In its early days, Sunway city was synonymous with the Sunway Lagoon theme park that opened in 1992, which was the first of its kind in Malaysia. Since then, this township has grown into a massive entertainment complex, packed with amusement parks, hotels and one of the largest shopping malls in the world.
The township has since grown to be a thriving place to live, work and play in. The unique thing about Sunway is that it was developed by a single developer, the Sunway Group. Under the helm of Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah, the group applied the “build, own, and operate” concept to develop Sunway. The group still owns and operates major facilities within the neighbourhood including Sunway Lagoon, Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa, Sunway University and Sunway Medical Centre.
Where is it located?
Bandar Sunway, also known as Sunway City, is strategically located at the intersection of Federal Highway and Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP), about 20km southwest from Kuala Lumpur city centre. With easy access to several other major highways including the Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS), and New Pantai Expressway (NPE), there are various routes to get in and out of Sunway.
History of Sunway
The 800 acres of land that Sunway City sits on was formerly a disused tin mining area. During the 1980s, Sunway Group founder Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah started on his plan to convert the wasteland into a livable township. In its early years, the neighbourhood consisted mostly of residential terrace houses, some commercial shop lots, and a light industrial area.
In 1987, Sunway College began its operations and consequently brought upon a sizeable student population to live in Sunway. The construction of Sunway Lagoon theme park started in 1986 and welcomed visitors in 1992, while the iconic Sunway Pyramid shopping mall opened its doors in 1997.
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What is Sunway City known for?
Sunway Lagoon and Sunway Pyramid were undoubtedly the key attractions in Sunway when it was first developed. Visitors flocked to Sunway Lagoon theme park for its water slides and theme park rides. New features were added over the years, including a man-made surf beach and an extreme park. Sunway Pyramid was also a novelty when it was first unveiled thanks to the giant pyramid that formed the architecture of the mall, with a giant lion modelled after the Great Sphinx of Giza at the entrance. These structures remain to this day a distinguishing landmark of the township.
Sunway Lagoon theme park is also known to be a concert venue, with many concerts held at its Amphitheater and Surf Beach. Among them included the MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia and Guns N’ Roses – Not In This Lifetime Tour.
Besides entertainment, the township is also known for being an education hub. Sunway College was established in the late 80s and the institution has since received university status. Monash University’s Malaysian campus was established in 1999 just a stone’s throw away.
Fun facts:
- The town once had its own monorail line in the 90s designed to connect major spots like Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Lagoon, and Sunway College.
- The unused monorail tracks were converted into a covered pedestrian walkway in 2010. The 360m Canopy Walk connects Sunway Pyramid to Sunway University and Monash University.
- Sunway is home to Malaysia’s first-ever Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. The dedicated elevated route for buses brings commuters from Sunway to the Setia Jaya KTM Commuter and USJ7 LRT stations.
- The Monash University Campus in Sunway is the institution’s first-ever overseas campus.
- At 4.3mil sq ft, Sunway Pyramid is the second-largest shopping mall in Malaysia.
Living in Sunway
In its infancy, Sunway was almost like a college town. With Sunway College being the focal point, there was a large population of students living there, especially in the Spectrum apartments. At that time, landed property consisted mostly of double-storey terrace houses in PJS 9.
As the township developed, more amenities were built and with it, more activities. The Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, Sunway Convention Centre, Sunway Pyramid Hotel and Sunway Lagoon theme park became popular venues for events. The theme park and shopping mall attracted local and foreign visitors. Sunway College received university status and the original campus was upgraded to Sunway University. Sunway Medical Centre began operations in 1999 and is becoming a major player in medical tourism.
With easy access to major highways including Federal Highway and LDP, Sunway City became a much sought-after location. Its proximity to mature neighbourhoods like Subang Jaya and Puchong also added to its appeal. The development of the Sunway South Quay area with its scenic lake introduced more high-end properties, both landed and strata.
People living in the area have access to one primary school, one secondary school and the Sunway International School, making it an attractive choice for families with children.
Read more: The ultimate neighbourhood guide to Shah Alam
Things to do in Sunway
1. Spend a fun-filled day in Sunway Lagoon
With a water park, amusement park, wildlife park, a Nickolodeon-themed park, and even a haunted house, you can easily spend a whole day – or two – at Sunway Lagoon. The admission ticket is priced at RM202 (Adult) and RM170 (Child/Senior Citizen). As for Malaysian (with MyKad), the tickets are priced at RM138 for Adult and RM113 for Child/ Senior Citizen.
Is Sunway Lagoon open?
Unfortunately, the Sunway Lagoon Theme Park has temporarily closed during the CMCO period.
2. Shop until you drop at Sunway Pyramid
With more than four million sq ft of retail space and four shopping precincts – Fashion Central, Oasis Boulevard, Asian Avenue and Marrakesh – you might actually end up shopping until you drop. There is also a great selection of food outlets inside the mall that will cater to all taste buds.
3. Put your skate on at Sunway Pyramid Ice
Malaysia’s first ice-skating rink in a mall is located in Sunway Pyramid. Even if you don’t get on the ice, you can watch the action from the floors above.
4. Get your pulse racing with go-kart
If you fancy zipping around the tracks in a go-kart, you can do just that at the X Park in Sunway Lagoon.
5. Family vacation
With so much to do in Sunway, you can actually turn an outing into a family vacation especially since the township has no shortage of hotels. The three main hotels are Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, Sunway Pyramid Hotel and Sunway Clio Hotel while there are several budget hotels located within the commercial areas.
What to eat in Sunway?
1. Rock Cafe
Just a five-minute walk from Sunway University is a food court that’s a popular haunt for students. Football fans also gather here to watch the regular live screenings of English Premier League matches. Rock Cafe offers a selection of halal and non-halal hawker foods and uses separate utensils for serving food.
Address: Jalan PJS 11/20, Bandar Sunway
Opening hours: 24 hours. Hours may vary during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period.
2. Haidilao Sunway
This popular Chinese hotpot franchise created quite a stir when it opened its first Malaysian outlet in Sunway Pyramid. Known for its signature tomato and spicy soup bases, the outlet attracted scores of diners who were willing to stand in line for up to four hours to get a place. Waiting in line is actually part of the appeal of Haidilao, as customers can help themselves to snacks, play games while waiting, and even get a manicure.
Address: G1.PT.02 Sunway Pyramid, 3, Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm. Non-halal
3. Christine’s Bakery
This bakery in Sunway Geo is known for its selection of bagels, sandwiches and homemade croissants. Besides that, their variety of cakes, tarts and signature Portuguese egg tart will satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth.
Address: B-02-01, Sunway Geo, Bandar Sunway
Opening hours: 7.30am to 9.30pm.
4. The Lunch Box
The Lunch Box features a selection of local, Balinese, and Western cuisine. Its signature dish is a sumptuous nasi lemak that you can have with different side dishes including fried chicken or ayam bakar Bali.
Address: Sunway Monash Residence, Persiaran Tasik Barat Sunway South Quay
Opening hours: 11am to 8pm.
What is there to eat in Sunway Pyramid?
1. Haidilao Sunway
This popular Chinese hotpot franchise created quite a stir when it opened its first Malaysian outlet in Sunway Pyramid. Known for its signature tomato and spicy soup bases, the outlet attracted scores of diners who were willing to stand in line for up to four hours to get a place. Waiting in line is actually part of the appeal of Haidilao, as customers can help themselves to snacks, play games while waiting, and even get a manicure.
Address: G1.PT.02 Sunway Pyramid
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm. Non-halal
2. Hana Dining & Sake Bar
For those who fancy Japanese food but are tired of eating at the same Japanese franchise restaurant, head over to Hana Dining & Sake Bar. This modern Japanese dining serves the freshest sashimi and sushi to its diner and offers other delicacies like tempura, teppanyaki and don. They even have a business course meal that comes with a complimentary Chawanmushi.
Address: OB2.G.U1, Sunway Pyramid
Opening hours: 12pm to 8pm (during CMCO)
3. 798 Shabu Shabu
Not a fan of spicy mala soup? Come on over and give this Japanese steamboat restaurant a try then. Not only is it served in buffet style (imagine all the meat slices you can eat!), 798 Shabu Shabu also serves in personal-sized pots so you don’t have to share food with other people.
Address: OB.K6, 3 Sunway Pyramid
Opening hours: 11am to 11pm
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Properties for sale in Sunway
Sunway is a sought-after location to live in because of its accessibility and infrastructure. The close proximity to Subang Jaya adds to its appeal. There is a wide spectrum of residential properties available, from low-cost flats all the way to high-end bungalows.
The median house price in Sunway is RM385,000. You can get a decent-sized apartment for RM395k in one of the older developments or a stylish but smaller 1-bedroom serviced residence in the newer developments for RM350,000.
In the landed segment, the majority of listings are terrace houses. A 2-storey link house in the PJS 9 and PJS 10 areas average between RM750,000 and RM1mil. If you are looking for a bigger and more luxurious property, a 6,757 sq ft bungalow in the newer Bay Rock Garden area starts from RM5mil.
There are two new developments within Sunway: Geolake Townhouses and Geolake Residences. The two-storey townhouses consist of a 2,799 sq ft 3+1 bedroom unit on the lower floor and a 3,035 sq ft 4+1 bedroom on the upper floor. Prices begin from RM2mil. The layouts range from smaller 883 sq ft units to more spacious 1,776 sq ft units.
Properties for rent in Sunway
There is a high demand for rental property in Sunway due to the large student population. The average rental price is RM2,900 and the majority of rental listings are in the condominium segment.
Rental for a fully furnished one-bedroom condominium is around RM2,500 to RM2,800 but you can also get similarly sized apartments for half that amount. Bigger units between 1,000 and 2,000 sq ft that are fully furnished can range from RM1,800 to RM3,700 a month.
For landed properties, a fully-furnished terrace house can go for RM2,700 while an unfurnished house can be rented out for RM1,500.
If you are looking to rent a more luxurious property, try the fully-furnished Bay Rocks Waterfront Villa for RM12,000.
How to get around Sunway
It takes between 30 and 45 minutes to get to Bandar Sunway from the Kuala Lumpur city centre by car.
Highway: Connectivity is a key factor when choosing a place to live in and Sunway is connected to a network of expressways including the Federal Highway, Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP), New Pantai Expressway (NPE) and Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS).
Public transport: From the KTM Commuter station or USJ7 LRT station, you can get to Sunway using the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). The BRT is also a great way to travel within Sunway as it connects all the way to Sunway South Quay.
Walking: If you do not want the hassle of driving and looking for parking, walking is a great way to get around Sunway. The Canopy Walk provides a sheltered elevated walkway that connects key places like Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway Pyramid Hotel, Sunway University and Monash University.
What’s nearby
With easy access to highways, you can get to many places from Sunway. Being so close to matured townships like Subang Jaya and Puchong means that there are also more choices in terms of amenities, food and entertainment if you’re tired of going to the same places in Sunway Pyramid:
- Subang Jaya
- USJ
- Puchong
- Kelana Jaya
Even though Sunway City is known for Sunway Lagoon theme park, Sunway Pyramid and Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa, it is also a sought-after place to live in due to its strategic location, easy accessibility and good infrastructure. The development of the Sunway South Quay area has opened up more property choices in the neighbourhood.