Top 7 biggest shopping malls in Asia

If you like to shop when you travel, the world’s biggest shopping capitals are probably top of your travel bucket list. New York, Paris, Milan, London and Hong Kong are all world-renowned for their shopping facilities and huge numbers of tourists flock to each city year-on-year, credit cards at the ready.

Whether it is shoes, bags, clothes or jewellery, everyone has their weakness, the thing they make a beeline for when spending. These record-breaking shopping malls cater to all of them. Here is a look at some of the largest, most famous shopping centres around Asia.

Central World, Thailand

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Opened in 1990, the eight-story Central World in Bangkok is the largest shopping mall in Thailand. It marketed itself as a middle class shopping center, opposed to the upper class-marketed Siam Paragon. Central World was one of the many properties set on fire by anti-government protestors. The fire raged for two days and the Zen department store collapsed in the fire.

Mid Valley Megamall, Malaysia

The Mid Valley Mall is one of Malaysia’s largest shopping centre, with 5 floors of shops and a parking area that can house up to 11,000 vehicles. The complex comprises of the shopping mall, an office tower and two hotels. This mall is also the first to house the four major anchor tenants- Carrefour, Golden Screen Cinemas, AEON and Metrojaya. With all the fashion houses and luxury brands the mall is a treat for whoever visits it.

Istanbul Cevahir, Turkey

Located on the European side of Istanbul in Turkey, the Cevahir Shopping and Entertainment Centre opened its doors in 2005. It is the largest shopping mall in Europe. There are 343 shops, 34 fast food restaurants and 14 exclusive restaurants in the shopping centre. Other facilities include a large stage for events, 12 cinemas, a bowling hall, a small roller coaster and several other entertainment facilities.

Berjaya Times Square, Malaysia

Covering 7.5 million square feet of floor area, Berjaya Times Square is the fifth largest building in the world. The Kuala Lumpur mall has over 1,000 shops, 65 eateries and a huge offering of entertainment attractions, including Asia’s largest indoor theme park, Cosmo’s World, and Malaysia’s first-ever IMAX 2D & 3D theatre.

SM Mall of Asia, Philippines

The SM Mall of Asia in Metro Manila, the Philippines, opened in 2006, consists of four buildings interconnected by walkways. It features a 20-seater tram which takes shoppers around the mall grounds. One of the mall’s main attractions is an IMAX theater with one of the world’s biggest 3D screens. The mall also features an Olympic-sized ice skating rink. It can accommodate both recreational and competitive figure skating, as well as ice hockey.

Read more: Top best shopping malls in Manila, Philippines

Golden Resources Mall, China

Nicknamed the “Great Mall of China,” the Golden Resources Mall covers an area of 6 million square feet. It is located near Fourth Ring Road in Beijing, China. The mall is 1.5 times bigger than the famous Mall of America which is the second largest in North America. In spite of the large size of the Golden Resources Mall, its major drawback is its location. It is inaccessible to most foreign visitors. Furthermore, the goods sold at the shopping centers are too expensive for the Chinese to buy.

Dubai Mall, UAE

This sprawling mall in the glamour capital of the world is easy to get lost in. At over 12 million square feet (equivalent to more than 50 soccer fields), the Dubai Mall is the largest shopping mall in the world based on total area. The mall contains more than 1,200 shops, an ice rink, a SEGA game centre, a five-star hotel, 22 cinema screens and 120 restaurants and cafes. It also boasts the largest indoor aquarium in the world and it is the gateway to the Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world. Yeah, Dubai likes to break records!

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The best art galleries in South Korea

With an ever-evolving art scene, South Korea is home to a number of world-renowned galleries that feature works spanning multiple genres and mediums. From Seoul to Busan and everywhere in between, the following galleries showcase some of the best art the country has to offer.

Gana Art Center 

Pyeongchang in northern Seoul is home to some of Korea’s oldest and most influential galleries. Among them is Gana Art, a modern complex designed by celebrated architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Founded in 1983, Gana Art has presented over 400 exhibitions of Korean and international art over its lengthy history, including prominent artists such as Pierre Alechinsky, Roy Lichtenstein and Joan Miro.

Jeju Museum of Art 

Surrounded by the beautiful and pristine nature of Jeju Island, the Jeju Museum of Art is the epicenter of the region’s art. The building itself reflects the local culture, colors and sounds of the island, while its historical and contemporary works are sure to inspire art enthusiasts. Of particular interest is the Chang Ree-suok Hall, which displays more than 100 artworks created by the well-known Korean artist Chang Ree-suok.

Gallery Yeh 

With its striking modernist architectural shell, Gallery Yeh is an iconic landmark in Seoul’s ritzy Gangnam district. Established in 1978 and reopened in 1982, it led to the transformation of the Sinsa-dong neighborhood into a dynamic cultural center. The gallery has also played a significant role in bridging the gap between Korea’s capital and the wider art world, featuring the works of celebrated artists such as Raphael Soto and Alberto Giacometti, as well as representing Korean masters such as Ku Pon-ung, Kwon Ok-yeon and Kim Hwan-gi around the globe.

Johyun Gallery 

Founded in 1990, the Johyun Gallery (formerly known as Gallery World) is one of Busan’s premier art galleries. Johyun represents many well-known Korean and international contemporary artists such as Nam June Paik, Julian Opie and Georges Rousse. With its carefully curated exhibitions of sculptures, paintings, and installations, Johyun is guaranteed to satisfy the most discerning of art lovers.

Artside Gallery 

Notable for its focus on contemporary Chinese art, Artside Gallery has been a leader in the artistic exchange between Korea and China, and has garnered international attention for hosting the first solo exhibition of artist Zhang Xiaogang in the country. In 2007, Artside opened a gallery space in Beijing, and in 2010 relocated its Seoul gallery to Hyoja-dong. Despite its expansion, the gallery’s vision remains the same – to present the best in Chinese and Asian avant-garde as a way to encourage understanding and creativity across Asian art.

Gallery FACTORY 

Situated in Hyoja-dong to the west of Gyeongbokgung Palace, is Gallery FACTORY, a small but punchy avant-garde space that has established itself as a steadfast presence in Seoul’s evolving art scene. The gallery encourages community participation through workshops and lectures, as well as by engaging in art consultation, public art projects, publications and international exchange programs. If you’re looking to discover the experimental work of up-and-coming artists based in Korea, Gallery FACTORY is certainly the place to do it.

Ungno Lee Museum of Art 

Designed by French architect Laurent Beaudouin, the quaint white structure that is the Ungno Lee Museum of Art was built to commemorate the work of the artist Goam Ungno Lee (1904-1989), who devoted his life to the modernization and globalization of Korean tradition through architecture. Goam’s work, which epitomizes the harmony between East and West, is distributed throughout four halls, which seem to flow together in one continual, unified space.

See more: Changwon, the city of art in South Korea

Source: Internet

Top 5 ancient temples in Asia

Asia offers visitor an exciting, exotic change of culture. The abundance of gilded temples in Asia earned this region the nick name ‘The Golden East’. Religious structures in Asia encompass some of the most spectacular architecture ever built, from modern temples bustling with worship and activity to evocative, crumbling ruins whose ancient stones tell of thousands of years of history, Asia’s temples offer a visitor a tantalising glance into a different way of life, religion and fervent belief.

Borobudur – Java, Indonesia

Here in Indonesia, you will reach the world’s tallest Buddhist monument. One of the most important ancient ruins in Asia, the Borobudur was built during the 9th century and rediscovered in 1815 under volcanic ashes. You will see the richness of Borobudur which has remained structurally sound over the years. However, it was visually restored during 8 years to give it back its original character and appearance. It contains 504 Buddha statues and almost 3,000 relief panels!

Angkor Wat - Siem Reap, Cambodia

The largest temple complex on Earth, four times the size of the Vatican, and the capital of the Khmer empire is an eternally fascinating site. And it’s even bigger and older than previously thought.
In 2013, an archaeological team used lidar technology to map out a vast ‘lost city’ with man-made ponds, canals and dykes that point towards an advanced hydraulic engineering, with inscriptions that date it to the 9th century (Angkor Wat was constructed in the 12th century).

While the ruins remain engulfed by the jungle, a tour of the Angkor complex points to the grand scale of this city, one that covered more than 1,000 square kilometers at its peak. Add in a tour of Angkor Thom and Ta Phrom and you have got yourself a tailor-made Indiana Jones adventure.

Ajanta Caves – Aurangabad, India

One of the most breathtaking ancient ruins in Asia are the Ajanta Caves in India. Prepare to be amazed as you discover the wonderful paintings and statues within. You will discover an impressive testimony of classical Indian art and other similar works. Amazingly, this site could have remained undiscovered due to its location. Hidden in a dense forest, its whereabouts were unknown for a thousand years! Luckily for us it is ready to be explored and enjoyed!

Longmen Grottoes – Luoyang, China

Some of the popular ancient ruins in Asia are the Longmen Grottoes.  The Grottoes are located near the shores of the Yi River 12 km south of Luoyang, China. Some say it is a cave dwellers’ paradise. But in reality, the Longmen Grottoes is a temple! Built in the 5th Century, this religious structure contains nearly 100,000 statues of Buddha. On both sides of the temple, you will find remnants of a troglodyte village. Since its creation, this holy site has suffered vandalism and plundering from thieves and pirates. Today, this cavernous destination is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Good thing too since it is such an impressive monument!

Khajuraho, India

From a distance, the temples in Khajuraho look like all the other Hindu or Jain temples you might have seen in India. Look closer though, and you will find a rich tapestry of erotic scenes carved into the side of the temples. These sexual scenes feature many strange positions and styles, the temples of Khajuraho are unlike anything else you have seen before.

Read more: The taste of Asia in 7 local dishes

Source Internet