Mega Malaysia

Revisiting Malaysia was more than just a quick getaway from hometown Manila. The Tourism Malaysia headed by the gracious Fazdila Mansor invited a handful of media people and travel agents for the launching of its mid-year Mega Sale carnival held recently at the Kraft Complex in Kuala Lumpur. From Manila, the group flew to Singapore via Cebu Pacific and sailed the famous Superstar Virgo of Star Cruises to Malaysia. The luxury liner has started an exciting new route into one of the country’s noteworthy major attractions — the historical city of Malacca.

Before all the shopping in KL, the group had a side trip to Malacca (formerly Melaka). Enriched with the country’s early beginnings, Malacca is the very first state of Malaysia that was colonized by the Portuguese (1511), Dutch (1641) and British (1826). It is an amazing destination because of its display of multi-cultural influences.

This UNESCO World Heritage site took us back in time as we walked on its cobbled-stone streets that were once filled with traders passing through the famous Malacca Strait, the center of trade. There were breathtaking monuments, landmarks and structures of a distant past that created postcard-perfect pictures. The beautifully patterned houses, boutiques, shops, restaurants, bars and other establishments were defined by amazing colonial architecture, lavish interiors and allure of old-world charm. 

Malacca is known to be the Venice of Southeast Asia, which, to this day, is a shopping haven of unusual and rare finds. Malacca is prized for its uniqueness as seen in its centuries-old antique items and distinct pieces of wooden handicraft in boutiques and thrift shops. Traditional fashion items, which are handmade or hand-woven to perfection with distinct patterns and colorful designs, can also be found in every nook of Malacca.

Travelling from Malacca to KL is like experiencing the past first before basking in the present, a simple case of coming from the old to arrive at something new. From Malacca, it took us roughly two hours to get to KL via land travel.

According to Tourism Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is rated by CNN as the world’s fourth best shopping city. The modern cityscape, globally known for its Petronas Towers, is listed by the Globe Shopper Index as the second best in Asia Pacific. Now on its 13th year, Tourism Malaysia unfolds the second 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival in 2013 (1MMSC), which will end on Sept. 1.

The 1Malaysia Unified  Sale is a collective effort of promoting unique traditional crafts and endless shopping experience for both local and tourists alike. Participating in this monumental event are colossal malls such as The Pavilion, The Gallery and KLCC, which all house the most sought-after global designer brands everyone would dream of. 

Shopping is a delightful showcase in KL where there is a fusion of ultimate luxe names such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bottega Veneta, Miu Miu, Hermès, Givenchy, Saint Laurent and Céline.   Hard-to-find brands like Alexander McQueen, Jil Sander, Philip Lim and Comme des Garçon are quite easy to spot in KL. High-ends, mid- to low-range brands such as H&M, Zara, Topshop, Topman, Uniqlo, Bossini and Giordano fill up an endless list of must-buys in Kuala Lumpur.

KL, the soon-to-be fashion Mecca, boasts of elite brands not only in RTW but also in jewelry, cosmetics, fabrics, bags, shoes and furniture. The list goes on and on. Splurging on these luxe attractions is irresistible because the Mega Sale event offers the best deals for as low as 50 to 70 percent off on practically all items. 

Shopping is a breeze in KL’s well-designed, multi-level malls where the convenience of space is of importance. No worries about breaking into sweat as you travel from one place to another because these luxurious malls are interlinked via covered and air-conditioned walkways conveniently located at the famous “golden triangle,” which is in the heart of the city. 

With mega structures, mega history, mega cuisine and now mega sale, KL is the new duty-free haven of ultimate luxury. It offers an amazing shopping experience one shouldn’t miss. 

(For more information, visit www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my. Cebu Pacific flies direct from Manila to Kuala Lumpur twice daily. It also flies

direct from Manila to Kota Kinabalu. Visit www.cebupacificair.com or call 702-888. For more information on Star Cruises, visit www.starcruises.com.

For inquiries, call 836-6830 to 32 or e-mail salesmanila@starcruises.com.)