Singapore,
the diamond-shaped island that lies at the southern tip of Malaysia's
pendulous finger, is an experiment that shouldn't work but somehow
does. Founded by British civil servant Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819
and sprawling out from the mouth of the Singapore River on the southeast
coast - where the capital Singapore City lies - it defies expectations.
Here is where East and West meet with high-tech city skyscrapers towering
over the squat Chinese and Hindu temples that stud the city. A curious
blend of ancient and modern, the city is home to an ethnic mix of
Chinese, Malaysians, Indians and British ex-pats. Islanders live harmoniously
thanks to religious tolerance, increased prosperity, stringent no-nonsense
laws and a constant balmy equatorial heat.
Since
1965, when the island became a Republic, Lee Kuan Yew, now Senior
Minister, has pursued a vigorous free trade policy that has seen an
unprecedented rise in the standard of living (most city dwellers own
their own homes) and exponential economic growth. The Asian crisis
of 1997 caused mayhem elsewhere, but here it was little more than
a slightly worrying blip, although unemployment did rise from a steady
3.2% to 6%. Such tremors are cause for concern but, to the visitor
stepping into Singapore's world-beating Changi Airport, there is little
indication of anything other than impressive efficiency. What can
be dangerously beguiling is the safety and cleanliness of this city;
dangerous because it has been achieved and maintained at the expense
of personal freedom. Canings, corrective work orders and harsh financial
penalties can accompany breaking the law. Persistent litterers will
find themselves suffering what in Singapore is the huge ignominy of
picking up litter themselves, while a current clampdown on failing
to wear seatbelts carries a possible jail sentence.
Yet,
in the financial and business districts, a new breed of well-heeled
ex-pat seems to enjoy a high life of constant revelry, sometimes with
a marked absence of moral probity. For in Singapore, oiling the wheels
of success and becoming the best - an economic miracle to show the
rest of the world the way - seems paramount. The prestigious Forbes
Magazine has enticed CEOs from around the globe here for a major business
conference entitled Forbes Global CEO Conference in September 2001
- an impressive coup for Singapore's government as all previous conferences
have been held in America. All of this business goes on amid a constant
flow of festivals and events in the ethnic quarters of Chinatown,
Little India and Geylang Serai, which mark the many religious and
cultural occasions throughout the calendar. Singaporeans still rely
on feng shui consultants, astrologers and fortune-tellers for advice
when moving home, getting married or planning children.
More
challenging to the status quo is a budding arts community that provides
an outlet for feelings long denied in a series of annual showcases.
More traditionally, Raffles Hotel and a rank of museums furnish insights
into the past. But the modern consumer culture is always pressing
in: the Great Singapore Sale dominates the early summer in bustling
Orchard Road; and food outlets at every turn offer - traditional hawker
centres, modern food courts and a range of restaurants - ensure a
meal is always just minutes away.
Key
Attractions
Raffles
Hotel
Built in 1887 and declared a National Monument exactly 100 years later,
Raffles Hotel is one of the world's last remaining Victorian grand
hotels of the East. Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Conrad
and Charlie Chaplin made it a favourite retreat, and its 160-million-Singapore-Dollar
facelift in 1991, based on its heyday in 1915, has ensured the hotel
retains the unique charm of an age and sensibility now just a memory.
Tourists flock for afternoon tea in the Tiffin Room and a Singapore
Sling in the Long Bar. But a visit to Raffles does not have to be
a cliché: the Tiffin Room's Saturday night buffet is one of
the best meals in town, while the cool high ceilings of Bar &
Billiard, with its snooker tables at the far end, offer a very pleasant
spot for a gin and tonic. The new arcade houses 70 regional and speciality
shops, as well as restaurants and the Victorian-style playhouse, Jubilee
Hall. One must-see is the museum on the upper floor, which provides
a fascinating insight into more than 100 years of history. Vignettes
and pictures of Charlie Chaplin and his brother, Elizabeth Taylor
and Richard Burton, and Noel Coward's diary, which recounts the death
of his travelling companion (glossed over elsewhere in the display),
are utterly compelling.
Beach
Road
Tel: (65) 337 1886. Fax: (65) 339 7650.
E-mail: raffles@raffles.com
Website: www.raffles.com
Transport: MRT City Hall Station (C2), then short walk to Beach Road.
Chinatown
Singapore's Chinatown evolved in about 1821 when the first Chinese
junk arrived from Xiamen, Fujian province. Its four main districts
- Kreta Ayer, Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Pasoh - each have
a distinctive flavour of their own. The Chinese heart, in the Trengganu/Smith
Street area, is marked by the Fuk Tak Chi and Thian Hock Keng temples.
Smith Street is undergoing a transformation into a fully fledged food
street due for completion in August 2001. Housewives haggle for the
best produce making this a lively and noisy ethnic quarter at times.
But peace and quiet is available in the temples and at Yixing Xuan's
Teahouse where the ancient, ritualistic art of making tea as a metaphor
for life goes on. A complex array of Chinese medicines are on hand
with expert advice for those who find the various foodstuffs on offer
overly tempting. A number of Chinatown's landmarks, however, are not
Chinese, most notably the Nagore Durga Shrine and the Al Abrar Mosque
on Telok Ayer Street, and the Jamae Mosque and Sri Mariamman Temple
on South Bridge Road.
Transport:
MRT Outram (W2).
Night
Safari
Located next to the Singapore Zoological Gardens, the Night Safari
is billed as the world's first and only night zoo. There are more
than 1200 animals, covering 110 exotic species in eight zones that
recreate geographic regions, including the South East Asian rainforest,
African savannah, Nepalese river valley, South American pampas and
Burmese jungle. A 45-minute tram ride offers a leisurely alternative
to the three Walking Trails. The twice-nightly Creatures of the Night
show sees employees grappling with some of the less dangerous species.
Mandai
Lake Road
Tel: (65) 269 3411. Fax: (65) 367 2974.
E-mail: singzoo@pacific.net.sg
Website: www.zoo.com.sg/safari/index.htm
Transport: SBS bus 138 from Ang Mo Kio MRT (N9) or TIBS bus 927 from
Choa Chu Kang MRT (N21).
Opening hours: Daily 1930-2400.
Admission: S$15.45; tram rides S$3; concessions available.
Sentosa
Island
Said to be in direct contrast to the freneticism of Singapore, Sentosa
Island is a purpose-built island theme park and offers beaches, history,
golf, gastronomy and a host of themed attractions, including VolcanoLand,
the Asian Village, the water rides of Fantasy Island, and Underwater
World, one of Asia's largest tropical fish oceanariums. The more earnest
visitor can visit Images of Singapore, which depicts the island's
early life, local festivals and customs and the World War II surrender
to the Japanese at Fort Silosa, which shows the bunkers and underground
passages used in the island's defence.
Sentosa
Island
Tel: (65) 275 0388. Fax: (65) 275 0161.
E-mail: sales@sentosa.com.sg
Website: www.sentosa.com.sg
Transport: Orchard bus E from Orchard Road; Sentosa bus A and C from
World Trade Centre and Tiong Bahru MRT (W3); cable car from Mount
Faber.
Opening hours: Most attractions open at 0900 and close between 1900
and 2200.
Admission: S$5 before 1830 and S$3 after 1830; additional charges
apply for individual attractions (concessions available).
Asian
Civilisations Museum
Housed in a restored neo-classical building dating back to 1910, the
museum focuses on the world of Chinese beliefs, symbolism, connoisseurship
and the Chinese scholar tradition, with a collection of Buddhist artefacts,
imperial porcelain and seventeenth-century Ming-style furniture. It
is seen as an important showcase for the culture's development. There
are free guided tours.
39
Armenian Street
Tel: (65) 332 3015. Fax: (65) 332 7993.
E-mail: nhb_acm@nhb.gov.sg
Website: www.museum.org.sg
Transport: MRT City Hall (C2), then short walk to Armenian Street.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1800 (until 2100 Fri).
Admission: S$3 (concessions available).
Supreme
Court and City Hall
Dating from 1939, the Supreme Court is one of the last colonial constructions.
Its Corinthian columns surround stately interiors featuring murals
by Italian artist Cavaliere Rodolfo Nolli. Next door is City Hall,
another giant structure, built in 1929, and the site of the Japanese
surrender to Lord Mountbatten in 1945. Visitors may tour the premises
with the useful Guide to the Supreme Court and attend most open court
hearings. Visitors who want to learn more about the local judiciary
can visit the Multimedia Gallery, as well as the Supreme Court Open
House-cum-Exhibition.
St
Andrew's Road
Tel: (65) 332 4270. Fax: (65) 337 9450.
E-mail: supcourt_qsm@supcourt.gov.sg
Website: www.supcourt.gov.sg
Transport: MRT City Hall (C2); then short walk along St Andrew's Road
towards the Padang.
Opening hours: 0830-1700 Mon-Fri, 0830-1300 Sat.
Admission: Free.
Jurong
BirdPark
The largest bird park in all of South East Asia, Jurong BirdPark is
a refuge for more than 8000 birds of 600 different species from all
over the world. Highlights include Waterfall Aviary, at 30m (98ft)
the world's highest manmade waterfall, and the South East Asian Bird
Aviary, where a thunderstorm is simulated every day at noon. The new
Lodge on Flamingo Lake promises food not just fit for birds. Bird
shows feature flamingos, macaws, hornbills and cockatoos and one of
the biggest attractions is the Penguin Parade, housing more than 200
penguins of five species. An air-conditioned monorail covers the entire
park.
2
Jurong Hill
Tel: (65) 265 0022. Fax: (65) 261 1869.
E-mail: birdpark@singnet.com.sg
Website: www.birdpark.com.sg
Transport: MRT Boon Lay Station (W12), then SBS bus 194 or 251.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1800.
Admission: S$12; monorail S$3; concessions available.
Haw
Par Villa Tiger Balm Gardens
This perennial favourite with Singapore's Chinese community has become
somewhat delapidated in recent years and is in process of a facelift.
Although off the beaten track, it holds a special place in Singapore's
heart as it describes the culture's history and mythology - often
in graphic and grisly form - and links the community directly to its
Confucianist origins. Opened in 1937, by brothers Aw Boon Haw and
Aw Boon Par, who made a mint from the success of Tiger Balm, the pungent
ointment, this is essentially an 'olde worlde' theme park. It is also
an eye-opening insight into what makes this incredible island tick.
The Ten Courts of Hell with its nightmarish depictions of sinners
suffering in the afterworld shows what the Chinese believe happens
when they don't toe the line.
262
Pasir Panjang Road
Tel: (65) 774 0300. Fax: (65) 779 7601.
E-mail: orientmgt@pacific.net.sg
Transport: MRT Buona Vista (W7); SBS bus 10, 30, 188 from World Trade
Centre, 143 from Orchard Road or 51 from Chinatown.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800.
Admission: S$5.
Singapore
Art Museum
This was once the St Joseph's Institution, the island's first all
boys school, built by French Catholic monks. Now home to the Singapore
Art Museum, the building is one of the city's most striking structures.
Exhibits reflect both modern and traditional Asian thought and the
E-mage Gallery pioneers the confluence of art and technology. The
museum has 13 galleries showcasing an impressive collection of contemporary
local and South East Asian art.
71
Bras Basah Road
Tel: (65) 332 3222. Fax: (65) 334 7919.
Website: www.museum.org.sg
Transport: MRT Dhoby Ghaut (N1) or City Hall Station (C2), then short
walk towards Bras Basah Road.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1800 (until 2100 on Fri).
Admission: S$3 (concessions available); free after 1800 on Fri.
Changi
Prison Chapel & Museum
Singapore has not always been smiling faces and success. During World
War II, three years of conflict with the Japanese before capitulation
saw 50,000 civilians and soldiers imprisoned in Changi. The new home
of the Changi Prison Chapel and Museum was recently completed and
is four times larger than the original. The chapel is a replica of
many chapels built during the conflict. The museum records the daily
life of prisoners in photographs, paintings and sketches. A new addition
is a series of wall paintings by British POW Stanley Warren. It also
features a pair of rail spikes from the infamous Burma railroad. Currently,
services are conducted by the Changi Christian Fellowship every Sunday
at 1730. Visitors are welcome.
Upper
Changi Road North
Tel: (65) 214 2451. Fax: (65) 214 1179.
E-mail: changi_museum@pacific.net.sg
Transport: MRT (E9) Tanah Merah, then SBS bus 2.
Opening hours: 1000-1700 Mon-Sat.
Admission: Free.
Singapore
Botanic Gardens
Singapore Botanic Gardens offer a reminder of a real land that time
forgot: the gardens epitomise the tropical island's luxuriant parks
with a combination of primary jungle and elegantly laid out flowerbeds
and shrubs. Spread over 52 hectares (128 acres), the gardens hold
more than half a million species of plant life. The National Orchid
Garden has the world's largest orchid display featuring over 20,000
orchids.
Cluny
Road
Tel: (65) 471 9943. Fax: (65) 475 4295.
Website: www.nparks.gov.sg/sbg
Transport: MRT to Orchard (N3) and then SBS bus 7, 105, 106, 123 or
174 from Orchard Boulevard.
Opening hours: Daily 0500-2400.
Admission: Free; S$2 (National Orchid Garden).
Nightlife
After-hours
entertainment is either distinctly ex-pat or distinctly Singaporean
and there are plenty of venues where visitors can enjoy both Eastern
and Western nightlife in style. The counterpoint to all that hard
work and ruthless wheeler-dealing in the financial and Central Business
District is the often wild and raunchy nightlife lived by ex-pats
who like to let their hair down. Boat Quay is a classic ex-pat experience.
A row of shophouses converted into bars, restaurants and clubs, it
overlooks the bumboats taking trippers up and down the Singapore River
(another good night-time adventure). Harry's Bar, immortalised by
Rogue Trader, the book and biopic of Barings bank fraudster, Nick
Leeson, is on the corner with UOB Plaza, and epitomises the ex-pat
end of the spectrum. It has even named a drink - the 'Bank Breaker'
- after its disgraced son. Boat Quay becomes progressively more local
as it approaches Elgin Bridge, at the opposite end.
The
East Coast bars are also renowned as something of an ex-pat enclave,
while a more 'creative' clientele hangs out in Tanjong Pagar, where
many of Singapore's advertising and PR agencies are based. For a local
feel, the Riverside area is the clubbing heart of Singapore, while
the clubs and bars on and around Orchard Road cater more for tourists.
Emerald Hill, lined with Singapore's most exquisitely converted shophouses,
is especially blessed with cosy wine bars and beer taverns. Further
to the west, Holland Village is eternally busy, with younger Singaporeans
filling its wine bars and retro coffee lounges.
Eating
is a hugely pleasurable part of Singapore culture and restaurants
of all varieties are in abundance. For a quieter night, try dining
out followed by an evening of jazz in Somerset's Bar at the Westin
Stamford Hotel, reputedly the world's tallest hotel.
Those
who want to stay out all night to greet the dawn can leave the clubs
and head for Pasir Panjang Road where the Wholesale Centre is getting
busy distributing the morning's arrivals of fruit and vegetables to
the island's hotels and retailers. Things start picking up around
0330 and all that fruit may be the perfect antidote to a hangover.
Breakfast can be had at a Kopitiam outlet at Waterloo Street and Orchard
Road, 24-hour food courts. Another food centre open around the clock
is located in front of the National Library along Stamford Road.
Most
clubs are open 2200-0100 Sunday to Thursday and 2200-0300 Friday and
Saturday. Dress code is generally smart-casual and the legal age limit
for drinking alcohol is 18 years, although some clubs won't let in
anyone under 23.
Bars:
Singapore has a bar to cater for every taste, from the refined
colonial grandeur of Raffles Hotel's Bar & Billiard and the Long
Bar, to the traditional Irish welcome at Molly Malone's on Circular
Road. If you're not interested in Boat Quay and all those bankers
in Harry's Bar, the Peranakan shophouses on Emerald Hill, built at
the beginning of the nineteenth century, house a row of bars including
No. 5, Ice Cold and Que Pasa, the city's oldest wine bar. Beer lovers
should head for The Elephant Public House, Penang Road, where there
are eight brews on tap. Newsroom Bar, Unity Street, offers an eclectic
mix of terracotta soldiers for decor and 70s disco and Motown music.
Casinos:
The various lotteries, and on-course betting on horse races at Singapore
Turf Club are the only authorised forms of gambling in Singapore.
Casinos and all other gambling activities are illegal.
Clubs:
There is a rash of head-jarring dance bars along Mohamed Sultan Road,
home to around 30 nightspots. They include Amoeba, said to redefine
cool, Provignage, Wong San's and Orange. Also Sugar, which reinvents
itself every six months to keep ahead of the competition. It is a
remarkably successful formula and, with its camp decor and sought-after
DJs, Sugar has become a hit with Singapore's beautiful people. Zouk,
Jiak Kim Street, is well-known enough to attract famous foreign DJs
and is also home to other clubs within its walls: Velvet Underground,
which attracts a more mature crowd and offers a mellower brand of
hip; Phuture and the Wine Bar. The place of the moment is The Gallery
Evanson Hotel on Orchard Road, currently winning friends and plaudits.
Within its walls lies Orb, a spacious, two-storey bar playing laidback
sounds. Another new venue, Club Eden, on Mohamed Sultan Road, comes
complete with foliage. With a sushi bar and chill-out box upstairs,
Venom, Pacific Plaza, Scotts Road, is a very gay night out, with muscle-bound
go-go guys and a cabaret drag show.
Karaoke:
As in the rest of Asia, karaoke remains an inordinately popular evening's
entertainment. Sparks, 7th Floor, Tower B, Ngee Ann City, is South
East Asia's largest nightspot with 18 karaoke rooms. At the Lava Lounge,
Grange Road, you can sing along against the backdrop of its 70s space
age disco lounge and retro music. Kabuki, 15 Cairnhill Road, Europa
Ridley's, 16 Nassim Hill, and Fire, 5th Floor, Orchard Plaza, Orchard
Road, all provide karaoke facilities while Singsation, at the Plaza
Parkroyal, has themed karaoke rooms.
Live
music: Harry's Bar, Boat Quay, features a live jazz band and
jam session Tues-Sun nights with pot luck on Mondays, while at Crazy
Elephant, further along on Clarke Quay, rhythm and blues bands alternate
with classic rock'n'roll and alternative underground music daily.
Overseas jazz musicians are hosted at Somerset's Bar at the Westin
Stamford Hotel.
Culture
Throughout
the year, a giddy whirl of festivals and celebrations, reflecting
the diverse beliefs and backgrounds of this cultural melting pot.
In fact, in a population made up of Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims, Hindus,
Christians and Sikhs hardly a month goes by without some religious
or cultural festival thronging the streets and temples. With Buddhist,
Muslim and Hindu festivals marked by public holidays throughout the
year, Christmas is just one more holiday - for which shops stay open.
The Chinese calendar dominates and the Chinese New Year is the biggest
festival of all. Unlike in the west, culture and religion remain intimately
entwined.
Mainstream
performing arts are also well represented, culminating in the Singapore
Arts Festival, held every year in June, which attracts dance, theatre
and music groups from all over the world. Andrew Lloyd Webber productions
are a favourite. Year-round performances from overseas tend to be
heavily oversubscribed and tickets should be booked well in advance.
Free musical and theatrical performances are held regularly in local
parks and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra performs twice a week except
in June.
Singapore
is a good place to view and purchase Asian art in general as well
as works by Singaporean artists. Singapore's cultural diversity means
that works by local artists cover a broad palette of themes and styles.
Notable galleries include the Singapore Art Museum, Bras Basah Road
(tel: (65) 332 3222); Artfolio, Raffles Hotel (tel: (65) 334 4677);
Art2 at The Substation, Armenian Street (tel: (65) 338 8713) and Cicada
Gallery of Fine Arts, Ann Siang Road (tel: (65) 225 6787). Local
newspapers carry lists of events happening each day as does the online
National Arts and Entertainment Calendar (website: www.happening.com.sg).
Tickets can be booked through Sistic (tel: (65) 348 5555) or Ticketcharge
(tel: (65) 296 2929).
Music:
The Singapore Symphony Orchestra (tel: (65) 338 4401; website:
www.sso.org.sg) gives regular performances at the Victoria Concert
Hall, Empress Place. The SSO was founded in 1979 and walks a skilful
tightrope between Asian and western music and has a growing, if still
fragile, reputation. There is also the NUS Symphony Orchestra (tel:
(65) 874 2493), which can be found at the NUS Forum and Theatrette.
The Singapore Lyric Opera, Waterloo Street (tel: (65) 336 1929; website:
www.singaporeopera.com.sg), much like the rest of the opera world,
is busy celebrating Verdi's centenary. They play at the Victoria Theatre,
Empress Place.
Theatre:
Local groups are extremely energetic in producing contemporary theatre
with an Asian flavour. The usually hidden deep ethnic tensions in
Singapore commonly underlie much of the drama and the struggle for
freedom of expression is often very palpable. Some of the most prolific
troupes include Action Theatre (tel: (65) 837 0842), Waterloo Street,
who have put on a series of ten-minute plays at various venues; Singapore
Repertory Theatre (tel: (65) 221 5585; website: www.singrep.com),
Cecil Street, who showcase at the DBS Arts Centre, 6 Shenton Way;
The Necessary Stage (tel: (65) 440 8115; website: www.necessary.org),
Marine Parade Road, who, among other things, promote holism in schools;
and TheatreWorks (tel: (65) 338 4077; website: www.theatreworks.org.sg),
based at the Fort Canning Centre, Cox Terrace Fort, Canning Park.
Dance:
Dance Dimension Project (tel: (65) 226 6772; website: www.ecnad.org),
one of the youngest professional performing arts groups, has built
a reputation for also being one of the most dynamic and daring. The
company is based around the Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre in Cecil
Street. Alternatively, the Singapore Dance Theatre (tel: (65) 338
0611), performs classical dance and ballet, and is based at the Fort
Canning Centre.
Film:
Cinemas cater purely to popular taste; however, while there are no
art cinemas, the Alliance Française, Sarkies Road (tel: (65)
737 8422), occasionally screens mainstream and alternative French
films, but only on Tuesdays. Mainstream films are highly popular and
often sold out, although there is a backlash from those who deplore
the censorship allowed through the Film Act of 1981, which bans obscene
and pornographic films with a much tighter definition of these than
in the West. NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) was
set up in 1994 as an attempt to involve film-makers, critics, festival
organisers etc in a drive for greater artistic freedom in Singapore's
film industry. And there are small results, such as a season of American
short films held at the Guinness Theatre at The Substation, Armenian
Street, in July 2001. There is also an annual Singapore International
Film Festival in April, which features documentaries and films from
around the globe. Singapore's
main cinema complexes include Cineleisure Orchard, Grange Road (tel:
(65) 235 1155); Lido 8 Cineplex, 350 Orchard Road (tel: (65) 732 4124);
United Artists Singapore Bugis Junction (tel: (65) 337 9522) and Beach
Road (tel: (65) 391 2550).
Cultural
events: Singapore's calendar of annual events is a real mix
of ancient and modern, with old, revered ritual pitted against the
new and experimental. In January, Hindus celebrate Thaipusam, a time
of devotion, penance and thanksgiving; Muslims gather for festive
shopping for Hari Raya Puasa, to prepare for the end of fasting; and
the sheer volume of dominant Chinese outshines them all with their
New Year celebrations. The Lunar New Year is the highlight of the
Chinese calendar and the streets of Chinatown are lit up in January/February
with traditional decorations and fairy lights. After dark, Chinatown
becomes a heaving spectacle of the Orient, with hawkers and fortune
tellers lining the alleyways as vibrantly coloured dragon and lion
dancers parade among the crowds and Chinese opera takes to the streets.
The
public holiday for Vesak Day, in May, honours the birth, enlightenment
and death of Sakyamuni Buddha. Hundreds of caged birds are set free
to symbolise the release of captive souls. The annual Singapore Dragon
Boat Festival in June sends fishermen in search of the Chinese poet
and patriot, Qu Yuan.
The
month-long Festival of the Hungry Ghosts (August-September) is one
of the biggest Chinese festivals. According to Taoist belief, the
gates of hell are thrown open throughout the seventh month of the
lunar year when spirits are allowed to wander the earth. To appease
these homeless spirits, sumptuous banquets and 'wayangs' (Chinese
street operas) are held, candles and joss-sticks are lit in a row
in front of Chinese homes and hell currency notes are burnt as offerings.
However,
the society's younger generation are engaged in an array of performance
and theatre arts that continually push the boundaries of this tightly
governed island. Dance Space 2001, a month-long annual event in July
showcases contemporary dance and experimental work by a host of performers,
international and local. WOMAD takes over Fort Canning Park for three
days in August. Another contemporary event, SEPTFEST 2001, an omnibus
arts festival, features new works, while Theatre Fest 2001, at The
Substation for a month from mid-November, gives new writers, performers
and directors the chance to express themselves. The Singapore Film
Festival, usually in April, continues to try and make cultural headway
in a heavily censored society, which would rather give its attention
to the Great Singapore Sale, the annual shopping bonanza, in July.
In
celebration of the anniversary of Singaporean independence, a new
anthem is composed every year and played incessantly in the month
running up to the National Day Celebration on 9 August. A National
Day Parade is held before thousands of spectators. During
the Lantern Festival in September, the Chinese Garden becomes a fairyland
of light and colour as children and adults alike pour into the park
with their paper lanterns.
Also
known as the Festival of Lights, Deepavali is a Hindu celebration
held in October/November to mark the victory of light over darkness
and of good over evil. Little India, especially the Hindu temples
of Sri Veerama Kaliamman, Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman and Sri Srinivasa
Perumal, is decorated with fairy lights, garlands and colourful arches.
Literary
Notes
'When
in Singapore, feed at Raffles.' It was a good piece of marketing for
the hotel by Rudyard Kipling, who came to Singapore after leaving
India in 1889. In fact, Kipling spoke of 'a place called Raffles Hotel,
where the food is as excellent as the rooms are bad'.
Raffles
has, for more than one hundred years, been fertile writing ground
for a number of authors, including Hermann Hesse, Joseph Conrad, Noel
Coward, Somerset Maugham and James Michener - and it is in their honour
that the Writer's Bar was named. More than any other writer, Somerset
Maugham sought inspiration on several visits to the island beginning
in 1921. His short stories of Singaporean colonial life include 'The
Outstation', 'Yellow Streak' and 'The Casuarina Tree' (1926). Society
was outraged by his portrayal, in The Letter (1927), of the real-life
murder of her lover by a rubber planter's wife.
More
recently, the success story that is Singapore could be said to be
the vision of one man, the island state's Senior Minister, Lee Kuan
Yew, the grandson of a Hakka coolie from China. His memoirs, The Singapore
Story (1998), recount the events leading up to Singapore's Independence,
from British colonial rule through Japanese occupation, Communist
insurrection, riots, independence and the struggles that followed.
Prominent
contemporary Singaporean novelists include Hwee Hwee Tan, whose Foreign
Bodies: A Novel (1999) tells the story of an authoritarian state in
which three rootless friends become implicated in the shady dealings
of an international soccer gambling syndicate. A very different Singapore
is portrayed in Catherine Lim's The Bondmaid (1997), set in the 1950s.
The novel paints a picture of a Singapore far removed from the developed,
modern, cosmopolitan society of today and far more entwined with its
Chinese roots, traditions and beliefs.
Shopping
Whether
it is because Singapore offers great shopping or whether it is because
it is continually being talked up, a reputation as a shopper's paradise
is immovably entrenched. The Great Singapore Sale in early summer,
with bargains of up to 70% off, is almost a national obsession. Orchard
Road is the central retail district and is lined on both sides with
one shopping mall after another, ranging from Lucky Plaza at the lower
end of the market to high-end shopping at the Palais Renaissance and
the Hilton. With its towers looming above the rest, Ngee Ann City
is the largest mall of all, with more than 100 speciality stores in
addition to its flagship Japanese superstore, Takashimaya. Orchard
Road, however, does not have the monopoly on great shopping. There
are more than 120 malls and arcades on the island.
Bugis
Junction, once Singapore's transvestite locale, has had its shophouses
renovated and integrated into a gleaming, air-conditioned complex
known as PARCO. Raffles City, at City Hall, is another popular mall,
with the exclusive boutiques at Raffles Hotel just across the road.
Chinatown (Outram) is a colourful web of streets and alleys with a
wealth of artefacts, jewellery, clothes, food and medicines for sale
behind traditional Chinese shophouse fronts. Gold, priced according
to weight, is heaped up in the stores crowding the People's Park Complex,
while hawkers offer the full-smelling durian fruit or grilled pork
to passers-by. While the major department stores and chains operate
fixed prices, bargaining is de rigeur here and it is always worth
comparing prices before buying. The Singapore Gold Circle seal at
stores is an assurance of quality and reliability and, unlike much
in the ethnic quarters, has the official thumbs up. But it is in those
areas where the more interesting buys are likely to be had. Arab Street
(Bugis) is lined with shops selling high-quality cottons, silks, velvets
and batiks. Otherwise, the only alternative flavours are found at
Far East Plaza in Scott's Road.
Little
India, on and around Serangoon Road, is another treasure trove of
sumptuous textiles, as well as spices, jewellery and brassware. At
the far end of Serangoon Road is Mustafa's emporium of electrical
and electronic goods. There are some good bargain prices here, but
buyers should be aware that there is a dual pricing structure: goods
are available with or without an international warranty and are cheaper
without.
Singaporeans
go to Sim Lim Square (Bugis) for discount electronic goods. Four levels
are stacked with cameras, computer equipment, pirate CDs, hi-fi and
video equipment. Again, goods can be purchased with or without an
international warranty. Funan The IT Mall (City Hall) is a less frenetic
environment in which to buy computer equipment. Across the road, the
Adelphi is the place to spend thousands of dollars on top-of-the-range
audio equipment, while nearby Peninsula Plaza is a favourite stop
for camera gear.
Some
of the most exquisite homes of wealthy Singaporeans are adorned with
art and antiques from all over Asia - much of which can be purchased
in Singapore. The warehouses on Dempsey Road sell Chinese antiques,
original and reproduction furniture, while the cool, dimly lit units
at Tanglin Shopping Centre (Orchard Road) horde some of Asia's finest
statues, carpets, textiles and antique furniture. For a taste of contemporary
Asian art, Art2, at The Substation, Armenian Street, sells works by
established as well as up-and-coming local artists.
New
shops include the Manchester United Store at Orchard Parade Hotel;
Yves Saint Laurent at Hilton Shopping Gallery; the Louis Vuiton flagship
store and the Cartier flagship store, both at Ngee Ann City; the Mango
flagship store at Suntec City; and the Nike Speciality Store at Changi
Airport's Terminal 2.
Most
stores are open daily about 1000-2100/2200, although boutiques close
earlier. All prices include a 3% Goods and Services Tax (GST), refundable
at the airport's Global Refund Centre on purchases of over S$300 or
for several items of a minimum value of S$100. Shoppers need to look
out for the Tax Free Shopping logo, complete the Tax Free Shopping
cheque and present it with their goods. Money is refunded through
direct transfer.
Getting
Around
Public
Transport
Public transport in Singapore is efficient, ultra-modern, clean, cheap
and mostly air conditioned. TransitLink Hotline (tel: (65) 767 4333)
is a new one-stop number set up by all the major transport providers
to help co-ordinate people's transport needs.
The
train system is operated by Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (tel: (65)
336 8900; fax: (65) 334 8051; e-mail: pubaff1@smrt.com.sg; website:
www.smrt.com.sg). The MRT system extends north-south and east-west
with trains every two to eight minutes 0530-2430 daily. Fares range
from S$0.70 to S$1.60.
The
bus system is operated by the Singapore Bus Service (SBS; tel: (65)
383 7229; fax: (65) 282 5204; e-mail: sbscrc@sbs.com.sg; website:
www.sbs.com.sg) and TIBS (tel: (65) 480 6294; fax: (65) 482 3842;
e-mail: trans-island@tibs.com.sg; website: www.tibs.com.sg). SBS buses
run 0600-2400 with fares costing S$0.60-1.20 for non-air-conditioned
buses and S$0.70-1.50 for air-conditioned buses. TIBS also runs a
Bus-Plus service, which operates during peak hours to shuttle passengers
between residential areas and MRT stations or the central business
district. Fares are S$3.20-3.70.
Another
available option is the Singapore Trolley (tel: (65) 339 6833), a
red tram bus (see Bus Tours in the Tours of the City section).
Passes
known as Farecards (covering both the MRT and buses) are available
from MRT stations for a deposit of S$2 with an initial value of S$10.
These can be topped up at TransitLink machines in every station. For
S$10, a Tourist Day Ticket entitles passengers to up to 12 rides a
day on the MRT and all bus services. These are available at MRT stations
and bus interchanges.
Taxis
More than 15,000 air-conditioned taxis are cheap, metered and safe.
However, because they are so convenient they can be difficult to find
during peak hours, especially in the Central Business District. Taxis
can be flagged down 24 hours a day and well-marked stands are located
outside most shopping centres and hotels. Fares start at S$2.40 for
the first kilometre, then rise in increments of S$0.10 and are subject
to a number of surcharges - most commonly advance booking fees. After
midnight, there is a 50% surcharge, which means that although there
may be many empty taxis cruising around, they will be hard to flag
down after about 2330. Drivers changing shifts will only take passengers
heading in their direction - the red board on the dashboard or windscreen
indicates the destination. Tipping is prohibited at the airport and
discouraged elsewhere. It was not that long ago that a bell rang if
taxis broke the speed limit of 80kph (50mph), but mercifully this
has now been removed. Taxi firms include CityCab (tel: (65) 553 3880);
the Comfort (tel: (65) 552 1111).
Limousines
Chauffeur-driven cars and limousines are available for tours around
the city. Operators include CityLimo Auto Services Group (tel: (65)
665 1818). The rate from Changi Airport to anywhere on the island
is S$35.
Driving
in the City
Singapore's highways are all designated by acronyms - SLE, TPE, PIE,
CTE, AYE and ECP. Tolls are levied 0730-0930 to relieve congestion
on expressways and busy roads using the Electronic Road Pricing Scheme
(ERP), which automatically deducts tolls from a rechargeable card
inside the car - the In-Vehicle Unit or IU. Vehicles need to be fitted
with this card, which is available for S$5 daily (plus a S$120 deposit)
from petrol stations and other outlets. Permanent installations cost
S$120.The highways are easy to negotiate and traffic generally moves
smoothly thanks to the ERP. Wearing seat belts is mandatory and it
is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving. Offences are treated
seriously, with tough fines and even jail sentences. Singaporean drivers
have a habit of lane drifting, but otherwise traffic flows without
too many abuses of etiquette.
To
help traffic flow in the Central Business District, all vehicles entering
between 0730-1900 are also expected to pay a toll. Parking is cheap
and easily available all over the city, especially in hotel basement
car parks. In areas where parking coupons are used, drivers pay S$0.45
per half hour outside the Central Business District and S$0.90 inside.
Car
Hire
A valid national driving licence is required, although an International
Driving Permit is preferred. Minimum third-party insurance is compulsory
and can be extended to cover Malaysia. The minimum age limit for hiring
a car is 25 years.
Major
providers include Avis (tel: (65) 737 1668; website: www.avis.com),
Budget (tel: (65) 532 4442; website: www.budget.com) and Hertz (tel:
(800) 734 4646; website: www.hertz.com).
Bicycle
Hire
Cycling in Singapore tends to be restricted to public parks with East
Coast Park a popular venue for cyclists and rollerbladers. Bicycle
hire is available at several outlets in East Coast Park including
East Coast Recreation Centre (tel: (65) 449 0541), which offers a
range of bikes from S$1.50 per hour. Bicycles can also be hired at
Sentosa, Pasir Ris and Bishan parks. The island of Pulau Ubin has
mountain bike facilities.
Accomadations
Hotel
prices are subject to additional charges of 14%, broken down as 10%
service charge, 3% general sales tax and 1% government tax. This will
be added to the bill at the end (usually called 'triple plus'). The
prices quoted below are the starting prices for double rooms, excluding
breakfast and these extra charges, unless otherwise specified. Most
of these hotels can be found at much cheaper rates when booking via
the Internet, especially on http://asiatravel.com, where reservations
for many of the more expensive hotels can be made at significantly
reduced rates.
Concorde
Hotel
The Concorde Hotel is situated in a smart, charcoal-grey futuristic-looking
building with a friendly ambience. It offers remarkable value, not
least for the business traveller who can make use of a range of facilities
and services, including secretarial, fax, photocopying, courier services,
translation, library and use of overhead and slide projectors. The
515 rooms (three floors are earmarked for businesspeople) feature
mini-bars, safes and cable and satellite television. There is a swimming
pool, tennis court and gym. The hotel lies in a fairly quiet part
of the city some way west of Chinatown.
317
Outram Road
Tel: (65) 733 0188. Fax: (65) 733 0989.
E-mail: singapore@concorde.net
Website: www.concorde.net/sing
Price: S$115.
Gallery
Evason Hotel
The new chic Gallery Evason Hotel, located within the city's business
hub, is rapidly gaining a reputation - thanks to its designer cool
and some intriguing features bound to gain maximum publicity, such
as a free mini-bar, free Internet access in all rooms and women-only
floors (where no men are allowed). The 223-room hotel consists of
three blocks linked by bridges and open walkways; a fifth-floor pool
hangs over the street below. The red-, blue- and yellow-framed windows
will appeal to the serious businessperson who enjoys a splash of colour.
The hotel has a number of business suites, each with interactive doorway
CCTV. Room facilities include multilingual voice mail and digital
room safes. Time will tell if local architects William Lim Associates
have a hit on their hands, but both the pundits and plaudits suggest
so.
76
Robertson Quay Tel: (65) 235 2498.
Fax: (65) 235 1416.
E-mail: help@asiatravel.com
Website: www.asiatravel.com/singapore/gallery_evason
Price: S$250; introductory rates available.
Novotel
Apollo
Business travellers recently voted Singapore the world's best business
destination in a magazine poll; consequently many of the main business
hotels can feel justified in refurbishing and tacking on more rooms.
The Novotel, now part of Accor, one of the largest hotel and tourism
companies, is no exception. Billing itself as 'the business-class
hotel' in Havelock Road, there are now 480 rooms and a new wing after
an S$80 million upgrade - mostly in soothing pastel shades and polished
wood. There is an executive floor and a host of conference, banqueting
and leisure facilities. A shuttle service runs to Orchard Road and
from there to Chinatown. Rooms feature Internet access, cable television,
voice mail. Restaurants include Indonesian, Chinese and Korean. There
is a fitness centre, tennis facilities and Jacuzzi. The ethnic quarter
of Chinatown separates the hotel from the business hub by a short
walk.
405
Havelock Road
Tel: (65) 733 2081.
Fax: (65) 733 1588.
E-mail: reserve@novotelapollo.com
Website: www.novotelapollo.com
Prices: From S$240.
Westin
Stamford & Westin Plaza
These two giants stand beside each other and loom over the city (the
Stamford is Asia's tallest hotel) - basically one huge hotel divided
into two. Between them, they provide more than 2000 well-equipped
rooms, situated at the crossroads of the main business, cultural and
shopping districts. They form part of the Raffles City complex and
boast both convention and business centres. Features include high-speed
Internet access and the 'Heavenly Bed', an excess of sumptuous goose
down for the perfect night's sleep. The 'Heavenly Shower' awaits on
awakening. A winning combination of luxury, functionality and service
has made this a double act hard to beat. Rooms have balconies and
entertainment systems; hotel provisions include a round-the-clock
medical service and 12 restaurants. A S$45 million renovation and
access to the subway beneath the complex adds to the appeal.
2
Stamford Road Tel: (65) 338 8585.
Fax: (65) 338 2862 (Stamford) or 337 1554 (Plaza).
E-mail: bookrooms.sg@westin.com
Website: www.westinsingapore.com
Price: From S$223 (including American breakfast).
Albert
Court Hotel
This tidy boutique hotel is ideal for the visitor looking for reasonable
value for money in comfortable and pleasant surroundings. Plants and
marble floors adorn a small entrance off Albert Street; the reception
is just up the escalator. Facilities are functional rather than extravagant.
Rooms have ceiling fans, colour television, shower/bath and mini-bar.
Children under 12 years can stay for no extra cost. The hotel is situated
at the junction of Rochor Canal Road and Selegie Road and is a short
walk from the sights and sounds (and smells) of Little India and Bugis
Village. Outside is a pleasant, paved courtyard that services a number
of restaurants. The Orchard Road shops are a 15-minute walk away.
180
Albert Street
Tel: (65) 339 3939.
Fax: (65) 339 3252.
E-mail: sales.mktg@albertcourt.com.sg
Website: www.albertcourt.com.sg
Price: From S$210 (including breakfast).
Allson
Hotel
Low prices in new rooms are currently making this four-star hotel
hard to beat. Situated close to local amenities, the Allson is just
a short walk from central and shopping districts. There are 450 rooms
and 16 serviced apartments and facilities include a barber and hairdresser,
business centre and outdoor swimming pool. Rooms are furnished in
leather and rosewood and feature individually controlled air conditioning,
free in-house movies and satellite television. Customers can check
out as late as 1500 after lunch in the Japanese restaurant.
101
Victoria Street
Tel: (65) 235 2498.
Fax: 234 2498.
E-mail: help@asiatravel.com
Website: http://asiatravel.com
Price: S$270 (including breakfast).
Century
Roxy Park
Away from the main drag of hotels in downtown Singapore, this new
addition to the island's accommodation has two advantages: it is the
nearest hotel to Changi Airport and it is close to the beach. Situated
in the East Coast area directly opposite the Parkway Parade shopping
centre, business complexes, cultural and entertainment spots, there
are a wide range of restaurants and watersports nearby. The hotel
itself has several eating places, a large swimming pool and a fitness
centre. The 463 rooms, decorated in warm creams and light brown wood,
all offer high-speed Internet access, while special offers usually
include free airport and city shuttle service and access to the Royal
Club lounge with its complimentary refreshments.
50
East Coast Road
Tel: (65) 345 4922.
Fax: (65) 340 5811.
E-mail: roxypark@singnet.com.sg
Website: www.century-hotels.net
Price: From S$158 (including buffet breakfast).
The
Fullerton Singapore
The Fullerton may be the new kid on the block (it opened at the end
of last year), but situated in one of Singapore's oldest, largest
and grandest buildings, it is already making quite an impression.
Built in 1928, the Doric columns of Palladian architecture place it
in a unique triumvirate of colonial buildings, including the Supreme
Court and City Hall. It is based on the site of Fort Fullerton, which
was built in 1829 at the mouth of Singapore River to defend the town.
The building is now home to 400 hotel rooms and offers Internet access,
spa, reading room and bathrooms designed by Philippe Starck. It is
situated in the business district.
1
Fullerton Square
Tel: (65) 733 8388.
Fax: (65) 735 8388.
E-mail: reservations@fullertonhotel.com
Website: www.fullertonhotel.com
Price: From S$450.
Luxury
Hotels
Raffles
Hotel
The grand old lady of the east and a National Monument, named after
Singapore's founding father, the Raffles Hotel is as much a point
on the sightseeing trail as anything else. But it remains one of the
most opulent and luxurious hotels in the world and consistently ranks
among the best in hotel polls. Restored a decade ago to its former
glory, residents can step back in time in one of 103 suites, which
each come with their own valet. Royalty, celebrities and writers all
stayed here and homage is paid at every turn. Somerset Maugham made
the first of three visits in 1921 and Noel Coward visited in 1930.
Maurice Chevalier, Jean Harlow and Charlie Chaplin feature among a
coterie of famous guests. Raffles is one place where living in the
past is a definite plus. The Amrita Spa is the latest addition to
a host of facilities, including swimming pool, business centre, florist,
hotel arcade, boardrooms and its own theatre in Jubilee Hall.
Beach
Road
Tel: (65) 337 1886.
Fax: (65) 339 7650.
E-mail: raffles@raffles.com
Website: www.raffles.com
Price: From S$650.
The
Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
This huge high-rise building has some of the best rooms on the island.
Deft touches like timber and Tibetan rooms and baths that look down
on the city has helped make it a favourite, as well as S$5 million
worth of artworks, including Sunrise, a massive glass construction
by Dale Chihuly. Features like a Greco-Roman pool set amid seven acres
(2.3 hectares) of landscaped tropical gardens and a location at the
heart of the busy Marina Centre, minutes from business and financial
districts, have made it hard to beat, as well as its facilities, such
as two-line phones, fax on request, walk-in wardrobes and separate
bath and shower rooms. The hotel's signature restaurant is the Summer
Pavilion, set in a picturesque lotus garden, which serves 12 blends
of Chinese tea.
7
Raffles Avenue
Tel: (65) 337 888.
Fax: (65) 337 5190.
Website: www.ritzcarlton.com
Prices: From S$400.
so, we hope that
this would be enough to plan a holiday at the Dream destination -
Singapore. Be there to have a lifetime expereince. If you want to
know anything else then mail us at : -
questions@funonthecampus.com
