Resources

This is a list of links to various resources that I've found personally helpful or simply interesting. It's a work in progress, and I'll continue expanding and amending the list as time goes on. 

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Food

  • Eatigo - this platform allows you to get up to 50% off meals simply by dining at specific times. This doesn't necessarily mean eating at unsociable hours - for example you might get 30% off if you eat at 7 pm or 40% off if you eat at 8 pm. Simply make your booking on Eatigo (there's also an app) and show it to the restaurant. You don't have to provide payment details and you can cancel up to one minute beforehand (after which you'll be marked as a no-show). As of June 2024, Eatigo Kuala Lumpur is partnered with 259 restaurants, which you can search for by brand, location, theme, cuisine, popularity, and newness to the platform. There are a few restaurants outside KL as well - five in Melaka and one in Genting Highlands. Eatigo also operates in Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines and Thailand.

  • The Yum List - I came across this blog on one of the expat forums. It reviews "the best places to stay, eat and spa around Malaysia and the world". Posts are detailed and informative, and tend to focus on socially responsible venues. Check them out on Instagram and Facebook too.

Shared-interest groups

Meetup - this has been a godsend for my social life in KL. Search the website/app for activities that interest you, find a group and voilà, your Saturday is sorted (and all the other days of the week, if you wanted!). As in London, I've tended to use Meetup more for hobbies than purely social events, and that's been a great way to make like-minded friends. Malaysians use Meetup a lot so you'll get to know plenty of locals, as well as expats. Some groups worth checking out:
  • KL Language Exchange - a lot of groups on Meetup or Facebook call themselves 'language exchange' groups but this actually is one. It attracts a lot of people looking to learn or improve their Malay, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean or English language skills. It meets at LaLaport mall in Bukit Bintang every other Sunday for a couple of hours, and  quite a few people go for dinner afterwards, so it's a great chance to socialise as well. 
  • Language Exchange & Party & Social in Kuala Lumpur - everyone seems to know this social, usually through friends (as I did). It meets every Saturday night at LaLaport mall in Bukit Bintang. Going alone? No problem - everyone is really friendly, but if you're afraid of feeling like a lemon, get there when it starts (7 pm) so you can get a seat at one of the tables and be assured of having someone next to you to talk to.
  • Write Together KL - I never thought I'd find such a supportive community of writers in KL until I stumbled upon this group. It meets every Tuesday (Taman Hati Studio & Cafe in Petaling Jaya) and Thursday (Plump in Bangsar), for a couple hours of writing - in companionable silence - followed by socialising (if you wish). You can work on anything - novel, blog, play, poetry, even emails! Check out the reels on Instagram too.
  • The Inkwell, Kuala Lumpur - this is a nice complement to Write Together, as it focuses on developing writing skills through critique, workshops and talks. There are also specific meetups for fiction, non-fiction and poetry, as well as open writing sessions on alternate Sundays, all held at the YMCA LoveCity Cafe in Brickfields.
Facebook - there are quite a few expat forums and common-interest groups here, where'll you meet both locals and expats. These are the ones I've found useful (or think might be useful):
  • KL EXPATS - I like to monitor this and other expat forums to find recommendations, tips and advice. The group also runs regular events like quiz nights and networking brunches, offers Malay language courses and other services, and publishes a blog. A lot of this is on their website. Two other Facebook groups - KL Expat Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur Expats - appear to be run by the same people; I'm not sure what the difference is.
  • Expats in Kuala Lumpur - besides offering a forum for expats to exchange information, there are also organised events and a very busy WhatsApp group. It has at least 20 subgroups, including a popular one that organises brunch events at different restaurants every Saturday.
  • KL Meet-Ups - this is a group where anyone can organise events. It was "created after realising there is a significant interest for expats and locals in KL to have random social gatherings to meet new people and generally keep in touch with the community". A lot of event announcements and subgroups are on the WhatsApp group, and there's also an Instagram page. 
  • Amazing Hiking - Malaysia - this is run by a Russian woman who has lived in Malaysia for years and is married to a local. Hikes are billed as child-friendly and suitable for beginners, but I think they can offer a good workout (for example Bukit Kembara). Lunch afterwards is always top-notch. There are trips further afield too, for example to Penang, as well as cultural walks in traditional Malay villages and fun celebrations of Russian holidays and festivals. It's a warm, friendly group that I really enjoy spending time with. Join on Telegram to get notified about upcoming events.
  • Swing Dance Malaysia - I was really chuffed to discover a group that does swing dancing in KL. This is a style of dance that originated in Harlem in the 1920s. Dancing was never my thing, but in London I started listening to electro swing, which led to hours of entertainment watching funky solo jazz dance routines (a.k.a. swing dancing without a partner) set to electro swing on YouTube. Swing Dance Malaysia is a collaboration between Blues Dancing KL, KL Swing and LindyKL; it's KL Swing that teaches solo jazz - which is so much fun, as well as an awesome workout. Of course, the main focus is partnered dancing, and KL Swing also runs classes for the Lindy Hop and Charleston - as well as socials every Friday at Havana Estudio in TTDI, and other organised events.
  • Asia / Pacific Sailing Crew - this group was set up "to enhance the sharing economy, connect and inform each other about sailing and crewing in the Asia/Pacific region". I've not used them before, but I do keep an eye out for crewing opportunities. A group I have used while here is World Sailing Hitchhikers & Crew Connection - I ran a search for 'Malaysia' and sorted out a lovely sail from Ko Samui down to Malaysia's east coast (post to come). I've also joined a couple other similar global sailing groups on Facebook. Most of the opportunities, however, are for longer trips - at least a couple weeks - which is hard to make time for. There are no groups for weekend sailing, unlike London - boat owners prefer to sail with friends and family, and there isn't enough interest, I guess, for non-boat owners to organise charters.

Buying & selling

  • Jalan Jalan Japan - this is a dangerously fabulous chain of pre-loved goods imported from Japan. I first heard about it when I was looking to buy a tennis racquet - which I did find, for RM40 (£6.78). There are also racks of good-quality clothing at rock-bottom prices - like an amazing dress I found for RM15 (£2.54) - as well as designer handbags, kitchenware, collectibles, musical instruments, stationery, baby gear and a variety of sporting goods. They have lots of stores around KL, but a friend of mine (who buys 70% of her clothes here) says the One City Sky Park location is the biggest and best.
  • Amcorp Mall - convinced I would never find vintage western goods in KL, I trawled flea markets in London buying more things before I left. Happily, a friend introduced me to the Amcorp Mall Flea Market, which runs every weekend from 10 am to 4 pm (post to come). You can find western and Asian antiques, handmade arts and crafts, second-hand clothes, collectible toys, used books and records, vintage kitchenware, home decor and more. Check out the mall on Instagram and Facebook.
  • Luxury Vintage - I sold an old pair of Chanel sunglasses at the Bangsar branch, after unsuccessful attempts on Caroussel and elsewhere, and got a decent cut too. Staff were also super warm and friendly. There's another branch at Great Eastern Mall on Jalan Ampang.

Sustainability

  • Freegans of Malaysia: Give, Take & Barter Free Stuff - "A group for Malaysians to give, take and barter free stuff as well as sharing ideas on where to get free stuff. Freegans are people who employ alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources. We encourage giving or recycling of consumer goods in preference to conventional commerce." Brilliant.
  • 1Recycling Centre - located at 1 Utama Shopping Centre (Bandar Utama MRT), this is a one-stop recycling hub that takes clothes/fabric, bags, toys, lanyards, e-waste and the usual paper, aluminium and plastic.
  • LAVE Republic - founded by four friends, LAVE makes eco-friendly toiletries that look and smell great. It's the most reasonably priced of the sustainable brands I've found. For example, body soaps sell for around RM 12.50 (£2.12) and shampoo and conditioner bars for around RM15 (£2.54). LAVE is online-only - shipping is free if you spend at least RM35 (£5.93), otherwise it's RM7 (£1.19). 
  • THE HIVE - located in Bangsar Baru, this was the first zero-waste store in KL. It sells toiletries - including ingredients for making your own creams and lotions - as well as a selection of bulk whole foods and cleaning products, from many different brands. While not quite as inexpensive as LAVE - unless there's a sale - it's certainly a sight cheaper than international brands like Lush.  You can also get delivery, which is free of charge for purchases of RM100+ (£16.95+).  
  • Null Zero Waste Factory - luckily there's a concession at KLSMC Pharmacy in Semantan, which is convenient for me and is permanently serviced by pharmacy staff. It sells a selection of reasonably priced, eco-friendly toiletries and household products like bulk dishwashing liquid, which are completely packaging-free. Products/prices aren't listed on the website but you can find some information on Facebook and Instagram. It's very hard, however, to find Null products elsewhere. I visited Mid Valley Megamall only to find the Null concessions gone or permanently unmanned. I also visited the concession at 1 Utama Shopping Centre only to discover it was closing a few days afterwards. There are other locations listed on the website which I haven't tried to find.
  • 10 Zero Waste Stores In Klang Valley - not having a car, the only stores I've managed to visit from this article are THE HIVE and Null Zero Waste Factory. But the other retailers mentioned here sell a wide variety of products, including packaging-free fruits and veg, bulk goods and pet products.


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