Singapore Recommendations?

[Rotaree]

Knowing what a knowledgable and well travelled bunch we are on here I thought it would be a good place to ask for help!

I'm going to be spending about ten days or so in the Singapore area with my wife and, as the title says, I'm looking for recommendations for things to do and places to stay. Should we just stay in Singapore itself or is it worth making a two centre holiday and staying somewhere nearby for a few days and then the remainder in Singapore? Any thoughts and help greatly appreciated.

[ipitythefool]

10 days in SIN itself is way too long.

In that amount of time you could easily have a few days up in Malaysia and in Indonesia.

[Bing o]

There's a few Singaporean PHers on here - I'd recommend looking at Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur if you want a two city break (Ho Chi Minh if you want to go somewhere different).

[andy400]

Take train up to KL for a couple of days, great scenery from the train, and another great city.

Battle Box in Singapore is good.

It's a tourist cliche, but have a Singapore Sling in the long bar of Raffles.

[Dakkon]

Botanical gardens are lovely, check out all the Orchid greenhouses

Drinks in Raffles obviously, wander down Orchard Road, you can get some decent bargains if you haggle for electronics, I found the food everywhere to be good so don't be put off by smaller restaurants.

There are a few temples / churches, but some are not exactly clean, one is downright filthy.

The MerLion is cool, an afternoon on a boat trip is nice with a drink or two.

all the road signs are in dual languages, so fairly easy to get about.

[Gavin_Essex]

The Airport! Had the best damn massage and shower at the mid-way point flying back from Oz a few years ago. Helpful i know

[Rotaree]

Thanks for the suggestions so far - quite like the train up to KL idea, don't really want to be struggling through airports after getting there (isn't it just a pain these days?!) so HK will probably be out unfortunately; keep 'em coming!

[bradders]

Orchard Towers, after dark, opposite the Hilton (IIRC) on Orchard Road. By day, a shopping centre, by night, much more amusing.

Go with an open mind, and try the bars on every floor. The higher you go, the braver you need to be.

I believe the locals call it the Tower of Power!

[Meeja]

A colleague of mine is married to a Singaporian - and he fairly regularly spends time out there.

Will forward this thread to him.

Meeja

[JonRB]

Dakkon said:

Drinks in Raffles obviously, wander down Orchard Road, you can get some decent bargains if you haggle for electronics, I found the food everywhere to be good so don't be put off by smaller restaurants.

Orchard Road is for the tourists. If you want decent electronics at good prices then Suntech City or, better still, Holland Village. The later is pretty much locals only and they don't haggle - they just have prices lower than the best-haggled ones on Orchard Road.

There's a really nice all-you-can eat Japanese restaurant at the top of Suntech City.

The Orchid gardens at Sentosa are worth a wander round if that's your thing. We took the cable car to Sentosa which was an event in itself.

The Night Safari is quite fun too, although obviously is a real tourist trap.

andy400 said:

It's a tourist cliche, but have a Singapore Sling in the long bar of Raffles.

Has to be done. Although if the Sing Sling isn't your thing, they do half yards of Tiger Beer in these cool wooden stands.

Edited by JonRB on Thursday 19th March 12:19

[andy400]

bradders said:

Orchard Towers, after dark, opposite the Hilton (IIRC) on Orchard Road. By day, a shopping centre, by night, much more amusing.

Go with an open mind, and try the bars on every floor. The higher you go, the braver you need to be.

I believe the locals call it the Tower of Power!

Known as 'Four floors of wes', shirley?


Edited for brain-fart.

Edited by andy400 on Thursday 19th March 12:19

[Fats25]

As you are with the wife - that limits some of the things to do

As others have said:-

• 10 days in Singapore is way too long if you are not working
• Long Bar at Raffles is worth a visit
• Trip to KL by train is a good way to break it up
• OR - you could head to one of the resorts on Borneo
• Sentosa ok for a day out (hotel probably finished there by now) - "street luging" is quite fun
• Golf in Indonesia for a day - if you golf?
• Sim Lim (sp?) for electronic shopping - better than Orchard Road in my opinion
• Often have exhibitions in Singapore - worth looking into what is on when you are travelling
• Crazy horse in 4foh is worth a visit just for humour value. Go with the wife and watch the westerners!

Edited by Fats25 on Thursday 19th March 12:22

[bradders]

andy400 said:

bradders said:

Orchard Towers, after dark, opposite the Hilton (IIRC) on Orchard Road. By day, a shopping centre, by night, much more amusing.

Go with an open mind, and try the bars on every floor. The higher you go, the braver you need to be.

I believe the locals call it the Tower of Power!

Known as 'Three floors of wes', shirley?

Yes, I do believe that part of the name follows ToP. Once saw some Merkin sailors in Crazy Horse on the top floor smoozing the night away, totally unaware of the gender of their companions - very amusing indeed!

[Road Hog]

andy400 said:

bradders said:

Orchard Towers, after dark, opposite the Hilton (IIRC) on Orchard Road. By day, a shopping centre, by night, much more amusing.

Go with an open mind, and try the bars on every floor. The higher you go, the braver you need to be.

I believe the locals call it the Tower of Power!

Known as 'Four floors of wes', shirley?


Edited for brain-fart.

Edited by andy400 on Thursday 19th March 12:19

thats where the "Honda team" stayed for the GP.

[Asterix]

Singapore is gerat but not for a 10 day holiday.

Why not spend 3-4 days eating, oopps, I meant seeing the sights of SG - Can't recommend the zoo enough - best I've ever been to (many times) and the night safari is great - best Roti Pratha I've ever had as well.

Jump on the ferry at Changi and go to Bintan, an Indonesian island, for a few days - couple of nice resorts including a Banyan Tree and some great golfing to be had. Or head north across the causway and sample a bit of Malaysia.

Plenty to do.

[JonRB]

I happily spent 10 days in Singapore for my honeymoon and it didn't seem like too long. But I did have the advantage that my wife had lived as an ex-pat there for a few years when she was younger, so there were plenty of friends to visit who belonged to a variety of Country Clubs. Which was nice.

[toasty]

Another vote for the zoo/night safari here.

[bradders]

There's a good spot for a meal down by the quayside, but beggered if I can remember the name of the Quay. It's a long strip of outdoor eateries. At the far end is an Irish bar. Prices to eat were OK, but the drinks at the bar seemed pretty steep last time I was there.

If you fancy a pretty fun food experience, visit Newton Circus, which IIRC is a big roundabout with loads of food stalls in the middle. Have a good wander around, get a table number, and order your food - it's brought to you served on leaves, and you eat with your fingers. Washed down with a big bottle of beer. Excellent. Was heaving when I went, and this was around midnight.

[JuniorD]

Anyone know if watches can be bought more cheaply there than in the UK and can recommend a good outlet? Considering Breitling specifically.

[JonRB]

bradders said:

There's a good spot for a meal down by the quayside, but beggered if I can remember the name of the Quay. It's a long strip of outdoor eateries. At the far end is an Irish bar. Prices to eat were OK, but the drinks at the bar seemed pretty steep last time I was there.

Clarke Quay?

Yes, beer was as expensive as the UK when I was last there (2004) and my wife said that 10 years previously when she'd lived there it had been really cheap.

bradders said:

Was heaving when I went, and this was around midnight.

You had an upset stomach?