Pasar Malam (Night Market)

Most visitors to Malaysia would focus their sights on visiting tourist attractions, shopping centres and local delicacies. Malaysia have been blessed with such attractions and not to be missed are the Pasar Malam (Night Markets) which usually runs from 4pm onwards till approximately 10pm.

Traders would sell their wares with prices normally below the normal prices one can find in the market. Items sold in those Pasar Malam ranges from groceries, DVDs/CDs, clothings, housewares and foodstuff which includes hawker food. You would be surprise that some of the more tasty food is found in these Pasar Malams.

One such Pasar Malam is the one located in Kota Laksamana, Melaka on every Saturday evening but you would have to be there early as the traders finish selling early.

One of my favorites is the Charlie Nyonya delicacies stall which serves a wide range of nyonya kuih (cakes) and "tai bak" certainly is highly recommended. Do try the "popiah" and "kueh Pai Tee" on top of the others available.

There is also a gentleman on bicycle whom had taken over his late mother's business at the Pasar Malam selling "tau kua" and it's really a taste to savour.

The "yeow char kuay" at the entrance to the Pasar Malam road is something not to be missed as well as the texture and fried to golden brown.

Slightly further on the right of the "yeow char kuay" and "nasi lemak" stalls is a motor-tricycle hawker selling fried carrot cake which do taste better then the others found at the Pasar Malam.

There is also a van selling ice cream with a difference called Yu Yu Ice Cream. It costs about 80sen for a choice of 2/3 different flavors served in a cup or cone. Unlike the typical ice cream, this ice cream has it's original flavoring much more intact instead of artificial flavoring. My personal favorites is certainly the durian and corn flavors.

There is also a small built male trader selling clothes with his wife. One look at this guy would pass him off as a typical Pasar Malam trader but he is no ordinary man there if anyone knows his other colorful personality. This gentleman is Mr Kenny Lee, look alike of the late Sudirman in terms of his built, hairstyle and voice. He has appeared in many TV shows and if you are lucky, you would be able to persuade him to sing a few verses. Read about him (in Bahasa Malaysia)

Visiting such places could really take the stress out while learning the meaning of humility in life of these people selling their products and some shouting at the top of their voices to attract customers to their stall.

Almost every trader at this pasar malam has their own colorful story and form a closely knit community in each location as they are all out there on a single mission.