Shopping in China
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Stanley Market
No big bargains or big stings, just reasonably priced casual clothes (plenty of large sizes), bric-a-brac, toys and formulaic art, all in a nicely confusing maze of alleys running down to Stanley Bay. It’s best to go during the week; on the weekend the market is bursting at the seams with tourists and locals alike.
reviewed
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IFC Mall
As if Central didn’t have nearly enough luxury retail space already, this swanky shopping centre was built. It boasts 200 high-fashion boutiques linking the One and Two IFC towers and the Four Seasons Hotel. Outlets include Patrick Cox, Geiger, Longchamp, Kenzo, Vivienne Tam, Zegna…we could go on. The Hong Kong Airport Express Station is downstairs.
reviewed
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Panjiayuan Antique Market
Beijing’s most beloved flea market sells almost every Chinese knick-knack imaginable. It’s a great spot for souvenirs, but bargain hard and treat any claims of antiquity with scepticism. Not much goes on here during the week. Instead, get here early on the weekends for one of the most fun shopping experiences in Beijing.
reviewed
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Sogo
This Japanese-owned store, in the hub of Causeway Bay, has 12 well-organised floors and more than 37,000 sq metres of retail space. The range is mind-boggling: over 20 brands of ties just for starters. Eclectic departments include the Barbie Counter and the Character’s Shop.
reviewed
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Picture This
The vintage Hong Kong posters, photographs, reproductions and antique maps on sale here make great souvenirs or gifts, but they are on the pricey side.
reviewed
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Temple St Night Market
Temple St, which extends from Man Ming Lane in the north to Nanking St in the south and is cut in two by the Tin Hau temple complex, is the place to go for cheap clothes, dai pai dong (open-air street stalls) food, Chinese memorabilia, watches, pirate CDs and DVDs, fake labels, footwear, cookware and everyday items. Any marked prices should be considered mere suggestions - this is definitely a place to bargain. It’s also a place to catch some entertainment.
reviewed
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Flower & Bird Market
The Flower & Bird Market has long been one of the more enjoyable and relaxing strolls in the city. It's also known as lǎo jiē (old street) and comprises several downtown blocks surrounded by buildings of immense, gleaming modernity and bustle. Flowers and birds most certainly aren't the main draw here anymore, though on weekends the chirping, yawping and cawing can still be heard a block or more away.
Instead, strollers pack this surreal hawkers' ghetto and its mazy neighbourhood walk of stalls chock-full of flora and fauna (well, again, not so much of these anymore, endless curios, knick-knacks, and doo-dahs, the contents of someone's back hall on more than one occasio…
reviewed
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Maliandao Tea Market
South of Beijing West Train Station is Maliandao, the largest tea market in northern China. The four-storey building is home to if not all the tea in China, then an awful lot of it. There are brews from all over the country here, including pu’er and oolong. Although it’s mostly for wholesalers, the market is a great place to wander for anyone interested in tea and the vendors are normally happy to let you sample some. Maliandao Lu itself has hundreds of tea shops, where prices for tea and tea sets are lower than in the tea shops in tourist areas. To find the tea market, look for the statue of Lu Yu, the 8th-century sage who wrote the first book on growing, preparing and d…
reviewed
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Wushan Lu Night Market
Hángzhōu is well known for its tea, in particular Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea as well as silk, fans and, of all things, scissors. You can find all these things at the bustling Wúshān Lu Night Market, as well as touristy kitsch. Fake ceramics jostle with ancient pewter tobacco pipes, Chairman Mao memorabilia, silk shirts and pirated CDs. Get the gloves off and haggle hard if something catches your eye. It's been relocated to Huixing Lu ( 惠兴路 ) between Youdian Lu ( 邮电路 ) and Renhe Lu ( 仁和路 ).
reviewed
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Granville Road
If you want to hunt for bargains and have the time and inclination to riffle through racks and piles of factory seconds, the dozen or so factory outlet stores along Granville Rd should reward you with items at a fraction of store prices. It’s pot luck as to what labels you will find, although they tend to be familiar, slightly premium mainstream casual and leisure brands (both international and local). Hotspots include UNO OUN (29 Granville Rd), Sample Moon (30 Granville Rd) and the Baleno Outlet Store (24B Granville Rd).
reviewed
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The Village
Anchoring Sānlǐtún's expensive commercial facelift, this nifty multistorey mall drags in legions of snappy shoppers and diners to its shops, cafes and restaurants; the world's largest branch of Adidas is here.
reviewed
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Pacific Place
One of the city’s best shopping malls, Pacific Place has, if anything, gone further upmarket recently. There are a couple of hundred outlets, dominated by higher-end men’s and women’s fashion (from the likes of Burberry, Chanel, Chloé, Loewe, Marc Jacobs and Versace) and accessories (Bottega Veneta, Coach, Fendi, Gucci etc). There’s also a Lane Crawford department store.
reviewed
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Yue Hwa Chinese Products Emporium
This enormous place, with seven floors of ceramics, furniture, souvenirs and clothing, has absolutely everything the souvenir-hunting tourist could possibly want, as well as bolts of silk, herbs, clothes, porcelain, luggage, umbrellas and kitchenware. There’s also a branch in Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon Park Dr that’s entered from Peking Rd.
reviewed
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Paramita
If you can’t make it to Tibet, at least swing by Paramita for its inspiring collection of souvenirs, including yak-bone amulets (Y90), masks, jewellery, framed mandalas and other Buddhist treasures from the Himalayas. It’s a nonprofit organisation, founded to help Tibetans with minimal education find employment.
reviewed
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Ba Yan Ka la
This well-conceived store offers a luxurious line of natural beauty products derived from Chinese herbal medicine. Goji berry (skin revitalisation), lotus seed (skin nourishment) and mulberry (detoxification) are the principal ingredients in the shampoos, bath salts, facial scrubs and scented candles.
reviewed
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Island Beverley
Crammed into buildings, up escalators and in back lanes are Hong Kong’s malls of micro-shops selling designer threads, a kaleidoscope of kooky accessories and an Imelda Marcos of funky footwear. Island Beverley is where Hong Kong’s youngest mall trawlers shop for clothes and trinkets.
reviewed
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Shanghai Tang
Updated versions of traditional Chinese garments including cheongsams and collarless jackets with a modern cut and edge featuring lots of lime and orange. It also stocks accessories and Chinese-styled gift items with a modern twist. Custom tailoring is available.
reviewed
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Photo Scientific
This is the favourite of Hong Kong’s pro photographers. You’ll almost certainly find equipment elsewhere for less, but Photo Scientific has a rock-solid reputation with labelled prices, no bargaining, no arguing and no cheating.
reviewed
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Wan Chai Computer Centre
This place, on the northern edge of Southorn Playground, is a cut above Hong Kong’s computer emporiums. The prices on pretty much everything digital are generally keener than the local chain stores.
reviewed
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Grandview Shopping Mall
Those with modern tastes might want to head to the Tianhe area, with its fashionable shopping plazas. Grandview Shopping Mall - the largest in Asia - is Guǎngzhōu's newest shopping mall.
reviewed
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Guyi Antique Furniture
There aren’t many genuine antiques here, but there are a lot of good-quality reproductions and it’s especially strong on screens, cabinets and desks. They speak English.
reviewed
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Wing On
‘Forever Peaceful’ is notable for being locally owned. It carries a range of goods but is especially well known for inexpensive electronics and household appliances.
reviewed
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Sānlǐtún Yashou Clothing Market
After slogging through this hopping, five-floor bedlam of shoes, boots, handbags, suitcases, jackets, silk, carpets, batik, lace, jade, pearls, toys, army surplus and souvenirs, ease the pressure on your bunions with a foot massage (Y50 per hour) or pedicure (Y40) on the 4th floor and restore calories in the 5th-floor food court.
reviewed
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Silk Market
Contains a string of silk shops and clothing stores on and around Xijiankang Lu ( 西健康路 ), just north of Fengqi Lu ( 凤起路 ).
reviewed
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Carrefour Shopping Centre
For picnics, head to Carrefour Shopping Centre which has a good selection of imported foods. On the weekends, shopping here feels like being caught in a stampede.
reviewed
