The notion seems implausible, even laughable – that shopping, along with eating, are serious pastimes for many Singaporeans. People in Singapore shop all the time – during lunchtime, after work and at weekends. Call it retail therapy or a necessary evil, the buying culture is so firmly embedded that Singaporeans are easily spotted – by like-minded Singaporeans – when they shop outside the country.
The result? Every neighbourhood on the island has at least one mall, never mind that they all offer similar things. The guiding principle appears to be, if there’s an empty plot of land, let’s build a shopping centre. If a historical building is falling apart, let’s give it a lick of paint, and put in some shops and restaurants (as opposed to, say, a museum).
Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? Not if you look at shopping mecca Orchard Road (for more information, click here). It is the place for all things hot, trendy and newly minted. With over 30 malls stretching along a tree-fringed road, it’s truly a testimony of the country’s number one passion.
Service levels have improved over the years, especially at department stores. The staff are very helpful, and most salespeople will oblige and make an effort to follow up requests.
VivoCity.
STB/Eugene Tang/Singapore-sights.com
Shopping made easy
The joy of shopping in Singapore lies in its diversity. From swanky air-conditioned malls to steamy bazaars, sleepy ethnic neighbourhoods to buzzing department stores, it’s up to you to decide how to vary your shopping experiences. Singapore is also a city of duty-free luxury goods, of cutting-edge technology and high fashion, as well as a centre for traditional Asian exotica such as tea, silk, porcelain, traditional medicine and spices.
Despite keen competition from up-and-coming shopping destinations in the region, shopping in Singapore is a pleasure. It’s easy to buy because English is the lingua franca. With the efficient transportation network, zipping around with your shopping bags in tow is a breeze. Some malls are so well connected by pathways and underground tunnels, you can easily walk from one to another without getting wet on a rainy day, or seeing the light of day.
An even greater delight is how hassle-free it is. Touting is virtually absent along the main shopping districts – and most stores accept major credit cards. ATMs are plentiful, and stores are open from about 10am to 9pm daily. It’s highly likely you could shop ’til you drop.
Shoppers at Bugis Junction.
Vincent Ng/Apa Publications
The best times to shop
The Great Singapore Sale, from late May to early July, has become a much anticipated annual shopping bonanza for both locals and visitors. The generous discounts – sometimes up to 70 percent – see even the most tight-fisted parting with some cash. If there’s one time to max out on your credit card, it would be during this retail blowout.
Fashionistas should consider another important event on the local fashion calendar. The star-studded Audi Fashion Festival Singapore, an annual event in May, aims to position the city as the region’s fashion capital. Young and talented Asian designers share the limelight with international fashion powerhouses and cutting-edge couture designers from the world’s most renowned fashion capitals. Expect chichi fashion runway shows, fashion-related exhibitions and glamorous parties.
Toys for boys
It’s no secret that Singapore is one of the world’s best places to shop for gadgets and all things electronic. You name it – tablets, smartphones, computer hardware and software, the latest cameras and MP3 players – you’ll find them at speciality malls such as Funan DigitaLife Mall and Sim Lim Square. At the latter you can sometimes haggle, but be wary of stalls that don’t display price tags as this enables the seller to ramp up the price. Electronic stores like Harvey Norman and Best Denki have outlets all over town and merchandise is very competitively priced. Be sure to ask for an international guarantee, though.
The mall, the merrier
Tip for shopping in Singapore: temptations are everywhere – everything and anything money can buy and you can possibly want – lustrous pearls, age-old huanghuali (golden rosewood) desks, vintage handbags and the latest digicams – are found along the prime shopping districts of Orchard Road and Marina Bay.
On the surface, Orchard Road looks like a relentless stretch of gleaming five-star hotels and shiny malls. For shopaholics in the know, however, every shopping centre is a shrine replete with inimitable finds. Tangs, at the corner of Scotts Road and Orchard Road, for example, has an illustrious history dating back to the 1930s. Despite a traditional architecture that’s modelled after the Imperial Palace in Beijing’s Forbidden City, its Beauty Hall is the place for cult cosmetic and skincare labels; the Home department in the basement is crammed full of extraordinary gadgets for modern homes.
Just down the street, the brand new ION Orchard and formidable Ngee Ann City are places with a good balance of luxury brands, high-end retailers and mid-priced stores. These two malls have a mind-boggling number of eateries too, perfect for a pit-stop in between shopping. Further down is the new 313@Somerset mall, which is conveniently built just above Somerset MRT station.
Shoppers at ION Orchard.
Vincent Ng/Apa Publications
What to buy
Singapore’s multicultural heritage has given birth to uniquely local gifts. Here are a few worth carting home.
RISIS, known for its orchid accessories plated in 24ct gold, also has other nature-inspired jewellery (391 Orchard Road, tel: 6738-2656; www.risis.com).
Purple gold jewellery by Lee Hwa is a unique amalgam of yellow gold and aluminium (435 Orchard Road, Wisma Atria, tel: 6736-0266; www.leehwajewellery.com).
The ground floor of MICA Building is the best one-stop shop for works by local and Asian artists. There are several galleries here, but of note is Art-2 (01-03 MICA Building, 140 Hill Street, tel: 6338-8713; www.art2.com.sg).
Boon’s Pottery has vases, teapots and crockery – all crafted by local potters (91 Tanglin Road 01-02A Tanglin Place, tel: 6836-3978; www.boonspottery.com).
Thye Moh Chan (01-45/46 Chinatown Point, 133 New Bridge Road, tel: 6604-8858. thyemohchan.com) is a 70-year-old Singaporean Chinese pastry shop that has undergone a rebranding after being bought by the BreadTalk Group that also runs Food Republic. It sells handcrafted traditional sweet and savoury Chinese pastries.
Take home ready-to-cook versions of spicy laksa or satay by Prima Taste (www.primataste.com.sg), available at Cold Storage or NTUC supermarkets.
Over at the simply colossal 93,000-sq-metre (1 million-sq-ft) Suntec City Mall, just a five-minute drive away in the Marina Bay area, you will go wild over the choice of merchandise in the 300 or so shops. The newly renovated mall was once the largest of all malls in Singapore, only to be supplanted by 102,000-sq-metre (1.1 million-sq-ft) VivoCity, located further afield in the HarbourFront area near Sentosa. It has a cineplex, a hypermart and hundreds of shops and restaurants, some of which overlook Sentosa Island.
What’s also worth your time are the shopping carts parked at the ground floor of Parco Bugis Junction. Young entrepreneurs often peddle one-of-a-kind wares sourced from all over the world.
Sales at Ngee Ann City Square.
Singapore Tourism Board
Orchard Road
This is by far the most famous shopping precinct, an endless stretch of smart boutiques, malls and department stores. Many glitzy malls have been launched, including Orchard Central, 313@Somerset, Mandarin Gallery and ION Orchard, while the older malls, like Paragon, The Heeren and Plaza Singapura, are constantly reinventing themselves to keep up with the new kids on the block. The shopping on Orchard Road tends to be more upmarket, so don’t expect bargains. Christmas in the Tropics is a highlight every year, when the entire stretch from Tanglin to Dhoby Ghaut and beyond sparkles with lights and at times over-the-top decorations.
There are also shopping malls with attitude for the younger crowd, such as Orchard Central on Orchard Road and Level One at Far East Plaza at Scotts Road. The manufactured grittiness comes complete with thumping techno pop. Their edginess may seem a bit manufactured – this is after all squeaky-clean Singapore – but many young, bold and very talented Singaporean designers have their fashion boutiques there. Definitely worth a perusal if you’re planning to bring home more than Chanel and Prada.
Antiques for sale at Asia Ancient.
Singapore Tourism Board
Uniquely Singapore
Local fashion designers, being at a cultural crossroads, are inspired by Eastern and Western influences. Whether it’s a modern cut on a cheongsam or a subtle addition of beads to an elegant evening dress, their designs show off cosmopolitan Singapore.
The best places to seek out home-grown, edgy fashions are at Orchard Central (Know It Nothing), Far East Plaza (WoodWood), and Mandarin Gallery (Hansel). Plenty of designed-in-Singapore, ready-to-wear clothes can be found at independent boutiques such as M)Phosis (Ngee Ann City) and GG<5 (ION Orchard).
The Chinatown Night Market has more than 200 street stalls hawking all manner of goods, from contemporary jewellery to more traditional Chinese goods like calligraphy, lanterns and masks
For a slice of everyday Singapore life, hop onto the train and head to the heartlands. There is always a mall to lose yourself in – if you haven’t had enough in the city. JCube (Jurong), Tampines Mall (Tampines MRT) and Junction 8 (Bishan MRT) will give you a good idea of what people in the suburbs buy. Fendi and Gucci may not be represented there, but prices tend to be lower and bargaining is acceptable at some shops. If you’re lucky, you may chance upon a pasar malam, a makeshift nightmarket selling all manner of food and goods at empty spaces near MRT stations. Those looking for Asian arts can head over to Holland Village, just outside the centre of town. Holland Shopping Centre is home to Lim’s Arts & Living at 02-01 (tel: 6467-1300), a real oriental treasure trove spread over three floors. Across the road at Chip Bee Gardens are a collection of galleries selling Asian art.
If it’s colour and atmosphere you’re after, the city’s ethnic pockets – Chinatown, Little India and Kampung Glam – are flush with quirky finds. Hit Chinatown for Chinese silk, exotic herbal cures and antique furniture; Kampung Glam for handmade perfume bottles, basket ware and fabrics; and Little India for henna tattoos, incense and Bollywood VCDs.
Bangles in Little India.
Vincent Ng/Apa Publications
Carpets for sale in Kampung Glam.
Vincent Ng/Apa Publications
Oddly, though Singaporeans fervently embrace the concept of market shopping outside Singapore, the culture has not caught on here. Unlike Bangkok’s Chatuchak or Sydney’s Paddington, such markets in Singapore are dismal and sometimes contrived affairs. If, however, you are looking for a little adventure, flea markets make interesting detours.
Sungei Road’s Thieves’ Market (daily 1–7pm) is the oldest. Broken radios, chipped crockery and used clothing spread haphazardly on the floor are hardly the sort of things you would want to buy, but the market is an insight into the city’s underbelly. The Market of Artists and Designers (MAAD) is a unique showcase for emerging local designers’ handmade, one-of-a-kind accessories, paintings and artwork. It’s held at Red Dot Museum (28 Maxwell Road) the first weekend of every month. The weekend afternoon bazaar outside Chinatown Complex hawks a stash of treasures – like antique bronze ware, Chairman Mao memorabilia and handmade beaded handbags – mementoes from a fast-disappearing side of Singapore. Clarke Quay’s conceptual monthly bazaars, Traders’ Market (http://tradersmarket.forfleasake.com), happens every third weekend (Friday and Saturday) of the month 5–11pm at the Central Fountain Square. The bazaar features unique fashion pop-up stores that change according to the theme.
Shopping on Scotts Road.
Vincent Ng/Apa Publications
Besides flea markets, souvenirs and knick-knacks can be found at Chinatown Night Market (Trengganu, Pagoda and Sago streets) in the evening. In the day, Chinatown Complex on Smith Street is a hive of activity, particularly the “wet market” in the basement, where all kinds of fresh ingredients are sold. Another place to find the freshest produce is at the popular Little India’s Tekka Market. In the same district too is Campbell Lane, where you can find vegetables, spices, jasmine garlands and fragrant incense.
See also Orchard Road (for more information, click here) for more information on shopping.
Arab Street
In Arab Street, off Beach Road, and its adjoining streets, a strong Muslim atmosphere lingers from the early years of Singapore when Malays, Bugis and Javanese settled here. You will see men making their way to the Sultan Mosque at prayer time, or smoking apple-scented sheesha pipes in doorways. Prayer mats, holy beads and lace skullcaps for those who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca are all sold in the old shophouses that line the streets. This area is also the place for cheap batik and textiles, including everything a tailor needs: lace, sequins, beads, buttons and bows. Other good buys are baskets, leather bags, purses and shoes.
