Petaling Jaya

Founded in 1954 as Malaysia's first planned town, PJ has become a busy commercial and residential hub in its own right with almost 640,000 inhabitants (2010). In the later years, further expansion to the north saw the rise of the Damansara area that gave birth to such housing estates as Bandar Utama, Kota Damansara, Damansara Perdana, Bandar Sri Damansara and Damansara Impian.

Addresses in PJ are remarkably bureaucratic. The town is divided into numbered sections (seksyen), which to further confuse things are denoted with just S (eastern PJ), SS (central and western), PJU (northern), and PJS (southern). The northern chunk is also known as Damansara. "SS" is an acronym for "Sungai Way-Subang", and just to keep you on your toes, sections SS 12 through 19 & PJS were part of Petaling Jaya, then reassigned to a new neighbourhood city, Subang Jaya, covering the west area of Kuala Lumpur.

Each road in a section is numbered, so an address like "No. 38, Jalan SS 21/58" means house 38, road 58, section SS 21. There is no definitive form for a PJ address. Therefore, the above example could well be written as 38 Road SS 21/58, 38 Jln SS 21/58 or simply as 38 SS 21/58. Most major roads developed during the 1960s are given names, e.g. Jalan Utara, Jalan Selangor, Jalan Kemajuan. Some secondary roads, even those in residential or industrial areas were also given names. For example, Jalan 8/8 in Section 8 is also known as Jalan Tengas, Jalan 13/1 is also known as Jalan Bersatu. In addition, the roads of PJ Old Town or Section One are named as Road 1, Road 2, etc. As for the predominantly industrial Section 51A, the roads are named as Jalan 222, Jalan 225 etc.

The numbered sections are usually adjacent to each other. For instance, Section 16 is adjacent to section 17 which is adjacent to Section 19. The 'missing' Section 18 (originally to be named Section 1B) is way across the other side of town adjacent to Section 1A. Likewise, without a good map, it can be an onerous exercise to find PJ roads. For instance, Jalan 21/20 is adjacent to Jalan 21/18. However Jalan 21/1 is also adjacent to Jalan 21/18. (Most odd-numbered roads are parallel to odd-numbered road, even-numbered roads are parallel to even-numbered roads, and odd-numbered road and even-numbered roads are perpendicular to each other.) In addition, residents within a local PJ community may sometimes choose to refer to their local roads by their numbers, omitting the prefix altogether. For instance, in Damansara Jaya, residents often choose to refer to the road 'Jalan SS 22/39' as 'Road 39'.

PJ is quite spread out and you pretty much need your own wheels to get around.

If taking public transport, try the Light Rail Transit (LRT) via the Kelana Jaya Line which covers major residential and commercial sections of this town, starting with stations (from KL City); Taman Jaya, Asia Jaya, Taman Paramount, Taman Bahagia and finally Kelana Jaya. The best way to see this area is to take a leisurely drive during non-peak hours. Some of the major attractions around the Greater PJ area are listed below.

• Gasing Hill. Along the same road from the Chetawan Temple is the turnoff towards the Gasing Hill. The Hill, which is the only remaining forest reserve in PJ, covers approximately 100 acres where rare fauna and flora could be found. There are also trails, a viewing tower and resting area for nature lovers. From the top of Gasing Hill one gets breath-taking views of PJ and Kuala Lumpur. Over 100 species of birds are to be found in this green lung.
• Hilton PJ. This legendary hotel has been a hallmark of good food for the people of Petaling Jaya since its opening in 1984 (the longest-operating Hilton in Malaysia). Its Paya Serai coffee house has been delighting diners with its daily hi-tea buffet for many years now and also, the ever popular Chili's Bistro was given a facelift. In fact, most people will know the PJ State area by the mere mention of "Hilton" or its famous neighbor, Menara MBPJ.
• Kelana Jaya Lake Park. (Nearest LRT Station: Kelana Jaya) One of the largest in PJ, with its 7 scenic lakes, this park is a former mining area that was rehabilitated in the 1980s into what it is today. Other than a popular jogging track around the lakes, the Kelana Jaya Sports Complex is located nearby and it contains two Olympic-sized swimming pools as well as tennis and badminton courts. The modern MBPJ Stadium is also in the vicinity and it was one of the venues used for the KL 1998 Commonwealth Games.
• 🌍 Kota Darul Ehsan Arch. This huge marble arch, the gateway into Petaling Jaya, was erected to mark the commemoration of the cession of Kuala Lumpur to the Federal Government to form the Federal Territory. Construction commenced in 1974 and the arch was opened in 1981. The arch is most spectacular at night when the lighting creates a "golden" illumination to highway motorists. (updated Aug 2020)
• LDP Cable-Stayed Bridge. The LDP (Damansara-Puchong Highway) Cable Stayed Bridge at Persekutuan Interchange crossing the Federal Highway is the first Cable Stayed Land Bridge in Malaysia. The bridge stands out as an aesthetically pleasing and unique design in a highway project in the country. The design and construction methods of the bridge allowed for the necessary traffic management required at the construction site (one of the busiest interchanges); a normal bridge design would have required for the removal of 2 traffic lanes to accommodate the construction of the piers.
• MBPJ Tower. (Nearest LRT Station: Taman Jaya) The headquarters of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and a prominent PJ landmark, the 27-storey building which cost RM50m was officiated by the late Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah on March 16, 1987. The building is unique in the sense that it stands in the middle of a pit-like "sunken plaza" and surrounded by shops as well as commercial areas.
• 🌍 Petaling Jaya Museum, Jalan 10/7, Seksyen 10, Taman Jaya, 46000 Petaling Jaya. Sa–Th 9AM-5PM –5pm. Free. (updated Aug 2020)
• PJ Exchange. This 35-storey office tower, which is under construction, has a great location in PJ as it's at the doorstep of the Taman Jaya LRT Station and next to the Federal Highway and the popular Amcorp Mall. With its 30-m spire, the PJ Exchange (PJX) became the tallest office tower in PJ and a prominent landmark upon completion in 2010.
• Taman Jaya. A spot for those in search of outdoor activities like jogging and cycling is Taman Jaya, a favourite recreational hub for residents with its shady trees and lake. It is a short walk away from the similarly-named LRT station as well as the Amcorp Mall and Dataran PJ Field.
• Wat Chetawan Temple. (Nearest LRT Station: Taman Jaya) One of the main Thai Buddhist temples in the Klang Valley, the Chetawan can be seen in full glory either when driving on Jalan Gasing or traveling on the Kelana Jaya Line LRT. With a towering main prayer hall and surrounded by shrines, the temple has been around for more than 40 years, having started as a small temple in Jalan Raja Bot in 1957. The present temple was built in the early 1960s. Today, it is the main attraction for devotees and visitors alike because of its intricate design and statues within the temple grounds. The temple attracts huge numbers of devotees during Thai festivals like Songkran and Loy Krathong, as well as Wesak, and hosts Thai royal visitors during auspicious festivals.

• Damansara Jaya central park (Damansara Jaya). Offers morning or evening recreational activities. 
• DJROA community centre (Damansara Jaya). Offers line dancing and Wai Dan Gung. 

Various pasar malam (night markets) can be found on the main streets in the suburbs around Petaling Jaya. It's the best way to get to know the 'true' Malaysian culture. There you can find fresh foods, quick snacks and it is also a popular target by the local triads to sell their contraband merchandise of anything under the sun: clothing, electronics, mobile phone accessories, pirated DVDs and Audio CDs. You get a very good bargain if you buy them in bulk or if you speak Malay or Chinese dialect (most Chinese in PJ understands Hokkien).

But if it's air-con and fast food you want, PJ has a few megamalls:

• Sunway Pyramid Megamall. A thematic mall with lots of mini tenants including a Twelve-Cineplex. It is 3 minutes by car from the Subang Jaya KTM Station (Pel. Klang line). 
• 🌍 Amcorp Mall, 18 Persiaran Barat (off Jln. Timur). Mall with lots of mini-anchor tenants and a great weekend flea market on the Lower Ground floor. It is 5 minutes walk from the Taman Jaya LRT Station (Kelana Jaya Line). 
• Digital Mall. Section 14, in the building previously occupied by Metrojaya, just across the street from Jaya SC. This colourful building with a mosaic-like facade, unique neon lights, and large TV screen is the city's first IT-lifestyle mall. (updated Nov 2022)
• Giant Kelana Jaya, Jalan SS6/4. Overlooking the Kelana Jaya Lake, this complex has a Giant Hypermarket as its anchor (hence the name) and numerous other tenants including a Starbucks and a large food court on the 3rd Floor. 
• Millennium Square, Section 14. More of a community-based complex as it is surrounded by houses as well as the Menara Jaya condo and below the Millennium Place Residences. It is 5 minutes drive along the road from Jaya SC. Cafe such as Picadilly which serves local and western.
• Mutiara Damansara. A commercial precinct that is home to Asia's largest IKEA store and the adjoining IKANO Power Centre. Other malls here include The Curve lifestyle and F&B mall, a large Tesco hypermarket and the Cineleisure Damansara Entertainment Complex. The precinct is served by an hourly free shuttle bus from Kelana Jaya LRT (at the entrance to IKANO Centre).
• One Utama, 1 Lebuh Bandar Utama (hourly free shuttle bus from LRT Kelana Jaya). One of the largest and most popular malls in the Klang Valley. Jusco, Marks & Spencer, and TGV Cinemas, Parkson, MPH Megastore, Golden Screen Cinemas, Celebrity Fitness, and Malaysia's largest rock-climbing gymnasium. 
• The Atria, Jalan SS22/23 (Damansara Jaya). Another community shopping mall with Giant as its anchor tenant in the middle of the often overlooked Damansara Jaya Town Centre. 
• The Curve, No. 6 Jalan PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara. This very popular lifestyle and fashion mall forms the centrepiece of the Mutiara Damansara commercial precinct (see above). The complex is split into The Street (outdoor mall) and The Walk (indoor). Anchor tenants include MJ by Metrojaya, VISTA Vision Specialist (Region Largest LASIK Outlet), MPH Bookstores and HSL Digital Lifestyle as well as Fitness First, Red Box Karaoke, and Marche Movenpick Restaurant at The Street. Other shopping haven nearby include TESCO Hypermarket, IKEA & 10-screen Cathay Cineplex. 
• Thrifty Mall, Jalan Barat, Sec. 8. The "other" shopping centre in PJ State (the other being Amcorp), the three-storey building also known as "Wisma Thrifty" has a Giant Supermarket, Courts Mammoth furniture store, and Olympia College as anchors. A Coffee Bean outlet and Memory Lane giftshop are also here.
• 🌍 Tropicana City Mall, No 3, Jalan SS 20/27 (on the Sprint Expressway from Kuala Lumpur, Tropicana City Mall is on the left, immediately after Damansara Intan, at corner of LDP and SPRINT Expressway.), ☏ +60 3 7710 1818, fax: +60 3 7710 0202, enquiries@tropicanacitymall.com. Daily 9AM to 10PM. 2 levels underground car park and 4-storey shopping centre building. Carrefour hypermarket on the lower ground floor as its anchor tenant. Major tenants include Toys R Us, Esprit, and Nichii Fashion City. The Mall is adjoining the Tropics Designer Suites and a Signature Office Tower. There is also a 6-screen Golden Screen Cinemas as an alternative to the ones in 1 Utama and Cineleisure for movie buffs. Located at the fringes of SS2 and adjacent to Tropicana City Business Park (ex-Damansara Intan.) 
• 🌍 NZX Square, NZX Commercial Centre No. 2 Jalan PJU 1A/41B Ara Jaya PJU 1A, ☏ +60 3 7804 6366, fax: +60 3 7804 6166, info@nzx.com.my. NZX is the largest covered boulevard in Malaysia. There are side walk cafés, Star Bucks, Station One, Big Apple doughnut, shops, stalls and specialty stores. There are also a number of restaurants serving steam boat, Mamak food and Chinese restaurants. 182 shops. (updated Nov 2022)
• IPC Shopping Centre, IPC Shopping Centre No 2, Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara (30 m in front of The Curve), ☏ +60 3 7720 7333. It is a mega mall in Mutiara Damansara. It has lots of clothes shops and entertainment shops. 
• 🌍 SStwo Mall, ☏ +60 3 79608209. This five-storey mall has 1000 car parking bays and some 200 retail units. One of the mall's highlights is Haven@two, an open-air courtyard dedicated to F&B, with alfresco-style dining. 

Eating is almost a national obsession with eateries available around the clock. Petaling Jaya is home to many restaurants and stalls serving all sorts of Asian and Western cuisine catering to almost all sorts of budgets.

Mamak restaurants are found throughout the city. A veritable PJ institution, these 24-hour restaurants operated mainly by Indian-Muslims are popular amongst the young crowd for the live soccer broadcasts on weekends (and weekdays on occasion) as well as cheap food.

Damansara Utama

• Asian Food House, No. 38, Jalan SS 21/58. The sign unhelpfully proclaims that this restaurant specializes in "Asian food", but in reality it's mostly Taiwanese fare. The pork stew with rice (RM8.90) isn't bad.
• Village Park Restaurant. Great fried chicken. Eaten with nasi lemak.

Taman Megah

• Fatty Crab Restaurant, No. 2, Jalan SS 24/13. It's been over 30 years since Uncle Fatty set up his shop, but their famed sweet, sour and spicy crab still continues to draw the crowds. Roll up your sleeves and dig in, and figure on RM30/head with a few side dishes thrown in.
• Ming Tien Restaurant, SS 24. This is an standard hawker center that serves western, oriental and local range of foods. The drawback are its television sets blaring out the MTV channel and piped-in advertisements. (Food hygiene and the hawker centre's utility cleanliness are not satisfactory, and it is not advisable for first-time foreign visitor.)
• William Mamak Stall. A fantastic Mamak stall with unique food choice. Located in the Taman Megah housing area. 

Section 14

• Sate Nora, Medan Ria MBPJ. Has been around for over 30 years. Best sate in Malaysia. Tu-Su.

Section 19

• Stranger Restaurant & Cafe, No. 10 & 12, Jalan 19/36. The restaurant is most well known for its Lunch and Dinner Set Steamboat and is priced at RM9.80 and RM12.80 per person respectively. In addition, there is a good variety of rice and noodles as well as "kopitiam" (coffee shop) and drinks selections.

SS2

• Yu Ai Segambut Seafood Noodle, 58 Jalan SS2/10, 47300 Petaling Jaya (11AM-9PM). Try your noodles with any of three soup options: their famous curry, fiery tomyam or milder qingtang.
• SS2 Fatty Duck rice, No.2, Jalan SS2/10 (The stall located in a shop called Restaurant OK, it is same row with Kayu Nasi Kandar at Lim Prawn Mee Restaurant which used to be known as Cheow Yang Restauran), ☏ +60 193867766. Daily 5-11PM. Delicious braised duck rice with history of 20 years. Braised duck rice is different from roasted duck, and in Petaling Jaya only has two place selling this authentic dish. Besides, duck rice, there are also other side dishes such as braised egg with duck inner organs, braised bean curb, salted vegetables, spicy and sour vegetables, braised pork leg and braised pork intestines. Price starts from RM 4.50 per duck rice for one person. 
• Little Dim Sum Restaurant, 12 Jalan SS2/63, 47300 (Just a few shops from Maybank). Tu-Su 9AM-12:30AM. Serve delicious dim sum. It is more pricy than other nearby dim sum restaurants but the quality is much better and the environment and cleanliness seems good. The shop is small and cosy and they have separate smoking and non-smoking area. They also serve noodles after 11AM. Varies. 
• Ho Weng Kee Restaurant, 32, Jalan SS2/66, 47300 (SS2 town centre, behind Save Mart mini market, same row as Nam Heong Chicken Rice). 7AM-4PM. A popular restaurant serving "wan tan" noodles. Speciality are the dry noodle with chicken feet & mushrooms, curry chicken noodle, dumplings and the normal "Char Siew & Wantan" noodles (dry or soup). The shop is quite clean and the food is delicious. Ranges from RM4-7. 

Damansara Jaya

Basic fare including Malay and Chinese mixed rice are available from the 2 hawker centres next to the Jalan SS 22/19 and SS 22/25 car parks.

• Choong Kee Claypot Chicken Rice, 80 Jalan SS22/25 (Damansara Jaya, near Dominos Pizza and adjacent to Cinta Ria), ☏ +60 17 871 7739. Th-Tu: lunch noon-2:30PM, dinner 5--9:30PM. This coffee-shop styled restaurant commenced business in January 2009 and serves excellent Kampar claypot chicken rice. A selection of vegetables and steamed soups are also available. The claypot rice is cooked on charcoal stoves. It is not uncommon for most customers to enhance the flavour of the claypot rice by adding Chinese sausage and salted fish. The claypot chicken rice is very popular and the restaurant tends to be jam packed especially during weekends. 
• Restaurant Al Fariz Maju, Kelana Jaya. It is an Indian restaurant with an exotic taste. Try their own recipe fried chicken and "teh tarik". Also roti canai and kuah sardin will ignite your taste bud. 
• Wings Charismatic Ocean Sdn Bhd, Ground Floor 74, Jln SS2/60, 47300 PJ, Sel. D.E. (few doors from Sea Park Police Station), ☏ +60 3 78763309, +60 12 3931997, fax: +60 3 78763309. Special offer lunch, nice steaks, variety of snacks, tasty drinks, listen music, singers in nights. 
• Bangkok House, Lot C13-01 3 Two Square, Jalan 19/1, ☏ +60 12-2069872. 11AM-11PM. Bangkok House is a halal restaurant, was founded by a Malaysian couple, back in early 2000s. Serving the best authentic Thai cuisine, Bangkok House is a heavenly place for all food lovers. Menu price ranges from RM3.50 to RM65 per dishes. Walk-ins, reservation, and catering orders are welcomed!For more inquiry, call 03-7954 9872. RM3.50-65. 
• Sate Nora. 
• Busy Corner, 83 Jalan SS 22/11 (at Mewah shops, nearby to Petronas station, behind KDU), ☏ +60 3 7729 0116. This coffee-shop styled restaurant is well known for its selection of claypot rice dishes. Customers may choose from traditional chicken to prawn, fish or beef. Busy Corner also serves varieties of steamed soups. 
• Esquire Kitchen, Ground Floor, Atria Shopping Centre.
• Hainanese Chicken Rice on Jalan SS 22/23. Halal restaurant near to Dr Kwan's clinic.
• Hooi Loong on Jalan SS 22/19. This location used to be occupied by the Chef Rasa Sayang Restaurant.
• Hong Kee Tim Sum, 18 & 20 Jalan SS 22/25 (next to RHB Bank), ☏ +60 19 388 5631 (Sophia Lim), +60 12 213 0998 (Dr. Michael Ng). Daily 7AM-3PM. Serves excellent dim sum. 
• Jin Xuan Hong Kong Dim Sum on Jalan SS 22/19. Upmarket restaurant. Commenced business in 2008. Branch of parent shop in Kuchai Lama.
• Magic Wok, 32 Jalan SS 22/25 (same row as RHB Bank and Mama's Restaurant), ☏ +60 3 7729 2288, +60 12 393 6928. 
• Ma Ma's Restaurant on Jalan SS 22/25. Upmarket restaurant serving excellent Penang nyonya style dishes. Reputed to be a favourite of the late Datin Paduka Seri Endon Mahmood, wife of Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi. The nyonya fish head curry was one dish she had particularly liked.
• Nyonya Foodland Restaurant on the Ground floor of the Atria Complex (opposite Nando's). Serves tasty and affordably priced Malacca nyonya food.
• Seri Penang, formerly Penang Cravings on the Ground Floor of the Atria Complex. This is authentic Penang, for Chef Tang is from Tanjung Tokong.
• Bon-Bon Cafe, 22, Jalan SS22/21, ☏ +60 3 7728 6357, fax: +60 3 7728 6357. Serves western and local food in a cosy friendly environment where "everybody knows your name". Bon-Bon is famous for its signature "durian cake", which for many tastes more delicious than the real fruit. Besides pastries, American breakfast and euro pancakes. Bon-Bon has a rotating menu of daily local specials including nasi lemak, laksa and noodles. 
• Cinta Ria, 78, Jalan SS 22/25, 47400 Damansara Jaya (beside the Choong Kee Claypot Rice), ☏ +60 3 7726 8981. Cinta Ria is a halal restaurant that serves breakfast from 8:30AM. 
• Shirley's Kitchen, 49 Jalan SS 22/23 (on internal road, near Atria side entrance, name row as Gamuda office), ☏ +60 12 295 5114, +60 3 7710 9097 (Callen Baudville), cliff.catering@gmail.com. 
• Vary Pasta, 21 Jalan SS 22/23, ☏ +60 3 77106100. Claims to have the cheapest Western food in town. 
• Carnaval Churrascaria, 77, Jalan SS22/19 (At street corner, near Maybank and behind SS22/21 Gamuda office.), ☏ +60 3 7725 2252. Dinner 6-10:30PM. Buffet at RM48. Meat lovers will likely adore their Brazilian barbecue. 
• Omitsu Koshi on Jalan SS 22/23 offers tasty and affordably priced Japanese food.
• Nando's Fast food. South African Peri-Peri chicken can be found on the Ground Floor of the Atria Complex
• Piccadely Restaurant owned by Nepali brother in Millenium Square building is best place to eat with food and drink from all over the world.

Just like in Kuala Lumpur, mamak stalls are also found all over Petaling Jaya. These are wonderful places to hang out with locals and it is possible to stay at one far past midnight (many are even open 24-hours!). They are run by Indian Muslims. They serve a variety of drinks and beverages, and the non-alcoholic options are varied and inexpensive. Traditional coffee shops can be found at the Mewah as well as the Atria shops.

For those who are looking for watering holes, several good ones include:

• Sanctuary. Since its opening at Mutiara Damansara's The Curve shopping center, both young people and the white-collared folk have been flocking to this four-in-one nightspot that has the unique Ice Bar.
• Uncle Chilli's. A highly popular bistro-bar (especially the working crowd) located at the Hilton. There is a live band that plays several times weekly.
• Laundry. Pub with live band at The Curve, located opposite the Cine leisure entertainment complex and next to Fitness First. Very popular place with almost a full house every night!
• Starbucks Coffee Cafe. Found all over PJ, most outlets come with WiFi (provided by Timezone) as a free service to customers. Outlets are located in One Utama, The Curve, IKANO Power Center, Damansara Utama, Dataran Tiga Dua, Amcorp Mall, and Sunway Pyramid Megamall.
• Old Town White Coffee, Jaya One, Jalan University (Jaya One opposite Section 17 flats (previously Alcom Factory)). A popular local franchise with many outlets around klang valley. Serve old style Malaysian coffee - a mordernised "kopi tiam" (local coffee shop). 
• Coffee Ritual, 35 Jalan 14/20, Section 14, ☏ +60 3-7956 1080. 10AM-11PM. Good coffee, especially the syphon brewed single origin coffee. Their espresso based coffee also quite nice. Do not forget to try the Crêpe. RM10 to RM20. 
• Wong Kok Char Chan Teng (旺 角 茶 餐 厅), 2, Ground Floor, Wisma Caesars Club, Jalan SS2/67 (opposite SS2 BHP petrol station and Starbuck Cafe), ☏ +60378660383. For all sorts of Hong Kong food and treats. (updated Nov 2022)
• Kopi tiam, a modern version of the traditional coffee shop is located on the ground floor of the Atria Complex.
• Coffee Connexion, another modern day Kopi Tiam commenced business in May 2009 at a double shop lot at 12 & 14 Jalan SS 22/25, two doors away from the Hong Kee Tim Sum restaurant.
• Lotus Penang Nasi Kandar restaurant is located adjacent to the Jalan SS22/25 car park.
• Syed Abu, an Indian Muslim restaurant is found on Jalan SS22/19.

Both Lotus and Syed Abu operate on a 24 hours basis.

Despite being just "next-door" to the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, PJ has its fair share of hotels in all categories. Note that there are no inns, guest houses, motels or hotels in Damansara Jaya.

• Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, 35-50 minutes away from here
• Genting Highlands, a famous hill resort in Malaysia, at least 2 hours away