Print
Email
Bookmark & shareThree Bites of Singapore
Singapore can't match the messy human chaos of Bangkok, the high-tech chaos of Tokyo or the grand outdoors of Sydney, but it does have all these things in small, Singaporean-sized pieces. Take a few days to discover more than just its stopover clichés.
Spend the first morning wandering around Chinatown and sampling its culinary wonders, then head to the World Trade Centre (WTC) and cable car your way up Mt Faber for a beer and a view of the city. While away the evening with a leisurely stroll along the quays and dinner at Empress Place.
On Day 2, wander around the Padang and visit the Asian Civilisations Museum, then take in a typical lunch at a hawker centre before bracing yourself for some Orchard Rd shopping action and dinner on trendy Club St.
Spend the next morning exploring Little India, then chill out at the Botanic Gardens or the Singapore Zoo, building up an appetite for a pepper-crab feast at Newton Food Centre, followed by a show at the Esplanade or some disco action at Zouk.
A Top Day in Singapore
A Singaporean day should start slowly, away from the crowds (plenty of time for those during the rest of the day), so I avoid anything even slightly resembling a shopping mall and take a long stroll along the quays. I usually start at the jovial Alkaff Bridge near Robertson Quay and walk along the southern side of the Singapore River so that I can look across at the fetching pastels of Clarke Quay, eventually ending up in the foot traffic around Boat Quay.
Next, I duck through the neoclassical columns of the Fullerton Hotel to have a lavish brunch within the hotel's magnificent European-style atrium (I booked a table several days ago to make sure my stomach wouldn't be disappointed). Once this is digested, I walk across the river to Empress Place and refamiliarise myself with the wonderful galleries of the Asian Civilisations Museum, where I browse through illuminated Qurans, gorgeous textiles and other regional artefacts. If it's a clear-skied day, I'll take the subway to HarbourFront station and take a slow, scenic, late-afternoon ride on the high-altitude cable car that floats over Keppel Harbour to Sentosa Island and then does a loop via the splendid summit of Mt Faber.
Next, it's a toss-up between a vegetarian snack (or three) in the exuberant sidestreets of Little India or an early dinner in one of the fine French restaurants on Ann Siang Hill in Chinatown, but I'm liable to just make a beeline for the Newton Food Centre to the north of Orchard Rd and sit down at the stall selling delicious stingray dishes. From here I'll jump in a taxi and take the night-safari tram ride through the superb Singapore Zoological Gardens. Now I'm ready for some drinking, which usually starts with a beer in one of the dramatic shophouse bars on Emerald Hill Rd, just off Orchard Rd, and ends with an early morning shisha (hooka-style pipe) on Arab St in Kampong Glam.
Author: Paul Smitz
Advertisement
Book Your Trip
Hotels & Hostels
Booking hotels is simple with Lonely Planet. See our reviewed and recommended hotels in one place and book online. Browse hotels ›
Lonely Planet Newsletters
Updates, offers and inspiration - straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now ›
Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.
