75 www.womanthismonth.com September 2014 July 2013 Swimmers and surfers should head to the eastern beaches. PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO Strolling, shopping and sipping tequila along the Malecon boardwalk of Puerto Vallarta sounds like the ideal vacation. Courtesy of the steady stream of cruise liners passing through its harbour, Puerto Vallarta is geared toward the shopper, with anything Mexican-made being readily available. Shopping here is fun in terms of what you can buy, but more in terms of where you can find it. Unique artefacts from all over Mexico await you in both ultra-modern and traditional stores and galleries spread throughout the city. The Municipal Flea Market offers a bevy of colourful stalls while the downtown Malecon and the streets surrounding it are rich with galleries, jewellery stores and designer shops specialised in casual wear. The charming cobblestone streets of Old Vallarta are perfect to browse handmade crafts. Whenever you want to put your shopping bags down, the calm, warm waters of the Bay of Banderas make for excellent diving. The cluster of fine art galleries in El Centro are perfect spots to have a self-guided art tour. Owing to its arsenal of great restaurants, it’s often contested whether Puerto Vallarta is a shopper’s heaven or a foodie’s paradise. HONG KONG, CHINA Its incomparable skyline, floating islands and delectable dim sums are just some of the attractions that bring millions of visitors to Hong Kong each year. This is indeed a destination for the experienced shopper. Tsim Sha Tsui offers the densest concentration of shops in the crowded city. Take ‘dense’ as an enormous variety of almost everything under the sun. But those who want a more relaxed experience can try the Central Area. Most goods from all over the world, except wine and cigarettes, are tax-free and prices are relatively low. The best three buys are clothes, cosmetics and electrical appliances. Canton Road and Beijing Road have the famous brands while Granville Road has cosmetics and factory outlets. Along with the shopping spree one gets an eyeful of traditional Chinese architecture in Ngong Ping Village and the tram to Victoria Peak offers some truly unparalleled views.
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