Once an uptight city-state, that most people skipped on their journey to more enjoyable destinations in South-East Asia, Singapore went from Singa-bore to Singa-roar. The events calendar now includes an F1 city race, yacht show, fashion week, art fair, Mosaic music festival and World Gourmet summit.
Things to do
Shop till you drop
Sales last from May till July and prices drop by 70%. Funan Digitalife Mall and Sim Lim Square are places to shop for electronics. Haggling is fine here and you can ask for an extra discount if you pay cash. Hip shops are found on a narrow Haji Lane in the Arabic Quarter.
Get high
Watching the sun going down over Singapore River, Raffles Place, Empress Palace and the Padang during a 30-minute ride on a 165-meter high observation wheel (that’s the height of a 42-storey building) will make for a memorable experience.
Go to the park
You’d be surprised to find out that over 50% of Singapore is green. One of the best places to relax are the Botanic Gardens that are open from 5 am till midnight. Put on your running shoes and join joggers, tai-chi and yoga practitioners, walk in the virgin rainforest and pay a visit to the National Orchid Garden, home to over 1000 orchid species.
Get wild
Singapore offers a fantastic Night Safari in the 40-hectare park. There nocturnal animals come out at night; over 30% of them are endangered species: see them while you can!
Play Golf
Singaporeans inherited their love of golf from the Brits. The ultimate golf experience can be found at Marina Bay Golf course: here you can play an 18-hole course against the majestic backdrop of the three towers of Marina Bay Sands.
Travel to the future ( or re-live Avatar )
The perfect place for time and space travel is Gardens by the Bay. The stunning Supertrees are a group of structures between 25 and 50m high. Together with Cloud Forest and Flower Dome they form a cutting edge flora and fauna exhibition.
Go national
Singapore is home to many nations. Use this opportunity and soak up some culture in Little India, China town and Arab Quarter. Try some food: Turkish delights, satays, noodles and of course Hainanese chicken rice. Chinatown Heritage Centre gives you a chance to see authentic Singapore: entire street scenes from the 19th and 20th centuries were painstakingly recreated there.
Get a drink at Marina Bay Sands rooftop bar, but be warned, that you need to be the hotel’s guest or pay extra to visit the pool and take THAT picture in the infinity pool with the Lion City beneath you. Another great place for drinks, outside five-star hotel bars, is at Clarke Quay – restaurants, bars and clubs are open there till early morning.
