Ngee An City, Singapore

Given that Singapore has so many malls, shoppers need to know which shopping centres offer a balance of designer, high street and unique boutiques. Ngee Ann City offers a good blend with a distinctly Japanese flavour.

The eight-level mall is dom-inated by Japanese department store Takashimaya (tel: 65 6738 1111) and its affiliated books specialist Books Kinokuniya (tel: 65 6737 5021). Kinokuniya sets the standard with its inviting atmosphere, which encourages browsers to flick through the thousands of tomes on display or chill out in its low-key cafe. Also from Japan is Best Denki (tel: 65 6835 2855), a large electronics store offering a vast array of widescreen televisions, massage chairs and other hi-tech goods.

At Novo (tel: 65 6887 0183), shoe fans are sure to swoon over the fondant fancy shades of jelly sandals in 11 different styles from S$75 ($340). The Malaysian-owned British India (tel: 65 6834 1172) sells men's and women's tropical apparel with a design aesthetic that harks back to the days of the British Raj. Think crisp cottons and cooling linen shirts (about S$150).

The Better Toy Store (tel: 65 6836 4645) sells high-quality, mainly old-fashioned wooden games and toys that encourage interactive play. Close by is Creative Hands (tel: 65 6738 1690), an emporium of paints, dyes, clay and washes for every possible surface. Art classes take place in the adjacent premises, which also sells fine-art materials. Opera Gallery (tel: 65 6735 2618) stocks artwork from around the world in mostly acrylics and oils on canvas (from S$13,000) while True Colours (tel: 65 6736 2973) specialises in art of a different kind: make-up. Offering eyebrow shaping and makeovers using Nars, Laura Mercier and Philosophy products, this light-filled store is a good stop before a big night out.

At VGO (tel: 65 6543 5828) 'health is life' and it has all manner of body-sculpting equipment and foot massagers that claim to detoxify and tone. Bookbinders Design (tel: 65 6423 4544) is an excellent store selling items made from paper. Frames, limited-edition notepads, writing paper and envelopes will appeal to the refined stationery enthusiast.

Women's Secret (tel: 65 6735 2042) sells sexy ladies' underwear (S$20-S$35), with this season's look based on an Aztec vibe. Blue Canopy (tel: 65 6734 3505) specialises in kitchenware, mainly in glass, with a range of chic Legnoart cooking utensils. Bin House (tel: 65 6733 6789) sells hand-woven silks and batik sarongs crafted in Indonesia.