Thailand: Bangkok crowned an essential shopping destination

Bangkok was ranked among the best cities in the world for shopping in 2025, by readers of a famous travel magazine.

The Thai capital stands out among major global cities thanks to its mega-shopping centers, iconic markets, and its booming retail industry.

The rise of East and Southeast Asia is reshaping the global retail landscape, making this region a hub for travelers seeking the ultimate shopping experience.

The global capitals of shopping have changed.

For years, Paris was the ultimate dream destination, Tokyo offered cultural getaways combined with shopping therapy, Seoul attracted travelers seeking aesthetic perfection, and Singapore promised refined cuisine and clean air.

But the 2025 Reader's Choice Awards from Condé Nast Traveler for shopping confirm that this landscape has radically changed.

Among the top ten global shopping destinations, half are now in East and Southeast Asia.

It's clear that the future of global retail is already here, driven by beauty labs, megamalls, and bustling night markets.

The growing influence of Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Bangkok underscores Asia's ascendancy as a region that will shape the next era of global shopping culture.

Today, the most appealing destinations are no longer distinguished solely by the products on their shelves, but also by how buying something in these places can enhance, or even transform, shoppers' self-esteem.

The 10 best cities in the world for shopping in 2025

Siam Paragon luxury shopping mall in Bangkok. Photo: Ken Kobayashi

According to readers of Condé Nast Traveler.

1. Seoul

In Seoul, shopping takes place on two levels: traditional markets and 600-year-old hanok villages that preserve traditional craftsmanship, and the cutting-edge K-beauty ecosystem that treats every product launch like a software update.

The result is a city that entices travelers to return with half-empty suitcases, ready to be filled.

Start with Seongsu-dong, where former car garages have been reinvented as beauty laboratories: lipstick customization counters are arranged above rotating art installations, giving shopping a laboratory feel.

At Gwangjang Market, visitors are transported to old Seoul, weaving through alleys adorned with silk hanbok, just steps away from bindaetteok (Korean pancake) stalls, proving that here, shopping and dining are part of the same ritual.

Nearby, in Myeongdong, the flagship store Olive Young serves as a control center for cosmetic innovation, its displays announcing beauty trends adopted by Koreans long before they spread worldwide.

2. Singapore

Singapore offers a clear and refined retail experience.

Orchard Road is the country's sparkling commercial artery, with its air-conditioned corridors framed by architectural icons such as ION Orchard, the curved glass monument, and Takashimaya at Ngee Ann City.

Here, hours pass easily between Japanese stationery, Swiss watches, and limited-edition streetwear, all under the island's renowned fresh air.

3. Tokyo

Tokyo is arguably the most balanced city in the world when it comes to shopping, perfectly combining grand spectacles and hyper-specialized niches without wasting a single square meter.

Ginza sets the tone with its boulevards lined with buildings with glass facades designed by renowned architects, each resembling as much a luxury car showroom as a boutique.

In Harajuku, the former Chanel space designed by Lagerfeld has been transformed into a freely accessible fashion archive.

Meanwhile, Atlantis Vintage in Koenji, run by a TikTok-famous curator, offers a concierge-style access to rare finds, while Shimokitazawa perpetuates 90s streetwear fashion for the next generation.

Further afield, Bookoff Super Bazaar in Kawasaki and Casanova in Shibuya showcase Tokyo's incomparable second-hand scene, from discounted Louis Vuitton items to meticulously authenticated pieces.

A stop at Utsuwa Hanada to discover handmade ceramics turns rushed shopping into a design lesson.

4. Hong Kong

Hong Kong is designed for high-end shopping: shopping centers stacked in skyscrapers, flagship stores by the waterfront, and street markets that wind through alleys older than most current global brands.

In the neighborhoods of Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, Harbour City's marble corridors offer the pleasure of buying Cartier items with a tax advantage that makes luxury a little more affordable.

The city's chic density, combined with its traditional markets, makes it a unique and nuanced shopping environment.

5. Paris

Paris remains the archetype of the great commercial city, its shops etched in the cultural memory of the capital.

Along the Rue Saint-Honoré, you can stroll to Astier de Villatte, the century-old ceramics house, and then to Paramaz, a small leather goods workshop that manufactures cardholders dyed with vegetable dyes, just a few meters from your morning coffee.

Even the flea markets follow a hierarchy here: Vanves on Saturdays for decorative arts, Montreuil for local character, and the Dauphine Market at Clignancourt, immediately recognizable by its Futuro House.

For men's clothing, The Archivist Store and Thanx God I'm a VIP offer Japanese brands, American streetwear, and vintage items sorted by color.

On the other side of the river, in Saint-Germain, Karl Lagerfeld's 7L bookstore and the taxidermy institution Deyrolle, which has experienced a resurgence of interest, showcase the best of Paris: complex, lasting stories about taste, with shopping as the guiding thread.

6. Madrid

Madrid was a shopping capital long before Zara perfected the art of recreating runway looks overnight, and it still is today.

Tailors, leather goods workshops, traditional department stores, and neighborhood shops continue to be references, even as Inditex has transformed Spanish fashion into a global export product.

The brand's flagship store on Gran Vía always attracts crowds looking for the latest styles at prices close to those of major retailers, but these are just minor characters, not the origin of the story.

7. Bangkok

Bangkok has earned a reputation as one of the most exhilarating and exhausting cities in the world for shopping.

The Thai capital is full of sensory temptations, from shopping centers connected by walkways to sprawling weekend markets that resemble entire cities.

The Chatuchak Weekend Market, with its 15,000 stalls selling everything from rubber boots to mid-century propaganda posters to homemade pad thai, is its most obvious expression.

After a few minutes, you're already sweating.

When the heat in Bangkok becomes unbearable, shopping moves indoors.

Here, shopping centers are more than just places to swipe your card, they're complete commercial ecosystems.

Central Park is home to over 550 brands under Thailand's largest rooftop urban garden, filled with trees and waterfalls, while IconSiam has its own floating market, with wooden boats and local snacks.

Residents do everything inside these complexes, even trying on autumn and winter clothes under very cold air conditioning.

8. London

London is less like a modern city than a medieval market in constant expansion, which is precisely why it is a destination of choice for shopping.

The capital still operates according to a neighborhood model, with each playing a different role.

In Mayfair, Savile Row tailors have been making costumes since 1806, while Mount Street town houses now host Simone Rocha, whose boutique is decorated with vintage cars covered in flowers.

On the other side of the city, Portobello Road market stalls sell vintage items from the Westwood era as well as Victorian military items, with regulars choosing Friday or Sunday to avoid the Saturday tourist crowds.

Meanwhile, Oxford Street's department stores continue to serve as cultural scenes.

9. Cape Town

Cape Town has established itself as one of the world's most attractive shopping cities, combining design, spirit, and landscape into a harmonious experience.

At the V&A Waterfront, the vast Watershed market brings together 150 stalls of African craftsmanship under one roof, counterbalancing the neighboring shopping centers where Cape Union Mart outfits safari enthusiasts in khaki and fleece.

Beyond the harbor, a network of shops and charities animates the city's second-hand economy:

Help The Rural Child operates several branches to fund education, while Coats for Africa in Wynberg sells so much merchandise that regulars visit daily.

10. Dublin

Dublin's shops reflect a city that knows how to have fun and put on a show.

George's Street Arcade is home to tarot card readers and Paul Mescal badges, while Brown Thomas's uniformed doormen greet shoppers on Grafton Street, just below where James Joyce used to stroll.

The overall retail experience here is based on a mix of self-awareness and sincerity, with Dublin's literary heritage anchoring its sense of style.

See also:

Thailand ranked as the best country to eat in the world in 2025

All about Chatuchak, the weekend market in Bangkok, Thailand

Shopping: The 14 Best Souvenirs and Gifts to Buy in Thailand

Handicrafts in Thailand: Shopping Tips

Source: The Nation Thailand