Singapore is a city of cultural riches — a veritable melting pot of cultures. An ultra-modern, incredibly wealthy port city, Singapore sparkles with historical flourishes of Malaysian, Chinese, Indian and British influences.
Singapore’s rich history is evidenced by its incredible food culture, while lasting remnants of British colonialism remain in the city’s early architecture and hospitality.
Incredibly safe for tourists, Singapore is an opulent, microcosm of a city-state located on the southern tip of the Malaysian Peninsula. With just over 5 million people on this island nation of 710 square kilometres, it is not hard to see the best of what Singapore has to offer in a couple of days. However, you
Why Plan a Visit to Singapore?
I’ve been lucky enough to spend a considerable amount of time in Singapore on business and during many layovers when transiting through Singapore Changi Airport when travelling through Southeast Asia. I have to confess it is one of my absolute favourite places to visit, and I often find myself longing to go back.
Exceptional food is an equalizer in Singapore, with quality in abundance. Extraordinary Hawker Food centers feature an incredible fusion of local flavours, scents and textures, to the numerous Michelin two-star rated restaurants the city has to offer (7 the last time I counted).
Local Singaporean Favourites
A former colony, Singapore’s old-world British charm and essence are most evident in the world-famous Raffles Hotel (famous for their mixological invention, the Singapore Sling cocktail). Located on Singapore Bay, near the famous ‘Merlion’ water fountain the incredible hotel is worth a visit.
The 19th-century Goodward Park Hotel’s High Tea and the rustic charm of the off-the-beaten-path, shabby-chic shopping and dining area Dempsey Hill and Tanglin village built upon former military barracks.
Contrast that to the late 20th-century jungle of ultra-luxurious modern towers, with rooftop gardens and vertical forests, housing the largest population of millionaires in the world. There you have Singapore.
Dig a bit deeper however, and get to know locals well enough and they will tell you about some of the realities of living and getting by in one of the most expensive, regimented cities in the world. They will also show you some of the hidden secrets of this amazing city. There is much that could be said about the politics of a place, but what I like to focus on is the remarkable beauty of the people, the culture and the profound contrasts of this land.
Orchard Road – Singapore’s Shopping Mecca
About two and a half kilometres in length, Orchard Road is home to grand-scale hotels, restaurants, and two dozen or more interlinked shopping complexes. Notably, much of it is linked underground and connected to the metro stations — locally referred to as the ‘MRT’.
It is impossible to walk the length of Orchard Road without ducking in and out of the underground malls as the tunnels are used as street crossings. If you are at all like me, even with a good sense of direction, it is embarrassingly easy to get lost in the underground passages, but it does beat walking Orchard Road in the blazing summer heat.
The shopping on Orchard skews towards the high-end but with the amount of choice (there are like 24 malls!) along the strip you will find every brand imaginable, ranging from Toys ‘R’ Us to Gucci. Singapore has also long been a destination for purchasing legitimate, high-end watches. Brands like Patek Phillippe, Rolex, Omega, Audemars Piguet, Cartier and Hublot are abundantly available at official licensed boutiques, supposedly with much better discounts and tax incentives than other areas of the world.
ION Orchard Mall
Check out the visually stunning ION Orchard Mall at night to see the LED ‘Media facade‘ light up the corner of Orchard Road. Inside you will find four stories of shopping with a huge amount of food options. One of the best reasons for me to go here is to simply people watch. Get there by train by hopping off at the Orchard MRT Station.
Sentosa Island & Universal Studios
Linked closely to the main island of Singapore by bridge, or by the most impressive way to get to the island — by Cable Car from Mount Faber — Sentosa Island is a massive tourist playground. Things to do on the island include two golf courses – The Serapong Golf Course, home to the Singapore Open and the Sentosa Golf Club, three beaches and copious shopping and dinning locations.
One of the main attractions of the island is “Resorts World Sentosa“, home to Universal Studios, Resorts World Casino and the SEA Aquarium. The S.E.A. Aquarium is one of the worlds largest, most impressive aquariums and is home to over 100,000 aquatic animals.
Cable Car from Sentosa Island to Mount Faber Peak
An evening ride on the cable car up to the tourist spot that is Faber Peak is easily one of Singapore’s most spectacular attractions. The roughly 15 minute ride affords incredible views from the eight seater cable cars that traverses the Singapore harbour and afford views of the city and sea below. At the top is a number of restaurants and bars to make the most of your evening trip.
Breathtaking Cloud Forest and Gardens by the Bay
Calling Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay Super Trees and Cloud Forest breath-taking might just be an understatement. Perhaps ‘mini-wonder of the world’ would better describe this jewel located in the city’s Marina South area adjacent to the Singapore Bay Sands Hotel. The main attractions are the Super Tree grove, Cloud Forest with indoor waterfall, and Flower Dome. If I only had time to see one attraction on a layover, I would make this stop.
Singapore’s Centre of Nightlife and Dining – Clarke Quay
For me, a trip to Singapore is not complete without an evening out at Clarke Quay. The area, located around the revitalised riverfront is home to an extensive array of restaurants, pubs, live music venues, and nightclubs – many located in rehabilitated warehouses and century-old dockside frontages along the riverside.
Around the outside of the Quay, there are a number of really nice restaurants and bars, including moored boats that have been developed into floating restaurants, all with lovely riverside views. The inner courtyard area forms a street-like inner plaza heavily shaded from the sun and weather by a series of massive architectural “Blue-bell” structural canopies, in addition to the standard seating indoors. The inner facades are reminiscent of European streetscapes.
I like to check out The Warehouse Bar for live music, I’ve enjoyed the house band there for a number of years, but it is hard to go wrong with the huge selection of venues there. Be aware that Clark Quay gets incredibly busy later in the evening on weekends, so it’s best to get there a bit on the early side.
Dempsey Hill and Tanglin Village Shopping and Restaurants
Primarily known by locals and ex-pats, If you are looking to find hidden culinary treasures and a charming shopping experience, visit one of the better-kept secrets of Singapore, the quant Dempsey Hill and Tanglin Village.
Teak furniture, exquisite antiques, oriental rug shops and art galleries are featured prominently within the area in addition to some great foodie-quality local eateries.
Located only a few minutes away by taxi from Orchard Road, the historied Dempsey Hill area is situated within the heart of a former expansive nutmeg plantation planted in the 1850s called Mount Harriet that stretched all the way past the site that the Singapore Botanical Gardens now sits on. After a quick flourish, the nutmeg trees succumbed to disease and the area was redeveloped into the Tanglin Barracks in the 1860s by the British Empire. The area still retains the feel of a colonial military village.
Finding a Magical Dining Experience at Dempsey Hill
A good friend and local recommended PS Café at Harding Road. The Architecture of the building was so inviting, it looked more like a Frank Lloyd Wright bungalow than a typical restaurant venue. Walking into the restaurant I was impressed with the view from the curtain wall of windows facing out onto lush jungle and forest. A beautiful respite from the week full of concrete jungle I had been pounding in town. The weather was great and we were offered a lovely table on the outdoor terrace.
I indulged in a couple of cold beers and an excellent interpretation of Rib-eye Streak and Frites with Parmesan and Truffle served a perfect Medium Rare. I was so satisfied with the meal that I returned later in the week to investigate the amazing desserts that they had on offer. This time I decided to head out early and walk from my Orchard Road Hotel which took around 40 mins. It was a great way to see the local area and explore some of the great scenery in and around Dempsey Hill.
Things You Must Not Do or Bring to Singapore
Singapore is a very beautiful, clean country, however, it is also very disciplined and orderly. It may first appear that Singapore is a country of fines when you arrive and see all of the signage of what is forbidden, but don’t let that scare you. I’ve been there many times and have not had any issues whatsoever. Just make sure you follow these rules below:
- Do not attempt to import controlled drugs into the country – this is the most serious on this list as this may be punishable by death, as it is in some other Asian countries. Possession of any quantity of illegal drugs is therefore a very serious crime and can lead to very long prison time and caning, or in some cases the death penalty.
- Do not import e-cigarettes or vaporizers or any tobacco products
- Do not chew gum – it is banned in Singapore. You will notice that you cannot purchase gum in the country.
- No public nudity – this might be a no-brainer for many people, but even a brief flash through your hotel room window can be punishable. Keep your blinds closed when getting dressed.
- Don’t Jaywalk – this is an offence punishable by fines and prison time for multiple infractions.
If you are concerned with what you can bring with you to Singapore, consult this list of Controlled & Prohibited Goods for Import page on the Singapore Customs website.