Siem Reap
On the premises of Les Chantiers Écoles is this beautiful shop, which sells everything from stone and wood reproductions of Angkorian-era statues to…
Must-see shopping in Asia
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Lhasa
This impressive nonprofit enterprise aims to bolster traditional Tibetan handicrafts in the face of rising Chinese and Nepali imports. Products are unique…
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Delhi
Khan Market is Delhi's most-upmarket shopping enclave, the most expensive place to rent a shop in India, and is favoured by the elite and expats. Its…
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Central Cottage Industries Emporium
New Delhi
This government-run multilevel store is a wonderful treasure trove of fixed-price, India-wide handicrafts. Prices are higher than in the state emporiums,…
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Singapore
Located at Changi airport, and directly connected to Terminals 1, 2 and 3, Jewel is a multi-dimensional lifestyle destination jam-packed with food outlets…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
It's worth popping in to this high-end traditional garment shop to see the space itself, a gorgeous, cavernous, rose-oil-scented stunner chock-full of…
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Dhaka
Charming folk handicrafts and clothes with a funky modern twist. You'll find the best brightly painted toy rickshaws here, and if you've time to order in…
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New Delhi
Crafts, curios, textiles and homewares from the Crafts Council of India, designed with flair and using traditional techniques but offering some…
Yangon
Several hours can easily be spent at this historic covered market, with over 2000 stalls selling everything from gold and diamond jewellery to tattoos. It…
Beijing
A curio hunter's heaven or an Everest of fakery? Panjiayuan is both, and marvellous fun to boot. Picking over the wares of some 4000 dealers, you won't…
Phnom Penh
This sweltering bazaar is the one market all visitors should come to at least once during a trip to Phnom Penh. It is the place to shop for souvenirs and…
Chiang Mai
On Sunday afternoon Th Ratchadamnoen is taken over by the boisterous Sunday Walking Street, which feels even more animated than Th Wualai's Saturday…
Shanghai Old City
This renovated Qing dynasty stretch of Middle Fangbang Rd is lined with specialist tourist shops, spilling forth with shadow puppets, jade jewellery,…
Kuala Lumpur
Pavilion sets the gold standard in KL's shopping scene. Amid the many familiar international luxury brands, there are branches of chains including COS,…
Tokyo
Mitsukoshi's venerable Nihombashi branch was Japan’s first department store. It's a grand affair with an entrance guarded by bronze lions and a…
Southern Higashiyama
This company has been making its canvas bags for over 110 years and the store is often crammed with those in the know picking up a skillfully crafted…
Chiang Mai
The Saturday Walking Street takes over Th Wualai, running southwest from Pratu Chiang Mai at the southern entrance to the old city. There is barely space…
Ginza & Tsukiji
You could hear the collective swoon of all devotees of functional design when this huge Muji flagship opened in 2019. Floors two through five carry the…
Downtown Kyoto
This old-style tea shop sells some of the best Japanese tea in Kyoto, and you'll be given an English leaflet with prices and descriptions of each one. Its…
Siem Reap
Siem Reap's original night market near Sivatha St has sprung countless copycats, but it remains the best and is well worth a browse. It's packed with…
Chinatown & the CBD
Arguably Singapore's coolest bookshop, BooksActually has a refreshing selection of fiction and nonfiction titles, including works by Singaporean authors,…
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Beijing
In a city in thrall to the mall, this futuristic, ecofriendly pyramid stands out from the crowd. Hong Kong–owned Parkview Green is a fabulously ambitious,…
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Tianjin
Trading under the name of the artist (Zhang Mingshen) who invented Tianjin's most famous craftwork almost 200 years ago, the inconspicuous first-floor…
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Beijing
This charming boutique upcycles shards of porcelain vases smashed during the Cultural Revolution into unique and desirable jewellery, boxes, ornaments and…
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Colombo
Designer Barbara Sansoni’s beautifully laid out shop, located in an old villa, is justly popular for its bright hand-loomed textiles, which are fashioned…
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Singapore
Like a breath of retail fresh air, Design Orchard pays homage to local talent and Singaporean design compared to the big-name brands dotting Orchard Rd…
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Kyūshū
Dating from the 1850s and a registered cultural property, this busy, rustic blade shop is filled with incredible knives, hatchets, swords and even ninja…
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Luang Prabang
Every evening this tourist-oriented but highly appealing market assembles along Th Sisavangvong and is deservedly one of Luang Prabang’s biggest tourist…
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Macau
This beautiful shop carries dozens of canned seafood brands (representing hundreds of varieties) from Portugal, all labelled with details on the history…
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Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
This DIY and zakka (miscellaneous things) store is a Tokyo landmark, loved by locals and tourists alike. It has eight fascinating floors of everything you…
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Kong Heng Square Artisan Market
Ipoh
During the colonial era, these walls formed the city's large single shop block. Today a cluster of craft stalls has sprung up around this light-flooded…
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Hua Hin
Seenspace is Thailand's first beachfront mall and word is still getting out. A trendy layout of concrete walls and open-air areas comprise food stands and…
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Tokyo
More like a purpose-built town than a mall, Coredo Muromachi is spread over three buildings and a terrace complex. It's stylish and upscale, focused more…
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Canggu
Built in a traditional joglo style, this wood- and palm-tree-laden Canggu village is the trifecta of hipster retail, food and shopping. You can kick back…
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Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Shibuya Parco has been a trendsetter for decades and now, after a renovation finished in 2019, it is back in top form. There are global brands, but also…
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Yangon
Reviving traditional crafts, including jewellery making and textile weaving, is the mission of this NGO which occupies a beautifully restored, heritage…
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Downtown Kyoto
Zōhiko is the best place in Kyoto to buy one of Japan's most beguiling art-and-craft forms: lacquerware. If you aren't familiar with just how beautiful…
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Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Isetan is Tokyo's most fashion-forward department store. Head to the 2nd-floor Tokyo Closet and 3rd-floor Re-Style boutiques in the main building, and the…
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Yangon
Meaning 'beautiful' in Burmese, Hla Day is a superb example of a social-enterprise shop. It offers quality contemporary and traditional handicrafts…
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Bangkok
This megamall on the Chao Phraya River has six floors dedicated to luxury shopping, encompassing everything from high-end to high street. It also rolls in…
