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History
Wheelock Place
Hilton Singapore Hotel
Cuscaden Road
Tanglin Shopping Centre
Claymore Road
Scotts Road
Tangs
Lucky Plaza |
Paragon
Ngee Ann City
Mandarin Singapore
Emerald Hill
The Istana & Plaza
Singapore
Entertainment
Cinemas
High-End Shopping
Budget Shopping |
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Welcome to Orchard Road, bursting
with the latest lifestyle and fashion trends from allover
the world, right in the heart of New Asia -Singapore. In
this truly inspiring lifestyle street of Singapore, you'll
find an exhilarating mix of shopping, ding and nocturnal
options.
Discover totally unexpected and unique ways to have fun in
this energetic, vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Where else,
for instance, can you do some serious people-watching, eat
at outlets which offer spreads from satay to sushi, get an
insight into the unique Peranakan culture and catch the
latest in movies at state-of-the-art cineplexes all in one
afternoon, or shop for top brands, while appreciating art
-pieces along the walkways.
As you embark on the two routes in this brochure, you'll be
amazed at how history merges seamlessly with glitzy shopping
malls, high-end shops and restaurants. So sport your most
stylish pair of shades, a comfortable pair of walking shoes
and discover Orchard Road's astounding mix of experiences as
you live it up in New Asia -Singapore!
 History
Orchard Road got its name from the many nutmeg and pepper
plantations that lined the street during the I 840s.
Sparsely populated, Orchard Road's only residents were
plantation owners like Scotts, Cairnhill and Cuppage, whose
names are familiar as street names today.
For decades, not much attention was paid to a plantation
often plagued by natural disasters. In the 1900s, a
mysterious disease swept through the nutmeg plantations,
wiping them out within a year. Because of its location in a
valley, floods were also common. They were only controlled
in 1965 when Stamford Canal -part of which runs below the
pedestrian mall fronting Wisma Atria Shopping Centre today
-was deepened and widened.
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In the 1970s, pioneering landmarks like C K Tang, Plaza
Singapura and the Mandarin Hotel came up and led the way for
entertainment complexes. Brick by brick, and block by block,
towers of glass and steel lined what used to be mud-tracks
to make Orchard Road the upbeat lifestyle hub it is today. |
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Wheelock
Place
Start your walking tour at Wheelock Place -a haunt for the young
and young at heart, where the buzz of Orchard Road can be felt
amidst the books and mugs of steaming coffee.
Borders, with its thousands of books and magazines, draws in the
crowds throughout the day. The shady green umbrellas at
Starbucks also entice. This American coffee chain has
transformed the once-quiet corner into a fashionable cafe scene
where people go to see and be seen, fanning a coffee culture in
Singapore that has burgeoned beyond the local kopitiams (or
coffee shops). You'll soon realise that there are many cafes
dotting Orchard Road: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Dome, The Coffee
Club and Spinelli. All offer high-end alternatives to the
traditional local brew.
Walk past the Esprit store and cross the slip road to Angullia
Park. There, you'll see "Mother and Child," a sculpture by
Singapore's foremost sculptor, Ng EngTeng. |
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Hilton Singapore Hotel
Stroll down the shady, tree-lined walkway to the Hilton
Singapore Hotel where you'll find the widest range of
cheesecakes in town, from American to Italian and Marble, at
Checkers Deli. Before you indulge in some sinful delights, why
not seize a great photo opportunity with two menacing Chinese
warriors from the Tang dynasty? These two 2.7m tall ceramic
sculptures in front of the hotel were commissioned in 1975 to
serve as symbolic protectors of the hotel.
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Cuscaden Road
From the Hilton Singapore Hotel foyer, venture left onto the
boulevard where you'll find outdoor food and beverage stands in
front of the next stop -Forum the Shopping Mall. This shopping
mall is a goldmine of fun and excitement for kids, where the
well stocked Toys 'R' Us on Level 3, and other stores like Guess
Kids, Man U Kids and Kenzo Kids keep children happy with clothes
and toys. You'll also find local designer boutique Song & Kelly
21 and California Pizza, Kitchen here. But for more riotous fun,
turn left into Cuscaden Road. You know you've arrived at Hard
Rock Café when you see a purple Cadillac hanging off a wall in
front of you. Soak in the boisterous combination of American
food and rock 'n' roll that's a signature feature at this
franchise eatery.
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Tanglin Shopping Centre
Retracing your steps back to Orchard Road, you will find a
triple alfresco treat at the Orchard Parade Hotel on your left.
Starbucks, Black Angus and Cafe Modesto offer outdoor seating
with a view of the bustling street activity. Check out the
Manchester United food and retail outlet before crossing over to
Tanglin Shopping Centre. This shopping centre is a veritable
maze of antique furniture, Persian carpets and arts and crafts
from around the region. Crammed with galleries which sell
decorative Chinese and regional paintings, it also boasts of a
few excellent eateries. Have a sandwich at Steeple's Deli,
Indonesian satay at Tambuah Mas, or Chinese steamboat at Magic
of Chongqing Hot Pot.
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Claymore Road
Cross the road at the traffic lights outside the Orchard Parade
Hotel. Turn right towards Delfi Orchard 0 for the finest range
of crystal and porcelain in the Waterford and Wedgwood stores.
Situated behind this is the Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade where
the House of Mao Hunan Hot Pot -a homegrown themed restaurant
specialising solely in Chinese steamboat -can be found. Further
along Orchard Road is the sleek Palais Renaissance where you can
find flagship stores of the biggest names in fashion: DKNY,
GianniVersace and Prada.
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Scotts Road
 As you exit Palais Renaissance, turn left and walk past the
Royal Thai Embassy, past Shaw House and take another left
towards Pacific Plaza. You've entered Scotts Road, named after
Captain William Scott, who once owned a plantation at the corner
of Scotts Road and Orchard Road. Check out Lifestorey and
Marquis -a shop carrying exquisite homeware perfect for those
with exquisite taste. After shopping, rest your feet at Ubar, a
juice bar selling fancy fruit juice concoctions, sandwiches and
desserts.
Coming out onto Scotts Road, you'll see an overhead-bridge on
the left. Cross it and you'll arrive at Far East Plaza.
Once a tired shopping complex, Far East Plaza has since returned
to full, vivacious life, becoming the hang-out of choice for the
grungy, alternative set. You'll be amazed at the quirky
boutiques, second-hand book stores, and even body-piercing and
tattooing services available here. So who says Singapore is
boring?
Perched elegantly on a gentle hill is the Goodwood Park Hotel.
This former German Club was built in 1900 and modelled after a
Rhineland castle. It was converted into an opulent hotel in 1929
and prided itself on being the first in Singapore to have an
air-conditioned wine cellar.
Today, it is a world-class hotel with a unique old-world charm.
It is noted not only for its luxurious Sultan of Brunei Suite in
the tower section of the hotel but also as the first hotel to
offer durian cream cakes and durian-filled chocolates!
Retrace your steps, passing Far East Plaza, and enter the Grand
Hyatt Singapore. Don't be fooled by its slick, contemporary
interiors, because the ancient Chinese art of geomancy, or feng
shui, still rules.
To ensure good feng shui for the hotel, the glass doors at the
hotel's main entrance have been positioned at an oblique angle
to Scotts Road so that the hotel's wealth will not "flow out
into the streets". The grand staircase at the main lobby has 32
steps, which when spoken in the Cantonese dialect, sounds the
same as "business". Also check out the Mezza 9 at the Grand
Hyatt Singapore, the first and only restaurant in Asia with 9
different entertaining and dining experiences ranging from
western to oriental food. Mezza 9's Martini Bar is a haven for
bona fide Martini drinkers, and was j voted as "the best place
to go if you want a Martini" I (Where Singapore, May 2000).
You've come to the end of Route I. To I embark on Route 2, make
your way to Tangs, just, around the corner.
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Tangs
Route 2 begins just opposite the Orchard MRT Station at the
Singapore Marriott Hote. This eye-catching landmark along
Orchard Road has a distinctive Chinese-styled green roof and red
pillars. In 1958, a former lace-pedlar, C K Tang, foresaw that
the area could become a bustling shopping thoroughfare, since
residents in the neighboring Tanglin district had to pass
enroute to work at the commercial centre, Raffles Place. So with
roof tiles brought in from his hometown in the Swatow province
of China. Tang built a department store on what was then a
cheap, isolated plot of land. The plot of land faced a cemetery,
which is considered a bad omen in Chinese culture.
His foresight paid off. Today, Tangs is one of Singapore's most
prominent and recognized homegrown department stores, proudly
showcasing local fashion and household products. Check out the
spacious and brightly-lit cosmetic department and experiment
with the latest colors of the season. Even when the old building
was torn down in 1982 to give way to the present superstore and
skyscraper hotel. it retained its unique Chinese architecture. |
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Lucky Plaza
 From the foyer at Tangs, turn left to Luck Plaza. Once of the
oldest along Orchard Road, this mall is a perennial favorite
with electronics junkies. Be amazed by the staggering array of
cameras, watches, hi-fi equipment, leather goods and jewellery.
Price though, as not always fixed, so bring along a good set of
bargaining skills.
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Paragon
Coming out from Lucky Plaza, continue along Orchard Road, pass
Tong Building (with the Rolex showroom and service centre) and
enter Paragon Shopping Centre It now offers a wide range of
designer fashions, family and lifestyle shops, art galleries and
many quality restaurants. There is also a Singapore Airlines
service centre to facilitate bookings and offer information to
tourists. Also available are computer terminals for self-
booking. Check out the life-sized sculptures by a well-known
Taiwanese sculptor, Sun Yu-Li, outside the shopping centre.
These sculptures were inspired by the depictions of life in rock
paintings dating back 20,000 years ago in Inner Mongolia.
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Ngee Ann City
Directly opposite Paragon, on the other side of Orchard Raod, is
Ngee Ann City, home to Takashimaya Shopping Centre.
This mammoth reddish-brown building is home to
internationally-renowned brands like Louise Vuitton and Cartier.
One of the largest bookstores in Southeast Asia, Kinokuniya
(40,000 sq ft) is also housed here. If you have not had your
fill of books, you may want to drop by Library@Orchard,
featuring multimedia facilities and a café.
Though opened for business in the early ‘90s, this Orchard Road
landmark has lost none of its luster and appeal. With more than
100 specialty stores, food and beverage outlets, fine
restaurants and even a post office under its roof, Ngee Ann City
is popular with both locals and tourists, thousands of whom
cross its thresholds everyday.
Takashimaya, an anchor tenant and favorite with Japan shoppers,
boasts a popular food court and supermarket, which offers a
spectrum of food and snack from English tea to tom yam soup.
Don’t miss southeast Asia’s first Harrods store, selling
clothing, homeware, gifts, stationery and gourmet food on the
ground floor of Takashimaya.
Takashimaya Square, on basement two, is where special bazaars
and promotions are help occasionally.
The Civic Plaza outside the building is a focal point of Orchard
Road’s outdoor activities. Join in the special weekend
festivities ranging from food fairs to basketball competitions.
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Mandarin Singapore
Coming out of Ngee Ann City, turn right towards Mandarin
Singapore. This Chinese- styled skyscraper was built in 1973 by samsui women -construction workers from the Sanshui district in
Guangdong, China. Savor the hotel's famous chicken rice at its
coffee house, Chatterbox, and take the lift up to the Top Of The
M, the hotel's revolving restaurant and observatory lounge which
offers a breathtaking panorama of the city.
From the Mandarin Singapore, cross the road to The Heeren. This
popular youth-oriented shopping mall along Orchard Road houses
HMV, Southeast Asia's largest' music superstore, Movenpick
Marche and other famous brand names like! Swatch, Mambo and
homegrown brands like Bods Bodynits and Capsule. Also check out
the Annex located at Levels 4 and 5. It's an exciting shopping
concept with small retail shops arranged along narrow corridors
and "lanes" offering all things funky. It has everything from
unique accessories, street and vintage fashion wear to
collectable toys and comics. What a contrast to the old days
when this same site housed a building filled with old-fashioned
hair salons frequented by local politicians!
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Entertainment
 Pubs
& Bars -the fun continues after dusk with the multitude of
bustling pubs and bars along Orchard Road. Down a pint of bitter
in Muddy Murphy's Irish pub at the Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade
0. For some pub-crawling. visit the rollicking cluster of pubs
on Emerald Hill and the nearby Cuppage Terrace. Happy hours are
generally from Spm to IOpm daily.
Discos -Orchard Road plays host to a number of clubs which cater
to different crowds and musical tastes. Imperium at Ngee Ann
City '4>. a new restaurant with a unique concept offers fine
Chinese cuisine. a jazz band and a dance floor. amidst an art
decor ambience. Ridley's at Phoenix Hotel G is where
executive-types gather for a spot of karaoke. Another popular
nightspot is China Black at Pacific Plaza 4D -a futuristic club
with Philippe Starck barstools and a high-tech sound system that
spins speed garage and techno-house music.
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The
Istana & Plaza Singapura
Istana -From Cuppage Terrace, continue along Orchard Road
passing Orchard Point Shopping Centre, Orchard Plaza and Le
Meridien Shopping Centre to reach a set of traffic lights. Cross
tlJe road here and arrive at the leafy expanse of the Istana
entrance. The grand, magnificent gates usher you onto a shady
avenue that leads to the former residence of British governors
and now, home to Singapore's President. The Istana (Malay for
"palace") was built in 1869 by Indian convict labour. Designed
by a colonial architect, Captain McNair, the Malay-influenced
structure features overhanging roofs with a blend of
classical details. The sprawling lawns of the Istana are only
opened to the public five days a year -New Year's Day, Lunar New
Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Labour Day and Deepavali. You can also
catch the changing of guards at the gates every first Sunday of
the month, from S.4Spm to 6.ISpm.
Dhoby Ghaut -Just after the Istana is Plaza Singapura , a
shopping centre which offers local fashion, household products,
fast food outlets and restaurants. Stroll down the boulevard for
another 5 minutes and you will come to the end of Orchard Road
and the beginning of Dhoby Ghaut. This street name, which means
"washerman's area" evokes the 19th century character of this
area. Dhobies, who were Bengali and Madrasi immigrants from
India, washed the clothes of local residents in the stream which
ran down the side of Orchard Road and dried them on the land now
occupied by the YMCA International House.
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Emerald Hill
From The Heeren, walk across Cairnhill Road and continue
straight on until you enter the unique world of Peranakan Place
~, identified by ,its pastel walls and floral tiles. It's an
architectural heritage site and well worth visiting. The colors
and architectural features are typical of the style and taste of
the Peranakans -descendants of early Chinese immigrants who
inter-married with local Malay women -who built these elegant
town houses along the road. It is a mix of Qing style with
tropical and art deco adaptations to suit the local climate and
taste. Peranakan language, clothing, beaded embroidery and
architecture are a special blend of Chinese and Malay styles.
 For a rare moment of tranquility away from the jostling crowds,
walk up Emerald Hill, which lies perpendicular to Orchard Road,
where more of these quaint buildings have been conserved to form
a peaceful, residential neighborhood. Discover the forecourts
with Chinese-styled gates, the elaborate use of wooden doors
that are intricately carved in the Malay tradition, and tiles
with flower motifs which are typical of Peranakan architecture.Walk back down to Orchard Road, turn left and arrive at Centrepoint Shopping Centre. An overhead railway bridge once
spanned this road and all traffic would come to a standstill
whenever a train crossed the bridge. It was believed that bad
luck would befall anyone caught "under" a moving train.
Today, the window displays on the ground floor of Centre point
belong to Robinsons department store, founded by an Englishman
in Singapore. When it started off as a shop in the 18S0s,
Robinsons sold mainly basic food products but today, it is
popular for its ladies' fashion and household goods. Take a rest
at the basement level where Cold Storage supermarket offers
ice-cream, just as it did in 1903 -when it was the first to
bring ice-cream to Singapore.
In the evenings, join locals as they dine at the quaint
restaurants along Cuppage Terrace. Located amidst the conserved
shophouses is H2O Zone, a hip oasis in the heart of Orchard
Road. Aesthetically, the Zone's main attraction is the series of
water-spouting pylons, varying in height from 4.2 meters to 4.7
meters. Not to be outdone is the international line-up of food
and beverage outlets which offer alfresco dining pleasures and
entertainment. One can find a range of cuisines from both East
and West, such as Mexican, Italian, Indian, Indonesian and
Chinese, catered to suit all tastes and appetites.
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Cinemas
Singaporeans are among the world's most frequent movie-goers.
Cinemas here have come a long way from the days when theatres
were only single-screened and bookings had to be "made in person
and only in cash. These days, visit a multi-screen cineplex on
Orchard Road and you have a choice of at least six movies at
anyone time, shown with state-of-the- art sound systems and
booked through computerized systems.
There are three cineplexes along Orchard Road, Lido at Shaw
House, Golden Village Plaza at Plaza Singapura and Cineleisure
Orchard. Catch the kachang puteh man at Cineleisure, whose
offerings of peanuts and snacks in rolled-up paper cones make
him the Asian equivalent of the popcorn vendor.
Ticket prices range from SGDS.OO on weekdays to SGD8.S0 for
weekends and public holidays. Most cinemas have their first
screening at II.OOam and last screening at 9.00pm. The hugely
popular midnight shows are screened during Friday and Saturday
nights. Check the daily newspapers for screening times.
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High-End Shopping
 If money is no object, then there is a wealth of designer shops
you can visit which offer the newest trends hot off the
international runways. Check out:
The Shopping Gallery at the Hilton -two floors of exquisite
shopping with names like Donna Karan, Giorgio Armani, Paul Smith
and Issey Miyake.
Palais Renaissance an Italian-styled mall devoted to designer
wear like DKNY, Gianni Versace and Prada.
Paragon -This elegant shopping centre is home to Ferragamo,
Gucci, Dunhill and the Metropolitan Art Museum shop.
NgeeAnn City -the second level boasts top names like Louis
Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Tiffany and Chanel.
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Budget Shopping
You don't have to feel left out on Orchard Road if you are
shopping on a budget. There are mid-priced stores which offer
quality goods with tags that won't burn a hole in your pocket.
They include:
Lucky Plaza I Orchard Plaza -Shop for trendy ladies' apparel at
"This Fashion" outlets in Lucky Plaza and Orchard Plaza. Also
check out the One.99 shop at Lucky Plaza where everything
ranging from food, gifts to kitchenware (from Japan) costs
SGD2.00.
Far East Plaza -quirky boutiques, shoes as well as electronic
shops.
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