Tianjin Shopping Shop ‘til you drop in TJ - Travel - Destinations

Tianjin Shopping: Shop til you drop in TJ by Lek Boonlert

in Travel / Destinations ВT (submitted 2010-12-13)

The town of Tianjin, affectionately known as TJ, is located along the northern coastline of China, just a short distance to the east of Beijing. Of course, the capital of China always pulls in more tourists than Tianjin, which is totally natural with global cities. However, Tianjin also offers quite a majestic cityscape for which visitors can enjoy the sites and sounds for several days.

Shopping in the city has become a major lure for domestic and international visitors. Tianjin hotels are sometimes swamped with travellers, many of which spend their holiday searching for a great place to shop until they drop.

Quanye Chang: this is the most famous shopping mall in the city of Tianjin. Visitors will be able to find an exciting range of goods and services within the complex. Western prices seem to have found their way with the western products. But, this is to be expected in such a large and overly elegant shopping centre.

Jinhui Shopping Square: part of the Heping Lu business street shopping complexes, Jinhui is another modern shopping centre that again offers many western products for visitors. With so many department stores surrounding Jinhui, it is possible to spend an entire day going into and out of Jinhui Shopping Square ¦that is of course if shoppers have enough money!

Isetan Department Store: one of the most famous shopping chains in Asia, the Isetan Department Store is much like the other shopping centres along Heping Lu. Most shoppers share their time between the several shopping malls, like Isetan, that are within walking distance of each other.

Ancient Cultural Street: getting away from the bright lights and high prices of Tianjin's modern shopping malls will be almost welcomed by travellers after a few days in the city. Tianjin's Ancient Culture Street offers exactly what the name suggests. Visitors can see a whole new side of Tianjin that is certainly not expected in such a large city. Souvenirs and crafts are the specialty in most of the culture street's stores. Bargaining is not only required, it is expected from vendors. So, be prepared to negotiate prices with sellers over anything and everything.

Shenyang Dao Antique Market: this is by far the largest antiques market in the Peoples Republic of China. Not only is the market an attraction that should be visited by all tourists in Tianjin, it is also a remarkable antiques sanctuary where almost every style and material can be found. Porcelain products, paintings, jewelry and much more are available in the Shenyang Dao Antique Market. Similar to the Ancient Culture Street, the antique market requires bargaining of prices. This will take some getting used to, but it does add another dimension to an already electric shopping experience.

There are a few products that are quiet famous in the city of Tianjin, luring many domestic travellers from all over the country. Tea in Tianjin is second to none, and there are plenty of Chinese tea stores sprinkled throughout the city. Many of the tea houses in Tianjin are authentic landmarks of the city, and are fantastic places to visit for a few minutes while picking up some tea. Ceramic figures are also very popular in the city. Many of the markets display the range of ceramic items that can be found in Tianjin.

It is important to remember that shopping in the more traditional parts of the city will require buyers to negotiate prices of products with vendors. Even if travellers are not efficient at bargaining, it is still possible to pick up a deal on most items, when compared to prices of goods in the neighbouring city of Beijing.