Why do we love Singapore? Would it be the fact that it’s the most developed city in Southeast Asia? Maybe because it’s a bustling and vibrant city full of things to do year round, including restaurants, bars, shopping, museums, festivals, natural and artificial gardens, lightshows and more. Or it could also be due to the mixture of cultures you can find, each of which adds something special to this cosmopolitan city. So what’s not to love? Singapore has it all!
In this post we share what features make Singapore one of the best cities in the world.
Modern & Cosmopolitan City
As soon as you get off the plane at Changi Airport you can feel that Singapore is not ordinary Southeast Asian city. It is one of the most modern metropolis in the world.
The downtown core is living proof of that with its state-of-the-art architecture that can be seen around the Marina Bay waterfront: city skyscrapers and the iconic Marina Bay Sands, a three-tower building complex connected by a large skypark at the top, housing a luxurious hotel, a casino, a museum, restaurants and top-class shops.
We enjoy walking around the bay during the afternoon, maybe drinking a beer (or two) at one of the waterfront bars while waiting for the lightshow that occurs every night at 8pm and 9pm (additional or different times can be found here).
The Marina Bay also houses the Merlion, a famous sea-lion statue that represents the national personification of Singapore.
The Marina Bay Sands has an observation deck that offers amazing views of the city. For SG$23 you can climb to the deck, or you can choose to skip that and go directly to the Ce La Vi rooftop bar. There’s a SG$20 entry voucher redeemable on food and drinks. Details here.
From the top of the building you can appreciate modern designs, such as the National Stadium, Gardens by the Bay and the Art Science Museum.
Cultural Mix
Chinese, Indian, Muslim and British cultures clash together in Singapore, and you can find them all very close to each other in a fusion that makes this city one of the most eclectic ones. Distinctive architecture, religious buildings and typical food coexist in a natural fashion, and Buddhist temples can be found next to mosques and Hindu shrines.
Chinese heritage can be seen throughout Singapore, but the best place to experience it is in Chinatown. This popular area next to the Downtown Core is full of old houses decorated with Chinese characters that have been turned to cool bars and restaurants where residents and tourists get together for a bite and drinks.
Typical Buddhist temples can be found here, like Thian Hock Keng and Buddha Tooth Relic, both worth visiting.
Chinese lanterns decorate the streets flanked by markets that sell anything from clothes to souvenirs and Chinese decorations.
Another awesome place to see Chinese heritage, if you have the time, is the Chinese Garden, a modern copy of the Summer Palace in Beijing. A huge green space around a lake decorated with pagodas and courtyards, this garden can be accessed easily via MRT.
The Indian culture is also very strong in Singapore. Walking around the vibrant streets of Little India is a must for every visitor. Here skyscrapers and rooftop bars are replaced by old colourful houses, lively markets and typical food joints.
Even though Hindu temples can be seen throughout Singapore, Little India is home to one of the most popular ones, Sri Veeramakaliamman on Serangoon Road.
Muslims can also be found all over Singapore, but one of the most popular areas is Arab Street in Kampong Glam. Very close to the downtown core, this group of lanes is full of Middle Eastern restaurants, crowned by the beautiful golden dome of Masjid Sultan. This inside of this mosque can be visited for free but it is not as impressive in the inside as the outside would suggest, so if you’re not super keen on covering up with long tunics, then it is probably not worth the trouble.
The area is surrounded by colourful lanes with coffee shops, bars and street art. The most popular is Haji Lane.
The touch of the British is found everywhere, like in the fact that English is an official language, or in the way they drive, and of course in the 18th Century architecture.
Green Spaces
Who would think that a developed city like Singapore would have so many parks? Well, it does! Everywhere you go you can find leisure green areas to take a stroll, have a picnic or just lie on the grass.
Walking through the Botanic Gardens you can get completely lost and forget you are in a big city. Wander the neverending paths, appreciate the vegetation and flora, freshen up in the small cascade, go across the Walk of Giants or visit the National Orchid Garden.
Behind the Marina Bay Sands lies Gardens by the Bay, an enormous green space in the heart of the city. Our favourite time to visit is the late afternoon, when it’s not as hot, so you can walk the pathways and admire the vegetation, the ponds and the Supertrees, gigantic tree-shaped artificial structures.
The gardens are free, but a fee is payable to climb to the Supertree skywalk or to enter the greenhouse domes. To be honest we didn’t do any of these things as we don’t consider them really interesting.
What we did enjoy is the light show that happens every night at the Supertree Grove. You can check the hours here.
Another small but nice green space is Fort Canning Park. It doesn’t say much, but if you’re after a quiet place close to the city, this park is nice enough, as there are no tourists.
The previously mentioned Chinese Garden is a good spot for breathing fresh air as well.
Food
What can we say about food? Whatever you want to eat, you will find it in Singapore. We are not big foodies when we travel, we usually just eat to recover our energies and continue exploring. We like trying local dishes but we try to combine it with food we know when we are unsure. This is why Singapore is awesome: you have all the options in one place.
You can choose to eat local food in markets such as Lau Pa Sat, an old-style food hall with no air-con that offers good dishes for small prices. This place gets very crowded at lunchtime on weekdays and the custom here is to reserve a table by placing something small, like a card or a pack of tissues, which for the untrained eye looks like someone’s left rubbish or forgot their card on the table.
Another good choice to eat Asian food (Chinese, Japanese, Indian and more) is Food Republic. It’s a food court style market that can be found in shopping malls, including the Marina Bay Sands Shoppes. Prices are cheap for Singaporean standards and good news is there is air-con!
Areas such as Clarke Quay and Boat Quay are full of diverse restaurants and bars and not all of them are super expensive. Of course there are a lot of high-end, gourmet places that are inaccessible to the flashpacker type of traveller, but it’s good to have options, right?
A tip: if your budget allows it, go up to Level 33 Rooftop Bar and Brewery for a drink. It is a bit overpriced, but the view is worth it. Dress code is pretty flexible and you don’t need to eat, just try one of their home-brewed beers and enjoy the scenery. Check out the menu here.
These are some of the reasons why we love Singapore. Have you visited or are planning to visit Singapore? Tell us in your comments!