Suburbs and Villages

Changi Village
Off the beaten track, Changi Village shows a more relaxed side of Singapore. Weekend always sees the local beach dotted with fishermen as well as bathers. The clean sand and the blue waters is a heady combination hard to resist. In the village itself, there are plenty of bargains to be found - T-shirts, the ubiquitous electronic equipment's, carpets, Indian cotton clothing, shoes, batik dresses, kimonos and all types of table linen. When hunger strikes, head for the food center or try one of the restaurants along the main street. Relax in the shade of an umbrella, dig into some fresh seafood and watch the world go by.

Katong
A quiet residential area formerly dominated by wealthy Straits Chinese families or the Peranakans it is not very far from Changi Village. Many of the older Peranakan homes, now standing back from the sea, were once seaside villas. Parkway Parade is the place to find shopping bargains, but Katong is best known for its wonderful eating houses specialising in Peranakan cuisine and bakeries selling delicious curry puffs. For Chinese seafood, the shophouses along East Coast Road offer a tasty treat.

Tampines
Tampines, an HDB estate in the north-east of Singapore, has the distinction of having won the coveted United Nations World Habitat Award for Excellent Housing Design. With new schools, shops, markets, beautiful playgrounds, two golf courses, a swimming pool, badminton hall and stadium, it has all the facilities its residents could want. A Japanese department store, supermarkets and food chains have already been attracted to Tampines.

Holland Village
A strange sounding name for a village right in the midst of this South East Asian island nation. This small area of Singapore still has the feel of a village about it, with its own wet market and shophouses selling everything from straw brooms to valuable antiques. Holland Village is a microcosm of Singapore life, a curious mix between old and new - old coffee shops and hawker stalls jostle for space with ritzy new wine bars and restaurants.

The Holland Road Shopping Centre is alive with interesting shops, including some selling Asian arts, crafts and antiques. Electronic goods and factory outlet clothing are other good buys. During weekends, much of Singapore seem to congregate at Holland Village to shop, chat and have a meal.

Toa Payoh
Visitors to Toa Payoh will find its central shopping area reminiscent of Singapore's older shophouses. Here you can pick up garments at attractively low prices - T-shirts and shorts at S$10 for three items or children's clothes for as little as S$2. Toa Payoh town centre has its own cinemas, hawker centres, coffee shops, a library and a nearby park.

Yishun
Yishun is a satellite suburb in the north of the island. Step straight off the MRT into the six-level Northpoint Centre, a modern shopping mall complete with all the brand names to be found along Orchard Road. Right next to Northpoint is a high quality 8-cinema multiplex. And on the other side is a row of shophouses selling food and bargain goods.