Malaysia shopping malls - what a delightful Christmas surprise!

lorisolan
Dec 14, 2017
3 min read

Who would have thought - Malaysia absolutely nails Christmas. I LOVE Christmas, it is that time of year where happiness cannot be beaten. There is such a joyful buzz in the air - people are out and about shopping, visiting Santa with their kids or catching up with friends who they may not have seen much over the past year. There is something about this holiday that brings out the best in people and I find myself just strolling around smiling at anything and everything.

I was in Australia from 24th November until the 3rd of December and I loved seeing all of the decorations along Bourke Street in Melbourne, Myer Giftorium and Rundle Mall in Adelaide however nothing the Aussies did came close to how the Malays displayed Christmas.

We landed back in KL international airport on the morning of the 3rd and it looked as if Christmas was truly underway here. While they made the airport very festive, nothing prepared me for the shopping malls. I did think there would be some element of Christmas apparent in the shops to drum up seasonal business, however with the main religions that are practiced here in Malaysia, I imagined that Christmas would be massively toned down as it is not celebrated by the majority of the population in this country. How wrong was I!

The malls sent me in to sensory overload especially The Pavilion in Bukit Bintang and Mid Valley Megamall, right outside KL centre. They were both a hive of activity with throngs of shoppers and an explosion of Christmas displays dotted around the different levels. Right in the centre of both malls were nothing short of small Christmas villages, which you will see in the images below. There was Santas, elves, giant teddies, floating hot air balloons, sleighs and many, many areas for the perfect festive photo.

I would suggest going early in the morning on a weekday if you want to truly enjoy this experience. Outside of this window, expect human dodgeball and long waits to get that perfect Christmas shot! I was so surprised to find how much effort Malaysia puts into the best time of year and I do understand it is mainly for commercial purposes, however it does not take away from the magical element of how decorations can lift peoples spirits.

Pavilion KL Shopping Mall (168, Bukit Bintang Street, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

The Pavilions Christmas display is nothing short of majestic. They have coined it 'Christmas is in the Air'. This is my favourite mall so far. At the entrance to the mall, there are two large gold reindeer set beside a tree and beds of the beautiful Christmas flower, poinsiettas. Stepping in to the centre itself and walking towards the red carpeted steps, the magic unfolds. The hot air balloons floating high above the tall Christmas trees and the classic gold and red colouring is truly a beautiful sight. Santa Clause and some of his elves line the side of the steps and giant teddies and snowmen can be found dotted around the main area. It really is a spectacle and enhances the Christmas mood.

Mid Valley Megamall (1, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

The Mid Valley Megamall and The Gardens are found adjacent to each other in Mid Valley City. The Megamall houses more affordable, budget stores while The Gardens is more tailored towards designer shops such as Prada, Gucci and Michael Kors. Both centres decorations are incredible. The megamall takes a more traditional approach with trees adorned with tinsel and baubles while The Gardens have gone for a more subtle blue and white colouring with a classic feel.

The Gardens (Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Suria KLCC (241, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Another mall to visit during the Christmas period is the Suria KLCC. Aside from the stunning decorations inside the mall, there is the tallest Christmas tree in Malaysia outside which is set up at the back of the mall. This trees beauty almost competes with the tree at The Rockefeller Centre in NYC! Night time is the best time to go not only to see the tree lit up but to watch the waterfall light show that is held from 7.30 to 10pm every night. Check out the Suria KLCC website for different activities and events that will be held in the centre in the lead up to Christmas.

https://www.suriaklcc.com.my/celebrate-an-enchanted-christmas-with-us/