Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights the best Singapore has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
- Viewpoint
- Head up to hiply vertigo-inducing New Asia Bar or the City Space lounge bar in the Equinox Complex (www.equinoxcomplex.com), on floors 70–72 of Swissotel The Stamford, for stunning views of downtown Singapore.
- Arts and culture
- The newly renovated National Museum of Singapore on Stamford Road (+65 6332 3659; www.nationalmuseum.sg) is well worth a visit – even if it’s just to see its slick facelift and new extenstion. We also love the Mint Museum of Toys (+65 6339 0660; www.emint.com) at 26 Seah Street, next to the Raffles Hotel. This cleverly displayed private collection offers a privileged peek at the playthings of the past. There’s a nice little bistro for post-play reminiscing, too. Have a nose around experimental art space Plastique Kinetic Worms at 61 Kerbau Road (www.pkworms.org.sg), a gallery run by artists.
- Something for nothing
- Wander through the Singapore Botanic Gardens (www.sbg.org.sg) at daybreak for respite from the city’s urban sprawl and a spectacular overview of the region’s flora. The gardens open at 5am. If you’re more nightjar than early bird, stroll along the Changi Point Boardwalk on Singapore’s easternmost tip at sunset.
- Shopping
- When you land, pick up maps and shopping brochures at airport (they often have discount vouchers inside) and get your VAT back when departing. Singapore is renowned for its bargain watches, with up to 35 per cent off big-name brands. Try the Hour Glass (www.thehourglass.com), Sincere Fine Watches (www.sincerewatch.com) or Cortina Watch (www.cortinawatch.com). Electronics are also cheap here – Sim Lim Square mall is the place to go for anything blinking, digital or with a screen. Remember to shop around and let store owners see you doing your research; prices can vary widely and you shouldn’t be afraid to bargain. Haji Lane is a tiny street lined with former shophouses transformed into trendy little boutiques; we love Pluck at 31–33 (+65 6396 4048), which stocks vintage kitsch finds as well as iPod covers and bags in reclaimed fabrics; it also has a sweet ice-cream parlour. For Chinese gifts and homewares, head to Yue Hwa Chinese Products (+65 6538 4222) in Chinatown. Also look out for local fashion label All Dressed Up (+65 6836 3238), established by Singapore style guru Tina Tan Leo and designed by Sven Tan, and ogle the pretty-perfect interiors and lifestyle must-haves at the flagship Egg3 store at 33 Erskine Road (+65 6536 6977).
- Daytripper
- Book into the hypnotic Spa Botanica (+65 6371 1318; www.spabotanica.com) on Sentosa Island, a 30-minute drive from the city, and indulge in a lazy day of wallowing in natural volcanic mud baths, soothing massages and cleansing facials. Have lunch at Il Lido (+65 6866 1977), the city’s best Italian restaurant, pre- or post-pampering. If all this self-indulgence makes you feel guilty, tell yourself you only went because the spa is an architectural heritage award-winner.
- Best beach
- Just to the south of the main island, Sentosa Island has the best sandy stretches. At weekends, the beach bars that dot the shores of little islands Tanjong and Siloso buzz with bikini-clad vixens and hard-bodied hunks. They come to worship the sun, play beach volleyball, dip in the bars’ plunge pools, dance, mingle, show off their physiques and generally prove that Singaporeans are cooler and more like Los Angelinos than you previously imagined. It all makes for brilliant people-watching: rent sunloungers or just check out the chilled sunset bar scenes at KM8 (+65 6274 2288) at Tanjong Beach and Coastes (+65 6274 9668) or Café del Mar (+65 6235 1296) at Siloso Beach.
- Children
- Wow them with a glimpse of sharks, dugongs and stingrays as you glide along an 83-metre glass tunnel at Underwater World on Sentosa Island (+65 6275 0030; www.underwaterworld.com.sg), or sling your kids through the air on the Flying Trapeze (www.sentosa.com.sg). Treat them to dinner at nearby Trapizza afterwards.
- Activities
- Singapore’s beaches are lined with sports clubs – charter a boat or go windsurfing or sailing with SAF Yacht Club (www.safyc.org.sg), which has bases at Changi (+65 6758 3032) and Sembawang (+65 6758 3359). Fort Canning Park, once the seat of a 14th-century Malay kingdom, is now home to a nicely random set of diversions, including the ASEAN Sculpture Garden, the WWII Malaya Command HQ and Raffles’ original botanical gardens. Tag along with a guide from Singapore’s foremost culinary school, at-sunrice, on a Spice Garden Walk introducing Asia’s aromatic herbs and piquant flavours; afterwards, there are demonstrations at the school showing you how to spice up your Thai, Malay and Singaporean dishes. Ring +65 6336 3307 or book online at www.at-sunrice.com; reservations must be made at least two working days in advance.
- And...
- Get instant street cred and sound like a Singaporean simply by adding an emphatic ‘Lah!’ to the end of your every utterance.
Diary
Late January/early February Chinese New Year is celebrated with parades and fireworks. April During the World Gourmet Summit, Michelin-starred chefs roll into town to give wine workshops, host gourmet barbecues and wax gastronomical about all things foodie (www.worldgourmetsummit.com). May/June The Singapore Arts Festival showcases cutting-edge world premieres and performances (www.singaporeartsfest.com). August
Womad Singapore is a world music festival held at Fort Canning Park (www.womad.org). October ARTSingapore is Southeast Asia’s answer to Art Basel, a trade fair where art collectors gather to hunt down new museum-quality contemporary artworks; it’s the place to spot young talent (www.artsingapore.net).
