Kampong Glam
Kampong Glam is Singapore’s Malay enclave. Once the small fishing village of Kampong, home to shipbuilders, today the area more than lives up to its additional name, with an array of hip boutiques and quirky bars lining its colourful streets. For a greater understanding of Malay culture, visit the Malay Heritage Centre.
Sentosa
Dedicated to fun, Sentosa Island is home to Singapore’s Universal Studios, as well as the vast S.E.A Aquarium, the world’s largest oceanarium, two wave pools at the Wave House and plenty of family-friendly sandy beaches – Palawan Beach has paddling pools for kids, while Tanjong Beach is the quietest. Refuel afterwards with the seafood barbecue at Tanjong Beach Club as the sun dips down over the Singapore Strait.
Chinatown
No visit to Singapore could miss Chinatown, especially if there’s a festival on when you’re in town. During festivals the whole area is a riot of colour, the rest of the year you’ll find shops and markets full of the freshest – sometimes even living – produce. Club Street, as the name suggests, is the heart of Singapore’s nightlife scene.
About as close as you’ll get to the frenetic atmosphere of old Singapore, Little India can sometimes feel like you’ve wandered into Delhi. Temples and mosques abound, with the Abdul Gafoor mosque a particularly interesting mix of Islamic and European architecture. The Mustafa Centre is home to numerous Indian shops and you’ll find great restaurants nearby.
Civic District
This stately colonial quarter is where Singapore’s British history is most apparent. In buildings that once housed City Hall and the Supreme Court you can now see the world’s leading public collection of modern art from Singapore and south-east Asia in the newly opened National Gallery Singapore. Take a look at the nearby neo-gothic chapel of St Andrew’s Cathedral, the Victorian town hall and the creamy stone of Old Parliament House before strolling along Stamford Road to the Esplanade Theatres and Gardens by the Bay. Finish your exploration at the riverside quays where restaurants and bars are plentiful – try Quayside Seafood for local fish dishes overlooking the water.
Orchard Road
Orchard Road could keep shopaholics busy for days, but there is far more to this area than its malls. Enjoy the city’s best people-watching at Crossroads Cafe, see the Istana palace (home of the president) and listen to buskers along Orchard Road itself. Still want to shop? Do it with the locals at Bugis Street Market, where you’ll find affordable clothing, shoes and accessories.
Geylang
Geylang is the place to get a genuine Malay experience. Numerous lorongs (alleys) bursting with cheap places to eat snake through the area. It’s a hive of activity and a great place grab some coconut rice or spicy noodles – or simply watch the world go by.
Pulau Ubin
Want to escape the bustle of the city? Take the 10-minute ferry from Changi Village to Pulau Ubin and you’ll find yourself in a rural, unkempt jungle where tin-roofed buildings bask in the sun, darting lizards and wild pigs hide in the foliage and all manner of birdlife squawks overhead. The best way to take it in is by bike, hired from the village. Head east to Chek Jawa wetlands to stroll above the sea on the boardwalk.
Tiong Bahru
Tiong Bahru is all art-deco apartment blocks, Aussie-style coffee shops and French boulangeries – a rapidly gentrifying district that is becoming an expat enclave. Visit for a wander, making sure you take in the fabulous Tiong Bahru market, said by many to be the best hawker centre in Singapore, with its consistently excellent and very cheap food, served at speed.
Joo Chiat/Katong
The Peranakan terrace houses of Joo Chiat/Katong with their rainbow of pastel shades and brightly glazed tiles are a photographer’s dream, but this colourful area is more than just a pretty face – you’ll also find old-world coffee shops such as Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, said to serve the best kaya (coconut jam) toast in town, and tiny shops selling traditional sarongs. You could even learn to make Nonya dumplings at Kim Choo.
