Siam Square

Located in the heart of Bangkok, shopaholics will be in their element in Siam Square. An open-air shopping complex surrounded by huge malls and alleyways lined with street stalls and small boutiques, Siam is a baffling contrast of creativity and commercialism. The area, which runs from Rama 1 Road down to Chulalongkorn University and from Phayathai Road to Henri Dunant, is particularly popular among students and expats.

Towering over the square are a number of five-star hotels, as well as the city’s major shopping malls: Siam Center, Siam Discovery, MBK and Siam Paragon. Siam Square One, a seven-story mall that takes up almost half of the market area, is the most recent addition. All of the venues feature the famous designer outlets and department stores that make Bangkok something of a shopping mecca.

Siam Square's dining offerings are as eclectic and contrasting as its shopping, with an array of international restaurants and cafes filling the malls and local Thai food served from the streets outside. For a unique way to visit the area, take a Bangkok city tour that incorporates visits to the capital’s major sights via various modes of public transport.