WHERE TO SHOP IN SINGAPORE BY HANS DANIALS

18 FEBRUARY 2022

If shopping is an actual passion then it’s probably one of my biggest passion in life. I LOVE shopping and it’s one of my favorite things to do when I’m abroad not only for the sake of experience, but also packing things that can remind me of the destination.

What I love to shop in Singapore? Honestly, many things. I love shopping for the high end brands as most of them are cheaper compared to Indonesia, local designer items and gadgets. I have been to Singapore countless times in my life and compared to my very first visit to the island 15 years ago things have changed quite a bit.

In this blog post I am going to recommend you my favorite spots to shop in Singapore, both budget friendly and high end brands. I hope this helps whoever needs future retail therapy, and no, shopping doesn’t always mean spending a lot for such joy.

 

CHANGI AIRPORT

I CAN’T START THE BLOG POST WITHOUT INCLUDING CHANGI AIRPORT ON THE LIST!!!

Can I tell you Changi changed the way I see airports? I remember vividly how I gasped in awe 15 years ago, the very first time I stepped on the gorgeous Changi airport. I have never seen an airport that gorgeous in my life. Changi is more than just an airport, it’s a one stop entertainment station, almost like a city of its own. A few hours of layover is simply not enough, especially if you’re an avid shopping fan like me who likes to take his time browsing what’s in store.

Some of my favorite places to shop in Changi is in the Terminal 3. There you can find luxury high end fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Gucci and many more. What’s a visit to Changi (aside from actually flying) without checking out the Changi Duty Free Shop (DFS) and Shilla DFS. Design and products wise, Changi has one of the most interesting DFS!

 

In short, Duty Free Shop is a tax free shop. Two things I often stock up whenever I pay a visit to the DFS are the PERFUMES and SKINCARE! If you’ve been following me on my Insta, you probably know the obsession I have towards perfumes. Unfortunately Indonesian perfume stores don’t have the best collections of niche perfumes and some exclusive designer releases, but thank goodness Singapore is just 2 hours away from Indonesia and I get to bring home some rare perfumes from Singapore (hello Tom Ford, hello Maison Christian Dior)

 

JEWEL CHANGI

 

Jewel is literally the gem inside Changi Airport complex, it’s not just a shopping mall, but a  tourist attraction as well. The centerpiece of Jewel has got to be futuristic fountain and Avatar-like forest surrounded by glass dome . What a visual king. Stunning is an understatement.

 

 

I am glad for the arrival of Jewel, it just makes Changi appear more special to me. The mall features lots of shopping & f&b tenants (we’re talking HUNDREDS). Some of my favorite places to shop in Jewel has got to be Adidas, Apple, New Balance, Nike, Zara and many more. As for the f&b I love that Jewel’s filled with lots of cool tenants such as Shake Shack, Kam’s Roast, Beauty In The Pot (best hotpot in the world!!!), JUMBO Seafood (omg must visit for their chili crabs!!), Tim Ho Wan and many more!

 

ORCHARD ROAD

Orchard Road is Singapore’s retail heart, this is an upscale area where the best malls, department stores, concept stores, restaurants and luxury hotels are.

I love going to ION Shopping Mall and Ngee Ann City (Takashimaya) as it’s almost like a one stop destination filled with droolworthy shopping options and some of the most hyped and popular cafes in Singapore.

 

BUGIS VILLAGE

If you’re on a budget and want to find the best deals for affordable clothings with direct debit payment, snacks or souvenirs to bring back home, chances are Bugis Village is where you might find it. It’s nowhere near the fancy and well air-conditioned Orchard, this one’s designed like a market.

Bugis is also a very well known area for art enthusiasts, stroll the Bras Basah st. and you’ll find interesting art and design related shops at this cultural district. Art Friend is my favorite shop to hunt for art supplies (ah my college days and PS yes I am a graphic design student LOL), if you love books, drown yourself in Basheer Graphic Books, one of my favorite book stores in Singapore!

 

HAJI LANE

Still align with Bugis, Haji Lane is a narrow street located not too far from Bugis Village, it’s the land for indie lovers where visitors not only can shop for vintage items, hunt local designer items, but also take beautiful pictures with the mural artwork. It’s definitely the hipster part of Singapore.

 

CHINATOWN

 

Chinatown is one of my favorite areas in the island to find good food, souvenirs, crafts and antiques. Chinatown is also where Club Street is, a street filled with casual yet posh wine clubs.

 

MARINA BAY

 

Marina Bay is the paradise for casino enthusiasts, it’s also the home to Singapore’s largest shopping mall The Shoppes, as well as Apple’s (Island Maison) and Louis Vuitton’s flagship stores in the island. Marina Bay is an upscale area, expect to find luxury fashion brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Chanel. It’s almost a one stop entertainment area where you can shop on the day and have

 

DESIGN ORCHARD

Design Orchard is a relatively new concept store located at the busy Orchard street, it’s a platform for growing and established Singaporean designers and local brands. Expect to find beautiful fashion items, fragrances, & wellness products, jewelries, skincare and many more.

 

PASARBELLA

Pasarbella derives from the local term Pasar meaning market, and italian word Bella meaning “beautiful”, translated PasarBella literally means a beautiful market. PasarBella is located around Bukit Timah and is a collective of farmers, gourmet produces, craft retailers and food stores.

 

LITTLE INDIA AND MUSTAFA CENTRE

As the name suggests, Little India is where most Indians reside in Singapore and it’s the land of spices! When you think of India you think of their fragrant and strong spices for your home cooking. Of course that’s not the only thing you can find in Little India, gold accessories, clothings and Indian restaurants are also easily found in the area.

Mustafa Centre is a large supermarket complex where you can shop and stock up groceries, snacks, electronics, beauty related stuff and even GOLD. My favorite thing to do here is to shop for snacks as I found them cheaper at most places in Singapore (trust me I’ve done the homework).

 

BOOKS ACTUALLY & LITTERED WITH BOOKS

 

Ah these two, the heaven for bookworms like me! When I just want to be alone and spend all the time that I need for myself, I like to indulge myself in a beautiful book store and take my time exploring and shopping for books. Besides Basheer that I mentioned above, two of my other favorite bookstores are Books Actually in Tiong Bahru and Littered with Books in Duxton. In my opinion, both of them shared pretty much the same vibe, but Books Actually is a bit more unique and well known for their book vending machine at the front of the store.