December 3, 2025 | 07:12 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - East and Southeast Asia are increasingly dominating the world's shopping destinations, with five of the top ten cities according to Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2025. This trend reflects a global shift in which shopping is no longer just a transaction, but an experience that combines cultural heritage with modern innovation, from cutting-edge beauty laboratories to bustling night markets.
The recently announced awards highlight how Asia, with its mega-malls, traditional markets, and luxury boutiques, has captured half of the top spots from European and North American destinations. Furthermore, Asia is now a major force reshaping global retail, where every purchase becomes a way to enhance the buyer's identity.
Here are the five best shopping destinations in East and Southeast Asia, as reported by Nation Thailand:
1. Seoul
Seoul, South Korea, has topped the global rankings as the best shopping city for the first time. Visitors are treated to two timelines at once: a 600-year-old market with hanok villages and an ever-innovating K-beauty ecosystem.
The Seongsu-dong area, once a car workshop, has transformed into a beauty laboratory with custom lipstick counters. Meanwhile, Gwangjang Market retains Seoul's classic charm with rows of silk hanbok and traditional bindaetteok stalls. The flagship Olive Young store in Myeongdong serves as a global beauty trend forecasting hub, always adopted first.
2. Singapore
Singapore maintains its second place with its famously neat and luxurious retail scene. Orchard Road remains the heart of shopping with its air-conditioned corridor connecting ION Orchard, Takashimaya, and dozens of Japanese and Swiss brand outlets, as well as limited edition streetwear. The perfect air conditioning system allows visitors to spend hours exploring without being bothered by the tropical weather.
3. Tokyo
Tokyo ranks third with an unmatched retail balance. Ginza showcases grand glass-fronted boutiques reminiscent of luxury car showrooms, while Harajuku and Shimokitazawa are havens for vintage goods and 90s streetwear. Atlantis Vintage in Koenji and Casanova in Shibuya offer concierge services for rare items, while Utsuwa Hanada in Kawasaki transforms ceramic shopping into a hands-on design class.
4. Hong Kong
Hong Kong ranks fourth with its multi-level malls in Central and Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui. Visitors can purchase Cartier jewelry tax-free, while traditional markets in old alleys preserve the city's retail history.
5. Bangkok
Bangkok ranks seventh as the most exciting yet exhausting shopping city. Chatuchak Weekend Market, with its 15,000 stalls, remains an icon, offering everything from rubber shoes to propaganda posters from the mid-20th century. When the heat becomes too much, visitors move to giant malls like Central Embassy, which offers more than 550 brands under the city's largest rooftop garden, and IconSiam, which even has a floating market inside the building.
PUTRI AZ ZAHRA SUHERMAN
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