I have shopped in Kuala Lumpur without any mega carnival on and still reckon it’s the best city in Asia for shoes, gadgets, jewellery, luggage …. Oh I could go on.

See what I did here with the reflection?

The best part is the proximity of several very huge shopping malls – a dumpling’s throw from each other in fact. There are at least seven within walking distance, some are high-end malls with designer labels and high street shopping like Top Shop and Zara. Others are known for their quality luggage, golf gear and even eyewear. In fact I had an eye test just before my last trip over specially because you can have lenses made and buy your frames, all for under $80 and all while you wait.

Sungei Wang Plaza is my recommendation for your first stop. I have a bit of a shoe fetish so if you’re like me, this will light up your eyes. But wait, there’s more! So much more. Six floors of more in fact with more than 500 stores selling shoes and chic clothing, jewellery and an entire floor of gadgets from phones to games and everything in between.

Attached to this is BB Plaza – you can only tell you’re in a different complex when the lino on the floor changes. This is full of kitschy clothes and toys, and is also where my favourite hole-in-the-wall beauty salon is found. Stop here for a massage or an eyelash perm (this is what started my Betty Boop craze). It’s cheap as chips and you deserve it.

But for posh shopping I’d start the day at the Pavilion. This is seven floors of all your mega stores (European and American brands) as well as little gems like Paris Hilton’s handbag store and the bizarre Kenko Fish Foot spa for those who want fish nibbling their feet in between shopping and dining. (You can read my blog about the freaky fish spa here)

KL Plaza is the place to go to have your eyes tested by a specialist and the lenses made and fitted to genuine Prada, Gucci, Stella McCartney, etc, frames in about an hour, and all for about NZ$80.

Plaza Low Yat is geek heaven – an IT mall with at least 400 outlets selling widgets and thingamabobs. You’ll also find quality golf gear in department store Isetan over at Lot 10, and plenty of places in between to eat satays on the run or dine in for a full Malay meal.

Times Square – just around the corner from Sungei Wang – is so huge it has an indoor theme park complete with roller coaster. It also has the largest Borders bookshop in the world and so many other stores it’s almost overwhelming.

Under the Petronas Towers, the fourth tallest buildings in the world, is Suria KLCC – a designer mall caters to label hunters including Zara, Top Shop and lovers of expensive European designers.

But the best fun is trying out your haggling skills at the Petaling Street night market. Stalls open about mid-day and that’s a good time to go to avoid the throng, but from 5pm till midnight it’s buzzing and stocked with handbags, watches, Tiffany (et al) knock-offs, shoes, belts and Hugo Boss ties. A lot of the vendors are selling the same things, so compare prices first and then start by offering about half of what you’re quoted. And when you’re done shopping it might be time to do something about those lashes.

United Travel and they have put together some pretty sweet specials to coincide with the Carnival that include flights from Auckland and four night’s accommodation from $1449 per person twin share. Have a look here for deals at Berjaya Times Square (attached to one of the shopping malls) or Hotel Capitol.

Did you know Kuala Lumpur translates as Muddy City? Its name comes from the muddy river that ran through it back in the olden days. But these days it’s one of my favourite cities in Asia. It’s a brilliant shopping destination as about 6 malls are positioned within a dumpling’s throw of each other, plus many more within a cab ride.

Shops in every direction

You can get everything from quality luggage (I just bought a hard wheelie bag with 4 wheels that swivel in a natty way) and shoes (to die for), to knock-off designer wear at night markets, to expensive labels in 7-story shopping malls. You can get prescription glasses done while you wait, or spend a day browsing the whole floor of a shopping mall dedicated to golf gear.

Sungei Wang Plaza is six floors crammed with more than 500 stores selling shoes and chic clothing, jewellery and an entire floor of gadgets from phones to games and everything in between. Attached to this is BB Plaza – you can only tell you’re in a different complex when the lino on the floor changes. This is full of kitschy clothes and toys, and is also where my favourite hole-in-the-wall beauty salon is found.

Paris Hilton's handbag and bling store!

The Pavilion is 7 floors of all your mega stores (European and American brands) as well as little gems like Paris Hilton’s handbag store and the bizarre Kenko Fish Foot spa for those who want fish nibbling at their feet in between shopping and dining.

KL Plaza is the place to go to have your eyes tested by a specialist and the lenses made and fitted to genuine Prada, Gucci, Stella McCartney, etc, frames in about an hour, and all for about NZ$80.

Plaza Low Yat is geek heaven – an IT mall with at least 400 outlets selling widgets and thingamabobs. You’ll also find quality golf gear in department store Isetan over at Lot 10, and plenty of places in between to eat satays on the run or dine in for a full Malay meal.

Times Square – just around the corner from Sungei Wang – is so huge it has an indoor theme park complete with roller coaster. It also has the largest Borders bookshop in the world and so many other stores it’s almost overwhelming.

Under the Petronas Towers, the fourth tallest buildings in the world, is Suria KLCC – a designer mall caters to label hunters including Zara, Top Shop and lovers of expensive European designers.

But the best fun is trying out your haggling skills at the Petaling Street night market. Stalls open about mid-day and that’s a good time to go to avoid the throng, but from 5pm ‘til midnight it’s buzzing and stocked with handbags, watches, Tiffany (et al) knock-offs, shoes, belts and ties. A lot of the vendors are selling the same things, so compare prices first and then start by offering about half of what you’re quoted. And when you’re done shopping it might be time to do something about those lashes.

Click here for more info on KL’s shopping malls.

For more information about Malaysia, or any of the South East Asian countries for that matter, here’s a great website that combines everything from where to stay, what to do and how to do it. Jump to SouthEastAsia.org

Fish spa therapy is the next big thing in the quest to make us young and smooth of skin and I was keen to dip my toe in the water, so to speak, and try it out.

Freaky fish foot spa!

Kenko Fish Spa is located in the Pavillion shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, so our little party trotted in and dutifully took our shoes off. We then had to rinse our skin so we didn’t poison the hundreds of fish who were swimming (more like swarming) around waiting for fresh meat. I lowered my feet into the pool in trepidation. Hundreds of the little tiddlers immediately swam up and started sucking and nibbling on my heels, toes, arches and up my legs. It felt like the whirring wings of a thousand bees under my feet and that was enough to make me shriek and flick them out again to regain regular breathing.

They have 2 pools with different sized fish. I started in the pool with little fish only like 2cm long before I was ready to take on the big boys. It doesn’t hurt but is incredibly ticklish and very weird. The larger pool has bigger fish who really get stuck in, even managed to get between your toes. Sometimes it feels like little electric shocks. Occasionally it’ll sting like the flick of a rubberband, but mainly it’s just so weird and that’s the hardest part. Of course you can lift your feet out at any time. But I’d soo hate to try the full body fish spas. Imagine how tight you’d want the elastic on your togs to be?

They ate off my blister!!

The Doctor Fish  species were discovered originally in Turkey nibbling at the dead and diseased skin of bathers. Hmm, thought some entreprenurial person, I shall make them into a spa treatment for scaly feet! It’s supposed to be great for psoriasis and eczema sufferers, but having just done it, I’d stick to the little baby ones.

Click on the link below that has had over 13,000 views (!) to see the video of poor old TVNZ Breakfast reporter Matty McLean finding the whole thing too hard to handle!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Ft6anMnY8