Shopping malls have been a staple for shoppers around the world. With so many things that you can do and find under one roof, it is no wonder that millions of people visit malls every year and tourists would always have to stop by malls to get their shopping done whenever on holiday.
When I first stepped into CentralWorld Mall in Bangkok, the sheer size of the mall left me speechless. I thought to myself, “this HAS to be the biggest mall in the world.”
But little did I know, that CentralWorld Mall was listed 14th out of the world’s largest malls. If CentralWorld blew me away, I can only imagine how massive the rest of the malls on the top 10 list would be.
So, let us explore the 10 largest malls in the world, ranked by gross leasable area, and the next time when we decide to plan a holiday, we will have one more thing to add on to our bucket list of places to visit.
Here are the biggest malls in the world
Shop til’ you drop in the biggest malls in the world
Retail therapy is a respite for many, but shopping in the world’s biggest mall is every shopaholic’s dream. From indoor amusement parks to floating markets, the biggest malls in the world are lifestyle hubs that offer a complete escape from the daily stresses of life.
- Isfahan City Center, Iran – 465km2
- SM Seaside City Cebu, Philippines – 470km2
- SM Megamall, Philippines – 474km2
- SM City North EDSA, Philippines – 498km2
- ICONSIAM, Thailand – 525km2
- CentralPlaza Westgate, Thailand – 550km2
- Golden Resources Mall, China – 557km2
- SM City Tianjin, China – 565km2
- South China Mall, China – 660km2
- Iran Mall, Iran – 1,950km2
10. Isfahan City Center (Isfahan, Iran) – 465km2
As one of the biggest malls in the world, the Isfahan City Center offers immersive activities that make for an extraordinary mall experience.
Having been built in four phases, one of the biggest malls in Iran holds a general shopping mall with over 750 stores and restaurants, the Middle East’s largest indoor amusement park, an international financial tower, a 5-star hotel, an entertainment center with seven cinemas, a museum, a hypermarket, and even a world trade center.
9. SM Seaside City Cebu (Cebu City, Philippines) – 470km2
One of the biggest malls in the world takes the form of the architecturally-stunning SM Seaside City Cebu. Also locally known as SM Seaside, this circular mall has over 750 shops and services, and this even includes a Large Screen format cinema, two Director’s Club cinemas, 4 regular cinemas, a Centerstage theatre, and even an 18-lane SM Bowling and Amusement Center.
Have we even mentioned that located in the center of the mall is the Seaside Tower observation deck? The observation deck provides one of, perhaps even the best, breathtaking, panoramic views of the breathtaking Cebu beaches.
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8. SM Mega Mall (Mandaluyong, Philippines) – 474km2
SM Megamall once held the title of the biggest mall in the Philippines back in the early 2000s. Today, although it is now the third-largest shopping mall in the country, it still remains one of the biggest malls in the world, not to mention a powerhouse in the Philippines mall landscape with roughly 800,000 daily visitors.
In addition to the 500 shops and 280 dining outlets in this shopping mall, Megamall also houses a chapel, shuttle services, a 14-lane bowling center, an Olympic-sized skating rink, an IMAX cinema, and a Bingo gaming area.
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7. SM City North EDSA (Quezon City, Philippines) – 498km2
SM City North EDSA commands a daily foot traffic of 950,000 people. The biggest mall in the Philippines is made up of six massive buildings packed with over 1,000 stores, cinemas, dining halls, hypermarkets, bowling alleys, and other entertainment areas.
Along the mall’s edge is a beautiful Sky Garden where rivers and waterfalls backdrop against the 1,500-seater Sky Dome.
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6. ICONSIAM (Bangkok, Thailand) – 525km2
Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, ICONSIAM is the newest development on our list of biggest malls in the world. Inside the 10-storey mall, you will find Thailand’s first official Apple store, a heritage museum, a commercial gym and an indoor floating market.
The mall plans to expand in the future, with plans to include two luxury residential buildings, an onsite ferry pier, and a train station. Guess we will be seeing a shift in the world’s biggest malls ranking soon when their expansion has been completed!
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5. CentralPlaza Westgate (Nonthaburi, Thailand) – 550km2
With over 1,000 stores and an onsite IKEA outlet that spans 50,000m2, CentralPlaza Westgate is easily the biggest mall in Thailand. The mall is located in a Bangkok suburb where highways, roads, and train lines converge, allowing easy access to a vast customer base.
The 6-storey megamall houses residential condominiums, numerous restaurants, and Harbor Land, a brand new indoor kids playground built just this year.
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4. Golden Resources Mall (Beijing, China) – 557km2
Located in one of the biggest cities in the world, Golden Resources Mall was the biggest mall in the world when it opened in 2004. However, the mall suffered years of major vacancy due to its sparsely-populated location and overpriced goods.
It was not until recent years when the purchasing power of neighbouring residents climbed that the mall started seeing more shoppers.
3. SM Tianjin (Tianjin, China) – 565km2
Located in the thriving central business district, SM Tianjin is often praised for its unique architecture. From a bird’s-eye view, you can see the mall’s three oval-shaped buildings forming a blossoming flower.
The inside of the more isn’t any less impressive – be greeted by over 2,500 shops that will probably take an entire weekend or two to explore.
2. South China Mall (Dongguan, China) – 659km2
Incredibly massive yet devastatingly empty for nearly a decade, South China Mall has been nicknamed “ghost mall”. Twice the size of the biggest mall in America, the mall was built to represent the growth of the Chinese people.
Despite its glamorous opening in 2005, the mall did not live up to its expectations of attracting 100,000 visitors per day as most Dongguan residents are low-income factory workers. With recent renovations and a retargeting toward middle-class shoppers, the mall is beginning to gain new tenants.
Today, trendy shops, restaurants, an amusement park, indoor rivers and an IMAX cinema can be found inside the biggest mall in Asia.
And the title of the biggest mall in the world goes to…
1. Iran Mall (Tehran, Iran) – 1,950km2
Topping our list as the biggest mall in the world is the Iran Mall in Tehran. The world’s biggest mall combines nature, culture technology and sports under one roof, apart from its 700 shops. This incredible supermall features a massive library, an amusement park, 12 IMAX cinemas, a car showroom, three hotels, art galleries, a museum and a bazaar.
In the heart of the mall is the Mahan Garden, a symbol of the historical Persian Gardens. The rooftop holds swimming pools, a 12,000m2 ice rink, tennis courts, and 15 sports fields.
The biggest malls in the world are about more than shopping
Shopping malls are staples to every shopper, and this list of the largest malls in the world proves that there is much more to these massive shopping complexes than just looking at and buying things. From cinemas to roller coasters to indoor rivers, malls have a lot to offer.
