I dub thee, IconSiam, the most beautiful mall in Bangkok, Thailand. If this were a beauty pageant, I would fight tooth and nail for my top candidate, who’s superlative inside-out.

We were running late for the Alangka Cruise registration that day. I had a quick peek at the huge mall’s façade before exiting the taxi. The cruise’s registration area is inside the mall, but I was too frantic to notice the shops.

It was only after I finished registering for my family’s dinner cruise that I had a better look at the colorful shops and stalls. “Wow,” I said to myself. “This is different.” After the cruise, we returned to the mall to have a better look and returned for a second time days later.

Launched in 2019, IconSiam is a 10-storey mall with over 7,000 shops. It was when I was on the dinner cruise along the Chao Phraya River that I realized just how grand and luxurious this mall is. The nighttime view of IconSiam is a feast for the eyes. The entire mall is decked in lights, with a free lights, water, and sounds show by the fountain every night.

It’s best viewed from the Chao Phraya River side, where you’ll easily spot the big designer labels, such as Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Hermes. But don’t be intimated; that’s not all there is to IconSiam.

The upper section of the mall is called IconLuxe, where you’ll find high-end brands and designer labels, as well as bars and restaurants with a stunning view of the river. But for me, the heart and soul of this mall is SookSiam, the indoor air-conditioned market located on the ground floor complex.

SookSiam’s architecture represents the four main geographic regions of Thailand. The shops and restaurants offer the best of the arts, crafts, culture, food, and medicine from all 77 provinces of the country—divided into seven sooks or zones to explore.

Each zone of this market was meticulously designed, from the giant elephant statue greeting you at the golden entrance between the central and northeastern regions to the villas, shophouses, and floating markets in the northern and southern regions. Even the bathroom feels like you entered a traditional Thai home from decades past, thanks to the intricately designed fixtures and wall murals. You may also catch a free musical or cultural performance when you’re there.

But don’t expect marked-down prices to rival the likes of Chatuchak. The price tags in SookSiam are affordable, just not as cheap as the other outdoor night markets of Bangkok.

If you’re staying in Bangkok for a short time, drop by SookSiam in IconSiam Mall to experience the best of Thailand’s culture. Make sure you step outside to take a stroll by the Chao Phraya River to see why this is the most beautiful mall in Bangkok.

IconSiam Mall is located at 299 Charoen Nakhon 5 Alley, Khwaeng Khlong Ton Sai, Khet Khlong San, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10600, Thailand.