Visiting the Lion City

I’m preparing an itinerary for some of my husband’s balikbayan relatives from the US who are here on vacation. They’ll be going to Singapore on Monday so I’m making a list of places that they can visit while they’re there. I decided to post about some of these places.

Singapore is a small island nation and is one of Southeast Asia’s most popular travel destinations. I worked there for a while and although I found the general atmosphere of this city a bit duller compared to Manila’s hustle and bustle, it definitely has its perks. For one, it is one of the cleanest cities in the world. And they have an admirably low crime rate so tourists can be assured of a safe visit.

Anyway, here are a few places that the tourist should see:

The Esplanade and Merlion. If you want people to know you’ve been to Singapore, take a photo at The Esplanade, the dome-shaped theater with a spiky roof thus earning it the nickname of durian. Then just a short walk away is the Merlion which was “…erected as a symbol to welcome all visitors to Singapore", according to their former PM Lee Kuan Yew in 1972.

Sentosa Island. Singapore's Island Resort offers a unique blend of leisure and recreational facilities including family attractions, sea sports, golf as well as hotel accommodation and retreats. My personal favorites are the Underwater World, Dolphin Bay, Musical Fountain at night & the Carlsberg Tower. And you can take a cable car ride from Mt. Faber or Harbourfront to get there. But there’s so much more to see besides the ones I mentioned. You can take the Monorail if you’re too lazy to walk.

Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. Both were created to simulate the natural habitats of its resident animals. It is a model of the "open zoo" concept, where animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures. The Night Safari, which is the first of its kind in the world, allows you to enjoy a unique experience of exploring wildlife in a tropical jungle at night. There’s a tram that goes around but you can also step off at certain points if you want to see the animals more closely. It’s perfectly safe.

Jurong Bird Park. With 9,000 colourful birds of 600 species, the Jurong Bird Park is the largest in the Asia Pacific and one of the finest bird parks in the world. With the tallest man-made waterfall and the largest walk-in aviary, the park offers a unique experience as you enjoy a close-up view of free-flying birds from Africa and South America. You can take a Panorail ride around the entire park before proceeding to the walking tour.

Singapore Flyer. The world’s biggest ferris wheel/observation wheel, taking the title from the London Eye, officially opened to the public on March 1st of this year (that means I haven’t had the chance to ride it... yet). It has 28 capsules and each can hold 28 passengers. It reaches 42 stories high and a complete rotation takes about 30 minutes. It provides a panoramic view of the city as well as some of the neighboring islands in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Orchard Road. It is Singapore's version of the Champs Elysees although you can also find malls and shops that aren't high end. My personal favorites are Far East Plaza, where you can find the most current in street fashion – from the hip to the outrageous, Wisma Atria and Takashimaya.

Suntec City. A collection of 4 tall skinny buildings, 1 short building and the wide convention center in the middle are intentionally positioned according to good Feng Shui to resemble the shape of the human left hand that points towards Singapore's financial district at Raffles Place, commanding all of Singapore's cash to come to momma. :) You’ll find a mall, restaurants and the world’s biggest fountain.

Newton Food Center. Of course you can’t go traipsing about Singapore without sustenance and eating is a national pastime here. And the best way to imbibe the local flavor is to eat out at hawker centers and one of the best is at Newton Circus (there’s no circus there, ok). As you enter, you’ll immediately be confronted with rows of stalls selling all sorts of food and stallholders approaching you and persuading you to order something from them. Don’t cave in but continue to leisurely walk until you find what you want. I suggest you look for a stall marked “A” or “B” because these are the cleanest.

Clarke Quay. Promoted as a festival village, Clarke Quay is crammed with bars, cafes, restaurants, and some truly awful souvenir shops, hehe. You can take a bumboat trip around the river and harbor – it’s a great way to cool off on a steamy Singapore night and an opportunity to ogle the many lovely examples of colonial architecture. Masochists, like me, can experience the joy of being catapulted 60 meters at a maximum of 5Gs into the sky in a three-person bungee capsule. This is preferably done before hitting the bars (my favorites are the One Night Stand bar and the Ministry of Sound) and food outlets unless your stomach's made of steel!

Chijmes. I had my first taste of Singapore nightlife here. Chijmes is an old convent which presently houses lots of shops and restaurants. The now deconsecrated church is used for weddings and small concerts. It is stunning at night. I read it recently became an UNESCO world heritage site. Most of the restaurants serve western food but there’s a good Chinese and Vietnamese restaurant, too. My personal favorites are Insomnia & Harry's Bar.

There are still many places besides the ones I mentioned that you can go to in Singapore. It all depends on what you're interested in and how much time you have.