Day 1: Singapore Zoo and Night Safari: Raffles Hotel Bugis Street Market Little India Kampong Glam Civic District
Day 1: Singapore Zoo and Night Safari: Raffles Hotel Bugis Street Market Little India Kampong Glam Civic District
Day 1: Singapore Zoo and Night Safari: Raffles Hotel Bugis Street Market Little India Kampong Glam Civic District
It's also a stone's throw away from many places of interest in Singapore, such as Raffles Hotel, Bugis Street Market, Little India, Kampong Glam and the Civic District. One of Singapore's most vibrant and historic district - Chinatown, is only 2km from us! Tree In Lodge No.2 Tan Quee Lan Street, (Bugis) Level 02, Unit No. 02-01 Singapore 188091
For those who FLY into Singapore: It is only 30mins (well, to be exact, 31mins) by MRT* from Changi International Airport to Bugis MRT station (EW12) on the East-West line (it's the green line on the MRT map). From Bugis MRT station, follow Exit C to enter Bugis Junction. After taking the escalators to ground level, cut across Bugis Junction (either through the BHG Shopping Mall or walk along the external retail shops) towards McDonalds and Starbucks Coffee. o Ask for directions to McDonalds or Starbucks Coffee if you cannot find the way Dont worry; Singaporeans are friendly enough to show you the way You will see North Bridge Road in front of you. Cross North Bridge Road towards Tan Quee Lan Street. Walk 200m down Tan Quee Lan Street. We are just round the corner! Entrance to the lift lobby is on side of the building facing the small alley.
Grab a cable car across the water to Sentosa Island and make a day of it. The biggest attraction is Underwater World, a huge aquarium with plenty of fish and sharks to observe, with a conveyor-belt tunnel going through a tank being the main attraction. Entry to Underwater World includes a visit to Dolphin Lagoon (get there by shuttle bus), where you can either sign up for a personal meet a dolphin session or watch a choreographed show. Try to get off the beaten track at Sentosa by following some of the walking paths through the forested areas rather than always using the shuttle bus. There are dozens of other activities on Sentosa, and plenty of places to eat and relax
price range, know exactly what brand and model you want, check the international warranty is part of the deal, and it can still be a bargain. I have to confess that shopping malls are some of my least favourite places in the world, however I did enjoy wandering around Vivo for the sparkly glamour, Bugis Junction for convenience and books, and even ventured once or twice to Orchard Rd and the high-end glamour malls. The Artists' Village: 20 Years On Art lovers have a variety of options to explore for a more in-depth understanding of the traditional and contemporary cultural scene. The Asian Civilisations Museum on two sites, at Empress Place and the Peranakan Museum on Armenian St is a fascinating exploration on the heritage of Asian cultures, and also has a caf and gift shop selling a great selection of books and CDs by local authors and musicians. The Singapore Art Museum, on Bras Basah Rd, shows major international exhibitions, including French photographer Alain Fleischner and high-profile local talent, including an exhibition showcasing over 20 years of work from The Artists Village; solo show by Masriadi: Black is My Last Weapon; and of course the exciting Singapore Biennale in September. Just across the road, The National Museum of Singapore has a fantastic history show, and also displays contemporary work in the permanent collection, with an intriguing food room, activities for kids and wonderful swinging chandeliers. Recent temporary exhibits include the media arts exhibition as part of ISEA (International Symposium on Electronic Arts), a solo show by Matthew Ngui, and gorgeous sculpture, sound & video installation Transient Light Whispering Breeze, a collaboration between Spanish artist Ruben Ramos Balsa and Yuen Chee Wai. On nearby Armenian St, experience the sounds of Singapores cutting edge underground at The Substation, one of the longest running art spaces for all kinds of experimental music, art and performances. I attended a noise gig there with Justice Yeldham playing broken glass, local performance poetry and breakcore, and just missed sound art supergroup Sonicbrat, Zul and in Libations of the Moon. Grey Projects, an intimate artist run space at 40 Zion Rd has cutting edge contemporary art to fuel the imagination, and Osage Gallery is located at the top of Mt Sophia, just behind Dobhy Gaut MRT, with a spectacular view of the city and eclectic program including Asian focus on media and sound art, with lush bars nearby to relax and discuss the works.
Arab Street in Singapore As you wander through Little India, make sure you check out the latest happening artist-run Post Museum, which has a gallery, performance space upstairs and Food 03 vegetarian restaurant (109 Rowell Rd, Singapore 208033). The prices are higher than usual for this area, but you know your money is supporting local artists and producers, and the food is excellent, if a little slow, and the chic stripped-back dcor gives a calm ambiance amidst the bustle and crowds. Also visit Your Mother Gallery at 91A Hindoo Rd for more alternative culture. Arab St has the most wonderful selection of fabric, where you can find yourself some gorgeous sari material or wonderfully textured linens, colourful patterns and have it sewn up by the tailors located upstairs. Try a shisha (hooka-style pipe) in one of the many late-night cafs, or listen to the live music at Blue Jazz, and find hardcore punk in the alternative music shop on Bali Lane, next to the very cool gothic glam clothes store, which will also make up their designs to suit your style. If youre craving a sense of life outside the city skyscrapers, head West to Jurong Bird park, or walk through Chinese Gardens to visit the live turtle museum, and gorgeous red wooden bridges in the Japanese Gardens. The Tang Dynasty village is now in romantic ruins, awaiting redevelopment, but Haw Par village can still be visited for a unique experience of the kitsch elements in Chinese mythology, rendered in fabulously colourful concrete and stone. A trip to the 10 Courts of Hell will only cost you $1, and is definitely one of the highlights for me. A walk through the treetrops in McRitchie reserve is recommended, although its a long hike to get there, the surrounding forest is worth the effort. Palau Ubin Island is another option for the adventurous, take a ferry across and relax with a beer from one of the traditional wooden shops or rent a bicycle to discover the very edge of Singapore. (Check the Viator website for more Singapore tours & Singapore day trips.)
An architectural marvel
Linking Marina Bay to Marina Centre, the Helix Bridge, is set to become Singapores next landmark. Located beside the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, alongside the vehicular Bayfront Bridge, it was officially opened on 24 April 2010 and is the worlds first curved bridge. This 280-metre pedestrian linkway the longest in Singapore features a worlds first double-helix structure, designed by an international design consortium, comprising of Australian architects Cox Group and engineers Arup, together with Singapore-based Architects 61. Inspired by the yin and yang concept in Asian culture, the architecturally unique bridge is said to bring wealth, happiness and prosperity to Marina Bay.
The Helix Bridge is an engineering feat assembled with great precision. Its curved design is created by two opposing spiral steel members, held together by a series of connecting struts, symbolising life and continuity, renewal, everlasting abundance and growth, and resembles the structure of DNA. One of the connecting bridges will link the three waterfront gardens at Marina South, Marina East and Marina Centre, to form a continuous public waterfront loop, while also linking the Double Helix Bridge to the Marina Bay Sands, the Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay. You can catch a panoramic view of the Singapore skyline and watch events taking place at the Bay from one of its five viewing platforms sited at strategic locations. Fritted-glass and steel glass canopies providing shade and seats are also available at resting points. View paintings and drawings by youths along this crossing, or enhance your bridge crossing experience at night with lights that illuminate the steel structure to create different moods. For a memorable experience, be sure to visit this engineering marvel situated in the heart of the city.
Suntec City
Suntec City is located at Marina Centre. Used to be the largest Singapore Shopping Mall until Vivo City. It has 82,500 m2 of retail space. The Shopping Mall is link up with the Convention and Exhibition Hall. It is divided into four zones: Galleria, Tropics, Entertainment Centre and Fountain Terrance. The Galleria, located on the ground floor of the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, offering high-end international labels targeted specifically at convention delegates and tourists. The Tropics offers a more wide-ranging choice of outlets for a wider budget range, with added emphasize on lifestyle merchandise and services. The Entertainment Centre at the north-eastern end of the mall is dedicated to entertainmentrelated tenants such as a 5-theatre cineplex, as well as the site of Carrefour's first outlet in Singapore The Fountain Terrace is located around the Fountain of Wealth, and specializes in food and beverage outlets. Operating Hours : 10am ~ 10pm MRT Station : City Hall (EW13/NS25) Back to Top
Paragon
Paragon is an upmarket shopping centre located at the heart of Singapore Orchard Road. Branded and lots of branded goods are sold here. Gucci, Alfred Dunhill, Escada are some of the many stores in here. Anchor tenants include Metro and Marks and Spencer. The city ticket office for Singapore Airlines is also located in the shopping centre. Travellers can collect their boarding passes and advance check-in up to 48 hours before their scheduled flights. Operating Hours : 10am ~ 11pm MRT Station : Somerset (NS23) or Orchard (NS22) Back to Top
Marina Square
Marina Square is located next to the bay area. Singapore Flyer, the latest Singapore attraction is just next to it. There are fashion boutique like Topshop, Mango, Zara, Topman and many more. If this is still not enough, check out the departmental store, John Little. Marina Square is seamlessly connected from City Hall MRT station through the integrated walkway via the CityLink Mall. Operating Hours : 10am ~ 11pm MRT Station : City Hall (NS25/EW13) Back to Top
Bugis Junction
Bugis Junction is located at Victoria Street. It consists of a shopping mall, an office tower and the Intercontinental Singapore Hotel. The mall also has a glass covered shopping streets which is the first in the country. Anchor tenants include BHG. Other tenants include, Books Kinokuniya, Cold Storage, Food Junction, a Bugis Cineplex and numerous restaurants. At the ground level, there is a water display near to the MacDonald. During the weekend, there are many children gather at the water display to enjoy the splashing of water. You can always bring your kids along to play with the other children. But do remember to bring extra clothing for your kids. Operating Hours : 10am ~ 11pm MRT Station : Bugis (EW12) Back to Top
Ngee Ann City or better know the local as Takashimaya who is the anchor tenant. It is located at the heart of Orchard Road. Ngee Ann City has two office towers, Tower A and B which are both 26 storeys high. Takashimaya department store and Kinokuniya, the largest bookstore in Southeast Asia are one of the many stores in here. Ngee Ann City is also home to the largest Best Denki in Singapore In front the building is call Civic Plaza, where roadshows, concerts, functions, performances are held. The building is connected by underpass to Wisma Atria and Lucky Plaza. Operating Hours : 10am ~ 11pm MRT Station : Orchard (NS22)
Understand
The following itineraries illustrate three ways to spend one day in Singapore. They all assume you will start from and end your trip at your lodgings. You can select the activities that sound interesting to you and follow them in any order, including mixing and matching the morning/afternoon/evening sections from the three different itineraries as you like. All listed prices are in Singapore dollars. The estimates provided below do not include food, drinks or the cost of transportation between the hotel where you are staying and the locations of the first and last destinations stated in each itinerary.
[edit] Prepare
Traveling in Singapore is easy enough, but equipping yourself with a bottle of water and a decent map the free Singapore Tourist Map is fine is advisable. If you plan on using the subway system, or MRT as it is known in Singapore, you should consider investing in the pre-paid EZ-Link card. Using the EZ-Link card not only helps you to avoid the lines at the ticket counters, it also helps you to save money since you get a 15% discount although this is offset by a nonrefundable charge of $5 to purchase the card.
[edit] Day 1
The Tourist Loop If you have to pick one itinerary out of the three listed here, this is the one. Be forewarned however that this itinerary follows very closely the typical itineraries devised by tour groups and what you will mostly see will be limited to the touristy face of Singapore. Approximate cost per person for admissions and transport: $50.
[edit] Morning
[edit] Afternoon
By noon you will be hot, sweaty and probably a little peckish. Take an air-conditioned taxi to Orchard Road, or more specifically Ngee Ann City (also known as Takashimaya), to begin the shopping portion of your tour. Unlike America's malls, which occupy acres and acres of land, Singapore's scarcity of land forces its malls to develop skywards. Among the many malls in Singapore, Ngee Ann City is considered to be the premier mall destination, hands down, and boasts an amazing number of high-end boutiques, including Tiffany, Cartier, Louis Vuitton; and Takashimaya, which is Japanese for the equivalent of Neiman-Marcus or Harrods. Start off with a quick lunch in the food court located in Ngee Ann City's basement. Dependable Singaporean-Chinese chain Crystal Jade has no less than 4 outlets scattered throughout the mall (the ones in the basement are cheap, those up top cost more), Sushitei (2nd floor) serves up very good conveyor belt sushi, Central (Basement 1) has a modern take on Hong Kong cuisine, and if you're still pining for more options, the lower basement food court has more options than you can shake a chopstick at. Your course from here onward depends on your interests, there are literally dozens of shopping malls along Orchard Rd stretching in both directions from Takashimaya. Up on the third floor is
Kinokuniya, Singapore's largest bookstore. If Takashimaya's lower floors aren't enough, across the road is Paragon, full of yet more expensive luxury brands. Teenagers will wish to hop over to The Heeren, just to the right (east) of Paragon, which houses a gigantic HMV outlet (which has since moved across the road to 313@Somerset) and lots of hip but affordable little youth fashion stores, especially on the top floor. If you're looking for something specific and can't find it, the Singapore Visitors Centre across the road from the Heeren will be glad to assist. But do yourself a favor and avoid buying any electronics in Lucky Plaza, a notorious pit of ripoff artists.
[edit] Evening
for the iconic Singaporean dish chilli crab (around $3/100g). Order a side of mantou dumplings to sop up the delicious sauce and dig in and leave the nice clothes at the hotel, because this can get messy! After dinner, keep on walking and you'll soon spy the bright lights of Clarke Quay and (further down) Robertson Quay. There are countless pubs, bars and clubs here which change rapidly, just spot one with a crowd and join in. In the unlikely event that you don't find anything to your liking, grab a cab (or keep on walking) for the short hop down to Mohamed Sultan Rd or Singapore's most famous nightclub Zouk. Most establishments stay open until the wee hours and there's usually discounted entrance or happy hours before 10, so party on until dawn!
[edit] Day 2
Culture Vulture Today's excursion concentrates more on the cultural side of things, with loops through Chinatown and Little India. Approximate cost per person for admissions and transport: $10
[edit] Morning
if you arrive before 11 AM you'll may even have a chance to gaze upon it from a distance before the curtain shuts. On the roof, you'll find 10,000 miniature Buddhas and a giant Tibetan-style prayer wheel. Feeling peckish enough for lunch? If yes, you can turn right onto Smith Street (5) for a row of gentrified hawker stalls prettified for tourists, or left into Maxwell Food Centre (6), which doesn't score much points for ambience but does serve some very good local food. Pick the stall with the longest queue and dig in! Be sure to leave some room for dessert at Tong Heng (7) at 285 South Bridge Road, famed for its egg tarts ($1). Properly stuffed, it's time to take a break and digest all that at Tea Chapter (8), just down the street at 9 Neil Road (pick the right fork of the crossing), where you can introduced to Chinese tea ceremony for as little as $8. This is not an experience to be rushed, particularly if you opt for one of the better grades of tea, so sit back and watch carefully as the staff shows you how to pour and appreciate a proper cup of tea. You can also buy Chinese tea and utensils from here.
[edit] Afternoon
inside: this is paan, a mildly narcotic concoction of betel nut and lime. Go ahead and try some, but the taste is bitter, it stains your teeth red and you need to keep chewing for 20 minutes to get any buzz. Return to Serangoon Road and walk up the street. Explore the countless little shops here, one specializing in bangles, another in incense, many in Indian music and Bollywood DVDs. Soon to your right you will see Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple (3). This is Little India's oldest temple, dating back to 1881, not as grand in size as Chinatown's Sri Mariamman but usually much busier. In February (usually), this is also the starting point of the procession for Thaipusam, celebrated in Singapore and Malaysia by devotees who attach heavy weights and portable shrines to their skin with skewers (kavadi) and carry them kilometers across the city to another shrine. Free admission but donations welcome. Keep walking down Serangoon Road until you see Serangoon Plaza. The road leading right from here is Syed Alwi Road, home to a shopping extravaganza like no other, the inimitable Mustafa Centre (7). Open 24 hours a day, this perennially packed discount department store will happily sell you absolutely anything imaginable: on the same trip you can easily pick up a high-end camera, a tube of toothpaste, five kilos of mangoes, a golden necklace, some Bollywood DVDs, a box of imported Bisquick pancake mix, a washing machine and five meters of patterned silk. Next, you can get a suit tailored at Mustafa Tailor, eat fish and chips at Mustafa Restaurant, buy tickets at Mustafa Travel Agency, exchange your leftover Omani rials at Mustafa Exchange and collapse into a cheap room at Mustafa Hotel. While you can find pretty much anything you need here, electronics are a particularly good buy as prices are extremely competitive and there's no hassle or risk of ripoffs. Just don't expect much in the way of attentive service! Hungry yet? If it's already dinnertime, there are countless options in the vicinity, and if you're adventurous by all means consider some fish head curry Banana Leaf Apolo (5) and Muthu's (6), on nearby Race Course Rd, are both famous for this. Good yet less fishy options include Delhi, for somewhat upmarket North Indian fare just Serangoon Road, and Komala Vilas (4), for vegetarian South Indian goodies with outlets both back where you came from and a little more up the road on Serangoon. Properly curried up, lug your big bags of Mustafa goodies across Serangoon Rd, down Birch Street and into the air-conditioned coolness of the Farrer Park MRT station, from where you can head back to your hotel to rest your aching feet.
[edit] Day 3
[edit] Morning
Start by finding your way to HarbourFront, the southern terminus of MRT North-East Line, and then follow the signs towards the cable car getting there involves crossing through a shopping mall and then a parking lot. Purchase a return ticket on the ground level ($24 including admission to Sentosa), then head up by elevator. The crossing takes just 5.5 minutes and gives good opportunities to gawk at the Port of Singapore (to your right), the massive Star cruise ships at the Cruise Center below and the fancy condos sprouting up
to your right. After climbing up to a tower you'll start your descent to Sentosa; to your left is the ResortsWorld, home to Singapore's second casino and Universal Studios theme park. The cable car will drop you off at the center of Sentosa. History buffs may wish to drop into Images of Singapore ($10) nearby, for a sanitized, kid-friendly version of Singapore's history, but the Sky Tower and the Merlion don't really have much to offer (you've already seen the same views from the cable car). Hop onto a Blue or Green Line bus and head one stop to Underwater World ($25), arguably the best of Sentosa's attractions: this is a giant aquarium packed with sharks, manta rays and all sorts of weird and wonderful sea creatures. Next door is Fort Siloso ($8), an authentic colonial-era British fort, where you are introduced to life as a soldier of a British Empire and taken through various well-done exhibits covering Singapore during World War II. (Not suitable for very young children, although older ones will probably get a kick out of it.) After buying your ticket, a tram will take you to the top of the hill.
[edit] Afternoon
Hungry yet? Avoid the awful cafeteria at Underwater World and head a few steps down to Siloso Beach, where you will find a number of decent restaurants including Sakae Sushi, Trapizza and hot Ibizan nightspot Cafe del Mar, which doubles as a restaurant during the day. Take the Beach Tram through Beach Station (where you need to change trams) down to Dolphin Lagoon, which is kind of cheesy dolphins jumping through hoops and all that jazz but free with your Underwater World. Try to time your visit for the "Meet the Dolphin" sessions at 11 AM, 1.30 PM, 3.30 PM and 5.30 PM. By now even the most determined traveller is going to feel a bit hot and sweaty. Head on back to Palawan Beach, right next to Dolphin Lagoon, which features the self-proclaimed Southernmost Point of the Asian Continent (a claim vigorously disputed by Malaysia) and the hip Cafe del Mar, a franchise of the Ibizan superclub. Peel down to your swimsuit, order a fruity cocktail and dip into the pool while watching the beach babes/hunks strutting their stuff. Once you've had your fill of relaxing at the beach, there are two ways to continue. Option 1: If you've had your fill of Sentosa, take the Red Line bus to the Merlion, take the obligatory souvenir snapshots, then take the series of escalators back to the cable car station. Take the cable car back across to HarbourFront, but don't get off yet instead, continue straight onto Mount Faber for nice sunset views of Singapore. The Jewel Box complex of restaurants here is a little pricy, but the rooftop Moonstone it's a nice place for a drink. And that's it for today. Take the cable car back to HarbourFront and head out in search of dinner. Option 2: If night is falling but you're still in the mood for more Sentosa, take the Beach Tram back and catch the 7:40 PM or 8:40 PM shows at the Songs of the Sea, a multimedia extravaganza with singing, dancing, lasers, pyrotechnics and more. Tickets cost $6 and it's best to book them early, as the show is very popular, especially on weekends. If you have time to kill, grab a bite at the Koufu food court nearby, and once the show is over, you can either hop on a bus to the cable car station or party the night away at Cafe del Mar.