317 Best Places to Shop in China

West of the Potala Palace, the Third Pole can outfit you with everything you'll need to enjoy the great outdoors, from good hiking shoes to walking sticks to sunglasses.

A treasure-trove of Hong Kong–theme souvenirs, this appealingly cluttered first-floor emporium sells towels, mugs, fridge magnets, and cute, affordable homewares, greetings cards, ornaments, and the like. Notable are the impressionistic paintings of Hong Kong street scenes by British artist Louise Hill.

For something more traditional, go fly a kite. Here, for three generations, the same family has hand-painted butterflies and birds onto bamboo frames to delight adults and children alike. They're a far cry from the run-of-the-mill types you can find elsewhere.

This place stocks all the tea in China, and then some. More than 300 vendors occupy three floors, but most vendors sell the same tea, so find a seller with whom you have a rapport, and sit down for a taste test. You can buy such famous teas as West Lake dragon well (longjing) tea, from nearby Hangzhou, and Wuyi red-robe tea, as well as the tea sets to serve them in. Though the vendors encourage you to taste all their teas, as you should, they are not terribly pushy.

Just east of the Tianfeng Pagoda is the Tianyi Square shopping-and-entertainment complex, a popular local meeting point, thanks to plentiful outdoor seating around a central fountain. There's also a slew of electronics and fashion outlets and a wide selection of fast-food and low-key local restaurants (don't miss the Ningbo dumplings at Gang Ya Gou). If you need a break from the crowds, look for the enormous Yaohang Street Catholic Church just outside the square.

This Taiwanese brand has taken modern Chinese glass art global. Glassworks here are made using the laborious lost-wax casting technique, employed by artists for centuries to create a bronze replica of an original wax or clay sculpture. The collection—which includes tableware, paperweights, glass Buddhas, and jewelry—can be purchased in Lane Crawford department stores.

A first-time consultation with a Chinese doctor can feel a bit like a reading with a fortune-teller. With one test of the pulse, many traditional Chinese doctors can describe the patient's medical history and diagnose current maladies. Serving as official medicine dispenser to the Imperial Court until its collapse, Tongrentang now has branches all over the city. At its 300-year-old store in Dashilan you can browse the glass displays of deer antlers and pickled snakes, dried seahorses and frogs, and delicate tangles of roots with precious price tags of Y48,000. If you don't speak Chinese and wish to have a consultation with a doctor, consider bringing along a translator.

A Chinese clothing chain, Toread features a wide selection of genuine outdoor equipment, as well as warm clothing if you're planning a trip to the mountains.

One of the big Hong Kong chains, TSL (Tse Sui Luen) specializes in diamond jewelry, and manufactures, retails, and exports its designs. Its range of 100-facet stones includes the Estrella cut, which reflects nine symmetrical hearts and comes with international certification. Although its contemporary designs use platinum settings, TSL also sells pure, bright, yellow-gold items targeted at Chinese customers.

This shop carries Hong Kong's first local cosmetics line, also known as Two Girls Brand. The colorful, old-fashioned packaging, which is reminiscent of traditional Chinese medicines, is more remarkable than the products. That said, the line's classics—including hair oil, talcum powder, and soap—make interesting gifts.

The 798 Art District is home to a burgeoning collection of housewares, fashion, and design shops. The most innovative of these is an offshoot of the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), located just one door down from the gallery. Clothes, posters, ingenious knickknacks, and artist Sui Jianguo's iconic (and pricey) "Made in China" plastic dinosaurs make it a must-visit for anyone in the area.

When the Central St. Martins grad launched her eponymous line in 2005, little did she know her designs would soon be on the catwalks of London, Paris, New York, and Milan. Knitwear is Wang's signature design and, in her industrial chic shop, you'll find chunky vests, mohair dresses, and cardigans that can double as scarves. For the average shopper, the space is more gallery than viable shopping destination—as Wang's star has risen, so too have her prices; a dress now goes for more than Y3,500.

If you are a Giordano or Bossini fan, don't miss this Japanese chain. Uniqlo carries a wide variety of inexpensive, fashionable casual wear for women, men, and children. New locations have been opening rapidly throughout the city since 2007. Popular items include T-shirts, jeans, and pajamas.

At this shop you can watch the owner or his apprentice working on Uyghur string instruments—stretching snakeskin or inlaying tiny bits of shell to make a Uyghur guitar called a ravap.

Modern and minimalist, Vein's decor is in perfect harmony with its Nordic apparel. The lineup of Scandinavian luxury labels and home accessories is updated regularly, but you can usually find at least a dozen stalwart, simple-yet-elegant brands, including Filippa K and Rodebjer. Expect clean lines, a muted palette, and unexpected splashes of color.

Hong Kong--bred, New York--based designer Vivienne Tam is known for her colorful modern Chinese designs, like denim jackets styled after kung fu tops and T-shirts that resemble cheongsam blouses. This boutique (she has several across Hong Kong, China, and Macau) is unique because it's in the middle of Lee Tung Avenue, a photo-worthy redeveloped pedestrian street that was formerly home to wedding-card printing businesses but is now packed with shops and cafés.

You know it when you walk into a Vivienne Tam boutique—the strong Asian-motif prints and modern updates of traditional women's clothing are truly distinct. But don't let the bold, ready-to-wear collections distract you from the very pretty accessories, which include leather handbags and other items with artistic embellishments. Tam, who has seven shops here, is one of the best-known designers in Hong Kong—and, even though she's now based in New York, the city still claims her as its own.

Chan is known for excellent-quality suits and shirts in classic cuts and has an array of fine European fabrics. The store features a mirrored, hexagonal changing room so you can check every angle. 

Quirky travel gear, handsome leather goods, hipster accessories: W.O.A.W. (World of Amazing Wonders) stocks an array of smart and stylish items. Started by serial entrepreneur, clothing designer, and all-around cool guy Kevin Poon, this lifestyle concept store promises to surprise you with up-and-coming brands like Native Union (a techy design brand pumping out funky and functional gadgets), plus some staple international picks like Hershel bags and Karen Walker shades.

This reliable manufacturer and retailer of predominantly handcrafted ceramics has been in operation since the early days of trade with the West (1863). There are more than 15,000 items on display in the main showroom, and the overwhelmingly large product line includes antique replicas, vases, dinnerware, figurines, and more—all in classic Chinese motifs. You can also visit the shop in the Lee Roy Commercial Building on Hollywood Road.

You can find decent deals on computer goods and accessories in the labyrinth of shops spanning several floors. It's not as easy to negotiate prices here as it once was, but there are technicians who can help you put together a computer in less than a day if you're rushed; otherwise, two days is normal. The starting price is around HK$3,250 depending on the hardware, processor, and peripherals you choose. This is a great resource, whether you're a techno-buff who's interested in assembling your own computer (a popular pastime in Hong Kong) or a technophobe looking for high-quality headphones.

Hong Kong has a surprisingly strong outdoor culture given its many hiking trails, and this independent store with a Japanese aesthetic will ensure you're stylishly dressed to tackle them. It's packed with chic camping gear sourced from around the world, and it has a section of vintage clothing, too. 

British expat James and his wife Wan Ling, who hails from the tea-producing province Fujian, have built a tidy tea business in Shanghai. In addition to their Shanghai teahouse, where you can purchase a slew of teas from China and India and teapots and cups, they sell in the U.K. and Australia. The selection of tea here is ample, and foreigners can feel safe in the knowledge they won't be ripped off.

Spread over the city, this chain—the CVS of Hong Kong—sells western medicines, health and beauty items, plus a selection of traditional Chinese products. Some branches also have pharmacies.

Run by affable expert Jonathan Wattis and his wife Vicky since 1988, Wattis Fine Art specializes in antique maps, prints, and photographs of Hong Kong, China, and Southeast Asia.

This redbrick Edwardian-style building in the Sheung Wan district is a declared monument and the oldest existing market building in Hong Kong; when built in 1906 it was used as a produce market. These days, kitschy commerce dominates its ground floor, where a few unmemorable shops sell crafts, toys, jewelry, and collectibles. Skip these, and head up the escalator, where you'll find a remarkable selection of fabric: satins, silks, and sequins are all here and worth a look. A more authentic experience is lunch, dinner, or high tea in the Grand Stage Ballroom Restaurant on the top floor. After a great Chinese meal, you can while away the afternoon with the old-timers trotting around the room to a live band belting out the cha-cha and tango. The restaurant is also a popular spot for weddings and receptions. Visit in the evening, and you're likely to snap up cashmere and chiffon while a violin sings overhead.

For those who prefer to shop in air-conditioned comfort, this reliable dealer is discreetly positioned on an upper floor of the elegant Prince's Building. The selection here caters to both amateur and professional photographers.

Clean, wide corridors distinguish this less frantic computer arcade from the others. It has two floors of products with a wide selection of Mac and PC computer games, video games, laptops, desktops, and accessories. This is a reputable center with competitive prices.

Also known as Dried Seafood Street, Wing Lok Street is a hot spot for stores selling dried delicacies. You can find almost anything your heart desires, whether it be dried goji berries or dried bird's nest.