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…
Must-see shopping in Southeast Asia
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…
Manila
The speciality here is pinya (fabric woven from pineapple fibres) products – especially embroidered barongs (from P9500), but there are also lacquered…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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)…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Singapore
Complete with friendly feline 'assistant shopkeeper', this eclectic boutique is filled with wares from independent local and foreign designers. Creatives…
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…
Singapore
The home gallery of Percy Vatsaloo showcases exquisite hand-picked antiques from places such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. The intricately…
Ho Chi Minh City
This small shop has ready-to-wear jewellery for men and women but its speciality is custom-made pieces. Bring in a picture of what you want (or email a…
Chiang Mai
In venues around Chiang Mai, you may notice life-sized, decorated baby elephant sculptures created by artists and celebrities through the social…
Little India & Kampong Glam
Heritage Asian designs with a contemporary twist is what you'll discover in this beautifully curated shophouse emporium. There are plenty of small items…
Luang Prabang
Kopnoi sells stunning handicrafts from ethnic-minority craftspeople; Akha bracelets, silk pashminas, fine jewellery, packaged spices and teas, and local…
Kampot
With about 100 stands offering things such as jewellery, karaoke, fried ice cream, sneakers and well, everything else, this nightlife experience and…
Kuta & Legian
This Bali retail legend is the most popular store in the south. Mobs of Indonesian tourists come for doe-eyed plastic puppies or one of thousands of T…
Kuala Lumpur
The flagship branch of this Malaysian fashion house, selling well-made clothes with an ethnic flavour in soft cottons, linens and silks. This is where you…
Luang Prabang
Ock Pop Tok works with a wide range of tribes to preserve their handicraft traditions. Fine silk and cotton scarves, chemises, dresses, wall hangings and…
Phuket
One of the best collections of traditional Southeast Asian art in Thailand, this multilevel, museum-quality showroom displays a 3m Buddha encrusted with…
Singapore
An oasis of independent clothing labels, Threadbare & Squirrel stocks quirky accessories, individualistic clothing and artisan jewellery. Look out for…
Chinatown & the CBD
Climb the stairs to this tiny, welcoming gallery for works by emerging contemporary Singaporean and Asian artists. While painting is the gallery's focus,…
Little India & Kampong Glam
Little India's bustling Mustafa Centre is a magnet for bargain hunting shoppers. It's a sprawling maze-like place, selling everything from electronics and…
West Timor
A Rotenese musical-instrument workshop run by Pak Pah and his family, featuring traditional 32-stringed harps called sasandu, crafted from young palm leaf…
Ko Samui
Named after the famous Brit who rejuvenated the Thai silk industry, this is a great shop to pick up a special gift. Prices are designer level, but then so…
Ko Samui
With a selection several notches above most of the tat for sale along Chaweng Beach Rd, this store sells elegant jewellery, fashioned from gold, silver…
Yangon
Anchoring a business tower and hotel complex opened in 2016, this five-floor shopping mall is the place to go if you're in search of bland international…
Luang Prabang
Photographer and film-maker Adri Berger's compositions of rural Laos capture that honeyed afternoon light like no one else. His ochre-walled gallery-cum…
Myanmar (Burma)
Parasols are made in workshops scattered across the northern part of Pathein. This family-run workshop is particularly welcoming and they'll show you how…
Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay
From Miu Miu pumps and Prada frocks to Boggi Milano blazers, this sprawling temple of aspiration gives credit cards a thorough workout. Despite being one…
Bangkok
As soon as you step through the doors of this museum-like shop, the earthy smell of dried grass and stained wood rushes to meet you. Rattan, yahn lí·pow …
- placement: fullWidth
- path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
- possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
- targeting:
{ "position": "superzone" }
