Tokyo
This mall, within the restored facade of the 1930s Tokyo Central Post Office, has a partiuclarly good selection of boutiques specialising in homewares and…
Must-see shopping in Asia
West & Southwest Singapore
This vintage veteran is not in the most convenient location, tucked away on an HDB (housing and development board) estate, but the well-curated collection…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Two stories up a riveting teak stairwell, with vintage Minton tiles and art nouveau stained-glass windows, in one of Coloba's most astonishing mansions,…
Little India & Kampong Glam
Narrow, pastel-hued Haji Lane harbours a handful of quirky boutiques and plenty of colourful street art. Shops turn over fast due to exorbitant rents,…
Delhi
This quiet market consists of a couple of blocks of quality restaurants and cafes (like Not Just Parathas or the Italian Diva) and clothing stores (like…
Taipei
The rather ugly concrete structure, grafted onto a beautiful colonial-era facade adjacent to DaDaoCheng Theater, houses a huge fabric market on the 2nd…
Kuala Lumpur
This well-regarded chain of handcrafted pewter claims origins in 1885 when a Chinese pewtersmith arrived during KL's tin-mining boom. You can still find…
Kuala Lumpur
This compact, upscale mall houses Malaysian fashion and accessories store Pedlars and local shoemaker Thomas Chan who crafts orthopaedic sandals and shoes.
Mcleod Ganj
This women's cooperative employs refugees for the hand weaving of Tibetan wool carpets, a process that you're welcome to watch in action.
Matsu
The museum-like showroom of Matsu's distillery sells many variants of its sorghum-based Kaoliang liquor (高粱酒, Gāoliáng jiǔ) and medicinal rice wine (老酒,…
Delhi
Diplomats frequent this exclusive and serene shopping complex in which upmarket clothing, jewellery and souvenir boutiques are housed inside little…
Pyongyang
Notable as the venue for Kim Jong-il's final public appearance, this multi-storey department store stocks a good range of mostly imported goods, but also…
Shillong
The vast, crowded public market area (bara bazar means 'big market') is one of the most animated shopping areas in the Northeast. You'll reach it about 1…
Kuching
The group of women at Tanoti are the only people to practise a distinct Sarawakian form of songket weaving, a way of creating embroidered fabrics…
South Jakarta
This huge midrange to high-end mall is anchored by the Parisian department store Galleries Lafayette. The complex includes luxury hotels and condos,…
Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island
Product designer Kevin Cheung's workshop is also his home, occupying a lovely heritage unit in Wan Chai's Blue House cluster. Cheung collects Hong Kong…
Malaysia
Home to the performing-arts centre PJ Live Arts (www.pjlivearts.my), which hosts regular music, comedy and family-friendly shows, Jaya One is chock-full…
Melaka City
The three Yeo brothers continue the shoemaking tradition begun by their grandfather. Their beaded Peranakan shoes are considered Melaka's finest and begin…
Anhui
An unlikely bookshop in an unlikely place, this is the Bishan branch of the stupendous Nanjing bookshop, Librarie Avant-Garde, coaxed into existence by a…
Ginza & Tsukiji
The ground floors of this L-shaped complex house some 70 stalls of wholesalers, all of whom used to operate in the old Tsukiji market, selling seafood and…
Kuala Lumpur
In the southeast of the city, stretching for around 2km along Jln Cerdas, is the longest pasar malam (night market) in Malaysia. You'll find over 500…
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
This is an art-supply store to make you go weak in the knees: the walls are lined with vials of the crushed mineral pigments used in traditional Japanese…
Tashkent
The vast local flea market of Tezykovka Bazaar is also known as Yangiobod Market. This sombre sea of junk – ‘everything from hedgehogs to car parts’ as…
Luang Prabang
This stylish Aussie-run boutique has a choice selection of hand-woven linen, silk and cotton dresses, chemises, skirts, and beach shawls made by Chris…
South Jakarta
Opposite the Blok M mall, this department store has two huge floors that seem to go on forever. The slogan here is 'The pride of Indonesia', and you'll…
Pushkar
Pushkar’s Sadar Bazaar is lined with enchanting little shops and is a good place for picking up gifts. Many of the vibrant Rajasthani textiles originate…
Ximending & Wanhua
Serving shoppers since 1973, this small mall is old school but aimed squarely at the youth. Four floors of jeans, sneakers, toys, games, bags and shoes,…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
The folks behind the D&D Department lifestyle brand and magazine are expert scavengers, searching Japan's nooks and crannies for outstanding examples of…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Inspired by the Japanese on-duty sleeping idea known as inemuri, this high-concept, made-to-order shop does extremely comfortable designerwear hand-dyed…
Singapore
This retro mall specialises in Asian art and is the place to come to for quality rugs, carvings, ornaments, jewellery, paintings, furniture and the like…
Chennai (Madras)
On the ground floor of this popular cafe-and-boutique-complex, Anokhi has wonderful, East-meets-West, hand-block-printed clothes, bedding, bags and…
Northwestern Cambodia
Originally established by the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Weaves of Cambodia, known locally as Chum Ka Mo, is a silk-weaving centre that…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
BSC has carved a niche with KL’s gourmets thanks to its fabulous food hall, Jason's, and its good collection of restaurants, cafes and bars. There are…
Shanghai
Amylin's is the most reliable retailer of pearls of all colours and sizes. It's been touting its wears since 1993 in the most unlikely location – a pearl-…
Tianjin
Ancient Culture Street is stuffed with vendors flogging Chinese calligraphy, paintings, tea sets, paper cuts, clay figurines, chops and goods from all…
Pulau Pangkor
As much a curiosity as a shopping opportunity, SPK village's fish factory is emblazoned with a giant octopus and has a picturesque outlook from its small…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Expat American Amy Katoh sells traditional and contemporary items such as tenugui (hand-dyed towels), indigo-dyed yukata (light cotton kimonos), bolts of…
Aberdeen & South Hong Kong Island
Off-season items at Joyce's urban branches come to this warehouse outlet where they're sold at a discount of at least 20%. You'll find Ann Demeulemeester,…
Yangon
This accessories and souvenirs brand is known for its sepia portraits and images of old Burma jazzed up with pop-art colours. It offers high-quality bags,…
Delhi
Enormous, supermodern shopping complex containing three or four interconnected shopping malls, a handful of five-star hotels and even an art gallery. The…
