Pavilion Damansara Heights — Attraction in Kuala Lumpur

As a Canadian visiting Pavilion for the first time, I was excited to explore and keep personal, family memories using my very, very old and amateur Canon EOS camera. It's not pro gear and I'm not a journalist. And with me lugging around shopping bags, I didn't even look like one. But while enjoying the Christmas trees by the main entrance, a security guard rudely accosted me for using my DSLR. He spoke in Bahasa with a mix of broken English and told me in essence, "No cameras allowed. It's the rule." There were no signages anywhere alluding to such rule, at least none visible enough to read right away. He spoke it, and we should just take it as fact. However, near me were tons of other shoppers shooting photos with their cellphones. None of them were restricted. What's so intimidating about using a Canon that they had to discriminate against it, but allow photos from iPhones, which in fact, have more functionalities? What twisted logic was that? Now this happened not only once. Later in the day, I was stopped again on another floor for scrolling through photos already stored in my Canon digital cam, photos of visits to other touristy places. Another security guard approached and stopped me from using my personal camera. Who are these Pavilion staff to think they have the right to limit my use of my own property? Why is this guard so fidgety, as if I'm holding an explosive? Not only did this guy stop me, but his eyes followed me around while my family and I lingered in the area, buying things from nearby stalls. It was very creepy and uncomfortable, to say the least. Needless to say, Pavilion Damansara left a bitter aftertaste in the mouth, and left very unpleasant memories for me and my other visiting family. This mall wrecked my Christmas vacation! We were customers after all, not crooks! I wish they treated us with respect. Was that too much to ask? We've gone to dozens of malls and restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. Nothing like this had happened to us even while I used my camera the entire time. If Pavilion was worried about the negative publicity they might get from not having all stores open yet, then why not ban the use of cellphones too? And didn't it occur to them that, not just photos, but a written review can wield damage to their...

Updated April 2025. Construction has slowed down. Noise is much less. It’s still ongoing to complete Phase 2. Unfortunately this end is 100 meters from my house. My only issue is the dust and heat generated from these massive buildings. Please finish the 2nd phase mega project soon. My area used to be a nice quiet place. We had a nice place with offices and shops at GF, called Pusat Bandar Damansara before the developers decided to break it down and build many condominium skyscrapers and Millennium Tower (office building). Then came this huge mega biggest project I have seen. How many shopping malls do we need? Plus now it’s the online shopping era. We want our area to have clean air. But with all these now, my area’s air quality has dropped. I strongly feel all these skyscrapers with condos, offices and shopping malls have altered my area’s climate- Localised climate change has occurred. Now it rains much less and for shorter periods. Imagine the tons of concrete getting hot in the day and releasing heat after sun goes down. I used to never use a/c after 8pm or earlier. But now, if no rain I have to use a/c till 2am. The residents living here don’t want or need another mega shopping mall since Megamall, malls in Sri Hartamas, Mont Kiara, Mutiara Damansara and KL city are all within a 15 minutes drive. Bukit Damansara is very near everything. People here are not the regular shopping mall type people. I finally went there in December 2024. I felt sad to see so few customers. Please come here to shop if possible. They have big names brands here but customers are few. Developers must finish this project asap! It’s been over 6 years or more. And change the traffic system. Right now traffic seems chaotic from 5pm-6pm. I hear lots of car horns every working day at this time. The mall itself is nice. Very clean, spacious and no stress of huge crowds like at other malls. Here is nice and peaceful shopping experience. I recommend this place. Come see what Bukit Damansara looks like and the mall has...

Horrible traffic due to multiple lane closures and road diversions. Traffic bottleneck for those driving from TTDI / Phileo towards KL. It's terrible for those who live or work around this area.

Just got worse as junction between Jalan Maarof and Jalan Johar closed on 29 Oct 2022. Traffic from PJ can no longer turn right directly to Jalan Maarof. Have to divert around Pavillion Damansara Heights to join traffic from KL before using a single lane slip road into Jalan Maarof.

Estimated completion date is given as "end of March 2023". If can avoid this area, please do so.

Edit: a new one-way flyover has now been added. Since July 1st 2023, it takes traffic heading from Petaling Jaya to Kuala Lumpur on a more direct route, passing in front of the upcoming Pavillion Damansara Heights. (Previously, you had to circle around DC Mall and the large open parking area before passing the Pusat Pejabat Damansara on your way to Kuala Lumpur.)

You can also turn into Jalan Maarof via this new flyover route. Just keep right and watch out for the signboard to Bangsar.

The only problem with this more direct route is that you can no longer turn left into Jalan Dungun. To get to Jalan Dungun, you still have to take the old circuitous route.

Edit (19/2/2024): huge traffic jam this morning along Sprint Highway heading to KL. Why? Bottleneck caused by unannounced road diversion - cars can't turn into Jln Dungun, so have to crowd into Changkat Semantan with tailback causing a bottleneck on Sprint Highway where all traffic from PJ,TTDI, all the Damansaras need to pass through to get to KL.

I understand the roadworks need to be done but WHY NOTHING PLANNED, NOTHING DONE, to alleviate the heavy traffic...