Founded in 1985, River City Shopping Complex is a shopping adventure located next to the Royal Orchid Sheraton. Spread across 47,567 square meters (512,007 square feet), this shopping center is home to several shops which are famed for their antique collections and frequently visited by antique aficionados. Besides antiques, this is an ideal place to look for hand-woven Thai silk and cotton, gems and jewelry, decorative objects, leather goods, handicrafts and other souvenirs. River City Shopping Complex is known for hosting auctions for antiques and art regularly. After an art walk and shopping here, you can enjoy a romantic meal with a special someone at their roof-top restaurants or opt for a cruise dinner by the Chao Phraya River.
Mah Boon Krong or MBK Center is one of the best places for shoppers who love a market-style atmosphere but prefer the comfort of air-conditioned spaces. It is packed with stalls selling everything from clothes, leather goods and fashion accessories to electrical supplies, furniture, cosmetics and all kinds of gift items. Bargains and discounts are common, but shoppers should guard against imitation clothing, watches and other items. The seventh floor includes a modern movie theater showing all the latest releases, a bowling alley and a karaoke place.
Siam Paragon is an upscale shopping mall which boasts flagship stores for many international brands including Versace, Armani, Hugo Boss, Gucci and Swarovski. On the top floor are movie theaters, bowling venues, an IMAX theater, and the Royal Paragon Hall, which holds exhibitions and entertainment events. If you happen to be famished after a day of shopping, check out the Gourmet Market food hall in the ground floor or any of the other cafes and restaurants. Finally, when the kids are bored with shopping take them to Siam Ocean World, one of the largest aquariums in South East Asia, situated in the basement, and the let the marine world wash your cares away.
Initially known as the World Trade Center, CentralWorld is one of Bangkok's largest downtown malls, containing a massive variety of trendy shops. The flagship department stores of Zen and Isetan can be found here, but the core is a labyrinth of shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities, including cinemas and an ice-skating rink. Located on the seventh floor is the Thailand Duty Free Shop, which is the one of the only government-operated, downtown duty-free shop in the country. Much more than just your average shopping mall, CentralWorld also has an entire luxury hotel and a fully-equipped convention center within its premises.
Designed to resemble an airport building, Terminal 21 brings the world to you, incorporating the essence of several cities together in this glass and steel structure. Crisscrossing escalators, electronic signs resembling flight information and assistants in uniform all make you think you are on a journey, one that finds you in the Caribbean on the lower floor, then Rome, Paris, London, Tokyo, Istanbul, San Francisco and finally Hollywood on the sixth floor, where a huge Oscar statue and eight-screen cinema await. A food court is on the fifth floor, plus some fifty other restaurants and cafes. There are around 600 shops, including well-known brands such as Kipling, Adidas and Levi's. Women's fashion is on the first floor (Tokyo) and men's on the second (London). The third floor (Istanbul) resembles a souk, with tent-like roofing and eye-catching stalls. Terminal 21 is worth a visit for the novelty alone, even if you're not the biggest fan of shopping.