Top things to see and do in Singapore

1. Gardens by the Bay. These botanical gardens for the modern age will delight both young and old. Situated on over 100 hectares of land reclaimed from the sea there is plenty to do and see. There is a charge for the two conservatories and Supertree OCBC Skyway but the rest of the gardens are free to wander around. They are so good I wrote a whole post about them. You can read it here

2. Chinatown. A great way to spend a few hours is to wander the streets and lanes of Chinatown taking in the colourful markets and shops. You are never far away from food here and the smells drifting on the warm air are a real invitation to sit down and sample a few local dishes. The Peoples Park Centre and Lau Pa Set Festival Market are great places to try.There are several interesting temples to visit including the Thian Hock Keng and the Sri Mariamman. If you can visit during the New Year celebrations Chinatown will be festooned with decorations in the traditional colours of red and gold.

3. Little India. No visit to Singapore is complete with spending some time in the streets of Little India. There is an amazing array of colourful fabrics on sale in the many shops and the smells of spices and fragrances fill the air. Again street food is a plus here, we had a great chicken curry for breakfast (close to the Heritage Centre) which was an absolute delight. There are a number of temples that welcome visitors and the Sultan Mosque is only a short walk away.

4. Singapore River .The Singapore River is the beating heart of the city. The riverside walk is lined with numerous bars and restaurants, specially in the area around Clarke Quay. The Meidi-Ya Japanese supermarket in the Liang Court shopping centre in Clarke Quay is a great place to pick up supplies. You can also pick up a river cruise from Clarke Quay for 25SD. This is best done after dark. The trip takes you down the river and into Marine Bay. The city looks stunning with many buildings and attractions illuminated, a camera is an absolute must.

5. Sample the food. You are really spoilt for choice in Singapore. you can splash the cash and eat fine dining in the cities many Michelin starred restaurants but it is much more fun to eat in one of the many Hawker Centres and sample the street food. Prices represent excellent value for money, our best was dinner was 17SD for both of us. The quality is good as the stalls are regulated to ensure standards are kept high.

6. Thian Hock Keng Temple. Built in 1840 this temple, in the heart of Chinatown, once faced the sea and was used by sailors plying the trade routes between Singapore and China. Today it is a long way from the sea but is a remarkable place to visit. There is a calmness and serenity about the place which is a marked contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. So important is the temple that it has been declared a national monument.

7. Marina Bay. You can not fail to be impressed by the development at Marina Bay. The Marine Bay Sands Hotel dominates the waterfront. Over 2500 rooms, a convention centre, a casino, the place is huge, and that is before you include the shopping mall underneath. The area also includes the ArtScience Museum, built to redeemable a lotus flower it houses both permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Art Science Museum

8. Ride the MRT. The easiest way to travel round the city and a pure joy. Clean, safe and relatively cheap the air conditioned stations and trains give welcome relief from the heat and humidity. The driverless trains are frequent and for the most part are nowhere near as crowded as the London underground can become.

The Fullerton Hotel

There is no greater pleasure at the end of a long day of sightseeing than siting down in the bar of a grand hotel for a well made cocktail (or two). The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore is one such place. Following the closure of The Raffles Hotel for refurbishment until the middle of the year it is a good alternative place to go if you want to spend a little time in one of the city’s grand old buildings and it is a landmark on the Singapore waterfront.

The Fullerton did not actually become a hotel until 2001 but the building itself dates back to 1928. In the intervening time it has been home to various government departments, a General Post Office, the offices of the inland revenue and has even had a lighthouse on the roof.

Today cocktails are served in The Post Bar, once the area where you would buy stamps and carry out all other post office related business. There is even a red post box in the entrance. The area is spacious with an old charm that belies its modern transformation. There is even access to an outer terrace if you fancy relaxing with a drink in the warm evening air.

As for the cocktails, well I thoroughly enjoyed the Coconut El Presidente (rum, white vermouth, coconut juice, orange curaçao and grenadine). The good news is that during happy hour many cocktails are only 15SD. The extra good news is that happy hour is from 5pm until midnight on a Saturday. How good is that?