25 Best Shopping in Singapore

One of Orchard Road's best-loved megamalls contains eight levels of shopping and dining distractions. Key fashion tenants include UNIQLO, Zara, and Love, Bonito, though there are plenty of tech, jewelery, and homeware stores, too. Along the mall's open-air Discovery Walk is a clutch of buzzing bars and restaurants, including JiBiru Yakitori & Craft Beer, which deals in local and imported microbrews. Refuel with a caffeine hit at uber-cool spots % Arabica or Flash Coffee, or join the long lines for bubble tea at Gong Cha.

With a bold, sci-fi-inspired facade and a 56th-floor viewing deck replete with high-powered telescopes, this is not your everyday megamall, even by Singapore's lofty standards. In addition to local boutiques and more than 300 luxury shops, you'll find a cavernous food hall and a gourmet supermarket. But that's still not all: the fourth floor has the 3,640-square-foot ION Art Gallery, which regularly exhibits works by local and international artists.

The Japanese department store Takashimaya dominates this gigantic shopping mall, but there are also more than 130 other shops and dining outlets packed into the first few floors of the Ngee Ann towers. The basement food center is fun for snacking on everything from Hokkaido-style ice cream to bubble tea, and there's also, of course, a large food court if you're craving something more substantial. Books Kinokuniya—a must-visit—is one of the biggest bookstores in Southeast Asia, and special sales on clothing, housewares, and other goods are regularly held in the basement-level square.

One of the more modern shopping malls in the Chinatown area, this mall is a great place to grab a cool drink in the crisp air-conditioning—a welcome break from the busy market streets nearby. You'll also find a range of chain restaurants if you are looking for a quick lunch, as well as such expected amenities as drugstores in the basement. There are regular promotions and events held in the main area on the first floor, near the Cross Street entrance.

One of the CBD’s few dedicated retail spaces, Downtown Gallery houses unique shops, including Bold&Craft and The Fashion Pulpit, as well as a range of barbers and healthcare studios. The mall is also home to fitness and gym spaces, with a concentration of sports, cycling equipment, and apparel shops. There’s also a nice selection of cafés and restaurants here for a quick refuel.

Not to be confused with the nearby mall Far East Shopping Centre, Far East Plaza is a five-story mall packed with stores selling everything from electronics to trendy street wear to bespoke tailoring, and much more. Although it's on the older side, it's still a popular Orchard-area hangout for local teens. Of course, it wouldn't be a Singapore mall if there weren't also dozens of restaurants, snack counters, and cafés.

Forum is one of the more family-oriented shopping malls on Orchard, with more than ten kids' clothing outlets and a variety of children's learning and fitness centers. There's also a delicious Cantonese dumpling restaurant called Jade Palace alongside a dozen restaurants and coffee shops.

A swanky, modern mall in the heart of Katong is packed with all sorts of retailers, from cafés and bistros to a dance academy for children, fashion stores, and homeware furnishings.

An old Orchard Road mainstay that now seems somewhat out of a place among the area's more modern and fashionable megamalls, Lucky Plaza is packed with six floors and a basement full of trinkets, clothing, jewelry, luggage, fashion accessories, and electronics—some of questionable authenticity. On the weekend, it's packed with locals looking for a bargain.

Largely a mix of high-end fashion boutiques and beauty salons, this extravagantly marbled shopping emporium next to the unmissable Royal Thai Embassy also features a handful of Orchard's better eateries, including Sushi Kimura and P.S. Cafe.

The glossy Paragon is worth a stroll, whether you're just window shopping or on the hunt for high-end fashions, jewelry, and accessories at boutiques such as Gucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Salvatore Ferragamo, or Prada. Marks & Spencer, Mothercare, and Muji all have outlets here, plus there are branches of popular chain restaurants like Din Tai Fung, Crystal Jade, and Ya Kun Kaya Toast.

If the myriad megamalls of central Singapore just aren't enough, head east to wander through this multilevel shopping center, with more than 250 stores and restaurants. You can shop in relative peace and quiet during the week, but it tends to get uncomfortably crowded on weekends.

People’s Park Centre—not to be confused with the distinctive yellow People’s Park Complex—is an older mall often frequented by local Chinese residents. The mall is mixed-use, so you’ll find everything from cheap grocery stores and massage and beauty services, to traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. The mall is a good place to pick up a bargain or peruse interesting Chinese collectibles, and is very handily connected to Chinatown MRT.

Need an air-conditioned escape from the afternoon heat? Daiso, Muji, Marks & Spencer and Uniqlo stores, a Golden Village movie theater, a supermarket, and more than 50 food outlets are just some of the tenants of this enormous nine-level building at the bottom of Orchard Road.

This is the place to drop off teens for a few hours while you shop your way through Orchard Road's manifold megamalls. Clothes and accessories from up-and-coming designers can be found in the Scape Underground basement space, while upstairs legions of cool kids browse streetwear and guitar shops, hang out in gaming centers and karaoke rooms, or snack at fast-food chains. The main attraction, though, is the 32,000-square-foot outdoor Somerset Skate Park, where kids whiz around on skateboards and scooters. There's also a movie theater next door, at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard.

One of Singapore's best places for close-to-haute couture at affordable prices is Scotts Square. The mall has a basement food court, plus a changing roster of farmer's markets, craft fairs, and other offerings to keep shoppers entertained. Check the website for the latest events.

This sprawling complex has over 600 stores, including local designer boutiques and the funky Pasarbella food court featuring stalls by some of Singapore’s most creative culinary entrepreneurs. In the middle is the photo-worthy Fountain of Wealth, which was listed in the 1998 Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest fountain. There are nightly laser shows, and walking around the fountain supposedly brings good luck.

Not to be confused with Tanglin Shopping Centre or Tangs, this aging four-level mall tends to get lost in the Orchard Road shuffle, given that it's tucked away at the far west end of Orchard Road. It nevertheless remains popular with local expats thanks to its Tasty Food Court, as well as the somewhat upscale Tanglin Market Place, which sells a fine selection of international foods.

This is a recommended first stop if you're in the market for Asian antiques or Persian carpets. Antiques of the Orient, which deals in vintage charts, maps, and other antiquities, provides a unique shopping experience, plus there are more than 10 tailors here specializing in custom-made suits and alterations.

If you’re traveling around SEA, the second floor of the Arcade mall is by far the best place in Singapore to buy currency, with over 20 vendors competing for the best rates. If you are at lunch hour, though, expect long lines.

High-end fashion from some of the world's most recognized designers is the focus at the Hilton's triple-level shopping center. The latest collections from Stella McCartney, Paul Smith, and Alexander Wang are all here; take the underground passage to the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore for more options.

The Japanese department store Isetan anchors five floors of dining and retail revelry that includes multiple International fashion and jewelry stores. There's also a fourth-floor Food Republic, which offers more than 20 hawker-style food stalls with kitschy, retro design highlighted by mosaic tile floors and vintage bric-a-brac along the walls and the dining area.