Medan Mall

From books and electronics to souvenirs, shoes, and beauty products, Medan Mall’s shops have it all. Better yet, some of the local shops inside don’t have fixed prices, meaning you can negotiate a fair price with them unlike other such places. It has a host of branded, designer shops like Gucci, Giordano, US Polo, L’oreal, Levi’s and even Zara with notably lower prices than the same stores in other parts of Medan.

The mall is pretty large and has multiple amenities like a supermarket, cafes, and money changing facilities for international travellers. It offers a similar environment to the bustling Central Market right outside with the benefit of air-conditioning and a pleasant environment away from traffic and dust. Matahari Department Store and Macan Supermarket are hugely popular for grocery shopping – on weekends, you’re bound to find the store full of families finishing their weekly shopping list.

The Medan Mall has a good food court on the top floor that offers a multitude of cuisines for even the pickiest of eaters. Koka Bento serves Japanese food while Cobek Ayam Penyet and Ayam Goring Kalasan cook delicious Indonesian cuisine right in front of you. There are international food chains like Dunkin’ Donuts, Texas Chicken, and KFC too.

If you’d like a great cup of coffee, Espressoul is a homely café and Offle serves up scrumptious desserts baked daily. Moreover, there are small fresh fruit and juice stalls that shouldn’t be ignored. North Sumatra is known for growing durian, a widely debated fruit with a strong taste and fragrance. It is in season from July to December when you’ll find plenty of durian-based desserts, juices, and dishes all over Medan. You should also keep an eye out for Sumatra’s signature ginger tea in the food court.

Medan Mall is located on Jl. M. T. Haryono, Medan Kota, Sumatra. Since it is in a very busy commercial area, there are routine jams on the M Haryono, Sutomo, and Thamrin roads that lead to a stand-still during peak hours, especially at the end of the school hours when buses line the road. Try to avoid these hours while going to the mall.
 
Medan Mall is situated around 37 kilometres (50 minutes) from Kualanamu International Airport, 3 kilometres (5 to 10 minutes) from JW Marriott Hotel, 2 kilometres (10 minutes) from Istana Maimum, and 1.7 kilometres (10 minutes) from Merdeka Walk. From Medan station, you can take a taxi for the short 15 minute journey for around IDR 25,000. From Stasium Medan, a taxi ride will be around 5 minutes and shouldn’t cost more than IDR 15,000.

You can also opt for Medan’s motorized rickshaws called becak, trishaws, or pedicabs. Unlike traditional becaks, these rickshaws are allowed anywhere in Medan. Their prices are very reasonable at anywhere between IDR 2,000 to IDR 15,000, but they should be negotiated before the journey or you’ll find yourself surprised by a huge hike in the price when you arrive. If you are coming by private transport, such as a rented car or bike, there are parking facilities available in the mall that are free.

1. Medan Mall is a very popular location to spend an afternoon in the city and can get very crowded. It’s recommended that you take good care of your belongings because of the risk of pick-pockets and chain snatchers. In the event that your purse is snatched by thieves, authorities recommend letting go instead of fighting with the thief as they can be quite ruthless.
2. Unlike some malls in the city, Medan Mall has good Wifi connectivity. In fact, Wifi in the mall is free.
3. Although the mall is home to some big brands, there are a lot of local shops here too. These stores may not have card machines for transactions, so it’s a good idea to carry sufficient cash if you intend to shop in the mall. There is a money transfer facility on the ground floor near the gold shop to exchange foreign currencies should you require this service.
4. The top floor of the mall has a great vantage point of the city. After shopping, especially if it’s around sunset time, you can go up to the higher floors to enjoy the majestic view of Medan.