EXPLORE SINGAPORE
I hope you enjoy browsing this digital publication which showcases some of the best leisure opportunities Singapore has to offer.
The highlighted excursions, restaurant recommendations and transport options in this guide have been selected from our extensive portfolio to show how visitors can enjoy exceptional experiences, with a reduced tourism impact and without incurring higher costs – sustainable travel doesn’t have to be expensive!
From a walking tour around Chinatown to tasting Michelinstarred food at a hawker stall, our product specialists have ensured that our tours are low-impact and of benefit to our host communities.
Twenty-five years of DMC operations has equipped us with the expertise to deliver high-quality tourism with a conscience.
Please enjoy reading about some of the enlightening excursions and excellent dining options in Singapore and get in touch if you require any further information.
Emir Cherif Managing Director Malaysia & Singapore
ABOUT US
Asian Trails office
SINGAPORE
Click the link for Fast Facts, including 'do's' and 'don'ts' when visiting Singapore.
Batam Island Bintan Island
OVERVIEW
Compact in size but big in experiences, Singapore has exceptional attractions on a land mass of just 734 sq-km.
The island boasts futuristic architecture, colonial-era heritage and diverse cultural enclaves created by its Chinese, Malay and Indian settlers.
Founded as a British colony in 1819 because of its deep harbour and prime location on shipping routes, global trade from the world’s second largest seaport has propelled Singapore into the super league of wealth.
Visitors will find superb shopping on Orchard Road, diverse dining at Clarke Quay, a casino and theatre shows at Marina Bay Sands and themed entertainment sites across Sentosa.
Although renowned for its futuristic skyscraper-studded cityscape, areas such as Gardens by the Bay and the Botanic Gardens have advanced the government’s ‘green garden city’ initiative.
Three hundred parks and four nature reserves provide refreshing spaces to enjoy rainforest walking trails and the wider territory includes 63 outlying islands for exploration and beach lounging.
This city-state, one of only three in the world, the others being Monaco and the Vatican City, offers nature and urban living in close proximity. The excellent transport infrastructure also enables fast-track travel across the island.
Come and enjoy a destination that offers vast contrasts during just one day of travel!
THINGS TO KNOW
IN THIS GUIDE
Experiences:
Explore our engaging and rewarding excursions packed with inspirational experiences which provide positive benefits for local communities. Our guests can participate in cultural learning activities that make a difference by contributing to local development.
Dining:
Peruse diverse eateries which reflect our commitment to responsible travel. We promote locally-owned eateries that use locally sourced ingredients and at affordable prices, thereby helping travellers make better choices about how to eat more sustainably, including a selection of vegan and vegetarian options.
Transport:
We feature alternative travel in all of our destinations. Our choices are kinder to the environment, including transport with low carbon emissions, such as the MRT network and traditional bumboats.
Chinatown Walking Tour
Experience a sensory overload while exploring Chinatown, a district packed with heritage shophouses, ornate temples and abundant dining options – from trendy eateries to old-school hawker stalls. The discovery includes Thian Hock Keng Temple, the island’s oldest shrine and a more futuristic attraction, a garden suspended on a 50th floor sky-bridge. Back on the ground, tea is served in an authentic shop house.
Crazy Rich Asians Tour
Replicate the lives of the characters in Crazy Rich Asians, the Hollywood movie focused on Singapore’s wealthy elite. Participants are taken on a half-day tour to the famed filming locations, with abundant selfie stops. The fun exploration gives an intriguing insight into the city-state’s transformation from an undeveloped, to an affluent first-world nation.
Absorb Singapore’s rich cultural heritage on a fun tour guided by an expert.
Leave a reduced environmental impact by exploring on foot.
SINGAPORE
Disappearing Trades Discovery
Learn about three of Singapore’s most traditional trades. First is a kopi roasting factory to sample local coffee blends, then a bakery to get an insight into age-old baking techniques, followed by a paper house maker to discover the Chinese funeral ritual of burning paper possessions so the deceased can use them in the afterlife.
Absorb fascinating insights shared by a guide with exceptional local knowledge.
Walk Down Memory Lane
Step back in time on an interactive walking tour that focuses on Singapore’s development. This stroll into the past follows the footsteps of Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. The exploration takes in colonial architecture and famed attractions, such as the iconic Merlion. A highlight is a ride down the Singapore River in a traditional bumboat.
Travel back in time and listen to intriguing stories shared by an expert guide.
4 HOURS
Historical Singapore By Bike
Pedal through history on a 20-km cycle ride that showcases Singapore’s most iconic districts. The journey takes in Chinatown, the entertainment areas of Boat, Clarke and Robertson quays, the Malay cultural enclave of Kampong Glam and futuristic Marina Bay and the Esplanade. History, heritage and spirituality combine perfectly on this captivating adventure.
Eco-friendly cycling is a more engaging experience than vehicle travel.
Market to Table Exploration
Discover Singapore through exploration of the island’s diverse culinary landscape on a market to table tour. Participants are taken to a wet market to buy fresh ingredients, followed by guided instruction into creating iconic local dishes. This labour of love is rewarded with a meal of the food cooked in the class, including chilli crab and spicy laksa.
Enjoy a cooking experience that directly supports local chefs.
4 HOURS
Bike and Bites Food Tour
Get a true taste of Singapore on a food and cycling trip. The exploration steers off the tourist trail and heads through narrow streets packed with authentic eateries. The focus is on the cuisines of the island’s main population groups; Chinese, Malay and Indian. The journey includes the diverse neighbourhoods of Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India.
Enjoy culinary discovery of authentic food, while supporting local businesses.
Cultural Cooking Class
Savour Singapore’s rich food culture during a fun cooking class. This activity goes beyond the format of a usual class, with a deeper insight into local ingredients, signature dishes and the history behind the Lion City’s hawker centres. The instruction includes laksa and Hainanese chicken rice and these are enjoyed after the class.
Experience one of Singapore’s leading cultural riches – its cuisine!
4 HOURS 3 HOURS
3 HOURS
A Taste of Michelin Food
Authentic cuisine is explored on a diverse gastronomic tour. A highlight is sampling delicious soya sauce chicken rice at a Michelin acclaimed hawker stall. The threehour discovery takes in multiple food areas, such as the Maxwell Food Centre and Chinatown. Culinary classics and famed heritage brands are enjoyed during this excursion.
Food inspired tours directly benefit local traders and suppliers.
DISCOVER MORE SINGAPORE TRAILS
PRICE GUIDE
$ = 1-3 USD per dish
$$ = 4-7 USD per dish
$$$ = 8-11 USD per dish
$$$$ = 12+ USD per dish
Open Farm Community $$$$
Situated in a pleasant urban garden, this restaurant provides farm to table meals created from produce grown on-site. This is a dining with a conscience eatery – the owners limit single use plastics and recycle vigorously. The alfresco setting recreates serene rural life in the big city.
Annalakshmi $$
Annalakshmi is an Indian vegetarian restaurant with a dining philosophy of ‘eat as you want, give as you feel’. This statement embodies the owner’s generosity of providing free meals for marginalised groups. Diners enjoy delicious, inexpensive dishes and get satisfaction from contributing to a worthy cause.
The Blue Ginger $$$$
The Blue Ginger serves authentic Peranakan cuisine, a rich fusion of Chinese and Malay flavours. The restaurant is owned by a team who are passionate about preserving Peranakan cuisine – an approach that has gained them a Michelin Bib over the last three years.
Native $$$
A homegrown culinary concept set within a traditional three-storey shophouse – Native is a leader in Singapore’s cocktail scene. It consists of a restaurant, a cocktail bar and a fermentation lab spread across three floors. This venue is guided by a sustainability-led philosophy, with a deep focus on sourcing local ingredients.
Tiffin Room $$$$
Head to the Tiffin Room for a fine dining experience. This institution has been part of the Raffles Hotel’s history since 1892. The sophisticated establishment is highly regarded for its authentic North Indian cuisine, with specialties served in traditional tiffin boxes. An extensive vegetarian menu complements the restaurant’s signature dishes.
SINGAPORE RESTAURANTS
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT IN SINGAPORE
Bumboat
Experience the beauty of the Singapore River aboard an iconic bumboat. These vessels once conveyed commercial goods but they have taken on a new life as floating tour boats. They conveniently depart from Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay and the journey absorbs both futuristic architecture and colonial landmarks. The experience is enhanced by silent, eco-friendly vessels powered by zero-emission electric engines.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT IN SINGAPORE
Mass Rapid Transport
Ride the MRT – the backbone of Singapore’s transport system! The network provides easy travel and it is renowned for its punctuality, cleanliness and low-cost. Passengers can avoid peak hour road traffic jams and access attractions seamlessly – hence the MRT’s incorporation into many of Asian Trails’ activities. There are six MRT lines and each is marked with a distinct colour, while stations are assigned numbers for easy identification.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT IN SINGAPORE
Bus
Take a cheap and cheerful bus! The network covers areas not serviced by trains. With real-time tracking and abundant routes, buses provide an affordable way to get around. This form of travel is also a more scenic way to undertake a journey and it provides direct connections on routes that may require multiple changes on the MRT. Bus stops have ID numbers to inform passengers where to disembark.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT IN SINGAPORE
Hop-On | Hop-Off
Glide through Singapore and view the island’s iconic sights with an unlimited hop-on hop-off pass that is valid for multiple days. Users can switch between the Red and Yellow lines by boarding and disembarking at any of the 36 bus stops. One option is an Asian Trails’ guided night tour, an experience that reveals the cityscape from a different floodlit perspective.
SUSTAINABLE TRAILS
Our most impactful excursions follow ESTEEM principles
Eat Locally
Stay Eco-friendly
Transport Alternatively
Experience Meaningfully
Empower Viably
Make a Difference
ETHICAL ANIMAL EXPERIENCES
All of our animal experiences are carefully vetted to ensure guests interact with our planet’s diverse species in responsible ways.
Our Actions on Animal Welfare
KNOW MORE
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
We strive to include local people in meaningful ways throughout our tours and recommend ways to have a positive social impact.
We encourage guests to reduce single-use plastic waste by choosing to use reusable drinking bottles instead. SAY ‘NO’ TO PLASTIC WASTE
SUSTAINABLE PARTNERS
Together with other DMCs, we are working to identify our most sustainable hotel partners so our guests can have a positive impact even while sleeping.
To find out more about our company policies, please follow the links below POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
Responsible Travel Annual Sustainability Report
Asian Trails Code of Conduct Child Protection Policy
Supplier Code of Conduct Sustainability Policy
SINGAPORE
105 Cecil Street, #22-00 The Octagon, Suite 2200, Singapore 069534, Singapore www.asiantrails.travel Email: res@asiantrails.sg