Shopping Singapore
With so many things to do in Singapore, there is no doubt that it is one of the best places in the world for shopping.
However, it would be best if you familiarize yourself with at least the basics of Singapore culture before you try to bargain with shopkeepers.
Despite the fact that many things cost more than they do in other parts of South-east Asia, it is still considered polite to negotiate the price you pay a little.
In this guide you will find out about the hottest shopping located in Singapore and with this information you can be sure to won’t leave your money behind.
Top Shopping Districts in Singapore
1. Orchard Road
A shopper’s sanctuary and the pulsating shopping artery of Singapore, Orchard Road is flanked on both sides by countless malls and boutiques. Start here: ION Orchard is an architectural spectacle in itself. It is home to well over 300 stores, ranging from high-end luxury labels to acclaimed fashion designers and promising youthful brands, not to mention a medley of gourmet restaurants and bars.
Paragon and Lucky Plaza are a few blocks away and feature a variety of upscale boutiques, international retailers, along with beauty parlours, spa and skillful snippers at the hair salon. Across the road at Lucky Plaza, you’ll find many affordable electronics and souvenirs.
2. Marina Bay
Shopping with a view is possible at Marina Bay. The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is filled with luxury brand names and designer boutiques. The splendid architecture and canal that runs through the mall adds to the shopping experience. Here you can find anything from haute couture to any new kind of technological device that you have been eyeing.
3. Chinatown
Trade trumps tradition in busy Chinatown, and here you’ll find everything from traditional crafts and spices to colorful souvenirs. You’ll also experience the remnants of old Singapore among its red and gold shop houses, mingling with ethnic Chinese locals and tourists from various parts of Asia. Wander through Chinatown Complex and Pagoda Street to get familiar with Singapore’s pervasive marketplace.
4. Little India
No place comes more shocking to the senses than Little India, where the shouting shoppers and the clash of colours and exotic wares seems to outdo anything you’d expect to find in the smaller bazaars of Asia’s larger cities.
Mustafa Centre, open 24/7, offers just about anything you could hope for on the shopping front, from electronics to groceries, but it can’t be beat for its ambiance. The neighbouring Tekka Centre is a treasure for its Indian textiles and spices. The narrow streets are positively bursting with shops selling produce, cosmetics, traditionalist clothing – all manner of jewellery.
5. Jewel Changi Airport
Picture arriving at an airport and finding one of the most striking shopping experiences right there.
Jewel Changi Airport sprawls across and even conceptually connects to the airport – an airy aviation plaza – and offers more than 300 local and international retailers, a series of exciting events downtown, and tops it all off with Shiseido Forest Valley: a four-storey indoor garden of manicured trees and hedges and waterfalls, whose temperate touch is not necessarily what you expect right before a flight.
Noteworthy Shopping Malls
6. VivoCity
The largest shopping mall in Singapore, VivoCity has many upsides. The retail behemoth itself stands out with its big size and the many stores within it. It has all you can wish for in fashion trends, tech gadgets, home décor, creative toys and many more. There is also an amphitheatre and Sky Park that gives us the time off between shopping sprees.
7. Bugis Street
Shopping for steals? Go to Bugis Street. Located in Chinatown, this budget-friendly market is a popular hangout for both locals and tourists. By day, browse its bursting selection of affordable fashion and goodies, and by night, unwind in the hip cafes and bars that surround the market area.
8. IMM
This Outlet Mall is a good place for a bargain hunter. Fashion brands of world-known companies Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, jewellery, suitcases are sold at discount price at IMM Mall around the year. Also many furniture are for made for home living.
Unique Shopping Experiences
9. Haji Lane
Offering several independent boutiques as well as a number of eclectic stores, Haji Lane in Kampong Glam is a place where one would discover original clothes. Called the street of murals and endearing stores, as vintage wear and unique accessories fill almost every corner of this narrow street, Haji Lane offers a different kind of shopping experience.
10. Pasarbella
Offering several independent boutiques as well as a number of eclectic stores, Haji Lane in Kampong Glam is a place where one would discover original clothes. Called the street of murals and endearing stores, as vintage wear and unique accessories fill almost every corner of this narrow street, Haji Lane offers a different kind of shopping experience.
11. Tiong Bahru
Tiong Bahru marks the meeting ground of old and new in Singapore shopping. In this charming area, trendy boutiques like DGA Threads, Curated Records and Nana & Bird are juxtaposed with the city’s more elegant traditional design. You can pick up the latest and greats in clothing and vinyl set against a backdrop of Singapore colonial architecture and history.
Tips for Shopping in Singapore
- Plan Your Shopping Route: Singapore’s shopping areas are huge and various. Make sure you know your priorities and plan your shopping route in advance. Combine nearby amenities in the same trip to save your time and energy, too.
- Look Out for Sales and Discounts: And keep an eye out for the six-week Great Singapore Sale, which is held during the summer months and also offers reduced prices. Discounts and special offers are available in special outlet malls such as IMM.
- Shop Tax-Free: As a tourist, you can shop with tax-free rebates. Look for shops use to “Tax-Free Shopping” logo. Bring all valid receipts to the airport before leaving.
- Stay Hydrated and Rested: As much as you want to check everything out, the tropical weather can be tiring, so take your time. You will have some energy to spare, so intermittently take breaks. Sit at one of the many cafes available, or seek some rest in the various resting areas within the malls.
- Use Public Transport: Singapore has a wide range of public transport. It is very convenient for you to travel around city(ies) by MRT and buses. No need for being stuck in traffic jams, no need for wasting hours on finding a parking space; most of shopping districts and shopping malls are easily accessible through public transport.
Shopping Singapore
Unique and sparkling, nowhere else can you find shopping quite like it on the island city-state. Singapore’s mix of unrivalled luxury brands, endless bargain stores and one-off designers prove its status as being exceptionally diverse in its retail market. Designed like no other, the perfect fusion of international cultural scene, luxury and contemporary architecture allows for shopping with ease.
Check out some of our other related articles and guides below:
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- Best Things To Do At Changi Airport Singapore (2024)
- Best Things To Do In Bugis Singapore (2024)
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you have any questions about shopping in Singapore, you can refer to the frequently asked questions (FAQ) about best Shopping Destinations in Singapore below:
What are the best times to shop in Singapore?
To get rid of the crowd shopping in Singapore, you can go shopping in the morning or late afternoon. Always the atmosphere in each mall and shop is much more relaxed. Besides the island state annually and in the months of May or June to July going the Great Singapore Sale – sales period with the greatest savings on a broad array of goods.
What are some budget-friendly shopping spots in Singapore?
Singapore is also really good for bargain hunters. Bugis Street is home to cheap fashion, accessories and souvenirs. Chinatown has anything and everything you want to buy for dirt cheap, from traditional Chinese crafts to hawker street food. The IMM Outlet Mall has a high concentration of outlet stores selling brand-name items at greatly discounted prices.
Are there any unique local products to buy in Singapore?
Yes, indeed! The array of local products available in Singapore can reveal a lot about different periods of our nation’s history – as well as our multiracial ethnic mix. The quirky boutiques along Haji Lane sell an assortment of offbeat trinkets, such as handicraft accessory items and all sorts of funky fashion wear. Chinese items such as calligraphy, fans and lanterns are available in Chinatown, while products with intricate textiles, jewellery and spices can be found in Little India.
What is the Great Singapore Sale?
The Great Singapore Sale is when the retail sector is in the limelight. This yearly shopping treat means shopping heaven since you can avail of in-depth cut-prices on all kinds of merchandise – in all the shopping districts and malls in the city. Everything you can think of is in the shopping smorgesboard – from fashion to ICT hardware, home improvements to beauty and personal care products. It’s a time for locals to go on a ‘shopping frenzy’, and also a time when bargain-hunters from other nations flock in and flood the shopping malls!
