Shopping in Singapore

Do your eyes light up at the mere thought of spending an entire day doing nothing but shopping? Does your heart rate increase when someone utters the four-letter word, S-A-L-E, in your ear?

If you answered yes to the above, then you have come to the right place. We take our shopping very seriously and are not joking when we say that shopping is one of our national pastimes (alongside eating). In short, Singapore is paradise to the shopaholics.

The island is dotted with a wide variety of shops ranging from high-priced boutiques to flea market stalls. If you prefer to shop at international brand-name departmental stores, drop in on one of our world-famous main shopping belts - Orchard Road. The entire stretch of Orchard Road is packed shoulder to shoulder with shopping centres carrying designer items, cosmetics, street wear, electrical and electronic products, jewellery and a whole lot of other products.

Perhaps you are an eclectic shopper. If so, be prepared to be dazzled by the colourful and quaint shops tucked away in the ethnic quarters such as Arab Street, Little India and Chinatown. Here, you can find excellent bargains on textiles, spices, Chinese medicinal herbs and many more.

If you are a purposeful shopper, specialised markets may just be your cup of tea. We have entire buildings full of shops devoted to electronics and electrical goods (Sim Lim Square and Sim Lim Towers). Perhaps you are looking for dried goods in which case Victoria Wholesale Market is just the right place. How about heading to Chinatown for cheap bargains on daily amenities?

Little known to many tourists are the suburban shopping centres found in many of our housing estates. Many of them are so well stocked with such a wide range of products that residents seldom find a need to pop into town to do their shopping.

The discerning shopper looking for the best bargains for their money may want to plan their trip to Singapore to coincide with the annual Great Singapore Sale. This is one event that is marked on every Singaporean's calendar and it is not without reason. During this period, prices are often slashed to almost nothing and visitors will probably find themselves having to purchase extra luggage just to make room for all their purchases!

It is no wonder Singapore remains as one of the top shopping destinations for many and has even emerged in top spot as the most affordable shopping destination in Asia Pacific.

No matter what type of shopper you are, this shopping paradise has something for everyone.