Singapore 72-Hour Vacation

It's time to put Singapore on your list of cities to visit. Think spanking new casino resorts, a brand new Universal Studio theme park and multi-cultural culinary experiences, and topping it all off with a ride on one of the world's tallest ferris wheels.

Yes, Singapore is hot! The trading outpost that Sir Stamford Raffles founded back in 1819 is no longer a lazy backwater with seedy waterfront. It has now transformed itself from a British naval base cum trading post into a metropolitan city. Home to probably one of the world's best airlines (Singapore Airlines), Singapore is also reputed to be a world-class financial hub, the world's busiest port and the city with the second highest GDP per capita in Asia.

Not willing to rest on its laurels and always ready to reinvent itself, straight-laced Singapore raised eyebrows when it announced its decision to legalize casino gambling in 2005, overruling public opposition. With integrated resorts in the pipeline, this ultra-modern city is set to sizzle with excitement as it sheds its dowdy image.

Despite the astonishing pace of change, however, a traditional Singapore still thrives beneath the unique juxtaposition of soaring skyscrapers, iridescent malls, museums, churches, mosques, colonial architecture and traditional shop houses (a vernacular architectural building type that is both native and unique to urban Southeast Asia).

Singapore's history of migration has left a cultural and architectural legacy that makes wandering the streets an absolute delight. The ethnic quarters of Chinatown and Little India transport you back to a time when Singapore was a magnet for traders. Where else in the world can you soak in Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures all in a day?

From the time you step into the Changi Airport, the orderliness and cleanliness of this fine city will beguile you. City slickers will be dazzled by the glitzy landscape of towering skyscrapers, swanky shopping malls and chic restaurants, while historians and culture vultures will be enthralled by its gamut of museums, art galleries, theatres and heritage centers that trace the cultural history of the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Arabs and other immigrants.

While exploring Singapore, talk to the locals and listen out for "Singlish" (a baffling mix of English peppered with Malay and Hokkien, a Chinese dialect) and discover the local cuisines that have made the Lion City one of the world's most food obsessed nations. Foodies will be spoiled for choice by the plethora of dining options from restaurants, eateries and food courts, to hawker centers serving scrumptious local specialties and international cuisine.

Accommodation options abound. From the back-packer friendly Hangout Hotel perched atop Mount Emily hill to the ultra-luxurious The St. Regis Singapore located close to the swanky malls of Orchard Road, you will find lodgings in various price categories to match your needs. If you want a five-key room with a view and a location close to where the action is, there is The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore; the Esplanade (hub of performing arts), ferris wheel and F1 track are within a short walking distance of this gorgeous and strategically located hotel. For a heritage hotel experience, consider the Fullerton Hotel by the Singapore River for its grandeur and old-world charm. It's also a short walk away from the Asian Civilization Museum. Those with a moderate budget and a keen taste for design may consider the New Majestic Hotel. Located near the Chinatown area, this boutique hotel has only 30 rooms, each featuring unique designs by emerging Singapore artists. If you fancy a boutique lodging in the heart of town, look up the 40 room Naumi Hotel; each room comes with an iPOD dock, Australian cult skincare accessories by Aesop and a Nespresso coffee machine; ladies may also request the Ladies Floor for added security.

Day 1

Start your first day with local coffee (termed "kopi") with "kaya" (coconut egg spread), buttered toast and half boiled eggs at Ya Kun (Far East Square), an outlet belonging to one of Singapore's favorite "kopi" joints.

Sri Mariamman Temple

Thereafter, take a leisurely walk to Chinatown along South Bridge Road, passing Club Street—a narrow hill dotted with interesting shop houses that have been transformed into trendy bars and restaurants. At the southern end of South Bridge Road is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple, Sri Mariamman Temple. Located in the heart of Chinatown, this popular South Indian Dravidian-style temple is vividly decorated with about 72 Hindu deities and surrounded by a boundary wall topped with figures of sacred cows. It was originally built in 1827 by Nariana Pillay (who arrived in Singapore on the same ship as Sir Stamford Raffles) and was restyled in 1843 to resemble the Sri Meenakshi temple in South India. This temple is known for its celebration of the annual Thimithi Festival, which takes place close to the start of Deepavali (usually during October), where devotees walk barefoot across a four-meter red-hot coal pit as a sign of faith. This spectacle starts in the afternoon and goes on well after midnight. If you happen to be in town during the Thimithi Festival, plan on getting here early if you wish to get a good viewing spot. Temple etiquette requires visitors to be dressed appropriately, which means no bare knees or shoulders and shoes should be removed at the door prior to entry. As the temple starts to bustle with busloads of tourist arrivals by mid morning, it is time to move on.

Next, take a Chinese cultural hit at the Chinatown Heritage Center located at Pagoda Street (a right turn from South Bridge Road), arguably one of Singapore's best museums where three restored shop houses have been combined to make the triple level center. Here, you will get a first hand feel of the cramped living quarters which Chinese immigrants once endured.

One of the three three Southeast Asia galleries at the Asian Civilization Museum

At the west end of Pagoda Street is the Chinatown MRT (Mass Rapid Transit system) station where you may catch a train to Raffles Place for your next historical discovery at the Asian Civilization Museum at Empress Place. As you step out of the Raffles Place MRT exit, look up at all the gleaming skyscrapers at the financial heart of the city that surround you; nowhere is Singapore's transition from a colonial backwater to a cutting edge economy more evident than here. Dotted around the area are installations of modern sculpture, a noteworthy one is Salvador Dali's Homage to Newton (1985). Head towards Empress Place and, upon arrival, stop for a lunch break at Indochine Waterfront, which shares the stately Empress Place Building with the Asian Civilization Museum Building. While feasting on Vietnamese spring rolls and beef stew ragout, enjoy the superb waterfront setting and recharge with a cup of Vietnamese coffee with mango sticky rice before hitting the museum trail again.

The Asian Civilization Museum ("ACM") was completed back in 1867. The ACM's thematic exhibits are spread over three levels, showcasing Asian cultures and civilizations with separate galleries dedicated to China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and the Islamic world. The Hindu-Buddhist gallery is the highlight, with beautiful displays including a stunning 18th century Burmese Buddha head and a large bronze drum. There is also a fascinating Singapore River Interpretive Gallery where the story of generations of immigrants who settled and worked on the banks of the Singapore River is told through old photographs.

Now, cross the Cavenagh Bridge (built in 1869) to Boat Quay's side of the Singapore River. En route, note the signs restricting horse-drawn carriages that still stand at Singapore's only suspension bridge. There are also several modern sculptures clustered along the quayside, notably The River Diving Boys of First Generation by Chong Fat Cheong on the left hand side of Cavenagh Bridge and The Family Of Tiny Kucinta Cats on the right hand side of the bridge.

Singapore Flyer, the world's largest Ferris wheel

Nip down to the Fullerton Hotel for a retreat from the heat and enjoy a cup of iced tea while basking in the cool of the sunlit atrium courtyard. Built in 1928, the Fullerton building was once home to the nation's General Post Office. After a US$250 million makeover in 2001, this historic building was converted into a 400 room and suite luxury hotel with much of its Palladian style architecture and façade intact.

Now that you have cooled down, catch a quick taxi ride to the Singapore Flyer. At 165m from the ground, it is (at the time of writing) the world's largest ferris wheel, where you can get a 360 degree view of the whole of Singapore within 30 minutes from one of the 28 air-conditioned capsules; look for the Grand Prix route right below the Ferris wheel, which wraps around the Boulevard and goes all the way up to Padang, past the Supreme Court, through the Esplanade Drive to the seating gallery fronting the floating platform at Raffles Avenue.

Catch a complimentary Singapore Flyer Shuttle service to the bus stop in front of St. Andrew's Cathedral at Coleman Street (across the road from City Hall MRT station). From here, take a leisurely stroll to Purvis Street, a lane after Seah Street, where the legendary Raffles Hotel sits. Just next door to the Soup Restaurant along Purvis Street, on a row of shop houses, is a nondescript entrance with a narrow stairway leading to a quaint shop with lofty ceiling on the second story called Tea Bone Zen Mind. This charming stall specializes in serving selected teas and tea ware from China, Taiwan and Japan. With piped French music as the backdrop and a spiral staircase leading to an upper loft that retails cute bone ware, this is easily Singapore's calmest venue to enjoy a cup of tea.

The legendary Raffles Hotel

With your worries cast behind you, cross the road to Seah Street to explore the iconic Raffles Hotel; soak in the genteel and colonial atmosphere and perhaps relax at the Long Bar with a Singapore Sling where tradition dictates that you toss the peanut shells on the floor (it's the only place in Singapore where you can litter without being fined).

Tonight, treat yourself to drinks and dinner with a view at Equinox Complex, which is perched right atop the City Hall complex: Dine at Equinox Restaurant, its amphitheatre style restaurant with three-level-high glass panels at 226 meters above sea level; alternatively, opt for chef Andre Chiang's rendition of Southern French nouvelle cuisine, a feast for the eyes and palate. Remember to make advance reservations.

Continue to Day 2