Singapore
has long been a name synonymous with energy, enterprise and skill. Today this
island city-state has become a commercial power-house and a tourist mecca.
Whether your stay is long or short, you’ll be impressed by Singapore’s
vibrant fusion of past and future.
There’s far more to today’s Singapore than its reputation as a
clean, safe, sophisticated destination! You’ll find serene manicured gardens
overlooked by glittering skyscrapers; state-of-the-art transportation and
world-class cultural programmes; shopping fantasies fulfilled in street markets
and designer malls; mouth-watering culinary delights from local street stalls to
international fine dining – all infused with an unmistakable eastern
flavour.
WHAT
TO SEE
Colonial
Singapore
Be
sure to see Singapore’s
neo-classical 'Colonial Heart', spanning Padang, Cricket Club and the elegant Parliament
House, the Supreme Court and City Hall.
Orchard
Road
Orchard
Road is Singapore’s main shopping artery with
stores all along the way. At night it magically transforms itself into the
city’s glittering entertainment district.
Little
India
Stretching
from Lavendar
Street to Rochor Canal,
this corner of Singapore is vividly Indian in
character. As you step into Little
India, be prepared for an overpowering of the senses! First, you will be greeted
by the strong, heady scent of spices and jasmine garlands, followed by the
treasure trove of silverware, brassware, ethnic jewellery and colourful silk
saris, dazzling to behold. See and buy Indian handicrafts, sample delicious food
and catch typically Indian sights - especially in the Hindu
temples.
Chinatown
Singapore’s
Chinatown evolved around 1821 when the first Chinese junk arrived from Xiamen, Fujian province in
China. The passengers, all men, set up home
around the south of the Singapore River which is known today as Telok Ayer.
Although much redeveloped, Chinatown still
retains pockets of genuinely old shophouses where age-old trades like
clog-making, fortune-telling and calligraphy continue. Characteristic
shop-houses with shuttered upper floor and arcaded street front are much in
evidence.
Mount
Faber
On
Singapore’s coast and the
point from which cable cars travel to Sentosa - offering tremendous views of
Singapore, the harbour and nearby
islands.
Sentosa
Chockfull
of attractions, Sentosa offers are water amusement parks, landscaped gardens,
and beach clubs with live music, a butterfly garden, an ethnic village and a
fabulous aquarium (Underwater World).
Singapore
Zoo
Singapore
Zoo is one of the finest of its kind, housing over 3,000 mammals, birds and
reptiles. Two key attractions are the `Fragile Forest’- an impressive display of
endangered ecosystems, and the Orang-utan enclosure.
Night
Safari
Night
Safari is unique in the world – a night zoo, through which you can walk or
travel by tram. The safari park is set in eight geographical zones and includes
a bat enclosure, a leopard trail, and regular animal
shows.
Jurong
Bird Park
A
top Singapore attractions and
South East Asia’s largest bird park, with over
600 species. Regular bird shows and a simulated noon thunderstorm everyday are
two highlights.
Ming
Village
Porcelain
is made here by artisans using the ancient techniques developed at the time of
the great Ming Dynasty emperors.
National
Orchid Garden
In
the Botanic Gardens to the west of the city, this is said to be the largest
collection of orchids in the world amid 128 acres of landscaped parkland and
primary jungle.
WHAT
TO DO
River
Cruises
Without
doubt the best way to view many of the buildings, statues, monuments and museums
that Singapore has inherited from its colonial past – and quite a few of their
high-rise successors - is to take a
cruise along the Singapore River from Clarke Quay.
Golf
With
perfect weather nearly all year round, Singapore is the ideal destination
for golf. You can enjoy the courses at large and well-equipped public courses,
or enjoy the more intimate atmosphere of the golf courses at country clubs and
hotels. Some courses are open for evening play.
Horse-Racing
Horse
racing in Singapore has had a long and
illustrious history, beginning in 1842 with the formation of the Singapore
Sporting Club by a group of racing enthusiasts. During its varied and colourful
past, the racecourse grounds had been used for an array of activities ranging
from polo matches to the landing of the first aircraft in Singapore. In 1924, the Singapore Sporting Club
changed its name to Singapore Turf Club, to better reflect its role.
Singapore’s Kranji Racecourse ranks
among the world’s premier courses, with racing in the evening under spectacular
floodlights on Fridays and on selected weekend afternoons.
Shopping
Orchard
Road, Singapore’s ‘Fifth Avenue’, is
where it’s at – crammed with vast luxury malls, mega-stores and souvenir
vendors, cafés and restaurants. Arab Street, centre of the Arabian quarter,
is another great shopping spot – as are Baghdad Street and Bussorah Street.
Explore Chinatown’s shops, teahouses and
restaurants.
Entertainment
Visit
legendary Raffles Hotel for a head-spinning ‘Singapore Sling’. Then plunge into
the city’s nightlife, a whirlwind of bars, clubs, discos, karaoke pubs, street
opera, night markets, river cruises, multiplex cinemas and international stage
shows. Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are popular riverside landmarks with stylish
restaurants, alfresco dining and lively bars. Moored Chinese junks have been
refurbished into floating bars and restaurants. Bugis Street,
Changi Village and Holland Village are popular areas for food, drink
and entertainment. Muhammad Sultan
Road and Club Street are developing entertainment
hubs with an array of pubs, nightclubs and wine bars.