Destination Info
The handsome colonial buildings of the centre are a delight to stroll around before taking a river trip on the 'bum boats', once used to take goods to the warehouses. Visit the famous Raffles Hotel, where a singapore sling in the Long Bar is essential. Wander the different ethnic neighbourhoods Raffles created (he founded modern Singapore) and soak up their unique atmosphere. Shop everywhere from rickety markets to hi-tech malls, and eat everywhere from street-corner stalls to top-class hotel restaurants: Cantonese, French, Thai, Italian, Japanese, Pacific Rim, fusion cuisine - Singapore has it all. On the mainland, take the brilliant cable car trip to Mount Faber. You'd never believe there was so much to do in this bustling little city state on the tip of the Malaysian peninsula.
From British colonial outpost to soaring modern city state, Singapore has come on a fascinating journey. You can trace that history in the excellent Asian Civilisations Museum, and also in the streets themselves. Myriad cultures live side by side, and in between the gleaming skyscrapers you can visit the traditional streets of the Chinese, Arab and Indian quarters, where the exotic atmosphere is a world apart.
Singapore is Asia's food capital, where East meets West in a dizzying mélange of flavours. Its street food is some of the world's tastiest: start in Chinatown food street with local favourites such as Char Kway Teow (fried broad noodles). At the East Coast Seafood Centre, try spicy chilli crab while the kids enjoy black pepper crayfish. Elsewhere, of course, the big hotels offer international food of every type.
Serious shoppers will be happy to know the shops open till 9.00pm or 10.00pm (except for Mustafa Centre in Little India, open 24 hours a day!). On Sundays, head to Clarke Quay markets, down by the river - you'll find all sorts of exotica. You can haggle in the smaller shops, and you'll pick up wonderful crafts in the various ethnic quarters. Come in June to attack the great Singapore sale - it's a retail frenzy!
There are lots of family attractions, including Singapore Zoo, which has opened Night Safari, the world's first night-time wildlife park - the kids will love it as they meet leopards, otters and owls, among other animals, in the Creatures of the Night show. At Underwater World, you can swim with the dolphins, as well as (friendly) sharks.
When it's time to take a break from city life, head to the beaches of Sentosa Island for a few days of relaxation, or take a day trip to Sentosa and visit Underwater World, Asia's largest tropical fish oceanarium. You could also take a leisurely stroll around Singapore's beautiful Botanical Gardens, or even visit Jurong Bird Park and view more than 60 species of birds.
Water is all around, and it's great fun to take to it on a boat. Cruise the harbour on one of the 'bum boats' that once took goods to the warehouses. Take a day cruise or a dinner cruise, passing sights such as Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. Or, treat yourself to a luxury 5- or 7-night cruise across to Thailand and Malaysia, aboard Superstar Virgo or Superstar Gemini.
ATTRACTION OF SINGAPORE
Singapore is one place where you can be sure the whole family will have fun. From exciting theme parks and spectacular zoos to sunny beaches and beautiful botanical gardens, you'll find lots of things to occupy your kids - and yourself, too.
Singapore is sunny all year round, so anytime's a good time to bring your family on a trip here. If your visit coincides with the Arts Festival, you'll find special activities for kids - or the Great Singapore Sale - which often lasts for the whole month of June, and has department stores and shops all over the island giving great discounts. Christmas, when the whole stretch of Orchard Road is strewn with fairy lights, is also an excellent time to bring the kids
WHERE TO STAY:
The town centre, near
Orchard Road, is only a few minutes away from a mind-boggling array of restaurants, fast-food outlets, ice-cream parlours, cinemas, arcades, and shops, shops, shops.
There are many luxury hotels in this area - such as the
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, the
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore and the
Singapore Marriott Hotel - but if you're on a tight budget or have a very large family, there are many cheaper options available. For mid-range hotels, there's the
Allson Hotel, or the
Carlton Hotel Singapore. There are also the ever-reliable YMCAs -- one is located at the eastern tip of Orchard Road, and the other on Stevens Road.
Another ideal area to stay in is
Sentosa - Singapore's offshore island theme park. There's the Beaufort Hotel as five-star choice, or you can rough it out in hostels and guest houses. Your kids can spend one or two full days just wandering around the island, with its many theme sites and attractions.
Most of the hotels are family- and children-friendly, with large rooms and other amenities on hand. The larger hotels often have a day-care nursery or offer baby-sitting services and some are attached to, or near, 24-hour convenience stores. Many hotels offer to book you on day tours, or operate special bus tours of their own -- so you can see all the sights without too much of a hassle.
WHERE TO GO
A must for the children is Singapore's world-famous Night Safari. This fascinating zoo is special in many ways - it features only nocturnal animals housed in their natural surroundings, without cages or barbed wire. Book yourselves on the tram ride that will take you on a winding journey through the deep jungle, thick rainforest or dusty savannah - all in the dark of night.
The Singapore Zoological Gardens and Jurong Bird Park also feature animals in their natural surroundings. These are ideal places to introduce your children to wildlife, and even to have a picnic. The night safari, zoo and bird park hold regular daily shows featuring seals, boa constrictors or parrots doing clever and amusing stunts. If you're game for it, you can also arrange for your family to have breakfast with the friendly orangutan of the Singapore Zoo.
If you're hankering after the wide open spaces there's always the Botanical Gardens, a large and beautiful landscaped park where you can choose to wander in the Tropical Plants and Jungle section, the National Orchid Garden, or the Palm Trees section. Families are often seen having a picnic in these scenic surroundings.
Don't forget to set a day aside for Sentosa, Singapore's island based theme park. You can get there by taxi, ferry or - most fun of all -- by cable car. At the island, you can visit Underwater World, a spectacular aquarium where you can see all kinds of fishes, sharks and giant squid; Volcano Land, where you journey to the centre of the earth; Fantasy Island, a huge pool with slides, rides and waterfalls; and lots more.
Sentosa has a few pretty, artificial beaches, but if you want the real thing you can bring your family down to East Coast Park. Besides lazing at the beach, you can go para-sailing, wind-surfing or roller-blading and cycling along the special pathways by the sea. There are great food centres and seafood restaurants at East Coast Park, too.
WHERE TO EAT
Most restaurants in Singapore - except for a very few - welcome children and large groups. High chairs for toddlers are often provided, even at coffee shops and some food centres. The food in Singapore is very varied, so beware of spicier varieties of Indian, Malay and Thai fare if your children aren't used to it.
Some of the best restaurants to bring a family to are: Harry Ramsdens, which serves fish and chips; California Pizza Kitchen; Billy Bombers; The Rainforest Café; Planet Hollywood; Crystal Jade Restaurant, which dishes up dim sum and Chinese food; Sanur, which specialises in Indonesian food, and the Satay Club at Clarke Quay.
Singaporeans tend to greet one another with ‘Have you eaten yet’ - a quirky reflection of their consummate food obsession. It is an around-the-clock activity which cuts across all barriers. It is said that the Singapore foodie( popular term for food lovers)would comb the island in search of that heavenly bowl of noodles or go on durian expeditions. The Annual Singapore Food Festival is a testament to this passion.
With such a rich multicultural heritage, it is no wonder that the variety of cuisines, restaurants, cafes and eateries is mind boggling to say the least. Years ago, the variety would have been confined to the main racial cuisines – Chinese, Indian, Malay, Peranakan, Eurasian and a smattering of traditional British fare in respect of the colonial masters. Nowadays, with a growing cosmopolitan influence through tourists and new immigrants, the range has expanded to include Italian, Spanish, Lebanese, Turkish, Nepalese, Vietnamese, Thai and more.
Despite the island’s youthfulness, the cuisine has evolved into creating its own culinary identity. Perhaps the best introduction to Singapore’s dining scene for visitors are the local coffee shop or kopi tiam in the vernacular , and food centres – open air and indoor. In the old days, itinerant hawkers would ply the streets selling cooked-on-the-spot dishes. With urbanization, these hawkers are now assembled together in hawker or food centres . Visitors can wander around these stalls and watch the dishes being prepared. Heavily regulated for sanitation and hygiene, the food centres offer a quick, colourful insight into the eating culture of the country which is influenced by the various ethnic backgrounds. Dishes are reasonably priced and choices are plentiful, which makes it ideal for groups to sample different items.
Popular local hawker or street fare would include the Laksa, noodles cooked in spicy coconut broth; Char Kway Teow, fried broad rice noodles in sweet black sauce; Hainanese chicken rice, tender boiled chicken served with fragrant rice cooked in its broth ; Satay, marinated skewered meat eaten with a spicy peanut gravy; Roti Prata, fluffy Indian pancake-like bread; Chilli crab, crab cooked in a thick chilli gravy and numerous more.
WHAT TO BUY
You can buy almost anything in Singapore, of course, but perhaps the cheapest goods to buy here are consumer electronics. Video game consoles, CD players and personal digital assistants are usually available at low or reasonable prices. You can go to ethnic quarters like Chinatown and Little India to buy cute little cheong sams (Chinese dresses) or sarongs for the kids, or to bargain for some exotic games or toys.
Alongside ‘eating’, shopping is considered the national past time on the island. Ranging from hi-tech wares to designer wear, there is something for everyone. Browsing around local markets and shophouses in the ethnic enclaves to the glitzy portals of Orchard Road, the experiences are wide, varied and even intriguing.
For most visitors,
Orchard Road is a must-visit on the itinerary. Packed with modern malls and hotels, this stretch is transformed into a dazzling display of lights and festive embellishments at Christmas time when all buildings join in the annual festive light-up. Fabulous knick knacks and other memorable finds are also found in
Chinatown,
Arab Street,
Little India and the suburban areas like
Holland Village,
Katong and Tampines. Unlike most Western countries, shopping hours usually start from late morning to 21:30 or 22:00 at night and these can extend to as late as midnight during festive season.
The mid-year Great Singapore Sale is a much looked-forward to time when prices come down heftily in all precincts. Even during non-sale times, visitors will do well to bargain, particularly, in electronic stores found at Lucky Plaza, Sim Lim Square or Far East Plaza. A general rule of thumb for haggling is to begin about 25% -30% below that being offered. Do make it a point to compare prices at various shops. For convenience, most stores accept credit and charge cards.
Fun for Kids
- Don't miss the highly entertaining animal shows at the award-winning Singapore Zoo.
- Go wakeboarding and spin around the waters of Singapore
- Cool off with a big splash at the Fantasy Island, Sentosa.
- Make friends with a pink dolphin. Visit the Dolphin Lagoon at Underwater World, Sentosa.
- Take a bumboat ride from Changi Point and explore rustic Pulau Ubin on a rented bike. Bring along camping equipment if you want to spend the night star gazing.
- Come face-to-face with a cougar at the Night Safari.
- Visit the world's largest fountain at Suntec City. It is believed that walking clockwise around the fountain 3 times while touching the water will bring luck and good fortune.
- Instead of a lazy dip in the hotel pool, why not be energetic and go water-skiing at the Kallang Basin.
- Visit the Singapore Science Centre for an educational and entertaining experience.
- Saddle up a horse on Sentosa and enjoy an exciting horse ride on the resort island.
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