The chic and smart girl’s shopping guide
Christmas shopping is gaining more and more popularity around the world. Usually, those who go to a foreign country just for shopping prefer places like Turkey, Singapore, Philippines, Hong-Kong instead of renowned commercial cities like Paris, London, Milan or New York. Why is that? Well, mainly because of how cheap you can find anything out there and also because it gives them a new experience, people always like to discover something new.
If you go shopping in Turkey you should visit all the bazaars you can find. In the bazaars you can find thousands and thousands of street vendors selling everything from hookahs: twisted: to 24K gold jewelry. Here, if you don’t haggle, it may be considered a shame by the seller (hey!), besides, by haggling you can easily get 30% discount.
In Istanbul you can find the big bazaar in Kapali Carsi (which is beyond huge) or along the main avenue in Taksim. In Ankara, the bazaars can be found mainly in the city center in the Kizilay area. As for a paradise like Kusadasi, bazaars are almost everywhere.
Grand Bazaar Turkey
The other part of the Turkish shopping experience is its malls. Even though you can’t haggle, their malls can be very different from the ones you’re familiar with in the US or the rest of Europe. In Istanbul, you can find high-end shopping malls and stores on Nisantasi and Bagdat Avenue such as Akmerez, Capitol, Kanyon, Kule Carsi or Istinye Park. In Ankara we also have some big shopping centers like Migros, Ankaramall or Armada. As for Kusadasi, there is Scopa Nova Marina, a large shopping center.
Thailand is a more extravagant destination than Turkey. Thailand is mainly famous for its shopping markets, which are found all over Bangkok, where you can find designer clothes or handmade crafts at very low prices. For example, the Chatuchak weekend market, which has more than 1000 shops, or the OTOR commercial market, full of handmade souvenirs. Another great place is the night market called Suam Luun Night Bazaar.
Malls in Thailand are nothing special so I will only mention the best ones: Central World Bangkok and MBK.
The Philippines has the third largest mall in the world, SM Mall of Asia, so you can imagine why it is a popular shopping destination. The number of malls in the Philippines, especially in Manila, is simply amazing. Shopping centers like 168 Mall, Greenbelt, Divisoria or Tutuban can be found in all parts of the world. The biggest deals can be found in the stores located in these malls, stores like Surplus or Greenhills. At Surplus you can find very cheap famous brands like Greenhills, rull imitations (but there are some very good imitations).
Hong Kong is the place to go shopping. Especially for its modern and original clothes and because it is TAX FREE! Hong Kong is famous for its Shopping Festival which takes place every year in the summer. The best place to find some bargains is the Mangkok district with many street vendors. As for markets and high-end stores, we have Tsim Sha Tsui or Causeway Bay, full of designer clothes at reasonable prices. For teenagers I recommend the APM shopping center, they will love it!