If you are planning to visit Asia, especially the southeast region, make sure to make a time to visit Singapore. Also known as the Lion City, Singapore is one of only 3 autonomous city-states there are in the world today, and is the smallest nation in Asia.
Singapore has gained its sovereignty from other countries in the year 1965. Although Singapore has recently been ranked the 10th most expensive nation to live in the world today, the standards of living of its residents there have increased radically since its independence.
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Want to know know what to buy in Singapore?
When you visit Singapore, once you've enjoyed top attractions like Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, and Sentosa Island, your trip wouldn't be complete without experiencing the country's shopping scene. A lot of travelers say that visiting Singapore feels like exploring a big shopping mall, and I agree.
A lot of the shops in the world are represented on Orchard Road. People's favorites include The Hereen, Tangs, andThe Centrepoint. There are shops situated around the Tanglin Shopping Centre, DSF Galleria Scottswalk, and Far East Plaza. You will never run out of places to buy souvenirs and accessories from as there are a lot of them here.
While Singapore isn't specifically a bargain-basement, like what it used to be a few decades ago, it's still one of the best shopping places in the world, with swanky malls, high-street shop malls, and authentic markets where you can are able to find almost everything you could think of, from the hottest electronics and gadgets to local art, and from vibrant Indian batiks to top designers shops, and at comparatively affordable rates, particularly compared to western countries.
But with the number of places to shop, you may be asking, "What to buy in Singapore?" Well, let us guide you.
Here are some of the best things to buy when you visit the Lion City
1. Electronics and gadgets
Shops around Singapore sell the latest, up-to-the-minute electronic harvests, gadgets, mobile phones, computer,cameras, and others. A lot of the products you'll find here haven't even reached most part of the world yet and while you'll not find ridiculously cheap prices like it is in Bangkok, you'll see that the quality of the products here is superb.
Furthermore, there are many IT bazaars that happen in Singapore annually, where you are able to fetch the best prices possible on electronics.
2. Watches
A nation that is a major player in luxury watch industry, Singapore is a local center for the watch market and also a tastemaker due to its enthusiastic adoption of high-quality, autonomous brands. There are a lot of affordable watches in Singapore. You can easily find pre-used and brand new signature watches here.
3. Jewelries
Singapore is also known as a good place for you to shop for high-grade pieces of jewelry at affordable prices. Gold, silvers, pearls, diamonds and exquisite gems all sit conspicuously in most jewelry shops and the goldsmiths in the city are famous for their excellent workmanship and innovative designs.
4. Clothes, shoes, and accessories
There are thousands of shops all over the city specializing in international brands: From casual brands to the most prominent fashion designers in the world. The best time to visit is during the "Sale seasons" where you can buy high-quality brands at reasonable prices.
5. Tailor-made suits
Tailors in Singapore are well-known for their good workmanship and quality outfits. Suits, shirts, pants, skirts, and even evening gowns could be made to suit the most intricate or dignified of tastes and the costs are much cheaper compared to Japan, US, or Europe. There are also tailor-made shoes. Don't forget to make some research beforehand so that you will know where the best place to buy your pieces from is.
6. Fabrics
You will be surprised with the wide selections of Asian and Western fabrics in Singapore available at affordable prices. You can buy fabrics from in Arab Street, while Little India is the best place for Indonesian 'Batik' cloth.
7. Arts, Crafts, and Antiques
There's a spectacular selection of arts and crafts available in Singapore and the prices are generally affordable. The city is located on one of the most prominent junctions of Asia and is home to the major ethnic groups in the continent, so it naturally turned into a gigantic bazaar where you can find stunning arts and crafts from different parts of Asia.
From seals engraved in stone, figurines, Chinese silk mats, oriental rugs, rattan fixtures, and flamboyant Indian fabrics, you will surely find them here.
8. Herbals, Spices, and exotic dried foods
These are copious in the open-air markets in the city and in little traditional stores, mostly around the cultural quarters, even though they could be found in several modern shops around. It is best to acquaint yourself with the exotic products you are planning to buy.
9. Tea
Singapore is also a nice place to shop for high-quality Chinese tea and its equipment, at affordable prices. There are quite a lot of shops all over Tanjong Pagar and Chinatown where you are able to find them.
These are only nine of what to buy in Singapore, of course, there are a lot more you should check out. Now, let's get to the things you have to remember to make your Singapore shopping experience a lot more enjoyable.
5 Tips to Enjoy Shopping in Singapore
Like I said earlier, Singapore is an amazing place for shopping. The reason why a lot of tourists love visiting Singapore is not only for the attractions but also for the shopping opportunities found here. If you're planning to go to Singapore, Orchard Road, Suntec City, and VivoCity are some of the places you shouldn't miss.
But of course, aside from knowing what to buy in Singapore, there are important things to keep in mind in order to make your shopping trip a lot more fun and stress-free. Here are five of them…
Tip #1: Have your credit card with you. There are many stores and restaurants in Singapore which offer great discounts for credit card users. Depending on which credit card you have, you'll be able to get different discounts for your products. Of course, the best types of card are the most popular ones, MasterCard or Visa.
Tip #2: Visit in the month of June. Like what I said earlier, there is a Sale Season in Singapore, which starts from the month of June and last for the whole money. So, try planning your trip to Singapore in the middle of the year.
Aside from the Great Singapore Sale, you will also find other sales throughout the period of Chinese New Year which is either throughout the end January or early February. And of course, don't forget Christmas sales season as well!
Tip #3: Be Aware of Goods and Service Tax or GST. All products and services in the city are conditional on 7% GST. So don't be surprised that the products that you see aren't in the net price.
Tip #4: Ask for Bargain at the right place. If you're buying any products from roadside shops, you should not forget to bargain. Don't take the original price of the final price. There are the areas where asking for a discount is acceptable such as Little India, Bugis Street, Sim Lim Square, and Chinatown.
Tip #5: Change your currency to Singapore dollars. There are a lot of money changers in the city. But before changing your currency, don't forget to compare the rates of currency exchange between different booths. And also don't forget to only change your money on licensed money changers.
Hopefully, these tips help you find out where to shop, how to shop, and what to buy in Singapore. Singapore is definitely a shopping paradise and if you like shopping, Singapore is definitely a place you should visit.
Do you have any more suggestions on what to buy in Singapore? Share it in the comment below!