Enjoyed your holiday in the little red dot? Here's a list of the best Singapore Souvenirs to bring home with you as a memento + where you can buy them.

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Food
Singapore is well-known as a foodie's paradise and, in my opinion, an edible gift is one of the best souvenirs you can bring home with you. (Plus most aren't expensive or heavy to carry!)
Here are some of the most practical and delicious food souvenirs for a taste of Singapore at home:
Spice Pastes
If you enjoyed the food at Singapore's famous hawker centers, you can easily recreate them at home using spice packets that you can buy at the local supermarkets:
- Singapore Laksa: this comes in both instant noodle form (I recommend the Prima brand- everything you need is in the packet, although you can add extra ingredients such as prawns and chicken) and as a laksa paste. For the latter, you'll need to add your own noodles and coconut milk- it's a bit more trouble but it does taste better.
- Singapore Chicken Rice
- Bak Kut Teh: my favourite Bak Kut Teh brands are Song Fa and Ya Kun.
- Mee Siam: if you want to try making it from scratch, here is an authentic recipe for Mee Siam.
Where to Buy: Supermarkets
Durian Chocolates
Durian is one of the most popular fruits in Southeast Asia and thought to be the King of Fruits.
Due to the strong smell, you can't bring the fruit on public transport. If you love durians, you'll be happy to hear there are a lot of durian-flavoured food items that you can bring home with you!
PSA: The taste is super strong and not for everyone!
Where to Buy: airport or the souvenir shops in Little India and Chinatown
Bak Kwa & Ba Hu
Chinese Pork Jerky (Bak Kwa) and Pork Floss (Ba Hu) are so popular, there are shops selling it at Changi Airport. It's the perfect souvenir if you enjoy Chinese food! Just note that if it's close to Chinese New Year, there will be long queues.
One of the most popular brands is Bee Cheng Hiang, but you can also click the link for an easy recipe to make at home.
Where to Buy: airport and Bak Kwa Shops (located all over the Lion City- in Chinatown, Orchard Road etc)
Kaya
This coconut spread is a popular Singaporean breakfast. Kaya Jam takes forever to make- you need to cook coconut and eggs with pandan leaves for ages. It's also less easily available outside of Singapore, so a few jars of kaya are the perfect gift.
One of the most famous brands, with cafes (called kopitiams) in all parts of Singapore, is Ya Kun Kaya Toast.
Where to Buy: local supermarkets and local Coffee Chains
Tea
Most people recommend TWG tea- they have a store in Marina Bay Sands- but I personally prefer the tea from a heritage store in Chinatown, Pek Sin Choon. The tea not only tastes better, the boss is even kind enough to do a tea tasting ceremony for customers when he is free.
Tip: they have a tea that is specially formulated to be drunk with Bak Kut Teh (Pork Bone Soup) so, if buying the Bak Kut Teh spice packet, you can buy this tea!
Soy Sauce
If you cook Asian food, you can always use a bottle of soy sauce! Singapore has its own soy sauce companies, 2 of which still use old-fashioned brewing methods: Kwong Woh Hing and Nanyang. (I prefer Kwong Woh Hing.)
Where to Buy: Supermarkets
Salted Egg Snacks
Singaporeans love Salted Egg so much, it's in everything from Salted Egg Chips to Salted Egg Cup Noodles.
Luckily for you, these Singaporean snacks are all small enough to put in your carry on! (Alternatively, I have a great recipe for salted egg sauce here.)
Where to Buy: Supermarkets and Irvins outlets
Singapore Sling
One of Singapore's iconic drinks is the Singapore Sling cocktail. The favourite place to have it is Raffles Hotel, where it was invented.
These days, you can even buy the Singapore Sling in bottled form to bring back with you.
Anything from Design Orchard
Located in Orchard Road (closer to the Somerset end), Design Orchard is an incubator for emerging Singaporean brands and is a great place to get unique but not kitschy mementos of the little red dot.
Where to Buy: Design Orchard, Orchard Road
Gifts for a Cause
The following items are all by artists and designers with special needs, and are a good gift for friends interested in social causes.
The Art Faculty
The Art Faculty sells works designed by artists on the autism spectrum- they get royalties from the sale which helps them become financial independence.
Merlion- themed Items
The Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and body of a fish that is Singapore's official mascot.
Slightly tacky, but items with the Merlion on them are some of the most common and popular Singaporean souvenirs. From key chains and Merlion statues to T-shirts, there's an item for everyone.
Where to Buy: souvenir shops
Peranakan Memorabilia
Peranakans are famous for their intricate designs, which are popular in Singapore. You can find something for every budget, from:
- cards with pictures of Peranakan tiles on them (cheap)
- Peranakan deisgn magnets
- Peranakan porcelain (expensive)
- kebaya (Peranakan traditional clothing top, somewhat similar to the Singapore Airlines stewardess' outfit- expensive)
- beaded shoes (expensive)
Where to buy: Katong (this is the Peranakan hub of Singapore)
Orchid Merchandise
The Orchid is Singapore's national flower, so items with orchids on them are a great take-home gift.
For a higher-end present, I suggest something from Risis, which gold plates real orchids.
Others
Tiger Balm
Tiger Balm is an ointment used for external pain relief that is popular in Southeast Asia.
Tip: Haw Par Villa, also known as Tiger Balm Garden, has over 1000 statues depicting Chinese mythology.
Where to Buy
Some popular places for souvenir shopping are:
- Chinatown
- Kampong Glam
- Little India
- Arab Street (for textiles)
However, those tend to be the more common souvenirs. If you're looking for more unique items, scroll back up to the rest of the post.
Any questions about the best things to bring back from Singapore? Let me know in the comments!
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