Shopping in Beijing

  • Wangfujing Street

This is probably the most fashionable shopping centre in Beijing. It’s a short walk from the Forbidden City and hosts a mix of stores full of fake designer clothes and alleys of nice antiques and many food stalls. Apart from that, there’s also a few cinemas and massive bookstores with English language sections.

The main street is ideal for browsing as it is fully pedestrianised. If you keep walking towards the south end, you will arrive at Oriental Plaza which offers numerous exclusive shops and the latest fashions, though the prices might not be affordable. Still, it’s a good area of watching and checking out the wealthier and flashier side of Beijing.

  • Silk Market

Here you find tons and tons of clothes but there are also quite a few antique stalls and some smaller stalls selling unique ethnic clothing and bed sheets. As with most other places, you need to bargain, although it is not as easy here as there are so many tourists.

Check out silk gowns, scarves and ties and don’t be surprised why designer labels are dirt cheap as they are fake. There are also increasing numbers of people hanging about to independently sell music and video-game titles. They will shout ‘CD’ at you constantly though that might sound more like ‘seedy’ to most tourists.

  • Hongqiao Market (Pearl Market)

This is a shopping favourite for both locals and tourists alike because it’s incredibly relaxed and has about everything you could possibly want. The market is renowned for its pearls, with plenty of shops here. Try and avoid the ground floor at all costs as it is absolutely rammed with little walking space. If you go higher up, there are quite a few classy shops where can get good bargains if you try extraordinarily hard. There is also a massive shop around the corner that has enormous amounts of nice toys, computer games and sports goods.

  • Panjiayuan Market

As a visitor to Beijing, you cannot afford to miss the Panjiayuan Market. You can go there every day though it’s best at the weekend if plan a longer stay in Beijing. It’s well worth your time and every penny of your hard-earned money. The market is without much doubt the best and biggest bazaar in town as it something for everyone from Chinese antiques to art and furniture as well as baubles and books. Even if you don’t want to spend money, it’s still an entertaining place to see interesting things.

  • Xidan

This is another area specially modelled for shopping pleasure, with the usual spread of stores, malls and boutiques. Thankfully, it’s a bit less touristy with visitors mainly local. Again, lots of stuff you can buy and at lower prices. Try and meander your way through the small alleys as there are many hidden gems of fantastic eateries you may stumble upon here.