There are quite a few select marketplaces in Singapore that lure souvenir hunters in hordes. These markets are apt for budget conscious tourists as well as the ones hard pressed for time. Try to keep aside a day to explore these markets before you finalise your flight bookings and overall trip itinerary for Singapore. While there are quite a few well known markets for souvenir hunting in Singapore, three are especially popular. Many of the shops in these markets are also bargain friendly. Here’s a little insight into these markets in Singapore.
Bugis Street
Bugis Street, situated just opposite to the Bugis Junction, is the largest shopping street in Singapore. People visit the street to buy food items, accessories and clothes. The street comprises of more than 800 shops, including beauty salons and nail spas. If you want to buy budget-friendly souvenirs, opt for accessories like belts, watches, key chains, lighters, picture frames and popular graffiti T-shirts.
Tip: Bargaining is not encouraged in most of the shops in this market; however you can still find stores where one may haggle on select items or on bulk purchases.
Chinatown
Chinatown is probably one of the best places to go shopping to if you are short of money but still want to buy quality souvenirs. Various Chinese and Singaporean ornaments including traditional dresses can be bought here. You can also buy souvenirs at prices ranging between S$1 and $10. In Chinatown, many of the shopkeepers sell their goods at quite reasonable rates, so bargaining may not be necessary at all. Here, you can get traditional teas, herbs, decorative china plates, scented candles and masks to name just a few items.
Mustafa Shopping Center
Mustafa Shopping Center, situated on Syed Alwi Road in Little India is your ticket to budget shopping in Singapore. It is one of the most amazing shopping centres in Singapore. What makes this shopping centre unique is that the shops here remain open 24 hours; thus you have the flexibility to go souvenir hunting here at the time of your choice. The shopping centre remains crowded during weekends and the price of every product is fixed here, hence the scope of bargaining isn’t much. However the goods are comparatively cheap as their unofficial motto is “no customer should return empty-handed”.
