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The bazaars are a long-held tradition in much of Asia, and there is nothing like it in the West. Typically the bazaar is made up of hundreds of small vendor stalls selling handcrafted items, unusual imports and goods designed to capture your attention. It is easy to spend an entire day in a single bazaar, so come prepared. If you plan on doing some heavy shopping, bring a suitcase with wheels or a large backpack to hold all of your treasures. Most of the bazaars will also feature local food stalls, making your day at the bazaar a great opportunity to also sample some of the local cuisine.
It's not all local stalls and bazaars in Asia though. In places like Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the larger cities in mainland China, you'll find huge, air conditioned and ultra-modern shopping malls with high-end designer brand names, and even familiar Western restaurant chains. Singapore for example, has malls everywhere, and Bangkok's Emporium shopping center is a study in elegance. Hong Kong of course boasts some of the most upscale malls in all of Asia, and if you're in China and love shopping, you can't pass up going to Beijing just to see the Golden Resources Shopping Mall, aka "The Great Mall of China." The largest shopping mall in the entire world, it boasts over a thousand shops and plenty of luxury brands. And of course, for elegance and upscale shopping, Tokyo's Ginza district is a must-see.
There are terrific and legitimate bargains everywhere, wonderful hand-crafted treasures, and plenty of friendly vendors at every bazaar. But there are a few things to look out for.
You can buy a full tiger skin in Burma, a jar of dried bear's gall bladders in Cambodia, and carved ivory in Thailand, but you can't bring it back home with you. Also, if you have your eye on picking up an original Buddha carving from the Ayutthaya period to decorate your living room, think again. In Thailand, taking Buddha images and other religious objects out of the country requires a special permit. Throughout Asia, you will find antique shops with wonderful bits of history for sale, but depending on where you are, taking certain types of antiquities out of the country may be problematic.
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Also find deals at India.com for Travel to India, Madrid.com the Madrid City Guide, and Barcelona.com the Barcelona City Guide
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