Developed in the 1990s, Kota Damansara is quickly becoming a bustling neighbourhood with a good mix of residential properties and retail spaces to cater to a modern lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for the up-and-coming restaurant in Kota Damansara or a place to hang like Loudspeaker Kota Damansara with your friends, there’s no shortage of things to do here. With MRT Kota Damansara, you can even travel to other places in the Klang Valley without going through the traffic.
With a sprawling land size of 4,000 acres, the township is a popular choice for homebuyers. The variety of housing options and amenities available caters to different lifestyles. Its close proximity and easy accessibility to other thriving neighbourhoods like Bandar Utama and Mutiara Damansara further adds to the appeal.
Where is Kota Damansara?
Kota Damansara is located approximately 18km from Kuala Lumpur. There is a Kota Damansara exit along the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), and the township can also be accessed via the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP) through Mutiara Damansara.
History of Kota Damansara
Kota Damansara was developed on an area that was formerly the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve. The forest was gazetted in 1898 and was one of the oldest gazetted forests in Malaysia. In 1992, the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) was given the mandate to develop parts of the forest reserve that was degazetted in 1983.
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What is Kota Damansara known for?
This unassuming suburban area is actually home to a 794-acre forest reserve that is popular with hikers and mountain bikers. The PJU5 commercial area and Sunway Giza Mall is a go-to for foodies as it has many food outlets. The former Uptown night market, which has since been rebranded to Uptown Kota Dame, is also a draw with its various food and clothing stalls. Unfortunately, this area is also known for its standstill traffic along Persiaran Surian during peak hours. The MRT has provided a much-needed alternative for people living or working there.
Fun facts:
- In 2007, Kota Damansara residents had to lobby the Selangor state government to get the community forest gazetted as a permanent forest reserve and their efforts came to fruition in 2010 when it was officially gazetted.
- The Uptown Kota Damansara bazaar came into being when the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had to relocate the growing number of night traders operating along the roads at the Uptown commercial area in Damansara Utama.
- Due to the rapid development in the early 2000s, flooding was a constant problem on Persiaran Surian until MBPJ carried out rectifying works in 2010.
- Dr Nasir Hashim, the former chairman of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), served as Kota Damansara assemblyman from 2008 to 2013.
Read more: Kajang – the ultimate neighbourhood and area guide
What is it like living in Kota Damansara?
From schools to shopping malls and hospitals to hypermarkets, this self-contained township has everything you need.
With four primary schools, three secondary schools, and the Sri KDU International School located within Kota Damansara, there is good access to education. For tertiary education options, SEGi University has its campus on Jalan Teknologi while the First University College is just around the corner at Bandar Utama.
In its early days, retail in Kota Damansara consisted of the many commercial shopping lots and Sunway Giza community mall until Encorp Strand opened in 2014. Fortunately, residents have always had the option of visiting major neighbouring shopping malls including 1 Utama, The Curve, and IPC. Tropicana Gardens Mall, which opened in March 2020, has added a bit of excitement to the area’s retail scene. Besides the seven-storey mall, this mixed development also features a 50,000 sq ft convention centre plus residential and office spaces.
In terms of healthcare, the Thomson Hospital caters to private patients while the Sungai Buloh public hospital is not too far away. There is also a Klinik Kesihatan (a government-run health clinic) in Section 8.
What to do in Kota Damansara?
1. Hiking
The Kota Damansara Community Forest in Section 10 is an 800-acre forest reserve with several trails spanning 2km each: Temuan Trail, Sahabat Trail, Unity Trail and Harmony Trail. The Petaling Trail is a shorter trail that was originally built for environmental education and is suitable for children.
2. Visit a Chocolate Museum
Immerse yourself in the wonder that is chocolate at the Chocolate Museum on Jalan Teknologi 3/5. Learn about the history of cocoa in the exhibition space or watch how chocolate is made at the Chocolate Kitchen. You can also visit the Chocolate Galleria just to stock up on your favourite chocolate brands.
3. Grocery shopping
There are two hypermarkets in Kota Damansara: NSK and Giant. With its cheap wholesale prices, NSK Kota Damansara in Section 11 is a popular haunt for residents from the surrounding Petaling Jaya neighbourhoods looking for a good bargain.
4. Karaoke
Another popular hangout place in Kota Damansara is the Loudspeaker Karaoke outlet at The Strand commercial area. This entertainment joint is great for family outings where children and adults alike can sing to their hearts’ content. Thanks to its popularity, the chain also has another outlet at the nearby Tropicana Gardens Mall.
Read more: Sunway – the ultimate neighbourhood and area guide
What to eat in Kota Damansara?
Try googling “Kota Damansara restaurant” and you’ll find a wide range of food and cafe suggested by food bloggers. Below are some of the most popular eateries in the area.
1. Shell Out
Don’t expect any utensils with your meal here. Instead, the seafood you order will be laid out on the table, on a plastic sheet, and you dig in with your hands. Choose from a variety of sauces like butter garlic, lemon butter, and black pepper to go with your shell-out session.
Address: No 16-1 Jalan PJU 5/15, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya.
Opening hours: Sundays to Thursdays 11:30 AM to 10 PM; Fridays and Saturdays 11:30AM to 11 PM.
2. Restoran Hameediyah
The Petaling Jaya outlet of this iconic Penang nasi kandar restaurant is frequented not only by customers from Kota Damansara but also those from the surrounding areas. Hameediyah prides itself as being one of the oldest nasi kandar restaurants in Malaysia. Besides nasi kandar, their fish head curry is also a crowd-puller.
Address: Unit A-GF-01, Sunway Nexis, Jalan PJU 5/8, Kota Damansara
Opening hours: 11 AM to 11 PM, closed on Fridays
3. Ten Noodle
This pork noodle outlet is popular for its mix-and-match concept. Diners can customise their order by choosing the type of noodles, a soup or dry style, and even the type of meats that go into the dish.
Address: No 25-1 Ground Floor Jalan PJU 5/10 Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara 47810 Petaling Jaya
Opening hours: 8 AM to 9 PM daily
How to go Kota Damansara?
Due to its vast land area, the easiest way to get around Kota Damansara is by car.
Highway: The major highways connecting to Kota Damansara are the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) and the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP). It is also accessible via Jalan Sungai Buloh on the northern side.
Public transport: Travelling between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Damansara takes only about 30 minutes with the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang line. There are two stops within the township: MRT Surian and MRT Kota Damansara station. The two stations are conveniently located near commercial areas like Sunway Giza, Thomson Hospital, and SEGi University. MRT feeder buses, including the T801 from the Kwasa Sentral station, will connect you to other areas in Kota Damansara.
Properties for sale in Kota Damansara
Kota Damansara certainly does not lack variety when it comes to property. The median house price here is RM570,000. From low-cost flats to luxurious bungalows and everything in between, this township has it all. Even among the same category of property, there is a wide range of options and the prices vary on the size and location. A condominium in development like Palm Spring costs approximately RM400,000 for a 1,259 sq ft, 3-bedroom unit while a similar unit at Cova Suites costs RM520,000.
In the landed property segment, a 2-storey link house goes for RM828,000 while a semi-detached house with a built-up area of 4,000 sq ft costs RM1.79mil.
One of the newer projects in Kota Damansara is the Emporis Kota Damansara mixed development by SCland Sdn Bhd. There are 616 units of serviced residences in two 37-storey towers. The units from 815 sq ft to 929 sq ft are priced between RM700,000 and RM900,000. The Edelweiss Service Residence, Tropicana Gardens’ final development phase, is expected to be completed in 2024.
Sunway Berhad and Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) announced in 2019 that they will jointly construct a mixed development comprising serviced apartments and retail units on a 9.5 acre parcel of land. This is expected to be completed in 2025.
Properties for rent in Kota Damansara
Most of the listed properties for rent are in the condominium and serviced apartment segment. The median rental price is RM2,300 and can get you a decent-sized fully-furnished 3-bedroom 1,237 sq ft condominium unit. There are also options for a lot less, like a fully-furnished 3-bedroom unit at RM1,500.
If you are looking for something more spacious, a 2,470 sq ft double-storey link house is available for RM3,200.
Read more: Puchong – the ultimate neighbourhood and area guide
What’s nearby
Due to its relatively large land area, Kota Damansara is surrounded by several developed townships like Bandar Utama and Mutiara Damansara to its east and Sungai Buloh to its north. With access via highways like LDP and NKVE, these neighbourhoods are within reach from Kota Damansara:
- Damansara Perdana
- Mutiara Damansara
- Tropicana Indah
- Banda Utama
- Damansara Damai
- Sungai Buloh
Whether you’re living alone or have a family with young children, Kota Damansara offers a wide variety of residential options. With its vast land area coupled with good infrastructure and amenities, Kota Damansara makes for a comfortable township to live in.
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