Distance from the CBD
Orchard is pretty much in the centre of Singapore, so just about any place is equidistant. From Orchard MRT, you can get to the CBD in 15-20 minutes by public transportation. By car, it’ll take about 10 minutes.

Living in Orchard: Morning, day and night
With a bunch of malls around the area, you can spend your morning having brunch at any one of the cafes peppered along Orchard Road before going shopping. While the Botanic Gardens is situated in the Tanglin area, it’s still considered near the Orchard vicinity and is a great place to go for a stroll at any time of the day. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a 161-year old gorgeous tropical garden that’ll temporarily make you feel like you’ve been transported away from the city. 

There’s also plenty of gyms and studios around the Orchard area to satisfy all your fitness needs from Pure Fitness to F45 Training Orchard. Yoga Movement is also a great studio to head to if you fancy some stretching in a beautiful space. 

In the evening, grab dinner at any one of the restaurants while admiring the sparkling lights of Orchard Road. You can also belt out some tunes at K.STAR Karaoke or head to KPO for some amazing bar grub and drinks. Be sure to go early as the place fills up quickly or you’ll have to end up drinking al fresco. 

Shop 
Shopping options are aplenty at Orchard Road. You’ve got an eclectic mix of local and global brands with each of the shopping centres having their own personalities. Head to Ion – a glass-covered mall with plenty of luxurious options or Far East Plaza for inexpensive items sold by independent vendors. Most of these shopping malls also have supermarkets and are connected underground so you can easily cross over from one to the other. 

Eat
There are a plethora of dining options at Orchard so you’ll be spoilt for choice. Wasabi Tei is a hidden gem nestled on the 5th floor of Far East Plaza and is a tiny casual Japanese restaurant that serves fresh sashimi. There’s also burgers at Omakase burger in Wisma Atria, fine dining at Salt Grill & Sky Bar, and The Horse’s Mouth for delicious cocktails and Japanese cuisine. There aren’t any outdoor hawker centres in Singapore but you’ll find plenty of local food options in the food courts within the shopping malls. 

See
For the best view of Singapore, head to ION Sky – a glass-windowed observatory that’s situated on the 56th storey of Ion. From there, you’ll get to see some gorgeous panoramic views of Singapore. Don’t forget to also head to the ION art gallery to check out the contemporary works on display. For a more unique part of Orchard, Emerald Hill is a conservation area that has plenty of unique terrace houses that are currently being taken up by commercial businesses. Fancy some reading? The library@orchard is beautifully designed and has a vast array of reading choices to offer its visitors. Along Orchard Road is also the official residence and office of the President of Singapore, also known as the Istana. While you can’t enter the building, you can admire the heritage building from the outside. 

The downside
Traffic can be a killer at Orchard Road, and expect hordes of people during the weekends and on most weekdays. If you come from a dense urban area then you’ll find the crowd tolerable, however, a peaceful stroll is not something you can find outside your condominium or estate grounds as Orchard Road is not only in a central location but also a prime tourist spot. 

Noise pollution is another thing you’d need to consider in Orchard Road, and there aren’t that many HDB flats in the area. Prices here are also exorbitant and you won’t find many schools in the area.  

Making the most of your move to Singapore 
If you are in the process of planning your move, make sure you read our comprehensive and refreshed 2021 Moving to Singapore Guide to learn more about the real cost of living in Singapore, what you need to prepare for and insights on family and work-life as an expat.

You can also use our free relocation dashboard to discover other areas to live, chat with a community of likeminded people and begin setting up for your new life in Singapore... all before you land.