A typical place to go in the evening when you don't know where to go. The streets of Chinatown come to life as darkness falls and hundreds of vendors hit the streets.

But it's lively all day long, and it's only in the evening that Chinatown takes on a truly exotic feel, with a huge number of traditional Chinese lanterns lit up.

Shop the local markets for souvenirs, clothes, watches, sunglasses, handbags and even imitation expensive pens. Don't forget to bargain enough.

Cheapest hotels in Kuala Lumpur

What will you discover in Chinatown KL?

Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown is relatively small in size and you can walk through it in 20 minutes, as long as you don't linger anywhere.

It's absolutely the perfect place to experience the atmosphere and sample Chinese street food.

We visited the following places during our Chinatown walks:

• Petaling Street - the main pedestrian street and a very lively market.
• Sin Sze Si Ya Temple - one of the many Chinese temples right in the middle of the district
• Sri Maha Mariamman - a Hindu temple on the outskirts of Chinatown where the Indian community already has a strong influence
• Central Market - a famous market full of souvenir shops and a food court with Southeast Asian cuisine

Cheap hotels in Chinatown

Chinatown is a great place to stay if you're looking for really cheap hotels.

It's especially important to read reviews, though, because some hotels really aren't among the best quality.

Here's our pick of cheap but well rated hotels:

• B Hotel Kuala Lumpur *** - a modern small hotel right on busy Petaling Street
• Yu Hotel Chinatown ** - a small local hotel in a quieter part of Chinatown
• Travelodge Chinatown Kuala Lumpur **** - a well-known global chain of budget 4* hotels

But even in Chinatown you can stay at the more luxurious 5* Else Kuala Lumpur hotel with fantastic ratings.

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Kuala Lumpur.