5 best areas to shop in Bangkok
Flying to Bangkok soon? Or planning a trip there? We’ve consolidated five areas that you can add to your itinerary. From shopping malls to shopping streets and markets, you can shop till you drop!
1. Siam
Akin to the Orchard area in Singapore, Siam is home to some of the biggest shopping malls in Bangkok. Along the same stretch of road, you can find Siam Discovery, Siam Center, Siam Paragon, Siam Square One, and CentralWorld. Whatever you’re looking for — luxury goods, fashion products, electronics, etc. — surely you can find them in one of these malls.
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Otherwise, there are also other malls in the area like MBK Center and Platinum Fashion Mall, which feature more local brands. But my favourite is still Big C Supercenter (cues the aunty in me). You have to admit there’s no better place to get Thai snacks and instant noodles than this hypermarket.
Grand Massage & Spa (MBK Branch)
2. Sukhumvit
Similar to the Siam area, Sukhumvit also has posh shopping malls like EmQuartier and Emporium. These malls are also elegantly designed that emit nothing but a luxurious feeling — think Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands or ION Orchard.
Moving northwest, next to the Asok BTS station is the interesting mall Terminal 21, where you can “travel the world” as you shop. Each floor is designed as a city, like you’re travelling to a different country as you ride the escalator. The toilets on each floor also feature different designs and themes. Although it may be weird to keep taking photos of toilets, they are truly Instagram-worthy.
Viva Jiva Spa at The Landmark Bangkok Hotel
3. Riverside
The Chao Phraya is a major river that cuts through Bangkok and flows into the Gulf of Thailand. Several Buddhist temples are located on the banks of this long winding river, like Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho and Wat Arun. But the banks of this river also feature places for shopping and dining like Iconsiam and Asiatique, which offer picturesque views.
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4. Chinatown
For more oriental goods and delicacies, Bangkok’s Chinatown, located in Yaowarat and Sampheng, is a must-visit. It’s a bonus too if you speak Teochew as the locals are mainly Teochew Chinese.
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5. Markets
Not exactly confined to a particular area, day markets and night markets are the highlights of Bangkok. You can’t say you’ve been to Bangkok if you didn’t visit any of these markets. Some popular ones include Chatuchak Weekend Market, Jodd Fairs, and Rod Fai Market (or Train Night Market).
Jodd Fairs Night Market Guided Walking Tour
Another Instagram-worthy place is Maeklong Railway Market (or Talad Rom Hub Market). I don’t remember there being anything much for tourists to buy. But this market literally sits on a railway track and lets you capture the rare and amusing sight of a train cruising through the market. When the train is about to leave the station, you’ll see the locals make way for it, leaving their goods at a precisely calculated distance from the train wheels.
There are also iconic and touristy floating markets like Amphawa Floating Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. But rather than doing your shopping there, where they may mark up prices, these are more like places for you to appreciate their traditional way of selling and buying goods.
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