Top 5 Biggest Shopping Malls

No matter how many economic downturns and recessions the world faces, there will always be people ready to shop. There are dozens of mega-malls scattered across the globe, with newer, bigger ones being built each year.

These may not be the biggest in terms of of square footage, but they are up among the top and definitely worth visiting if you're in the country. Here's a list of our top 5 biggest shopping malls around the world:

United States: Mall of America

The most famous mall in the US, the Mall of America in Minnesota augments more than 400 shops with an indoor amusement park, walk-through aquarium, bowling alley, movie theatres, bars and nightclubs, countless restaurants, and many other family attractions.

United Arab Emirates: Dubai Mall

Shopping in Dubai is a major activity, and the place to go is the Dubai Mall, which boasts a skating rink, water park, and more. Part of the 20-billion-dollar Burj Khalifa complex, which includes a whopping 1,200 shops. A great way to beat the heat in sunny Dubai.

Canada: West Edmonton Mall

The largest mall in Canada (and North America), the West Edmonton Mall is located in Edmonton, Alberta. With an amusement park, water park, skating rink, recreation centre, adventure golf, movie theatres, restaurants, bars, and many other attractions in addition to its 800+ shops, it's the biggest attraction in Edmonton.

China: Golden Resources Shopping Mall

China has been building mega-malls left and right, but the biggest is the Golden Resources Shopping Mall in Beijing. Nicknamed the 'Great Mall of China', the shopping centre draws millions of visitors each year with attractions like a skating rink, restaurants, and more than 1,000 shops.

South Africa: Gateway Theatre of Shopping

Few visitors to South Africa would think of Durban as a shopping destination, but Gateway and its more than 400 shops would disagree. In addition to shops, restaurants and bars, the mall offers a live theatre, IMAX cinema, skate park, indoor climbing wall, go-karts, arcade, bowling alley, small indoor amusement park, the world's tallest indoor climbing wall, and the Flo-Rider man-made surfing wave.

Photo from here.

Travel Movie: The Karate Kid

Granted, there are aspects of this 2010 remake that people can complain about: there's no actual karate in the film, the moves performed by the children are unrealistic, or that the whole thing is a vanity project for Will Smith's kid.

But there are some beautiful scenes in the movie that highlight the gorgeous scenery around Beijing, and interesting tidbits about Chinese culture. For me though, the real value of the film is in highlighting the disconnected existence of western expats* living in China, especially expat kids. In cliched ways, it is a great lesson for children in overcoming a fear of the unfamiliar and pushing yourself to do things you thought you couldn't.

Verdict: Rent it

* For other interesting info about expats in China, visit Expat Arrivals' China Guide.