{"id":610,"date":"2016-08-28T07:07:03","date_gmt":"2016-08-28T07:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:21:37","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:21:37","slug":"the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I was born in the city of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/Bangkok.d178236.Destination-Travel-Guides?brandcid=blog.bangkokshopping.author.missgunner_110816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bangkok<\/a>, so maybe that makes me a touch biased; but there are sooooo many reasons that make this place a shopper\u2019s dream. I class it as one of the most exciting and unique shopping experiences in the world, because of the range of shopping approaches it caters for. Let me explain.<\/p>\n<p>First, you can shop for handmade goods on the street or markets with prices starting at less than a dollar, or you can take it to the extreme and hit up one of Bangkok\u2019s many high end boutiques &#8211; Chanel, Hermes, Dior &#8211; you name it they\u2019ve got it, in abundance. And yes, it sounds cliche to say there\u2019s something for everyone, but in this case it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n<p>Second, you get to shop almost whenever you like &#8211; this city never sleeps\u2026 (Ok\u2026 another cliche! But it\u2019s true!) <strong>Bangkok shopkeepers aren\u2019t early risers, but they\u2019ll happily stay open until 10pm or midnight to bag a sale<\/strong>, so there\u2019s no rushing around at 6pm before the doors shut, you can even take a break and catch dinner in between boutiques! Yay!!!<\/p>\n<p>There are several clustered shopping experiences I\u2019d love to highlight, the spots where you\u2019ll find me on the hunt for new outfits. This basically restricts me to a handful of hotels, because I like to be in very short distances from the likes of Platinum Mall and CentralWorld, so I\u2019ll also list my three top shopper hotels later.<\/p>\n<p>Here we go &#8211; in order of where you should start, and how you should make your way through the Bangkok shopping maze.<\/p>\n<h2>Siam Square<\/h2>\n<p>This is a quaint way to get started on your Bangkok shopping holiday. Siam Square is a collection of little boutiques set among criss-crossing pathways that has the intimacy and character of a market, with each shop fuelled by modern air conditioning.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll find more local Thai designers here than in the big stores, as the leases are cheap and flexible enough for the locals to set up and get creative. There\u2019s loads of cheap streetwear and when I was growing up in Bangkok, this was the place to be seen! You\u2019ll often spot bloggers and celebrities wandering around (well\u2026 Thai celebrities, who you may not recognise\u2026 don\u2019t expect to bump into Kendall Jenner!). It\u2019s also right next to Siam BTS station &#8211; another essential ingredient of Bangkok shopping, unless you want to sit idle in a taxi in bumper-to-bumper traffic!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hot tips for Siam Square:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Visit the Hello Kitty Cafe for some selfies!<\/li>\n<li>Grab a Shibuya honey toast from After You cafe! (After You is where all the cool Thai kids hang out.)<\/li>\n<li>If you\u2019re missing your Western food, grab a burger and some fries from the Hard Rock Cafe!<\/li>\n<li>If you want to grab an iPhone case or any electronic accessories like power banks etc., ask someone for directions to MBK &#8211; it\u2019s just next door and specialises in gadgets<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t spend all of your money, you\u2019ll want to save it for the small designers who moved from here to Platinum Fashion Mall!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Hotel tip: Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/Bangkok-Hotels-Novotel-Bangkok-On-Siam-Square.h2601.Hotel-Information?brandcid=blog.bangkokshopping.author.missgunner_110816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square<\/a> for this area<\/em><br \/>\n<img src='https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/blog-img\/8_2016\/11896_21_HT' \/><\/p>\n<h2>Siam Discovery<\/h2>\n<p>This is across the road from Siam Square and is part of a network of shopping malls, including Siam Centre, Siam Paragon and CentralWorld.<\/p>\n<p>Siam Discovery recently re-opened after a face lift\/refurbishment, and has become one of my favourite Bangkok shopping malls. It is a little pricey but it\u2019s so beautiful and unique &#8211; I\u2019m happy just to window shop here.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll find brands including Issey Miyake, Diesel and Comme des Garcons, alongside concept stores \u2013 it\u2019s become a real showcase spot for brands looking to experiment.<\/p>\n<p>The centre reminds me of an art gallery, it\u2019s also got awesome music and great air con &#8211; definitely spend some time people-watching here!<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p><img src='https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/blog-img\/8_2016\/11896_23_HT' \/><\/p>\n<h2>Siam Paragon<\/h2>\n<p>Here you\u2019ll find more high end treats \u2013 the centre is lined with the likes of Chanel, Hermes, Valentino, Jimmy Choo, Burberry\u2026 you get the idea.<\/p>\n<p>However due to goods and services tax, luxury items in Thailand are way more expensive than in other countries. If it\u2019s luxury brands you\u2019re after and you love a good buy, then definitely do your window shopping here and then save your money for when you travel to Europe. Or depending on the strength of the Aussie dollar, sometimes it\u2019s even cheaper to buy back home in Australia.<\/p>\n<p>But there are Zara, Forever21, H&amp;M stores here, and there\u2019s a great cinema, good restaurants and even an aquarium &#8211; so don\u2019t think there\u2019s no reason to come here, just because you\u2019re not interested in luxury brands.<\/p>\n<p><em>Hotel tip: If you\u2019re happy to splurge a little, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/Bangkok-Hotels-Siam-Kempinski-Hotel-Bangkok.h3135840.Hotel-Information?brandcid=blog.bangkokshopping.author.missgunner_110816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok<\/a> connects directly with Siam Paragon, so you can stroll in continuous air conditioning from your room to Jimmy Choo!!<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p><img src='https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/blog-img\/8_2016\/11896_26_HT' \/><\/p>\n<h2>Central World<\/h2>\n<p>Get back on the skywalk and continue from Sian Paragon to CentralWorld. <strong>CentralWorld is similar to Siam Paragon, with a couple of bigger department stores attached<\/strong> &#8211; by now you might start getting a little sick of the brands and experiences that you could easily find back home, so it\u2019s time to move onto something a little more \u2018Thai.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><em>Hotel Tip: Stay at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/Bangkok-Hotels-Centara-Grand-At-CentralWorld.h1847345.Hotel-Information?brandcid=blog.bangkokshopping.author.missgunner_110816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Centara Grand at CentralWorld<\/a> for direct access.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p><img src='https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/blog-img\/8_2016\/11896_27_HT' \/><\/p>\n<h2>Platinum Fashion Mall<\/h2>\n<p>Ok now we\u2019re talking! This is my favourite place to shop in Bangkok. Actually, in the whole of South East Asia. In Thailand, I try to find really cool pieces that I can&#8217;t get back in Sydney and I want it to be cheap! This is the place where, if you have $50, you\u2019ll be shopping nonstop for hours. For that amount of cash, you can probably get a couple of outfits, shoes, a handbag, sunglasses and hat. It\u2019s basic, and therefore very cheap.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s the catch? Platinum is a wholesale mall and they will often ask you to buy two items from the store in order to get a discount. <strong>Feel free to bargain with them<\/strong>. It\u2019s always fun, but just remember you\u2019re bargaining for items that are probably two or three dollars on average, so don\u2019t be too hard on us Thais!<\/p>\n<p>There are two main fashion malls. The first one consists of clothing, shoes and bags. The second mall includes some men\u2019s fashion, and has a rockin little food court upstairs. I can literally spend a whole day here. It\u2019s simple yet air-conditioned, it&#8217;s like an outdoor market but with air-con!!! Perfect! Who wants to sweat outside when you can experience a bargain in comfort?!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Handy tips for Platinum Mall:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You\u2019ll get what you pay for at times, so don\u2019t be surprised if your $3 shoes don\u2019t last three years<\/li>\n<li>There are no fitting rooms &#8211; so leave your modesty at the door or be prepared to take some risks on sizing<\/li>\n<li>On that, I\u2019m often an extra large in Thai sizes and a shoe size 40, when I\u2019m a 38 in regular European sizing<\/li>\n<li>You will find loads of cool little jewelry pieces, leather cuffs, necklaces etc. at great prices<\/li>\n<li>But if you want great quality that will last, I don\u2019t think you\u2019ll find it at Platinum<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Hotel Tip: For a cheap and cheerful stay, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/Bangkok-Hotels-Novotel-Bangkok-Platinum-Pratunam.h4608400.Hotel-Information?brandcid=blog.bangkokshopping.author.missgunner_110816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Novotel Bangkok Platinum<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>From here you can move onto loads more shopping in Bangkok (Emporium, The EmQuartier, Chatuchak, Asiatique etc.), but this is my pick for a quick and convenient sweep of typical Bangkok shopping life.<\/p>\n<p><i>Expedia compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site, such compensation may include travel and other costs<\/i>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I was born in the city of Bangkok, so maybe that makes me a touch biased; but there are sooooo many reasons that make this place a shopper\u2019s dream. I class it as one of the most exciting and unique shopping experiences in the world, because of the range of shopping approaches it caters for.&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,6,2,3,14,74],"tags":[170,95,58],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asia","category-destination","category-experiences","category-explore","category-interests","category-shopping","tag-bangkok","tag-thailand","tag-tips","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide - Expedia AU Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide - Expedia AU Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I was born in the city of Bangkok, so maybe that makes me a touch biased; but there are sooooo many reasons that make this place a shopper\u2019s dream. I class it as one of the most exciting and unique shopping experiences in the world, because of the range of shopping approaches it caters for.&hellip; Continue reading The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Expedia AU Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-08-28T07:07:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-08-08T23:21:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/images.trvl-media.com\/media\/content\/expaus\/images\/blog-img\/8_2016\/11896_21_HT\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jamie McNeely\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jamie McNeely\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/\",\"name\":\"The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide - Expedia AU Stories\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-08-28T07:07:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-08-08T23:21:37+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/7c3ff1d241163ecf78de48671f1787ce\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Explore\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Destination\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/destination\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Asia\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/destination\/asia\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/\",\"name\":\"Expedia AU Stories\",\"description\":\"Just another WordPress site\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/7c3ff1d241163ecf78de48671f1787ce\",\"name\":\"Jamie McNeely\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c6c5fcb9612549bc286e9121c24dc652?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c6c5fcb9612549bc286e9121c24dc652?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jamie McNeely\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.waveinteractive.com\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/author\/jamie-mcneely\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide - Expedia AU Stories","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/the-ultimate-bangkok-shopping-guide\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Ultimate Bangkok Shopping Guide - Expedia AU Stories","og_description":"I was born in the city of Bangkok, so maybe that makes me a touch biased; but there are sooooo many reasons that make this place a shopper\u2019s dream. 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