I first visited Singapore as a backpacker – one of my favourite memories is a delicious bowl of noodles at one of the island’s mouth-watering hawker centres. Fast-forward 17 years and Singapore remains an epicentre of epicurean wonders: no visit is complete without sampling char kway teow, chilli crab, and laksa. With more than 6,000 food stalls, the choice is immense.
This verdant nation enjoys an equatorial climate, best experienced with a cocktail in hand at one of the many rooftop bars. Some of these are situated around the Marina Bay and Merlion Park areas, home to the iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel – which looks like a ship has miraculously berthed atop it! – and the delightful Merlion statue. This large half-fish/half-lion stone water fountain acknowledges both Singapore’s early fishing days and the native Malay name of ‘Singa Pura’ meaning Lion City.
A visit to the famous Raffles Hotel to enjoy a legendary Singapore Sling or two is on most visitors’ must-do lists. Originally a beach house, the hotel is a timeless landmark amidst the modern-day hustle and bustle.The quintessential place to enjoy their famous cocktail is in The Long Bar, where the littering of peanut shells is famously encouraged!
Despite being a busy metropolis, flowers line the roads and adorn every street. You can marvel at over 1.5 million plants from around the world at Gardens by the Bay where you can walk amongst enormous floral displays in the Flower Dome, along aerial walkways in the Cloud Forest and ascend one of 18 vertical tree gardens in the Supertree Grove. And the Garden Rhapsody evening light show is a must.
There is a plethora of other sightseeing opportunities, including: Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Gelam City, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, bike tours, Vespa sidecar city tours, History & Hidden Gems tours, Battlefield tours, Singapore Flyer rides and Orchard Road shopping. On nearby Sentosa Island (10-minutes by road or take a gondola ride) there is a world of fun to be had for all the family: Universal Studios, Madame Tussauds, a waterpark, an aquarium and much more, as well as a series of lovely beaches. Even the airport is worth a visit, hosting the world’s largest indoor waterfall, a butterfly garden, a hedge maze, and more!
Most UK visitors to Singapore rarely stay more than a few days but I would venture to suggest there are more than enough reasons to stay longer…
