Hanoi department stores – guide to shopping centres in Hanoi
The mall by Hoan Kiem Lake
In the same way that Hanoi’s service industry has a lot of ground to make up to catch up with its younger sister, Ho Chi Minh City, the number of shopping malls in the city is still extremely limited. Although this is something that is almost sure to change, visitors at present have just a few options to choose from.
The pros and cons of shopping in a mall are easy to summarise. The air-conditioned environment is a definite plus, as is the lack of car horns honking or exhaust fumes. There is a good choice of international brands in the boutiques and plenty of distractions such as cinemas and food courts.
The downside of Hanoi’s malls is that prices are much steeper than you would find elsewhere (don’t even think of bargaining!) and they are generally not as glitzy or sophisticated as in Western cities.
They tend to get much more crowded on hot, humid days in summer, though many are just escaping the heat rather than actually shopping. Apart from the retail outlets stocking the normal array of fashion and accessories, it's not uncommon to find tattoo parlours, fortune tellers and portrait artists in Hanoi shopping malls.
Recommended Hanoi shopping malls
Trang Tien Plaza: Covering around 20,000 square metres at 24 Hai Ba Trung, just near Hoan Kiem Lake, this six-storey building has been used as a trading centre for around a century, and was designed by French architect Cluade Cuverlier. The building was undergoing renovation in early 2010 but designers say they are eager to maintain the historic feel of the place.
Vincom City Towers: Opened in 2007 at 191 Ba Trieu, off Hai Ba Trung, this shopping centre is much more like what you’d expect to find in the West, and its space is similarly divided between designer fashions, cosmetics, home décor products, electrical appliances, as well as entertainment and eating venues. Prices are very steep as you might expect, so it’s only worth shopping here if you’re after something you can’t find elsewhere.
The Parkson: Located at the junction of Thai Ha and Tay Son streets, this mall is smaller than Vincom but still has the usual mix of fashion and jewellery outlets, and it makes a change after a day of gazing at ancient monuments. This is also one of the few places in Hanoi that you can get a meal of Western fast food, as there’s a branch of Kentucky Fried Chicken here.
