Bacall Associates Travel at Singapore 10 Things to Do

8/16/2019 Bacall Associates Travel at Singapore 10 Things to Do

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Bacall Associates Travel at Singapore: 10 Things to

Do

Introduction

Singaporeans moan that besides shopping, dining and the movies, there's not a lot you

can do here. Ignore them. The must-see list for the one-day visitor to Singapore,

especially the first-timer, is absorbingly long. There is very little chance you'll get bored.

Most tourists tend to gravitate first towards the famed retail stretch of Orchard Road.Fine, get your fix of bold-faced names like Louis Vuitton, Chanel and every other

couture label under the sun. When you've gotten that out of your system, dump your

purchases back at the hotel and head out into the 'burbs where the real charm of

Singapore lies. We're here to guide you to the top 10 places where tourists don't

normally go; in short, the places where Singaporeans in the know live and play.

1. Singapore Botanic Gardens

So, you've arrived. It's early and nothing really opens for business until around 11 a.m.,

so how are you going to kill time? Slip on the trainers and head out to the Botanic

Gardens (open 5 a.m. to midnight). At this time of the day, downtown Singapore's last

remaining green lung is a cool, bucolic retreat filled with joggers, dogs and tai-chi

practitioners. Wander through the swaths of virgin rainforest (the main boardwalk

through it is entered from Upper Palm Valley Road) and then take in the National

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Orchid Garden's many-colored collection of 1,000 orchid species and 2,000 hybrids.

When you're done, drop into the food court near Tanglin Gate for a traditional local

breakfast of soft-boiled eggs, coffee and toast slathered with coconut jam.

2. Artwork at the Ritz-Carlton

It may seem a little strange to head to a hotel to look at artwork, but the Ritz-Carlton is

no ordinary hotel. The massive three-ton Frank Stella installation at the entrance and

the pair of Dale Chihuly crystal glass sculptures that anchor both wings of the building

kick off one of Southeast Asia's finest (and under the radar) collections of modern and

contemporary art. The majority of the pieces were specially commissioned for the public

spaces and guest suites. The treasures on view include Andy Warhol and David

Hockney's exuberant colors, Rainer Gross's geometric compositions, Henry Moore'srestrained monochromatics and the lush botanicals of Robert Zakanitch. It's all free to

view, and you even get an iPod-guided tour.

3. Chinatown Heritage Centre

Let the other tourist hordes charge over to the newly minted Peranakan Museum or the

gloomy Asian Civilisations Museum. If you do only one cultural thing during your 24-hour Singapore layover, it must be a tour of the unheralded Chinatown Heritage Centre,

where entire sets of bedrooms, kitchens and street scenes from the late-19th century and

early-20th century have been faithfully recreated. It's an authentic slice of Singapore's

history that's made all the more fascinating by the gleaming skyscrapers just a few

blocks away. And if you must, pick up a kitschy souvenir from the gift shop on your way

out.

4. Plastic Surgery

In case you missed the memo, the place for plastic surgery is Asia. While many people

head to Bangkok and Seoul for assorted nips and tucks, the locals make a beeline for the

ultra-swish, Richard Meier–designed Camden Medical Centre. You may not have time

for a full makeover, but squeeze in a spot of Botox or a non-surgical facelift with local

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celebrity surgeon Woffles Wu. And then adjourn downstairs for snapper pie and Pavlova

at Whitebait & Kale.

5. Electronics for Cheap

Tokyo may have the latest in electronic gadgets, but Singapore has the widest range, and

luckily for the time-pressed shopper, they're all clustered in two massive multistory

emporia. Handicams, portable DVD players, mobile phones, hi-tech cameras, MP3

players and laptops in just about every imaginable configuration are up for grabs at

Funan Digitalife Mall and Sim Lim Square. The prices are usually about 10% to 20%

cheaper than at other commercial outlets. At Sim Lim Square especially, good deals can

be had with some serious haggling, and many retailers will knock off a few extra dollars

if you pay in cash.

6. Haji Lane

This tiny lane, hidden away in the heart of the Muslim quarter, is a fashionista's

paradise. With very little fanfare, the collection of narrow shop-houses have, in less than

a year, been transformed into an aggressively hip retail stretch recalling Le Marais in

Paris or New York's Meatpacking District. Know It Nothing is a stylish industrial spacethat stocks beautifully tailored dress shirts stitched with silver skull buttons by Japanese

label Garni. Next, pop into Pluck for its shabby chic collection of Austin Powers–

inspired cushion covers and a cute ice-cream parlor. A few doors down, Salad boasts a

range of home accessories like laser-cut table mats and Hong Kong– based Carrie Chau's

quirky postcards. If you're feeling peckish, have an authentic Middle Eastern lunch

around the corner at Cafe le Caire.

7. The Singapore Flyer

The 165-meter-high Flyer is Singapore's answer to the London Eye. For the moment, it

is the world's largest observation wheel (that title will go to Beijing when its version

opens in 2009). Despite much fanfare and hype, the locals have never really taken to the

Flyer, grousing that it's too far from anywhere (it's not) and S$29.50 is a lot of money to


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pay for a 30-minute ride. Lucky you, since this means you'll almost never have to wait in

line. The best time to hitch a ride is at dusk when the entire row of downtown

skyscrapers is softly lit. Back on the ground, head for a dinner of chili crabs at Seafood

Paradise.

8. The White Rabbit

Back in the '50s, Dempsey Hill was home to the British Army. These days, the former

barracks, set amidst lush jungle, have been transformed into a fine collection of

restaurants, bars, art galleries, epiceries and spas. Recently, the long abandoned

garrison church was reopened as the White Rabbit, a restaurant and bar serving up Euro

comfort food. After extensive renovations, its lofty interiors are now a mood-lit bolt-hole

that heaves with tout le monde. When people aren't busy air-kissing and waving to oneanother across the crowded dining space, they're tucking into chef Daniel Sia's cleverly

re-imagined classics, like macaroni and cheese drizzled with truffle sauce and a

deconstructed Black Forest cake. After dinner, head up the hill for a chilled mojito at

Margarita's.

9. Geylang

Once upon a time, Bugis Street was Singapore's premier red light district (and forever

immortalized in Peter Bogdanovich's Saint Jack), but the crown has long since passed to

Geylang, an atmospheric quarter on Singapore's east coast that bristles with great

period architecture, leggy street walkers and some of the best local food on the island.

On offer is a greedy grab of Peranakan, Indian, Malay and regional Chinese standards

including the coconut rice and curry chicken at Bali Nasi Lemak, spicy noodles with

roast pork and prawns at Kuching Kolo Mee and the Hakka favourite of rice, vegetables,

tofu and peanuts in a tea-based broth at Lei Cha Fan.

10. Zouk

Despite its prim, straight-laced reputation, Singapore's nightlife is actually quite racy,

though compared to Barcelona or New York, the party ends early (around 3 a.m.). After


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nearly two decades, Zouk is still the throbbing heart of the action. The pulsating

institution is a strobe-lit, rambling warren of dance floors, figure-hugging outfits,

swagger and seasoned moves. For many of the pretty young hipsters here, it's a rite of

passage. If it isn't enough to satisfy your urge to groove, drop into the mammoth

Ministry of Sound for a quick shimmy.

Bacall Associates Travel at Singapore 10 Things to Do

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