Top 5 great shopping malls in Thailand you cannot miss

Bangkok is one of my favorite shopping cities in the world. It has huge posh shopping centers with chick international and Asian fashion design, these are 5 great shopping places that are tested and proven to be great for the real shopaholics.

Terminal 21

Terminal 21 is located near Asok sky train station and is a fairly new shopping center which opened in 2011. This is a really cool shopping center, one of the coolest and most spectacular. Each floor is designed as a city, one is London, another is Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Istanbul, San Fransisco and Hollywood. The center is huge, consisting of more than 600 shops.

Terminal 21 has a wide range of nice restaurant and cafes, as well as cinema on the top floor. You should visit Terminal 21 just to have a look at the design of each floor.

Opening hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Platinum fashion mall

Platinum Fashion Mall is like an indoor version of the Chatuchak Weekend Market. It specializes in wholesale fashion clothing and accessories, with four floors of shopping space, packed with some 1,300 shops. Here, haggling is part of the fun, and you will save more buying in larger quantities.

Each floor of Platinum Fashion Mall is named after famous shopping districts around the world, namely Orchard, Nathan, Ginza, Soho, Oxford and Camden. Roughly, the four floors of retail shopping space are dedicated to men’s and women’s clothing, leathers, shoes and fashion accessories. The range of styles and what is available is more than impressive.

Opening hours: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

MBK Center

You will get an amazing shopping experience at the MBK Center in Bangkok as it is one of the most popular choices for both the locals of the area and the tourists that travel to Thailand. Emerged as the best of Bangkok attractions, this particular eight-story shopping market is just a place that you cannot miss. And the place is even more beautiful and filled with people on a weakened. Bangkok residents and tourists hop over to the MBK center for a quick round of shopping in the amazing shops, stalls and other interesting things. This market is cheap and affordable.

Opening hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Central World

Central World opened in 2006 and is the sixth biggest shopping center in the world with eight floors. This is the ultimate Bangkok shopping mall.

Central World consists of several “wings” full of shops, cafes, and restaurants. Each floor is dedicated to a specific type of item. Central World mega-shopping complex offers one of the most exciting shopping experiences in Bangkok. It has everything from brand name clothing boutiques, funky fashion, high-tech gadgets, bookshops and designer furniture to imported groceries, a lineup of banks, beauty salons, gourmet eateries and even an ice-skating rink. With so many tantalising options to explore, you could easily spend half a day here without realising it.

Opening hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Siam Discovery

Do you want to experience the best of Thailand shopping? The Siam Discovery is amazing place to shop in Thailand. The personal favorite of most of the Thailand residents and the tourists, the Siam Discovery is a place that you must visit if you are a shopaholic. Filled with interesting and unique stuff which include amazing houseware and gorgeous clothing, this place is a hub for everyone to shop.

Opening hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Read more: 7 free things to do in Bangkok

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Best places to travel in Vietnam during Tet

Tet is the Lunar New Year for Vietnam and falls on the same day as the Chinese New Year. For the Vietnamese, Tet is like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve all rolled up in one. Moreover,  this is a great time to be in Vietnam for travelers. Everyone is in a very festive spirit and the streets are filled with flowers.

Moc Chau plateau

200 kilometers apart from Hanoi, Moc Chau is a well-known destination for backpackers. The best time to go to Moc Chau is from the end of January to February, when plum blossoms and sakura bloom everywhere, making the plateau looks like a white heaven.

Tam Dao

It is quite hot in Vietnam this winter, and if you miss the feeling of those cold winds blowing to your face, why don’t you come to Tam Dao where the weather is always cool? Visiting the Van Pagoda, Silver Waterfall, Sky Gate and enjoying local dishes like chayote, hill chicken, man pig as well.

Dalat

With no doubt, visiting the “City of flower” in the blooming season is a great plan for your Tet holiday. You can hire a motorbike and wander around this city to enjoy its quiet beauty and of course flowers. Must-thing to do when you come to Dalat is visiting Dalat Flower Garden. You can even find an impressive cacti garden, many of them originally from Africa. The garden is in the center of the city, so don’t miss it.

See more: 10 traditional Vietnamese New Year dishes

Hoi An

Used to be a South-East Asian trading port from the 15th to the 19th century, it seems like Hoi An is left by the modern world and still sleeping in its glorious past. With the well-preserved ancient architecture, it makes you feel like you are coming back to hundreds of years ago. It is a small town, so you should spend around 1 to 2 days here.

Hanoi

Hanoi is quite quiet during the holiday because a lot of Vietnamese people visit their family. So let's take advantage of this holiday to avoid traffic jams in this city. Wandering around Hoan Kiem Lake, you can enjoy the holiday decorations and locals in traditional clothing. In addition, you can visit Ngoc Son Temple and Tran Quoc Temple to enjoy the atmosphere of the holiday.

Sapa

Another Northern destination in this list must-visit Vietnam. If you come to Vietnam and you don’t visit Sapa, it’s such a pity. The breathtaking mountainous scenery of Hoang Lien Son range, the terraced fields on rolling hills, the villages of Highland ethics, the colorfulness of brocade fabric. You just don’t want to miss it.

See more: 5 traditional activities during Tet holiday for families

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Top destinations in Southeast Asia

Spanning 11 countries, thousands of islands and hundreds of traditional cultures and unique natural wonders, the region of Southeast Asia could take a lifetime to fully travel.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A delight to wander around, Yogyakarta is the artistic and cultural heart of the island of Java – the rich Javanese heritage shines forth wherever you look. One of the oldest cities in Indonesia, there are lots of historical sites to visit; it is still ruled by a sultan, whose elegant, walled palace dominates the center of town. A great place to live, Yogyakarta’s delightful street art, fantastic art galleries and museums, as well as its sumptuous dining options, make it lovely to visit. With the spectacular temple complex at Borobudur and Prambanan nearby, Yogyakarta is a great base from which you can explore the surrounding region.

Chiang Rai, Thailand

The most famous of Chiang Rai attractions is the iconic Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple) which was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat. Another famous work from Chalermchai is Chiang Rai’s golden clock tower set prominently in a roundabout in the center of town. Unveiled in 2008 as a tribute to the King of Thailand, the clock tower comes alive every hour as one would expect an ornate clock tower to do.

Penang, Malaysia

Penang has long been known globally as one of the most popular tourist destinations ever. From mouth-watering street food and hawker fare to iconic locations such as the Kek Lok Si Temple and the hip and trendy street murals in Georgetown, the city is more or less the poster boy of Malaysian tourism. Steeped in history and adorned with modern skyscrapers, Penang is a cultural cauldron of tradition and modernity. Definitely a world-class holiday destination and a must-visit for any self-respecting traveler in Malaysia.

See more: Penang, the Pearl of the Orient

Hue, Vietnam

Vietnam’s ancient capital city lies on the central coast between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh along the Perfume River, and originally held the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty until it fell in 1945. The rich history of Vietnam is held in the very spirit of this coastal town, and to experience the intricacies of Vietnamese culture here is like a textbook come to life. The Imperial Citadel is the central structure in Hue, with sacred pagodas extending for kilometres outside the main complex. Then there are the royal tombs and iconic Forbidden City – but without the crowds of its Chinese counterpart. Finally, don’t leave without sampling the local speciality, Banh Khaoi pancakes, which pair well with the area’s namesake microbrew.

Kampot, Cambodia

This southern region of Cambodia was once heavily influenced by French occupation, still evident today by the dilapidated colonial mansions that dot the countryside. The town itself is built around its namesake river and framed by the Elephant mountain range, with aging roadways extending into the countryside and its salt fields, rice paddies, and water buffalo. Nearby Kep is famous for its world-class pepper plantations and crab market – and the two synthesize in a winning combination. Visitors can buy crab from fishermen literally as its fished from the water, and have it cooked up in the signature peppery taste Kep is known for. This coastline is also home to the Irrawaddy dolphin, a rare species that can thrive in either salt or freshwater environments, and more closely resemble a beluga or orca than a typical dolphin.

See more: Explore Kampot, Cambodia’s hidden gem

Bagan, Myanmar

While the ancient Khmer ruins are undeniably beautiful, the towering Buddhist monuments of Bagan retain a rare magic unsullied by droves of tour groups. Some 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas, and monasteries sweep across a 42 square kilometre desert-like plain encircled by the misty Bago Yoma mountain range in the distance. Each of the structures was built nearly a century ago – between the years 1057 and 1287, at which point the kingdom fell to invading Mongols – and have been since restored and protected by Unesco. Today, the best way to experience this step back in time is by renting a bicycle or one of Bagan's signature electric bicycles to tour the enormous grounds at your own pace, joined only by passing tourists on their own routes, groundskeepers and local villagers going about their day, and the occasional monk.

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