I

t takes more than a day to cover the whole area of Singapore, and it's going to take even more time than that to get the best bargains from across the island during the long awaited Singapore Great Sale.

With Merlion being the only exception, the country is putting everything on sale for your shopping pleasure until July 25, with almost every shop, from giant shopping malls along Orchard Road to ethnic precincts like Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam, putting "up to 70 percent discount" tags on their products during the two-month period.

In addition, a number of interesting festivals will highlight your shopping experience during your stay. Be prepared to witness the astounding giant landscape masterpiece adopted from The Man Who Planted Trees, a French fable written by award-winning French author Jean Giono in 1953, at the biennial Singapore Garden Festival from July 15 to 22.

The festival, occupying 100,000 square meters of space at Suntec Singapore, 20 minutes from Changi International Airport, will have around 30 of the world's top award-winning garden and floral designers, including Suzanne Gaywood, Robert Boltman, Alex Bartlett, Rick Eckersley, Jim Fogarty and Claire Whitehouse, showcasing their mastery in garden planning under different themes during the course of eight days. Available at www.singaporegardenfestival.com, tickets for the festival are sold from S$8 to S$12 per person per day.

Those shopping along Clarke Quay can also experience the tantalizing Singapore Food Festival, running from July 16 to 25, 2010.

The Singapore Food Festival will take place in three other areas besides Clarke Quay with culinary cultures of Singapore Chinese dialects as its theme. After a year, the Clarke Quay Food Street is back on Read Bridge with an array of different Chinese delicacies available in more than 30 famous restaurants and hawker stalls under the wide roof covering the bridge until July 24.

The festival will also take place at Merlion Park with Singapore Dialect Tingkat Cruise as its theme, taking reservations from tourists wanting to indulge in a 45-minute cruise along the Singapore River with various delicacies. The Singapore Dialects Street Snacks will also be opened in Central River Promenade, Merlion Park and Clifford Park, providing various Chinese snacks, including Muah Chee, sugared winter melon strips, preserved lotus roots and lotus seeds, different candies like Dragon Beard, Malt and Ting Ting sold by traditional candy sellers accompanied by daily street shows like wayang performances, string puppets and hand puppets to color the festival.

In addition to the Makansutra SFF Culinary Master Classes, for which bookings can be made at http://singaporefoodfestival.com.sg, the festival will hold the Singapore Chinese Dialect Heritage Feast on the evening of July 25. Offering five buffet lines provided by different restaurants along the Clarke QuayeBridge, namely Chu Yi Kitchen, Yeh Lai Siang, Kew Garden, Gim Tim and Tian Jin Hai Seafood, aspired visitors can enjoy this gastronomic adventure for S$38 per person.

It's going to take a much longer time in Singapore now with all these festivals begging you to extend your stay, and we've got the best place for you to stay during your shopping spree.

At just a five-minute drive from Orchard Road, the complimentary shuttle service from Link Hotel Singapore will make your stay a pleasant one during the Singapore Great Sale. It is the biggest boutique-style hotel in Singapore, offering 288 rooms with themes ranging from Chinese, Malay, Indian and modern. The nostalgic ambience of one of Singapore's oldest heritage estates, Tiong Bahru, is also a plus point.

Within walking distance is the Tiong Bahru Market famous for its Zhui Kueh, complimented by the seafood delicacies of Chinese restaurants and all day dining menus as well as live band performances every workday at its Louver Caf* Lounge. The Breeze Beer Garden is another outlet located on the hotel's rooftop, providing al fresco dining inthe evening. Meanwhile, the hotel's Heritage Room is a unique function room that provides total privacy and an exclusive feel to whatever event is held.