shopping in singapore

Orchard Road supposedly got its name from the orchards and plantations that existed in the area until the turn of the 20th century. In the 1900s, a mysterious disease swept through the nutmeg plantations, wiping them out within a year. Because of its location in a valley, floods were also common. They were only controlled in 1965 when Stamford Canal - part of which runs below the pedestrian mall fronting Wisma Atria Shopping Centre today - was deepened and widened

The Centrepoint176 Orchard Road Tel: (65) 6737 9000 Nearest MRT station: Somerset (NS23)The Centrepoint is among the largest and most popular shopping centres in Singapore, meeting virtually every need of tourists and locals alike. Here you'll find the legendary Robinsons & Co - the winner of the Tourism Awards 2002, Best Shopping Experience - Retail Outlet. There are also stores specialising in classical music, casual clothing, optical equipment, electronics, furnishings, Oriental rugs, sporting goods, fine arts, Asian antiques and artefacts, books and much, much more. The self-contained complex also has an excellent selection of restaurants and fastfood outlets

Nothing beats Arab Street for bazaar-style shopping with true ethnic character! Here, you can browse in delightful hole-in-the-wall shops, haggle to your hearts’ content and come away with the most enchanting trinkets and keepsakes at bargain prices. The most visible items for sale are the baskets and other cane, straw, rattan and pandan leaf goods spilling out onto the pavements - from baby cradles to floor mats, hanging chairs to serving trays. These shops also stock interesting camel skin bags, cloisonne boxes, sewing kits, and fishing tackle items for both the amateur and the professional angler. Arab Street is the centre of the Muslim community where it used to be the main selling place of Muslim men’s headgear (or songkok), the holy Quran, prayer mats and textiles. Today, the real glory of Kampong Glam and Arab Street is the textiles. Bales of gorgeous chiffon, silk, cotton georgette and other luxurious fabrics crowd the pavements, in rainbow hues and intensities. The area is also renowned for batiks from Indonesia and Malaysia, exquisitely hand-made by the wax-resist dye method and typically sold in sarong lengths. Machine-printed batik with traditional designs is also available by the metre or in ready-made shorts, sundresses, ties, table linen and more.

Century Square2 Tampines Central 5 Tel: (65) 6789 6261Nearest MRT station: Tampines (EW2) Close by to Singapore Changi Airport, Century Square and Tampines Mall are firm favourites among Tampines residents. With close proximity to the MRT station, Century Square is easily accessible from downtown and it is a great place to observe local activity. Local department store Metro, electrical appliances giant Best Denki, a cineplex and a large food court are located here, among other popular fashion stores.

Causeway Point1 Woodlands Square Tel: (65) 6894 2237Nearest MRT station: Woodlands (NS9)Located in the heart of Woodlands Regional Centre, this mall is conveniently sited next to the Woodlands MRT station. This large mall has about 250 shops and food outlets, including anchor tenants like Cathay Cineplex, Cold Storage, Horizon Food Mall, Metro and Courts.

Changi VillageNearest MRT station: Tanah Merah (EW4) and take SBS bus No. 2.Off the beaten track near the Eastern tip of Singapore, Changi Village is a sleepy district in contrast to the bustling city. There are plenty of bargains to be found - t-shirts, electronic equipment, carpets, Indian cotton clothing, shoes, batik dresses, kimonos and all types of table linen, all at bargain prices. Round off the day like everyone else - with a trip to Charlie's for a swig of beer and some food in a rustic outdoor setting.

Holland VillageNearest MRT station: Buona Vista (EW21) and take SBS 200. Dubbed the “bohemian enclave” of Singapore, Holland Village is a microcosm of Singapore life, a curious mix between old and new. Traditional coffee shops and a wet market jostle for space aside ritzy wine bars and fine dining restaurants. Here you'll find an eclectic collection of goods from straw brooms to valuable antiques and movie memorabilia. Not to be missed are its discount shops of clothes for men, women and children. If you’re shopping for Asian arts, crafts, antiques and handicrafts, you can’t go wrong at the Holland Road Shopping Centre, a popular venue among expatriates.

Junction 89 Bishan Place Tel: (65) 6354 9282Nearest MRT station: Bishan (NS17)Junction 8, a shopping and entertainment mall, is the hub of activity in the town of Bishan. Here, among the numerous fashion and gifts outlets, you'll find the award-winning Giordano store and a Golden Village Cineplex.

Jurong Point1 Jurong West Central 2 Tel: (65) 6792 5662Nearest MRT station: Boon Lay (EW27)This huge six-level shopping centre offers a good variety of stores, ranging from fashion, electronics, home furnishing, sporting equipment to bargain stores. You will also find food outlets with a gastronomic spread and a large cineplex occupying the top level.

Lot 1 Shoppers' Mall21 Choa Chu Kang Ave 4 Tel: (65) 6762 3590Nearest MRT station: Choa Chu Kang (NS4)Japanese department store, Seiyu, is the anchor tenant and it shares this five-storey complex with fashion boutiques, jewelry shops, food outlets, gift shops and a cineplex.

Northpoint930 Yishun Avenue 2 Tel: (65) 6754 2300Nearest MRT station: Yishun (NS13)A hop, skip and jump from the Yishun MRT station, the shopping centre with a ten-cinema cineplex next door as well as a wide assortment of apparel, jewelleries, shoes and food outlets like John Little, Cold Storage and Popular Bookstore.

Tampines Mall4 Tampines Central 5 Tel: (65) 6788 8370Nearest MRT station: Tampines (EW2)With the Japanese department store Isetan as the anchor tenant and a host of stores selling children's apparel, ladies fashion, electrical goods, books and sports equipment, Tampines Mall has something for everyone in the family. Be warned, it’s often more crowded than Orchard Road on weekends!

Tiong Bahru Plaza302 Tiong Bahru Road Tel: (65) 6276 4686Nearest MRT station: Tiong Bahru (NW17)This six-level complex above Tiong Bahru MRT station contains a cineplex, food court, NTUC Supermarket as well as a number of Western food outlets and dozens of small specialty shops.

Velocity @ Novena238 Thomson RoadNearest MRT station: Novena (NS20)A 70,000-square foot extension adding 30 new shops to retail mall Novena Square's 130,000 square feet of shopping space. The three-storey extension features sports-centric retail shops such as Fila, Nike, Flash and Splash, Billabong, World of Sports and even a California Fitness gym. If working up a sweat isn't your idea of fun, Velocity @ Novena also offers a wealth of options for your less active pursuits, from fashion and beauty to books and music to F&B.

VivoCity1 Harbourfront WalkNearest MRT station: Harbourfront (NE1)Situated within minutes of Sentosa and highly anticipated party central St James Power Station, VivoCity houses more than 300 retail, F&B and entertainment outlets over one million square feet of floor space. The iconic design of the development – comprising a harbour front promenade, a three-storey main atrium and rooftop play pools – is the proud work of internationally acclaimed architect Toyo Ito, who drew inspiration from waves on the sea. A host of all your favourite shops join anchor tenants offering exciting lifestyle and fashion options; VivoCity is home to the largest Golden Village (GV) multiplex in Singapore with 15 screens and some 2,500 seats; hypermarket Dairy Farm will stock the most extensive range of groceries sourced from across the world, as well as a new natural food concept store. Meanwhile award winning department store Tangs joins in as one of VivoCity's three anchor tenants.