Travel information with destination guide in Orchard by GuideRooms.com   

Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction. Often the surrounding area is known as Orchard and associated with the road.

The immediate vicinity of Orchard Road, Orchard Planning Area is one of 55 urban planning areas as specified by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, and is a commercial district. It is part of the Central Region, and Singapore's central business district, the Central Area.

During the National Day Rally Speech 2005, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he would create more landmark buildings to create more fun in the district, partly to keep up with vibrant cities around the region.

Orchard Road is a one-way street. It starts just before its intersection with Scotts Road, which is the location of the Orchard MRT 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 Street), 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 Rd is walkable, at least allowing plenty of breaks in air-conditioned shopping centers. There is an air-conditioned underground walkway system linking Orchard MRT to Wisma Atria and Ngee Ann City (east), to CK Tang/Marriott (north), and to Shaw House and Wheelock Place (west).

How to get there

The MRT stations of Orchard, Somerset, Dhoby Ghaut and City Hall on the North-South Line follow the alignment of Orchard Rd. Interchange to North-East Line interchange at Dhoby Ghaut or the East-West Line at City Hall.

Product

Orchard Road and neighboring Scotts Road form Singapore's premier shopping district, with several kilometers of road lined on both sides by practically nothing but shopping malls.

Malls

While most malls offer attractive products at costly prices, there are one or two that still cater to the average Singaporean wallets. A selection of malls, from west (Orchard MRT) to east (Dhoby Ghaut MRT):

• Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Road. This mall is a bargain hunter's paradise and is frequented mostly by teenagers. You can find unique clothes and accessories at the cheapest price.
• Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road (Orchard MRT). Notable primarily for the giant Borders bookstore on the ground level, there's also a Marks & Spencer department store buried in the basement and a pretty good selection of restaurants.
• CK Tangs, 320 Orchard Road (Orchard MRT). Singapore's very own old-school department store.
• Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Road. Designer boutiques and international brands populate this architecturally fascinating mall.
• Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road. Notorious den of dubious electronics for tourists, best avoided.
• Ngee Ann City/Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road. Currently in the top slot, at least in terms of sheer size. Expensive branded goods on the first floors, more affordable shopping in the two basement floors. Also features Kinokuniya, Singapore's largest bookstore, on the 3rd floor.
• Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd (opp Takashimaya). Singapore's more expensive mall, packed with Prada, Gucci and other luxury brands.
• The Heeren, 260 Orchard Rd. Trendy youth clothing plus Singapore's largest music store, a three-story HMV outlet.
• Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road (Dhoby Ghaut MRT). Singapore's oldest air-conditioned shopping mall, located just above the MRT interchange and recently given a thorough facelift. Huge Carrefour multilevel hypermarket, numerous eating options and a large cinema complex on the top floors.

Shops

• The Time of Tea, 304 Orchard Road #02-43 (Lucky Plaza). Excellent quality Chinese tea for prices that are less than anywhere else in Singapore. Ask for May Teo.

Orchard attractions

• epSITE, 501 Orchard Road #03-18/19 (Wheelock Place), ☎ +65-67364986. Daily 11 AM-9 PM. Also known as the Epson Imaging Gallery, this small space features changing photography exhibitions. Hardly worth a detour, but take a look if you're in the area. Free.