Planning to Visit Singapore for the First Time? Your Guide for What to Buy from Singapore and Where to Buy it From! (2019)

Located right at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore today is considered the most modern city of Southeast Asia. The city has successfully blended various religions and cultures like Malay, Arab, English, Indian, and Chinese over the years. The city has a tropical climate and given its excellent geographical location, it sees a long line of visitor throughout the year. Singapore has excellent public transport and not to forget, delicious food that is a mixture of different cultures! Even though small, the city has witnessed significant development of the last couple of years. However, it has not forgotten its roots, and perhaps that is the reason why we see both modern and historical marvels standing together, stronger than ever.

It is fairly simple to reach Singapore from India. And the reason is that numerous flights fly out from India to Singapore regularly from different Indian cities. Some of the airlines that connect the two beautiful countries are – Singapore Airlines, Tiger Airways, Air India, and Air India Express. The journey from India to Singapore takes about 4-8 hours, depending on where you're flying out from, and the number of stops that the flight makes in between.

You can fly to the Changi Airport in Singapore from any of the major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, etc. To fly to Singapore, you will need an e-visa or an online visa. This can be acquired at the nearest Singapore High Commission, Embassy, or Consulate. A tourist visa for Indians is usually issued for a year and you can stay in the country for up to 30 days at a time.

There are many beautiful places that you can visit while you are in the city. You can visit the Marina Bay, The Singapore Zoo, Sentosa, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, Gardens by the Bay, Merlion Park, Suntec City, Henderson Waves Bridge, etc. You must also visit the shopping towns in Singapore like Little India, etc. that are colourful and ecstatic and have something for everyone.

There are many places to shop in Singapore. The popular ones are mentioned below.

You cannot go wrong with this one! This is a drink that both locals and tourists love, and that is the reason why this drink is now available in a bottle for tourists to carry them back home. It is also considered the national drink of Singapore. The drink was originally made from lime juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, gin, and cherry brandy by a bartender at the Raffles Hotel Long Bar in the 1930s. Today, there are various recipes of this cocktail making the rounds. And if you have already fallen in love with this drink, there is no reason why you should not carry it back home to share with friends and family. The price of Singapore Sling Bottles begins from around Rs. 1,500.

One of the cutest gifts to carry back home, the pressed pennies are souvenirs that you can make on your own in Singapore. Pressed pennies are elongated coins that are engraved with famous designs. These pennies make fantastic souvenir tokens. And if you were wondering how to get hold of these cuties, well, there are automatic penny pressing machines that are placed at almost every tourist attraction in Singapore. These machines allow visitors to make their own pressed pennies. You can find these machines at Universal Studios, National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Coins and Notes Museum, Suntec City Mall, etc. You will be charged around Rs.100 for every flattened penny you make.

If you are a meat-lover or know someone back home who is one, then trust us, you have the perfect souvenir to carry back home. Not only is it edible, but it is also delicious. We are talking about the Bak-Kwa, barbequed meat. Introduced by the early Chinese immigrants, the Bak-Kwa is a sliced pork/beef that is marinated with sugar and then grilled over charcoal to lend the meat the delicious grilled flavor. The Bak-Kwa is a popular local snack amongst the locals and is widely eaten and gifted to family and friends at various festivities like the Chinese New Year. The price of the Bak-Kwa starts from Rs. 2,000 for a kg, however, during the time of festivities, the prices increases.

The Ya-Kun Kaya or the coconut jam is one of the most loved edible products that tourists from Singapore carry back home. And not to forget, the locals love their Kaya on toast every morning accompanied by hard-boiled eggs. This makes for a delicious breakfast for most Singaporeans. Kaya is made from a list of interesting ingredients like coconut milk, eggs, pandan leaves, and sugar. While it tastes great on toast, it can also be added as a topping on desserts, like ice cream, cakes, etc. One jar of coconut jam will cost you something between Rs. 250 - Rs. 500 and can be found in most local shops, supermarkets, toast shops, etc.

Orchid is the national flower of Singapore. To be specific, Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim, the Singapore orchid and the Princess Aloha orchid are the two orchid variants that are considered the national flower of Singapore. Orchids smell heavenly, and perfume companies in the country realises that quite well. And that is why, in many stores in Singapore, you can find the orchid infused perfume displayed for sale.

There is an elegant collection of orchid infused perfume that is available for both men and women. Most of the perfumes have catchy names like Orchids by the Bay, Aranda, One degree North, etc. These perfumes have a refreshing flower scent and could make for a great souvenir that you can carry back home not only for your loved ones but also for yourself as the lovely fragrance will keep the happy memories of your trip alive for as long as you want. One bottle of orchid perfume will cost you somewhere between Rs. 1,415 - Rs. 8,400, depending on the quantity of the perfume.

Singapore is one place from where you can carry back home beautiful and rare artifacts and also fancy kitchenware. There are pretty stores in the city that sell creative, unique, and meaningful kitchenware that could also double up as fantastic Singapore souvenirs. And you can also find unique antique pieces and scrolls in numerous stores in the city that you can decorate your home with or gift someone. To shop for these items head over to Holland Village or Chinatown. You are sure to find something that you will absolutely love!

Are you an ardent tea fan or are associated with a tea lover back home? If the answer is yes, you have found yourself a perfect product to carry back home. We are talking about TWG tea! The famous TWG tea brand was first established in Singapore in 1837. It took them a long time, but finally, they came up with their first store in Singapore in 2003. Till this day, the TWG brand has nine different stores in the city. You can find three of their stores at the Changi Airport terminals itself.

The brand is popular for the different tea flavors they sell. You can choose from a wide variety of options that include the Midnight Hour Tea, the Tea Party Tea, Love me Tea, Weekend in Singapore Tea, etc. While TWG tea is available in many countries today, buying the tea from the country of origin is a different ball game altogether!

Whether you are in the city alone, with family, or with a gang of friends, there is something that you can indulge yourself in and have a great time too. This of course not including the culinary treats you can experience in every nook and cranny of the city, and the shopping hauls you shall never forget! So, here’s a list of things that you can do while holidaying in Singapore.

One of the coolest things that you can do in Singapore is to go out on a night safari! This wildlife park is situated right next to the Singapore Zoo and is only open from 7:30 pm up to midnight. The night safari is a once in a lifetime experience where you can walk along the footpaths and bridges of the jungle and see around 120 species of animals up close. You can get to see tigers, antelopes, alligators, etc.

There is an electric tram that takes the tourists all around the jungle and stops at different places to see animals. You are also allowed to take a stroll through the fruit bat enclosure during the safari where you can see giant fruits right before your eyes. You can also take a guided tour if you wish, and you might get to know all about the mark through it. A 20-minute “Creatures of the Night” show is also held 3-4 times in the night. Kids greatly love this show.

The Singapore branch of Universal Studios is divided into seven ‘worlds’ and is popular among tourists. One of the worlds, the Sci-fi City has the Battlestar Galactica, which is currently the world’s tallest dueling rollercoaster. Another popular item of Universal Studios is the Lost World’s Waterworld Show. This show is based on the Kevin Costner movie and is a huge hit among people here.

Marina Bay in Singapore is a popular waterfront walk that is dotted with pretty sights. You can start walking from the Marina Bay Sands and move up north. On the way, you can climb up the Helix Bridge to grab an excellent view of the Singapore skyline. You can also catch a sight of the famous Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, which is a performing arts center. Going west along the Marina Promenade, you will find the Gluttons’ Corner, which is one of the best open-air food courts in Singapore.

The river safari lets you see the habitats of the world’s seven most famous rivers. And if you go for it, you can spot the alligator gar and the Mississippi paddlefish in the Mississippi river habitat, the Indian gharial in the Ganges habitat, the giant catfish and Yangtze alligator in the Mekong river, and the African dwarf crocodile in the Nile river habitat. There’s much more to do and see in the river safari.

Chinatown is one of Singapore’s Malay neighborhood and has plenty to offer to its tourists. From its beautiful buildings to being a shopping paradise, it has it all. It has all the Chinese items that you could ever want – from traditional candles to clothing, and much more!

You must not miss this out! Eat at a hawker center because these local food courts have the best Singapore street food. Some of the popular ones are Satay By the Bay and Old Airport Road Food Center.