Singapore Hotel & Travel Destination Guide

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Country Code: SG
Source: Fastcheck Arrival Guides

Population:
4 million

Currency:
1 Singapore dollar (SGD) = 100 cents

Opening hours:
Most Singapore shops in the city are open from 10am until 8pm or 9pm every day of the week.

Tourist information:
Address: 177 River Valley Road, Level 1, Liang Court Shopping Centre
Tel: + 65 6336 7184
Open daily 10am-10pm
www.visitsingapore.com

Singapore Visitors Centre, Orchard Cairnhill Road/Orchard Road Crossing
Open daily 8am-10.30pm

Singapore Visitors Centres, Changi Arrivals Hall, Terminal 1 & 2

Singapore

Singapore is an Asiatic melting pot, a fascinating crossroad between East and West. Here the hypermodern buildings of the financial district blend with Chinatown’s classic small houses. As a fine, old trading town, Singapore is the natural place for anyone who wants to shop – the range is enormous.

In addition, Singapore offers a cuisine with influences from all corners of Asia that exceeds the highest expectations.

Singapore City

Singapore is the city in which order and reason prevail. The chaos which is common in other Asiatic metropolis has been structured and refined. Singapore is clean, safe and efficient and the inhabitants are as proud of this as they are of the city’s great financial heart beating around the clock. The harbour is the busiest in the world and capital flows on the stock exchange. All the world’s banks, insurance companies and investors are represented here.

In 200 years, Singapore has gone from being a deserted island to an eminent industrial nation and major financial power, as reflected in the flourishing townscape.

A good start for anyone who wants to experience Singapore today, with its mixture of old and new, is to have a drink on Boat Quay in the late afternoon. The renovated harbour district is packed with bars and restaurants. People from the financial district also meet here after work to socialise.

Another traditional watering hole is Raffles Hotel, built, and newly renovated, in the Colonial style. Is there anything more embedded in mystic than to drink a Singapore Sling in the hotel’s Long Bar? It is a fantastic environment for a drink, the perfect way to experience Singapore and perhaps the very best way of all to experience the meeting between the city’s exciting history and modern times.

Anyone who is looking for the original Singapore might like to head for the crowds of Chinatown where fortune-tellers, calligraphers and temple visitors are a permanent feature of everyday life.

In Little India you will find the best Sari fabrics and lots of exciting spices. Don’t miss the small shops on Arab Street either.

Things to See and Do in Singapore

is a hectic metropolis which, besides bustling street life, also has many sights to see and experiences of different
kinds to offer; everything from Raffles Hotel to meeting tigers. Here are some things you must not miss:

Raffles Hotel
The drink Singapore Sling was created here in 1915 by the bartender Ngiam Tong Boon and it is still served in the traditional Long Bar. A wonderful hotel with a great atmosphere with a museum and gardens. Food is important at the hotel where the
cuisine is world-class. For anyone who wants to learn to cook like the great chefs, courses are given at Raffles Culinary Academy! Outside the entrance is probably the most photographed doorman in the world.
Address: 1 Beach Road
Underground: City Hall
Phone: +65 6337 1886
Internet: www.raffleshotel.com

Singapore Zoo
The Singapore Zoo is a so called “open zoo” and it is a world-famous zoological garden with 315 animal species of which approximately 60 are endangered. You can find all the big cats here: lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard and puma. There are also rare white tigers. If you want to, you can meet orangutans face to face. Most of the animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by dry or wet moats. Dangerous animals are housed in landscaped glass-fronted enclosures. Set in a rainforest environment, the zoo offers the opportunity to experience and be inspired by the wonders of nature. The park also offers an exciting night safari.
Address: 80 Mandai Lake Road
Underground: Ang Mo Kio (then bus 138) or Choa Chu Kang
station (then bus 927)
Phone: +65 6269 3411
Internet: www.zoo.com.sg

Chinatown
Construction of the Chinese district of Singapore started in 1828 and in former times it was rougher, more cramped and crowded than today. Most of it has been renovated, but the narrow streets and shops remain, as do several large markets. A tangible, nice Chinatown atmosphere means that a long walk in the district is a must. Drop into the Peoples Park Complex shopping centre and Chinatown Complex market and the experience is even more amazing.
Address: Demarcated by South Street, South Bridge Road, Eu
Tong Sen Street and Sago Street
Underground: Chinatown (can also be reached from Outram
station)

The Sultan Mosque
A very beautiful building in the district known as Kampong Glam. This mosque is the Moslems’ most important building in Singapore (there are 68 mosques in the city in total). The Sultan Mosque gleams light green with its cupola and minarets. In recent years, Moslem society has opened up more and more to the rest of Singapore. Visitors are welcomed to the mosques even if certain parts are still off limits to those who are not faithful Moslems. This mosque got its name from Sultan Hussein with whom Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, negotiated in 1819.
Address: 3 Muscat Street
Underground: Bugis
Phone: +65 6256 8188
Internet: www.mosque.org.sg

Boat Quay
The newly renovated part of an old harbour district. It has a long row of bars and restaurants, both inside and outside. Many people, not least those who work in the adjacent financial district - Raffles Place is the heart - usually gather here in the evening. Sitting by the river, eating a delicious dinner outside is a beautiful experience. And it is just as much for the food as for the tropical atmosphere that people sit by the water in the steamy heat.
Address: Next to the Singapore River, starting at South Bridge
Road (source)
Underground: Raffles Place

Fort Canning Park
This park is a centre of the colonial city centre. For anyone who wants to learn more about Singapore’s military history, this is the right place. Sir Stamford Raffle’s last home during his time in the city is also here. An exciting tour of the subterranean command headquarters used by the British during the Second World War is a must when you visit the park.
Address: 51Canning Rise
Underground: Dhoby Ghaut
Phone: +65 6332 1200
Internet: www.nparks.gov.sg

Suntec City
Eat, stroll and be fascinated and impressed. Monumental indoor complex full of shopping arcades, cinemas, restaurants, hypermarkets, conference centres and works of art, including a gigantic fountain. Suntec City was built in 1990’s, which becomes obvious when you see it. The architecture is well thought-out and very expensive. Moreover, it is a good place to cool down when the Tropical heat is oppressive outside.
Address: Temasek Boulevard
Underground: City Hall
Phone: +65 6825 2667
Internet: www.suntecsingapore.com

SENTOSA ISLAND
Sentosa
Action-packed adventure, romantic escapades, stylish indulgence or non-stop partying. Whatever your expectations are, you will not be disappointed. Beaches – the island boasts Singapore’s three most pristine beaches; the revitalized and lively Siloso Beach, the family-friendly Palawan Beach and the romantic Tanjong Beach - meet shopping paradise and nightlife. Add to it the nature. Naturally there are a number of great spa resorts (for example, Sentosa Resort & Spa), great opportunities to dine well, why not at the famous hotel Shangri La? This leisure and lifestyle destination is a mega development of a tropical island with among other things an international cruise centre and Singapore’s largest retail and lifestyle mall, VivoCity. Set on the southern coast of Singapore, Sentosa is a thriving waterfront hub with something for everyone.
Address: Island south of the city centre
Underground: Harbour Front, then bus, taxi or cable car to the
island
Phone: +65 736 8672
Internet: www.sentosa.com.sg

Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon
Here you’ll get to observe the highly intelligent dolphins! Lucky visitors might even score a peck on the cheek, or a chance to wade next to them! There is also a possibility to swim with the Dolphins for S$150/person (S$425 for 3 persons).
Advance booking for dolphin package is required.
Address: Palawan Beach
Opening hours: 10.30am-6pm daily (last entry 5.30pm) Show sessions daily at 11am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm & 5.30pm
Phone: +65 6275 0030
Price: S$19.90/Adult, S$12.70/Child (Aged 3-12 years old)
Includes admission to Underwater World
Internet: www.underwaterworld.com.sg
More info: Yellow Line Bus, Red Line Bus or Palawan-Tanjong Beach Tram

Images of Singapore
Experience the magic behind the history of Singapore! Legend, fact and folklore are creatively interwoven for the special “I am there” experience. Images of Singapore is a journey to the very soul of Singapore.
Opening hours: 9am-7pm daily (Last admission 6.30pm)
Price: S$10/Adult, S$7/Child (Child 3 - 12 years old)
More info: Blue Line Bus, Red Line Bus, Sentosa Express (Alight at Imbiah Station)

Mount Imbiah
Originally used as an “examination battery” to screen merchant vessels before they enter the Singapore harbour, this battery was abandoned in the 1930s. Today, and at 60 metres above sea level, this scenic lookout point commands some fabulous sea views of the Western Anchorage. More info: Blue Line Bus, Red Line Bus, Sentosa Express

Sky Tower
Singapore’s tallest observatory tower offers panoramic views at 131 metres above sea level across Singapore, Sentosa, Southern Islands, right up to neighboring Malaysia and the Indonesian islands. Day or night, views from the tower are breathtaking!
Address: Located adjacent to the Sentosa cable car station.
Opening hours: 9am-9pm daily (last admission 8.45pm)
Price: Adults S$12, Children S$8
Internet: www.skytower.com.sg
More info: Blue Line Bus, Red Line Bus, Sentosa Express to
Imbiah Station

Eating in Singapore

Singapore is an unparalleled city for food – a number of really major Asiatic cuisines blend with the best of the Occident. Indian, Malay, Japanese, Chinese and Singapore’s own cuisine. The result is a fantastic choice, both in terms of the number of
restaurants and the quality. In Singapore you can eat cheap and tasty at one of the twenty something hawker centres - earlier they were open air complexes selling a variety of food, today they are slowly being replaced by indoor and air conditioned food courts. Or, if you prefere the opposite but still tasty, you may chose to eat extremely expensive and luxurious in skyscraper restaurants!

Newton Food Centre
Traditional and major hawker centre in Newton, Singapore. The centre is often promoted as a tourist attraction in it self and here you will find practically everything when it comes to food: fishball noodles, satay, fried oysters and lobsters. Newton Food Centre was first opened in 1971 and then reopened again in 2006 after a major renovation when, for example, over 50 different species of flowers were planted! Always masses of people, always colourful and fragrant.
Address: Along Clemenceau Ave North, Newton Circus
Underground: Newton

Quayside Seafood Restaurant
Fantastic choice of fish and seafood – from all of Asia’s cuisine. Wonderful location right next to the water, with the Singapore River flowing past in front of it.
Address: Blk 3A Clarke Quay, Alfresco
Underground: Clarke Quay
Phone: +65 633 0138
Internet: www.quaysidedining.com

Esmirada Grill & Wine Bar
With a Mediterranean cuisine based on aromatic plants, colourful ingredients, spices and seductive flavours; the chefs blend the best of French, Greek, Italian and Spanish cuisine. The restaurant is in a former girls’ convent school and is one of the best in Singapore.
Address: 30 Victoria Street
Underground: City Hall
Phone: + 65 6336 3684

Jaan At Equinox
Modern, French cuisine that is taken to perfection here on 70th floor in Swissotel. Jaan means cheers. The restaurant is also just as much an artistic as a culinary experience. Very expensive.
Address: 2 Stamford Road
Underground: City Hall
Phone: + 65 6837 3322

East Coast Seafood Centre
This tri-block food centre in East Coast Park is best known for its several major seafood restaurants. Three examples are Fishermans Village, Long Beach Seafood Restaurant and Jumbo Seafood. Chili crab and black pepper crab are among the signature local dishes.
Address: Block 1202, East Coast Parkway

Singapore Cafes

in the rest of Asia, the café culture is not particularly widespread but the café chain Starbuck is everywhere with lots of
cafés. Below is listed the address of one of many Starbucks in the city; the advantage is the late opening times, until 02.00. on
Fridays and Saturdays.

Tea Time
As a former British colony, the tradition of afternoon tea naturally exists in Singapore. An extra bonus for connoisseurs is its proximity to Chinese tea plantations with all the exclusive types. Many of the hotels serve tea in the afternoon. A tip for a great experience is Ah Tengs Bakery at Raffles Hotel which offers tea with all the traditional trimmings, home-baked naturally! Ah Tengs name has been borrowed from Tea Room and Confectionery which was in Victoria Street during the 1950’s.

Café Les Amis
This upmarket Cafe Les Amis is one of the many eateries in Taman Serasi Food Garden, inside the Singapore Botanic gardens. They serve mild soups, noodles, cakes and burgers on an Outdoor terrace.
Address: 1 Cluny Rd, Orchard Road
Phone: +65 6467 7326
More info: Use the Cluny Rd entrance.

Zam Zam
This café/restaurant has been here since 1908 and serves Muslim food with a touch of Malay and Indian cuisine. Their speciality seems to be “murtabaks” (chicken-, mutton- or vegetable-filled flat bread).
Address: 699 North Bridge Rd
Phone: +65 6298 7011

Supernature
If you have forgotten what “real food” is like, you should definitely try this place! Detox juices, sandwiches or soy burgers.
And everything is of course organic.
Address: 21 Orchard Blvd, Orchard Road
Phone: +65 6735 4338
Internet: www.supernature.com.sg

Real Food Daily
Delicious breakfasts, burgers or wild king-salmon steaks – all organic. Ad to that jazz music, good coffee and an outdoor deli!
Address: 5 Mohamed Sultan Rd, city centre
Phone: +65 6733 8231

Singapore Bars and Nightlife

Those who want to dance and enjoy themselves all night long have plenty of options in Singapore, even if the nightlife is not as hectic as in other large cities. Nine times out of ten, the visitor who is looking for something to drink in Singapore is tipped off to try a Singapore Sling at Raffles with its fine old traditions. But there are naturally lots of other alternatives.

Here are some of them:

Eski Bar 2
Singapore ice bar is designed on the basis of the original from Scandinavia. If you yearn for near freezing temperatures or if you just want to cool down after a long evening on the street, Eski Bar 2 is perfect.
Address: 46 Circular Road
Underground: Raffles Place
Internet: www.eskibar.com

Thumper
For the serious party animal, the night is not complete without a visit to the Tourism Award winner of “Best Nightspots 2004”. Thumper on Scotts Road is the place to be seen – and heard. Bar hanging, terrace schmoozing, late-night dancing – Thumper
is truly a party bar.
Address: Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road

Zouk
Still one of Asia’s nicest clubs. Located in three old warehouses by the river with Moorish and Aboriginal-influenced interior, large dance floor, bars and food. Here you can party all night long, with old and new visitors.
Address: 17 Jiao Kim Street
Underground: Clarke Quay
Internet: www.zoukclub.com.sg

Indochine Wisma Atria
The IndoChine Group has created a concept where you can get everything: fantastic Asiatic food and drink, entertainment and dance. If you want everything at once, try IndoChine Wisma Atria. Inside there are four different places to choose between: PhoChine, The Sanctuary, Nude Restaurant, Aquadisiac Club and Oysta Bar.
Address: 435 Orchard Road, Wisma Atria
Internet: www.indochine.com.sg

Shopping in Singapore

Shopping is a national sport in Singapore – there is an enormous range to choose from. And in all price ranges. The artery of Singapore’s shopping life is naturally Orchard Road where the largest and most well-known department stores are lined up. Moreover, there are lots of shopping centres and markets around the city. Anyone who is after a bargain, for example in home electronics, is smart enough to checks the prices at home before leaving, just to have something with which to make a Comparison. Not everything is cheap but watches, clothes, cloth, gold, and spices and jade at a good price. Below is listed some good districts for great shopping.

Orchard Road
Orchard Road is main shopping street in Singapore. There are Department stores and shopping centres at an incomparable range which beats most. Anyone who wants can easily add a few days to walk up and down Orchard Road. Read more about the very best department stores further down this page.
Address: Orchard, Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut

Chinatown
Chinatown is just below the financial district’s skyscrapers – colourful, bustling and with the typical fragrances of the Chinese district (spices, herbs, medicines, fruits). In Tanjong Pagar there are traditional tea shops. Here are also masks and other works of art. In the narrow Smith Street, Trengganu Street, Temple Street and Pagoda Street it is easy to find all kinds of bargains. Don’t forget Sago Street with its porcelain shops. The Peoples Park Complex shopping centre is a must, not least for the local street life. And don’t miss OG Peoples Park, which has suddenly become hip with its fashion boutiques, jewellery and cosmetics.
Underground: Outram or Chinatown

Kampong Glam & Little India
In the Moslem districts there are lots of small, bazaar-type shops selling fabric, baskets and mats. Arab Street is the main street in Singapore’s Moslem world and much of what is sold is also of religious and ethnic origin (prayer mats and headdresses for example). But fabric is number one here - silk and cotton in all their forms. Here is also batik from other parts of Asia. Serangoon Road and the adjacent streets (centre for Singapore’s Indian community) offer wonderful fragrances and impressions. Go shopping for silver and silk, all while the fragrance of incense spreads over the streets like the heavy scent of spices. Underground: Bugis or Little India

Riverside
At Clarke Quay there are a number of newly renovated harbour warehouses, accommodating 150 shops. They sell antiques, clothes, souvenirs and other things. Here is also a flea market on Sundays. Immediately adjacent is Liang Court where there are a number of Japanese designer shops. Riverside Point is an exclusive shopping centre in the area.
Underground: Clarke Quay

DEPARTMENT STORES
Centrepoint
Centrepoint is the largest and most popular shopping centre in Singapore. This includes, among other things, the legendary Robinsons & Co. Shops for music, clothes, optics, electronics, furniture, mats and books – everything anyone might need. There are of coursemany restaurants and fast-food restaurants.
Address: 176 Orchard Road
Underground: Somerset
Phone: +65 6737 9000

The Heeren
This is where to find HMV, the largest music shop in south-east Asia. Many restaurants on the fifth floor. On the fourth and fifth floor you can shop items from the street fixed in smart shops.
Address: 260 Orchard Road
Underground: Somerset
Phone: +65 6733 4725

Ngee Ann City
It takes more than one day to get around this massive complex properly. The main attraction, naturally, is Takashimaya, the large Japanese chain store. Apart from that, here are more than 100 specialised shops for sports, stationery, electronics, jewels and designer clothes. Brands like Boss, Zara and Mango are found here as well as south-east Asia’s largest bookstore Konokuniya.
Address: 391 Orchard Road
Underground: Orchard
Phone: +65 6739 9323

Plaza Singapura
Singapore’s first shopping-mall with many shops, built in 1974 and a favourite with the local population. A one-stop for lifestyle shopping with brands like Carrefour, John Little, Marks & Spencer and Best Denki.
Address: 68 Orchard Road
Underground: Dhoby Ghaut
Phone: +65 6332 9298

Marina Square
Bigger than seven football fields combined, Marina Square is one of the largest shopping malls in Singapore. Located at Marina Bay adjacent to Suntec City, the recently revamped mall is divided into eight uniquely thematic zones with over 250 stores on five levels. With its recently introduced Tourist Previlege program this
is the mall where you can happily “shop until you drop”!
Address: Raffles Boulevard, 01-101 Marina
Internet: www.marinasquare.com.sg

Singapore Hotels

Luxury Singapore Hotels

Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore
One of Singapore’s most traditional hotels, over 100 years old. Splendid surroundings and timeless charm.
Address: 22 Scotts Road
Underground: Orchard

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Shangri-La Singapore
Shangri-La is consistently ranked as one of the most luxury hotels in Asia and the world and it is where the legendary hospitality of Shangri-La first began. The hotel, which also is surrounded by fifteen acres of botanical gardens, is only a short
walk from the entertainment and shopping on Orchard Road.
Address: 22 Orange Grove Road

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Good Value Singapore Hotels

Hotel 1929 Singapore
With 32 uniquely furnished rooms in a beautiful mixture of retro and modern design, this hotel really does stand out from other hotels in the area.
Address: 50 Keong Saik Road
Underground: Chinatown or MRT Outram Park

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Novotel Clarke Quay Singapore
This hotel is located near Orchard Road and other entertainment and shopping areas. It features 402 beautifully appointed rooms, swimming pool, restaurants and bar.
Address: 177A River Valley Road

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Cheap Singapore Hotels

Hotel Bencoolen Singapore
Value-for-money rates, conveniently and centrally located along Bencoolen Street, within easy reach of busy Orchard Road.
Address: 47 Bencoolen Street, Singapore 189626

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