Tuesday, 23 December 2014

THE FAMOUS SHOPPING MALL IN SINGAPORE CENTRAL BY SATHEASILAN A/L GANESAN A13A1582

Orchard Road Singapore

Orchard Road Singapore-

Orchard Road - A Great Street
The famous shopping belt in Singapore


City Square MallOrchard Road had its humble origins as an unnamed country road lined with fruit orchards, nutmeg plantations, and pepper farms in the early 1830s.  By the 1850s, the plantations began to make way for residential development, and the street was soon home to Jewish and Buddhist cemeteries, Hindu temples, outdoor hawker centres, wet markets, and even an open-air laundry basin.

The first signs of retail transformation came only in 1903 with the establishment of Singapore's very first Cold Storage supermarket, on the site now occupied by The Centrepoint. Orchard Road's first department store was set up by a local merchant, C. K. Tang, in 1958 on an isolated plot of land facing a cemetery. When the old C. K. Tang building was demolished in 1982, it was replaced by the high-rise Tang Plaza which houses both the department store TANGS as well as the current Singapore Marriott Hotel. The green, curving roof still marks the location of the original department store, today known simply as TANGS.

By the 1970s, Orchard Road had replaced High Street as the city's main shopping street, and the introduction of cinemas and a bowling alley during the '60s and '70s heralded the area as a main entertainment hub. The first multi-storey shopping mall, Plaza Singapura, was built in 1974 on the site where it still stands today. Bigger and better malls and complexes soon followed, creating an eclectic streetscape with no parallel in the world.

Spanning almost 2.2km, Orchard Road is a swanky, one-way boulevard flanked by distinctive and iconic shopping malls, restaurants and hotels.  The shopping belt offers nearly 800,000 sq m of retail, dining and entertainment options to please any taste or budget - from opulent brands to high street fashion, and exclusive restaurants to fast food joints.

Orchard Road is a shopper's haven and cosmopolitan playground set among a lush, tropical landscape that is ubiquitous in this Garden City. It is truly A Great Street!
WRITTEN BY MR.SATHEASILAN.............

Thursday, 18 December 2014

CHINA (BEIJING) by NAJWA BINTI IBRAHIM A13A0581


Beijing's Top 10 Shopping Streets



Shopping is an indispensable part of a tour of Beijing. With the unending array of newly-founded shopping malls, plazas, shopping centers, and shopping streets sprouting up in Beijing, shopping in Beijing has become most convenient. Commodities covering every field imaginable can be found in Beijing.

1. Wangfujing Shopping Street

  • Location: about 15 minutes’ walk east from Tian’anman Square
  • Buses: 10, 20, 37, 41, 59, 99, 140 fast line, 120, 126, 203 night line , 205 night line , or 420 to Wangfujing
  • Subway: Line 1 to Wangfujing
  • Recommended time for a visit: one day
Wangfujing Shopping Street is one of the most ancient and famous shopping streets in Beijing, where many large shopping malls are located, like Beijing Department Store. Book stores, a classic photography studio, and Beijing snack shops are also on Wangfujing Shopping Street.
Commodities are various and comprehensively stocked. Fulfill your wildest shoppings dream in Beijing. Some characteristic shops selling Beijingtraditional curios are very popular not only among the local people, but also beloved by foreign travelers, such as the Peking Clothes and Shoes Shop.
Restaurants and a snack street can satisfy a craving. Wangfujing Snack Street is world-famous for its authentic Beijing snacks and food. The prices there are acceptable.

donghuamen night market

2. Qianmen Street

  • Location: about 10 minutes’ walk from Tian’anmen Square, near the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao
  • Buses:1, 9, 17, 22, 66, 120, 126, 646, 690, 692, or 803 to Qianmen
  • Subway:Line 2 to Qianmen
  • Recommended time for a visit:half a day
Also located near Tian’anmen Square, Qianmen Street can be reached easily. the Forbidden City and Tian’anmen Square, looks more wonderful under the lights and quiet atmosphere. Stepping on this street you will see ancient-style buildings housing modern shops. An old-style Chinese tram runs on the street, between the vintage lights. Qianmen Street is indeed different from other shopping streets in Beijing. There aren’t any large shopping malls there, but scores of little shops. Clothes, shoes, Beijing traditional food, and other old-brand shops are the highlights. Quanjude Peking Roast Duck Restaurant is located there, which is busy almost every day. Beside the street, two little lanes called Xianyukou and Dazhalan are two typical Beijing snack streets. Stir-fried liver, boiled lamb tripe, sugarcoated haws, and other authentic snacks can be tasted there.

qianmen

3. Xidan Commercial Street

  • Location: about one hour’s walk west from Tian’anmen Square
  • Buses:22, 46, 47, 83, 102, 105 electronic line, 109 electronic line, 603, 604, 626, 690, 808, or 826 to Xidan.
  • Subway:Line 1 or 4 to Xidan .
  • Recommended time for a visit:one day
Called "the second Wangfujing of Beijing", Xidan Commercial Street is similar to Wangfujing Shopping Street, where you can go on a crazy shopping spree in the large shopping malls.
Food markets, clothes stores covering many world-famous brands, and other commodities cater to customer demands. Shopping,dining,entertainment, andculture are well combined there, with many little restaurants, snacks shops, and Beijing Capital Cinema. The buildings on this street are modern in design, and look fabulous at night.

4. Sanlitun Village

  • Location:east Chaoyang District
  • Buses: 113, 115 electronic line, 431, 701, or 758 to Sanlitun ; 117 to Changhongqiao West ; 110, 118 electronic line, 120, 208 night line, 403, 623, or 673 to Beijing Worker’s Stadium
  • Subway: Line 10 to Tuanjiehu  or Line 2 to Dongsishitiao.
  • Recommended time for a visit:half a day
The children of the 80s and 90s gather there, holding activities and celebrating festivals. The buildings there are more a-la-mode than in other places in Beijing, with many youth brand clothes shops. Sanlitun Village turns into a reveler’s dreamworld at night. After shopping in the malls, enjoying drinks and the night in the bars on Sanlitun Bar Street isfirst-rate . Taxis are available all night
.
qianmen

5. Nanluogu Lane & Drum Tower

  • Location: Dongcheng District
  • Buses:5, 60, 82, 107, 124, or 210 to Gulou .
  • Subway:Line 2 to Guloudajie.
  • Recommended time for a visit:half a day
Nanluogu Lane and the Drum Tower are two of the most typical ancient buildings in Beijing. The streets around are old, with many ancient-style Chinese buildings. Authentic Beijing snacks in the traditional food shops are the highlights around the Drum Tower. Lovely and characteristic Chinese trinkets can be found in Nanluogu Lane. It is about 800 meters long, with many cute shops. Strolling in this hutong, and bargaining with the vendors are very interesting. Nanluogu Lane is located beside Houhai Bar Street, which is another paradise for young people enjoying the night in bars.

the southern gong and drum lane

6. The Place

  • Location: Beijing CBD, Chaoyang District
  • Buses: 28, 43, 120, or 126 to Fangcaodi.
  • Subway: Line 1 to Yong’anli and use Exit B; or Line 10 to Jintaixizhao taking Exit A.
  • Recommended time for a visit:half a day
The Place is one of the modernist places in Beijing, located in Beijing’s CBD. The LED screen on the roof is the biggest highlight of the Place. Restaurants serving Chinese and Western buffets, book stores, and clothes shops are luxurious and elegant.


the place (shimaotianjie)

7.Xiushui Street

  • Location:close to Beijing CBD, Chaoyang Dsistrict
  • Buses:1, 4, or 28 to Yongan Road West .
  • Subway: Line 1 to Yong’anli.
  • Recommended time for a visit:two hours
Once a popular pedestrian street in Beijing, Xiushui Street has now been developed into a large shopping mall. Many booths in the mall sell all kinds of things, including clothes, bags, food, and other trifles. Almost every booth owner can speak English, so customers can bargain with them.

8.Jiamao Shopping Center at Xizhimen

  • Location:Xicheng District
  • Buses:85, Yuntong 106 , 209 night line , 360, 362, 375, 438, 534, 563, 632, or 651 to Xizhimen
  • Subway: Line 2, 4, or 13 to Xizhimen.
  • Recommended time for a visit:2½ hours
It is a large-scale comprehensive shopping center, with very convenient transport (buses and subway).
It combines entertainment, leisure, and supermarkets, playgrounds for children, and Chinese and Western restaurants, providing a complete shopping and dining experience. It is located near Beijing Zoo, so you can go shopping after visiting the animals in the zoo. Many famous brands of clothes and other commodities are popular there.

9. Solana International Commercial Area

  • Location:Chaoyang District
  • Buses:31, 302, 431, 677, 682, 731, 750, or 852 to Liulitun  or Chaoyang Gongyuan or 657, 740, 753, 976, 988, or Yuntong 111 to Chaoyang Gongyuan Dongmen (east gate of Chaoyang Park ).
  • Recommended time for a visit:3 hours
Stepping into this little shopping town, you may be touched by the warm and romantic atmosphere created by the European-style buildings and colorful lights at night. This modern international shopping area is located in Chaoyang Park, where the landscaped scenery is attractive and charming. Life Style Shopping Park has been well laid out by Solana International Commercial Area. Escape the crowds and enjoy shopping in this lovely town. It is great to have a cup of coffee with friends or family on the balcony of a café, breathing in the fresh air, and enjoying the sunshine.
The recreational facilities nearby provide a fun distraction for children.

10. Panjiayuan Antique Market

  • Location:Chaoyang District
  • Transport: Line 10 to Jinsong. Take the southwest exit and bus 28 or 802 to Panjiayuan
  • Recommended time for a visit:half a day
It is a large-scale market selling every type of Chinese antiques, such as teapot and cup sets made of Chinese porcelain, calligraphy and painting works by famous ancient artists, Four Treasures of the Study, and Buddha statues. Bargaining in Panjiayuan Antiques Market is allowed and definitely recommended. 


panjiayuan

CHINA (SHANGHAI)


Top 10 Shopping Malls in Shanghai


    Plan your Shanghai tour? Shanghai is a shopping paradise, with various bustling commercial streets and shopping centers beckoning the visitors. Shopping malls in Shanghai are most fashionable inside country as Shanghai is the window of modern China.  No matter you are  shopaholics or not, it is rewarding to visit the top shopping malls in Shanghai. Most of the shopping malls are located in busy commercial centers. We’ve rounded up the best shopping malls in Shanghai with luxury shopping and  fine dining and everything you need, Now bring your wallet to the top 10 shopping malls during your Shanghai Tour.
By the way, if you are not interested in the fixed price shopping malls, you may visit the  Top 10 Markets in Shanghai where you can show your bargaining skill.


 
   Shanghai IFC Mall 
  
Add: 8 Century Avenue, Pudong, Shanghai
Opening Hours:  10:00-22:00 ( Daily )
Briefing:A high-end shopping mall, nice shopping environment and comfortable to shop around. It is worth mentioning that the toielts are extremely clean. On the B2 there are lots of snack stands and most of them offer Japanese flavors, very much popular. The whole shopping mall is mainly decorated in the shampagne and cream -colors. Its design is fashionable and magnificent. Numerous international brands are seen here, a cluster of luxury goods.



Shanghai IFC Mall
Shanghai IFC Mall



 Plaza 66 
  
 Add: 1266 Nanjing West Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai
 Tel: 021-62790910 

 Web: www.plaza66.com/en/home.aspx
 Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 ( Daily )
 Briefing:Plaza 66 is a commercial and office complex in Shanghai, consisting of a shopping mall and two skyscrapers. With 66 floors, Plaza 66 is the tallest building in the Puxi area of Shanghai. Entering the plaza, you feel like you are walking on an avenue, lined with shop windows. Many fashion brands have chosen this department store as the location for their flagship stores in Shanghai. The plaza holds fashion shows from time to time, where you can get close to famous designers and models from all over the world.


Plaza 66
Plaza 66



  Jiu Guang Department Store 

Add: 1618 West Nanjing Road, Shanghai
Tel: 021-32174838
Web: www.jiu-guang.com/shanghai/

Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 ( Daily )
Briefing: Convenient transportation and you may easily get to the shopping mall by taking meto line 2 or 7. Jiu Guang is a huge department store aircraft-carrier co-invested by Hong Kong Jiu Guang and Shanghai Jiu Bai Holding Group. It is a top rated department store that collects the major international brands like Burberry、Tiffany,Agnes’B, Bally, Celine, ck Calvin Klein, Dunhill, Thomas Pink, Omega, Vertu, OACH, HUGO BOSS and more. Don’t miss the basement supermarket and snacks.



Jiu Guang Department Store
Jiu Guang Department Store
 Times Square


Add: No 500 Zhangyang Road,Pudong,Shanghai 
 Tel:  021-58368888
Web: www.crcsh.com/
Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 ( Daily )

Briefing: You may take metro line 9  and get off at the station of Shangcheng Road Station (Exit 1) to get to the mall. The Times Square is designed by the world famous Panama Architecture Company.  Its construction features the European architecture style – simple, exquisite and elegant, one of the landmarks in Shanghai. It is a shopping and entertainment center in Shanghai.


Times Square
Times Square


Super Brand Mall 

Add: 168, Lujiazui Xi Road, Pudong, Shanghai
 Tel: 021-68877888
Web: Super Brand Mall


Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 ( Daily )
Briefing: Take metro line 2 and get off at the station of Lujiazui (陆家嘴). Located in Pudong’s Lujiazui Area, Super Brand Mall is one of the most influential business and financial centers in Shanghai. It is a huge shopping complex with complete entertainment and shopping facilities. Super Brand Mall has 13 floors and hundreds of shops, including 70 restaurants and cafes. As one of Shanghai’s oldest but still one of the best malls, Super Brand Mall is visited by hundreds of thousands of people who every day. You can’t miss it when you arrive in Shanghai.


Super Brand Mall
Super Brand Mall



Grand Gateway 

 No.1 Hong Qiao Road, Xujiahui, Shanghai
 Tel: 021-64070111
 Web: www.grandgateway66.com/en/home.aspx

 Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 ( Daily )

 Briefing: Take metro line 9 and get off at the station of Xujiahui (徐家汇) and exit from Exit  19 for the mall. The Grand Gateway is an office complex consisting of two skyscrapers in the Xujiahui area of Shanghai. It is one of the most visited malls in Shanghai, particularly at night when it’s all lit up. The Grand Gateway Plaza Mall has six stores of shops, with totally hundreds of shops, and one basement level shopping area. This mall caters to local clientele, apparent by many Chinese stores and distinctively cheaper prices.


Grand Gateway
Grand Gateway



Mei Long Zhen Iestan Shanghai
 


 No.1038 West Najing Road, Shanghai 
 Tel:  021-62721111
Web: www.isetan.com/icm2/html/com/en/shanghai/
Opening Hours: 10:00-9:30 ( Daily )
Briefing: 3 minutes from West Nanjing Road Station on Metro Line 2. Isetan (伊勢丹) is a Japanese owned department store. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Isetan has branches throughout Japan and East Asia, including Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Jinan, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Shanghai, Singapore and Tianjin and more. Mei Long Zhen Isetan is the second chain store of Isetan in Shanghai. Excellent service and products, as you would expect from this chain.


Mei Long Zhen Iestan Shanghai
Mei Long Zhen Iestan Shanghai


 Shanghai Times Square
 
Add: 99 Middle Huaihai Road, Shanghai 
 Tel: 021-63910691
Web: www.shtimessquare.com/en/index.php

Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 ( Daily )
Briefing: 3 minutes’walk to Line 8 Dashijie station and 5 minutes’ walk to Line 1 South Huangpi. Shanghai Times Square is a skyscraper in Shanghai. It is famous for its top quality goods as well as its annual New Year’s Eve celebrations. Times Square possesses of 7-storey retail podium, 30-storey Grand A office Tower and 26-storey service apartments, providing a one-stop shopping experience with more than 100 shops & restaurants covering fashion, accessories, fine dining, beauty and entertainment. You can find many international brands here, like CUCCI, VERSACE, VERRI, COACH. 


Shanghai Times Square
Shanghai Times Square


 Citic Square

 Add: No. 1168, Nanjing West Road, Shanghai 
 Tel: 021-62180180
Web: www.citicsquare.com/en/index.aspx

Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 ( Daily )
Briefing: 5 minutes from West Nanjing Road Station on Metro Line 2. The shopping mall at Citic Square is very spacious and bright. It hosts names such as Max Mara, Alfred Dunhill, Esprit, Shoe and Key Repair, and Maya Audio Video. It shares a same roof with Westgate Mall, so people always consider them as one shopping mall. Citic Square serves clothes on the above floors. On the ground floor replenish your wallet at the ATM and get information about Citic’s upcoming fashion shows and photo displays.


Citic Square
Citic Square


 Hong Kong Plaza  

282 Mid-Huaihai Road ( close to Huangpo South Road)
Tel: 021-63908866
Web: www.hk-plaza.com.cn/en/index.php

Opening Hours: 10:00-22:00 ( Daily )

Briefing: Take metro line 1 and get off at South Huang Pi Road Station and exit from gate 2. So Hong Kong Plaza has convenient transportation, easy to get here by taking line 1. The shopping area is spacious and clean with comfortable environment. It mainly caters to medium and and high end clients with good quality.


Hong Kong Plaza
Hong Kong Plaza


by NUR SHAMIRA BINTI ARIS 
A13A1546 L2T1 SAP

Friday, 12 December 2014

THAILAND-BANGKOK

Thailand Shopping

Shopping in Thailand is a glorious pleasure, as one ventures from upscale shopping malls and department stores to high street shops, back street stalls, and bustling markets. Thailand offers such a fantastic array both traditional and modern goods, from exquisitely crafted handicrafts to elegant designer fashions, superb antiques to the latest electronic gadgets, everyday clothing to gorgeous artworks, all at seemingly miraculous prices for the quality offered.  


What to Buy in Thailand?
  
While there are so many choices for the dedicated shoppers, here are some of the most popular products among visitors to Thailand:

•    Thai Silk & Cotton
•    Art & Antiques
•    Home Decoratives
•    Custom Tailoring
•    Woodcarvings
•    Gems & Jewelry
•    Ceramics & Pottery
•    Metalware
•    Lacquerware
•    Leather Products
•    Preserved Fruits



Shopping Galore
  
Bangkok

Bangkok is a shopping mecca, with all kinds of goods on sale at a wealth of modern shopping malls and department stores. Upscale favorites include Central WorldSiam Paragon,Siam DiscoveryThe EmporiumCentral ChidlomGaysorn Plaza and Erawan Bangkok. In these centers, you will find world-renowned designers, such as Gucci, Hermes, Prada, and Louis Vuitton.

The famous Chatuchak Weekend Market is an open-air treasure trove packed with stalls showcasing an array of clothing, jewelry, antiques, furniture, and books. Next best isSuan Lum Night Market, specializing in craft and traditional and modern designer goods.  Patpong Night Market is a good compact market, with stalls along a short closed-to-traffic street, offering a variety of local products and souvenir items. The market is located in downtown and open every night until 1 am.

To shop for Thai handicrafts, visit Narai Phand. It is a splendid place to immerse yourself in the historical legacy of local arts, crafts, and clothes.

Other popular shopping districts include Siam Square, a teen paradise for leather products, handbags, and jeans; Mah Boon Krong or MBK, an enormous mall that caters to both shoppers on a tight budget and those with money to burn;Pratunam, a garment district with great deals on clothes and shoes; Sukhumvit Road (between Soi 3 and Soi 15), a tailor district; lower Silom and Surawong Roads and Charoen Krung Road, a gem district; and River City and Charoen Krung Road, a major trading center for antiques.



Beyond Bangkok

Chiang Mai, renowned for its quality handicrafts, offers the second best shopping in the country. For fast and easy shopping, head to Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. It is ideal for both traditional and modern handicrafts and souvenirs. Other popular shopping routes include Nimmanahaeminda Road, Wua Lai Walking Street, Tha Pae Walking Street, San Khamphaeng, Bo Sang, and Ban Thawai Village.

The northeast region is famous for its Mut Mi silk products and cotton Ikat cloth. Surin and Buri Ram are outstanding silk-producing provinces.

In the East Coast beach resort of Pattaya, you will find a complete range of shopping opportunities, while even further east, Chantaburi is a well-known center for gems.

Beach-loving tourists in Phuket and Samui will find plenty of crafts and souvenirs. Go to Phuket Town for the best selection of antiques and authentic handicrafts.

PARADISE PARK BANGKOK
BANGKOK SHOPPING MALL

Paradise Park brings high street shopping and contemporary lifestyle to eastern Bangkok. It has five floors, with over 700 retail shops, a Cineplex with digital and 3D screens as well as large floor spaces dedicated to modern Thai fashion, IT gadgets, food, banking, home décor and wellness.
Located on Srinakarin Road, one of the two main thoroughfares in Bangna, Paradise Park’s eye-catching design sets it apart from other shopping malls in the area. The mall’s modern architecture blends elements of nature into its design, with floral and aquatic influences on exterior wall textures as well as throughout the interior. What’s more, a themed garden features on each floor in addition to a landscaped rooftop space designed for hosting weekend markets.

Fashion Highlights at Paradise Park

The five-storey shopping mall houses all kinds of lifestyle shops and spaces imaginable in it seven zones, including dining, wellness, digital, banking, fashion, edutainment and leisure. The ground floor is essentially about food. The expansive 20,000sqm floor space introduces a multitude of choices from world to regional and specialty cuisines, plus endless booths for takeaway snacks and desserts. Other highlights on this floor include the Seri Market, for Thai street food and ready-to-eat meals (including a few Halal food vendors) and Lemon Farm, a produce market with organic vegetables and healthy snacks.

The first floor showcases designer fashion, jewelry and fashion accessories. Besides international fashion labels, Paradise Park promotes modern Thai fashion by dedicating 500sqm of its first floor to The Dressing Room, a multi-brand store featuring various collections by Thai designers, including Friday 27 Nov, Dusk till Dawn, 8E88 Pink Label, Blonde, Rebecca and 8 ½. There’s also a two-level anchor store for Home Depot, where you can find all kinds of accessories for your home, a huge sports outlet and Loft, a Japanese-branded store selling creative gifts, home accessories and souvenirs.

Shopping Tips
  
Fixed prices are the norm in department stores, but at other places bargaining is to be expected. The final price can be 10% to 40% lower than the asking price. Be patient, use your skill, and a smile will carry the day.

by- Wan Nur Adila Bt Abdullah Khir A13A1334 L2T2 SAP