The Great Singapore Sale

Now is the perfect time to visit Singapore as the ‘Great Singapore Sale’ is about to begin. From 3 June until mid August the country will undertake a mass promotion, cutting prices heavily to entice visitors to part with their Singapore Dollars.

The Great Singapore Sale (or GSS as it is sometimes known) was set up as a joint event by the National Tourist Board and the major retail powers in the city-state, and is a keenly anticipated annual event. It’s not just the tourists that the GSS is aimed at; shopping is a serious pastime for many Singaporeans. People in Singapore shop all the time – during lunchtime, after work and at weekends. Along with eating, shopping is one of Singapore’s favourite pastimes.

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As for the key shopping destinations, the wide expanse of Orchard Road is still the go-to shopping destination, with the numerous malls (over 20 of them) ever expanding, growing and renovating. Recent additions such as IonOrchard and 313@Somerset continue to raise the levels expected by shoppers, and compete against the larger centres slightly further from town, such as the Sentosa Causeway adjacent VivoCity. The Great Singapore Sale's official website gives details of the thousands of participating retailers as well as maps and an events list.

Shopping Center - Orchard Road, Singapore. Photo: Shutterstock 

The City

There’s plenty to enjoy in Singapore, from visiting ethnic neighbourhoods like Little India and Chinatown, to night safaris, authentic street food and sampling the eponymous cocktail, or two. Singapore is, in short, the ideal introduction to Asia in one fell swoop.

The city is often a surprise to first-time visitors, with its vast green spaces, glittering skyline and animated multicultural districts. Visit the city’s Peranakan museum for a shot of culture, stroll around the sprawling Gardens by the Bay or cruise down the river in a bumboat. Enjoy the city’s high efficiency and pristine cleanliness, superb food – whether it’s fine dining or from street hawker stalls or tour the city by bike, everything is possible in Singapore.

Like the sound of it? Why not visit Singapore with our Indulgent Singapore trip.

Gardens by the Bay

If you are visiting Singapore from the end of June then the perfect escape from all the air-conditioned marble and glass can be found in the enormous Gardens by the Bay. Eventually covering three sites spanning Marina Bay, the 54-hectare ‘Bay South’ gardens open from 29 June and features extraordinary architecture, landscapes and water features, as well as a stunning array of plant species.

You can enjoy a tour of the Gardens with a private tour guide on our Uniquely Singapore trip.

Day view of The Supertree Grove, Cloud Forest & Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay. Photo: Shutterstock

Read more about Singapore:

Insight City Guide Singapore is the complete guide to the city, lavishly illustrated in full colour throughout with hundreds of inspiring photographs and packed with detailed information on what to see during your stay, from busy Chinatown to the holiday island of Sentosa. Authoritative essays explore Singapore's history and contemporary culture.

You can also find out more about Singapore in our online city guide...