The reputation of being a global shopping hub is no easy feat for a place like Singapore. The range that you can find in Singapore is just endless. Singapore alone has more high-end shopping malls per capita in the whole of Asia. In other words, when they say you can SHOP TILL YOU DROP, it is actually what it is, LITERALLY!
Spoilt for choice with limitless shopping options
If you are in Singapore, you are basically spoilt for choice when you shop here. What you get when shopping in Singapore is both:
- Quality – You get the best of all worlds. The top luxury brands to the local products, all of which are produced at their best to offer you value-for-money
- Quantity – There are so many shops and outlets to choose from, you might not have enough hours in a day to cover them all!
If you really must make a shortlist of the malls that you MUST visit in Singapore, then use our recommendations below to help you decide.
ION Orchard – Iconic and Majestic
Right smack in the middle of Orchard Road, you will not miss this mall. Its architecture alone will amaze you. If that does not, then get into the mall and the shops there will. It’s the futuristic design of this structure that gives its character. Inside the mall, you will surely be amazed at the artistic outlook that includes specialized ‘toilets for high spending customers and celebrities’. Located at the Orchard MRT Station, you can get into the mall via its various entry points with ample parking space for those driving here. What you can expect to find here include:
- Fashion brands – This includes the likes of Adidas, Armani Exchange, BCBGMAXAZRIA,
Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Charles and Keith, Fred Perry, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Yves Saint Laurent and many others - Food – There are more than 80 names to choose from including Awfully Chocolate, EAT. Noodle, GO! GO! CURRY!, Pupella Pizza Bar, Tea Loft, The Old Pontian Café, The Orange Lantern, The Mandarin Noodle Kitchen, Xin Wang Hong Kong Café and others
- Entertainment – there is a sky observation deck here which is Singapore’s ‘Official Cloud Spotting Area’ while it has its own art gallery too
Vivocity – Modern Shopping’s Epitome
Vivocity is located at Harbour Front and is where you will find some of the top brands on sale together with some very exciting names. It is an all-in-one shopping mall where you can enjoy entertainment, lifestyle and most importantly, shopping. Here, you will like the largest cinema in Singapore as well as the largest toy store too. Besides that, there is a wading pool for the kids and its own amphitheater too. Among the highlights of VivoCity are:
- 7 Floors of shopping therapy for the addicts
- Almost every brand imaginable is here including Levi’s Brooks Brothers, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara and more
- 4 Food courts
- The largest Toys’ R Us
- 15 screen cinema
Paragon Shopping Center – Winning awards and hearts of shoppers
Paragon Shopping Center (or Paragon as it is fondly known) is one of the most prominent shopping centers in Singapore. It is a high-end, luxury consumer goods shopping destination which resonates very much with the local and foreign shoppers. Here, you will find 6 floors of retail outlets to choose from including sports boutiques and eateries. Among the awards that Paragon has received include The Most Glamourous Mall and Tatler Best of Singapore Guide. You can expect to find here:
- Anchors – Department stores like Metro, Marks & Spencer and Muji
- Fashion Brands- International brands like La Senza, Armani Exchange, Banana Republic, Evisu, Givenchy, Miu Miu, Miss Selfridge, Prada and Moschino are available
- Footwear- Some of the top shoemakers are in this mall including Jimmy Choo, Camper, Tod’s, Geox and others
- Sports and Toys – Toys R’ Us, Adidas, Nike, Rip Curl and other brands are in this mall
- Food and Beverages – You will enjoy some of the top names in F&B here including the likes of Akashi Japanese Restaurant, Coffee Club, Sushi Tei, Tambuah Mas Indonesian, Jade Golden Palace and such
Knightsbridge Mall – The Gem in Orchard
This luxurious and majestic mall is part of the Grand Park Orchard Hotel. It has one of the very modern designs in terms of architecture and outlook. You will enjoy the four floors of shopping retail outlets here from this new offering along Orchard Road. Among those that you can expect to find here are some of the major retail names in the market. Expect to visit the first Abercrombie & Fitch store in Southeast Asia as well as luxury names like Hublot and Philip Stein at The Hour Glass. There are also names like Topshop and Topman together with Tommy Hilfiger too. Besides that, there is a Pure Fitness center here while you can enjoy some of the best foods around too.
Bugis Junction – Local and Global Names at their bests
If you are looking for something more local and ‘Singaporean’ without compromising on quality and name, then Bugis Junction might just be your best bet. In fact, Bugis has been associated with being the local place to visit among shoppers for many decades now. The Bugis Junction is as its name suggest, the junction in Bugis and that is where you will find all types of shopping options. This is where you will find affordable brands and products for sale in the kiosks and stand-alone stores. Besides that, there are renowned names like Metro, Levi’s, Adidas, Converse and Desigual too. Just a stone’s throw away from here is the MRT station as well as the Bugis market where you can find a lot more other items.
Suntec City Mall – International shopping destination
The Suntec City Mall has one of the most international shopping reputations you can find. Before VivoCity opened, Suntec City was the largest shopping center with more than 360 retail outlets. They all reside amongst the exhibition and conference center and offices above the mall. This is where you will find names such as Harvey Norman and Carrerfour too. Other names that you can expect to find here are:
- Fashion names – Ashworth, Polo Jeans Co, Topshop, Mango, Guess and Gap
- Watches and timepieces – Seiko, Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer, Tissot
- Shoes and sports – World of Golf, The North Face, Adidas Concept Store, Hush Puppies and others
- F & B – This includes some of the coolest names in the industry like Bombay Café, Harry’s Gastro Bar, Mad for Garlic, Swiss Culture, Seoul Yummy and many more
Ngee Ann City – Lifestyle and Extravagant Mall
You will not miss Ngee Ann City if you are in Orchard Road. It spreads across a long stretch along the shopping street and its brick-colored wall is just an awesome view to begin with. It started out in 1993 where it now houses more than 130 names to give something for every shopper. There are 7 floors of retail shops for anyone to indulge in including the Takashimaya Department Store which has been the signature store here ever since. What makes Ngee Ann City so exciting is that despite its majestic outlook, it has something for everyone which means it is not limited only to the luxury brands.
The Kinokuniya bookstore on the fourth floor here is the largest bookstore in Singapore. You can expect to see a lot of book-lovers who come here and enjoy a read or two. Zara, Mango, Massimo Duti are just some of the common names you will find here. If you are looking for something more upscale, Armani, Cartier, Chopard, Louis Vuitton would surely meet your standards. To top it all, there are over 40 places to eat here ranging from eastern to western cuisine and fusion too.