48 hours in Singapore
48 HOURS
SINGAPORE
The small island country of Singapore is made up of 63 islands and islets that float off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Get ready for Singapore Slings alongside its national dish of chilli crab. By Iga Motylska (@igamotylska)
Must see Singapore may be small at 719 km , but it’s culturally diverse, with a population made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians, the ancestors of British colonialists, and expats. Try to experience a little of each culture on a visit to the tropical island. You could spend a whole day at the Universal Studios Singapore on Sentosa Island, otherwise there’s much else to do. While it’s early, I head to the Botanical Gardens, which were established in the 1850s and have since been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They’re located near the shopping district along Orchard Road. I tour the rainforest and orchid garden, walk past heritage trees and rest on the lawns by the swan lake. On my way out, I count the gardens’ sculptures and fountains. You could also explore Gardens by the Bay at twilight. Then I wander past malls, fashion stores, gadget shops as well as bars and restaurants that spill out onto the pavement. On the first Saturday of the month, the road between Scotts Paterson Junction and Bideford Junction is closed off for ‘pedestrian night’ for sales and street salsa or yoga. Just off Orchard Road, I follow in the 2
footsteps of Sir Stamford Raffles, who established Singapore as a trading post of the British East India Company in 1819. Nearby is the colonial-era Raffles Hotel, with its ornate furnishings, antiques and billiards table. I drop by for a Singapore Sling (it has three bars) to ward off the humid heat. I’ve arrived a few days after Diwali, the festival of lights. The streets of Little India are ablaze with lights and the air is infused with the heavy scent of jasmine. Three Hindu men making floral garlands point me towards a street lined with Indian diners. I eat the curry, served on a banana leaf, with my hands (as the locals do) and it’s never tasted better. Here, you can find anything from saris to bracelets and get a henna tattoo, as Bollywood songs float down the streets. I buy handmade souvenirs from the double-storey shophouses along Bussorah Street in Kampong Glam – where men smoke hookah pipes and sip tea at outdoor
Top Tip
restaurants – before visiting Masjid Sultan with its golden dome. This national heritage site is also Singapore’s largest mosque. Chinatown will intrigue shopaholics, so don’t expect to leave without a t-shirt or fridge magnet. Grab a window seat in a restaurant along the busiest stretch and people watch from above as you sip on a Tiger Beer.
Must do All roads in Singapore lead to the Marina Bay Sands. At 165m, the Singapore Flyer is the place from which to photograph it – the promenade, Durian-shaped Esplanade Theatre, the half-fish, half-lion Merlion fountain, the Helix pedestrian bridge and the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Indulge in seafood and sushi at Ce La Vi Restaurant and Skybar. Choose an outside table where you can snap a selfie over the Singapore Strait.
Avoid the monsoon season (from December to March and June to September). Singapore is always hot and humid, so dress appropriately and bring a parasol for shade.
Travel Update | issue 7
17
SINGAPORE
The small island country of Singapore is made up of 63 islands and islets that float off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Get ready for Singapore Slings alongside its national dish of chilli crab. By Iga Motylska (@igamotylska)
Must see Singapore may be small at 719 km , but it’s culturally diverse, with a population made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians, the ancestors of British colonialists, and expats. Try to experience a little of each culture on a visit to the tropical island. You could spend a whole day at the Universal Studios Singapore on Sentosa Island, otherwise there’s much else to do. While it’s early, I head to the Botanical Gardens, which were established in the 1850s and have since been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They’re located near the shopping district along Orchard Road. I tour the rainforest and orchid garden, walk past heritage trees and rest on the lawns by the swan lake. On my way out, I count the gardens’ sculptures and fountains. You could also explore Gardens by the Bay at twilight. Then I wander past malls, fashion stores, gadget shops as well as bars and restaurants that spill out onto the pavement. On the first Saturday of the month, the road between Scotts Paterson Junction and Bideford Junction is closed off for ‘pedestrian night’ for sales and street salsa or yoga. Just off Orchard Road, I follow in the 2
footsteps of Sir Stamford Raffles, who established Singapore as a trading post of the British East India Company in 1819. Nearby is the colonial-era Raffles Hotel, with its ornate furnishings, antiques and billiards table. I drop by for a Singapore Sling (it has three bars) to ward off the humid heat. I’ve arrived a few days after Diwali, the festival of lights. The streets of Little India are ablaze with lights and the air is infused with the heavy scent of jasmine. Three Hindu men making floral garlands point me towards a street lined with Indian diners. I eat the curry, served on a banana leaf, with my hands (as the locals do) and it’s never tasted better. Here, you can find anything from saris to bracelets and get a henna tattoo, as Bollywood songs float down the streets. I buy handmade souvenirs from the double-storey shophouses along Bussorah Street in Kampong Glam – where men smoke hookah pipes and sip tea at outdoor
Top Tip
restaurants – before visiting Masjid Sultan with its golden dome. This national heritage site is also Singapore’s largest mosque. Chinatown will intrigue shopaholics, so don’t expect to leave without a t-shirt or fridge magnet. Grab a window seat in a restaurant along the busiest stretch and people watch from above as you sip on a Tiger Beer.
Must do All roads in Singapore lead to the Marina Bay Sands. At 165m, the Singapore Flyer is the place from which to photograph it – the promenade, Durian-shaped Esplanade Theatre, the half-fish, half-lion Merlion fountain, the Helix pedestrian bridge and the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Indulge in seafood and sushi at Ce La Vi Restaurant and Skybar. Choose an outside table where you can snap a selfie over the Singapore Strait.
Avoid the monsoon season (from December to March and June to September). Singapore is always hot and humid, so dress appropriately and bring a parasol for shade.
Travel Update | issue 7
17
