{Shop for high street and luxury brands at the Amazing Grand Thailand Grand Sale 2016 which runs between June 15-August 15, 2016}
Bangkok is the perfect place for trousseau shopping or even for an all-girl getaway. If you plan your trip around the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2016, when every brand offers unbelievable discounts, be prepared to shop till you drop.
If there’s one city we at Marry Me never seem to tire of, it’s Bangkok. It has everything we love, and if you’ve read many of our Thailand blog posts, you’ll know just how much we love a good Thai curry, and, of course, the shopping and foot massages. So when we found ourselves in Bangkok in June 2016, you can only imagine the extent to which we gorged on some amazing Thai food. So much so that it really makes us want to wax eloquent on Bangkok’s amazing food scene all over again. Instead, we’ve decided to share something very exciting that we discovered on this trip, and it’s related to shopping and sales! If you’re planning a trousseau-shopping spree or, perhaps, even a getaway with your group of girlfriends, read on.
We weren’t exactly aiming to do a lot of shopping on this particular trip, but little did we know that we would come away with bags and bags of shopping! Now, we don’t usually go this crazy when we shop, but because the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale was on, how could we resist! A treat for shopaholics, the annual sale — now in its 18th year — offers unbeatable discounts at just about every store in practically every Bangkok mall, from Siam Paragon right up to Em Quartier. The sale that started on June 15 runs through August 15, 2016. Like we said, this is definitely the best time to get all your shopping done.
Given that you’ll be spoilt for choice with the grand variety of malls and brands, it’s easy to feel confused — especially now that the sales are on. So, how do you make the best of your baht in Bangkok during the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale? We’ve got that all figured out for you.
{We love the clean, minimal yet rebellious designs from Greyhound Original’s A/W 2016 collection}
Day 1
On your first day, make a dash for Siam Center, like we did, where you can pack in a good deal of shopping. We couldn’t resist stepping into the Steve Madden and Bath & Bodyworks stores for some great deals. Plus, we discovered Grey Hound Original, an amazing brand loved for their edgy aesthetic! Next door, at Siam Paragon, you can stock up on high street fashion favourites like Mango, H&M, Forever21 and Zara. The mall has dozens of luxury brands, but we suggest you spend your money on luxury shopping at the Em Quartier mall on Day 2. Look around at the luxury stores, though — it will give you at least a day to ponder over whether you really want to buy what you see. After all, even though brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton are part of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, you will still be spending your big money here. Next, step into MBK Center, a short skywalk away from Siam center, to pick up some great gadgets at unbelievably discounted rates!
{The Anantara Siam Bangkok’s lobby and rooms exude a classical Thai feel}
Quick Tip: Stay at Anantara Siam Bangkok on Ratchadamri Road because some of the best malls are just a short walk or BTS ride away. Besides, you’re sure to enjoy your time at the hotel too. Its lobby is as lavish as they come; yet the hotel’s tropical-resort feel makes your forget you’re bang in the middle of the city.
{Eating breakfast in the outdoors at Anantara Siam Bangkok is a gorgeous affair}
You won’t be able to resist the fresh croissants and delectable pastries at its bakery, Mocha and Muffins. And, The Met Store is a great place to check out some fantastic pieces of art and to come away with cool art-related souvenirs!
Day 2
Take the BTS down to Chitlom station and spend the whole day shopping at a great selection of malls. There’s the upscale Gaysorn packed with every big luxury brand including Emilio Pucci andPrada, but try not to miss the super-huge Omega and Tag Heuer stores if you want to come away with a good timepiece. The sprawling mega mall Central is perhaps where you’ll spend most of your time browsing and shopping for high street and luxury brands. Not only does it house Uniqlo and GAP — two of our personal favourites for cool, comfortable basics — but it also packs in the department store Zen that spans seven floors. Yes, you get the picture!
A short skywalk across is Central Chidlom, perfect to pick up just about every makeup and skincare brand including Urban Decay, YSL, Benefit, Bobbi Brown and NARS — all at fabulously slashed prices! Be warned: Central Embassy, with its luxury stores like Hermès, Chopard, Isabel Marant, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Michael Kors and Miu Miu, is yet another shopping mall that’s hard to resist. The fact that all these malls are part of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2016 makes this shopping expedition a complete treat.
Quick Tip: Pack in a round at Terminal 21, a compact mall that’s just three BTS stops away at Asok. We loved visiting the H&M store here, simply because it’s compact enough for a quick round to pick up last-minute basics. But it’s really the interesting mix of local fashion and accessories spread out across themed floors that caught our eye. Our favourite floor? It’s the Paris-themed ‘Champs- Élysées Boulevard and Parisian Boutiques’ section on the 2nd floor that’s dotted with little boutiques selling a fantastic range of cool clothes.
{From the Golden Affair collection by Chai Gold Label}
Day 3
Brace yourself for a heavy day of shopping because today you’ll head straight for EM District on Sukhumvit Road — a mall complex that houses the ultra-luxury mall Em Quartier and its sister mall Emporium. Em Quartier is the best place to get done with your luxury shopping, what with its grand selection of iconic luxury stores including Balenciaga and Jimmy Choo. But what really caught our eye was Qurator — an entire zone dedicated to upscale Thai designer brands.
{Gorgeous silhouettes and classic cuts by Asv at the Qurator zone in the luxurious Em Quartier department store}
Take our word for it when we say that you must visit the Qurator section that showcases cutting-edge local brands like Asv, Chai Gold Label, Seneda and Playhound. Even QStadium, a multi-label urbanwear store is worth your time. Next, visit Atelier in the Emporium department store for an equally captivating range of women’s contemporary fashion from independent designers.
{The Magnum Bullet necklace and Diamond Wireframe ring from Arquetype pairs beautifully with most looks}
And finally, make a pitstop at Arquetype for some of the most avant-garde pieces of jewellery by designer Anek Tantasirin that are basically wearable pieces of art.
Quick Tip: Skip breakfast to get the most out of your day at EM District and get some worth out of your wait at any of the cafes at the Em Quartier mall. From La Baguette and Harrod’s Café, Audrey Petite Café and the TWG Tea salon, right up to hundreds of other very unique restaurants, you’ll be spoilt for choice. You can also stop for an unmatchable Thai lunch at Nara Thai located in the Helix Quartier, Em Quartier’s upscale food zone. In between all the shopping and eating at Em Quartier’s fabulous mix of stores and restaurants, it will be hard to tear your eyes away from awe-inspiring sights, including a 40m-high waterfall and a calming tropical garden dotted with cool art installations. This was our first time here and it’s safe to say that we’ll definitely be coming back for more.
When in Bangkok, great discounts are never far away. Of course, you’ll always get bargain buys at Platinum mall or even on the streets. But it’s rare that you’ll get to indulge in quality shopping at storied luxury brands and some of the best high-street fashion stores at rock-bottom sale prices. So if you really want to shop till you drop while you spend your baht wisely on fashion, cosmetics, jewellery, watches and shoes, now is the time to go. Oh, and did we mention that the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale even offers discounts on spa treatments?
The Amazing Thailand Grand Sale is on till August 15, 2016.
By Beverly Pereira
