Chow Kit KL guide

The new ETS train to Kuala Lumpur makes the Malaysian capital that much more convenient and affordable, AKA unlocking yet another weekend getaway destination for us Singaporeans. If you’ve never been to KL, here’s a guide to Chow Kit, one of the oldest neighbourhoods in KL, that’s just 10 minutes by car from KL Sentral.

The current exchange rate is RM1 = ~S$0.33 as of 1st March 2026.

What is Chow Kit known for?

Image credit: Michelle P

Before Chow Kit got its name, it was swampy land on the outskirts of early KL, sparsely developed as compared to the main commercial centre where modern day Chinatown is found.

The area got its name from local tin magnate and municipal councillor Loke Chow Kit, who opened one of KL’s first departmental stores along what is now Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, and whose business and property holdings gradually took over the area.

In the past, Chow Kit had a rough reputation due to its red-light district along Lorong Haji Taib. However, the area has since transformed, especially around Jalan Kamunting, with its restored 1940s shophouses that are now known as The Row.

With its mu...