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The glass front of ION Orchard on Orchard Road, Singapore, lit at dusk.
Layover guideSingapore · SIN

What to buy in Singapore

Orchard Road is the shopping strip; edible souvenirs (bak kwa, kueh, tea) are the local buys; GST refund via eTRS kiosks at Changi, minimum S$100 spend.

Erwin Soo from Singapore, Singapore / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
All of Singapore

Orchard Road is the shopping district: a 2.2 km stretch of malls and department stores (ION Orchard, TANGS), covering luxury through high street.

What Singapore is known for buying, per the Essential Singapore guide's 'must buy' list: bak kwa (sweet barbecued pork slices, a Chinatown speciality along New Bridge Road), Peranakan kueh (traditional cakes), and Singapore-brand teas. Changi's terminals sell the same food souvenirs (Bee Cheng Hiang, Bengawan Solo, TWG).

GST refund (Tourist Refund Scheme): minimum S$100 spend including GST at participating retailers; up to three same-day receipts from the same retailer can be combined. Goods must not be consumed in Singapore and must leave with you, departing by air from Changi or Seletar.

Claiming at Changi is via eTRS self-help kiosks with your passport: before immigration in the check-in hall if the goods are in checked bags, after immigration in the departure transit lounge if hand-carried. Customs may inspect the goods.

  1. Singapore Customs (Tourist Refund Scheme) · checked 2026-08-18
  2. Essential Singapore guide, Asia City Media Group (PDF hosted on visitsingapore.com, the Singapore Tourism Board's site) · checked 2026-08-18

The rest of Singapore

The whole guide
Getting out of the airportMetered taxis to the city for about S$25 to S$45, plus an airport surcharge the meter adds for you.Ride-hailingSix licensed apps, with dedicated pickup points in every terminal.Local laws that catch crew outVapes are illegal to even bring into the country, and drug penalties extend to caning and the death penalty.Staying connectedFree unregistered WiFi across Changi; tourist SIMs from three operators in every terminal, passport or other ID required.WeatherEquatorial and identical year-round: 31-33C days, high humidity, afternoon storms; wettest Nov-Jan, stormiest Apr-May and Oct-Nov.Eating near the crew hotelsEat at hawker centres: 123 government-run centres, with Maxwell (Chinatown), Lau Pa Sat (CBD), Tekka (Little India) and Changi Village the ones crew actually reach.TippingTipping is not common; many establishments already include a 10% service charge on the bill.