Las Pinas City shopping offers both the gigantic malls of any other largely urban community and the vast public markets where you can shop up close with the "mom and pop" type of store owners. Of the three large malls and the number of local flea markets, you may find the most varied offerings at the following:

SM City Southmall

The largest mall in all of the Southern Metro Manila province, the SM City Southmall is located along Alabong-Zapote Road in Las Pinas City. Four floors of almost 500 square feet of retail space allow for over 350 stores, activity centers and restaurants. The anchor areas include a cinema, a food court, a supermarket, an ice skating rink and a mini amusement park called SM Storyland. The SM department store is another prominent feature and has similar offerings to department stores in North America. Junior anchor stores include a bookstore, several hardware stores, a toy store, an appliance center, a home furnishing store and a surplus shop.

SM Prime Holdings is the primary mall owner and operator in the Philippines, so expect a very classic North American "mall" feel at SM City Southmall. You'll have plenty of places to shop with a variety of offerings at affordable to slightly more costly prices and you can keep kids entertained at a number of activity centers. Don't expect many cultural or local artisan offerings, but if you prefer to shop at malls anyway, this place is your best bet.

Las Pinas Public Market

Just about two miles from SM City Southmall is an entirely different shopping experience. The Las Pinas Public Market is home to numerous locally-owned stores and shops, which offer a wide array of offerings, from clothes to housewares to food. The market is especially known for its fresh seafood. Many of the store owners are traders who offer products directly from the provinces, so if you don't have time to go visit the more scenic countryside of the Philippines, the public market may be your best bet to stock up on what the countryside has to offer. Price tags are pretty cheap for the most part.

Indo Treasures Asian Furnishings and Interior

If it's genuine Asian wooden furniture and furnishings that catches your eye, you might consider stopping at this small shop at the Festival Supermall in the Alabang area of Las Pinas City. Established by a Philippine dentist who spent time in Indonesia and joined a group of foreigners who studied the craft of wooden furniture making there, Indo Treasures sells large pieces of hand-carved furniture, such as cabinets and mirrors, as well as smaller items like vases and candle holders. If you can't bring home furniture or don't want to pay to have it shipped, the store's hand-carved wind chimes make a great souvenir and are fairly affordable.