Singapore - Experience
Glitzy malls showcasing the latest international designs, ornate Hindu temples and noisy Chinese markets - pint-sized Singapore is a mosaic of contrasting cultures.
The colonial grandeur of Raffles Hotel and Corinthian-columned Supreme Court contrast starkly with the marigold garlands and Hindi-pop-blaring markets of Little India. To escape busy city life, join the Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo or amble through Singapore Art Museum, housed in a restored school building, for a huge collection of South Asian art.
Find designer fashion in Ngee Ann City and boho chic at the fun Heeren Shops on Orchard Road, electronics and computers in gleaming Sim Lim Square, and traditional Chinese medicine in Chinatown's exotic halls. Buy silk from Arab Street, Indian spices and brassware on Serangoon Street, or arts and antiques in the Tanglin Shopping Centre.
Most activities are outdoors especially in the cooler evenings, so alfresco dining is the norm. East Coast Park is a refreshing coastal escape for picnics, rollerblading and watersports, and the huge Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is bursting with lush rainforest popular for trekking. Seaside theme park Sentosa Island is indulgent fun, and the energetic go cycling on the nearby island of Pulau Ubin.
The spectacular multi-staged Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay plays host to performances by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Dance Theatre. Get to grips with Chinese opera at small venues around Chinatown or watch English-language plays by the Singapore Repertory Theatre at DBS Arts Centre. Substation is the place to go for edgy contemporary productions.
Local delicacies should not be missed. Singapore's blend of Malay, Chinese and Indian such as Hainanese chicken rice can be sampled in Hawker Centre courtyards throughout town. Taste chilli crab in East Coast Parkway, south Indian snacks in Little India, Cantonese char siu (barbecued pork) around Chinatown, and Malay delights in Geylang Serai.
Drink and dine as you gaze from your private cable-car cabin, 90 metres above Singapore's harbour and lights.
