Singapore, Singapore
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Airport: Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
Served by: British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, JAL Japan Airlines, Qantas
City Statistics
Overview
Getting There By Air
Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
Tel: 6595 6868.
Web: www.changiairport.com
Singapore Changi Airport is located 20km (13 miles) northeast of the city of Singapore.
Airport facilities:
Bureaux de change kiosks are open 24 hours a day and are located in all terminals. Banks and ATMs are also available throughout the airport.
Getting Around
Hotels
Hotels in Singapore suit all tastes and budgets. You can easily find cheap hotels in Singapore by booking online: many hotels often have a promotion price at less than half the published price usually via their own website, while discounted rates for top hotels in Singapore can be found at www.singaporehotels.com. The hotel reservation desks at all terminals in the airport also make bookings with discounted rates, so it is always worth comparing prices and booking ahead. The Singapore hotels below have been classed into three pricing categories: Luxury (over S$500) Moderate (S$250 to S$500) Cheap (up to S$250) The Singapore hotel prices quoted above are the published starting prices for a double room per night, excluding breakfast and additional charges. Please note that prices for hotels in Singapore are subject to additional charges of 18%, broken down as 10% service charge, 7% GST (Goods and Services Tax) and 1% government tax, which is added to the bill (usually called 'triple plus').
Cheap
Hotel 1929
As Chinatown's first HIP boutique hotel, Hotel 1929 has managed to combine designer cool with affordability in an unpretentious part of town. The winner of a host of prestigious awards and rave reviews, it comprises five colonial-era shop-houses that were conjoined to create this 32-room hotel. The result is funky, fresh and finely detailed. Each room is small but individually styled, with retro-style furniture, flat-screen TV, broadband internet access and a designer shower. Guests can enjoy a rooftop bathtub - and the owner's private collection of designer chairs - or Jacuzzi on the second floor. The lobby area has free Wi-Fi internet access. Added to that, Chinatown is rapidly becoming gentrified, with good nightspots in addition to its fabulous shopping. Room rate includes breakfast. Also check out their sister hotel New Majestic Hotel (www.newmajestichotel.com) with equally quirky designer kitsch.
50 Keong Saik Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6347 1929.
Web: www.hotel1929.com
Naumi
This rather sumptuous 40-room boutique hotel is superbly situated in downtown Singapore, near Raffles Hotel and Chijmes. Pronounced No-mi and named after the ninth day of the Hindu calendar, this chic property betrays many subtle and very cleverly understated Hindu design motifs. Dressed in almond tones, the rooms feature mostly contemporary comforts, including designer swivel armchairs, a large plasma TV, free Wi-Fi, Bose speakers, Nespresso coffee machine, complimentary Fiji water and fresh-cut flowers. The sixth floor is dedicated to female travellers. For relaxation, head to the rooftop bar and infinity swimming pool, and relax in one of the extravagantly large 'pod-style' wicker poolside sofas.
41 Seah Street
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6403 6000.
Web: www.naumihotel.com
Gallery Hotel
The stylish Gallery Hotel adds some colour and energy to the business hub, thanks to its award-winning bright interiors and designer cool. Notable features include interactive doorway CCTV, free Wi-Fi internet access in all rooms and executive women-only floors. The 221-room hotel in Singapore consists of three blocks linked by bridges and open walkways, plus a fifth-floor cantilevered glass-sided pool overhanging the street. The red-, blue- and yellow-framed windows will appeal to anyone who enjoys a splash of colour, and there are art galleries on levels two and three. The Gallery also houses a decent gym, Ayuthaya Spa, plus bars, clubs and restaurants. A great location on the river, it is a 20-minute walk to the nearest MRT station, Clarke Quay.
Robertson Quay
1 Nanson Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6849 8686.
Web: www.galleryhotel.com.sg
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is a restoration of one of Singapore's oldest, largest and grandest buildings. Built in 1928, its classic Doric columns share the grandeur of Palladian architecture with Singapore's other two great Colonial buildings - the Supreme Court and City Hall. Located in the business district, the hotel is home to 400 rooms and suites with views over the river, city or harbour, and benefiting from Wi-Fi internet access, IDD, voicemail and satellite TV. The décor is contemporary and uncluttered with light fabrics and dark wood. Perfect for business travellers, the hotel includes a 24-hour financial centre. For relaxing times, the hotel also boasts a 25m (82ft) outdoor infinity pool, a fitness centre, The Asian Spa, function rooms and a good selection of restaurants and cafés.
1 Fullerton Square
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6733 8388.
Web: www.fullertonhotel.com
Raffles Hotel Singapore
A national monument, named after Singapore's founding father, Thomas Stamford Raffles, Raffles Hotel Singapore is a high point on the sightseeing trail. Still one of the world's most opulent, luxurious and award-winning hotels, it was restored in 1991 with an arcade added, containing shops and restaurants. Residents relive the past in one of its 103 high-ceilinged suites, many with their own veranda and parlour. Royalty, celebrities and writers all stayed here and homage is paid to them at every turn, particularly in the hotel museum. But it is also abundant in modern luxuries, including the Amrita Spa, swimming pool, business centre and its own Jubilee Hall theatre. There are many options for drinking and dining, from the famous Long Bar, serving up Singapore Slings since the 1920s, and the adjacent Long Bar Steakhouse, to the contemporary New York-style Seah Street Deli and Oriental cuisine at Doc Cheng's.
1 Beach Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6337 1886.
Web: www.raffleshotel.com
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
This 32-floor, high-rise luxury hotel in Singapore has some of the best rooms on the island. Designed by prize-winning architect Kevin Roche, all 608 rooms (including the huge bathrooms) have panoramic views over the Singapore skyline or Marina Bay. The rooms, larger than in most other hotels, are stylish with light timber and Tibetan-style floor covering, and include broadband internet access, multilingual voicemail and walk-in wardrobes. The top-floor Ritz-Carlton Club has a lounge with 360° views and cocktail bar. The hotel also houses one of the largest collections of modern art in South East Asia, including works by Warhol and Chihuly, and offers the only Vintage Champagne Sunday Brunch in town.
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6337 8888.
Web: www.ritzcarlton.com
St Regis Singapore
St Regis Singapore occupies a prime downtown location at the junction of Orchard and Tanglin Roads. The 299 rooms and suites are classically styled, with light pastel fabrics, marble bathrooms and drawing-room style furnishings. In-room technology is top class, with large wall-mounted plasma TV, Wi-Fi internet, Bose CD player and surround-sound speakers. Attentive personal butler service is on call 24 hours a day. There are six bars and restaurants, including fine French dining at Brasserie Les Saveurs and timeless cocktails at the Astor Bar. The hotel also features an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures from Asian and European artists. For relaxation, guests can soak up some sun at the outdoor pool and terrace, or indulge themselves with a massage and sauna at the superb Remede Spa.
29 Tanglin Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6506 6888.
Web: www.stregissingapore.com
Swissôtel The Stamford
As one of Asia's tallest hotels, Swissôtel The Stamford looms over the business heart of Singapore and has nearly 1,300 rooms all with splendid views and tasteful furnishing. All rooms have balconies, IDD, mini-bar and tea and coffee facilities, a writing table, safe and cable TV with in-house movies. Rooms and suites on the higher (and more expensive) floors have harbour views. Hotel facilities include business centre, the huge Willow Stream Spa and fitness centre, outdoor pools and six tennis courts. Equinox Restaurant, on level 70, offers superb panoramic views of the city, as does the New Asia bar, one floor up. Local cuisine is available at the Kopi Tiam restaurant, with Szechuan, Japanese and Italian cuisine at its sister (and adjacent) hotel Raffles The Plaza. Great saver deals are available at weekends when booked via their website.
2 Stamford Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6338 8585.
Web: www.singapore-stamford.swissotel.com
The Sentosa Resort & Spa
This luxury resort hotel in Singapore is located on a cliff top overlooking the South China Sea, within 11 hectares (27 acres) of tropical woodland on Sentosa Island. Each room, decked out in soothing and stylish pale fabrics and dark wood, boasts a 42-inch plasma TV, plus advanced DVD player and high-speed internet access. The hotel's 205 rooms include 27 suites, and four spacious garden villas, each with their private pool and garden. Business visitors are well catered for, with a two-storey conference centre containing meeting and function rooms. The luxurious Spa Botanica, Singapore's first tropical garden spa, is located in the grounds, with mud pools, steam baths, treatments and massages.
Sentosa
2 Bukit Manis Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6275 0331.
Web: www.thesentosa.com
Business Etiquette
There are 11 public holidays a year, the most significant being the Chinese New Year, usually in February. This is the only occasion when almost everything shuts down - locals spend time visiting their families and expats leave for a long weekend away. During other public holidays, like Christmas Day, banks and offices close but shops stay open.
Business dress is fairly formal, though a jacket is usually dispensed with apart from at official meetings. Women wear skirts or trouser suits. Some organisations have adopted casual Fridays, although only those departments with no client contact tend to take advantage of this.
Locals and expats alike work long hours. The official working day is 0900-1800 but much longer hours are quite common.
Sightseeing
Singapore is a city where the first impression is that of man's achievements; the efficient and aesthetically pleasing Changi Airport is repeatedly voted the world's best. But here, world firsts are becoming commonplace, for example Suntec City boasts the biggest man-made fountain, the Night Safari is the first night zoo, and the world's highest man-made waterfall, at 30m (98ft), is at Jurong Bird Park.
Heat and humidity notwithstanding, the most efficient way to get to know local culture is on foot, particularly around Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam in the heart of the city. These areas especially illustrate how Singapore's successful economy is based upon ancient traditions, and multicultural influences. It is usually this combination that entices people, but for a healthy dose of pure consumerism and entirely modern architecture, Orchard Road is where the best shopping is at.
Singapore is not all urban landscape as first appears, and in keeping with its 'Garden City' label, there are many areas of natural beauty, albeit with a little help from humans. The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore Zoological Gardens, the Night Safari and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve are all hugely popular.
For history lovers and culture vultures, there is also an impressive selection of museums, exhibitions and architectural heritage, like the superb National Museum of Singapore, the Asian Civilisations Museum, Peranakan Museum and the Singapore Art Museum. New attractions include the MINT Museum of Toys and Aramsa Garden Spa for resting weary feet.
Orchard Road, at junction with Cairnhill Road
Tel: 1 800 736 2000.
Website: www.visitsingapore.com or www.stb.com.sg
Opening hours: 0930-2230 daily.
STB visitor centres can also be found at the following addresses: Changi, Arrivals Hall Terminals 1, 2 & 3, 0600-0200 daily, and Tourism Court, 1 Orchard Spring Lane, 0830-1830 Mon-Fri.
Key Attractions
This intriguing museum, housed in the restored Empress Place Building, focuses on a broad and in-depth perspective of pan-Asian culture and civilisations. It houses 11 galleries containing over 1,300 artefacts from civilisations of China, South East Asia, South Asia and the Islamic societies of West Asia. Free guided tours in English are available. The location of the museum was once a government office and overlooks the mouth of the Singapore River.
1 Empress Place
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6332 2982.
Web: www.acm.org.sg
Opening hours: Mon 1300-1900, Tues-Sun 0900-1900 (until 2100 Fri).
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Changi Chapel & Museum
A harrowing monument in Singapore dedicated to the 50,000 soldiers and civilians who were killed during Japanese occupation (1942-45), Changi Chapel, a replica of many built at this time, is housed within the courtyard of the new museum. The museum contains letters, drawings and personal effects of the prisoners of war, with a replica of the Changi Murals and several video screenings. Services are held every Sunday from 0945 to 1100 in the chapel (visitors welcome).
1000 Upper Changi Road North
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6214 2451.
Web: www.changimuseum.com
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700.
Admission Fee: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Chinatown
Chinatown's history dates back to 1821 when the first Chinese junk carrying immigrants arrived from Fujian province. Much of it has been rebuilt and the colourful old shop-houses restored. It remains one of the most interesting areas to explore in Singapore, with a lively street scene rich with traditional architecture and customs. The Chinatown Heritage Centre, 48 Pagoda Street, showcases this fascinating historical story in full. Chinatown's four main districts all have their own distinctive flavour: Kreta Ayer (eating and shopping), Telok Ayer (temples and Speakers' Corner), Tanjong Pagar (nightlife and the scaled-down model of the city at URA Gallery) and Bukit Pasoh (Chinese cultural and clan associations). The lively paved Smith Street is known as Food Street, open 1700-2300 weekdays and 1700-0100 Friday, Saturday and the eve of public holidays, and is close to fantastic clothes and souvenir shops.
Chinatown
Singapore
Singapore
Admission Fee: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Jurong Bird Park
The largest bird park in the Asia Pacific, covering over 20 hectares (50 acres), Singapore's Jurong Bird Park is home to more than 9,000 birds from 600 different species worldwide. Highlights include African Waterfall Aviary, at 30m (98ft) the world's highest man-made waterfall; the Penguin Exhibition, with a panoramic viewing gallery to watch the 200 penguins feeding; the Southeast Asian Birds Aviary, where a thunderstorm is simulated every day at noon; the African Wetlands Exhibit; and Jungle Jewels, featuring dazzling hummingbirds. At the Lodge on Flamingo Lake, visitors can dine in a three-storey glass restaurant surrounded by 1,001 flamingos. An air-conditioned monorail covers the entire park.
2 Jurong Hill
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6265 0022.
Web: www.birdpark.com.sg
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1800.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Little India
The streets of Little India in Singapore, inhabited by the original Indian immigrants brought over by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, has been a thriving commercial area for over a century. Today's attractions are mainly shopping, eating and temples, especially along the main hub of Serangoon Road, with spicy aromas emerging from shop-houses and wonderful Indian food to be devoured in the many informal restaurants. The Little India Arcade and Zhujiao Centre (also known as Tekka Centre) are newly converted shop-houses selling handicrafts, saris and spices, with more commercial wares at the 24-hour Mustafa Centre. During Hindu festivals, the area comes to life especially around the thriving temples.
Little India
Singapore
Singapore
Admission Fee: No
Disabled Access: Yes
National Museum of Singapore
Housed in a whitewashed Palladian mansion with a stunning contemporary glass adjunct at the back, this is simply one of the best history museums in Asia. The museum houses a superb, interactive Singapore history exhibition that visitors can self-guide their way through using a hand-held PDA device, plus four permanent Living Galleries, detailing the histories of Food, Fashion, Film and Photography in Singapore, plus two cutting-edge temporary art galleries. The magnificent building itself is worth a visit, and there are also excellent fine-dining restaurants, cafés and an excellent museum shop.
93 Stamford Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6332 5642.
Web: www.nationalmuseum.sg
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800, 1000-2000 (Living Galleries).
Admission Fee: Yes (free admission to the Living Galleries 1800-2000 daily)
Disabled Access: Yes
Night Safari
Singapore's award-winning Night Safari is billed as the world's first night wildlife park. As 90% of animals are nocturnal, this safari shows animals at their most active by using clever lighting techniques. Spread over 40 hectares (100 acres) of lush forest, more than 1,000 animals, covering 100 exotic species, live in eight zones recreating geographic regions, including the African savannah and South American pampas. There are three walking trails, plus a 45-minute tram ride, cocktail safari express and limo buggy trail. The 'Creatures of the Night' show sees employees grappling with some of the less dangerous species.
180 Mandai Lake Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6269 3411.
Web: www.nightsafari.com.sg
Opening hours: Daily 1930-midnight.
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Peranakan Museum
Formerly an adjunct to the Asian Civilisations Museum, the Peranakan Museum reopened in 2008 in the magnificent former Tao Nan school building. The museum tells the fascinating stories of the mixed-culture Peranakan peoples of the former Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca and Penang and their links with other communities in Southeast Asia. The beautifully restored three-floored building houses stunning historical artefacts, ranging from wedding outfits to jade ornaments and exquisite hand-painted porcelain to religious icons.
39 Armenian Street
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6332 7591.
Web: www.peranakanmuseum.sg
Opening hours: Mon 1300-1900, Tues-Sun 0900-1900 (until 2100 Fri).
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Raffles Hotel
Built in 1887 and declared a National Monument a century later, Singapore's most famous landmark is one of the world's greatest Victorian hotels. A favourite retreat for Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Noel Coward and Charlie Chaplin, it oozes colonial grace, enhanced by its extensive facelift in 1991, which cost S$160 million. Afternoon tea or a Tiffin Curry Buffet in the Tiffin Room, a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar and a drink under the cool high ceilings of the Bar & Billiard Room are all part of the Singapore experience. In addition, the stylish arcade contains shops, restaurants, a Victorian-style playhouse and a museum housing fascinating Raffles memorabilia.
1 Beach Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6337 1886.
Web: www.raffleshotel.com
Admission Fee: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Sentosa Island
Billed as a 'tropical isle of peace and tranquillity', Sentosa Island is a purpose-built island theme park, with attractions including Universal Studios Singapore, featuring 24 movie-themed rides; Underwater World, a huge tropical oceanarium with 2,500 marine creatures in an 83m (272ft) submerged tunnel; Dolphin Lagoon, a water show with a pink dolphin; and the 37m (121ft) Merlion. Museums include Images of Singapore, with waxwork figures depicting Singapore's history, and Fort Siloso, recreating bunkers and underground passages used for defence during the war. The viewing platform at the top of Tiger Sky Tower offers a great panoramic view of Singapore, gently revolving at 131m (430ft) above sea level. Meanwhile, Sentosa 4D Magix is Singapore's first and South East Asia's largest cinema of its kind, and boasts state-of-the-art projection technology and sound system. The Sijori WonderGolf is an 18-hole miniature golf course, certified by the Minigolf Sport Federation. Beaches, golf courses, hotels, entertainment and restaurants are dotted throughout Sentosa. A lightrail and bus tour the island and visitors can jump off at any station.
Sentosa Island
Singapore
Tel: 1 800 736 8672.
Web: www.sentosa.com.sg
Opening hours: Attractions vary; usually daily 0900-1900 (or as late as 2200).
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Singapore Art Museum
Transformed from a 19th-century boys' school built by Irish Catholic monks, this is one of Singapore's most striking structures. Now home to the Singapore Art Museum, its exhibits are predominantly 20th-century South East Asian art, with paintings, sculptures and installations. Although specialising in regional art, the museum has recently broadened its field. Free guided tours in English are available.
71 Bras Basah Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6332 3222.
Web: www.singaporeartmuseum.sg
Opening hours: Sat-Thu 1000-1900, Fri 1000-2100.
Admission Fee: Yes (free on Fri 1800-2100)
Disabled Access: Yes
Singapore Botanic Gardens
As a perfect respite from Singapore's urban landscape, the gardens epitomise the island's luxuriant parks with a combination of primary jungle and elegantly laid-out flowerbeds and shrubs, serving to educate and conserve. With over 3,000 species spread over 52 hectares (128 acres), the National Orchid Garden has the world's largest orchid display, with over 60,000 plants in total. The gardens are also a venue for outdoor concerts.
1 Cluny Road
Singapore
Singapore
Tel: 6471 7361.
Web: www.sbg.org.sg
Opening hours: Daily 0500-midnight (National Orchid Garden: Daily 0830-1900).
Admission Fee: No (charge for the National Orchid Garden)
Disabled Access: Yes
Culture
Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre
Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre is home to the Ecnad Project, a young, professional performing arts group going strong for over a decade and renowned for its cutting-edge, dynamic dance performances.
182 Cecil Street, Singapore
Tel: 6221 4726.
Singapore Dance Theatre
The Singapore Dance Theatre performs classical dance and ballet and is based at Fort Canning Centre. One of the city's most popular events is their outdoor Ballet Under the Stars, held at Fort Canning Hill in July.
Cox Terrace, Canning Park, Singapore
Tel: 6338 0611.
Website: www.singaporedancetheatre.com
Opera and Theatre
Esplanade
Esplanade is the largest multi-purpose venue for performing arts in Singapore. This waterfront complex contains a concert hall, recital studio, two theatres, an art gallery and a bay-side outdoor stage. Plays are often performed in Mandarin, with English subtitles. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is based here and gives regular performances including every Friday, Saturday and some Sundays. Founded in 1979, the SSO bridges Asian and Western music and has a growing, if still fragile, reputation helped by the occasional international tour.
1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore
Tel: 6828 8377.
Website: www.esplanade.com
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