by Vanya Cheng [Clocktower, September 2005]
Stopping over in Singapore?
Going back home for Christmas? Have a stop-over in Singapore airport? Why not take a few days to explore the small, sunny island called Singapore? As a born and bred Singaporean who has lived in Singapore for 18 years, here’s a local insiders gide to all the cool places to check out and things to do while you’re there.
Coffee Break
Take a break from shopping along Orchard Road and have a cuppa at Starbucks in Liat Towers. It’s a great place to check people out and watch the world go by. Grab a book from Boarders next door or Kinokuniya in Takashimaya and you are set for a lazy afternoon.
Funan the I.T. Mall (or Sim Lim Square)
Funan the I.T. Mall is the largest I.T. Mall in South East Asia. It houses the A to Z of computer gadgets (read: Geek paradise). Pracitcally every guy that I know who walks into this mall, walks out with a big smile on his face! Get the latest models of laptops, digital cameras, iPods, handphones and other computer accessories at affordable prices. A small piece of advice though: Don’t buy your gizmo at the first store you stop at. Shop around and check out other shops to make sure you’ve got the best deal before you make your purchase.
Singapore Sling
This famous cocktail from Singapore was created at the Raffles Hotel, so head on down to this charming, colonial 5-star hotel and sling back one of these babies.
For the Party Animals
Head down to Zouk – The #1 Nightclub in Singapore, Monhammed Sultan Road – the clubbing street in Singapore, or Boat Quay where you’ll find plenty of restaurants, pubs and clubs along the Singapore river.
Local Food
Try some local fanfare at Lau Par Sat or Newton Hawker Centre. Some dishes to try include chicken rice, char kway teow (flat, fried noodles), chicken satay (chicken pieces on wooden skewers) and chilli crab (beware, it’s spicy!). As Singapore has a tropical climate, the fruits that we get are different from the fruits you get from colder, temperate climates. Some of our local, tropical fruits include the durian, nicknamed the „King of fruits“ because of its strong, overpowering flavour, jackfruit, rambutan, longan, lychee and guava.
Sentosa
If Spain has Ibiza, then Singapore has Sentosa. Take out those bikinis and boardies, play some beach volley ball or just chill on the beach and soak up some sun. They usually have a massive rave party on the beach called „Zouk Out“ in December, so make sure you’re there if you want to be part of the “in crowd“.
Picture Perfect: Sports to Photograph
The Esplanade: Theatres on the Bay: The Esplanade is Singapore’s version of Sydney’s Opera House. It is Singapore’s iconic building which looks like a spiky hedgehog. The architecture is very modern and futuristic and I love it! The Fullerton Hotel: With a neo-classical architecture, this 6-star luxury hotel has a rich heritage which benefits its opulent façade.
Basically, there are two main things to do in Singapore – eat and shop. Singaporeans live to eat and we shop till we drop. So, if you haven’t gained an extra pound and if you haven’t bought an extra suitcase from all that shopping, then you have yet to experience Singapore at its best!