The 13 Best Places To Go Shopping In Bangkok

Bangkok is one of my favorite shopping cities! Bangkok has a fantastic selection of huge modern shopping centers with hip international and Asian fashion design brands. And once you step out on the streets, you can continue to shop all kinds of cool and cheap stuff at markets and night markets.

I haven’t found any other city in the world with this kind of fantastic combination of markets and malls. One minute you can shop cheap local designs at one of the many markets in Bangkok, and the next minute luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel in a shopping mall nearby. The fascinating contrasts and variety are what I like the most about shopping in Bangkok. You can find everything here!

It can, however, be a bit difficult and overwhelming to find the best shopping in Bangkok since the city has so many shopping malls and markets.

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Bangkok’s biggest and best shopping malls are clustered together within a reasonably small area called Siam. You can easily walk or take the Sky train between them. In addition, all Bangkok malls have great food courts, restaurants, and cafes, ideal when you need a shopping break and something to eat and drink.

Siam is the most convenient area to stay in Bangkok if you plan on going shopping, as five of Bangkok’s biggest and best shopping malls are located in this area. So if you wonder where to go shopping in Bangkok, I would say head to the Siam area.

Although you can get to most of these shopping places by public transport (metro/MRT and Skytrain), a convenient way is to hire a private driver that takes you around Bangkok to the shopping malls and markets you want to visit. Nothing beats relaxing in an air-conditioned car while being transported around the city. You can also leave your shopping bags in the car while you go shopping. The driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you back after the shopping tour.

The Best Places To Go Shopping In Bangkok

There is no shortage of shopping places in Bangkok as the city has many shopping malls and markets to choose from. You really can shop till you drop (or your money runs out and your credit cards catch fire) in this metropolitan city. 🙂

Your following questions probably are: Where are the best places for shopping in Bangkok? What is famous for shopping in Bangkok? Here I give you the ultimate Bangkok shopping guide with a list of the best shopping experiences in Bangkok and where to shop in Bangkok.

If you like shopping in Bangkok, check out our guide to 10 Bangkok markets you must visit and our favorite places to eat incredible Thai food in Bangkok.

The 13 Best Bangkok Shopping Places

The Thais love malls and markets, and you will find an impressive number of shopping malls and markets in Bangkok.

The best shopping area in Bangkok is Siam. You will find five of Bangkok’s best shopping centers in the Siam area. Thus you can easily walk between the Central World, Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, and MBK. There is even an outdoor pedestrian skywalk between these shopping centers.

So heading to Siam is an excellent place to start your shopping in Bangkok (take the Skytrain to Siam BTS Station or Chit Lom BTS Station).

The 13 best places for shopping in Bangkok are (in our opinion):

  1. Icon Siam (Riverside area)
  2. Central World (Siam area)
  3. Siam Paragon (Siam area)
  4. Siam Center (Siam area)
  5. Siam Discovery (Siam area)
  6. MBK (Siam area)
  7. EmQuartier (Sukhumvit area)
  8. Emporium (Sukhumvit area)
  9. Pantip Plaza (Pratunam area)
  10. Central Chitlom (Sukhumvit area)
  11. Terminal 21 (Sukhumvit area)
  12. Asiatique (Riverside area)
  13. Chatuchak Weekend Market

This list also includes Bangkok’s biggest outdoor Market – Chatuchak Weekend Market, my favorite Bangkok market, which you read more about here.


The map above: The 13 best shopping places in Bangkok

1. Icon Siam – Riverside Area

The newest and the “Mother of all malls” in Bangkok is the grand Icon Siam which opened in November 2018. The mall is beautifully located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River that runs through the city.

The Icon Siam mall is a fun place to visit, not only to shop but to indulge in a wide variety of delicious Thai food from all over Thailand.

We love Icon Siam for its ground floor, designed like a Thai food market, where you can indulge in a wide variety of delicious Thai food. There is even a canal running through the Market, making it look a bit like a floating market. Here you can also watch great shows like Thai dancing shows and Thai boxing shows (for free).

Icon Siam has a great open-air rooftop garden with a fantastic panoramic view of the Chao Phraya River and the Bangkok skyline. Also, make sure not to miss the spectacular water and multimedia show at the giant water fountain in front of the mall.

The only Apple store in Thailand is located in IconSiam shopping mall in BangkokThe only Apple store in Thailand is located in IconSiam shopping mall in Bangkok

You find one of Bangkok’s two Apple Stores in IconSiam

IconSiam is a huge and modern shopping mall in BangkokIconSiam is a huge and modern shopping mall in Bangkok

IconSiam is the newest and grandest of all shopping malls in Bangkok

What To Shop At Icon Siam

Icon Siam shopping mall has a total of 11 floors:

  • B1 & B2 (Basement)
    Not that interesting. Has deposit locks where you can store your luggage, as well as a post office, Icon Wash (laundry service), watch repair, and Pet Safari (pet stuff and food).
  • Ground Floor (GF)
    This is our favorite Floor of Icon Siam. A big part of the ground floor, called SookSiam, is one big Thai food market packed with stalls and small restaurants selling all sorts of Thai food, drinks, desserts, and snacks.
    There is even a river on the ground floor where there is a small floating market with boats selling food and snacks. So cool!

On the ground floor SookSiam, you can experience Thai arts, culture, tradition, food, and way of life from 77 provinces from all over Thailand.

We enjoyed a fantastic Thai boxing show and a Thai dancing show.

The ground floor is the perfect place to buy Thai souvenirs and gifts to bring back home.

You also find luxury fashion brands on the ground floor, like Alexander McQueen, Bally, Salvatore Ferragamo, Patek Philippe, Hermes, and NaRaYa.

  • Mezzanine Floor (MF)
    The Mezzanine floor is all about fashion and beauty/makeup. It is a mix of cheap brands like H&M and Zara, and luxury brands like Michael Kors, Chanel, Hugo Boss, Versace, Christian Louboutin, Dior, Coach, Fendi, Prada, and Gucci. In addition, you can shop beauty and makeup at Sephora, MAC, and Victoria’s Secret.
  • 1st Floor (1F)
    Head to the 1st Floor for more fashion shops, like Fred Perry and Calvin Klein, and sports shops like Adidas and Champion. The Thai silk shop Jim Thompson is also on the 1st Floor and cafes like Starbucks if you need to fuel up your energy.
    A part of the 1st Floor is dedicated to cars, and you can admire luxury cars like Porsche, Maserati, and Rolls-Royce.
  • 2nd Floor (2F)
    Here you find Thailand’s first official Apple Store. It is fantastic and leads out to a vast open-air terrace with a lovely park and view of the Chao Phraya river. On the 2nd Floor, you also find Lush, who sells my favorite shampoo soap bars, and some fashion shops like H&M, Nike, Havianas (if you need new sandals), and Uniqlo.

    IconSiam has a rooftop park with awesome views of the Bangkok skylineIconSiam has a rooftop park with awesome views of the Bangkok skyline

  • 3rd Floor (3F)
    The 3rd Floor is the men’s area with menswear, sportswear (like Asics, Reebok, Ne Balance, Fila, Rip Curl, Roxy, The North Face), men’s accessories, watches, and cars like Porche, Lamborghini, BMW, and Mercedes. Here is also an excellent shop selling travel stuff and suitcases – Smart Travel, and an electronics gadget shop called .life.
  • 4th Floor (4F)
    This is where you find cameras, gadgets, and electronics with shops like AIS, Huawei, BIG Camera, Wonder Photo Shop/ Fujifilm, and Zeiss. Here you also find two of Thailand’s best luxury beauty and living brands, Thann and Harnn, perfect for buying gifts to bring back home. You also find some banks on this floor, like KBank and SCB.
  • 5th Floor (5F)
    If you have kids or are looking for clothes and stuff for kids, then the 5th Floor is where you should be heading. Here are shops like Toys R Us, Babies Genius, quality Kids, and Mothercare. You also find several banks, the Watson pharmacy, beauty clinics, and a dental clinic. I bought sunglasses at the Sunglass Hut located on this floor; they have a good selection of brands.
  • 6th Floor (6F)
    The top floor is all about dining, filled with restaurants and cafes. The decor and design are simply beautiful and atmospheric, with a huge water fountain in the middle designed as a water wall.
    The restaurant area of IconSiam has a cool and edgy designThe restaurant area of IconSiam has a cool and edgy design

    On the 6th Floor, you will also find the top modern and high-tech cinema Icon Cineconic. We often head here when we want to go to the cinema as this is Bangkok’s newest cinema with the best screen and seats. And if you want a workout, head to Fitness First Club Icon, also located on the top floor.
    We had Pad Thai at the famous Thipsamai, which is on this Floor. Thipsamai is also located in the old town of Bangkok and is on the list of our favorite Thai food in Bangkok.

    While you are on the top floor, make sure to try the Original Thai Tea at ChaTraMue, it is Thailand’s best Thai tea and our favorite! ♥

Icon Siam Multimedia Water Show

One of the highlights of visiting Icon Siam is the Iconic Multimedia Water Show. It is spectacular!

The fountain is big, 400 meters, the longest in Southeast Asia, and it turns into a spectacular sound and light show. The water show is an absolute must if you are visiting IconSiam.

The multimedia water show is happening at the enormous fountain between the shopping mall and the Chao Phraya River. The show is on every evening at 18:30 (6:30 pm), 20:00 (8 pm), and 21:00 (9 pm), so make sure you don’t miss it. It is free.

  • How to get to Icon Siam: Take the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin BTS Station and take the free Icon Siam ferry that takes you right to the mall. Or take a taxi or Grab.
  • Opening hours Icon Siam: Every day 10:00 (10 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)
  • Icon Siam’s Web page

2. Central World – Siam Area

Central World opened in 2006 and is the eleventh biggest shopping center globally with eight floors.

Central World is the ultimate Bangkok shopping mall, and it is one of my favorite due to its great mix of many brands. You can find anything here. Thailand’s second Apple Store opened here recently.

However, the fantastic supermarket/ grocery store Central Food Hall on the top floor is a highlight for me. Here you can indulge in all sorts of Thai and international food, drinks, snacks, and Thai souvenirs. It is Bangkok’s best grocery store if you ask me.

In front of Central World, you find a vast outdoor open square – CentralWorld Square. This area is often used for happenings which is a great and fun addition to the shopping mall. The entire court is a huge beer festival/ area with lots of tables and beer brands at Christmas. There are often markets here too.

Central World is the place to be for the New Year’s Eve Countdown Party as this is one of the places in Bangkok where they have firework displays. We have been here on several New Year’s Eve, and the firework is spectacular!

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Central World is so big that it even has cars and motorbikes on display and for sale!

What To Shop At Central World

Central World is divided into four “wings” full of shops, cafes, and restaurants. You will also find beauty salons, banks, mobile stores, a cinema, an excellent supermarket on the top floor, and even an ice-skating rink!

One of the four wings consists of the Central Department Store (previously known as Zen). The department store has a vast open area over several floors, containing many different brands. Each brand has its area, and there are no walls between them. Very airy.

You will find Thailand’s second official Apple store on CentralWorld Square (right outside the Central Department Store). This is the biggest Apple Store in Southeast Asia. There are two Apple stores in Bangkok; the other is at Icon Siam.

Each of the eight floors of Central World is dedicated to a specific type of item/ selection of goods:

  1. 1st Floor – Luxury Designer Brands
    The first floor contains international designer brands like Marimekko, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Massimo Dutti, Jim Thompson (Thai silk), + some cafes like Twinings (tea).
  2. 2nd Floor – Women’s clothes
    Here you find brands like Sephora (makeup), Zara, MNG, Miss Selfridge, Max Mara, Lacoste, Coach, Aldo shoes, Rip Curl, Charles & Keith, Toms + some cafes (Godiva chocolate shop) + a few shops selling baby clothes. H&M is located over two floors (2nd and 3rd) and is the biggest H&M store in South East Asia and the third-largest in the world.
  3. 3rd Floor – Men’s clothes
    Here you find brands like Levi’s, Adidas, Ecco, Asics, Nike, Wrangler, Timberland, Uniqlo, The North Face + cafes like Starbucks, Make Me Mango, and Pancake Cafe + Fitness First fitness center.
  4. 4th Floor – Technology, Electronics & banking
    All the leading banks of Thailand have a branch here + tech shops like mobile stores (like AIS, dtac, True), camera stores like World Camera, Big Camera, Sony Camera, Nikon, Olympus, and .life. Here you also find shops like Alien Ware (gaming HW), DJI (drones), and Hero Gadgets + a few coffee cafes like Cafe Amazon, and a couple of beauty salons like Above The Nail.
  5. 5th Floor – Watches & Thai gifts/ souvenirs
    Here you also find some spa and beauty salons.
  6. 6th Floor – Kids & Cafes/ Restaurants
    Here you also find the book store Asia books, kids clothes, toys (Toys R Us), and gadgets.
  7. 7th Floor – Cinema, Restaurants, cafes
    Here you also find Foodworld (food court) + Central Foodhall (a great supermarket with Thai food and international groceries).
  8. 8th Floor – Beauty saloons

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Central World has Bangkok’s biggest sports shop, SuperSport. Here you can find almost all you need for sports equipment and clothing.

Restaurants, Cinema, Ice Skating Rink, and Fitness Center

The top Floor (7th Floor) is full of great restaurants, with a wide variety of cuisines to choose from, both Asian and Western. So head here when you get hungry and thirsty and need to fill up your energy level.

This floor also has a fantastic supermarket – the Central Food Hall and Gourmet Market. Here you find all sorts of delicious food, fruits, vegetables, drinks, a bakery, and imported food from worldwide. We even found some Norwegian Jarlsberg cheese here! You can also shop for wine at the perfect temperature inside a dedicated wine room.

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Central World also has a cinema on the 7th Floor – SF World Cinema. It even has a 3D and 4D cinema screen. They show Hollywood movies (English) the whole day until around midnight.

You can even go ice skating at Central World! The Rink Iceskate is located on the 2nd Floor. Great fun to either try yourself for your kids or watch others have a go.

Groove Restaurant Area

One part of the ground floor of Central World is called Groove.

Here you find a collection of excellent atmospheric restaurants and pubs serving international food like Italian, Japanese sushi, and European. Well worth checking out if you want to chill out and rest after your shopping, grab a beer or drink and have something to eat.

  • How to get to Central World: Take the Skytrain to Siam BTS Station or Chit Lom BTS Station.
  • Opening hours Central World: Every day 10:00 (10 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)

3. Siam Paragon – Siam Area

Siam Paragon is located west of Central World, connected by a walkway (bridge). It takes about 10 min to walk from Central World to Siam Paragon.

Siam Paragon is easily accessible from the Skytrain station Siam, right outside Paragon Shopping Center. A good and easy start for your shopping bonanza!

We love Siam Paragon for its excellent combination of different shops and brands, both luxury and cheap, as well as its fantastic supermarket/ grocery store at the ground level. The Exotic Thai shop on the 4th Floor is a great place to shop for souvenirs and gifts to bring back home. And if you want a break from the shopping, visit the aquarium Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World on the basement floor.

Kinokuniya book store on the Third Floor is Bangkok’s biggest and best book store of books in English, and we head here often. We also love the cinema complex on the top floor of Siam Paragon, which also has IMAX, 3D, and 4D.

Paragon shopping mall BangkokParagon shopping mall Bangkok

Paragon is one of my favorite shopping malls in Bangkok

Paragon shopping mall BangkokParagon shopping mall Bangkok

Paragon is huge with 9 floors

What To Shop At Paragon

Paragon has a Department Store, where lots of different brands are located in a big open area over several floors.

In the Department Store wing of Paragon, you will find the great Exotic Thai store on the 4th Floor. They have all kinds of Thai design products, from clothing, jewelry, souvenirs, and beauty products, all made in Thailand. I love this Exotic Thai. It is a great place to shop for gifts and souvenirs to bring back home if you don’t have time to hit the street markets in search of bargains.

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Siam Paragon consists of eight floors:

  • Basement Floor – Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World
    Has Thailand’s biggest aquarium, Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World (open every day 10:00 – 22:00). Visiting the aquarium is a lovely break from shopping and is especially fun for kids.
  • Ground Floor – Gourmet Paradise
    Restaurants, cafes, and a huge international supermarket/ grocery store – Gourmet market. Here you find a great mix of Thai and western restaurants.
  • Main Floor – The Luxury
    Posh and expensive international luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Celine, Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Cartier, and Armani. Even car brands as Lamborghini and Ferrari have shops here.

_DSC0450_DSC0450

    • 1st Floor – Woman’s Fashion
      Here you find brands like Coach, H&M, Zara, Zara Home, Massimo Dutti, Bally, Aldo, + Starbucks cafe.
    • 2nd Floor – Men’s Fashion + Lifestyle + Beauty
      Here you find men’s clothes from brands like H&M Men, Bentley, Oakley, electronics like Bose, Big Camera, Zoom Camera, and Sony. Also, Lego and car/ motorcycle shops like Harley Davidson, Rolls-Royce, and Maserati are located on the second floor.
    • 3rd Floor – Technology & Books
      You find Bangkok’s biggest and best bookstore (at least of books in English) – Kinokuniya. Here you also find everything technology and electronics like .Life, iStudio (Apple reseller), Samsung, but also furniture and things to your home
  • 4th Floor – IT & Fitness
    On the 4th Floor, you find more electronics and technology, including mobile phone companies like Ais, a couple of antique shops, and the big IT City selling computers and gadgets.
    If you are up for a bit of sweat and want to burn some calories, then one of Bangkok’s biggest and best fitness centers is located on the 4th Floor, Fitness First Platinum.
    Thai Exotic is a great place to shop for Thai gifts and souvenirs (in the Department Store section of Paragon on the 4th Floor).
  • 4th (A) Floor – Education Zone
    Daycare for children, different schools, and courses.
  • 5th Floor – Entertainment Zone
    Paragon has one of the best cinema complexes in Bangkok, located on the 5th Floor, with both 4D, 3D, and IMAX. Altogether they have 15 large theaters that show Hollywood movies with Thai subtitles. You can see what movies are showing on the monitors at the entrances of Paragon. You will also find Kidzania kids playground on this Floor, as well as a bowling alley, the Blu-O Rythm & Bowl.

The Gourmet Paradise 

On the ground floor of Paragon, you find a huge food court with many restaurants and cafes. Many of the biggest international restaurant chains are represented here so that you can indulge in a wide variety of food.

The only thing with Paragon’s food court is that there are no walls between the restaurants and cafes; they are all in one huge area. This makes the noise level a bit too high, in my opinion. Sometimes it gets so noisy it’s hard to hold a conversation with others at the same table.

A vast supermarket/ grocery shop is also located on the ground floor, with food from worldwide. We love this supermarket!

  • How to get to Paragon: Skytrain to Siam BTS Station.
  • Opening hours Paragon: 10:00 (10 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)
  • Siam Paragon’s webpage

4. Siam Center – Siam Area

Siam Center is located just next to Siam Paragon, connected with a walking area/ wide pavement.

Siam Center is not nearly as big as Paragon and Central World, with only four floors. It is not among my favorite malls in Bangkok. I usually just go through it on my way between Paragon and the newly renovated and hip Siam Discovery mall. However, I come here to shop for makeup and beauty products at Sephora. Other than that, they don’t have many brands or shops that I like. Maybe I am too old for it. 🙂

Siam Center has a hip, dark and dim feel to it and is very popular among teenagers and is always packed with young Thai girls and boys looking for the latest and hippest.

However, what we do love about Siam Center is its fantastic food court on the top floor. It has a great Thai and western food selection and is less noisy and crowded than the neighboring Paragon mall. It is one of our favorite Bangkok food courts, well worth a visit if you get hungry and need a shopping break.

What To Shop At Siam Center

Siam Center has a lot of small shops, mainly Asian brands, although some sell international brands.

The four floors of Siam Center consists of:

  • Ground Floor – Fashion Avenue
    International and well-known shops and brands like Adidas, Lush (has some great shampoo bars), MAC, Sephora, Shiseido, Nike, and Victoria’s Secret.
  • Main Floor – Fashion Galleria
    Many shoe shops like Aldo, Havaianas, Fitflop, Dr. Martens, and smaller and unknown fashion brands.
  • 1st Floor – Fashion Visionary
    Cosmetics and beauty product brands like Panpuri and Thann (Thai brands, fantastic products, great as gifts and souvenirs). Greyhound Cafe is also located on the 1st Floor.
  • 2nd Floor – Food Factory
    A great and more relaxed food court with both Thai and western food. Here you also find Watson pharmacy.

There are also some small cafes at Siam Center.

It is, however, nice to walk around at Siam Center, as it is much more peaceful and less noisy than Central World and Paragon.

  • How to get to Siam Center: Sky train to Siam station.
  • Opening hours Siam Center: Every day 10:00 (10 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)
  • Siam Center’s webpage

5. Siam Discovery – Siam Area

Siam Discovery, located just next to Siam Center (just a few seconds walk between the two), has just been through a significant renovation and is brighter, shinier, and cooler than ever!

It has an entirely new layout with an open and airy market-like feel. It consists of many hip international brands, and you can find an impressive variety of stuff here, everything from housewares to toys, shoes, and clothes.

I love the layout and atmosphere of the Siam Discovery shopping center. It is easy to find your way around; feels airy, fresh, and bright. It is one of my favorite malls in Bangkok!

Siam Discovery houses Bangkok’s Madame Tussauds on the 5th Floor.

Siam Discovery mall in Bangkok has just been through a major renovation and is hipper and cooler than everSiam Discovery mall in Bangkok has just been through a major renovation and is hipper and cooler than ever

Siam Discovery mall in Bangkok has just been through a major renovation and is hipper and cooler than ever

Siam Discovery mall in Bangkok has an open-air kind of design with no wallsSiam Discovery mall in Bangkok has an open-air kind of design with no walls

Siam Discovery mall in Bangkok has an open-air kind of design with no walls which feels fresh and airy

What To Shop At Siam Discovery

Siam Discovery has seven floors:

  1. Ground Floor – Her Lab
    Women’s fashion, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. Here you will find brands like Geox, Emmy Yang, Karl Lagerfeld, Kenneth Cole, Alexander Wang, DKNY, Calvin Klein, Victoria Victoria Beckham, Alexa Chung. This Floor also houses Jamie’s Italian restaurant.
  2. Main Floor – His Lab
    Men’s fashion, shoes, bags, accessories, skincare and shaving stuff for men, watches, and fragrance. You find brands like Geox, Kenzo, Kenneth Cole, Hush Puppies, Samsonite, Barbour, Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, Balenciaga.
  3. 1st Floor – Street Lab
    Jeans and streetwear, sports clothes, bags, shoes, watches, accessories. Brands like Lee, Levi´s, Salomon, Birkenstock, Crumpler, Osprey, and Fjellreven.
  4. 2nd Floor – Digital Lab
    Electronic and Technology gadgets, mobile phone accessories, cameras, audio. Brands like GoPro, Garmin, Dyson, Sony, Shure, Marshall, Polaroid, Bose, Fender, and B&O Play.
  5. 3rd Floor – Creative Lab
    Arts & Crafts, decoration, furniture, and hip designer housewares.
  6. 4th Floor – Play Lab
    Food and groceries, health and beauty, gardening stuff, bikes, and bike accessories, souvenirs
  7. 5th Floor – Retail Innovation Lab
    Madame Tussauds, the fitness center Virgin Active.
  • How to get to Siam Discovery: Sky train to Siam BTS Station (exit 1)
  • Opening hours Siam Discovery: 10:00 (10 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)
  • Siam Discovery’s Webpage

6. MBK – Siam Area

MBK, or Mahbookkrong as is its full name, was built in 1985 and is one of Asia’s oldest shopping centers. You can easily walk from Paragon shopping mall to MBK (a 15 min walk).

MBK is a huge shopping center trendy among Thai teen girls, especially on weekends. It is almost a tourist attraction in itself. At MBK, you can shop Thai souvenirs at a low price, but don’t expect them to be high quality. I would instead shop for souvenirs at Thai Exotic at Paragon shopping mall (4th floor).

What To Shop At MBK

The MBK shopping center is packed with small shops and stalls, Thai brands and designs, and a few international shops. Needless to say that many of their sizes don’t fit a regular western body, unfortunately.

If you are tech and camera nerds like us, head to the 4th and 5th floors, full of electronics. Here you will find everything from Apple shops as iStudio to big professional camera shops as Nikon and Canon.

One part of the 4th Floor (Mobile Mania) is packed with tiny stalls selling all sorts of electronic stuff and spare parts. They have everything you can think of! Especially mobiles phones and mobile accessorize is in the majority. Here you can also have your mobile phone fixed if you have any problems with it, as they can fix almost everything at a low price while you wait! For example, Espen had a button on his iPhone replaced for 500 THB.

If you get hungry or need a rest, there is a food court, the MBK Food Island, on the 6th Floor (Thai and international food). And if you get fed up with shopping and want to do something else, you can go bowling, sing karaoke, or watch a movie on the 7th Floor.

MBK consists of seven floors:

  1. Ground Floor – Fashion
    Small fashion shops, gold and jewelry, souvenirs, a few beauty shops, restaurants, and cafes like Mc Donalds, Starbucks, KFC, Taco Bell, and Burger King. Here you also find the grocery store, Tops Market.
  2. 2nd Floor – Fashion
    Fashion and accessorize. Lots of gold and jewelry shops. Boots and Watson pharmacy. You find two cafes here; Dairy Queen cafe and Dunkin Donuts. Some beauty and nails saloons.
  3. 3rd Floor – Fashion
    Fashion and accessories, and more gold and jewelry. Lots of smaller brands. Some beauty shops and a few cafes.
  4. 4th Floor – IT and Mobile phones
    All sorts of mobile stuff in the Mobile Mania area and electronics heaven. You will also find several banks here.
  5. 5th Floor – Camera
    Cameras and camera gadgets (Big Camera, Huawei), electronics, furniture, and home decor
  6. 6th Floor – Food Court & Thai Souvenirs
    The food court Food Legends, and some other small restaurants and cafes. Here is also an education area, called Learning Hub.
  7. 7th Floor – Entertainment
    Cinema SF Cinema City, bowling, escape room, karaoke, game center. Here you find restaurants like Cafe Amazon, Starbucks, MK Restaurant, Pizza Hut, Subway, and Fuji Restaurant.

MBK shopping center is great fun but pretty exhausting as it is packed with Thai teenagers shopping like crazy, especially on weekends! I must admit, MBK is not my favorite shopping mall in Bangkok, and I seldom shop here.

  • How to get to MBK: Skytrain to National Stadium BTS Station (exit 4)
  • Opening hours MBK: 10:00 (10 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)
  • MBK’s webpage

7. EmQuartier – Sukhumvit Area

EmQuartier is located just next to Phrom Phong BTS Skytrain Station, making it very easy to reach. It is a relatively new (opened in 2015) and very hip and fantastic shopping mall.

The mall is divided into three different zones:

  • The Glass Quartier
  • The Helix Quartier – The top four floors contain over 50 restaurants and cafes
  • The Waterfall Quartier – with an actual waterfall which has become a popular selfie-spot

The mall has an impressively cool and earthy design with a gigantic rainforest chandelier (yep, made of natural plants!) in the middle, surrounded by the staircases. In addition, the facade of the building houses a vertical garden with the highest waterfall in Bangkok called Waterfall Quartier. I love how green and earthy the mall is. So cool!

Emquartier shopping mall in Bangkok is a green and earthy mallEmquartier shopping mall in Bangkok is a green and earthy mall

I love how green and full of plants the Emquartier mall is

The Emquartier shopping mall in Bangkok has a hip and cool vibeThe Emquartier shopping mall in Bangkok has a hip and cool vibe

The Emquartier shopping mall in Bangkok has a hip and cool vibe

I particularly love the stunning rooftop open-air park Panorama (located on the 5th Floor of EmQuartier mall).

Here you can wander around the green and lush garden, called Quartier Water Garden, with panoramic city views over Bangkok.

What To Shop At EmQuartier

EmQuartier has a department-kind-of shop called Quarator on the 2nd floor. Here you find clothes, shoes, and accessories from different Thai designers.

EmQuartier has 11 floors in total:

  1. Basement Floor – Food Court
    The Basement Floor contains the Quartier Food Court serving both Asian and Western food. Here are also several cafes, like Starbucks and Au Bon Pain. You also find Bu4rger King, KF, Jamie’s Burger, McDonald’s, and Subway here.
  2. Ground Floor – Supermarket
    At Ground Floor, you will find a vast and fantastic supermarket called Gourmet Market, selling everything you can think of when it comes to groceries. Ground Floor also houses beauty shops like Sephora (Thailands biggest flagship Sephora store), MAC, and fashion brands like Emporio Armani and Michael Kors. The cafes Dean & Deluca and Harrods Cafe are also found on the ground floor.
  3. Mezzanine Floor – Luxury Fashion
    This Floor is all about fashion, and you can shop for luxury brands like Celine, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Stella McCartney, Alexander Wang, Armani Exchange, and Calvin Klein.
  4. 1st Floor – Women’s Fashion
    1st Floor contains a bit cheaper brands like H&M, Massimo Dutti, Superdry, Ted Baker, and Zara (including Zara Home).
  5. 2nd Floor – Men’s Fashion & Lifestyle
    This is the men’s fashion and lifestyle floor. Here you can find men’s fashion brands like Charles & Keith, Fred Perry, and Uniqlo.
  6. 3rd Floor – Tech & Gadgets
    3rd Floor is all about IT, tech, and gadgets. Here you find electronic and mobile shops like Big Camera, dtac, Samsung, Sony, Studio 7, and True. This Floor is also where you should head for if you like books, as you find the fantastic bookstore Kinokuniya here. You also find two nice shops selling glasses and sunglasses; Better Vision and Eye Lab. Some banks are also located here.
  7. 4th Floor – Cinema
    4th Floor is the entertainment floor with the cinema and art center Quartier Cineart & Imax and Virgin Active Fitness Club. If you are not feeling too good, you can also find several dentists, clinics, and doctors on the 4th Floor.
  8. 5th Floor – Rooftop Garden
    The 5th Floor is a must-visit with its fantastic open-air tropical garden Helix Garden and The Escape’s rooftop area. Here you can sit down and relax at bars and wine lounges with a spectacular view of the Bangkok skyline.
  9. 6th – 9th Floor – Restaurants & Cafes
    When you get hungry and thirsty, you should head to the 6th – 9th Floor. Here you find the Helix Dining with over 50 great restaurants and cafes, both Asian and Western. An impressive spiral walkway connects these top four floors.
    This is a dining paradise with all food you can imagine from worldwide. We found it challenging to choose between the restaurants as they all look fantastic. You will for sure not go hungry from EmQuartier!

Just across the road (Sukhumvit Road), you find another shopping mall called Emporium (see below). There is a walking patch connecting EmQuartier and Emporium shopping mall.

  • How to get to EmQuartier: Skytrain to Phrom Phong BTS Station (exit 4)
  • Opening hours EmQuartier: 10:00 (10 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)
  • EmQuartier’s webpage

8. Emporium – Sukhumvit Area

The Emporium is close to Phrom Phong sky train station. It opened in 1997 and has recently been renovated.

The Emporium is a glamorous and glossy center with a pleasant atmosphere. The bright white walls and shiny marble floor make the design of Emporium classy and sophisticated.

From the moment you enter the mall, you get a luxurious feeling. The doormen in crisp white uniforms hold the doors for you and greet you welcomely, and soft jazz music plays in the background at the whole mall. It feels a bit like Harrods in London, which I love.

What To Shop At Emporium Mall

You will mostly find luxury fashion brands at Emporium and some cheaper brands like Zara. The Exotique Thai on the fourth floor is a great place to shop for gifts and souvenirs, as is Jim Thompson Thai silk on the third floor.

The Emporium mall consists of eight floors:

  1. Basement
    On the basement floor, you find parking and a customer and Tourist Service Center if you need any assistance.
  2. Ground Floor
    On the ground floor, you find the giant Emporium Department Store’s food store, with delicious food from all over the world. Here you also find Starbucks Cafe, TWG tea salon, and luxury watches, jewelry, and fashion brands like Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Dior, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, and Roger Vivier.
  3. Mezzanine Floor (M)
    Watches, jewelry, and clothes from brands like Dior Homme, Gucci, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, and Salvatore Ferragamo.
  4. First Floor
    The first floor consists of perfumes and cosmetics, handbags, and jewelry. Here you also find Thai designer clothes and accessories. Fashion brands like Dapper and Lacoste are located on this floor and beauty salons like Shiseido Salon & Spa and Moga International Tokyo. Sun Glass Hut is also on this Floor and two cafes: Another Hound Cafe and Paul. We had lunch at Paul, and it was great.
  5. Second Floor
    The second floor is all about fashion, clothes, and shoes with less pricey stores like Zara, Armani Exchange, Diesel, Guess, and Calvin Klein. On this Floor, you also find Asia Books (mainly books in Thai, but also some in English) and Boots pharmacy.
  6. Third Floor
    The third Floor is electronics and sports. You can also shop Thai silk at Jim Thompson and Thai beauty products at Harnn (perfect for gifts and souvenirs). Finally, this is the Floor to hit to have some fun on rollerblades and go skating! Here you find the Roller Dome with a skating rink and Imaginia playground that combines arts, music, literature, and creativity.
  7. Fourth Floor
    The fourth floor is all about eating and dining. You will find lots of delicious Thai food at the Emporium Foodhall. As well as Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese, and Western food like Burger King, Mos Burger, and Starbucks. At Gourmet Market, you can shop for all kinds of groceries and food; they also have a wine cellar. Exotique Thai is also on this floor, the perfect place to shop for gifts and souvenirs to bring back home. On this Floor, you also find interior decor, furniture, and household stuff.
  8. Fifth Floor
    You will find a cinema on the top floor, as well as a spa.

One section of each Floor contains Emporium Department Store.

  • How to get to Emporium Shopping Mall: Skytrain to Phrom Phong BTS station.
  • Opening hours Emporium: Every day, 11 am – 21:00/9 pm
  • Emporium’s webpage 

9. Pantip Plaza – Pratunam Area

Pantip is a geek’s heaven! This five-floor shopping center is packed with electronics of all kinds.

At first glance, this chaos of shops and noise feels like madness, but there are some logic and system to it all.

What To Shop At Pantip Plaza

At Pantip, you can find everything from serious well-known shops as iStudio and iShop (3rd Floor), Nikon, Sony, and Canon, to not-so-legal small stalls selling pirate movies, TV series, games, and software. In addition, this center has an entire floor just for mobile phones, phone accessories, and mobile repair. Pantip Plaza has a total of five floors.

Pantip has an official Apple service center on the 4th Floor.

We love to walk around here looking and trying out all sorts of gadgets! But, unfortunately, the noise level is relatively high, which, together with the crowds, makes it quite exhausting after a while.

Pantip also has a food court on the 2nd Floor with typical Thai dishes, great for filling up your energy level and sitting down and resting for a while.

  • How to get to Pantip Plaza: Sky train to Chit Lom BTS station, and walk (a 15-min walk). Or take a tuk-tuk.
  • Opening hours Pantip Plaza: 10 am – 20:00/8 pm, but the best time to go is mid-day as many of the smaller shops open later and close earlier.
  • Pantip Plaza’s Webpage

10. Central Chitlom – Sukhumvit Area

Central Chitlom is located just next to the Chit Lom Skytrain BTS Station. It has seven floors and a straightforward design and layout of each Floor.

Each floor is a big open space with the different brands having their own area with no walls between them.

You find perfumes, cosmetics, jewelry, and handbags on the first floor, as well as luxury brands like Mulberry, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Dior, and Louis Vuitton.

On the 4th Floor, you can find a good selection of high-quality Thai souvenirs like silk and beauty products made in Thailand. So this is a great place to buy souvenirs and gifts to bring back home.

Central Chitlom is among my favorite shopping centers in Bangkok, as it has some of my favorite brands. In addition, the shoe floor is excellent, with a large selection of international shoe brands.

Chitlom has a friendly and relaxed vibe, and all floors are airy and open-spaced with the different brands spread out with no walls between them. It is easy to orientate and find your way around. Peaceful, chilled, and not so crowded and noisy as Paragon and Central World.

It also has some excellent and cozy restaurants and cafes. One of them is Greyhound, which has delicious cakes! Its food court on the 7th Floor is great and popular among Thais.

Chitlom does not have a cinema or other entertainment, so pure shopping is what you get here.

  • How to get to Central Chitlom: Skytrain to Chit Lom BTS station.
  • Opening hours Central Chitlom: 11 a.m. – 20:00/ 8 p.m.
  • Central Chidlom’s webpage

11. Terminal 21 – Sukhumvit Area

Terminal 21 is located next to the Asok BTS Station and is a relatively new shopping center that opened in 2011.

Terminal 21 is a cool and edgy shopping center, one of the most spectacular I have ever been to! Each Floor is designed as a city, one is London, another is Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Istanbul, San Fransisco, and Hollywood.

The center is huge, consisting of nine floors with more than 600 shops!

Although you can find big international brands here, such as Esprit, Camper, Adidas, H&M, Guess, Levi’s, Nike, and Quiksilver, it is also full of small, trendy Asian design brands.

This combo is great and why I love Terminal 21. It is the perfect place to head for gifts and souvenirs to bring home.

Terminal 21 has a wide range of excellent restaurants and cafes on the 4th and 5th floor/ San Fransisco Floor. In addition, you will find a modern cinema on the top floor/ Hollywood Floor.

What To Shop At Terminal 21

Terminal 21 consists of nine floors:

  1. Lower Ground Floor – Caribbean
    Supermarket Gourmet Marget (which is fantastic), Boots pharmacy, some cafes
  2. Ground Floor – Rome
    Fashion, international brands like American Eagle, Lacoste, Levi’s, Camel Active, Quiksilver, and Mango
  3. Main Floor – Paris
    Fashion, international brands like H&M, Camper, Charles & Keith, The Body Shop, Victoria’s Secret, Oakley + Starbucks cafe
  4. 1st Floor – Tokyo
    Women’s fashion – Lots of small stalls and shops of small unknown Asian brands
  5. 2nd Floor – London
    Men’s fashion – Small stores and stalls selling everything from t-shirts to jeans for men + the sports shop Sports World
  6. 3rd Floor – Istanbul
    Shoes, bags, accessories, souvenirs, gifts, decor, jewelry from small Thai brands and designers.
  7. 4th Floor – San Fransisco
    Food & Drinks, restaurants like Tony Romas steaks and ribs, MK Restaurant, Fuji Japanese restaurant, and lots of other Asian food
  8. 5th Floor – San Fransisco
    Food & Drinks, restaurants like KFC and lots of Asian food
  9. 6th Floor – Hollywood
    SF Cinema, Fitness First, Spa center, some IT shops like AIS, dTac, True, Samsung, and PlayStation

Even if you are not a big shopper, you should visit Terminal 21 just to look at the design of each Floor! Super cool and very unique!

  • How to get to Terminal 21: Skytrain to Asok BTS station or the underground to Sukhumvit MRT Station.
  • Opening hours Terminal 21: 10:00 (10 am) – 22:00 (10 pm)
  • Terminal 21’s webpage

12. Chatuchak Weekend Market

Chatuchak (or Jatujak) weekend marked is one of the biggest markets in the world, covering more than one km, consisting of more than 15 000 booths! Unfortunately, the Chatuchak Market is only open on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Chatuchak is a tourist attraction in itself, with over 200 000 people visiting each day! It is popular among local Thais, foreigners living in Bangkok, and tourists. You should come here and look even if you are not a big shopper. It is a great place to eat Thai street food.

Chatuchak Market is huge, divided into 27 sections. And you can find everything here.

Here you can shop things as wood carving, handicrafts, local souvenirs from every part of Thailand, Buddhist amulets, wooden furniture, handmade decorated flowers, ceramic wares, Chinese wares, garden plants, stones, trendy fashions, silk, hill-tribe outfits, paintings of local painters, fluffy dogs, handbags, shoes, jewelry and fashionable Thai design of all sort – All at a low price! It is spectacular!

You can also eat and drink at nice small cafes and restaurants. And if you shop too much or very large things, TNT and DHL are present and are more than happy to pack and ship your stuff to your home.

Read more about Chatuchak Market and all my other favorite markets in Bangkok here.

  • How to get to Chatuchak Weekend Market: Sky train to Mo Chit station, or the underground to Chatuchak station.
  • Opening hours Chatuchak Market: Saturdays and Sundays, 6 am – 6 pm/ 18:00.
  • Chatuchak Market’s Webpage

13. Asiatique – Riverside Area

Just beside the Chao Phraya River is the new and posh riverfront market Asiatique. It is a mix of Asian, American, and European food and shopping (indoor and outdoor), as well as entertainment.

This area at the riverbank of the Chao Phraya River used to belong to the Danish Ostindiske Kompani in the old days. Their old storage buildings have now been converted into cafes, restaurants, pubs, and shops.

The shops mainly have a tourist focus, where you can find Thai products and designs, some of which you also find at Chatuchak Weekend Market. But it is an excellent touristy market, which is also very popular among Thais.

Asiatique the riverside market BangkokAsiatique the riverside market Bangkok

Lots of nice shops at Asiatique

Asiatique the riverside market BangkokAsiatique the riverside market Bangkok

Asiatique has a huge Ferris wheel

Who doesn’t love Paris wheel, Italian gelato ice cream, and 4D cinema? Asiatique is great fun! You can also enjoy different shows at Asiatique, like a traditional Thai puppet show, calypso shows, and Thai boxing.

You can take the free shuttle boat to Asiatique from Sathorn/ Central Pier (sky train station Saphan Taksin). The free shuttle boat departs every 15 minutes, from 4 pm to 8 pm.

  • How to get to Asiatique: Take the free shuttle boat from Central Pier/ Sathorn (sky train to Saphan Taksin). The boat departs every 15 minutes, from 4 pm to 8 pm.
  • Opening hours Asiatique: Every day, 11 a – midnight
  • Asiatique’s Webpage

Bangkok shoppingBangkok shopping

Bangkok is a great shopping city, maybe the best, and the quote “Shop till you drop” is suitable for describing the shopping mania going on here! Love it! ♥

Bangkok also has some of the biggest and best markets in the world. Read the list of our favorite markets in Bangkok that you should not miss.

Are you wondering what else you should see and do in Bangkok? Check out our ultimate best-of-Bangkok itinerary. And here is an overview of the different hotel areas of Bangkok, which will help you decide where to stay. As for food, these are our favorite restaurants to eat real delicious and authentic Thai food in Bangkok.

BONUS: We have made a free printable PDF and ePUB version of this guide to Bangkok’s best shopping available to our newsletter subscribers. Perfect for printing or carrying on your iPad!

⇒ CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE NEWSLETTER AND DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE BANGKOK PDF SHOPPING GUIDE ⇐

Where To Stay In Bangkok

Bangkok offers a wide selection of accommodation for all budgets, and you will have plenty of choices when it comes to finding the right place to stay.

Bangkok is pretty affordable when it comes to accommodation, so you can get some really good deals and even find five stars hotels very cheap compared to other places in the world. However, accommodation prices do vary greatly with the season.

Below are some of our favorite hotels in Bangkok.  We have stayed at all of the hotels below.

Avani Riverside

If you’d like to stay along the river without breaking the bank, the Avani Riverside hotel is a great alternative to the usual riverside luxury hotels. Rooms are super comfortable with fantastic views overlooking the Chao Phraya River and the fantastic rooftop infinity pool is probably our favorite in Bangkok.
Click here for latest prices

Hotel Muse Bangkok

DSC91281-705x468DSC91281-705x468

Hotel Muse is a cool and unique boutique hotel, perfectly located in the center of Bangkok within easy walking distance of Chit Lom Skytrain station. The rooms are elegant with a classic Thai inspired decor, comfortable beds and gorgeous bathrooms with a deep bathtub.. There is a rooftop bar, a pool and a fitness center. We spent Christmas here a few years ago, and was very happy with our choice of hotel.
Click here for latest prices
Casa Nithra
If you’re looking for a mid-range option close to Bangkok’s famous Khao San area, then the Casa Nithra comes highly recommended. The rooftop swimming pool is lovely, the rooms comfortable and the breakfast has plenty of options. It’s located in a quiet area, yet Khao San is just an easy walk away.
Click here for latest prices

Hotel Icon
Hotel Icon is a small hotel centrally located on Sukhumvit road. The rooms are fresh and modern, big and comfortable with all the usual comforts such as flat-screen tv, aircon, and free Wi-Fi. The rooftop swimming pool is great!
Click here for latest prices

⇒ For more accommodation options and tips on which areas of Bangkok that suit you best, read our complete guide to where to stay in Bangkok.

Travel Guides

We used the Lonely Planet`s Thailand travel guide on our trip. You can get that and other great books at Amazon.com (affiliate links).

What is your favorite shopping city? Do you have other shopping tips in Bangkok than the ones I have mentioned here? Please leave a comment in the comment area below! If you like this blog post or find it useful, please share and like it on social media! Thanks! 🙂

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