Singapore Eating: Colonial District & the Quays

COLONIAL DISTRICT & THE QUAYS

Eating around the Colonial District and the three quays is a fancy affair – budget options are pretty thin on the ground in this part of town. The range of international restaurants, from sophisticated French, such as Saint Pierre, to shameless raunch, like Clarke Quay’s Hooters, is so staggering it would take a year or more just to eat your way through the Quays. A few hawker centres, ideal for a quick lunch or cheap dinner, remain and all the main shopping malls have their obligatory food courts.

PRICE GUIDE

The following price guide is based on dinner for two, with a couple of drinks.

$$$ over $75

$$ $20-75

$ under $20

BOBBY’S TAPROOM & GRILL (Map pp52–3 American $$$)

6337 5477; www.bobbys.com.sg; B1-03 Chijmes, 30 Victoria St; mains from $20; noon-midnight Sun-Tue, noon-2am Wed-Sat; Metro: City Hall;

A completely refurbished high-end American barbecue and sports bar specializing in steaks, chops, ribs and all things meaty. It’s particularly well-known for its baby back pork ribs, but the steaks are also excellent. Veggie options available.

CHEF CHAN’S RESTAURANT Map pp52–3 Chinese $$$

6333 0073; 01-06 National Museum, 93 Stamford Rd; set menu $88; Metro: Dhoby Ghaut

Staking a very strong claim to be Singapore’s top Chinese restaurant, everything about Chef Chan’s is outstanding, from the glorious location buried in a hard-to-find nook of the National Museum to the genuine antique Chinese decor and the magnificent, classic set menu (featuring his famous crispy roast chicken, complete with head). Reservations only.

DOC CHENG’S Map pp52–3 International $$$

6412 1264; level 2, Raffles Hotel Arcade, 1 Beach Rd; mains from $20; Metro: City Hall

Decked out with curtained booths, high ceilings, soft lighting and chequered tiles, Doc Cheng’s has a discreetly colonial air. The food, however, is decidedly modern fusion. ‘Son-in-law’ egg starter is surprisingly successful, as are dishes like the tandoori trout.

BOOK CAFÉ Map pp52–3 Cafe $$

6887 5430; 01-02 Seng Kee Bldg, 20 Martin Rd; mains $10-15; h8.30am-10.30pm Sun-Thu, 8.30am-midnight Fri & Sat;

At the river end of Mohamed Sultan Rd, Book Café is a convivial bistro with large, comfy sofas and a good selection of old books, magazines and foreign newspapers to browse through while you lounge around enjoying breakfast or a coffee.

CORIANDER LEAF Map pp52–3 Asian Fusion $$

6732 3354; www.corianderleaf.com; 02-03, 3A Merchant Court, Clarke Quay; mains $15-25; Metro: Clarke Quay

A fusion of European, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian menus, Coriander Leaf offers a wide selection of dishes, some a little jarring, most excellent. There’s also a small deli and a demo kitchen offering cooking courses

SAGE Map pp52–3 European $$

6333 8726; 7 Mohamed Sultan Rd; mains from $28

Set in a tiny converted shophouse on the Mohamed Sultan bar strip, Sage is one of the best restaurants in the Quays area. Intimate and relaxed, the service is immaculate and the food, from the prawn and escargot risotto starter to the mushroom soup and the beef cheek main, is superb. The only potential downside is the noise, if a big group happens to be sharing the small space with you. Booking is essential.

TAPAS TREE Map pp52–3 Spanish $$

6837 2938; 01-08, Block 3D, Clarke Quay; tapas from $5; Metro: Clarke Quay

Among the most popular of the recent Clarke Quay arrivals, this eatery boasts a huge range of classic tapas, a riverside location (though there’s comfy seating inside) and great music (the flamenco trio are fun, though inevitably they’re Filipino). Booking at weekends is essential.

WAH LOK Map pp52–3 Chinese $$

6311 8188; 2nd level, Carlton Hotel, 76 Bras Basah Rd; mains over $20; Metro: City Hall

The rotunda hall with the high dome ceiling, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, bright interior and warm ambience of this Cantonese place don’t quite prepare you for the entertainingly brusque service, but the food is great. Wah Lok well known for its excellent tofu; the roast meats are also a highlight.

GLUTTONS BAY Map pp52–3 Hawker Centre $

6336 7025; 01-15 Esplanade Mall; mains $10-20; 6pm-3am; Metro: City Hall

Selected by the Makansutra food guide, this bayside collection of the best hawkers (or street-food masters, as they call them)

KOPITIAM Map pp52–3 Coffeeshop $

cnr Bencoolen St & Bras Basah Rd; 24hr; Metro: City Hall

One of the top spots in the district for a late-night feed, this branch of the Kopitiam chain is brisk and blindingly bright, so if it’s a late boozy night grab a table outside, where the light is friendlier. The food is uniformly good and you won’t pay much more than $6 for a meal.

Singapore Eating: Colonial District & the Quays

Singapore: Holland Road & Bukit Timah

Primarily residential, and overwhelmingly affluent, these two areas to the immediate west of the city centre are book-ended by two of Singapore’s best-loved green spaces: the astoundingly beautiful Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The latter is a tiny patch of jungle offering a chance to see tropical birds, monkeys and other exotic wildlife (look, but don’t touch, and for their sake and that of your bank account, don’t feed the monkeys – fines for feeding them approaches the yearly GNPs of some emerging nations). Both of these places are absolute must-sees. After spending an afternoon strolling through manicured gardens or primary rainforest, take some time to visit some of the area’s upscale restaurant strips like Holland Village, Greenwood Ave and Dempsey Rd, which, also known as Tanglin Village, offers great shopping, eating and drinking opportunities, and is pretty swank considering the site is a converted former army barracks. Holland Village has long been a favorite nightspot for Singapore’s expatriate community, offering a number of excellent restaurants, bars and clubs. An evening out in any of these eating areas, not often visited by casual tourists, is a good way to get a real taste of Singapore.

SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS

Singapore Botanic Gardens – Palm Valley

6471 7361; www.sbg.org.sg; 1 Cluny Park Rd; admission free; 5am-midnight; Metro Orchard, then Bus 7, 77, 123 or 174 from Orchard Blvd

You can’t beat the botanic gardens as a spot to recover from your jet lag, have a picnic or just lie around forgetting you’re in a large metropolis. Established around 1860 and covering 52 hectares, the gardens originally acted as a test ground for botanical research and potential cash crops, such as rubber. Today they still host a herbarium housing more than 600,000 botanical specimens and a library with archival materials dating back to the

16th century.

Visitors can enjoy manicured garden beds or explore a 4-hectare patch of ‘original Singaporean jungle’, a sample of the kind of forest that once covered the entire island – though Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (right) and MacRitchie Reservoir give a more accurate picture of that. Still, it’s worth taking one of the rainforest tours. They usually cost $15 for a group of up to 15 people, but call ahead because there are free tours at certain times.

Also don’t miss the extraordinary National Orchid Garden (adult/child $5/free; 8.30am-7pm), one of the world’s largest orchid displays featuring over 60,000 of these delicate looking but incredibly hardy plants, including the Vanda Miss Joaquim. This hybrid orchid, Singapore’s national flower, was discovered in 1893 by Agnes Joaquim in her garden.

BUKIT TIMAH NATURE RESERVE

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

1800 468 5736; www.nparks.gov.sg; 8.30am-6pm; Bus 65, 75, 170 or 171

The only area of primary forest remaining in Singapore, this 164-hectare nature reserve offers a range of nature walks, testing jungle treks and even mountain-bike trails. It’s a haven for plants (one naturalist estimated there are more species here than in the whole of North America) and 160 species of animals. It also boasts the highest point on the island, Bukit Timah (163m), though the dense foliage doesn’t afford much of a view.

The most popular and easiest walk in the park is along a paved road to the top of Bukit Timah. Even during the week it attracts a number of walkers, but few venture off the pavement to explore the side trails, which are more interesting. For a distinctly out-of-Singapore experience, try the North View, South View or Fern Valley paths.

These involve some scrambling over rocks and tree roots and can be quite testing in parts.

Pick up a map of the park’s trails from the visitor centre, where an exhibition details the various flora and fauna that can be found in the reserve. A small shop here sells drinks, snacks, guidebooks and the all-important mosquito repellent.

Bukit Timah has two tough mountain bike trails, 6km in all, running around the edge of the nature reserve between Chestnut Ave and Rifle Range Rd. The trails cut though jungle and abandoned quarry sites and are hilly in parts. There’s also a bike trail running through the neighboring Central Catchment Nature Reserve to the MacRitchie Reservoir, 6km east.

Several buses run close to the park, including buses 65 and 170 from Newton MRT, bus 75 from the CBD and Chinatown, and bus 171 from the YMCA on Orchard Rd or from Scotts Rd. Get off at the Bukit Timah Shopping Centre; the entrance to the park is about 1km north along Hindhede Dr.

CHINESE TEMPLE FESTIVALS OF SINGAPORE

Anyone’s trip to Singapore should include a visit to some of the Lion City’s vibrant Chinese temples. Should your journey coincide with a temple festival, you’ll be in for an amazing display indeed – not to mention the possibility of a free vegetarian meal.

Festivals are based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar, so you’ll need to convert the dates into their Western calendar equivalents using an online Western-to-Chinese date calculator. A good one is available at www.chinesetools.eu/tools/chinesecalendar.
Chinese New Year’s Eve Held on the 29th or 30th day of the 12th month, depending on the year. This is perhaps the most important Chinese holiday (think of Christmas in the West). Expect to breathe in temple air filled with incense burned to welcome in the lunar New Year. Some excellent spots to join the revelry include Thian Hock Keng on Telok Ayer St, Wak Hai Cheng Bio on Philip St and the Kuan Im Thong Hood Cho (Goddess of Mercy Temple; p69) on Waterloo St.

Chinese New Year Decoration

Birthday of the Monkey God Held on the 15th or 16th day of the first month. Beloved by many in Singapore, this religious celebration honours the birthday of T’se Tien Tai Seng Yeh, the Monkey God, who cures the sick and frees the hopeless. During the ceremony, mediums called Tan Kees perform miraculous feats, going into trances, piercing their cheeks and tongues with skewers and writing out charms in their own blood. This festival is celebrated at many temples throughout the city, including Qi Tian Gong (Monkey God Temple) in Tiong Bahru and Poh An Keng on Tampines Rd.

Birthday of Matsu Held on the 23rd day of the third month. The birthday of the goddess of the sea, Matsu (sometimes spelled ‘Mazu’), is a major cause for celebration for Taoists, especially those who live by the ocean. Expect processions, incense and celebrations galore. Thian Hock Keng on Telok Ayer St and Wak Hai Cheng Beo on Philip St both play host to worshippers on the goddess’ birthday.
Vesak Day Held on the first full moon of the fourth lunar month. This important holiday celebrates three important events in the life of the Buddha: his birth, his enlightenment, and his attainment of nirvana. The flavor of this holiday will differ depending on which sect is celebrating it. The Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Geylang sponsors a huge tent festival in the park across the street; expect the air to be filled with incense and Tibetan chanting. Free vegetarian meals are also served.
Hungry Ghost Festival Held on the seventh lunar month. An important festival that incorporates various prayers and activities all over the island. The Chinese believe that during this month, the gates of hell are opened to free the hungry ghosts who then wander to seek food on Earth. If you’re feeling spooked, remember that offering food to the deceased is believed to appease the spirits and ward off bad luck.

Hungry Ghost Festival

Nine Emperor Gods Festivals Held from the first to the ninth day of the ninth month. This is celebrated at many of the Taoist temples devoted to the nine Emperor Gods. During this festival, many temples of the nine Emperor Gods will be celebrating by going to the river or sea to welcome the gods on the eve of the first day and at a grand sending off on the night of the ninth day. In between, they do processions visiting fellow temples.
Special thanks to local author and noted scholar of Chinese culture and religion Victor Yue, who was gracious enough to share his expertise on the Chinese temple festivals of Singapore. Victor recommends Margaret Chan’s book Ritual Is Theatre, Theatre Is Ritual to anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of local Chinese popular religion. Victor’s blog can be found at http://chinesetemples.blogspot.com.

Singapore: Holland Road & Bukit Timah

Northern & Central Singapore

A short drive through the central and northern areas of the island is enough to dispel any notion of Singapore as a purely urban city. Yes, there is never-ending construction and land reclamation, but Singapore also has an astonishing variety of green spaces, from the many delightful city parks to large nature reserves and forests. Apart from Rio de Janeiro, it is the only city in the world that retains an area of primary rainforest, in the form of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Just 15 minutes from Orchard Rd, you could be standing next to a centuries old tree surrounded by macaque monkeys and monitor lizards, with not a mall or high-rise apartment building in sight.

MANDAI ORCHID GARDENS

Mandai Orchid Gardens

6269 1036; www.mandai.com.sg; 200 Mandai Lake Rd; adult/child $2/0.50; 8.30am-.30pm; Bus138 from Metro Ang Mo Kio

Singapore has a major business in cultivating orchids, and with four solid hectares of orchids, the Mandai Orchid Gardens, a short walk from the zoo (or one stop on bus 138), is one of the best places to see them, though nonenthusiasts might find there’s little to hold their attention. You can arrange to have a gift box of fresh orchids flown to just about anywhere in the world. It’s next to the Singapore Zoo (below).

SINGAPORE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS & NIGHT SAFARI

Singapore Zoological Garden

6269 3411; www.zoo.com.sg; 80 Mandai Lake Rd; adult/child $16.50/8.50; 8.30am-6pm; Bus 138 from Metro Ang Mo Kio

In the far north of the island, Singapore’s world-class zoo has 3600 animals, representing

410 species including endangered white rhino, Bengal white tigers and even polar bears. Wherever possible, moats replace bars, and the zoo is beautifully spread out over 28 hectares of lush greenery beside the Upper Seletar Reservoir. As far as zoos go, this is one of the best. Some of the animal shows might be a little circuslike, such as the elephant rides and the sea lion performance, but most are magnificent – particularly the white tiger, elephant, crocodile and, best of all, baboon enclosures. Feeding times are well staggered to allow you to catch most of them as you walk around. There are trams (adult/child $5/3) that can shuttle you around if it’s too hot, or you’re too lazy.

Nigh Safari

Next door, but completely separate from the zoo, is the acclaimed Night Safari (72693412; www.nightsafari.com.sg; adult/child $22/11; 7.30pm-midnight), which many people count as the highlight of their trip to Singapore. This 40-hectare forested park allows you to view 120 different species of animals, including tigers, lions and leopards. In the darkness the moats and other barriers seem to melt away and it actually looks like these creatures could walk over and take a bite out of you. The atmosphere is heightened even further by the herds of strolling antelope, which often pass within inches of the electric trams that are available to take you around. For an even creepier experience, walk through the enclosed Mangrove Walk, where bats flap around your head and dangle from trees a few feet above your head.

You are asked not to use a flash on your camera since it disturbs the animals and annoys fellow visitors.

As well as exploring the park on foot, it is worth taking the night-safari tram tour (adult/child $6/3), which lasts about 45 minutes and also has a live commentary. Expect queues; it’s very popular.

You can save a bit of money with a combined zoo and night safari ticket

(adult/child $30/15), but specify when you buy this whether you want to view both parks on the same day or different days. Both parks have plenty of decent food outlets (plus the usual junk) and the zoo boasts award-winning, clean and creatively designed ‘outdoor’ toilets!

When returning from the night safari you should catch a bus at around 10.45pm to ensure you make the last train leaving AngMo Kio at 11.28pm. A taxi to or from the city centre costs around $15; there is a taxi stand at the zoo entrance, though queues are often long and taxis can be maddeningly infrequent.

SIONG LIM TEMPLE & GARDENS

Siong Lim Castle

6259 6924; 184E Jalan Toa Payoh; 7am-5pm; Metro Toa Payoh or Bus 238

Nestled in a corner of the Toa Payoh HDB estate is Siong Lim Temple, also known as Lian

Shan Shuang Lin Monastery (Twin Groves of the Lotus Mountain). The original buildings date from 1912 and the main hall is wonderfully atmospheric – a towering space stained by decades of incense smoke and perpetually buzzing with visitors. The adjoining complex of newer temples is also beautifully decorated and surrounded by neatly clipped bonsai. Sadly the ambience is disrupted by traffic thundering by on the expressway.

You can walk to the temple – it’s about 1km east of Toa Payoh MRT station – or take one of several buses for three stops from Toa Payoh bus interchange.

SUN YAT SEN NANYANG MEMORIAL HALL

Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

6256 7377; www.wanqingyuan.com.sg/english; 12 Tai Gin Rd; admission $3; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun, to 6pm Sat; Metro Toa Payoh or Bus 145

This national monument, built in the 1880s, was the headquarters of Dr Sun Yat Sen’s Chinese Revolutionary Alliance in Southeast Asia, which led to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the creation of the first Chinese republic. Dr Sun Yat Sen briefly stayed in the house, which was donated to the Alliance by a wealthy Chinese businessman, while touring

Asia to whip up support for the cause. It’s a fine example of a colonial Victorian villa and houses a museum with items pertaining to Dr Sun’s life and work. A magnificent 60m-long bronze relief depicting the defining moments in Singapore’s history runs the length of one wall in the garden.

Next door is the Sasanaramsi Burmese Buddhist Temple (14 Tai Gin Rd; h6.30am-9pm), a towering building guarded by two chinthes (lion-like figures).

Bus 145 from the Toa Payoh bus interchange stops on Balestier Rd near the villa and temple.

SUNGEI BULOH WETLAND RESERVE

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

6794 1401; www.sbwr.org.sg; 301 Neo Tiew Cres; adult/child $1/0.50; 7.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 7am-7pm Sat & Sun; Bus 925 TIBS from Metro Kranji

This 87-hectare wetland nature reserve, situated in the far northwest of the island overlooking the Strait of Johor, is home to 140 species of birds, most of which are migratory. It has been formally declared a nature reserve by the government and recognized as a migratory bird sanctuary of international importance. From the visitor centre, with its well-presented displays, trails lead around ponds and mangrove swamps to small hides, where you can observe the birds and, sometimes, massive monitor lizards. The birdlife, rather than the walks, is the main reason to visit (the best time for viewing them is before 10am).

Free guided tours begin at 9am, 10am, 3pm and 4pm on Saturday. On other days, tours have to be pre-booked and cost $50 per group, though it’s claimed you need to book a month in advance. Audiovisual shows on the park’s flora and fauna are held at 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm (hourly between 9am and 5pm on Sunday). Allow yourself three hours to do the park justice.

On weekdays, the bus stops at the car park a 15-minute walk from the park. On weekends, the bus goes right to the park entrance.


MACRITCHIE RESERVOIR NATURE WALK

Macritchie Reservoir Nature Walk

Walking Tour

The map of Macritchie Reservoir Nature Walk

1 Lornie Rd bus stop Take bus 157 from Toa Payoh MRT station, or bus 162 from Scotts Rd. Start at the bus stop on Lornie Rd and walk up to the edge of the reservoir. Head right (anticlockwise) around the reservoir, past the kayak rental station until you reach a boardwalk going off to your left and a track going straight ahead. Take the track, which leads you on to the MacRitchie Nature Trail, or follow the boardwalk along the water’s edge – looking out for terrapins or, if you’re very lucky, a massive monitor lizard zipping through the water at remarkable speed. At various points along the boardwalk, you’ll come across signs pointing you towards the nature trail; take one of these. If you haven’t encountered them already, you’ll see plenty of long-tailed macaques as you follow the 3km-long stretch along the northeast side of the reservoir. (Watch out: if you have food they can sometimes be aggressive, but generally they just ignore you. Don’t look them in the eye!)
2 Singapore Island Country Club After about 3km of uninterrupted jungle, you’ll emerge at the Singapore Island Country Club. Turn left and follow the signs to the Treetop

Walk, which takes you alongside the huge, heavily protected tanks of the Kallang Service Reservoir.
3 Ranger Station After some twists and turns you’ll eventually come to the Ranger

Station and interpretation centre.
4 Treetop Walk From here it’s a short walk to the wooden steps leading down to the Treetop Walk, a narrow 250m suspension bridge through the upper levels of the jungle canopy, affording excellent views (and apparently the odd snake encounter). Closed on Monday.

5 Petaling Trail On the other side, a boardwalk and a long series of steps up and down through some dense forest – known as the Petaling Trail – brings you out to a rest hut. (To shorten your walk to about 7km, turning left from here will take you back to the Country

Club, from where it’s a 25-minute walk along Island Club Rd to Upper Thompson Rd.)

6 Jelutong Tower Turn right and follow the Sime Track, then Golf Link to the Jelutong Tower, an observation deck providing a good view over the trees to the reservoir.

7 Sime Golf Course After this you hit another boardwalk running downhill through jungle and alongside the Sime Golf Course, coming to a slightly unnerving and surreal sign describing the differences between crocodiles and monitor lizards. (In the event of a crocodile confrontation, we don’t think there would be much doubt, but in any case be wary of any swishing in the water just beneath the boards!)

8 Tombstone After diverting away from the golf course and hugging the edge of the reservoir for about 1km, you’ll hit the fairways again for another 1km before reaching a junction. Follow the Jering Trail boardwalk left along the water’s edge, looking out for a lone Chinese tombstone near the water’s edge. It dates from 1876, but apparently no record exists of who is buried there. Not surprisingly, there are rumors of a ‘water ghost’ that haunts this area, dragging unsuspecting walkers to their doom.

9 Zigzag bridge Winding along the boardwalk, you’ll emerge, finally, back into civilization. Cross the bizarre zigzag bridge that adjoins the bandstand, where concerts are sometimes held at the weekend, and reward yourself with a drink and something to eat at the hilltop food centre.

10 Le P’tit Breton Or, if you still have energy, catch bus 162 one stop to Upper Thompson Rd and head to Le P’tit Breton for a French crêpe feast.

Northern & Central Singapore

Singapore BACKGROUND: Government & Politics

In theory, Singapore has a democratically elected government based on the Westminster system. In practice, however, the electoral laws are biased in favor of the ruling PAP, to the extent that though 33% of the electorate voted for one of the three opposition parties at the 2006 general election, the government won all but two of the 84 seats up for grabs. Even so, most Singaporeans quietly accept the status quo, figuring that political freedom is a fair trade-off for the high standard of living they generally enjoy.

The current unicameral parliament has 84 elected members, with nine of the MPs from single-member constituencies and the 75 others from group representation constituencies, which are supposed to ensure the representation in parliament of members of the Malay, Indian and other minority communities. A side effect of having several MPs for a single seat is that it’s harder for opposition parties to field enough candidates to contest the seat.

Singapore’s Parliant House

Voting in elections is compulsory and governments are elected for five years, but a ruling government can dissolve parliament and call an election at any time.

Singapore also has a popularly elected president, who at the time of writing is SR Nathan. The position is largely ceremonial.

The PAP argues that since it listens to all opinions and is happy to take on good ideas no matter where they originate from, there is less need for political plurality.

It also asserts that, relieved of the tiresome task of answering to a strident opposition in parliament, it has more time to focus on running the country, citing the chaotic democracies of countries like India, Thailand and Indonesia to (somewhat convincingly) support its case. TV news reports display punch-ups in the parliaments of South Korea and Taiwan with a certain satisfied relish.

Vocal opposition does exist, but those who have chosen to follow that path, like Chee Soon

Juan, JB Jeyaretnam* and Francis Seow, have found themselves subject to vilification, legal harassment and ridicule, and ignored by the media, unless there is something negative to report. The government’s favored means of dealing with these intrepid souls is to run them through the courts and ruin them with lawsuits. This is a tidy means of removing them from the political process, since bankrupts are forbidden from running in elections.

Chee Soon Juan

The legal system is based on the British system and the judiciary’s independence is enshrined in the constitution, but in practice many judges are appointed on short tenure and their renewal is subject to party approval. Rulings that have gone against the government have seen new laws enacted by parliament to ensure the government’s victory.

Singapore’s Internal Security Department keeps records of its citizens, and there is a widespread (albeit unverifiable) fear that criticizing the authorities will cost people their jobs, promotional opportunities or contracts.

The IDS (Internal Security Department)

As elsewhere, the internet has effected a sea change in the area of political and social debate and there has been a minor explosion in blogs expressing dissent and criticism of the government.

Singapore does have an extensive local council machinery, which organizes public meetings to listen to ideas on various issues of neighborhood concern and domestic policy. The massive ‘e-government’ network, which enables citizens to perform all sorts of transactions online –from booking football pitches to filing income tax – also has a channel through which people can express opinions on certain issues.

The most notable recent example was the year-long debate over the building of the two casino resorts, which involved ordinary citizens, religious and grassroots leaders, charities and social services. Though there was a widespread belief that the government had made its mind up well before the ‘public consultation’ period, it was marked by some surprisingly outspoken views.

*JBJ

JB Jeyaretnam

JB Jeyaretnam is Singapore’s most famous dissenting voice, and his experiences are burned into the country’s collective unconscious as a kind of cautionary tale.

A lawyer by profession, JBJ led the Worker’s Party in an effort to challenge the all-powerful PAP. In 1981 he became the first opposition candidate in 13 years to win a seat, taking the Anson constituency in a by-election.

He was re-elected in 1984, but shortly afterwards was dragged into court to face charges relating to the party’s accounts. Found not-guilty on all but one charge, he was sentenced to three months in prison and fined $5000, enough to have him disqualified from elections for five years and disbarred from legal practice.

JBJ appealed to the British Privy Council, which overturned his disbarment (leading the government to change the law relating to such appeals). He then asked the President of Singapore to overturn his conviction, but was refused.

Banned from the 1988 election, he nevertheless campaigned for the Worker’s Party, but uttered comments about Lee Kuan Yew that, with a little creative legal interpretation, enable the prime minister to sue him. Lee Kuan Yew was awarded $260,000. Another 1995 lawsuit saw him hit for $465,000 in damages. Then, after he was appointed to parliament as a ‘nonconstituency MP’ in 1997, a further 11 defamation suits were filed against him for referring to police reports made against PM Goh Chok Tong.

The judge said the PM had overstated his case, but nonetheless awarded him $20,000. On appeal, this was raised to $100,000 – and the judge was later dismissed.

JBJ resigned as party leader in 2001 and in his last days scratched a living selling his two books – Make it Right for Singapore and The Hatchet Man of Singapore – on the street. He died on 20 September 2008, a few weeks after launching a political comeback under his newly created Reform Party, and his passing was marked by tributes and obituaries in media around the globe. Even in death, he remained a thorn in the government’s side.

Singapore BACKGROUND: Government & Politics

Singapore: Leisure Activities

Let the reader assume a trip to Singapore is an excuse to give the body short shrift, the Lion City also boasts a thousand different paths to exhaustion, and nearly as many spas and massage parlours to work out the kinks after a hard day’s work out.
CYCLING & SKATING

Cycling in Singpore

BIKE BOUTIQUE
6298 9528; www.thebikeboutique.com; 98 Amoy St; Metro: Raffles Place

Though few casual visitors to Singapore will spend their time shopping for bicycles, those who lust after bicycles might want to drop into this shop just to salivate over its beautiful high-end machines. The shop is also noteworthy for offering bike storage and showers to office workers commuting in from the outskirts.

SKATELINE
6339 7707; www.skateline.com.sg; Peninsula Shopping Centre, 3 Coleman St 04-37A; Metro: City Hall

Inline skating is very popular in Singapore and with five shops throughout the city

Skateline is a great place to buy your blades. Skateline also run the rental kiosk at East Coast Park (near Burger King and car park C3).

BODY MODIFICATION

Art is no mere spectator sport, at least not to those who consider their body to be art’s mobile canvas. To these, Singapore offers many fine places in which to be inked, pierced, studded, or otherwise corporeally modified. Probably the best place to shop for artists is at Far East Plaza, which has about half a dozen shops to choose from. Visitors looking for a tattoo shop with a definite pedigree should know about Exotic Tattoo (6834 0558; 04-11 Far East Plaza 14 Scotts Rd; Metro: Orchard), for it’s here that you’ll be able to get exquisite work from Sumithra Debi. One of the few female tattoo artists in Singapore, Sumithra is also the granddaughter of Johnny Two-Thumbs, probably Singapore’s most legendary tattoo artist. Though there’s another shop in the plaza bearing the Two-Thumbs name, Exotic Tattoo is the actual heir to the Two-Thumbs lineage. In addition to ink work, the shop also does piercing.

BOWLING

Tenpin bowling is popular in Singapore, though it seems that several bowling alleys have closed down over the past few years – not surprising in a city where indoor space is at such a premium. The cost per game is between $4 and $4.50 per person per game, depending on the time of day you play (it’s also more on weekends and less on weekdays). Shoe hire is around $1 and operators will even sell you a pair of fetching white ankle socks for $0.50.
Orchid Bowl @ E!hub (6583 1622; basement, Downtown East Mall; closes 2am)

Orchid Bowl

Victor Superbowl (6223 7998; 7 Marina Grove, Marina South; h9am-3am Sun-Thu, 24hr Fri &Sat; Metro: Marina Bay)

GOLF

Opening a golf course in a tiny city-state with extremely limited resources and open space seems an act of hubris against nature. Really, wouldn’t miniature golf be more appropriate? If you’re really intent on golfing, you’re better off heading across the Causeway to the wide-open spaces at Sebana Golf and Marina Resort. If you must golf in Singapore, most clubs are members-only so they charge visitors a premium and usually don’t allow you to play on weekends. Expect to pay around $100 per game on weekdays and up to twice that on weekends.

Jurong Country Club (6560 5655; www .jcc.org.sg; 9 Science Centre Rd; Metro: Jurong East)

Jurong Country Club

Marina Bay Golf Course (6345 7788; www.mbgc.com.sg; 80 Rhu Cross)

Laguna National Golf & Country Club (6541 0289; www.lagunagolf.com.sg; 11 Laguna Golf Green; Metro: Tanah Merah)

Raffles Country Club (6861 7655; www .rcc.org.sg; 450 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim; Bus: SBS 182 from Metro Boon Lay)

Sentosa Golf Club (6275 0022; www.beaufort.com.sg/resort_golf.html; 27 Bukit Manis Rd, Sentosa Island; shuttle bus from HarbourFront MRT)

Sentosa Golf Club

HORSE RACING

SINGAPORE TURF CLUB
6879 1000; www.turfclub.com.sg; 1 Turf Club Ave; Metro: Kranji

SINGAPORE TURF CLUB

This is a hugely popular day out – not nearly as manic as Hong Kong, but a rousing experience nonetheless. There is a four-level grandstand with a seating capacity of up to 35,000. Admission to the no air-conditioned seating is $3, or $7 for the upper air- conditioned level (and foreigners must bring their passports to get in). For $15 tourists can access the air-conditioned Gold Card Room, or for $20 the exclusive@ Hibiscus lounge. Like Raffles, dress code is enforced: smart casual in one section and suits and ties in another. Races take place on Friday, Saturday or Sunday during racing months (check the New Paper for details and coverage), starting at 6.30pm, 2pm and 2.30pm respectively.

ROCK CLIMBING

A rock climbing site in Singapore

DAIRY FARM QUARRY Bus: 65, 170, 75, 171

Near Bukit Timah, Dairy Farm Quarry, which boasts 20 routes, is the only legal place to rock climb in Singapore. Most routes are bolted and can be done with a 50m rope; you’ll need to bring your own gear. To find out about joining up with climbers who come here regularly on weekends, or to learn about indoor venues to climb in Singapore, check out www.indoorclimbing.com/singapore.html for a complete list of climbing walls in Singapore.

SKIING, SNOWBOARDING & TUBING

SNOW CITY
6560 1511; www.snowcity.com.sg; 21 Jurong Town Hall Rd; adult/child per hr $15/13; h9.45am -5.15pm Tue-Sun; Metro: Jurong East

SNOW CITY

A hangar- sized deep freeze chilled to a numbing -5°C, Snow City features a slope three -storeys high and 70m long, accessed via a silvery Star Trek–style airlock. Each session gives you an hour to throw yourself at high speed down the slope on a black inner tube and throw snowballs. Two-hour ski and snowboarding lessons are available in the evenings for $55 from Snow Line (6425 0801), located in the same building as Snow City. Snow Line also rents jackets and other equipment.

SWIMMING

Care for a dip in the world’s most crowded waterways? Many do, despite the fact that none of Singapore’s beaches are particularly great for swimming. Should you feel like joining them, the most popular beaches in Singapore are on Sentosa Island and East Coast Park.

A better option, if you’re not staying at a hotel with its own pool, is the excellent public swimming complexes at Farrer Park (6299 1002; 2 Rutland Ave; h8am-9.30pm; Metro: Little India) or River Valley Swimming Complex (6337 6275; 1 River Valley Rd; 8am-9.30pm; Metro: Clarke Quay) at the foot of Fort Canning Park. Admission to both is $1/0.50 per adult/child ($1.30/0.60 on weekends).

SPAS & MASSAGE

There are hundreds of others scattered around Singapore, with rates varying from around $25 for a foot massage to more than $200 for a full-day package.

AMRITA SPA
6336 4477; www.amritaspas.com; Level 6, Raffles, The Plaza, 2 Stamford Rd; Metro: City Hall

Amrita boasts of being Asia’s most extensive spa with 35 treatment rooms, a fitness centre, a variety of plunge and bubble pools and a long menu of spa treatments; the day-spa escape package with back massage and express facial is $150. There are branches at Swissôtel, Merchant Court Singapore and Raffles Hotel.

ARAMSA, BISHAN PARK
6456 6556; www.aramsaspas.com; Bishan Park, 1382 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Metro: Bishan, Bus: 410

ARAMSA, BISHAN PARK

Aramsa has five different outlets in Bishan park, including an amazing spa, a vegetarian cafe, a huge dining room, and a Pilates studio. The serene park location makes Aramsa a scene unto itself, a place where locals and travellers alike can escape the busy mainstream and spend the day getting back to the garden of the soul.

NGEE ANN FOOT REFLEXOLOGY
6235 5538; 4th fl, Midpoint Orchard, 220 Orchard Rd; Metro: Somerset

Offers foot and body massage by visually impaired masseuses in friendly and refreshingly unpretentious surroundings.

ST GREGORY JAVANA SPA
6290 8028; www.stgregoryspa.com; Level 3, The Plaza, 7500A Beach Rd; Metro: Bugis

With spas all over Asia, St Gregory’s is a major player in relaxation. Its three facilities in Singapore are all inside upper-end hotels, we’ve listed the one at the Park Royal on Beach Rd; the other two are at the Marina Mandarin and the Conrad Centennial.

SANCTUM
6225 4381; www.sanctumsg.com; 11 Haji Lane; Metro: Bugis

‘Nourishment for mind, body and soul’ is how this place bills itself, and with tarot readings, meditation events, past-life regression, shiatsu and reiki, we see no reason to argue. Sanctum has three beautiful and uniquely set-up rooms for sessions and chilling out, and offers online booking.

SPA BOTANICA
6371 1318; www.spabotanica.com; Sentosa Resort & Spa; 10am-10pm; shuttle bus from Orchard Rd Paragon Shopping Centre

SPA BOTANICA

Singapore’s original indoor and outdoor spa. The signature treatment here is the galaxy steam bath, a 45-minute wallow in medicinal chakra mud in a specially designed steam room. It also has a mud pool outside as well as landscaped grounds and pools.

WATER PARKS

ESCAPE THEME PARK
6581 9112; www.escapethemepark.com.sg; adult/child/ family $17.70/8.90/42.80; 10am-10pm Sat, Sun & school holidays; Bus: 354 from Metro Pasir Ris

Who doesn’t love a tropical waterslide, roller coasters, go-karts, bumper-boats and wave pools? The wet and wild flume ride is said to be Asia’s highest.

JURONG EAST SWIMMING COMPLEX
6563 5052; 21 Jurong East St 31; adult/child $2/1; 9am-7pm; Metro: Chinese Gardens

JURONG EAST SWIMMING COMPLEX

The cheapest place in Singapore for swimming; has a lap pool, wading pool, wave pool, and three water slides.

WATER SPORTS

CHANGI SAILING CENTRE
6545 2876; www.csc.org.sg; 32 Netheravon Rd; Bus 2 from Metro Tanah Merah

This centre rents out j-24s (24ft keel boats) on one-day charters for $180 a day, including petrol. You will need to show a sailing proficiency certificate.

MACRITCHIE RESERVOIR’S PADDLE LODGE
6258 0057; kayak rental per 1/2hr $10/15; 9am-6pm Tue-Sun; Bus 162

Offers paddle-boating and other water sports. For details, on which other parks offer water sports, see the website of the National Parks Board (www.nparks.gov.sg).

SCUBA CORNER
6338 6563; www.scubacorner.com.sg; 04-162 Kitchener Complex, Block 809 French Rd; Metro: Lavender

Diving trips and courses can be arranged through the outfit Scuba Corner; it’s office is located conveniently close to Lavender MRT station.

SKI360°
6442 7318; www.ski360degree.com; 1206A East Coast Parkway; per hr weekdays/weekends $32/42;

10am-10pm Mon-Fri, 9am-midnight Sat & Sun; Metro: Bedok then bus 401 (weekends only) 196, 197

SKI360°

What better way to cool off than strap on some water skis, a kneeboard or a wakeboard and get dragged around a lagoon on the end of a cable? OK, you could just go swimming, but where’s the fun in that? Best visited on weekday mornings, when there’s usually hardly anyone there. The pose quotient goes through the roof at weekends, when it’s just as entertaining sitting around hoping someone will come a cropper on the ramps.

YOGA

Yoga has caught on in a big way in Singapore – perhaps this accounts for the newfound mental flexibility of the denizens of this city-state once known for dogmatic stiffness. Most schools offer drop-in courses, but these aren’t cheap; expect to pay between $20 and $30 for a 60- or 90- minute class. If you’re in town for a few weeks and plan to practice regularly, you’re better off purchasing a one-month or 10-class package. If you’re just in town for a few days, you can take advantage of the ‘first-timer’ rates offered by some studios to attract new students, hopping from school to school for the duration.

ABSOLUTE YOGA
6732 6007; www.absoluteyogasingapore.com

This large studio offers ‘Hot Yoga’, and has drop-in classes for $34 and 10-class cards for $270.

Absolute Yoga

ANANDA MARGA
6344 6519;1 www.anandamarga.org.sg; Marine Parade Central, 07-01 Parkway Centre

In a world of corporate-run yoga studios, Ananda Marga is a breath of fresh air. Its Singapore studio offers small daily classes, dedicated instructors, and short-term class packages. Well worth coming east for.

TRUE YOGA
6336 3390; www.trueyoga.com.sg; 20 Raffles Place, 27-00 Ocean Towers; Metro Raffles Place

Probably the largest of Singapore’s corporate yoga centres, True Yoga offers classes in a variety of styles and levels. It also has a branch on Orchard Rd, and often list one-time promotions on its website.

Singapore: Leisure Activities

Singapore: The Arts

Visiting culture vultures needn’t worry about artistic starvation in Singapore; indeed, the main challenge will be figuring out how to cram so much into a limited timeframe. Though once thought of as a cultural desert (‘New York City without artists’ was one less than charitable description bandied about in the 1990s), the Lion City’s cultural renaissance seems to be well underway; from galleries to museums, comedy to symphony, Singapore has something for almost everyone (as long as it’s not politically, religiously or sexually controversial!).
GALLERIES

In addition to having excellent museums – many of which we’ve listed in the appropriate neighborhood sections – Singapore is also home to myriad smaller galleries. Most galleries in Singapore keep casual hours of around 11am to 7pm, but some stay open later for various events. Published monthly and available for $3.90 at most bookstores, the Singapore Art Gallery Guide (www.sagg.com.sg) is an excellent resource for current happenings in the local arts scene. The following reviews are just a smattering of what you’ll find in Singapore.
ART SEASONS
6221 1800; www.artseasons.com.sg; 5 Gemmill Lane; Metro: Chinatown

You can’t miss this gallery, located as it is inside the distinctive architecture award-winning steel-and-glass building known locally as ‘The Box’. Art Seasons offers sculpture and painting, primarily that of artists from Singapore, China and Burma.
ARTOHOLIC
6348 7793; www.artoholic.sg; 422 Joo Chiat Rd; Metro: Paya Lebar, walk to Joo Chiat Rd, head south 6 blocks


This new venue over in the Joo Chiat neighborhood takes up the 1st floor of a beautifully renovated and retrofitted shophouse. In addition to doubling as a bar and a performance centre, Artoholic also showcases original works of some of Southeast Asia’s ultratalented painters, sculptors and print artists.
GAJAH GALLERY
6737 4202; www.gajahgallery.com; 140 Hill St; Metro: Clarke Quay or City Hall

One of Singapore’s most respected galleries, Gajah has been around since the mid-1990s, and specializes in contemporary art from South and Southeast Asia. The gallery hosts regular exhibits and forums; in 2008 Gajah played host to the International Buddhist

Film Festival.
KETNA PATEL STUDIO GALLERY
6479 3736; www.ketnapatel.com; 35 Jalan Puteh Jerneh, Chip Bee Gardens, Holland Village; taxi

Ketna Patel and her husband Jonathan run a home gallery best described as a ‘residential laboratory for like-minded people’. The studio’s specific goal is to promote dialogue between developed and developing nations, using art as the means of communication.

While the gallery is open by appointment only, like-minded artists visiting Singapore should consider contacting Ketna (ketna@ketnapatel.com) to find out about ongoing projects and happenings.
XUANHUA ART GALLER
6339 3836; www.xuanhuaart.com; 231 Bain St 02-71; Metro: City Hall


Dedicated to showcasing the finest works of contemporary Chinese ink painters from Singapore and China, Xuanhua also hosts exhibitions and other events. Lovers of sweeping charcoal-and-ink landscapes featuring the karst mountains of Guilin and other picturesque scenes of middle-kingdom splendor, this is the place for you.

MUSIC

Although not a musical city on the level of London or New York City, the Lion City does have a fair number of venues for concerts and other musical happenings.
ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY
6828 8222; www.esplanade.com; 1 Esplanade Dr; Metro: City Hall


The 1800-seater state-of-the-art concert hall at the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is the home of the highly respected Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), but it also plays host to scores of music, theatre and dance performances. Check out their regularly updated website, especially for information on upcoming free shows and other programs.
SINGAPORE CHINESE ORCHESTRA
6557 4034; www.sco.com.sg; Singapore Conference Hall, 7 Shenton Way; Metro: Tanjong Pagar


A performance by SCO, Singapore’s only classical Chinese orchestra, is definitely worth catching for anyone interested in Asian music. Befitting their position as an orchestra in multi-ethnic Singapore, the orchestra also plays Indian and Malay music.
SINGAPORE INDIAN ORCHESTRA & CHOIR
6340 549; 9 Stadium Link; Metro: Kallang

Under the baton of Mrs Lalitha Vaidyanathan, the SIOC performs classics from all over the Indian subcontinent on traditional Indian instruments such as the sitar and tabla.

FILM

Take an affluent society with a highly educated citizenry somewhat lacking in creative outlets and chuck it in the sweltering sun for 12 months a year and blammo, you’ve got the perfect recipe for country full of movie buffs. Singaporeans love to watch movies, and at around $8.50 per ticket, it’s great value. For screening times, check the Straits Times. Singapore’s cinemas are notoriously chilly places, so bring something warm to wear.
ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE
6737 8422; www.alliancefrancaise.org.sg; 1 Sarkies Rd; Metro: Newton

Screens classic and contemporary French films Tuesday at 8pm. Tickets are $8 for nonmembers. Check the website for screening times. The British Council (6473 1111; 30 Napier Rd; Metro: Orchard) has occasional screenings of British movies.
GOLDEN VILLAGE
6735 8484; www.gv.com.sg; 1 Kim Seng Promenade; Metro: Somerset


For the ultimate pampered cinematic experience, $25 gets you a ticket to this ‘gold class’ cinema on the 3rd floor of the Great World City mall. There are seats that can be reclined and adjusted with little levers, little tables for your food and drinks, and waiters who take your order. It also has regular theatres (some with huge screens) with normal-priced tickets.
PICTUREHOUSE
6235 1155; www.thepicturehouse.com.sg; levels 5 & 6, 2 Handy Rd; Metro: Dhoby Ghaut

The first ‘art-house’ cinema in Singapore, the Picturehouse is the place to go for screenings of independent films from A to Z. Check the website for screening times.

LECTURES & READINGS

All-night partying aside, Singaporeans are studious folk with great appreciation of didacticism; thus, it’s no surprise that even on a Saturday afternoon, scheduled lectures and talks on myriad subjects may wind up standing room only. Museums are the best places to catch a talk.
BOOKS ACTUALLY
6221 1170; www.booksactually.com; 5 Ann Siang Rd; Metro: Tanjong Pagar


Opened by three friends with a shared passion for books and located on the 2nd floor of a renovated shophouse south of Chinatown, this neat little bookstore holds poetry readings and open-mic sessions. Callor check the website for scheduling.

THEATRE

The Singapore Arts Festival (www.singaporeartsfest.com), which features many drama performances, is held in June. Music, art and dance are also represented at the festival, which includes the Fringe Festival, featuring plenty of street performances. Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is one of the brightest spots in Singapore’s vibrant theatre and dance scene.
ACTION THEATRE
6837 0842; www.action.org.sg; 42 Waterloo St; Metro: Dhoby Ghaut

Set in a two-storey heritage house, this established theatre group shows local and international plays with contemporary themes in its small, 100-seat upstairs theatre and in the two open-air venues.
NECESSARY STAGE

6440 8115; www.necessary.org; B1-02 Marine Parade Community Bldg, 278 Marine Parade Rd;

Since the theatre’s inception in 1987, current artistic director Alvin Tan has collaborated with resident playwright Haresh Sharma to produce over 60 original works such as ‘Good People’, ‘Frozen Angels’, and ‘Top or Bottom’. Innovative, indigenous, and often controversial, the Necessary Stage is one of Singapore’s best known theatre groups.
SINGAPORE DANCE THEATRE
6338 0611; www.singaporedancetheatre.com; 2nd fl, Fort Canning Centre, Cox Tce; Metro: Dhoby Ghaut

This top dance company performs traditional ballets and contemporary works. The group’s Ballet under the Stars season at Fort Canning Park is very popular. There are regular classes in ballet, jazz ballet and Pilates.
SINGAPORE REPERTORY THEATRE
6221 5585; www.srt.com.sg; DBS Arts Centre, 20 Merbau Rd; g54 from Metro: Clarke Quay


Based at the DBS Arts Centre, but also performing at other venues, this theatre group offers up repertory standards such as works by Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, as well as some modern Singaporean plays.
THEATREWORKS
6338 4007; www.theatreworks.org.sg; Black Box, Fort Canning Centre, Cox Tce; Metro: Dhoby Ghaut

This is one of the more experimental and interesting theatre companies in Singapore. Theatreworks often performs at the Black Box theatre, as well as other venues around Singapore.

COMEDY

Despite the absence of a dedicated comedy club (the city’s only comedy club, 1Night-

Stand in Clarke Quay, shut its doors as this book was going to press), comedy is alive and well in Singapore. A number of venues host travelling comics, and Singapore is a major stop-over for touring stand-ups heading from England to Australia and New Zealand. Check local papers for listings of upcoming shows.

Singapore: The Arts

Singapore Drinking & Nighlife: Colonial District & the Quays

In a metropolis that practically straddles the equator, it only makes sense that the trendiest bar and club scene is found along the river; after all, this is where the coolest breezes tend to be found. Though the area is a bit too popular with tourists (say some in the know), and too yuppified (claim others), the three Quays (Clark, Boat and Robertson) and further west along the Singapore River is where you’ll find some of the most up-and-coming (and richest) clubs and watering holes in Singapore.


BAR OPIUME (Bar)
6339 1720; www.indochine-group.com; 1 Empress Pl; h5pm-2am Mon-Thu, 5pm-3am Fri & Sat, 5pm-1am Sun; Metro: Raffles Place


Very posey, Bar Opiume is next to its sibling restaurant Indochine Waterfront, facing Boat Quay. The expensive, slightly mismatched decor features a huge chandelier and large standing Buddhas. Not surprisingly for a location like this, the drink prices might have you sipping slowly, but the quiet spot next to the river is priceless. Check out the website for links to other Indochine Group–managed properties, all of which are worth a visit for the ambience alone.

BREWERKZ (Bar)
6438 7438; 01-05 Riverside Point Centre, 30 Merchant Rd; hnoon-midnight Sun-Thu, noon-1am Fri & Sat; Metro: Clarke Quay

One of Singapore’s gems, this sprawling microbrewery and restaurant offers a variety of superb beers brewed on site and varying in strength from 4.5% to 6%. The India Pale Ale is apparently the most popular, but the dark beer and the Golden Ale are also excellent. Those with adventurous palates will want to try the fruit beers, brewed from whatever happens to be in season at the time.


ESKI (Bar)
6327 3662; 46 Circular Rd; 2pm-1am Sun- Thu, 2pm-3am Fri & Sat; Metro: Clarke Quay


The name is derived from the word ‘Eskimo’, and with good reason; Eski is Singapore’s first sub-zero bar, complete with a solid ice bar for downing frozen shots of – what else – vodka. Singapore visitors foolish enough to have forgotten to pack ski parkas needn’t worry, though; loaner winter clothing is available, and a good thing too, as temperatures here plummet to a testicle-shrinking -10°C.


HARRY’S (Bar)
6538 3029; www.harrys-bar.com.sg; 28 Boat Quay; 11am-1am Sun-Thu, 11am-2am Fri & Sat; Metro: Raffles Place

Loaded with history for those interested in doomed finance, Harry’s is the onetime hangout of Barings’ bank-breaker Nick Leeson. It’s still a city-slickers’ favorite, with the suits flocking here for happy hour until 8pm. Later it turns into a good jazz venue (9.30pm to 12.30am from Tuesday to Saturday). The upstairs lounge is quieter and a comfortable place to contemplate busting a bank. It has a free pool table.


HIDEOUT (Bar)
6536 9445; 31B Circular Rd; 7pm-midnight Wed & Thu, 7pm-3am Fri & Sat; Metro: Clarke Quay or Raffles Place

The walk up three floors might put you off, but this tiny, ultratrendy place is worth a little legwork, with its deep red walls, hotch-potch furniture and indie and hiphop playlist. A little cliquey, so dress your coolest.

LOOF ( Bar)
6338 8035; 331 North Bridge Rd; 5.30pm-2am; Metro: City Hall

What’s the name all about? We’ll give you a clue – Loof is a rooftop bar, and they don’t serve ‘flied lice’. The view is superb and the space itself is ultracool, with secluded alcoves perfect for your more intimate moments. Happy hour lasts from 5.30pm to 8.30pm each weekday evening.


RAFFLES HOTEL (Bar)
1 Beach Rd; Metro: City Hall

Yup, it’s a cliché, but still, few visit Singapore without at least stopping off for drinks at one of the several bars in the famous Raffles Hotel. Bar & Billiard Room features live jazz and has a nice veranda for chilling out, Raj style. It was underneath this bar that a guest shot a tiger in his pajamas in 1904 (how the tiger got in his pajamas, he never did find out). The courtyard is where you’ll find the Gazebo Bar, which also boasts live music in the evening. The most popular bar with tourists is the plantation-style Long Bar on the Arcade’s second level, where you can throw peanut shells on the floor and enjoy a Singapore Sling for $16 (or $25 with a souvenir glass).

CHIHULY LOUNGE (Bar/Club)
6434 5288; 3rd fl, Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, 7 Raffles Ave; h8am-1am. Metro: City Hall


With its distinctive blue arched roof and amazing Daly Chihuly glass sculpture on the wall (his work is also on display at the Singapore Art Museum), this refined hotel lounge deserves a bit of sartorial effort and is worth a visit for an early-evening loosener or a late-night wind-down cocktail.

CRAZY ELEPHANT (Bar/Live Music)
6537 7859; www.crazyelephant.com; 3E River Valley Rd, 01-03/04 Clarke Quay; 5pm-1am Sun-Thu, 3pm-2am Fri & Sat; Metro: Clarke Quay

The more things change, the more they stay the same at this Clarke Quay stalwart, which has remained consistently cool since it first opened a dozen years back (in the days pre-dating the area’s trendy reincarnation). The walls are still covered with graffiti, the music is still loud, and heavy on the blues and rock, and the stage is still made of wood. For this reason and others, Crazy Elephant is popular with tourists and locals alike. If the live music gets too loud, outdoor seating is available for pints in relative peace.

ATTICA (Club)
6333 9973; www.attica.com.sg; 3A River Valley Rd, 01-03 Clarke Quay; 5pm-3am Mon-Thu, 11pm-late Fri & Sat; Metro: Clarke Quay

One of the swankest clubs in town, Attica is where the bold and beautiful meet to dazzle and be dazzled. When it gets too hot inside, cool down in the chic courtyard and ogle the eye-candy. There’s usually a line to get in, always a sign of pedigree in Singapore’s club world.

BUTTER FACTORY (Club)
6333 8243; www.thebutterfactory.com; 01-03 Robertson Quay 48; Metro: Clarke Quay

Where whimsy meets chic, the Butter Factory’s interior is covered with cartoon graphics provided by ultra-hip Phunk Studio of Singapore; you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the pages of an underground comic book (the kind your parents used to confiscate). The front room features a bar and comfy leather couches, both milk-white, and the darker back room has a dance floor and bar of its own. The weekend cover charge (cheaper for ladies) includes a free drink.

MINISTRY OF SOUND (Club/Live Music)
6333 9368; www.ministryofsound.com.sg; 01-07 Block C Clarke Quay; men $15-25, women free-$20; 9pm-3am Wed-Sat; Metro: Clarke Quay


Seven rooms, superb digital sound and light, a chequered dance-floor and a 20ft water curtain, not to mention hordes of the nation’s youth. Those all-conquering Brits have challenged the supremacy of Zouk and done a pretty good job of it, though the older beautiful crowd still prefer the latter. Women get in free on Wednesdays.

PAULANER BRAUHAUS (German Beer House)
6883 2572; 01-01 Times Square@Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Blvd; h11.30am-1am Sun-Thu, 11.30am-2am Fri & Sat; Metro: City Hall

A three-story wood-and-brass German microbrewery bar and restaurant serving up its excellent signature Munich lager and Munich dark brews. There are also special seasonal brews like Salvator Beer (March), Mailbock Beer (May) and Oktoberfest Beer (October). Beers are served in either 300mL, 500mL or 1L mugs! Tours of the brewery are available for $40, but you have to book well in advance.

MOLLY MALONE’S (Irish Pub)
6536 2029; 53-56 Circular Rd; Metro: Raffles Place

Just behind Boat Quay on Circular Rd, Molly Malone’s has moved from its old location to larger premises just down the road. Well-travelled drinkers will have seen the mock-Irish interior and the genuine Irish stew and fish-and-chip menu a hundred times before, but that doesn’t make it any less cozy or welcoming.

PENNY BLACK (Pub)
6538 2300; 26/27 Boat Quay; 11am-1am Mon-Thu, 11am-2am Fri & Sat, 11am-midnight Sun; Metro: Raffles Place


Fitted out like a ‘Victorian’ London pub (without the tuberculosis and dodgy gin), the Penny Black’s interior was actually built in London and shipped to Singapore, so it has some claim to authenticity. Specializes in hard-to-find English ales for the swathes of expat Brits that work in the area. The upstairs bar is particularly inviting.

RED LANTERN BEER GARDEN (Bar/Live Music)
50 Collyer Quay; Metro: Raffles Place


For a taste of old Singapore, head to the seedy, bayside Red Lantern Beer Garden where bands often play, cheap meals are served, and you can get a reasonably priced beer. It can get pretty rowdy late at night. There are so many bars, most with outdoor tables, that you can just wander along until one takes your fancy.

Singapore Drinking & Nighlife: Colonial District & the Quays

Singapore Eating: Sentosa Island

Once the management realized it wasn’t against the law to provide something other than junk food at a tourist attraction (a lesson many tourist attractions could learn), eating on Sentosa underwent something of a renaissance.

Combining decent beachfront eateries, fine hotel restaurants and some top-notch fine-dining institutions, Sentosa has planted its flag proudly on the city’s culinary map.

Some of the places double as bars in the evenings, catering mainly to the bikini-clad club crowd.
PRICE GUIDE

The following price guide is based on dinner for two, with a couple of drinks.

$$$ over $75

$$ $20-75

BRAISE (French $$$)
6271 1929; Palawan Beach; mains from $38; Metro: HarbourFront then monorail or shuttle bus

Braise typifies the new Sentosa, serving up refined nouvelle cuisine in a minimalist interior (sorry, space), with white walls, high vaulted ceilings, bare brick and full-length glass maximizing the beachfront views. Seafood monopolizes the starter menu, while meat dominates the mains. Don’t come in your beach gear.

IL LIDO (Italian $$$)
6866 1977; www.il-lido.com; Sentosa Golf Club, Bukit Manis Rd; set menus $90-180, mains from $40; Metro: HarbourFront then monorail or shuttle bus


With stunning views over the Strait of Singapore and the lights of Indonesia beyond, Il Lido does the vista justice with its food. Choose from modern, classic or vegetarian menus or, if you have a spare $3000 lying around, you can book the yacht for an evening of private dining.

SKY DINING (European $$$)
6377 9633; www.mountfaber.com.sg; meals $98-168; h6.30-8.30pm Tue-Sun; Metro: HarbourFront


We can’t quite decide if this is inspired, or just plain silly, but the idea of eating a meal travelling along in a cable car 70m up in the air holds an undeniable appeal. The novelty might wear thin by dessert, but gliding from Mount Faber to Sentosa taking in the sunset cityscape is a stunning way to spend a romantic evening – though the cars are too small to contemplate anything indecent. Book at least two days in advance.

THE CLIFF (Seafood $$$)
6275 0331; www.thesentosa.com; 2 Bukit Manis Rd h6.30-11pm (last order 9.30pm). Metro: HarbourFront then monorail or shuttle bus

Sitting on a clifftop, The Cliff has become a byword for ‘special occasion’, partly because of its location, partly its great service, but mostly because of its seafood. Take the pain out of it and order the set menu, then sit back as plate after plate of marine masterpiece files past you. Book one of the junior suites, and the evening will be complete.


FARM FRESH

Set in the wonderfully peaceful Bollywood Veggies organic farm, Poison Ivy Bistro (6898 5001; 100 Neo Tiew Cres; dishes from $4; 9am-6pm Wed-Sun; taxi) is the perfect place to stop after a visit to the other farms in the area, or Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. The food, using veggies from the farm, is nothing to write home about, but the rural location makes it special.

COASTES (International $$)
6338 8832; Siloso Beach; snacks & mains $7-25; Metro: HarbourFront then monorail or shuttle bus;

The pick of Sentosa’s beach eats, Coastes’ atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. While it draws blatant inspiration from Ibiza, it’s also the kind of place you can bring the kids without being made to feel like you’re ruining the vibe. Pick a wooden bench, or recline on a lounger and order your wood-fired pizza while you sun-fire your body.

SAMUNDAR (Indian $$)
6276 8891; 85 Palawan Beach Walk; mains from $12; Metro: HarbourFront then monorail or shuttle bus


It boasts one of those vast menus that can drive you mad with indecision, but stick with the tandoor menu and you won’t go wrong (unless you’re vegetarian – but even then you have 15 choices). Order three days in advance for the special sikandari raan (marinated leg of lamb) – a snip at $84.

Singapore Eating: Sentosa Island

Singapore Eating: Colonial District & the Quays

Eating around the Colonial District and the three quays is a fancy affair – budget options are pretty thin on the ground in this part of town. The range of international restaurants, from sophisticated French, such as Saint Pierre, to shameless raunch, like Clarke Quay’s Hooters, is so staggering it would take a year or more just to eat your way through the Quays. A few hawker centres, ideal for a quick lunch or cheap dinner, remain and all the main shopping malls have their obligatory food courts.
PRICE GUIDE
The following price guide is based on dinner for two, with a couple of drinks.

$$$ over $75

$$ $20-75

$ under $20

BOBBY’S TAPROOM & GRILL (American $$$)
6337 5477; www.bobbys.com.sg; B1-03 Chijmes, 30 Victoria St; mains from $20; noon-midnight Sun-Tue, noon-2am Wed-Sat; Metro: City Hall

A completely refurbished high-end American barbecue and sports bar specializing in steaks, chops, ribs and all things meaty. It’s particularly well-known for its baby back pork ribs, but the steaks are also excellent. Veggie options available.

CHEF CHAN’S RESTAURANT (Chinese $$$)
6333 0073; 01-06 National Museum, 93 Stamford Rd; set menu $88; Metro: Dhoby Ghaut
Staking a very strong claim to be Singapore’s top Chinese restaurant, everything about Chef Chan’s is outstanding, from the glorious location buried in a hard-to-find nook of the National Museum to the genuine antique Chinese decor and the magnificent, classic set menu (featuring his famous crispy roast chicken, complete with head). Reservations only.


DOC CHENG’S (International $$$)
6412 1264; level 2, Raffles Hotel Arcade, 1 Beach Rd; mains from $20; Metro: City Hall

Decked out with curtained booths, high ceilings, soft lighting and chequered tiles, Doc Cheng’s has a discreetly colonial air. The food, however, is decidedly modern fusion. ‘Son-in-law’ egg starter is surprisingly successful, as are dishes like the tandoori trout.

BOOK CAFÉ (Cafe $$)
6887 5430; 01-02 Seng Kee Bldg, 20 Martin Rd; mains $10-15; 8.30am-10.30pm Sun-Thu, 8.30am-midnight Fri & Sat

At the river end of Mohamed Sultan Rd, Book Café is a convivial bistro with large, comfy sofas and a good selection of old books, magazines and foreign newspapers to browse through while you lounge around enjoying breakfast or a coffee.

CORIANDER LEAF (Asian Fusion $$)

6732 3354; www.corianderleaf.com; 02-03, 3A Merchant Court, Clarke Quay; mains $15-25; Metro: Clarke Quay

A fusion of European, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian menus, Coriander Leaf offers a wide selection of dishes, some a little jarring, most excellent. There’s also a small deli and a demo kitchen offering cooking courses

SAGE (European $$)
6333 8726; 7 Mohamed Sultan Rd; mains from $28

Set in a tiny converted shophouse on the Mohamed Sultan bar strip, Sage is one of the best restaurants in the Quays area. Intimate and relaxed, the service is immaculate and the food, from the prawn and escargot risotto starter to the mushroom soup and the beef cheek main, is superb. The only potential downside is the noise, if a big group happens to be sharing the small space with you. Booking is essential.

TAPAS TREE (Spanish $$)
6837 2938; 01-08, Block 3D, Clarke Quay; tapas from $5; Metro: Clarke Quay

Among the most popular of the recent Clarke Quay arrivals, this eatery boasts a huge range of classic tapas, a riverside location (though there’s comfy seating inside) and great music (the flamenco trio are fun, though inevitably they’re Filipino). Booking at weekends is essential.

WAH LOK Map (Chinese $$)
6311 8188; 2nd level, Carlton Hotel, 76 Bras Basah Rd; mains over $20; Metro: City Hall

The rotunda hall with the high dome ceiling, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, bright interior and warm ambience of this Cantonese place don’t quite prepare you for the entertainingly brusque service, but the food is great. Wah Lok well known for its excellent tofu; the roast meats are also a highlight.

GLUTTONS BAY (Hawker Centre $)
6336 7025; 01-15 Esplanade Mall; mains $10-20; 6pm-3am; Metro: City Hall

Selected by the Makansutra food guide, this bayside collection of the best hawkers (or street-food masters, as they call them)

KOPITIAM (Coffeeshop $)
cnr Bencoolen St & Bras Basah Rd; 24hr; Metro: City Hall

One of the top spots in the district for a late-night feed, this branch of the Kopitiam chain is brisk and blindingly bright, so if it’s a late boozy night grab a table outside, where the light is friendlier. The food is uniformly good and you won’t pay much more than $6 for a meal.

Singapore Eating: Colonial District & the Quays

Eating in Vung Tau

Being a seaside town, Vung Tau revolves around seafood. Don’t assume, however, that the flipping fish in front of you is from the sea — Vung Tau hosts a couple of rather large fish farms. On Thuy Van St (Back Beach), large seafood restaurants sporadically stand on the seafront. Portions are generous and standards hardly differ, it’s best just to take a lucky dip.

On the other side of town,Cat Bien is a restaurant of similar ilk. The vast menu contains any kind of mollusc, fish and crustacean you could wish for — and maybe some you wouldn’t. A specialty is BBQ fish wrapped in foil — we had the grouper — and dipped with some muoi tieu chanh (salt, pepper and lemon juice mixed together), it was mighty fine.

Possibly the most popular dining venue in town is Hai San Song. Vietnamese tourists flock here due its reputation, price and location — weekends are especially heaving, but not in stressful way. This place is a little out of town, follow Quang Trung St out of town to the North for about 1.5km. The restaurant is housed directly on the shoreline, with good views out across the bay where you can see the container ships trafficking in and out of the estuary that leads to Saigon. On the top of the inevitably wide-ranging seafood menu, the prices are exceptionally good value.

Back in town, Le Dung is a kind of seafood ‘takeaway’, where you can order your preferred dish to be prepared on the spot and then thrown in a box for a beach side picnic.

By now, the taste of squid and shrimp are probably becoming a little overbearing, but don’t worry, there is a smattering of western choices in town too. Ali Baba is the one and only Indian restaurant in town, and just across the road is a branch of the Vietnam-wide Good Morning Vietnam, the Italian option.

 

Along the front of ‘Front Beach’ is the Pig and Whistle, which has a restaurant above its seedy looking bar area. Despite the name it looks nothing like a pub, but the menu would suggest otherwise — it has everything from fish &chips to steaks to pies. Further along the road, opposite the ferry terminal is Ned Kelly’s Eureka Inn.

Another good destination for anything that may remind you of home, this place is run by an Australian expat and some interesting photos of Vung Tau in the 1930s and 1960s adorn the wall. Ned Kelly’s seems to play Aussie Rules all day long on the TV, and there’s also a pool table to entertain you. Still further along the road, now past the ferry terminal is Tommy’s Bar. This is a more relaxing cafe style environment, with some comfortable outside seating. They have daily specials, Western and Vietnamese food, and in true Aussie style, ‘Beer under ice at all times’.

In terms of nightlife Vung Tau has a seedy reputation, and once you’ve wandered around for a while, you’ll see why. A large number of bars with exotic names and a couple of ‘Discotheques’ masquerade as girly-bars/clubs.

For the majority not interested in this kind of activity, options are limited. You could choose to meet the crowds of resident expats who gather in the aforementioned bars of Ned Kelly’s and Tommy’s, and more than likely some other tourists as well. At the Vung Tau Beach Club (opposite Sammys Hotel) you will find the windsurfers and kitesurfers who are in town. Other than that, you may want to try a Vietnamese night out at one of the insanely popular coffee shops — try Blue Star on the beach road on Friday or Saturday night for an example of Ho Chi Minh City-style posing at its best.

 

Eating in Vung Tau