Must-see shopping in Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei

  • Jewel

    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…

  • Pavilion KL

    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,…

  • BooksActually, bookshop interior.

    BooksActually

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Arguably Singapore's coolest bookshop, BooksActually has a refreshing selection of fiction and nonfiction titles, including works by Singaporean authors,…

  • Design Orchard

    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…

  • 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…

  • Rumah Bebe

    Singapore

    Bebe Seet is the owner of this 1928 shophouse and purveyor of all things Peranakan. She sells traditional kebayas (Nonya-style blouses with decorative…

  • Sifr Aromatics

    Little India & Kampong Glam

    This Zen-like perfume laboratory belongs to third-generation perfumer Johari Kazura, whose exquisite creations include the heady East (30mL S$125), a…

  • Unique Penang

    George Town

    Be charmed by the colourful artworks, prints and postcards of friendly young owners Clovis and Joey, as well as the many images created by the art…

  • Bon Ton

    George Town

    Head here for fabrics – both new and antique – as well as boxes, stationery, coffee-table books, art pieces, bags and other classy Asian bric-a-brac.

  • Tong Mern Sern Antiques

    Chinatown & the CBD

    An Aladdin’s cave of dusty furniture, books, records, woodcarvings, porcelain and other bits and bobs (we even found an old cash register), Tong Mern Sern…

  • Museum Cafe & Shop

    Kuching

    Local textiles, organic soaps and an excellent selection of books on Sarawak's history and culture are all good reasons to visit this combination of…

  • Batek-Lah

    George Town

    Malaysian-produced batik printed cloth is made into a variety of men's and women's fashions and gift items here. Some of the more expensive designs are…

  • Bugis Street Market

    Little India & Kampong Glam

    What was once an area known for its risqué nightlife – packed with foreign servicemen on R&R, gambling dens and sex workers – is now its most famous undercover…

  • A+ Works of Art

    Kuala Lumpur

    Joshua Lim is the knowledgeable director of this commercial art space exhibiting a good range of contemporary works by local artists. Among the talents…

  • Publika

    Kuala Lumpur

    Art, shopping, dining and social life are all in harmony at this innovative mall, 10 minutes' drive north of Bangsar. There's a good handicrafts market on…

  • Singapore, Figurine at ION Orchard (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images)

    ION Orchard Mall

    Singapore

    Rising directly above Orchard MRT station, futuristic ION is the cream of Orchard Rd malls. Basement floors focus on mere-mortal high-street labels, while…

  • Naiise

    Singapore

    Looking for unique and inspiring tokens of your time in Singapore? Put this sprawling, designer haven on your list. Cheeky postcards, fun local food…

  • Lot 10

    Kuala Lumpur

    Fronted by branches of fashion retailers H&M and Zara, this mall's star turn is Isetan The Japan Store, a department which curates the best of Japanese…

  • Pedder On Scotts

    Singapore

    Even if you're not in the market for high-end heels and bags, Pedder On Scotts thrills with its creative, whimsical items. The store hand picks only the…

  • Pudu Market

    Kuala Lumpur

    Arrive early to experience KL's largest wet (produce) market at its most frantic and visceral. Here you can get every imaginable type of fruit, vegetable,…

  • Kapok

    Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay

    Inside the National Design Centre, Kapok showcases beautifully designed products from Singapore and beyond. Restyle your world with local jewellery from…

  • Basheer Graphic Books

    Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay

    Spruce up your coffee table at this temple to design books and magazines. Located inside Bras Basah Complex (locally dubbed 'Book City'), it has…

  • Raffles Hotel Gift Shop

    Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay

    It might sound like a tourist trap, but the Raffles Hotel gift shop is a good spot for quality souvenirs, whatever your budget. Remaining open while the…

  • Antiques of the Orient

    Singapore

    Snugly set in a mall filled with Asian arts and crafts shops, Antiques of the Orient is a veritable treasure chest of original and reproduction vintage…

  • Supermama

    Little India & Kampong Glam

    Tucked around the corner from Arab St, this gallery-esque store is a treasure trove of contemporary giftware. Circle the huge central bench while you pore…

  • Gurney Plaza

    George Town

    In addition to more than 300 shops, including the department store Parkson, Penang’s most glamorous mall serves up a whole floor of food and beverage…

  • Raffles Hotel Arcade

    Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay

    Part of the hotel complex, Raffles Hotel Arcade has been home to some of the world's most notable retailers. Set to reopen in mid-2019, as part of the…

  • Sabah Museum Gift Shop

    Kota Kinabalu

    Across from the Sabah Museum, this place sells books on all things Borneo – from field guides to birds, fish and mammals to WWII history, indigenous…

  • Gerak Budaya

    George Town

    If you're looking for books about Malaysia, or books written by local authors, this is the place to come. This branch covers fiction and poetry; another…

  • Kinokuniya

    Singapore

    Browse more than 400,000 titles in Singapore’s largest, most comprehensive bookshop. It also stocks stationery, DVDs and collectable toys.

  • Gerak Budaya

    George Town

    The nonfiction branch of this excellent bookshop, specialising in books about Malaysia or by Malaysian writers.

  • Dim Sum Siew Mai

    Jonker Walk Night Market

    Melaka City

    Food hawkers, trinket sellers and fortune-tellers line Jln Hang Jebat for Melaka City's weekly extravaganza of street food and shopping. The street closes…

  • craft shop, main bazaar, kuching, sarawak, malaysia

    Main Bazaar

    Kuching

    The row of old shophouses facing the Waterfront Promenade is chock-full of handicrafts shops, some outfitted like art galleries, others with more of a …

  • Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia, South-East Asia, Asia

    Orangutan House

    Melaka City

    It's impossible to miss the giant orangutan mural above artist Charles Cham's gallery and T-shirt store. His colourful, primitive-style paintings sell for…

  • Exotic Tattoos

    Exotic Tattoos & Piercings

    Singapore

    Visitors looking for a tattoo shop with a definite pedigree should know about this place, for it's here that you'll be able to get exquisite work from…

  • Nam's Supplies

    Nam’s Supplies

    Chinatown & the CBD

    The curious paper objects on sale around Chinatown – from miniature cars to computers – are offerings burned at funeral wakes to ensure the material…

  • Anthony the Spice Maker

    Anthony the Spice Maker

    Chinatown & the CBD

    If you want to recreate the aromas and tastes of Singapore at home, make a beeline for this tiny stall where little brown airtight packets, which don't…

  • Curated Records

    Curated Records

    Chinatown & the CBD

    Flip through the stacks at this pocket-rocket record shop and you'll find everything from punk and French baroque pop to drone, hip-hop and neo-folk. It's…

  • Georgetown, Penang Island, Penang, Malaysia, South-East Asia, Asia

    Chowrasta Bazaar

    George Town

    Come here for the sensory-assaulting wet market, food stalls selling Penang's famous pickles and vendors selling headscarves, batik shirts, fabrics and…

  • Royal Selangor Visitor Centre

    Kuala Lumpur

    Located 8km northeast of the city centre, the world's largest pewter manufacturer offers some very appealing souvenirs made from this malleable alloy of…

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