Orchard Road, Singapore

1 more image

Orchard Road is a one-way street. It starts just before its intersection with Scotts Road, which is the location of the Orchard Mass Rapid Transit Station. It then stretches southeast past Bideford Road, Somerset MRT Station, Central Expressway, Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, and ends at the intersection with Handy Road (just before Prinsep Road), where it becomes Bras Basah Road. It has an extensive underground infrastructure, including underground pedestrian walkways between the malls running underneath the street and also other streets in the vicinity.

Orchard Road is flanked by pedestrian malls. These include several underground malls, as well as some of the biggest shopping centres in Singapore, including (from west to east) Tangs, The Forum Shopping Mall, Palais Renaissance, Wheelock Place, Shaw Centre, Lucky Plaza (were my Filipino brothers and sisters hang out on weekends), Wisma Atria, Ngee Ann City (a Takashimaya branch), The Paragon, Centrepoint Shopping Centre, and Plaza Singapura. A retail complex under construction at the site named Orchard Turn has the distinction of also being a future residential area, and is planned to be completed by Christmas 2008. This place is good for shopping with a wide selections of goods from branded clothes to different electronic gadets.

Orchard Road also contains numerous upmarket restaurants, coffee chains, cafes, nightclubs and hotels. It is also the site of the official residence of the President of Singapore, the Istana.

Orchard road is one of the best place to spend Christmas in Asia because all the buildings in this road are ful of christmas decors, lights, full of colors, and very alive!

Orchard Road is full of shopping. Plaza Singapura (and the Carrefour hypermarket), Centrepoint, Specialist Shopping Centre (John Little store), Ngee Ann City, Paragon, and Scotts Plaza are only a few of the many shopping malls in (on) Orchard Road.

Orchard Road is the epicenter of shopping in a country know for its shopping. This translates into being able to purchase whatever you heart desires. From tailor-made suits and women's clothing, to electronics, to souvenirs, Orchard Road has it all. The prices here tend to be a little higher than in other parts of the city, I found. But, with everything concentrated to one road, shopping life is made for convienence in this area. Electronics had the overall best value, as compared to when shopping in the States.

2 more images

Imagine one shopping where, instead of clothes, shoes, bags or cosmetics, you only have computers and accessories.

Good! Imagine that, everywhere, large screens show you a soccer game. That’s the final revenge of men. We saw the Paradise in Singapore.

And... Believe me! All Singapore was wathching... Portugal playing with Argentina (a draw!)

Orchard Road has been synonymous to Singapore. You cannot say that you have been to Singapore if you have not walk the walk along Orchard Road. In December, the Christmas light decorations used to be extravagant and since been reduced but still create a festive atmosphere to help you close your buy.

You will see locals and tourists from all over walking up and down Orchard Road. Only thing that when it rain or when it is extremely hot, you will be exposed too. But there are many distractions of shops, eating places beckoning you to stop here and there.

Orchard Road is just busy day and more at night after office hours. Safe and but be careful with your credit card.

2 more images

Singapore is famous for it's shopping. And the shopping is famous for Orchard Road. There are other shopping areas in Singapore. There are even better ones. But none is as famous as Orchard Road.

The street goes straight over Singapore city center, and last time I checked there were 19 shopping malls on it. 19. That. Is. And then all the normal shops aren't counted.
So no need to be scared to not find what you're looking for. Rather then be scared you'll also find all the things you weren't looking for.

It's high status to have your shop on Orchard Road, so the rent is high, which unfortunately also make the prices quite high. You can definitely find things cheaper in other places. But at Orchard Road you'll find all the status brands, so if you're looking for luxury, this is the place.

The street is crowded, both by cars and walking people, and worst of all it's during Christmas. The decorations then are for sure something special, and it's a rather weird feeling seeing thousands of christmas decorations when it's 35 degrees Celcius. Maybe even more for a guy like me, who is used to minus degrees and snow everytime someone even mention christmas...

Orchard Road is so much more than shopping though. It's filled with buildings in different architect stiles, every one cooler than the next one. Here are also loads of luxury restaurants a 5 star hotels.

4 more images

I visited Singapore in December 2005 at a time when the whole length of Orchard Road had been decorated for Christmas.

Bright lights hung from trees and lined the road, large Christmas trees were lit up and the fronts of the various shopping malls were covered in twinkling bulbs.

To add to the festive atmosphere, Christmas carols were being played from tannoys on the lamp-posts and in the shopping malls.

All in all, a very festive appearance. Only the heat and humidity took the Christmas feel away from it....no chance of a White Christmas in these parts (it was 80 degrees plus at all times!)

It is the main road in singapore! Thousands of shops in really big shopping centers where you can find everything, supermarkets, restaurants, fast-food and all you need to buy!
The best is enjoying the air-conditioning in the stores because outside it is really hot and humid (at least for temperates region inhabitants).

4 more images

This tip could as well be under the shopping tips, but I decided to put it up here, because it is a sight in itself to look at all the shops and the people shopping. On Orchard Road you can find everything you could ever need. There are cheap shops and designer boutiques. Jeans stores and book shops. And everything is big. Shopping in the malls is best since these are air conditioned. However once you get outside again, it feels like you're actually melting. One night I was walking on Orchard Road I saw all these Disney figures. I don't know why but it looked very nice. Also I saw this other big building, but I don't know what it represents. Perhaps it's a government building?

3 more images

Orchard Road is the most famous shopping street in Singapore. It is so named for the many nutmeg and pepper plantations that lined it in the 1840's. The stretch of Orchard Road is still shaded by lush tropical trees, but today you will find many shopping malls filled with practically everything under the sun - apparel, consumer electronic items, familiar fashion and lifestyle labels... The list goes on.
Especially nice to visit during the holiday season where the whole stretch of the street and the buildings are beautifully adorned with Christmas lights and decors. Lavishly decorated Christmas trees along the sidewalk also added glitz to the whole scenery.