Marina Bay
Marina Bay Sands
Three towers carrying a “ship” on their roofs: the SkyPark, 57 storeys up, with a view across the whole bay.
Opened 2010
A city-state about 137 km north of the equator, and a city in a garden: kaya toast at a hawker centre in the morning, the Supertrees lighting up at dusk.
Its name, Singapura, comes from the Sanskrit for “lion city”.
From the Marina Bay skyline to the old quarters of Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam, where Chinese, Malay and Indian histories sit side by side.
Three towers carrying a “ship” on their roofs: the SkyPark, 57 storeys up, with a view across the whole bay.
A grove of Supertrees, 25 to 50 metres tall, with a light-and-music show after dark, plus two giant glass conservatories.
Lion’s head, fish’s body, water pouring from its mouth: the city’s best-known photo stop, facing the bay with the financial district behind.
Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The National Orchid Garden inside holds more than a thousand orchid species.
Its Chinese name means “bullock-cart water”, after the carts that once hauled water here. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Sri Mariamman, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple, share one street.
Garland stalls, spice shops and roti prata, plus Mustafa Centre, open around the clock for whatever you forgot to pack.
The mosque’s golden dome anchors the quarter; next door, Haji Lane is packed with murals, independent shops and cafés.
Beaches, Universal Studios and resort life. The Sentosa Express monorail from VivoCity gets you onto the island in minutes.
In 2020 Singapore’s hawker culture was inscribed on UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. A few dollars buys a proper local meal.
Ask for “kopi” at a coffee shop and you won’t get an americano.
| Kopi | coffee + condensed milk |
| Kopi O | coffee + sugar, no milk |
| Kopi C | coffee + evaporated milk + sugar |
| … kosong | add to the end: no sugar |
| … peng | add to the end: iced |
Locals “chope” a table by leaving a packet of tissues on it. A tissue packet or an umbrella on the table means the seat is taken.
The MRT reaches most sights. Every line has its own colour and two-letter code.
Trains and buses take contactless Visa and Mastercard cards directly, or buy a stored-value EZ-Link card.
Eating and drinking in stations and on trains can cost you a fine of up to S$500. Durians aren’t allowed on board either.
Ride-hailing apps such as Grab are the easiest option; you can also flag a taxi on the street.
Not many rules, but the ones there are get enforced.