Hunt for bargains, discover local delicacies and experience the bustling night market in Singapore’s biggest retail zone.
Once a popular tourist destination for very different reasons, Bugis Street’s transformation in the 1980s into one of Asia’s most renowned shopping districts is nothing short of remarkable. An area that was once a seedy, late-night mecca for drunken sailors is now a flourishing retail precinct housing over 800 shops – the largest in the city!Bugis Street is a true shopper’s paradise with everything you could possibly want on offer in a multitude of stores, from top-class fashion and music, to books and souvenirs. Tourists and locals alike throng the cobbled streets and laneways of the bustling market area, looking to bag a bargain. You’ll find mementos and keepsakes from your trip to Singapore on the ground floor of most shops, from key rings to tiger balm.A wander upstairs, however, will be rewarded with a wide selection of much cheaper goods – this is where the locals come to shop. On the upper floors there are great deals to be found on everything from designer labels and chart CDs to traditional artworks and Asian literature.As evening falls, Bugis Street transforms into a lively night market, a very different experience to during daylight hours. Street vendors crowd the streets hawking cheap handmade goods, collectibles and food. This is perhaps the most affordable place to try out local delicacies like braised duck or laksa, with generous portions served invitingly in big bowls. Wash it down with one of the huge variety of local fruit juices as you soak up the atmosphere of this vibrant local bazaar.Bugis Street is located in the city centre of Singapore and is reachable on foot from most of the hotels there. You’ll find parking on the surrounding streets but it’s easier to follow the locals and catch one of the many buses that serve the area. The district is open every day but individual shops can have different opening hours.
