The 5 Best Shopping Malls In Singapore

There are two things most visitors like to do in Singapore (aside from trying to gain access to the world-famous Marina Bay Sands infinity pool): eat and shop. That said, there's no surprise that malls are a big deal in Singapore, and both the shops and the restaurants in those malls are taken equally seriously. Foodies and shopaholics rejoice.

Over several trips there myself, I've taken a deep look at Singapore's shopping malls to uncover the best of the best. Here they are, the top five shopping malls in Singapore:

#5 Paragon

“A 2-hour lunch at Paragon Shopping Centre can add $8.82 in parking fees to your tab after all the surcharges. This mall’s definitely for the 1 percent.” That comes from Timeout.com, and while they’re certainly not wrong – Paragon is not the place for bargain hunters – there’s more here than originally meets the eye. Not only will you find beauty parlors and spas inside, but the Whole Foods-esque Paragon Market Place, the mall’s gourmet supermarket, offers a nice respite from browsing Prada, Gucci, Miu Miu, and Ermenegildo Zegna.

#4 ION Orchard

After a stop at Paragon, ION Orchard is the natural next stop, given that it’s right across Singapore's most prominent shopping boulevard, Orchard Road. ION Orchard’s futuristic façade is simply dazzling when lit up at night, and the basement food court here is nothing short of a gem. Shops include Louis Vuitton, Sephora, and Salvatore Ferragamo.

#3 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

The Shoppes, part of the world-renowned Marina Bay Sands resort, are a Singaporean spectacle not to be missed. Featuring a casino, an indoor skating rink, operational Venetian gondolas running through a canal that stretches through much of the mall, and rooftop access displaying the breathtaking Marina Bay skyline, The Shoppes are certainly a one-of-a-kind shopping complex both on a Singapore scale and also around the world. Tenants include Ralph Lauren, Hermès, Chanel, Cartier, and a Louis Vuitton island concept store that boasts an underwater tunnel designed by the award-winning architect Peter Marino.

#2 VivoCity

VivoCity is Singapore’s largest shopping mall. Uniquely situated near the coastline of Keppel Harbour and Sentosa Island, getting there is as simple as catching the cable car from Mount Faber or the Sentosa Express from Sentosa Island. Anchor tenants include American Eagle, Forever 21, H&M, Gap, MUJI, and Uniqlo.

#1 Orchard Central

Singapore’s tallest vertical mall stands right in the heart of the Orchard Road shopping belt, just down the street from both Paragon and ION Orchard. There’s more than $6 million of artwork interspersed throughout the mall, though that doesn’t mean everything at Orchard Central is expensive; it’s also the only mall along Orchard Road to offer free valet services.

Come for the shops, which include casual brands like Levi’s and Uniqlo, and stay for the rooftop garden, open 24 hours a day.

Of course, if you can’t find what you need in these five malls, you can always try out the marketplace app Carousell, which connects buyers and sellers locally for items like clothing, electronics, and other consumer goods. Amazon also ships to Singapore, though you’ll need to change your search flow a bit since not every item is eligible for shipping to Singapore.

All in all, Singapore is a shopper's paradise, but with dozens of malls to choose from, cutting through the noise and knowing which mall is right for you is a necessity. Fortunately, all five listed above are easy to access because of their direct MRT connections, and though VivoCity is a bit outside of Singapore's center, its unique location is all part of its distinct appeal.