Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: travel guide
A suburban city beside Kuala Lumpur, known for malls and eating out
KL's Satellite Town — a suburban city known for shopping malls, diverse dining, and convenient access to Kuala Lumpur attractions.
About Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya sits immediately west of Kuala Lumpur and functions as a large suburban city rather than a traditional sightseeing destination. It is a place of residential neighbourhoods, universities, offices and a deep bench of restaurants and cafes.
Shopping is its main draw. 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Sunway Pyramid, The Curve and Paradigm Mall are large complexes that combine shops, cinemas and food courts, and they are popular on rainy afternoons. The city is also a convenient base for reaching the central Kuala Lumpur sights by road or rail.
It suits shoppers, families and visitors who prefer a quieter base near the capital. The climate is hot and humid all year, with rain possible in any month.
- Country
- Malaysia
- Currency
- MYR
- Time zone
- Asia/Kuala_Lumpur
- Nearest airport
- SZB
- Typical trip
- 1 day
Last updated
Top places to visit in Petaling Jaya
1 Utama Shopping Centre
shopping · 4.5 rating · about 2.5 h · check the fee at the gate
One of the world's largest malls with a rooftop rainforest, secret garden and aquarium.
Sunway Pyramid
themed mega-mall · 4.4 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
An Egyptian-themed mega-mall crowned with a giant golden lion and sphinx, Sunway Pyramid is Malaysia's most distinctive shopping destination. Beyond retail, it houses an Olympic-size ice-skating rink, a cinema multiplex, and a bowling…
Royal Selangor Visitor Centre
craft heritage centre · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The heritage showcase of Royal Selangor, the world's largest pewter manufacturer, founded in KL in 1885. The visitor centre offers self-guided museum tours covering the craft's history and manufacturing process, and the popular "School of…
PJ Old Town Heritage Area
heritage township · 4.2 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Petaling Jaya's original town centre from the 1950s retains much of its mid-century character in low-rise shophouses, kopitiams, and wet markets. Today it is a favourite weekend destination for KL residents seeking heritage-era roti canai,…
The Curve
shopping · 4.3 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Open-street lifestyle mall with an outdoor plaza and weekend flea market.
Paradigm Mall PJ
shopping · 4.3 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Busy mall with an indoor ice rink and a wide food selection.
Tropicana Gardens Mall
shopping · 4.3 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Modern transit-linked mall in Kota Damansara.
Bukit Gasing Forest Park
forest · 4.3 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Forested hill straddling PJ and KL with trails and a suspension bridge.
Empire Shopping Gallery Subang
shopping · 4.3 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Stylish mall with an ice rink in nearby Subang Jaya.
Jaya One (The School)
district · 4.2 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Lifestyle complex of cafes, bars and the quirky "The School" hub.
Kota Damansara Community Forest Park
forest · 4.3 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Urban forest reserve with marked jungle trails and lookout points.
Section 17 Food Haven
district · 4.3 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
Famous PJ food enclave packed with hawker stalls and banana-leaf shops.
Things to do
- Sunway Lagoon Theme & Water Park Entertainment · 8 h · from MYR 268 per person
- Sunway Pyramid Egyptian Mall Ice Rink & Entertainment Entertainment · 4 h · from MYR 28 per person
- Royal Selangor Pewter Visitor Centre Cultural · 2 h · from MYR 47 per person
- 1 Utama Rainforest & Secret Garden Nature · 1.5 h · from MYR 28 per person
- Petaling Jaya Heritage Museum & Old Town Walk Cultural · 2 h
- Petaling Jaya Food Crawl (Section 17 & SS2) Food · 3 h · from MYR 75 per person
- Bukit Gasing Morning Hike Adventure · 2.5 h · from MYR 37 per person
- Amcorp Mall Weekend Flea Market Hunt Cultural · 2 h · from MYR 19 per person
Day trips and tours
- Sunway Lagoon Full Day Theme Park Package 8 h · from MYR 268
- PJ Heritage Walk & Sunway Pyramid Entertainment Tour 7 h · from MYR 101
Where to stay in Petaling Jaya
- City Area about MYR 2,500 per night
Commercial suburb with accommodation
Hotels
- One World Hotel 5-star · MYR 350 to MYR 800 per night
- Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa 5-star · MYR 400 to MYR 1,400 per night
- Hilton Petaling Jaya 5-star · MYR 300 to MYR 650 per night
- The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur 5-star · MYR 350 to MYR 800 per night
- The Club @ Saujana Resort 5-star · MYR 400 to MYR 950 per night
- Sunway Pyramid Hotel 4-star · MYR 250 to MYR 560 per night
Where to eat
- SS2 Wai Sek Kai Night Hawker Chinese, Hawker, Cantonese · about MYR 30 per person
- A Flour — Japanese Bakery & Brunch Japanese, Bakery, Café · about MYR 45 per person
- Sunway Resort Cuisine — Crossroads Café International, Buffet, Asian · about MYR 95 per person
- Murni Discovery SS2 Malaysian, Indian · about MYR 18 per person
- Restoran Lan Je Steamed Fish Chinese, Seafood · about MYR 40 per person
- Sri Paandi Section 17 Indian · about MYR 16 per person
- Raju's Restaurant Indian · about MYR 18 per person
- Restoran Beh Brothers Malaysian, Chinese · about MYR 14 per person
Getting to Petaling Jaya
Airport: Petaling Jaya (SZB)
How visitors arrive in Petaling Jaya
- LRT from Kuala Lumpur By train from Kuala Lumpur · common
The Kelana Jaya LRT line runs from central KL into Petaling Jaya; KTM Komuter also stops in PJ. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
- Road from Kuala Lumpur By road from Kuala Lumpur · common
The Federal Highway is the main KL to PJ road link, with expressways serving north and south. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
- Coach from Singapore By road from Singapore · possible
Long-distance coaches run between Singapore and PJ. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
From the railway station to the centre
- Kelana Jaya LRT line
The LRT runs from central Kuala Lumpur into Petaling Jaya, with stops including Taman Jaya, Asia Jaya, Taman Paramount and Kelana Jaya. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
- KTM Komuter (Port Klang line)
KTM Komuter stops at Jalan Templer, Kampung Dato Harun, Seri Setia and Setia Jaya, though the guide treats the LRT as the more convenient rail option. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
From the bus terminal to the centre
- Rapid KL buses from Kuala Lumpur
Rapid KL and Metrobus services link KL with Petaling Jaya, with main hubs at Asia Jaya, Damansara Uptown and Bandar Utama. Source: en.wikivoyage.org
Getting around
- Metro useful for some trips
- Car Rental Self
- Ride Hail
- Bus
- Taxi limited to a few areas
- Train limited to a few areas
- Walking
Safety and scams to avoid
Counterfeit Sunway Lagoon Ticket Resale
Sunway Lagoon entrance gates, approach road from BRT station
Scalpers near the Sunway Lagoon entrance sell printed tickets at slight discounts claiming they are extras from a group booking. Some are expired tickets with doctored dates; others are outright counterfeits that fail the barcode scanner at the gate.
How to avoid it: Purchase tickets only from the official Sunway Lagoon website, the official app or the box office inside the venue. Never buy from individuals outside the gate, however plausible their story. Report suspected counterfeit sellers to Sunway security: +603-5639-0000.
Unofficial Parking Fee Collection in Public Car Parks
SS2 hawker lane car parks, Jalan Universiti street bays, Damansara Uptown
Individuals in unofficial clothing demand parking fees of MYR 2-5 from drivers in free public car parks or unmetered bays, implying cars will be scratched or blocked without payment. No official council receipt book or MBPJ insignia is displayed.
How to avoid it: Official MBPJ parking machines are grey/blue and issue receipts with serial numbers. Paid bays are marked with yellow lines and signage. If no machine is present, parking is free. Report persistent collectors to MBPJ Enforcement: +603-7906-3500.
Best time to visit Petaling Jaya
- Jan 29°C
- Feb 30°C
- Mar 30°C
- Apr 30°C
- May 30°C
- Jun 29°C
- Jul 29°C
- Aug 29°C
- Sep 29°C
- Oct 29°C
- Nov 29°C
- Dec 28°C
More in Malaysia
Frequently asked questions about Petaling Jaya
- How many days do you need in Petaling Jaya?
- A typical trip to Petaling Jaya is 1 day.
- What are the top-rated places to visit in Petaling Jaya?
- The highest-rated places in our Petaling Jaya guide are 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Sunway Pyramid, Royal Selangor Visitor Centre, The Curve, Paradigm Mall PJ.
- Where should I stay in Petaling Jaya?
- Our guide covers these areas to stay in Petaling Jaya: City Area.
- How do I get around Petaling Jaya?
- Ways to get around Petaling Jaya covered in our guide: Metro, Self-drive car, Ride-hailing app, City bus.
- What scams should I watch out for in Petaling Jaya?
- Scams reported to us for Petaling Jaya include Counterfeit Sunway Lagoon Ticket Resale; Unofficial Parking Fee Collection in Public Car Parks. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.
- What is the weather like in Petaling Jaya?
- Average daytime highs in Petaling Jaya run from 28°C in Dec to 30°C in Apr.
- Which airport is nearest to Petaling Jaya?
- The nearest airport to Petaling Jaya has the code SZB.