Things to do in Singapore
Beyond the skyscrapers of this economic powerhouse lurk Singapore's roots. In Chinatown, the red pagoda Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum sits alongside the Hindu Sri Mariamman Temple. The best museums lie in the elegant Colonial District, including the ornate Peranakan Museum. Visitors leave the bustle of the Central Business District for rural escapes like Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Sentosa Island's Tanjong Beach. Most attractions are open daily, from 10am to 5pm.
Singapore Tyler Print Institute
Art on paper
A hidden gem at Robertson Quay, Singapore Tyler Print Institute has a
spacious gallery with temporary exhibitions including etchings and screen
prints. Established in 2002 to promote printmaking and papermaking, visitors
can also see resident artists working in the studios.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 10am-6pm
Address
41, Robertson Quay, Singapore 238236
Telephone
+65 6336 3663
Transport
MRT to Clarke Quay or bus 32 to River Valley Road
Website
National Museum of Singapore
Singapore stories
The National Museum of Singapore in the Colonial District is a fascinating
walk through the city's history, including personal stories from female
Muslim activists. It was built by Colonel Sir H E McCallum as the Raffles
Library in 1887.
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Cost
Admission to building is free, Galleries: adults S$10; concessions S$5 (Free to Singapore Living Galleries 6pm-9pm, Audio guides free)
Opening Hours
Daily. Singapore History Gallery 10am-6pm; Singapore Living Galleries 10am-8pm
Address
93, Stamford Road, Singapore 178897
Telephone
+65 6332 3659
Asian Civilisations Museum
Singapore's cultural influences
Divided into 11 small galleries, the Asian Civilisations Museum along the
Singapore River travels through Asia via a combination of sculptures,
religious statues and manuscripts. Highlights include 18th-century Javanese
shadow-puppets and items from the Raffles Museum.
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Cost
S$8; concessions S$4; discounted Fri 7-9pm
Opening Hours
Mon 1pm-7pm; Tue-Thu, Sat & Sun 9am-7pm; Fri 9am-9pm
Address
1, Empress Place, Singapore 179555
Telephone
+65 6332 2982
Peranakan Museum
Clan culture
The Colonial District's Peranakan Museum reflects the history of the
Peranakan people - a fusion of Chinese and Malay heritage. Set in an ornate
former school, exhibits examine their complex heritage, including their
loyalty to the British during the empire.
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Cost
S$6; concessions S$3 (half price on Fri 7pm-9pm)
Opening Hours
Mon 1pm-7pm; Tue-Sun 9.30am-7pm (until 9pm on Fri)
Address
39, Armenian Street, Singapore 179941
Telephone
+65 6332 7591
Singapore Art Museum
Modern Asian pieces
A former Catholic boys' school in the Colonial District, the graceful
Singapore Art Museum uses its 14 gallery spaces to host exhibitions of
contemporary Asian art and 4000 works of 20th-century south-east Asian
art.
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Cost
S$8; concessions S$4; free entry Mon-Fri 12pm-2pm & Fri 6pm-9pm
Opening Hours
Mon-Thu, Sat & Sun 10am-7pm; Fri 10am-9pm
Address
71, Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555
Telephone
+65 6332 3222
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
Lush rainforest wildlife
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a tract of primary rainforest, 12km outside
Singapore. While walking along its well-marked paths, visitors spot exotic
birds, monkeys and flying lemurs and spy Singapore's highest point, the
164-metre Bukit Timah Hill.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 6am-7pm
Address
177, Hindhede Drive, Singapore 589333
Telephone
+65 6468 5736
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
Enlightening culture
A Singapore Chinatown landmark, the Tang dynasty-style Buddha Tooth Relic
Temple and Museum opened in 2007 costing US$62m. Its vast 100 Dragons Hall
displays hand-painted ceiling tiles and a golden statue of compassionate
Maitreya Buddha. Upstairs is the enlightening museum.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Temple daily 7am-7pm; Museum daily 8am-6pm
Address
288, South Bridge Road, Singapore 058840
Telephone
+65 6220 0220
Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo
Hippos after dark
The Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo is the world's first. Set in the Upper
Seletar Reservoir, it's a near-to-natural habitat for nocturnal animals.
Quiet trams transport visitors around. Walking trails allow you to get
close-up to leopard-like fishing cats.
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Cost
S$22; children S$11 (tram ride S$10; children S$5)
Opening Hours
Daily 7.30pm-12am (last admission 11pm)
Address
80, Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
Telephone
+65 6269 3411
Transport
MTR to Ang Mo Kio, then bus 138; MTR to Choa Chu Kang, then bus 927
Website
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Famous-name orchids
The highlight of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a peaceful 635m² spot in
Tanglin, is the National Orchid Garden. Among the 20,000 varieties are
'celebrity orchids', hybrids named after VIPs like Nelson Mandela and
Margaret Thatcher.
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Cost
Gardens free; National Orchid Garden S$5; concessions S$1
Opening Hours
Gardens daily 5am-12am; National Orchid Garden daily 8.30am-7pm
Address
1, Cluny Road, Singapore 259569
Telephone
+65 6471 7361
Sri Mariamman Temple
Oldest Hindu temple
Singapore's oldest Hindu temple, Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown, was built
by South Indian immigrants in 1827. Its striking features are the ornamental
tower and animal sculptures in the courtyard. The fire-walking ceremony,
Theemithi, is held here in October/November.
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Cost
Free; S$3 to take photographs
Opening Hours
Daily 7am-12pm & 6pm-9pm
Address
244, South Bridge Road, Chinatown, Singapore 058793
Telephone
+65 6223 4064
Tanjong Beach
Beach relaxation
When Singapore's urban attractions become overwhelming, visitors slip off to
Tanjong Beach for peaceful downtime. Although it has imported sand and
none-too-clear waters, the beach is a popular spot on which to sunbathe and
sip cocktails.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day (no camping)
Address
Sentosa Island 098942
Singapore Flyer
Singapore's observation wheel
The 28-capsule Singapore Flyer is Asia's first giant observation wheel, and
an iconic addition to the landscape. Turning slowly above the
fast-developing Marina, full rotation takes around 30 minutes, time to soak
up the panoramic views.
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Cost
S$29.50; children S$20.65
Opening Hours
Daily 8.30am-10.30pm
Address
Marina Bay, Singapore 039803
Telephone
+65 6854 5200
Spa Botanica
Island pampering
Located in a decadent oasis on the island of Sentosa, Spa Botanica pampers
its clients. Guest try the mud treatment with essential oils, followed by a
relaxing steam bath, a papaya-infused clay body wrap or a fruity facial.
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Cost
Treatments from S$80
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-10pm
Address
The Sentosa Resort & Spa, 2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa Island 099891
Telephone
+65 6371 1318
Asian Cookery Masterclasses
Spicing up the kitchen
Singapore's magnificent Asian dishes inspire visitors to recreate them with
Asian Cookery Masterclasses. Top chefs from Coriander Leaf restaurant on
Clarke Quay run regular half-day courses. Make Vietnamese, Thai and Sichuan
dishes to wow friends with back home.
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Cost
From S$120 per half-day course (advance booking essential)
Opening Hours
Most courses Tue & Thu 10am, Sat 10am & 3pm
Address
Coriander Leaf, 3A Merchant Court #02-03, River Valley Road, Clarke Quay, Singapore 179020
Telephone
+65 6732 3354
Cycling on Pulau Ubin
Rustic island retreat
A ten-minute 'bumboat' (motorboat) ride away from Singapore is the tiny
island of Pulau Ubin, with bicycles for hire near the jetty. Ramshackle
houses, desolate marshland, simple seafood restaurants and the Chek Jawa
wetlands make a wonderful rural escape.
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Cost
Bumboat S$2.50 each way
Opening Hours
Boats run daily 6.30am-8pm (depending on demand)
Address
Pulau Ubin
Transport
Bus to Changi Village, then bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal
