appliances, electronic equipment, computers, and cameras are available too.
|
