Singapore’s ultimate shopping destination

Word to the wise: If you're visiting at Christmas, it's worth elbowing your way through the crowds to see the ultra-festive decorations and displays that light up the strip.

Long gone are the nutmeg orchards that gave the area its name—while still shaded by lovely old Angsana trees, Orchard Road is now dominated by a series of futuristic megamalls sitting shoulder-to-shoulder along the strip. All the big brands are here, but you'll also find everything from high street fashions to local eateries in multi-level shopping malls connected by a series of disorientating underground walkways.

While Orchard Road is primarily a shopper's paradise, the area also houses some great cultural diversions such as the Singapore Art Museum and the National Museum of Singapore. For film buffs, The Picturehouse tucked away on the top floor of the Cathay Gallery has a dedicated programme of independent and art-house movies, while foodies will be rewarded at the Food Opera dining hall on the bottom floor of the ION Orchard mall.