22 July, 2008

Shopping in... Bangkok, Siam Square

Bangkok is a shoppers heaven. Your shopping experience will stretch from local outdoor markets to big air conditioned shopping malls. If you only have 24 hours in town I would recommend that you base yourself at Siam Square. You will find quite a few shopping expierences such as Paragon, Gaysorn (Gay what?), MBK, Siam Center, Discovery Center, Zen and Underground Market to name a few.

Paragon, Discovery and Gaysorn are the more upmarket malls, catered to the "Label Queen" amongst us, who can't do Bangkok without Gucci or Prada. However on the two top floor of Gaysorn are a few fabulous Home Decorating Stores and a great selection of Top Thai Designers which are worth a visit (if your figure is more on the petite side of life).

Next door to Gaysorn is the Underground Markets, ideal if you are after cheap souvenirs or copy items such as handbags, shirts, DVD's and watches. MBK however is 'the place' for copy items, all 8 floors of it. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the location of UR NEAREST EMERGENCY EXIT, it's a maze!!! And don't forget to bargain hard!!

Siam Center and Siam Square is the place where young shoppers meet. You will find a lot of shops and stalls with locally designed fashion. They have very groovy and trendy stuff on offer. Personally I'm a bit to old for most of it - or maybe not :)

In between shopping you definitely should try some of the local cuisine. There are lots of places to eat, but my recommendation would be the 'Intra'(diagonal of the Novotel Siam Square). As far as I am concerned, Thai food doesn't get better than that. It's tasty, it's cheap, it's cheerful.

And to finish off a hard day of shopping, spoil yourself at the lavish THANN Spa at Gaysorn or have a relaxing foot massage at Lek, which personally is my favorite.

Happy Shopping viz ze LeeOpard 888

1 comment:

EyeOfTheLeopard said...

My friend Matt told me that the Underground Markets were pulled down :(