Bacolod
A one-stop shop for local handicrafts and organic products, including native jewellery, MassKara masks and piaya (sugary flat cakes). It's located in…
Must-see shopping in Asia
Ahmedabad (Amdavad)
The retail outlet of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), Hansiba sells colourful woven and embroidered shawls, saris, beautifully embroidered…
Iloilo
A bit of a maze to navigate, but otherwise the shops are well-ordered and a delight to wander.
Xinyi
This popular mall is good for kids with the Donguri Republic store in the basement (selling merchandise from Studio Ghibli, of Spirited Away fame) and…
Solo
Danar Hadi is an important Solonese batik manufacturer and sells an extensive collection through this beautiful showroom. Styles include traditional…
Anjuna
Anjuna’s weekly Wednesday flea market is as much part of the Goan experience as a day on the beach. More than three decades ago, it was conceived and…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
Managed by home-grown architects and designers, this furniture and home accessories shop turns retro furniture into contemporary showpieces. For example,…
Tokyo
Held in the courtyard of Tokyo International Forum (check the website for exact dates), this is a brilliantly colourful event with hundreds of dealers in…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Okura specialises in clothing and accessories dyed with indigo, which has a long tradition in Japan. There are contemporary T-shirts and hoodies and also…
New Delhi
Handily in a row are these regional treasure-filled emporiums. They may have the air of torpor that often afflicts governmental enterprises, but shopping…
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…
Colombo
A high-profile department store that combines international and local brands in one glitzy labyrinth. From fashions to homewares to cosmetics and gift…
Busan
The world's largest shopping complex – bigger than Macy's in New York – with everything you'd expect in a temple of commerce. There's a skating rink,…
Dhaka
Dhaka’s largest market, and that's saying something. Sells pretty much anything you can imagine. Keen shoppers and browsers could lose a day here (and…
Jakarta
Jakarta’s famous street market is in Menteng. It has woodcarvings, furniture, textiles, jewellery, old vinyl records and many (dubious) antiques from…
Kandy
Wacky T-shirts, tacky tourist goods, kitsch flip-flops and some good souvenirs: this shop under the arcades of the Queens Hotel has the lot.
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
This ace arcade under the JR tracks (its name refers to the distance from Tokyo Station) offers an eclectic range of stores selling Japanese-made goods –…
Tokyo
Same (pronounced sah-mé; 'shark') is the super secret flagship store (with limited edition merch) for cult Japanese streetwear brand Lonely. So secret, in…
National Handloom Development Project
Eastern Bhutan
Three kilometres from Khaling is the National Handloom Development Project, operated by the National Women’s Association of Bhutan (NWAB). It contracts…
Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
Backpacker Central, this crazy-busy bazaar that runs through Paharganj sells almost everything you want, and a whole lot more. It's great for buying…
South Delhi
Located within the boundaries of the ruined walls of Siri Fort (the second of Delhi's seven historic cities), this urban village contains an artsy…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Founded in the 16th century in Kyoto, Toraya's traditional confectionery has long been patronised by the Imperial Court, giving it a cachet that other…
Downtown Kyoto
While you’re in Nishiki Market, have a look at this store – it has some of the best kitchen knives in the world.
Tianjin
The former canal-side market town of Yangliuqing is famous throughout China for producing Chinese New Year block-printed paintings that people hang in…
Delhi
Across the road from the government housing of the Lodi Colony, this is a long strip of small boutiques selling homewares and clothes. Quality clothing…
Seoul Yangnyeongsi Herb Medicine Market
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Also known as Gyeongdong Market, Korea’s biggest Asian medicine market runs back for several blocks from the traditional gate on the main road and…
Asakusa & Sumida River
German fashion designer Jurgen Lehl (1944–2014) lived in Japan for decades while building the fashion house Babaghuri, known for its use of natural…
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…
Papua
For a slice of local life, you can't do better than a trip to this outdoor marketplace, where three times a week vendors descend from all corners of Biak…
Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi
As much an air-conditioned urban park as it is a shopping centre, Siam Paragon is home to Sea Life Ocean World, Major Cineplex and Gourmet Paradise, a…
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…
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…
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,…
Colombo
Another massive restoration of a colonial landmark. In this case, the sprawling colonial 'hospital for the insane' has been reborn as an upscale mall…
Yangon
Something of a Yangon cool-kid and expat scene, this regular Saturday market promotes sustainable and seasonal agricultural produce. It is as much a…
Siem Reap
For locally produced souvenirs (unlike much of the imported stuff that turns up in Psar Chaa), drop in on this handicraft market. It's a little out of the…
Fukuoka
Hakata is renowned for it weaving tradition, called Hakata-ori, and this chic shop, to the right as you enter Hakata Riverain mall, has been producing…
Tokyo
This is the original Mandarake, the go-to store for all things manga (Japanese comics) and anime (Japanese animation). Once a small, secondhand comic-book…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
This boutique sells tasteful ethno-chic garments made from hand-dyed and hand-printed fabrics. Creations featuring Gujarati block prints seem to be the…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Rice ('kome') is at the heart of Japanese cuisine. This stylish store sells not only many types of the grain but also products made from it (such as sake)…
