The world's most incredible shopping malls

Next level retail therapy

Whether hunting for unique local products, designer bargains or just bringing back the odd souvenir, most of us will indulge in some retail therapy while on holiday. However, these jaw-dropping malls are destinations in themselves, offering everything from indoor beaches to replicas of Mediterranean villages.

Click through this gallery to see the 18 spots around the globe that take shopping to the next level...

Mall of America, Minnesota, USA

This entertainment complex is the largest shopping mall in North America. With over 520 retail stores and restaurants, the nation's biggest indoor family theme park with 27 rides, an aquarium, a 4D immersive flight adventure, the USA’s longest indoor zipline and an 18-hole mini golf course, it’s safe to say you won’t be bored at Minnesota’s gargantuan Mall of America.

Mall of America, Minnesota, USA

There’s also no sales tax on clothing or shoes in Minnesota, so you’ll be able to snap up some bargains in the mall’s enormous 5.6 million square feet (520,527sqm) of space. While there are some seriously pricey designers like Chanel, you'll also find American favourites including Abercrombie & Fitch, Kate Spade and Lucky Brand. 

 

Iran Mall, Tehran, Iran

Iran is the last place on Earth one would expect to find one of the largest shopping centres in the world, but the Iran Mall on the western outskirts of Tehran certainly fits the bill. It has a floor area of over 18.2 million square feet (1.7m sqm) and offers 700 retail outlets, an amusement park, an ice rink, 12 IMAX theatres and a hotel, as well as cycling and hiking routes and rooftop tennis courts.

Iran Mall, Tehran, Iran

The mall also contains plenty of traditional Iranian and Persian features. There’s a traditional bazaar modelled on the ancient markets of Tabriz, Isfahan and Shiraz, a garden with palm trees and fountains inspired by the traditional brick architecture of Central Iran and a Book Garden featuring a library with over 67,000 titles. A real highlight is the breathtaking Mirror Hall (pictured), made up of over 38 million pieces of mirror.

 

The Dubai Mall, Dubai, UAE

In the heart of downtown Dubai is the world’s largest and most-visited retail and entertainment destination: The Dubai Mall. Welcoming more than 100 million visitors a year, the mall is enormous with an internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet (548,128 sqm), 1,200 retail outlets, and over 200 food and beverage outlets to choose from. Jewellery is the biggest bargain here with brands including Cartier, Tiffany & Co and Harry Winston all tax-free.  

The Dubai Mall, Dubai, UAE

Plus, if you tire of shopping, there’s the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, featuring thousands of aquatic animals and a 270-degree walk-through tunnel, an indoor theme park and the Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink. 

Ala Moana Center, Hawaii, USA

Located in Hawaii's capital Honolulu, Ala Moana is the world's largest outdoor shopping centre with more than 350 shops and restaurants, including boutique stores from leading fashion designers.

Ala Moana Center, Hawaii, USA

It also has one of the largest food courts in the world, where stalls serve everything from classic Hawaiian dishes to cuisine from all over the globe. There is also a weekly farmers' market and a daily hula show on the mall's open-air stage.

Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, Astana, Kazakhstan

Designed by Norman Foster, the architect behind London's Wembley Stadium and The Gherkin, Khan Shatyr is the world's largest tent. Suspended from a central spire, the transparent, three-layer cover also acts as insulation to cope with Kazakhstan's wide range of temperatures, from -21°C (-5.8°F) in winter up to 27°C (80.6°F) in summer.

Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, Astana, Kazakhstan

Apart from shops, restaurants and an entertainment centre, there's also a beach. Located on the top level, it has water slides, beach volleyball courts and sand flown in especially from the Maldives.

Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This 7.5 million square foot (696,773sqm) complex has several unique features, including three floors showcasing every gadget you could dream of. Plus there's even a shopping avenue that's designed to look like New York's Fifth Avenue, complete with a replica subway station.

Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The all-encompassing complex features a full-suite hotel, service apartments, office space, the largest indoor theme park within Kuala Lumpur and a 2.7 million square foot (250,838sqm) shopping mall. There's also a bowling alley and a food court dedicated to Asian cuisine. 

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Canal City Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan

Called 'the city within a city', Fukuoka's Canal City is a shopping and entertainment complex with about 250 shops, a theatre, games centre, cinema and two hotels. The fifth floor of the complex, called the Ramen Stadium, consists only of shops selling noodle dishes from across Japan.

Canal City Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan

In addition to brands like Calvin Klein and Starbucks, you'll find shops above and beyond the usual global names, selling Japanese homeware and fashion. And once you've exhausted your credit card, there's a canal running through the complex with open space on either side for relaxation, with water shows at the central fountain taking place every half an hour throughout the day.

Villaggio Mall, Doha, Qatar

It might be located in Qatar's capital city of Doha but this mall offers a slice of la dolce vita. Designed to look like a combination of a hilltop Italian town and Venice, shops and restaurants line the banks of the canals. Plus each area of Villaggio Mall is designed to look like a different time of day, fake sky included.

Villaggio Mall, Doha, Qatar

Shoppers can enjoy gondola rides or visit the Gondolania theme park. Once you're ready for more retail therapy, head to the luxury retailer area that's designed to look like Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II near the city's Duomo (cathedral).

Istanbul Cevahir, Istanbul, Turkey

Billed as Turkey’s most enjoyable shopping mall, Istanbul Cevahir first opened its doors in 2005. Today, the six retail floors are home to 173 shops, 35 restaurants, cafes and fast food chains and 11 cinemas.

Istanbul Cevahir, Istanbul, Turkey

Don't miss a chance to ride the roller coaster and see the second biggest clock in the world. Located on the building's glass roof, the clock's digits are 10 feet (3m) tall.

The Grand Canal Shoppes, Las Vegas, USA

Opened in 1999, The Grand Canal Shoppes is one of the most famous attractions in Las Vegas. More than 160 outlets in this shopping centre are connected via indoor waterways so you can just jump from gondola to gondola as you browse through the upmarket boutique stores and one-off retailers.

The Grand Canal Shoppes, Las Vegas, USA

Adjacent to the famous Venetian Hotel and Casino and The Palazzo, the Venetian-style shopping centre receives more than 25 million visitors a year and has six art galleries and a dozen world-class restaurants, including CUT by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.

 

Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, UAE

So big you could spend your entire holiday here, Dubai's Mall of the Emirates is often called the world's first shopping resort. Its main claim to fame is the fact that it's home to the Middle East's first indoor ski slope – Ski Dubai.

Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, UAE

The 2.4 million square foot (223sqm) shopping centre is also home to 630 stores, an indoor amusement park, a gaming arena and an arts centre with a 550-seat theatre and two 5-star hotels.

Morocco Mall, Casablanca, Morocco

Africa's second largest shopping centre covers more than two million square feet (185,806sqm) with more than 350 shops and restaurants on offer. Located in Casablanca, one of the continent's financial centres, Morocco Mall has also won several awards for best retail development, as well as a Guinness World Record for the largest in-store shop facade.

Morocco Mall, Casablanca, Morocco

And once you've had enough of shopping, you can go scuba diving with a professional instructor inside the massive aquarium that is home to over 40 different species of fish.

New Century Global Center, Chengdu, China

Opened in 2013 in the sprawling Chinese city of Chengdu, the New Century Global Center claims to be the largest building in the world – it's big enough to fit the Sydney Opera House inside 20 times over.

New Century Global Center, Chengdu, China

The most outrageous feature of this shopping centre is its paradise island – a 53,000 square-foot (4,923sqm) beach complete with an artificial sea breeze, a reproduction of a Mediterranean village and an artificial sun that shines 24 hours a day.

Siam Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand

The ninth largest shopping centre in Asia, Siam Paragon covers more than 2.5 million square feet (232,258sqm) and has a 15-screen cinema, Thai art gallery, an opera concert hall and Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World aquarium spread across 10 floors.

Siam Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand

The Gourmet Market on Siam Paragon's ground floor is a unique grocery store and food market with a vast section of imported European and American foods, as well as an Asian section with delicacies from countries including Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka.

SM Mall of Asia, Manila, the Philippines

At 4.4 million square feet (408,773sqm), the Mall of Asia in Manila is one of the largest shopping centres in the Philippines and visited by 200,000 shoppers a day ready to splash out in more than 600 shops.

SM Mall of Asia, Manila, the Philippines

During your visit here you can learn how to bowl at the 76-lane bowling alley, go for a skate in the Olympic-sized ice rink or enjoy beautiful views of the city from the 180-foot (55m) high Ferris wheel outside.

Tokyo Midtown, Tokyo, Japan

This $3 billion (£2.4bn) development in the heart of Tokyo includes an haute-couture shopping centre, office and residential spaces, a hotel and the new quarters of the Suntory Museum of Art. 

 

Tokyo Midtown, Tokyo, Japan

The retail space, called Galleria, spans five floors and includes the first Terence Conran restaurant in Japan, an outlet of high-end American food retailer Dean & DeLuca. Plus, the wine bar showcases tipples from the vineyard owned by renowned movie director Francis Ford Coppola.

Wafi Mall, Dubai, UAE

Located within the Egyptian-themed Wafi City complex in Dubai, this shopping centre has more than 250 stores on offer, including a dining complex, an entertainment theme park, an underground souq and a spa.

Wafi Mall, Dubai, UAE

Inspired by Ancient Egypt, the interior columns resemble those of the Karnak Temple Complex, while the light brown stone walls are covered with images of pharaohs.

West Edmonton Mall, Alberta, Canada

Part adventure park, part entertainment complex, part shopping and dining destination, Canada’s West Edmonton Mall calls itself the 'Mount Everest of indoor entertainment, shopping and attractions in North America'. Spanning the equivalent of 48 city blocks and featuring over 800 shops and attractions, two hotels and 100 dining venues, to say there’s plenty on offer would be an understatement.

West Edmonton Mall, Alberta, Canada

At 5.3 million square feet (492,386sqm), the mall is the size of a small city, and welcomes in nearly 31 million shoppers a year. It’s also home to the world’s largest indoor amusement park, Galaxyland. The park's famous 37-year-old triple-loop roller coaster Mindbender has been closed since 2020 and will make space for new developments.

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Now read on for the best malls in the USA