Other than its world class spas and health facilities, amazing food, and beautiful white sand beaches, Bangkok is known to be a Mecca for any hardcore shopper.

Other than its world class spas and health facilities, amazing food, and beautiful white sand beaches, Bangkok is known to be a Mecca for any hardcore shopper. In fact, within the last twenty years, Bangkok’s property developers have made sure that any new condominium that they put up is within distance of a large mall or shopping center.

An example of these well-planned districts is Sukhumvit, one of Bangkok’s trendiest areas. Sukhumvit houses upscale apartments, restaurants, and clubs. It is popular with both local residents and Western expatriates. It is packed to the brim with shopping centers, restaurants, food stalls, hotels, and condominiums. A quick internet search will provide you with hundreds of hits for residences within walking distance to shopping centers. So if you happen to rent or own a condo unit in the Sukhumvit are, here are some of the upscale shopping malls that you can find within a mere walking distance away from where you are:  

The Emporium Shopping Mall

f your condominium is in Sukhumvit 22, you are just 10 minutes away from an upscale shopping complex called the Emporium. This shopping center is located close to Soi 24 and can be reached via the BTS Skytrain in Phrompong station. It consists of a department store and a wide variety of luxury retail outlets such as Cartier, Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Chanel. The third floor of the shopping mall is a haven for book lovers. It houses a large Kinokuniya bookstore that offers a wider variety of Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean, and English language books and magazines.  Kinokuniya also has an extensive stationery and music sections.

The Central World Plaza

Central World Plaza, formerly known as the World Trade Center, is located at the corner of Rama I and Ratchaprarop. It was closed down for renovation and expansion until its grand reopening in 2006.  It is considered the largest mall in Thailand.  Housing 500 different shops and 90 restaurants, Central World Plaza is so big that even regular costumers lose their way inside it. Luckily, this massive shopping mall employs a large amount of security guards who are more than willing to offer you directions. Tourists who are looking for some local flavor will find that this mall offers a large selection of homegrown brands like Jim Thompson and Naraya. Of course, the mall also offers international brands like Timberland, The North Face, and Adidas. If you are looking for fine Japanese restaurants, then the top two floors of this mall are where you want to be. The large food court also offers Chinese, Western, and Thai options as well.

Terminal 21 Shopping Mall

Has it been your lifelong dream to travel the world? Well, the cutting edge Terminal 21 will help you replicate that experience. This shopping mall is famous for its crazy concept: to bring some of the world’s most famous cities together under one roof. Located right in the heart of Sukhumvit district, Terminal 21 replicates the winding mazes of Tokyo, the chic streets of Paris, and the edgy alleys of London. Brace yourself for the large selection of designer labels from both local and international fashion houses. The nine floors of this jaw-dropping shopping center house more than 600 shops, 50 restaurants, one of the largest local food courts, and an amazing eight-screen Cineplex featuring two digital 3D screens. Terminal 21 is also famous for its Caribbean-themed Gourmet Market located at the basement level of the building and its San Francisco district, a Fisherman’s Wharf-styled two floor area.

This short list will surely whet your appetite for some hardcore shopping action. So put on your comfiest shoes and get ready to pull out your credit cards for a shopping splurge in Sukhumvit!