Marina Bay Sands
The opulent Marina Bay Sands resort complex
includes a high-end luxury hotel, a mall with a canal running through it, the ArtScience
Museum, and the Marina Bay Sands Skypark Observation Deck–a vantage
point for taking in the entire city. The Skypark's viewing deck and infinity
pool are found in the ship (yes, ship) that tops the hotel. Only hotel guests
are allowed to use the infinity pool, but anyone can visit the observation
deck.
Gardens By The Bay
Once you've glimpsed this beautifully designed
green space (from the top of the Marina Bay Sands, perhaps) you won't be able
to stay away. Wander through the Bay East Garden, perfect for enjoying
the vibrant plant life and escaping the city bustle for a moment.
Botanic Gardens
Not to be confused with the Gardens on the
Bay, the Botanic Gardens are also worth a visit. Singapore received its
first UNESCO World Heritage nomination for its botanical gardens, and with good
reason. The city can sometimes feel like a concrete jungle, albeit a clean and
comfortable one, but the botanic gardens preserve pieces of Singapore's wilder
heritage.
Singapore Zoo
Billing itself as the world's best rainforest
zoo, the Singapore Zoo is a pretty impressive place. The facility is clean and
inviting, and the animals appear well treated, with plenty of lush vegetation
and habitat space.
Orchard Road
One could be forgiven for coming to Singapore
and doing nothing but shopping, as this is a world-class city for style and
designer chic. The Orchard Road area is a great place to start a shopping
spree, as there are high-end stores at every turn. You'd expect nothing less
from a neighborhood that boasts 22 malls and six department stores. There are
also four movie theaters, including an IMAX cinema, and a KTV karaoke
establishment.
Singapore Flyer
If the observation deck at the Marina Bay
Sands doesn't quite do it for you, try taking in high tea while looking out
over the city from the Singapore Flyer, the world's largest giant observation
wheel. Choose from several different packages that allow you to be served and
pampered while enjoying a view that encompasses not only the Singapore skyline
but as far away as the Spice Islands of Indonesia and Malaysia's Straits of
Johor.
Singapore Raffles Hotel
This colonial building is one of the world's
last grand 19th-century hotels, once visited by literary luminaries such as
Rudyard Kipling and Joseph Conrad, as well as movie star Charlie Chaplin.
Singapore's Chinatown
If you've ever visited China, Singapore's
Chinatown neighborhood will bring you right back here. From the small
mom-and-pop stores and authentic Chinese food to the bright red lanterns,
there's excitement and hustle in this district. You can visit the Chinese
Heritage Centre and see the impressive and beautiful Sri Mariamman Hindu
temple.
Sentosa Island
Singapore isn't exactly known as a beach
destination, but if you're really craving some fun in the sun, Sentosa Island
is the place to find it. Siloso Beach is a good spot for getting in
beach time, and visitors can play volleyball on free courts or go kayaking and
skimboarding. There are several other beach attractions as well, plus an Underwater
World aquarium, where you can swim with dolphins.
Clarke Quay
The "center of commerce during the 19th century," Clarke Quay lives up to its legacy as a busy hub. Today, it has a more polished sheen, so after a long day of shopping on Orchard Road, visitors can happily head to Clarke Quay for an evening of waterfront dining and entertainment.
Universal Studios Singapore
Universal Studios Singapore occupies 49 acres of
Resorts World Sentosa. The park is arranged thematically, with each area paying
tribute to a location, film, or television show. Destinations include New York
City, Hollywood, Madagascar, and a trip back to Ancient Egypt. Fiction-themed
areas include Shrek's Far Far Away, Lost World, and Sci-Fi City, where Battlestar
Galactica-themed dueling roller coasters and an indoor dark coaster, Revenge of the Mummy, dominate the
thrill rides.
Night Safari
Night Safari Singapore puts a new twist on the traditional zoo experience by introducing visitors to the nocturnal lives of the residents. The park's habitats are divided into four sections, each with its own trail that lets you observe these elusive creatures as they go about their "day."
Merlion Park
Singapore's
Merlion is just what it sounds like–the figure of a mythical creature that has
the head of a lion and the body and tail of a fish. The Merlion represents the
city's humble start as a fishing village combined with its traditional Malay
name Singapura, "lion city."
Asian Civilizations Museum
If the Raffles Hotel and Fort Canning
Park haven't satisfied your taste for colonial architecture, pay a visit to
the Empress Place Building. It was constructed in 1865 and built in the
Neoclassical style, and was named in honor of Queen Victoria. It now houses the
Asian Civilizations Museum, which delves into the many Asian cultures that
helped form Singapore.
Pulau Ubin
For a look at what life in Singapore was like
before it was all about glamor and skyscrapers, visit the small island of Pulau
Ubin, where fewer than 100 people still live in the same simple way as they did
in the 1960s. The island's name is Malay for "Granite Island," a
moniker given due to its past prominence as a quarry town.
Fort Canning Park
As military strongholds go, Fort Canning has had
a long and varied life. Built in 1859, the fort was originally meant to defend
Singapore against attacks but it became a bunker during World War II and was
eventually surrendered to the Japanese in 1942.
The Maritime Experiential Museum
This indoor-outdoor museum is located right on
the water, and it's a great way to explore Singapore's maritime history through
fun, interactive exhibits. Before you even enter the building, you'll be able
to see several ships anchored here.
Fort Siloso
Fort Siloso, the country's only preserved fort
and a military museum, is located on Sentosa Island. You can reach the fort via
the Fort Siloso Skywalk trail, a
massive steel bridge towering 11 stories up. Surrounded by lush tropical
canopy, the bridge is accessed by either a glass elevator or simple
stairs–though taking the elevator means sweeping open views of the Keppel
Harbor, which you can't really see if you choose to walk your way up. The
181-meter-long bridge offers great views of the nearby islands, as well as the
jungle floor below.
National Gallery Singapore
Home to the largest modern art collection in
Southeast Asia, the National Gallery mostly focuses on the works of local and
Asian artists starting in the 19th century. The 9,000-plus works of
art are divided between two buildings – City Hall and the former Supreme Court
– over more than 64,000 square meters.
Jewel Changi Airport
Often voted as the best airport in the world,
the 10-story-high Jewel Ghangi is not your ordinary transportation hub. In
fact, you should put it on your list of must-see places to visit while in
Singapore.