Shopping Singapore

Shopping in Singapore

By Go City Expert

By Mia Russell

One of the world’s best shopping destinations, Singapore is a shopaholic’s heaven! The bustling city offers everything from electronics to clothing at affordable prices. The variety is mind-boggling, and you can indulge in luxury brands on Orchard Road or find ethnic treasures at one of the many craft markets. There’s something around every corner.

Shopping in Singapore is so much more than just buying things. It’s a showcase for the multicultural diversity within the city and the different worlds in which retail and heritage meet. From the vibrant Tanglin Mall Bazaar packed with vintage treasures to the sleek international flagship stores along Orchard Road, you’ll be immersed in the rich dichotomy that this incredible city-state is famous for.

Best Places for Shopping in Singapore

Singapore is a shopper’s paradise with an unimaginable array of places to shop. From the bustling markets on Pagoda Street in Chinatown to the world of electronics at Funan IT mall, here are some of the best places to shop in Singapore.

1. Orchard Road

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Home to mega malls, designer boutiques, and local and international department stores, Orchard Road is the most famous spot for shopping in Singapore. Dating back to the early 1830s, Orchard Road began as an unnamed road lined with nutmeg plantations, fruit orchards, and pepper farms. The first department store, TANGS, was built on Orchard Road in 1958, and today, the bustling boulevard is now a retail and dining paradise.

Begin your retail adventure at TANGS, one of Singapore’s oldest department stores. Designed in an Eastern style to homage to the Forbidden City, TANGS is stocked with Asian collectibles, unique souvenirs, and international brands.

In stark contrast, the ION Orchard is one of the city’s most dazzling shopping complexes. Boasting over eight levels of brand stores, restaurants, and an art gallery, the famously futuristic-looking mall is one of the most popular places to shop. You’ll find high-end brand stores like Gucci and Prada and specialist stores like The Grande Whisky Collection. The ION Art Gallery hosts local and international exhibitions, and the Far East Plaza is a bargain hunter’s utopia.

Another great retail haven along Orchard Road is the massive Far East Plaza. The plaza is famous for being the best spot in town to get Asian brands of apparel, accessories, and footwear at discounted prices.

Top tip: If you have limited time, Orchard Road is your best bet for one-stop shopping.

2. Marina Bay

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One of Singapore’s most glamorous locales, Marina Bay is home to several malls such as Raffles City and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands that promise an unforgettable shopping experience. From trendy boutiques and international brand stores to state-of-the-art electronics, Marina Bay is one of Singapore’s top retail spots.

Take a break from shopping and head up to the SkyPark Deck on the top of the Marina Bay Sands. Based on the 57th floor, this popular spot offers the most incredible views of the city, Marina Bay, and the busy Singapore Strait.

Take a guided tour and learn about Singapore's history and enjoy a dip in the hotel’s famous infinity pool that seemingly floats over the city. Use your pass to enjoy a free drink from the CÉ LA VI SkyBar as you soak up the unbelievable views.

3. Chinatown

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Singapore’s Chinatown is renowned for being one of the most fascinating and vibrant places to shop in the city. Home to bustling markets, quaint spice shops, and colorful arts and crafts stalls, Chinatown is the best place to buy spices, unique gifts, antique Asian treasures, and souvenirs.

Make your first stop at Ann Siang Road. Named after the wealthy businessman, Chia Ann Siang, the road is lined with rows of beautifully restored and brightly colored shophouses that blend the district’s rich history with trendy shopping and dining options.

4. Little India

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Colorful, vibrant, and buzzing with energy, Little India is a maze of winding lanes lined with quaint shops selling rich sari fabrics, aromatic spices, beautiful flower garlands, and antique jewelry. The Mustafa Centre is the main mall in the district and is famous for being one of the best places in the city to shop in bulk for the lowest prices. You’ll find everything from electronics to fabrics and souvenirs and it’s also open 24 hours, 7 days a week, so you can shop until you drop at all hours of the day.

Other good places to explore in Little India include Serangoon Road and its many little side street shops, and the Little India Arcade.

Take a break from shopping and visit the Indian Heritage Centre to learn about the rich history of India and South Asia. Located in the heart of the Little India Heritage District, the museum has themed galleries displaying a wonderful array of artifacts and objects relating to Indian and South Asian heritage.

5. VivoCity

Situated on the HarbourFront, VivoCity is Singapore’s largest shopping mall and is hailed as the ultimate shopping, entertainment, and lifestyle destination. Boasting over a million square feet of retail space, this megamall is jam-packed with an array of brand-name stores from Chanel to Marks & Spencer, and everything in between.

VivoCity is more than just shopping – it’s also home to four food courts, a wading pool, an amphitheater, and the world’s largest cinema. There is also an open-air playground on the second floor and a rooftop sky park for the kids to burn off some energy.

6. Haji Lane

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If it's quirky boutiques and trendy designer stores you’re looking for, make your way to Haji Lane. Renowned for being one of the best street shopping places in Singapore, the famous narrow street in this Arab Quarter is lined with quaint vintage stores and chic boutiques.

From vintage cameras and stylish apparel, you’ll find a spectacular range of unique items, gifts, and souvenirs. Some of the top spots on Haji Lane include Fabulous Fads, Dulcet Fig, and Tangers.

7. Clarke Quay

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Clarke Quay is a beautiful riverside quay that is home to a clutch of historic warehouses that have been transformed into glamourous shops, fancy waterfront restaurants, and sleek nightclubs. Home to designer boutiques and high-end brand stores from around the world, Clarke Quay is the best place to splurge on shopping. Top shopping spots range from Central Clarke Quay, Riverside Point, and Great World City.

8. IMM

Singapore’s largest outlet mall, IMM in Jurong is a bargain hunter’s paradise! Home to over 80 outlets offering up to 80% discount all year round. You’ll find big brand apparel names like COACH, DKNY, and Sacoor, as well as local labels like Charles & Keith. The mall also has several home décor and furniture stores for all your interior designing needs.

9. Tanglin Mall Bazaar

Vintage lovers and retro nuts will love the Tanglin Mall Bazaar on Tanglin Road which is packed with second-hand apparel and accessories, nostalgic CDs and vinyl, and other quirky items. There is also a fantastic food court with a wide range of delicious fare.

10. City Plaza

One of the oldest malls in Singapore, City Plaza is a budget bazaar for locals and tourists alike. Five floors are full of stores selling clothing, accessories, electronics, makeup, and footwear with some of the most popular shops including Whitefiction, PEONY Collection, and the Power Photo Store.

Top Tips for Shopping in Singapore

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  • If you are planning a trip to Singapore with the sole aim of shopping, head to the city between May to July for the Great Singapore Sale. You’ll find massive discounts and fantastic bargains.
  • If you have limited time for shopping, choose a spot with many shops or malls to get everything under one roof to save time.
  • Look out for shops that have ‘GST Refund’ or ‘Tax-Free Shopping’ signs – keep all your receipts and claim back the tax when you get home.
  • If you are buying large appliances or electronic items, make sure to check that your purchase has an international warranty.
  • Shop with your own recyclable bags and help save the environment.
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Best Places to get a Dress Made in Singapore

You know the feeling. You spend ages deliberating over the perfect dress for that big event and then someone else (with whom you inevitably have previous beef) turns up wearing exactly the same thing. Rather than being the belle of the ball, you’re the (red) face of your friends’ ‘who wore it best?’ memes for months afterwards. More deflating than a helium shortage at a foil balloon festival, it’s just about the worst thing that can happen at a party. Well, short of the vol au vents running out before you've even arrived. Solution: create your own party outfit with a little help from Singapore’s top designers and dressmakers. There are dozens of boutiques offering such services across the city, whether you’re in the market for a showstopping cocktail dress, sober interview suit, don’t-upstage-the-bride wedding outfit or classic silk cheongsam. Or, you know, something altogether more outlandish to suit your personality. We’ve rounded up six of the best places to get a dress made in Singapore. Read on for the lowdown... ***Note: all prices quoted are in Singapore Dollars (SGD)*** Time Taken to Make a Dress The very literal name of this couture dressmaker, located on the upper floor of a Kampong Glam shophouse, a stone’s throw from the Sultan Mosque’s glittering golden dome, belies the offbeat nature of designer-owners Letitia Phay and Jade Swee, for whom conformity is a dirty word. Setters of trends rather than followers of fashion, the duo – as the boutique name hints – like to take time over their creations, working closely with their clients to design and produce something spectacular and unique. Just think of them as fairy godmothers to your Cinderella. Be ready to pay more than Cinders could ever afford though: prices can reach five figures, depending on the fabric and level of detailing required, with complex projects taking up to six months to complete. Golden Scissors Cheongsam Looking to dazzle in a cheongsam? Golden Scissors deals exclusively in these traditional, figure-hugging Chinese dresses and has been doing so for four decades, so you can be reasonably sure resident seamstress Madam Li Qiying knows what she’s doing. You’ll find the shop at the towering People’s Park Complex in the heart of Chinatown, where the temptation to fill up on steamed pork dumplings immediately prior to a fitting is to be avoided at all costs. Step inside the boutique to discover a veritable cornucopia of off-the-peg options: beautiful cheongsams in all manner of different shapes, sizes, designs and colors. Pick one of these for a quick and easy win, or have the cheongsam experts rustle up something unique for you. Prices start at less than $100 for simple pre-made cotton designs, rising a little more sharply (but not restrictively so) if you opt for a bespoke silk piece. Bespoke designs are usually ready for collection within a week. Ong Shunmugam Known for their progressive Asian dress designs, Ong Shunmugam has two locations in Singapore: one in atmospheric Kampong Glam and a flagship branch in the trendy Chip Bee Gardens, west of the Botanic Gardens. But you can’t just pitch up at ateliers like these and expect to be allowed inside simply by pressing your nose hopefully against the window. No: fittings in these exclusive boutiques are by appointment only, which has the effect of making you feel simultaneously important and overwhelmingly anxious about how much it's all going to cost. But what price quality? Expect fine materials, meticulous craftsmanship and stellar designs to your precise specifications in exchange for your dollar. You’ll be cash poor but catwalk-ready before you know it. Love, Yu Cutesy name on the outside, serious bridalwear inside, ‘Love, Yu’ is a solid mid-range option for your nuptials, with prices starting from under $3,000 but creeping steadily upwards depending on how flamboyant you want the final product to look. Singaporean designer Eelyn Tang’s signature creations combine modern silhouettes with delicate fabrics such as silk, fine French lace and tulle, but if it’s great jewel-studded fairytale bustles and poofy sleeves that set your heart aflutter, then you can have that too – at a price. Either way, this boutique bridal shop strives to make your vision a reality for a day you and your betrothed will never forget. Jenny & Me Dressmaking Looking to grab a bit of red carpet pizazz without the movie star price tag? Look no further than Jenny Lim’s Holland Village boutique, Jenny & Me, in which the ‘Me’ is in fact... you. The name hints at the kind of personable, personalized experience you can expect here, where friendly service, affordable pricing and decades of dressmaking knowhow has seen Madam Lim become something of a stalwart on Singapore’s sartorial scene. Jenny does men’s clothing too, ideal if you’re looking for his’n’hers outfits that will have you feeling like prom king and queen at whatever party or event you plan to attend together. Lai Chan Goh Lai Chan is another specialist in cheongsams – or qipaos, as they’re known in Mandarin. His is a very modern take on the traditional high-collared, form-fitting look, built around a firm belief that these eye-catching garments should be worn all the time, and not just on special occasions. It’s a look that attracts a younger, more fashion-forward set than many of his contemporaries, with fans pairing his colorful creations with jeans, sneakers and other clobber more regularly associated with dress-down Fridays at the office. What you’ll also get with a Lai Chan cheongsam are his signature gemstone buttons, inspired by the jade buttons on the imperial garments worn by Chinese Emperors. So there you have it: literally fit for an emperor. You can mix and match with your other half here, too, with bespoke ‘man-paos’ available for the discerning modern gent. Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
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The Best Food Markets in Singapore

Singapore has a bit of an unfair reputation when it comes to cost. While it’s true that it may be expensive for expats living out there or visitors who want to stay in the top-tier hotels (hello, Marina Bay Sands!), it certainly needn’t be the case for your average vacationer. Case in point: you’ll find some of the best eating in the city’s 100+ legendary hawker centers, where authentic Singaporean, Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indonesian dishes start from a mouthwatering couple of Singapore dollars and rarely top more than six or seven bucks, meaning you needn’t ever really splash the cash to give your tastebuds a good time. Read on for our guide to the best food markets in Singapore. What is a Hawker Center? Hawker centers are embedded within Singapore’s very DNA. Here’s where you’ll find decades-old street food stalls that have been handed down through the generations; where locals queue for delicious, affordable meals and catch up on the local gossip over great steaming bowls of noodles, fragrant curries and melt-in-the-mouth grilled meat and fish dishes. There are over 100 of these centers – effectively covered, standalone food courts – dotted around the city, each hosting dozens of vibrant eateries. A literal feast for the senses, you can expect to see (and smell) suckling pig roasting on the spit, roast duck displayed tantalizingly in shop windows and plumes of aromatic smoke and steam rising from pots and griddles at every turn. There’s something to suit every palate here: sweet and savory, spicy and mild, hot and cold, meaty and meat-free – your only challenge is not to be drawn straight to the first stall you encounter by those utterly intoxicating aromas. Singapore Hawker Center Hints and Tips Hawker centers are dedicated standalone premises, usually covered but sometimes open-air and are not to be confused with what Singaporeans call ‘food courts’. Food courts are generally found inside shopping malls; they’re a little less characterful and a mite more expensive than hawker markets, but nevertheless a solid option if you’re out on a shopping spree. Many hawker stalls operate cash-only policies, so be sure to bring some cash as well as a big appetite. We recommend first-timers buy several different small dishes from multiple stalls to get a real (excuse the pun) flavor of what’s on offer. If a stall has a queue, that tends to be a sign the food is top-notch and that the wait will be worth it. Don’t pass busy stalls by! Don't be put off if you find hawker centers a little overwhelming – it really is worth persevering to unlock some of the fantastic flavors on offer within. If in doubt, you can always take a tour with a local guide to help you find your bearings. Singapore Hawker Food – What to Eat Even the most ravenous of visitors may find it difficult to work their way through all the excellent dishes Singapore’s food markets have to offer. But there are a few staples that we’d consider must-eats. Chili crab, for example, is (unofficially) Singapore’s national dish. This stir-fried sensation – crab drenched in spicy sweet-and-savory-sauce – is as ubiquitous as it is delicious and you’ll find it in any hawker center worth its salt. Then there’s sticky skewers of pork and chicken marinated in umami peanut sauce. Again, available everywhere. Other popular favorites include Indian-influence roti canai – a buttery, crumbly melt-in-the-mouth flatbread served with a variety of curry sauces – BBQ pork with rice, pungent fish head curry and chicken with rice. Make like a local and join the morning ritual of spiced teh tarik (tea) or kopi (coffee) sweetened with condensed milk. Feeling adventurous? Turn up the heat by seeking out some of the nation’s most out-there delicacies, among them pufferfish, live octopus and, for the bold gourmand only, fried pigs’ fallopian tubes in spicy kung pao sauce. Nom. Best Hawker Centers in Singapore And now for the main course, the entrée, the bit you’ve all been waiting for: our pick of some of the finest food markets in Singapore. Tuck in! Lau Pa Sat Oozing old-school Singapore charm, the Landmark Lau Pa Sat market is as well known for its distinctive octagonal shape and colonial-style architecture as it is for its satay. Find a spot beneath the soaring wrought-iron Victorian arches and tuck into a huge variety of international cuisines, including Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean and more. East Coast Lagoon Food Village Singapore’s only beachside hawker center provides the picture-perfect setting for a sweet sugar cane juice, fresh coconut or ice-cold Tiger beer. Hit up Song Kee Fried Oyster at stall 15 for perfectly fluffy omelets packed with local oysters and drizzled with a fiery chili sauce. Newton Food Centre Perhaps best known for its appearance in the movie Crazy Rich Asians, this vibrant market near Newton MRT station boasts over 100 stalls serving up some of the best seafood dishes in town. Order spicy sambal stingray in banana leaf for the win. Hong Lim Market and Food Centre Hong Lim is one of the more easily navigable Chinatown hawker centers (more so than the sprawling Chinatown Complex, in any case), so a good option for novices. Authentic Singaporean cuisine abounds here. Try pork braised with Chinese five spice, zingy laksa with crayfish or Teochew porridge served with a variety of meat, fish, veg, eggs and sauces. Clementi 448 Market and Food Centre The long queues at Fried Carrot Cake in Clementi 448 are a dead giveaway. This very literally named hawker stall is something of a local legend around these parts, having been around for over half a century. First things first though: this moreish Singaporean classic (pictured above) has no carrot in it and nor is it really a cake, at least not in the Western sense of the term. But don’t let that (or the queue) put you off this unmissable piping hot melée of sweet, spicy cubed radish cake, egg, garlic and chili sauce. Delish. Old Airport Road Food Centre A little off the beaten track on Singapore’s east coast, the Old Airport Road Food Centre is nevertheless well worth the effort for its vast selection of stalls serving up everything from crab to carrot cake, satay to sambal, dumplings to duck. With close to 200 hawkers to choose from, good luck deciding what you’re going to eat! Tekka Centre This Little India landmark, handily located right next to the MRT station, specializes in Indian food. Head here to make all your dosa dreams come true, and for tandoor grill feasts fit for a maharajah. Tekka Centre is part hawker center, part mall and part wet market, so there are plenty of opportunities for souvenir-hunting and soaking up the old-school Singapore vibes after lunch. Adam Road Food Centre This diminutive hawker center is pretty much right next to the Singapore Botanic Garden, a 200-acre oasis of vibrant flora and tropical rainforest. Work up an appetite with a stroll around the shores of Swan Lake and a visit to the National Orchid Garden before heading to Adam Road for a well-earned laksa. Changi Village Hawker Centre Aromatic nasi lemak, an utterly life-altering dish of rice, coconut milk, chili sauce, crispy anchovies, peanuts and egg, is the one to try here. Located on the island’s northeastern tip, Changi might feel slightly out on a limb, but no day tripper could fail to be charmed by this cute coastal village’s excellent Malay cuisine, fine sandy beaches and lush palm groves. Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
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