Singapore
Singapore is an island city-state in Southeast Asia, and the central city surrounds the banks of the Singapore river and Marina Bay. Formerly a trading post of the East India Company, Singapore has grown rapidly and is now a global hub for commerce, finance and transport. While often visited as a lay-over stop on a longer journey, there are plenty of reasons to visit Singapore on its own merit.
Top Places to Visit
Gardens by the Bay – These beautiful gardens are one of the top attractions in Singapore, with plenty of things to see and do. They are perhaps most well known for the two domes: the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. However, there is also the Supertree Grove which provides shade during the day and a wonderful light display at night, and the OCBC Skyway, an aerial walkway 22 metres above the ground.
The outdoor gardens are open daily from 5am-2am, and the domes and Skyway are open from 9am – 9pm. Admission to the outdoor gardens is free. If you want to visit the two domes, a ticket (for admission to both) is $28 for an adult, $15 for 3-12 year olds, and free for under 3’s. A ticket to walk on the the Skyway is $8 for an adult, $5 for 3-12 year olds and free for under 3’s.
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple – This temple/museum was opened in 2007 to coincide with the Vesak Day celebration and is based on the Tang dynasty architectural style. It was built to house the tooth relic of Buddha which can be viewed on the 4th floor of the temple. It is suggested to leave at least an hour to look around.
The temple is open from 7am – 7pm daily and is free. It’s important when visiting to remember to wear appropriate attire to show respect; no bare backs, off-shoulders, shorts, mini-skirts etc, and there is strictly only vegetarian food and no pets inside the temple.
Singapore Zoo – Zoos always make for great days out, especially if you’re visiting with children, and this zoo has plenty on offer. Not only are there all the usual zoo attractions, but there is also a night safari, river safari, and bird park. The zoo itself has a brilliant variety of animals, including: white tigers, polar bears, pygmy hippos, komodo dragons and elephants.
The zoo is open from 8:30am – 6:00pm and entry costs $33 for an adult, $22 for children between 3 and 12, and free for under 3’s. Full ticket price details for the other attractions can be found here.
Other attractions include: The Singapore Botanic Gardens which is best known for its National Orchid Garden, and Universal Studios Singapore for those who love a theme park.
A Place to Stay
Marina Bay Sands – This iconic hotel towers over Marina Bay and offers the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool. There’s also a casino, an observation deck, the world-renowned Banyan Tree Spa and direct access to Singapore’s premier shopping mall and the ArtScience museum.
When it comes to dining options, guests are spoilt for choice with many different establishments on offer. Options include: Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, and CÉ LA VI Restaurant and SkyBar. Or if you don’t feel like going out, there’s 24 hour in-room dining on offer with a wide variety of food brought to your door in 30 minutes or less.
A Place to Eat
Summer Pavilion – This Michelin starred restaurant offers tantalising Cantonese cuisine and an intimate and sophisticated dining experience. Summer Pavilion is particularly known for its tasting menus which include dishes such as Pan-fried Canadian Lobster and Wok-Seared Green Asparagus in Black Truffle Sauce, Smoked Australian Abalone in Golden Syrup Sauce, and Hot Sago Pudding.
Located at The Ritz-Carlton, the restaurant is open daily between 11:30am and 2:30pm for lunch and 6:30pm and 10:30pm for dinner. Reservations are recommended and can be made online or over the phone.