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Shopping is a serious business in Singapore. Designer fashions, handcrafted jewelry, Khmer objets d‘art, cutting-edge electronics, Indian spices—the variety of goods sold in Singapore is likely to impress even the most seasoned shopper.
Here you’ll find an island well suited to full-day retail expeditions, from the mile-long strip of shoulder-to-shoulder mega-malls along dizzying Orchard Road to clusters of boutiques housed in the renovated shophouses in ethnic enclaves such as Chinatown and Kampong Glam. A growing number of independent shops are popping up within hip neighborhoods like Tiong Bahru and Little India, adding some welcome variety. Dempsey Hill, best known for its wining and dining, is also home to warehouse-like galleries filled with Southeast Asian antiques, artwork, furnishings, and housewares.
Bargain hunters should mark their calendars for the Great Singapore Sale, an annual eight-week extravaganza held from late May through July. At this time all of Singapore’s shopping centers and many independent stores slash prices by up to 80%. It pays to come early, though, as the biggest bargains are quickly snapped up by hawkeyed locals and zealous shoppers from around the region who flock to the island specially for the event.
This is one of the most popular spots in the city to souvenir shop. The stalls sprawl across Pagoda Street, Trengganu Street, Sago Lane, Smith Street, and Temple Street, so you just need to pick a starting point and get walking. You can buy everything from lacquerware and handmade fans to paintings and T-shirts. Prices are usually fixed.
This Chinatown gallery houses a collection of over 30,000 Peranakan tiles—colorful ceramics based on designs created by descendants of Chinese traders who settled in Singapore as early as the 15th century. A blend of Malaysian, Indonesian, and Singaporean influences, the intricate tiles can be seen adorning shophouses and residential properties across the island. Peranakan tiles make a distinctive (if fragile) souvenir of your time in Singapore, so Victor Lim’s gallery is well worth a visit if you still have room in the suitcase.
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.
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.
It's a shame that no photography is allowed at this dusty old antiques shop. Its remarkable groupings of vintage goods, arranged in what you might call haphazard symmetry, make for one of the more photogenic mishmashes of random items in Singapore. Then again, photos might sully the surprises an hour of treasure hunting might yield. It's a great shop if you like thrifting.
Inside this aging, five-level, Chinese department store you'll find plenty of unique (and often pricey) products, including medicinal herbs, tea, silks, fashion, and home furnishings. Many of the items are from mainland China.
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