"My List of Interesting Attrac ..." a Singapore Travel Page by DarkRay

One of the questions I get asked most by visitors coming to Singapore is expectedly, "where are the places we should go". Instead of offering each place as a tip which can be a little confusing and unstructured, I am presenting a summary of these places to visit as a travelogue instead.

Find the things you are interested in, then you can search for tips pertaining to the particular item to learn more about them in depth.

Based on the feedback of past visitors and my own experience, I have sort them according to various related groups.

If you think my list is helpful, please feel free to leave me a comment. I love reading them. :-)

This is currently a work in progress, and I will try to update this travelogue with more details and photographs as soon as possible.

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Singapore really have some of the best manmade attractions around. These places are all very well-developed, and each destination is excellently managed by a dedicated team of more than competant staff.

These places are all very tourist-friendly, but luckily, not excessively touristy.

1. Night Safari
- Opens from 7.30pm to 12.00am daily.
- Remember to take the tram ride which gives a very good introductory tour.
- A slice of nocturnal Africa. My absolute favourite!
- Interesting shows by well-trained animals.
- Bonus: Bongo Burger serves rather good pasta.
- I have directions on how to get to Night Safari by public transport.

2. Singapore Zoo
- Opens from 8.30am to 6.00pm daily.
- Animals are housed in environment similar to their natural habitat.
- Interesting shows by well-trained animals.
- Just beside the Night Safari.
- I have directions on how to get to Singapore Zoo by public transport.

3. Jurong Bird Park
- Opens from 9.00am to 6.00pm daily.
- Another great wildlife park with very well-manicured grounds and world's tallest manmade waterfall.
- Interesting shows by well-trained animals.
- Bonus: Flamingo Cafe has a very good ambience by a manmade lake

4. Sentosa
- Cable car.
- Island beach resort destination.
- Interesting attractions such as Dolphin Lagoon, and Sentosa Luge.
- Near Singapore's largest shopping mall, VivoCity.

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Coming to Singapore is more or less synonymous with good shopping. Remember to claim your 5% GST refund for purchases above S$200.

1. Orchard Area
- Many shopping centres such as Plaza Singapura, Wisma Atria, etc...
- Especially upscale ones such as Ngee Ann City, Palais Rennaisance, etc....

2. City Hall Area
- Mega shopping malls such as Suntec City & Marina Square.
- IT & Electronics: Funan Digitalife Mall.
- Bonus: Raffles Hotel's Long Bar (home of the Singapore Sling).

3. Bugis Area
- One of the most unique mixed retail shopping mall: Bugis Junction.
- Street shopping experience at the nearby Bugis Village.
- IT & Electronics: Sim Lim Square (but know your street prices first).

4. HarbourFront Area
- The largest shopping mall in Singapore: VivoCity.
- HarbourFront Centre has BiG Megastore, a kind of lifestyle megastore which sometimes have good bargains for electronics and IT items.
- Can combine it with a trip to nearby Sentosa.

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These are the list of ethnic enclaves in Singapore, where you can get glimpse of the traditional life of the various ethnic groups in Singapore.

1. Chinatown
- Traditional settlement for the Singapore's Chinese population.
- Chinatown Heritage Centre.
- A lot of delicious Chinese fare can be found here, especially along Smith Street.
- Can be a little too "touristy".

2. Little India
- Traditional settlement for the Singapore's Indian population.
- It houses Mustafa Centre, a megamall selling practically everything under the sun, and operates 24 hours a day.
- Warning: Very crowded on Sunday & Public Holidays.

3. Arab Street
- Traditional settlement for Singapore's Arab population.
- Very charming place with a lot of nice restaurants.
- Very interesting shopping with decorative artifacts you will not find elsewhere.

4. Geylang Serai
- Traditional settlement for Singapore's Malay population.
- Busy and interesting area.
- Tip: Skip the very tacky Malay Village.

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Talk to any Singaporean about food and you will realise that this is one of the things we Singaporeans are most passionate about. Being a melting pot of various races and cultures, the variety of food available here can only be described as mind-boggling. The best part is that most of the food are relatively cheap.

1. Hawker Centres
- Good food can literally be found everywhere, especially in food centres like Tiong Bahru Hawker Centre, Bedok Hawker Centre, etc....

2. Geylang
- A lot of fantastic local fare can be found along Geylang, and most outlets operate through the night.

3. Makansutra Gluttons Bay
- A lot of visitors like it as it is right next to The Esplanade along the waterfront, but I personally find that their standard had dropped a lot since they opened last year.
- Bonus: Near Merlion Park (great for a short walk there to aid food digestion).

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Singapore is one of the safest city in the world. It is very safe to go out any night and party away. Of course, practice your usual big city vigilance (you are asking for trouble by going to some dark alleys) and if you drink, don't drive.

1. Bars
- Chijmes.
- Boat Quay.
- Clarke Quay, featuring Ministry of Sound.
- Club Street.

2. Clubs & Pubs
- Zouk.
- Mohammad Sultan.

3. Red Light District
- The even numbered "Lorongs" in Geylang.
- Warning: This is not a place for sightseeing.

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Singapore is a very built-up city. Luckily, there are still many pockets of greenary in our garden city for visitors to get away from the buzz of the city, without really getting away.

1. Fort Canning Park
- A park rich in history, in the middle of the city.

2. Pulau Ubin
- It's a little like stepping back to Singapore's rural past.
- Excellent cycling destination.

3. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
- One of the 2 slices of primary rainforest within a city, the other being Rio de Janeiro.
- Excellent cycyling destination (Warning: Very advanced tracks).

4. Sungei Buloh Welands Reserve
- Resting ground for migratory birds.

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Learn more about Singapore and our past.

1. Asian Civilisation Museum
- Showcases many aspects and histories of Asian cultures.

2. Singapore Philatelic Museum
- A history of stamps.
- Bonus: Near Fort Canning Park (see "Nature & Park Attractions").

3. Singapore Art Museum
- A gallery for some of the best Southeast Asian modern and comtemporary art pieces.
- Bonus: Near Orchard Area (see "Shopping Attractions").