Asia
Shopping Throughout Asia: Find Hidden Treasures
In between climbing pagodas and snapping pictures of golden goddesses, most travelers to Asia take time to visit the shopping districts. The quality and selection of designer clothing and extravagant items found in shops across Asia will not disappoint those with a penchant for luxury goods. From China to India, great buys are available for those who know what to look for.
Mainland China is a fantastic place to find extravagant jewelry at discount prices. Jewelry markets are filled with glittering gems and beautiful jade pieces abound.
Exquisite strands of high quality, lustrous pearls are easy to find in China. When purchasing jewelry in mainland China, feel free to bargain. It’s the way business is done in China, and most owners of small shops expect it.
There have been cases of shopkeepers taking advantage of tourists, and the best defense is knowledge. If buying pearls, test them against your teeth for roughness. You might want to test both a real pearl and faux pearl in advance to make sure you can recognize the difference. For gems, consider purchasing a jeweler’s loupe and learning to use it.
Be especially careful when buying jade, since it can be difficult to tell true jade from false.
Silk is also a good buy in China. Stores that sell lengths of fabric and silk garments are abundant, and some shops will make a shirt or dress from the silk fabric of your choosing.
Because there is no sales tax in Hong Kong and imported goods are not taxed, designer clothing can be purchased there for excellent prices. Bargains can be found on cameras and electronics, but make sure you know the going prices for these items so you’ll be able to spot a good deal. Hong Kong is also an excellent place to buy watches and jewelry.
Thailand is another great source for jewelry. Unfortunately, dishonest jewelry dealers are plentiful. Never follow any “helpful” individual who offers to lead you to a jewelry store with incredible bargains – it’s probably a scam.
To avoid being cheated it’s best to deal with a respectable jewelry firm, preferably one that is a member of the Jewel Fest Club. The Tourism Authority of Thailand founded this reputable organization, and member stores are listed in a booklet and display the Jewel Fest Club logo.
In India you can find many items made from the amazing textiles created in the country. Clothing, tablecloths, towels and other household goods are good buys here.
Jewelry is also a good buy in India, but again, beware of fakes and frauds.
About Malaysia:
Quoted from Wikipedia:
Malaysia (
i/m??le???/ m?-lay-zh? or i/m??le?si?/ m?-lay-see-?) is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Land borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist withSingapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. In 2010 the population exceeded 27.5 million, with over 20 million living on the Peninsula.
Malaysia has its origins in the Malay Kingdoms present in the area which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire. The first British territories were known as the Straits Settlements, whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were first unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with si being added to give the new country the name Malaysia. However, less than two years later in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation. Since independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5% for almost 50 years. The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources, but is expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce and medical tourism.
The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, which plays a large role in politics. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on English Common Law. The constitution declares Islam the state religion while protecting freedom of religion. The head of state is the King, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is an elected monarch chosen from the hereditary rulers of the nineMalay states every five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
Malaysia contains the southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai. Located in the tropics, it is a megadiverse country, with large numbers of endemic flora and fauna. It is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and a member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Asia