Luxury holidays in Singapore

Embark on your own walking tour of the Joo Chiat/ Katong enclave and learn about Peranakan culture by admiring the historic shophouses and traditional restaurants. Pick up Peranakan batik fabrics, ornate jewellery and colourful artworks at Rumah Bebe; when your energy levels dip from all that shopping, snack on rice dumplings from Kim Choo.

If you want your dinner and drinks to come with a generous side of sophisticated Singaporeans, follow the fashion pack to Catalunya (+65 6534 0886) at 82 Collyer Quay in the Fullerton Pavilion. You’re in good hands here: the creative team behind Catalunya hails from elBulli, Santi, Drolma and Sketch.

INSIDER TIP: 'For the fullest-flavoured local-dining experience, have a cheap and cheery meal at a food centre. I love Maxwell Road Hawker Centre in Chinatown – with more than 100 stalls it offers one of Singapore's biggest varieties of cuisines. Don’t miss Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice – considered a national dish this is where to taste it at its very best. Just look out for the longest queue forming in front of the stall every day… even American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain loved it, saying that that it’s 'so fragrant and delicious that it can be eaten on its own’ – and I totally agree.' Maureen Ow is food blogger Miss Tam Chiak.

Start with a light breakfast at Killiney Kopitiam on Killiney Road, the first of a charming chainette of traditional coffeeshops. Tables are shared and the menu is simple, however a cup of steaming kopi and a soft-boiled egg served alongside toasted bread smeared with kaya provides just the right amount of energy. Connect with Mother Nature on an early-morning trek along the Southern Ridges, a 10km hike that links up several of the city’s parks. While the whole thing can be covered in around three hours, the most scenic portion lays between HortPark and Mount Faber – the highlight being Henderson Waves, a 36m-high pedestrian bridge. Enjoy the sea breeze at one of the restaurants set up in Sentosa’s newest neighbourhood, Quayside Isle. Views of parked yachts can be soaked in from places such as Sabio by the Sea, serving traditional Spanish tapas, try the el pulpo, grilled octopus served on a bed of mashed purple potatoes. Along the same stretch, visitors can wander up to Saint Pierre’s second-floor seating and sample modern French cuisine (don’t miss the 72-hour braised beef short rib) while gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Head to Tanjong Beach Club for a dip in the seaside pool. Sundowners can be ordered while grooving to DJ-delivered beats. Go back down the classic route by cracking open Sri Lankan crabs on the mainland. A long-standing debate is whether the chilli or black-pepper sauce reign supreme, although both can be sampled at places such as Long Beach or No Signboard Seafood, with multiple outlets around the city. (See Cuisine for more eating and drinking.)

'On an evening wander around Marina Bay, stop by the Esplanade’s outdoor stage to check out which dance or musical group is putting on a free show. It’s worth checking before which of the bigger names are reserved for the indoor concert hall and studios, as tickets tend to sell out quickly,' says the Singapore-based scribe.

Visit the island of Pulau Ubin for a feel of yesteryear. This island in north-east Singapore (also called Ubin Island) is the antithesis of popular Sentosa: it's not overly groomed, has no themed attractions and is more like Singapore 50 years ago.

Chinese, Malay, Eurasian and Indian culinary traditions can be sampled everywhere, from hawker street-stall centres selling mee goreng and oyster omelettes to formal restaurants offering elegant, modern creations. For something truly unique, head to the Katong quarter for the cuisine of the Peranakans (Nyonyas or Straits Chinese), a sophisticated blend of Chinese and Malay flavours. The city also has a dazzling new crop of entrepreneurial, superstar chefs dazzling critics and crowds alike: lawyer-turned-chef Willin Low, for example, whose five-restaurant empire includes Wild Rocket, or Janice Wong, who has won acclaim for 2am:dessertbar and 2am:lab,' says Mr & Mrs Smith's Amira Morgan.

Vine-entwined urban luxury in the plush, polished CBD

Don’t miss… A dip in the the ‘secret’ 10th-floor pool (and a peek at the breath-nabbing skyline from the pool deck). 

Fullerton Bay Hotel for downtown positioning, then sneak a night at Capella Singapore for the full Sentosa and spa experience…