Must-see shopping in Asia

  • Jianguo Weekend Holiday Jade Market

    Taipei

    This giant market peddling jade and other semiprecious stones is under Jianguo Overpass. There are also beads, pearls, religious artefacts and copper…

  • Night Market

    Ko Samui

    The island's travelling market takes up the outdoor space behind Central Festival mall when it comes to Chaweng. The popular street market is full of…

  • HS Silver

    Yogyakarta

    Established in 1950, this well-regarded silver shop occupies the same traditional premises and has a workshop onsite. Free tours illustrate the complexity…

  • March Gallery

    Hoi An

    Owned by Yorkshire expat artist Bridget March, this gallery showcases her work – poignant watercolours, whimsical sketches and abstract works – and a…

  • Ngee Ann City

    Singapore

    It might look like a forbidding mausoleum, but this marble-and-granite behemoth promises retail giddiness on its seven floors. International luxury brands…

  • John Gallery

    Chiang Mai

    Opened in 1980, this place is a warren of paintings on cotton, cards and rocks, often inscribed with feel-good or creative quotes. John also hawks dusty…

  • Kayu Solid

    Bandung

    The coolest showroom on Jl Braga displays the artistry of nature. The medium here is huge slabs of tropical wood, minimally treated and displayed like…

  • Neiliansheng Shoe Shop

    Beijing

    Treat your feet to a pair of hand-stitched cloth shoes from this time-honoured Beijing shop dating back to 1853. From the plain slip-ons favoured by…

  • Yodobashi-Akiba

    Kōrakuen & Akihabara

    This is the monster branch of Yodobashi Camera where many locals shop. It has eight floors of electronics, state-of-the-art camera and audio equipment,…

  • Maito

    Asakusa & Sumida River

    Everything is natural about Maito's clothing and accessories, including the fabrics used (mainly cotton and wool) and the plant-based dyes. Choose from a…

  • Tesoro’s

    Manila

    The speciality here is pinya (fabric woven from pineapple fibres) products – especially embroidered barongs (from P9500), but there are also lacquered…

  • Handloom House

    New Delhi

    This spacious government-sponsored collection of stores is a cornucopia of quality cotton, silk and wool products fashioned by handloom weavers and…

  • Kim Choo Kueh Chang

    Singapore

    Joo Chiat (Katong) is stuffed with bakeries and dessert shops, but few equal old-school Kim Choo. Pick up traditional pineapple tarts and other brightly…

  • Island Books

    Ko Samui

    Scouse owner Paul Wotham belongs to a different age; one where people read and loved to wander the isles of a decent bookshop. There may not be many of…

  • Blacksmiths Arcade

    Tajikistan

    Upholding a tradition dating back 2000 years, blacksmiths at this mini-bazaar whet the edges of top-quality knives using traditional tools, including…

  • Chandra

    Phuket

    Exclusive Ko Samui beachwear boutique Chandra nails the high-end Thai-island look with its breezy style and graphic prints woven into cotton dresses and…

  • HUB Make Lab

    Manila

    The HUB is basically a happy place for creators and entrepreneurs. You'll find all sorts of things being sold out of fun cubicles: wacky fashion…

  • FarmLink

    Kampot

    In Kampot you can purchase pouches of peerless pepper at the FarmLink boutique, one of the pioneers of geographical-indication pepper production. You can…

  • Yu Nakagawa Honten

    Nara

    Nara's famed 300-year-old linen producer now creates beautiful bags, pouches and scarves out of natural materials, subtly adorned with traditional motifs…

  • Space Four Zero

    Phnom Penh

    This cool pop-art gallery pays tribute to the lost artists of Cambodia's golden years, many of whom perished under the Khmer Rouge regime, in an original…

  • Teresita’s Antiques and Furniture

    Baguio

    Teresita’s largely caters to serious collectors, with antique bulol out of financial reach of casual shoppers. There's also a good selection of Igorot…

  • Candle Company

    Hong Kong

    The flagship store for Hong Kong's Carroll & Chan brand of candles and diffusers sells gift-worthy products like ecofriendly beeswax candles, paper lotus…

  • TaKao Books

    Kaohsiung

    A delightful bookshop strong in the arts and humanities. Most books are in Mandarin, but there are photography titles in English as well as CDs of music…

  • Pasar Inpres

    Kupang

    The main market is the rambling Pasar Inpres, south of the city. It's mostly fruit and vegetables, but ti'i langga (lontar-leaf hats with a centre plume)…

  • Akihabara Radio Kaikan

    Kōrakuen & Akihabara

    Despite its name, Radio Kaikan has nothing to do with radios and everything to do with Japanese pop culture. It was completely rebuilt in 2014 to include…

  • Baanboonpitak

    Hat Patong

    Hidden in this dusty antiques repository at the southern end of Patong is a vast array of teak sculpture, Buddha images, delicate paintings, some…

  • Fisherman's Village Night Market

    Ko Samui

    Every Friday night, this strip of Fisherman's Village close to the parking for The Wharf, transforms into a busy and colourful forest of market stalls,…

  • Takatora

    Tokyo

    In an neighbourhood known for its history of craftsmanship, second-generation Takatora produces stencil-dyed clothing and accessories just like in the old…

  • Market

    Western Mongolia

    Traditional Kazakh skullcaps, wall hangings and throws, knives and dombra (traditional Kazakh two-stringed lutes) can be found amid the chaos here. Also…

  • Talat Sanpatong

    Chiang Mai Province

    If the Saturday and Sunday Walking Streets feel overly touristy, check out this local water-buffalo market. For more than 60 years, farmers have been…

  • Central Cottage Industries

    Kolkata (Calcutta)

    An impressive array of traditional arts and tribal crafts are on sale at this well-stocked government emporium. Service is a bit impersonal and prices can…

  • Shoppes at Four Seasons Place

    Kuala Lumpur

    Anchored by a swanky branch of the Singaporean department store Robinsons, this six-floor mall expands the consumer possibilities in the KLCC area. Look…

  • Fahrenheit88

    Kuala Lumpur

    This youth-oriented mall houses a large branch of Japanese clothes store Uniqlo. Shoe lovers should check out Shoes Gallery by Parkson and South Korean…

  • Shinawatra Thai Silk

    Chiang Mai

    This venerable family-owned silk shop was already a household name before the owners' nephew, Thaksin Shinawatra, became (now exiled) prime minister. The…

  • Yoser Lhamo Shop

    Bhutan

    Yoser Lhamo is the main outlet for the Swiss Farm enterprises, where soft Gouda or hard Emmental cheese sells for Nu 650 per kilogram. This cheese is made…

  • Cat Socrates

    Singapore

    Complete with friendly feline 'assistant shopkeeper', this eclectic boutique is filled with wares from independent local and foreign designers. Creatives…

  • Armoury

    Hong Kong

    The Armoury can help any man look like a dapper gentleman – the elegant shop is a specialist in refined menswear sourced globally. You can choose from…

  • Persutuan Ibu Tunggal

    Sarawak

    Profits from this cafe and arts-and-crafts shop support single-mother families in the Kelabit Highlands. It's a good place for coffee and cake and to buy…

  • Fabindia

    Kochi (Cochin)

    This renowned fair-trade Indian brand has fine Indian textiles, fabrics, clothes, homewares, ceramics and natural beauty products, created using…

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