48 hours in Singapore – Weekend Edition
Singapore In Less Than 48 Words
Singapore, the smallest nation in Southeast Asia, is perhaps the image of an ideal country – prosperous, modern, a melting pot of cultures, and incredibly neat and orderly.
Singapore’s famous icon, the Merlion facing Marina Bay (Photo by alittlegirlost)
First 24 Hours
You can fly to the “Lion City” via the Singapore Changi Airport, which is located 17.2 kilometers northeast of Singapore’s commercial center. At the terminal’s MRT station you can catch the train which will take you to the City Hall station. You can also purchase an EZ-Link Card there for S$15, which will grant you unlimited travel on the island’s metro train. Alternatively, you can opt to hire a taxi, although at a much higher cost.
Singapore is a very much organized nation, with a very efficient public transport system. So, navigating the island is fairly easy. However, it is still advisable to visit its main tourist office (Cairnhill Road, 00 65 6736 2000, website), where you will get valuable tourist information. It is open daily from 9:30 am to 10:30 pm.
CHECK IN: Get your bearings back at Singapore’s hotels
You can arrange for a nice place to stay in during your 48 hour visit in Singapore at one of its excellent hotels. One of the best in the city is the Pan Pacific (7 Raffles Blvd | Marina Square, Singapore 039595, Singapore, 65 6336 8111, website). It offers comfortable rooms, swimming pools, an attentive staff, and a convenient central location.
Pan Pacific (Photo from Google images)
A nice alternative is the Furama RiverFront Singapore (405 Havelock Road, Singapore 169633, (65) 6333 8898, website), which has a nice location near Singapore’s shopping centers, plus a view of the Singapore River. You can also try out the Mandarin Oriental (5 Raffles Ave, Marina Square | (formerly The Oriental Singapore), Singapore 039797, Singapore, 65 6338 0066, website). It is a luxury hotel with top-notch facilities, delicious meals, and a professional staff.
CHINATOWN: Take a hike in Singapore’s own version of China
Have a taste of China in Singapore at its so-called Chinatown (Exit A (Pagoda Street) of North-East MRT line’s Chinatown station). It is the nation’s traditional Chinese quarters, and is known for its temples, mosques, shops, and Chinese community. Some of the most notable streets you can pass through are the Club Street (caters to the expats and yuppies), Tanjong Pagar (home of the gay community), Mosque Street (known for the Jamae Mosque), Sago Lane (has sago factories), and Smith Street (famous for alfresco dining).
Souvenir shops in Chiantown (Photo by Khalzuri Yazid)
ASIAN CIVILIZATIONS MUSEUM: Learn more about the Asian culture
You can discover new things about Asian culture by visiting the Asian Civilizations Museum (1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555, 65-6332 7798, website). It is a unique museum specializing in Pan-Asian civilizations and cultures. It was established in 1997, and features 10 exhibits related to the history and ancestry of Southeast Asia, China, South Asia, and West Asia. Some of the most notable finds at the museum are porcelain, calligraphy, decorative arts, and Chola bronzes, as well as Taoist and Buddhist statues. The site is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 am to 7 pm, and on Mondays from 1 pm to 7 pm. Admission will cost you around S$8.
MARINA CENTRE: Amuse yourself
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Singapore is the Marina Center. It is an entertainment venue built on a zone of reclaimed land at Singapore’s Marina Bay. You can find it in the nation’s Marina South area, within the Downtown Core. It is the site of various shopping malls, the most notable of which is the marina Square (6 Raffles Boulevard, #01-101 Marina Square, Singapore 039594, (65) 6339 8787, website). Other malls to be found there are the Suntec City Mall, CityLink Mall, Millenia Walk, and the Raffles City Shopping Centre.
The Singapore Flyer with a panoramic view of the city and Marina Bay (Photo by Tan Yilmaz)
The center is also home to the Singapore Flyer (30 Raffles Avenue, #01-07, Singapore 039803, (65) 6734 8829, website), which is currently the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. At a height of 165 meters, it is almost as tall as a 42-storey building, and has 28 air-conditioned capsules that can hold up to 28 passengers. The wheel makes a complete rotation once every 37 minutes, giving you sweeping views of the island. You can also arrange for a cocktail party or dinner while inside the capsule.
DINNER TIME: Discover Singapore’s restaurants
You are guaranteed a delicious dinner at the restaurants available all over the city. One of the best in the city is Flutes at the Fort (21 Lewin Terr, Fort Canning Park, Singapore 179290, 65 6338 8770, website). It offers a romantic old-world colonial design, plus an authentic modern Australian menu and an excellent wine selection. A nice alternative is the Mango Tree (1000, E Coast Pkwy, B23, Singapore 449876, 65 6442 8655, website), which has a Kerala-inspired cuisine and some of the best seafood curries in the island.
Have a taste of Italy in Singapore at Oso Ristorante (27 Tanjong Pagar Rd, Singapore 088450, 65 6327 8378, website). It is an upscale restaurant known for its beef carpaccio, rigatoni with braised rabbit, and classic Italian desserts like tiramisu and panna cotta. You can also try out the Rang Mahal (7 Raffles Blvd, Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore 039595, 65 6333 1788, website), an award-winning restaurant that serves haute Indian cuisine.
Next 24 Hours
Your next 24 hours in Singapore can be used to discover the city’s other tourist attractions. One of those is the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (177 Hindhede Dr, Butik Batok), where you can take a nature hike through one of Singapore’s largest surviving rainforest patches. It covers an area of 410 acres, and is home to over 500 species of fauna, and more than 850 species of flowering plants. You can stroll along the North View, South View, or Fern Valley paths which contain native wildlife such as bird species, pythons, and macaques.
Take a nature hike at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (Photo by Norhendra Ruslan)
ST. ANDREW’S CATHEDRAL: Let’s go to church
You can go to church at the St. Andrew’s Cathedral (1 St Andrew’s Road, Singapore 178959, (65) 6337 6104, website). It is the largest cathedral in the island, and is the seat of the Anglican Diocese of Singapore. The church is best known for its Neo-Gothic style of architecture, its stained-glass windows, bronze cross, and granite memorial monument.
SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM: Admire art
Art lovers will definitely enjoy themselves at the Singapore Art Museum (71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555, 63323222, website). It is known for housing Singapore’s national art collection, featuring over 7,750 pieces of contemporary Singaporean, South East Asian, New Asian, and International art works. The site is open daily from 10 am to 7 pm, and admission will cost you around S $8.
Singapore Art Museum (Photo by Kojach)
SINGAPORE ZOO: Explore nature
Another noteworthy tourist attraction in Singapore is the Singapore Zoo (80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826, (65) 6269 3411, website. It is a wildlife reserve covering an area of 28 hectares, and is made up primarily of forests. More than 1.6 million people visit it every year to see over 315 animal species – of which 16 percent are considered to be endangered. It is also known for having the largest captive colony of orangutans on the planet.
Examples of wildlife to be seen there are White Tigers, African Lions, Banded Mongoose, Mountain Lions, Asian Elephants, Proboscis Monkeys, Hamadryas Baboons, Polar Bears, Komodo dragons, bearded dragons, Green anacondas, and Alligator snapping turtles. The zoo is open daily from 8:30 to 6 pm, and admission costs around S$18.
SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS: Unwind, rewind
You can relax and unwind while strolling through the Singapore Botanic Gardens (1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569, (65) 6471 7138 / (65) 6471 7361, website. It is a botanical garden covering an area of around 63.7 hectares, and is home to a wide variety of flora. The highlight of a visit there is the National Orchid Garden, which is home to over 60,000 orchids of 400 different species. The site is open daily from 5 am to 12 midnight, and admission is free except at the national Orchid Garden.
Singapore Botanic Garden (Photo by Edwin Lee)
NIGHTLIFE: Enjoy Singapore’s vibrant nightlife scene
At night you may proceed to Singapore’s bars and clubs to have a taste of the city’s exciting nightlife. One of the most popular is One Rochester (1 Rochester Park, Singapore 139212, 65 6773 0070, website). It has Singapore’s first non-smoking indoor area, with a bar that serves over 200 wines, 30 beers, and various spirits.
A nice alternative is New Asia Bar (2 Stamford Rd, Equinox Complex, Swissôtel the Stamford, Singapore, 65 6431 6654, website), which is a unique bar with floors that slant down 20 degrees to give a great view of the city. You can also try out the Gotham Penthouse (3A River Valley Rd, Blk 3A #03-01, Singapore 179020, 65 6339 5595). It is a unique club lit by tanks with tropical fishes and colorful jellyfish, plus a bar serving fantastic cocktails and beer.
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