Orchard road is still the shopping haven it has always been known for, but look past Orchard road for unique shopping destinations.
Orchard Road Highlights
The star of Orchard road is not to be missed during a shopping spree in Singapore. This big beautiful mall is a great mix high end shopping with Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana and many other luxury brands on the upper floors and mid range brands like Uniqlo, Zara, and Cotton On underground. Head to the basement for a food court offering lots of unique food stalls.
Orchard Central
This mall lights up Orchard road with it's magnificent facade of LED lights. A very uniquely designed mall on the inside and out. Come here for unique shops, just try not to get lost.
The best mid range mall along Orchard road. This mall houses Forever 21, Cotton On, and Zara on the main floor, Mango, Lacoste, Uniqlo and many other local shoppes on the upper floors. When you finally decide to take a break from shopping and have some food, try out the Food Republic food court on the top floor, or one of the casual restaurants on the main floor by the entrance to the MRT.
Singapore Staples
If you are looking for a unique Singapore shopping experience try out Bugis. This market is hot, crammed, and full of cheap clothes. A fun alternative to Orchard Road shopping malls, just keep a closer eye on your bag.
China Town
A hot spot for tourists and full of lots of great deals on Singapore souvenirs and home decor items. A great place to stop for lunch and a must visit during the Lunar New Year period when the market is lit with lanterns at night.
Singapore is a great place to shop for electronics, especially when you can claim your GST back at the airport. Sim Lim is a whole mall dedicated to electronics. Be very wary when shopping here, you have to bargain hard for your electronics with many shops having a less than ethical behavior. A safer and less stressful way to shop for electronics is to head to a fixed price store like Harvey Norman or Challenger, but if you really want to hunt for a bargain at Sim Lim, I suggest starting at the top floor and working your way down. The retailers on the main floor and usually very sleazy. Another tip is to always make sure the price includes tax, and all of the other little extras you would expect to be included but they could possibly take out to charge you extra for.
Haji Lane
A cute street with lots of nice cafes, restaurants and boutique shops. Relax at a cafe while you puff away on some shisha, or pick up a new outfit from an independent designer from one of the many shops.
Queenstown mall
A whole mall dedicated to sporting goods, with lots of good deals to be found. Mostly authentic brands, so don't worry about buying knock offs.
