While our Dilli bags the first place in a travel portal list as one of the top cities for shopping, Bangkok comes second with its huge variety of shopping options followed by Singapore
In time for the year-end holiday season, TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, recently unveiled its ranking of Asia’s top cities for shopping. New Delhi has topped the list for the best shopping city in Asia, followed byBangkok and Singapore.
“Shopping in Asian cities can be a rich and colourful experience if you know exactly which spots to go to and how to maximise your dollar,” said Janice lee Fang, the company’s communications director for Asia Pacific.
Taking top spot on the list is Delhi, which offers a treasure trove of goods to be discovered through its blend of charming traditional markets and glitzy shopping malls.
Bangkok is second with its huge variety of shopping options for every lifestyle and budget, from the very high-end to street shopping, wholesale and weekend markets.
Singapore is famous for its retail options across the city state, with a plethora of shopping malls that open till late. It’s no surprise to find that The little Red Dot (as the locals like to call Singapore) is a shopaholic’s heaven.
Beijing remains a favourite amongst shoppers for its artisanal handiworks and unique trinkets with historical accents. Must-visits include souvenirs and antique markets for an authentic Beijing experience. In addition to the malls, look for some of the specialised markets, stores selling local designs, and flea markets.
Beautiful Hanoi is recommended as the spot to purchase quality textiles and fabrics. Offering a veritable display of sights and colours, shopping in Hanoi is made even more enjoyable with a growing number of flash boutiques. Vietnam is famous for tailored clothing of excellent quality.
From the latest gadgets and gizmos to anime goods, immaculately crafted handiworks and indie labels, Tokyo proves its status as one of the greatest shopping capitals of the world.
With the Hallyu wave (Korean wave) spreading its influence worldwide, South Korea’s capital is rising up the ranks as a shopping destination with its range of underground labels and luxury goods.
The shopping scene in Kuala lumpur provides a retail respite with its massive shopping malls and street markets that cater to every taste and budget.
A quaint gem in the region, Kathmandu is growing in its popularity as a shopping haven offering an exquisite array of specialty products like Nepalese crafts and woodworks, cashmere and pashmina at affordable prices and high quality.
Serious spenders will enjoy Jakarta’s vibrant mix of ‘pasars’ (markets)with interesting finds and upscale boutiques for luxury goods. With over 150 shopping malls across the city, shoppers will never run out of places to spend their Rupiah. A TripAdvisor reviewer commented, “Jakarta is a great big modern metropolis and there are more malls than the entire city’s population need.”