IT’S festival time in Singapore. Streets are full of lights and alive with color and sound. Orchard Road has been transformed into an enchanted garden of blooms, shimmering with fairy lights. It truly is the season of lights as Arab Street, Little India, China Town and Clark Quay are suddenly adorned with lights to celebrate different festivals.
Singapore is holding a number of activities over the winter and New Year including the New Year light up which draws local crowds and visitors from all over the world. Eid, Garden Festival, Singapore Marathon, Dance festival, Christmas and re-opening of the much-acclaimed National Museum are some of the planned events during December-January.
Singapore Tourism Board’s Assistant Chief Executive Dr Chan Tat Hon says that celebration has become one of the most attractive holiday options for tourists in the region and beyond. This time, visitors to Singapore will have the chance to win fabulous prizes at Changi Airport during a special last minute shopping promotion, which will last until Jan. 5 to mark the arrival of the New Year. Each week one lucky passenger will win a “dream holiday” to their choice destination, anywhere in the world, with their loved one.
The National Museum of Singapore is set to reopen after being closed for three years. To celebrate the opening, the museum will hold a festival from Dec. 2 to Dec. 31, showcasing a range of international artists.
Interestingly, eating is a national pastime in Singapore and there are plenty of restaurants serving food from all over the world. Impressive places are the pub district at Clark Quay by the riverside. Malay, Chinese, Indonesian, Peranakan, Indian, Thai, Japanese and Korean cuisine, are available here.
Straits Kitchen and Oasis at the Hyatt Regency, Halia, set in the midst of the Ginger Garden of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Long Beach UDMC, Town Restaurant at the renowned Fullerton Hotel, Majestic Restaurant at New Majestic Hotel in China Town, Banana Leaf Apollo Restaurant in Little India are all famous restaurants which food lovers can enjoy.
Shopping! Second to eating as a national pastime in Singapore. The largest multi-experiential retail and lifestyle destination is Vivo City. Orchard Street has thousands of shops selling everything from phones to clothes. The most fashionable shops, hotels, restaurants and nightclubs are located here. Favorite shopping centers include Orchard Plaza, Orchard Towers and Ngee Ann City. Ngee Ann draws the visitor in with more than 100 specialty stores and the largest bookstore in Southeast Asia.
Arab Street, enriched with Islamic culture and and containing the Sultan Mosque is a popular place for visitors from the Middle East and all over the world Little India has typical Indian delights. Indians have been part of Singapore’s development from the beginning. Most came from southern India, but there were also Gujaratis, Sindhis, Sikhs, Parsis, and Bengalis. Chinatown’s history dates back to 1819 and it is a scene of lovingly preserved buildings, beliefs, and intriguing contrasts.
Singapore’s nightlife has also grown with an increase in interesting nightspots. There are a large number of discos. Visitors can choose between exciting clubs, discos, and karaoke bars. St. James Power Station is the new destination for those in search of a refreshing entertainment complex like none other in the region.
Sentosa Island is a theme park enriched with nature reserve. Linked to the mainland by a causeway, Sentosa’s main attractions are the excellent beaches. Siloso Beach is very popular. Walking trails through the lush forest and a range, the Carlsberg Sky Tower, the Musical Fountain, Fort Siloso Museum and an aquarium, Underwater World are remarkable attractions.
From the top of the Carlsberg Sky Tower, the views are breathtaking. The tower itself is 110 meters tall and from the top one can see the whole of Singapore. From the top of the Imbiah Lookout Activity Zone at the center of the island, enter the air-conditioned viewing cabin, which then gently lifts you to the highest viewing platform in Singapore at 131 meters above sea level.
Spa Botanica in Sentosa is a possibility for most ailments. Hundreds of foreigners come here for natural treatments.
Singapore has three main races — Chinese, Malay, and Indian. It has four official languages and the working language is English.
