10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Bugis and Kampong Glam
Where to Shop in Bugis and Kampong Glam and What to Buy?
The best places to go shopping in Bugis and Kampong Glam introduce you to one of Singapore’s most popular shopping scenes. Once a notorious center of nightlife for sailors and military personnel visiting Singapore, Bugis, as well as the Arab enclave of Kampong Glam, has quickly become the go-to area for some of the city-state’s more alternate shopping action.
Bugis Street is home to one of the largest markets in Singapore, whilst the ever hip and happening Haji Lane offers a genuinely unique retail experience. No comprehensive shopping area would be complete without a good helping of modern malls either; we’ve got it all covered in this handy little list.
1. Bugis Junction
A popular shopping venue with a convenient location
Good for: Families, Shoppers
Bugis Junction is no ordinary Singapore shopping mall. This modern development features a wonderful imitation lane of colonial style shop houses selling locally designed dresses, T-shirts and accessories, as well as a few cute cafes where you can sip an iced coffee and pretend you’ve been taken back in time.
Glance over to the huge glass-roofed section, which is really Bugis Junction’s centerpiece, and you’ll remember exactly where you are. Under the giant glass structure, you’ll find a range of high street shops and a good range of dining options, including fine dining restaurants, fast food outlets, and some hawker-style vendors. Bugis Junction is directly accessible from Bugis MRT Station. Read more
Location: 200 Victoria St, Singapore 188021
Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm
Phone: +65 6557 6557
Bugis Junction
2. Bugis Street Market
Bargains and local flavors
Good for: Shoppers, Budget
The sprawling Bugis Street Market, commonly referred to as “Bugis Village,” is home to hundreds of shops and independent retail stalls selling tourist knickknacks, fabrics, accessories, shoes, vintage items, and food. Just across from Bugis MRT Station you’ll find the bazaar’s entrance, which is instantly recognizable with its iconic red exterior and signs.
Enter inside the maze of avenues to explore one of Singapore’s largest flea markets, as well as probably the cheapest. You’ll find tourist T-shirts, sunglasses, and a whole range of tasty local snacks for a small price. Read more
Location: 3 New Bugis Street, Singapore 188867
Open: Daily from 11 am to 9 pm
Bugis Street Market
3. Bugis+
An iconic building with trendy shops
Good for: Food, Shoppers
Bugis+ is a modern 10-story mall opposite the popular Bugis Junction shopping complex. Instantly recognizable with its crystal mesh-like exterior, which from afar looks like balls of cotton wool glued on to the outside, Bugis+ has a fine selection of big high street names (Adidas, Puma, and Uniqlo to name a few) as well as a long list of independent stores selling locally designed clothes.
On the higher up floors, you’ll find a sturdy range of restaurants and fast food chains, and at the very top, there’s a multi-screen movie theater. This is a good alternate shopping option if you want to beat the crowds of the nearby Bugis Junction or escape the heat of the Bugis Street Market.
Location: 201 Victoria St, Singapore 188067
Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm
Bugis+
4. Arab Street
A street renowned for its textile shops
Good for: Shoppers, History
Arab Street is at the very heart of Singapore’s Arab community and the surrounding Kampong Glam neighborhood. The street is packed full of great shopping opportunities. Most of the shops on this quaint little road specialize in quality fabrics, Islamic dresses, flamboyant accessories, rare crystals, and gems.
Those venturing this way will also find plenty of cafes and restaurants serving some great halal food and sweet Arabian teas too. You could combine shopping on Arab Street with a trip to one of the area’s most distinct landmarks, the epic Sultan Mosque, which is at the top of the road. Arab Street is a walking distance from the nearby Bugis MRT Station.
Arab Street
5. Sim Lim Square
6 floors filled with tech treasures
Good for: Families, Shoppers
Sim Lim Square is a giant technology mall a short walk bordering the Bugis area in the south, and Little India towards the north. This multiplex of computers, cameras, phones, gadgets, TVs, and audio equipment is one of the largest IT malls in Singapore, with nearly 200 stores spread over 6 floors.
Prices are cheap, and even cheaper if you try your hand at a spot of bargaining, and the choices are inevitably vast. If you get bored with the gauntlet of gadgets, there are a few decent restaurants and cafes where you can make an escape to. Read more
Location: 1 Rochor Canal Road, Singapore 188504
Open: Daily from 10 am to 8 pm
Phone: +65 6338 3859
Sim Lim Square
6. Albert Center Market & Food Center
A lane filled with unusual finds
Good for: Food, Shoppers, Unusual
Albert Center Market & Food Center is not really a mall; it’s more like a lane of street vendors offering a range of unusual goods and services. From Chinese aunties who set up their unlicensed fortune-telling stalls to pop-up massage areas and vendors selling traditional medicines to cure all sorts of alignments, this really is one of Singapore’s more unusual shopping experiences.
This is an interesting place to stop by, particularly if you’re making your way to the ever-popular Kwang Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, which lies at the end of the route if you’re walking from Bugis MRT.
Location: 270 Queen St, #01-53, Singapore 180270
Open: Friday–Wednesday from 11 am to 7.30 pm (closed on Thursdays)
Albert Center Market & Food Center
7. Beach Road Army Market
The ultimate destination for army surplus and gear
Good for: Shoppers, Unusual
Living up to its name, the Beach Road Army Market stocks a vast amount of army surplus. Though the market is obviously popular with those serving in the military, it does also draw in a fair amount of army enthusiasts with an interest in this these types of clothing and memorabilia, as well as anybody who fancies grabbing themselves a sturdy set of boots at a bargain price.
With over 100 stalls selling everything from uniforms, helmets, hats, T-shirts, jackets, boots, and camping gear (such as tents and sleeping bags), there’s no better place to find this kind of gear anywhere else in Singapore.
Location: 505 Beach Road, #02-159, Golden Mile Food Centre, Singapore 199583
Open: Monday–Saturday from 11 am to 8.30 pm, Sunday from 2 pm to 7.45 pm
Beach Road Army Market
8. Haji Lane
Discovering Singapore’s trendiest boutiques and hidden hems
Good for: Couples, Shoppers
Haji Lane is one of Singapore’s most well-loved alternate shopping streets, specializing in boutique stores selling locally designed pieces. This small lane draws in all of Singapore’s cool kids, as well as some in-the-know tourists wanting to spice up their shopping experience in Singapore.
The colorful and cute road, which is also famed as being one of the narrowest streets in town, lies at the heart of Kampong Glam, just a few blocks away from the central Bugis MRT station.
Haji Lane
9. OG Albert
Your family’s one-stop shop
Good for: Families, Shoppers
Just a 3-minute walk from the Bugis MRT station, you’ll find OG Albert, a beloved household department store in Singapore that has been popular with families for generations. This store offers a wide range of products, including fashion, jewelry, cosmetics, watches, toys, furnishings, and food, making it a one-stop shop for many needs.
In addition to shopping at OG Albert, you can also explore the vibrant pedestrian mall in front of the complex. This area is constantly buzzing with vendors selling knick-knacks, streetwear, foodstuff, and religious items.
Location: 60 Albert St, Singapore 189969
Open: Daily from 11 am to 8.30 pm
Phone: +65 6210 2222
OG Albert
10. Street shopping
Picturesque streets with unique shops
Good for: Shoppers, Nightlife
The charm in shopping in this area lies in its numerous streets that are great for street shopping. The street are adorned with picturesque shophouses converted into retail outlets and food outlets specializing in delicious Muslim cuisine.
Shop for Malay, Indonesian, and local souvenirs at Bussorah Street. Need to find fabrics for a wedding or a grand occasion? Head out to Arab Street for some gorgeous, luxurious fabric finds. Try your luck at haggling at some of these stores. Parallel to Arab Street is Haji Lane, believed to be Singapore’s narrowest lane, with some surprising finds from carpets to classic bags and vintage wear.
Street shopping
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