Apart from food, shopping is the next popular pastime in Singapore. The shopping scene in Singapore is nothing less than a legendary having shopping malls across the island, interlinked by air-conditioned MRT stations and underground tunnels.
The best thing about Singapore is the country reimburses tourists for the taxes they pay during shopping. Travellers will be charged a Goods and Service Tax, (GST) OF 7%, but taxes on the purchase of more than SG$100 can be a bit difficult for reimbursement.
So, if you have your credit card and your shoes ready, you are on your way to visit the top shopping destinations in Singapore.
Little India– Where can you enjoy the smell of jasmine and spices in Singapore? Nowhere else other than Little India. It is a place where the Indian community of Singapore purchases food, spices, jewellery, and clothes. It is centred around Serangoon Road- its main thoroughfare and the side streets are lined with the shop selling everything ranging from ornaments to Bollywood souvenirs to matchboxes to paper. While you are there, you must make it a point to stop by the two most popular shopping places in Little India. These are the 24-Hour Mustafa Centre and The Tekka Centre.
As the name says, the 24-Hour Mustafa Centre is open for 24 hours. It has a wide collection of cramped interiors. Be careful as the walkways are very narrow. The Centre is famous for its affordable ornaments, cheap electronic items, and wide varieties of spices in the supermarket. Prices for these products are very low, which is the reason why the 24-Hour Mustafa Centre is such a big attraction for tourists.
The Tekka Centre located along the Bukit Timah Road trades in all kinds of special Indian products-In the ground floor you will get meats, flowers, vegetables, spices and the hawker centre adjacent to it sells varieties of Indian vegetarian meals and other famous local fares. In the upper floor, the vendors sell saris, hardware items, and religious paraphernalia.
Holland Village- This is the unofficial cultural centre of Singapore. It offers the new and old, the West and the East in equal proportion. Holland Road Shopping Centre has famous stores like Lim’s Arts and Crafts, a place where you will get quality linen products, Asian antiques and crafts, and glassware. Nearby shops sell Asian antiques, clothing, handicrafts, teakwood furniture, and artefacts. The store can ship the products to your home too if required.
If you are looking for more varieties of Asian crafts, arts, handicrafts, and antiques, you must try these shops along with Lorong Mambong situated at the back of Holland Village. Here, you will get to see varieties of local souvenirs and different household items made of cane and rattan. The modern Cold storage supermarket and Wet Market are the most favourite places of housewives. When you get tired of shopping, recharge yourself at Holland’s several dining options that include five-star hotels to roadside noodle stalls.
Orchard Road-If you must go to only one place in Singapore to do shopping then, Orchard Road is the right place for you. Shopping malls line the street from one end to another, providing mostly high-end retail products from designer labels to best electronics. Paragon Shopping Centre is the right destination for fashionistas in the lookout for international brands like Gucci, Valentino, and Escada. Other popular lifestyle brands nearby include Marks & Spencer, the Food Cellar, Crabtree and Evelyn, and POA Superstore.