Shopping in the biggest malls in the world

27 August 2021 • Rebecca • Free time in Bucharest

If you sometimes blame yourself for spending too much time shopping, imagine what such an experience would look like when you live near a mall with an area of hundreds of thousands of square meters or what problems you may have if you forget where you left your car in a parking with 14,000 spaces.

Here are some of the most impressive shopping malls in the world, both in terms of surface area and facilities.

Forum Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey

With the Grand Bazaar visited annually by millions of tourists, and the art of trade running through their veins, the Turks are also proud of some of the largest modern shopping malls in the world. Among them is Forum Istanbul, the largest mall of Turkey and, in terms of location on the European side of Istanbul, of the old continent too. With a total area of 495,000 square meters and a leasable area of 175,000 square meters, about 270 stores share their customers here. Prior to its opening in 2009, Istanbul Cevahir was the country's largest shopping center. The latter has over 340 stores, around 50 restaurants and is close to the total area of the former, covering 420,000 square meters.

Dubai Mall, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The gateway to Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, Dubai Mall covers no less than 502,000 square meters and has over 14,000 parking spaces and about 1,200 commercial spaces. The shopping centre opened in the fall of 2008 and also houses the largest indoor aquarium in the world, along with 120 restaurants and cafes, 22 cinemas, and a 5-star hotel with an infinity pool.

SM Mall of Asia, Metro Manila, Philippines

Inaugurated in the spring of 2006 and spread over a total area of over 430,000 square meters, SM MoA certainly has some elements that differentiate it from an ordinary shopping centre, setting aside the huge area. We are talking about an Olympic-sized skating rink, one of the largest 3D screens in the world of IMAX cinema, and an internal tram with which you can travel between stores for a more comfortable shopping session.

New South China Mall, Dongguan, China

New South China Mall has a gross leasable area of over 660,000 square meters and was known, until recently, as the largest ghost mall in the world, as for many years it remained 99% unoccupied, although it benefitted from an initial investment of USD 1.3 billion. Opened in 2005, the unit has been divided into seven main areas, each including different replicas of the objectives of major European cities and beyond. Thus, you can find a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in France, as well as a Venetian canal with gondolas. The mall has the capacity to accommodate around 2,350 stores, and since 2008, following renovations, vacant commercial spaces have gradually begun to fill.

Mall of America, Minnesota, United States

The largest mall in the United States has a history of over three decades, being opened in 1992. It has an area of about 500,000 square meters and a number of 520 commercial spaces. It is visited by over 40 million people annually. The owner of the unit is the Triple Five Group, which also owns the second-largest mall in the States, American Dream, inaugurated two years ago.

Aviapark, Moscow, Russia

Another notable shopping centre in Europe is the Russian mall Aviapark, spread over approximately 390,000 square meters. It was inaugurated 6 years ago and is structured on six floors. Like Mall Dubai, Aviapark has a spectacular indoor aquarium, included in the Guinness World Records as the largest cylindrical aquarium in the world.

Central Plaza Westgate, Nonthaburi, Thailand

A few years ago, the bustling Bangkok had the country's largest shopping centre, with the CentralWorld mall, opened in 1990. In 2005, however, with the inauguration of Central Plaza Westgate, spread over a commercial area of over 550,000 square meters, this record was transferred to Nonthaburi province.

Data for this article was obtained from Wikipedia.org, touropia.com, and 28degreescard.com.au.