I’m off to Singapore for business but have a recovery day as the first day there which will probably amount to around half a day once I’m at the hotel and recovered.

Anyone got suggestions on what I should do / see? I’m based in the centre very close to Raffles

TIA

I’ll do it now.

Orchard Towers.

Thanks 😕 Just Googled that…

🙂

Which hotel are you at?

Anyway, a few things…

The Zoo is good.
Food. Basically, food. So much great food.
Cold beers on Club Street.
Or, sit by the pool with a good book!

Swissotel Stamford. Thanks 😉

Take a stroll around Marina Bay and the gardens behind the Marina Bay Sands.

Right…..

Din Tai Fung in the shopping centre your hotel is attached to. May look like fast food, but trust me, their xiao long bao are EPIC!
Brotzeit, opposite corner of same shopping mall. Excellent people watching spot with cold beer.
Chijmes- Mixed bag, but if you’d prefer something “safe” on the food front…
Leisurely stroll to the Merlion.
Chinatown – I’d avoid these days. It’s lost a lot of the charm, especially since Hometown closed. 🙁
Telok Ayer or Maxwell for hawker goodness. Look for the stall with the longest queue of locals. Eat there.

Also, don’t fall for the ‘special taxis’ at Changi. Nothing special about a Chrysler!

If your not getting on with the heat, domes at the botanical gardens, nice and cool

Jurong Bird Park

+1 for Din Tai Fung, wine exchange on Cuppage is also a great spot for people watching. About the best value wine in Sgp too.

Find a food market & just watch the world go by – soak it up.

Search back on the forum, there’s a couple of threads with all sorts of good advice.

Sngapore crab at the fish restaurants on the way to the airport.

The zoo nkt bad but always visit the aforementioned restaurants when i go 😉

JeZ

crab at the fish restaurants on the way to the airport.

Black Pepper Crabbs from Longbeach at Dempsey FTW!

However, crab, like a good Singapore hotpot is more of a social meal than something you’d do on your own. OP, persuade your colleagues!

For hot pot, try Hai di Lao in Orchard.

If you are there this Wednesday to Friday evening let me know how it works out, will be there until Friday evening before I head back to HK?

Visit my brother in law and family, he’d love it if a random turned up at his door.

Visit my brother in law and family, he’d love it if a random turned up at his door.

My suggestions .. go for a walk (slowly) shorts tee shirt …

Stroll into Raffles Hotel as if you are a guest and have a wander round, Tiffin Box buffet lunch is great (swanky Indian) do not bother with fake long bar

Walk through Padang (park) past Cricket Club (F1 street GP goes past there)
Asian Civilisations Museum
IndoChine bar/restaurant there pretty decent
Over small historic iron Cavanagh bridge to boat quay
Loop past all the trashy tourist/expat bars and imagine what it must have been like with people living on small boats there (my Dad said it really stank !!)
Turn towards China Town and see the Indian and Budhist Temples
Switch back to Club Street (I used to live there) – beer or Western food – Beaujolias on corner is a cool place
Taxi back (bar can order or club street taxi stand)

Note skyline view at night is cool, decent view from Esplande near Theatre, chilli/pepepr crab at No Sign Board Seafood or beer/pizza/italian at Bar Rosa

Taxis are extremely cheap in Singapore. About the only thing that is.

Get the local app on your phone and use them. Uber is also available.

Dempsey Hill has a few good bars and restaurants.

Personally I find Singapore dull and it doesn’t do much for me. Other people I know absolutely love it. Though there are some people who go to Dubai for their holidays.

Drop litter, see what happens

Don’t get a taxi, get the MRT unless you have loads of luggage, they even have lovely old ladies to give you change. Just don’t eat or drink on them, it’s an expensive fine. As CFH said Din Tai Fung, there’s also a good vietnamese place down there and a kaya toast place (it’s an acquired taste you may not want to acquire). There’s a place which also does the best salted caramel brownies. They’re expensive but worth it.

There’s also some super random stuff as well. Squid balls. A place that does pastries but it’s like greggs in an alternative universe (salt and pepper crab etc). Cream puffs. Just wander around and buy stuff that looks interesting. The times I’ve been to Singapore for a conference its always been in Raffles City so I’ve eaten mostly down there.

If you can be arsed with a short MRT ride, JiBiru on Orchard Road (Somerset MRT) is my favourite bar and there’s a really good restaurant in there called Kilo but I have a feeling it’s closed now.

Oh, and there’s a good chicken rice place just behind Raffles on Seah Street. Sure, you’re sitting next to the road but the food is decent.

Well, I’m sat in Din Tai Fung and I’ve ordered something…. 🙂

Smells good

Had a good wander round yesterday. Incredible looking place but it does feel a bit sterile which is what I recall from my last visit about 20 years ago

Fragrant pork with garlic… Omg!

You chose wisely!

Xiao Long Bao as well, I hope? If not, summon the waitress immediately and order some!

When we had a long-haul stopover in Singapore we just paid a taxi to drive us around some of the sights for a few hours – as stated above, they aren’t expensive.

We did (ironically) Raffles, the gardens, some temple or other, Chinatown, stuff like that.

Incredible looking place but it does feel a bit sterile which is what I recall from my last visit about 20 years ago

Asia Lite or an “Air Conditioned Nation”. Bit of a cliche but Asians like “new” its a sign of wealth and progress. Try a localish area, taxi to Arab Street or Little India, China town …

Too late, cfh, I’m stuffed. Was great though

How long are you there for?

Want more restaurants? 🙂

Chinatown hasn’t been localish for years, BTW. Tourist trap central.

He only has a half day CFH, the more local areas like Woodlands are far.

Only here until Thursday night and out with colleagues tomorrow to Jumbo seafood which hopefully is worthy of its reputation

Grand.

Jumbo is pretty good.

Tips;

Black Pepper Crab is nicer than Chili Crabbs. IMHO.
Politely decline anything durian related.

Roger that flash leader

Your nose will turn you off the durian food before your tongue does

Have you got time to hire a bike and cycle along the seafront? I fancied doing that last time I was there (about 2-3 years ago) but didn’t get round to it

Black Pepper Crab is nicer than Chili Crabbs. IMHO.
Politely decline anything durian related.

This is good advice. Black and white pepper choices there I recall.

Are you there on a Sunday? Equinox at Swisshotel has my favourite champagne brunch. Try and get a window seat for great views of the bay.

Just seen you are not. Top tip, go back on a Sunday!

If you get a chance (especially if someone else pays!), sort out an evening visit to http://www.level33.com.sg/

Nice beers and you can drink on an open balcony on the 33rd floor overlooking the marina