Travel | Top Malls in Bangkok
Before going to Bangkok, I went to Dubai for work. I've seen the huge malls there and I thought that was it for me. Coming home to the Philippines got me seeing SM Malls sprouting all around the country with Robinson, Ayala Malls and City Malls in the running. Again I thought I've seen enough malls to last me a lifetime, then I went to Bangkok, Thailand.
As my time in the Land of Smiles was limited, I thought to myself, what I can see within stones throw of my hotel, and that was cheap to do. I asked a number of locals and they offered a lot of things to me from food, to places to tourist attractions. Among those answers that stood out was, malls. I said to myself, really? Malls? Why would I see malls? But since Bangkok is something new for me, I included malls in my list of to see.
Glad that I did went around to see the malls. They weren't the same with those in Dubai and Manila. The latter I can see the same brands in the malls, but those in Bangkok is a bit different. They may have the same brands, but they do not dominate their malls. You can see local brands that are huge and comparable to the big names we saw normally.
Food is I can say that's so diversified. Thai food culture is a culinary delight and in itself a tourist attraction. Food courts are line up not with burgers or spaghetti's, but instead you will see different local cuisines. Different kinds of fried rice and pad thais are in the offing for the adventurous traveller. The locals are so nationalistic that these kind of foods are often queued by diners, more than McDonald's or Burger King's. Even ramen is hard to find, as local noodles dominate the food scene in the malls.
In some malls, they have bazaars, and you will be here for a treat. Bangkok is also known for their fashion and clothes are the number one go to things to buy in these bazaars. They are being sold in affordable prices so a fashionista will be in heaven when he or she finds themselves stuck in one.
Malls are so widespread in Bangkok that in Silom Area alone, there's one block with 4 or 6 malls that are connected to the BTS or Metro Station. Each one offering a different theme from each other, thus the word "boring" is not the word to describe the experience. Think of that block as theme park of sorts.
So for our choices, here are the malls we visited that we suggest you visit.
MBK Center Siam
When you want to see a huge mall full of bazaars, then this one is it. Probably the city's most famous shopping mall, this is popular among tourists as they offer eight floors with 2,000 shops that offer items at affordable prices. From mobile phones, cameras, fashion, furniture and the likes, this 1986 mall truly captivates its shoppers. Easily accessible via a walkway from the National Stadium BTS Skytrain station, this convenience alone would make you want to visit this place.
EmQuartier Bangkok
If you find MBK Center as a people's mall in terms of prices, then this one is on the direct opposite. this mall features luxury brands in its stores. Fancy these here, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, Valentino and Prada are just some of the names you find within. To go along with luxury, the architecture of the mall is equal to that. Giant glass panels adorn the front and futuristic in theme, the mall also pushes for green as they have lots of plants and trees adorning each floor. The mall is divided in three parts, the Glass Quartier (glass lined front), the Helix Quartier (featuring a huge helix of plants), and the Waterfall Quartier (with a large waterfall adorning one of its walls. Easily accessed via the BTS Skytrain Phrom Phong station.
Siam Center Bangkok
Can be reached via Siam BTS station, this mall is also linked via walkway with Siam Paragon mall. Another alternative to Emquartier, this mall features high-end boutiques as well. What drew us to this place is the bulk of restaurants found on its top floor. It has a high ceiling and cuisines from different part of Asia are there.
Terminal 21 Asok
This place has been highly recommended by the locals. They said that if you want to travel the world in one place, then Terminal 21 is it. Having nine floors of some parts of the globe isn't bad I guess, but lucky enough not to spend much on airfares! LOL.
The mall has its typical innards, like shops, a supermarket and a cineplex. What stands out are the themes in each floor. The basement is Caribbean, ground floor features Rome, Paris is on Mezzanine, upper floors are Tokyo, London and Istanbul.
Floors 4th and 5th features San Francisco, USA and these floors offer restaurants and cafes. Variety of foods can be found on the 5th as it is where the food court is located. Cinemaplex can be found starting on the 6th floor. Featuring local and international films.
Accessible by train, this place rocks. Such a small space yet crammed with lots of things to see, where can you travel the world in a day?
Platinum Fashion Mall
If you like Chatuchak Night Market, where prices are dirt cheap, then this one is the indoor version of it. Bazaar shops line its corridors to the brim. All floors are similar except for the topmost floor where the food court is located.
If you are a fashionista on a budget, then this place is it. A bit of walking from the nearest, train station, this mall aims to please you with bargain hunting experience. Shops can help you mix and match wardrobe with accessories such as bags or hats and what have you. You will feel like a kid in a candy store when you are here in Platinum Fashion Mall.
The malls we featured here offers something different from the ones, you've been accustomed to. There are other malls in Bangkok that are amazing and wonderful in their own unique way. We do hope we can have more time to mall hop in the future.
We thought you might take a look at mall hopping as an option in your travels to Bangkok after reading this article.
