My Artbox Malaysia 2023 Experience

Hi there!

Artbox Malaysia is already here and will be resuming another second week this weekends (17th-19th November) at Sunway City Open Space Car Park in front of the Sunway Resort Hotel. So I went there yesterday 12th November.

Me and Fafa at Artbox Malaysia.

Artbox is from Thailand originally and being held at Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. So this year, it's being managed by Singaporean organizer. I've been to Artbox Malaysia 2019 if I'm not mistaken, so I'll compare the previous one and this current one too.

So this is my verdict:

1) The entrance is FREE. Such a bless. Last time you need to pay to get in.

2) It's much smaller in scale but not bad. You still can walk from end to end.

3) The timing is not right because it's always raining, since it's outdoor... you guess it? The walkway will be all wet with smaller pot holes here and there. If you love your shoes and your trousers, just avoid using it. Use some thing else. Haha. Prepare youself a small umbrella and someting to wipe the wet seat okay!

4) Compare to before, the vendors are much lesser. So less choices obviously as some vendors have same things and foods to sell. Less specialty vendors, not much interactive vendors and I feel like the placing of the specialty vendors are everywhere. But don't get me wrong, it's still fun too!

5) The Halal and Non-Halal Food Vendors are not being separated. Like WHY? For muslim, you should walk more to the last vendor row where no pork being sold there. The food vendors are next to each other. So when you cook, the porky fillings might fly to the next vendor. Haha.

Also, the smoke from the pork being cooked can definitely travel to the next vendors and the people visitors. Again, less choices compared to before BUT I praise the price wise. Got tons of affordable foods. Last time I swear, it's like a hipster market place with hipster price tag. Geez, thank you so much! 

6) Less seated area. Hmmmmmmm.

The main stage area got less seated area. Don't get me started with the seat hoarders. Won't move their butt even with no foods no performance. Haishhh. 

The seating area are much random. Less aesthetic compare to before. Haha. And some seating area are just not well set up. You know people coming to Artbox to find instaworthy spot so... it's such a miss there! 

Luckily this time around, they prepared a lot of standing table for visitors. Which I'm good with it because most are younger people. We can just eat, walk, take picture and all without needed to hoard seat. So this is a love improvement!

7) Instaworthy Spot. Compared to before, it's much lesser spot and smaller in size. Last time, it's everywhere with over the top decorations. Now more to tone down with big installations here and there. Better than nothing right?

8) Bigger space for walkaway. This is one of the best part about Artbox this year. Last time, the vendors are being arranged packly with each other. Less space to walk. For me myself, always bumping into people's shoulder. This time around much peace and it makes me strolling looking for vendors much easier. Last time, I can't looking over all vendors because it's way too pack that I almost got anxious. Yeet!

9) Performances are great. MC also great. Vibingggggggg. The songs choices also nice that you can sing alon. Not so EDM or very loud that your heart might stop. Because it's wet, so nice and easy songs are way to go.

BUTTTTTTT, I am very disappointed that no deepavali or Indian songs can be heard. Disclaimer, I went there yesterday, I didn't listen to any. I don't know whether previous performer or the next performer did it or not or do the organizer play the songs when I'm not there. I hope they did tho. My Chinese mom was so eagerly to hear a hindi song at least as yesterday is Deepavali. Hmmm. 

10) THEY ALLOWED PET DOG inside Artbox. Okay, no one is taking care at the entrance as I went in, there's no one is taking care of it. I guess the owners of this one leashed dog just brought it in. What I dislike about this, they didn't look over their own dog. Simply hold the leash and talk to each other while the dog do whatever it wants.

So....I am not against the pet. I am against the owners. WHAT IF YOUR DOG BITE another visitors? What if the dog poop while you're busy socialize? What if the dog brushes the visitors? especially muslim visitors? Geez. Now I regret for not taking the owners and their dog as prove. I swear it's true!

I make a short random tiktok video about Artbox Malaysia. You can watch it below:

@zandra.zane 🎶🎤👗🎉💃🏻🍞🍵🤌🏻😂🤣💅🏻❤️🪩🥤🙌🏻 #artboxmalaysia #artboxmalaysia2023 #artboxcafe ♬ One of a Kind (热播版） (Cover G-DRAGON (权志龙)) - 田浩宇

I would say the organizer this year ignorant a bit as they don't take account about Malaysia as muslim majority country and Deepavali as one of the big celebration. They should hire Malaysian Organizer or someone who knows Malaysia better. And I  really hope they can bring more local vendors to join as many vendors are from Thailand and Singapore.

Not to take the organizer down because they also make lots of positive improvement just maybeeeee get in touch with locals more. I do hope next year Artbox will have more sponsors like before because it's hella merrier, bigger and fun!

The big question, will I go again?

Yes. Cause it's fun. It's chill. Quite affordable. Good to hangout alone or with friends. For a first timer at Artbox, it's still a good experience to come here. You may come to this weekends Artbox! Do try the toast bread with sangkaya and yam sauce. Only RM5 but delicioussssss!

Go to Vendor 183. The toast bread and sauce 🤌🏻.

Okay here’s the details about Artbox operating hours and date below. Maybe I’ll come again, so see you? Hahaha.