Bukit Bintang

For other uses, seeBukit Bintang (disambiguation).

"Star Hill" redirects here. For other uses, seeStar Hill AME Church.For Starr Hill, seeStarr Hill (disambiguation).

Bukit Bintang in 2023

Bukit Bintang(Malay[ˈbu.ket̚ˈbin.taŋ];stylised asBintang WalkorStarhill,the latter being a translation of theMalayname) is the shopping and entertainment district ofKuala Lumpur,Malaysia.It encompassesJalan Bukit Bintang(Bukit Bintang RoadinEnglish) and its immediate surrounding areas. The area has long been Kuala Lumpur's most prominent retail belt that is home to many landmark shopping centres, al-fresco cafés, bars,night markets,food street,mamak stallsas well as hawker-type eateries. This area is popular among tourists and locals, especially among the youths.

Since June 2021, the local municipal and authority,Kuala Lumpur City Hall(DBKL), has created aShibuya-stylepedestrian crossingat the junction of Bukit Bintang, located in front of the iconicMcDonald'sBukit Bintang outlet, just below theKL Monorail Line.This was done to increase the walkability in the area.

Jalan Bukit BintangfromPavilion KLin 2021

Location

Located withinKuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle, the Bukit Bintang district begins withBukit Bintang Road,starting at Raja Chulan Road and ending atPudu Road.The two other roads that border the Bukit Bintang district areSultan Ismail Road,intersecting it andImbi Roadat the south. Walter Grenier Road, Bulan Road, Changkat Bukit Bintang and Alor Road are considered part of the entertainment district.

Bukit Bintang bordersPuduandCherasto the south,Petaling Street(Chinatown) to the west,Bukit Nanasto the north,Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)to the northeast as well asTun Razak ExchangeandMaluridistrict to the east.

History

The name Jalan Bukit Bintang was taken in conjunction with a hill about 50m high that was located near Kampung Dollah which was a Malay village that now no longer exists and is now replaced with Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah and Jalan Barat. Jalan Bukit Bintang is a 3.4 km long road starting from the intersection of Jalan Raja Chulan and ending atJalan Pudu.In the past, Bukit Bintang was a residential area.

In 1945,Jalan Bukit Bintangwas the only street that had entertainment, shops and hawker food. Back then, the street featured a famouscabaret,cultural shows,Malay joget,Chinese opera shows,wayang,ballroom dances like rhumba, foxtrot and tango, and amusement fun fair elements like a merry-go-round and ferris wheel.Low Yow Chuanbuilt the Capitol Hotel in 1948, which was later sold and is now called the Malaysia Hotel. In 1947, Hong Kong media mogul Shaw built the famous and popular Bukit Bintang Amusement Park. This entertainment centre was whereSungai Wang Plazais located today.

Bukit Bintang in 2010

Around the 1980s and 1990s, Bukit Bintang experienced problems with prostitution and illegal human trafficking. So the government took the initiative to enforce the areas of Bukit Bintang, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Changkat Thambi Dollah, Imbi and Jalan Alor to be raiding areas for prostitutes and now prostitution activities are reduced. In the late 1980s,Yeoh Tiong Layproposed a rejuvenated retail cluster in Kuala Lumpur. He started retail developments through a conglomerateYTL Corporationand branded the area as Bintang Walk.

Bintang Walk

Bintang Walk refers to the more developed stretch along the main Bukit Bintang Road andSultan Ismail Roadroads, with the intersection of these two roads as its axis. This place has been transformed over the last five years to become one of the city's most trendy and busiest shopping clusters. Street furniture lines the pavements here. Upscale cafes, restaurants and clubs continue to make their presence felt here. On weekends, thousands of locals and tourists throng Bintang Walk and its shopping centres. Many majornightlifeevents take place here, such as the New Year's countdown,Merdekaeve celebrations, street concerts and parties. The annual MalaysianF1 Grand Prixpit stop andGuinnessSt Patrick's Daycelebrations are held here too.

There are two major annual fashion events held here annually. The STYLO Fashion week as well as the glitzy annual Malaysia International Fashion Week.

Shopping

Lot 10from across the junction in 2020

The Starhillin 2021

Main article:Shopping in Kuala Lumpur

Bukit Bintang is one of the city's shopping districts. Many of the city's major retail malls are located in this area, includingBerjaya Times Square,Imbi Plaza,Fahrenheit 88,Low Yat Plaza,Starhill Gallery,Sungei Wang Plaza,Lot 10,Pavilion Kuala LumpurandLaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre.

LaLaport BBCCfrom Jalan Hang Tuah in 2022

Imbiis a commercial area located near Bukit Bintang and being a popular tourist spot, the district is especially crowded duringpublic holidaysandpeak hours.The Berjaya Times Square shopping complex and hotel is located in Imbi.Imbi Roadis the main road running through this area.

List of shopping malls

See also:List of shopping malls in Malaysia

Main entrance ofPavilion Kuala Lumpurin 2021

• Berjaya Times Square- The 13th biggest shopping mall in the world boasting 12 levels of retail with a total of 3,500,000 square feet (330,000 m²) floor area. Although it was initially aimed at the upper-echelon of society, it is currently positioned as a middle-class shopping mall offering youth fashion targeted at the younger crowds.Berjaya Times Square Theme Parkis the largest indoor theme park in Malaysia, located on the 5th and 7th floors of the building.
• The Starhill- Refurbished in 2021, it houses some of the most luxurious brands alongsideSuria KLCC.The firstEslite Bookstoreand Eslite Spectrum inSoutheast Asiaas well as aLouis Vuittonflagship outlet flanks the exterior facade of this grand structure.Luxury fashion houses such asChristian Dior,KenzoandValentinoand luxury watch boutiques such asRolex,Bedat & Co,Hublot,Audemars PiguetandJaeger-Le Coultrehave an outlet here.JW Marriott Kuala Lumpuris connected to the mall through a "Time Tunnel" while a link bridge connectsRitz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur.
• Pavilion Kuala Lumpur(Pavilion KL) - Built-in late 2007, it is targeted at the middle-upper segment of society. It offers a diverse tenant mix which makes it one of the more popular malls in Kuala Lumpur.Dadi CinemaandParksonare the anchor tenants of this mammoth 7-storey retail podium. A plethora of luxury boutiques ranging fromHermes,Celine,Ermenegildo Zegna,Diane von Fürstenbergto Italian fashion doyens likeFurla,Gucci,Miu Miu,FendiandPradaare also located there. FormerPrime MinisterTun DrMahathir Mohamadhad opened his very own bakery, The Loaf, located strategically next to the main entrance until its closure in 2023.
• Fahrenheit 88- Renamed and refurbished in September 2010, the mall is the successor of the deteriorating KL Plaza. It consists of 300,000 square feet (28,000 m²) of lettable space spread over 5 levels of zoned shopping space. A designated zone for IT gadgets is similar toLow Yat Plaza,named Signature@IT. This mall caters largely to homegrown, middle-priced retailers despite being anchored by Japanese retailersUniqlo.
• Lot 10(Chinese:Yên vui trung tâm thương mại ) - When it was opened in 1989, it was considered theHarrods-equivalent of Malaysia housing designer outlets likeAignerandVersace.Nowadays it is widely reckoned as a mid-range retail destination as most outlets have shifted due to competition and degradation. Widespread refurbishment to the mall was done at a cost of RM20 million. Existing anchorIsetanhas undergone a facelift. The entrance is flanked byJonetz by Don Don Donki,andH&M,popular Swedish multinational retail-clothing outlet.
• Low Yat Plaza- The ultimate one-stop centre for electronic gadgets. The ratio between IT outlets and F&B outlets are 70:30.
• Sungei Wang Plaza(Chinese:Kim Hà Quảng tràng) - Despite opening in 1977 and being the oldest mall in the area, it remains a popular destination for gamers and thrifty shoppers. The plaza features low-cost items, service businesses,Giantgrocery store and was formerly anchored by Parkson.
• LaLaport BBCC(Officially known as Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre) - It is the first LaLaport to open inSoutheast AsiabyMitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd.The mall is named after theBukit Bintang City Centre(BBCC) development where it was built. It consist of 1.4 million square feet across 6 levels of retail with anchor tenants namelyJaya Grocersupermarket,Metrojayadepartment store,Nitorifurniture store, Nojima, Rollerwa skating rink,MR DIY,MR TOY and BookXcess. LaLaport BBCC was opened to the public on 20 January 2022 as a soft opening.The Malaysia Grand Bazaar is also located right next to the mall which forms part of the BBCC entertainment hub, and was dubbed as the first artisanal mall to open in Kuala Lumpur.
• The Exchange TRX- A luxury mall within theTun Razak Exchangefinancial district located along Jalan Tun Razak. The mall is anchored byAurum Theatre of GSC Cinemas,Seibu department storeand Mercato supermarket with other smaller anchor tenants includingUNIQLO,LC Waikiki,H&M,MujiandMPH Bookstores.It also comes with a 10-acre park that sits on top of the mall, with a few open squares and F&B establishments. The Exchange TRX mall was opened on 29 November 2023 and has a direct connection to theTun Razak Exchange MRT stationbeneath the complex.
• 118 Mall- An upcoming 7-storey shopping mall with a glass dome roof featuring of more than 300 stores and 12 cinema halls. The mall is currently under construction at the base ofMerdeka 118,the second-tallest building in the world.
• Imbi Plaza- located right opposite of Berjaya Times Square.

  

  The Exchange TRXfrom The Raintree Plaza in 2023.The Exchange 106tower can also be seen in the background.

Food

Bintang Walk

Restaurants dedicated toArabiangastronomy have been sprouting along with the core of the Bintang Walk of late due to a recent general initiative to lure Arab tourists to this region. PopularMaghrebandLebanesealongsideIraniandelicacies are increasingly served by restaurants. However, plenty of trendy restaurants cater to international fare, especially in the BB park area.

Pre-war houses along Tengkat Tong Shin near Changkat Bukit Bintang refurbished into trendy eateries.

"Hutong" on Lot 10

Further information:Lot 10

Hutong (Chinese:Ngõ nhỏ )is referred to as Malaysia's firstgourmet heritage village,a food court inspired by the Old China influences. The termHutongis commonly associated with narrow alleys in Beijing's oldest neighbourhoods. Located on the lower ground floor of Lot 10, this newly revamped food court features 25 street food stalls selling locally renowned and established Chinese eateries scoured acrossKuala Lumpurand Singapore. It is directly connected to Bintang Walk via an escalator.

BB Park

BB Park as of October 2021, not operating due to the pandemic

Previously an entertainment park owned byLow Yat Plazaand Sons Realty, BB Park has been extensively revamped to keep abreast with changing times. Its axis is located along the lower section of Bintang Walk, and its concept revolves aroundsocial diningand cultural themes. It hosts themed restaurants in a semi-open-air setting that serves up mainly foreign foods, includingFrenchandGerman cuisines.The park features live entertainment in live bands and cultural shows and are held during some weekdays alongside during weekends. Besides food joints, some of BB Park's tenants include local art galleries.

Changkat Bukit Bintang

Changkat Bukit Bintang is located perpendicular to Bintang Walk and Alor Street. This is the upmarket gastronomy district of Bukit Bintang. Fine dining joints line the street. It boasts pre-war, colonial buildings which have been refurbished into upmarket restaurants and pubs, serving up Western dining. Changkat Bukit Bintang is also home to one ofKuala Lumpur's hippest and happening party venues. The street is also home tobrothelsas well asmassage parlorsoffering "happy endings", it is best known as one of Kuala Lumpur'sred light districts.

Alor Street

Chinesehawker stallsalongAlor Street(Jalan Alor)

Alor Street, or Jalan Alor in Malay, is an entire street dedicated to cheap hawker food of mainlylocal Chinese cuisines.Located within walking proximity of Bintang Walk, it is popular among the locals for offering food served in a traditional open-air atmosphere, with chairs and tables dotting the curbs and road-sides. This is a place burgeoning with activity both during night and day. While some hawkers erect stalls along curbs, others operate food stalls from utilitarian restaurants. The food served in local hawker stalls is generally cleaner than their counterparts inMalaysia's less-developed neighbouring countries. For local and foreignMuslim,most of the stalls are non-halal which served pork, frog and beer.

Indoor theme park

Main article:Berjaya Times Square Theme Park

Berjaya Times Square Theme Park is a theme park located between level 5 and 7 ofBerjaya Times Square.It isMalaysia's largest indoor theme park, measuring 133,000 square feet (12,400 m²). It features both children rides and thrill rides.

Spa and foot reflexology

The Bintang Walk district is famous for its specialist foot/body massages and spas-related services. There are numerous shops along the district offering different types of massages inspired by Chinese traditions. These stores also provide exotic foot treatments. These incorporate reflexology, which stimulatesacupressurepoints on foot. Among the claimed benefits of the foot, massages are better blood circulation, cures to specific ailments and a balanced, detoxified body. In these shops, patrons sit on reclining long chairs and spend up to an hour or more getting their feet treated to a thorough massage. Duration and types of massages measure charges. The shops are usually open till the wee hours of the morning, which is when the bulk of the business comes.

Accessibility

Bukit Bintang Monorail Station(Kuala Lumpur Monorail)

Public transport

Monorail

Further information:KL Monorail

Bintang Walk is accessible via theMR6Bukit BintangMonorail station, which is located at the intersection ofSultan Ismail RoadandBukit Bintang Road(between Lot 10 and Sungei Wang Plaza); further south is theMR5ImbiMonorail station which is connected by a pedestrian bridge toBerjaya Times Square.TheMR7Raja ChulanMonorail station is connected toPavilion Kuala Lumpurand an elevated pedestrian walkway links it toSuria KLCC(and ultimately theKJ10KLCCLRT station on the5LRT Kelana Jaya Line). All 3 stations are served by the8KL Monorail.

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

Entrance C ofBukit Bintang MRT station(Kajang line)

Further information:MRT Kajang line

Bintang Walk is accessible via the undergroundKG18ABukit BintangMRT station, part of the9MRT Kajang Line,opened on 17 July 2017 as part ofPhase 2of the system. Early proposals envisioned two stations-Bukit Bintang EastandBukit Bintang West(alternatelyBukit Bintang 1andBukit Bintang 2) which were later combined into one, and made into a connecting station (without paid zone integration) with the eponymousMonorail station.The MRT station features five exits, serving the nearby shopping malls.

Other access

Jalan Bukit Bintangstreet after the diagonal crossing

In 2011,Petronasspent RM100 million under its social contribution programme to build an elevated, air-conditioned walkway fromSuria KLCCshopping centre toPavilion shopping centrein Bukit Bintang. The walkway includes a 562m long and five-metre wide elevated walkwaythat traverses through the busy areas of Pinang Road, Perak Road and Raja Chulan Road with escalator and staircase entry and exit points at strategic and convenient locations as well as security guards for the safety of the pedestrians. The walkway is also linked to theMR7Raja ChulanMonorail station,Impiana HotelandKuala Lumpur Convention Centre.An average walk from Suria KLCC to Pavilion through the elevated walkway would take approximately 15 minutes.

See also

• Bukit Bintang Girls' School,a previously colonial school, the site of the present Pavilion KL.
• Bukit Bintang City Centre,an integrated development located within KL's Golden Triangle.
• Orchard Road,Singapore's premier shopping haven.
• Fifth Avenue,New York's retail strip.

External links

• Tourism Malaysia: Bintang Walk
• Bukit Bintangtravel guide from Wikivoyage
• Cosmo's World Indoor Theme Park