General diving articles

A guide to shop when in Singapore

jagsjonny

Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Enter Singapore and you will feel like the gates of shopping paradise have opened up for you. Too many things to buy and so little time? Here’s a handy shopping guide to refer to.
Make the transportation bit easier by booking an express bus to travel to Singapore—faster, cheaper and convenient. Adding to the convenience factor is the fact that you can now try www.redbus.sg/ to buy tickets as well.

Electronics: They make it to the top of any shopper’s must-buy list in Singapore. Some tourists even take home large LCD TVs and desktop computers along with them. Peninsula Plaza should be your go-to place for all things gadgets and electronics. When you decide to buy electronics in Singapore, you must visit 2 to 3 stores and compare the prices. This is very important as you will find varied prices. You can then pick the one with the lowest quoted price. Second most important thing is check the warranty. Be sure to get an International warranty. Before you pay you should your products be it a phone laptop etc. Also check if you will get your tourist tax refund.

Orchids: The national flower of Singapore, gold-plated orchid (actual orchids plated in 24 Karat real gold) souvenirs are considered a must-takeaway by Singaporeans. These flowers can be bought from Risis stores.

Curios and collectibles: Here’s what you should fill your luggage with on your way back home from Singapore: statues, wall décor, wooden décor, paper kites and parasols, and artwork of every kind that are in abundance here.

Apparel and accessories: The shopping streets of Singapore are your best bet for all things fashion. Orchard Road is the first stop for fashionistas from across the globe to take home branded items at a much cheaper rate. The other places to go to include Bugis Street, The Shoppes and all the malls that are scattered across Singapore’s landscape. Bugis Street is a very nice place to shop especially if you are shopping for a lady. Women’s clothing with a touch of Korean inspired fashion is a very common sight here. You will hardly come across shops for men’s clothing. Besides clothing you will get to see some eateries as well. A word of advise is to take care of your belongings as this place is madly crowded. You will come across a lot of gift shops where you can buy souveniers to take home as gifts.

The Heeren: underwent a revamp in 2012 and re-emerged in late 2013 as Robinson’s Orchard Departmental Store (www.robinsons.com.sg, tel: 6735-8838), another home grown Singapore department store with an illustrious history as a trusted retailer. Its new premises at Heeren come in a totally different façade with beautiful hanging sculptures that are visible from the first floor. Though no longer a haven for music junkies (HMV has been uprooted to Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard), the six-storey departmental store includes everything you could expect to find in a major Orchard Road mall and more – from a fragrance bar stocking over 400 scents to stylish homeware and fashion items available here.