ICONSIAM Bangkok: All You Need to Know About the Mother of All Malls
Anywhere we go, Shopping will always be part of our itinerary and even if we don’t have plans of splurging, we always make sure to buy something for souvenir or buy gifts for our family and friends back home. Just like Manila, Bangkok has a plethora of Malls to choose from and If you are visiting Bangkok for just a few days, I highly recommend that you include ICONSIAM Bangkok on your itinerary.
Well, guess what, ask anyone in the city where the best place is – and they’ll recommend this new large shopping mall called IconSiam.
During my recent Thailand-Vietnam FamTrip which was made possible by TAT and Bangkok Airways, we were able to get a chance to explore this new mall in Bangkok even just for a few hours.
Hows our experience? Well, it doesn’t look like a mall, but rather a huge complex composed of retail stores, both high end to local ones, some Michelin star restaurants, parks, luxury stores, and more!
Fortunately, before we leave Bangkok, we got to see the humongous mall, and had ourselves some me time – and what we’ve discovered is something we don’t see every day.
The Grandest Mall in Thailand
Some of you may have noticed that Bangkok has become a shopping haven for most tourists, but one thing that piques most interest is the new ICONSIAM – the Mother of All Malls in the city which is 90 times as big as a football field.
It boasts a myriad of 500 shops, 100 restaurants, and a breezy riverside walkway where you can stroll and have a view of the Chao Phraya River.
Icon Siam is developed by the same tycoons behind Siam Paragon and EmQuartier. Here are some of the best finds at the mall that will sure to excite you on your next Bangkok visit! Coming from a City dotted with Shopping Malls, trust me, ICONSIAM will surely blow your mind. It’s Grand, Beautiful, Huge and definitely Iconic.
What’s Inside Icon Siam
Takashimaya
They’re known to house high-end brands, beauty salons, fitness clubs, an indoor floating market, restaurants, and an art gallery. Here, you’ll see an entire floor, home to the Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza, a local specialty shop which stocks fresh produce, sweets, and delicacies.
More than being a popular landmark in Bangkok, it has a very distinct architecture – with a resemblance to the three glass krathongs stretching 300 meters along the river.
SookSiam / Ground Floor Complex
Don’t miss out the floating market the next time you visit Bangkok. You’ll be amazed how well- designed the space is – from the various boats and friendly vendors greeting you, down to the creative Thai motif surrounding the area.
Here, you can enjoy traditional Thai snacks and shop for regional handicrafts as well as some interesting garments. You can also enjoy some Thai cultural performances and relax at massage shops after a tad tiring shopping.
SookSiam is said to promote Thailand’s 77 provinces through their offering of traditional cuisine and hospitality.
Must try: The Thai-style fried noodles and the Mango Sticky Rice.
IconSiam Main
Icon Siam is a 6-floor complex, where fashion brands like Thai designer outlets, luxury brands like Prada, Bvlgari, Hermes, Chanel, Dior, and Louis Vuitton, and casual brands like H&M and Uniqlo take up its first 3 floors. You can also shop for various cosmetics at @Cosme store, housing over 6,000 beauty products from 600 Japanese brands.
For most shoppers, they prefer visiting the Takashimaya department store and the Apple store from the US which is only exclusive to the mall.
As you head up the floors, you’ll find sections for children, homeware, technology, and leisure.
Home to Exciting Eats
What’s a great mall without an array of interesting restaurants! Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or a gourmet meal, the array of Icon Siam’s restaurants has got you covered.
Upon arriving at ICONSIAM, our first stop was at Maesriruen Authentic Thai Cuisine. The restaurant offers authentic Thai and other Asian cuisines in a well-plated manner.
Maesriruen means housewife and surprisingly, all the staff in the restaurant are women and that itself is what makes this restaurant unique. The restaurant is nicely decorated and the tables are not that close to each other which makes it more comfortable to diners.
Our lunch was already pre-arranged and the food was already served when we arrived. Among all the food served, my favorite was their Massaman Curry with Chicken, Grilled pork with peanut sauce, Chicken in coconut milk soup, butterfly pea with honey and lime.
Apart from the abovementioned dishes, we also sampled their deep-fried seabass with Thai herb salad, Pad Thai, Sizzling seafood with eggs in hot plate, fresh spring rolls with crab claws, and Vietnamese meatball wraps.
For dessert, we enjoyed their version of Thai sweet baked rice cake. Overall, the spread was a good mix of savory and spicy dishes that even those who do not eat spicy food will surely enjoy.
Check out first the ICONLUXE complex where you’ll see The Veranda housing various restaurants and cafés. Alangkarn, on the other hand, is also an interesting dining place where you’ll get to indulge yourself with a range of international fare, ranging from Thai to Japanese to Indian.
If you’ll head over at the ground floor, you’ll find the Siam Nakajima Suisan which sells fresh seafood.
Then there’s Takashimaya, where you’ll see the “Rose Dining” zone located on the 4th floor. Feel free to choose which among those Japanese restaurants you’d like to try. More restaurants to check out include JUMBO Seafood and Baan Khanitha The Heritage.
Head up to the 6th floor and you’ll see the HOB beer garden and neighboring terrace bar.
Travel tip: Try visiting here at night time, definitely a perfect spot to cap off your shopping day.
Chill at the Icon Siam Park
If you want to take a break from shopping, then head over the Icon Siam Park. You’ll chance upon the stunning Bangkok skyline and artistic benches. Definitely Instagram-worthy!
How to Get There
Route 1
- Take the 12-min ride from BTS Skytrain to Saphan Taksin BTS station on the Silom Line.
- Head over at the walkway and follow the sign indicating “Boat Express”. Hop on the free river shuttle that drops you off in front of the mall. It will only take about 10 minutes to get there.
- The shuttle boat runs daily from 9am to 10pm at ten-minute intervals.
Route 2
- Board the BTS Skytrain to Krung Thonburi BTS Station and go out from Exit 1, then ride the free IconSiam Shuttle Bus. Take note that the bus runs every 30 minutes from 8 am to 12 am.
Route 3
- If you’re coming from Wongwian Yai Station, you can catch a shuttle bus which runs at 30-minute intervals between 9.30 am and 10 pm.
- You can also take the BTS Skytrain to Wongwian Yai Station and catch the free shuttle bus from there. The bus runs at 30-minute intervals between 9.30am and 10pm.
Check out our complete list of affordable hotels and resorts via Agoda or you may also see available Airbnb properties in the city.
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Also read:
- The Ultimate Bangkok Travel Guide
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- Traveling to Bangkok? Check Out This List of Best Bangkok Luxury Hotels
- First Time Visitors’ Guide to Bangkok
- Top 10 Bangkok Budget Hotels Under 60USD
- Bangkok is back as World’s Top Travel Destination
- Hotel Review: Sweet Stay at Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn in Bangkok
- Top 5 Luxury Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand
