Singapore in a day by Asia-Pacific Guides Ltd

Asia Pacific Guides™

Singapore in a day… This mini-guide is particularly recommended for those of you who have only one day in town and want to make the most of it, as it covers some of Singapore's most popular attractions and sightseeing-spots. 7am: We start our day trip in Singapore Botanic Gardens. To get there: Take bus Nos. SBS 7, or 123, or 174, or SMRT 77, or 106 from the bus-stop on Orchard Boulevard, next to Orchard MRT Station, or from Somerset Road, next to Somerset MRT Station, or take 105 from Scotts Road (Far East Plaza). Enter the gardens from the main gate (Tanglin Gate), on the corner of Cluny and Napier Road and take a pleasant stroll through the various sightseeing spots, like the Swan Lake, the Swiss Granite Fountain, the Bonsai Display and the Sun Garden, where various species of cactus can be seen, before proceeding to the gardens' main highlight – The National Orchid Garden, where you can see the world's largest collection of tropical orchids, including some 2,000 hybrids… Continue through the Palm Valley and the "Rainforest" to the Visitors' Centre and Casa Verde café, where you can have your breakfast and onwards, to the Evolution Garden and the northern side of the gardens, where the spanking new Botanic Gardens MRT Station is located.

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10:30am: Take the MRT to Serangoon Station, change trains (within the station) and proceed to Chinatown MRT Station, where you take exit A to Pagoda Street. Narrow Pagoda Street, where Chinatown has started its life from, almost 200 years ago, was restored and the old houses where poor families of Chinese migrants had to cram in tiny flats are now housing shops and cafés. One of these heritage buildings has become a museum, where you can learn about day-to-day life in Chinatown and the hardships those newcomers had to deal with  Chinatown Heritage Centre is open 9am - 8pm

daily and there is an entry fee (website)  Singapore Botanic Gardens open daily, 5am –

12midnight, entrance is free (National Orchid Garden is open daily, 8:30am – 7pm and there is a small admission fee). Click here for a map of Singapore Botanic Gardens, which specifies the various sightseeing spots.

The "Singapore City Pass" makes a good choice for those who want to explore the city by themselves, with a full day of unlimited Hop On Hop Off Bus sightseeing, as well as well as a trip on an amphibious vehicle.

Take a pleasant stroll through Chinatown's historic streets, including Trengganu, Temple Street and Smith Street (on 335 Smith Street there is a fantastic food centre, where you can try some "authentic" delicacies). Move onwards to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum: An impressive Tang-style building on 288 South Bridge Road, where the relic of the tooth of Buddha is kept, in a gold stupa. Other than the holy remnant, there is a lavishly decorated temple here, and a Buddhist Culture Museum, where hundreds of beautiful Buddhist artifacts are on display.  Daily, 7am – 7pm (The holy chamber can be seen

1pm: Walk back to Chinatown Station and take the MRT to Clarke Quay (one station away). Leave Clarke Quay MRT Station via exit E, turn left and left again, to the riverfront promenade and onwards, via Read Bridge to Clarke Quay, the middle of the three historic quays along the Singapore River, which has been restored quite a few years ago and became one of the city's best Wine and Dine areas… The old godowns have been painted vivaciously and were converted to restaurants, cafés and resto-bars, where you can unwind for a while and stretch your legs, before moving on… Take a bumboat from the jetty next to Clarke Quay and ride down the Singapore River a few minutes, to the "Merlion" statue.

9am – 12noon and 3 – 6pm), Free entry. Website From here, take a few minutes' walk to Sri Mariamman Temple, on 244 South Bridge Road (near the corner of Pagoda Street), one of Singapore's earliest and most significant Hindu temples, which was built originally in 1827, as a simple wood and palm structure, dedicated to Mariamman, the main South Indian mother goddess and a protector from diseases. The existing brick building started its life in 1843 and has since been expended and modified a few times. You can then proceed to visit neighboring Masjid Jamae Mosque, which was built in the 1820s and features an eclectic architectural style. The Eu Yan Sang Medical Hall, on 267 South Bridge Road, just across the street from the Hindu temple, specializes in Chinese herbal medicines which are prepared on spot, right before your eyes... Even if you don't feel like trying any of their 'exotic' products, it is still recommended to visit the place. Although Singapore has one of the best publictransport systems in the world, taking the Singapore City Hop-on Hop-off Tour is highly recommended, as it takes you directly to the various attractions and saves you the time and hassle of waiting for a bus or walking…

Soaring to a height of almost nine metres, facing Marina Bay, The statue-fountain of "The Merlion" is one of Singapore's best known landmarks: This imaginary creature was invented back in the 1960s, as a logo for the tourism board and has since become a symbol of the city. It incorporates a body of a lion, which signifies the lion from the legend about the founding of Singapore, and a tail of a fish, which signifies the city's relationship with the ocean. Discover Singapore with those who know it best! Click here to view our choice of city-tours and activities.

Walk back a few minutes and cross the river on historic Cavenagh Bridge, which was built in the 1870s and still boasts the 1910s police notice at each of its ends, restricting cattle and horses from crossing it… As soon as you cross the bridge, turn left to visit "Raffles Landing Site": A white statue of the bright British administrator marks the actual point where Sir Stamford Raffles and his fellow Brits first laid foot on Singaporean soil, back in 1819… Along the promenade, you can also see groups of beautiful lifesize bronze statues, called "People of the River", which depict the daily lives of Singapore's precolonial inhabitants.

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The imposing Neo-Palladian building, right behind the "landing site", accommodates the Asian Civilisations Museum, one of Singapore's most recommended museums, which displays the cultures of Asia's tribes and nations, with emphasis on those ethnicities that created Singapore. Exhibits are rich and fascinating and include ethnic costumes, traditional jewelries, ancient books, sculptures, religious artifacts and what not…  Tuesday – Sunday : 9am-7pm (till 9pm on Friday),

Monday : 1pm – 7pm, Website 4pm: After visiting the museum, cross the Singapore River on historic Cavenagh Bridge, turn right and walk along the river for a couple of minutes, then left to Bonham Street and Raffles Place MRT Station, from where you take the train to Little India Station (You first travel to Dhoby Ghaut, where you have to change trains and continue one more station, to Little India). Visit Tekka Centre, on Buffalo Road, right next to exit-E of MRT Little India, where a huge wet market, a food centre and quite a few authentic shops can be found… The hawker centre boasts a good selection of vegetarian food stalls that serve different Indian cuisines, as well as vegetarian Malay and Chinese delicacies. How to find the best deals in Asia ? Instantly compare the world's leading hotel-websites and get the BEST rates for accommodation in Macau, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Taipei and elsewhere in Asia!

Continue to Serangoon Road (a couple of minutes away), cross it to the other side and visit Little India Arcade – An indoor market which occupies a cluster of old shophouses and boasts dozens of stalls where you can buy everything India has to offer… From there continue walking along Campbell Lane, turn left to Clive Street and right to Dunlop. On the corner of Dunlop and Clive, there is a well-known emporium shop, called Haniffa Textiles, which has been selling Indian clothes, as well as cameras, watches, suitcases and what not for the last 50 years or so… After strolling along Dunlop, walk back to its other end and turn right to Serangoon Road and right

again, to Upper Dickson Road, which runs parallel to Dunlop and boasts some more authentic shops and eateries. Nibbling snacks from authentic eateries is one of the most enjoyable sides of strolling the streets of Little India. Komala Vilas, on Serangoon Road (Between the corner of Dunlop and Upper Dickson) has been serving scrumptious vegetarian fare at reasonable prices for God knows how many years... Kulfi Bar, on No. 15 Upper Dickson, is known for its lovely home-made Indian ice cream (Kulfi), while Sakunthala's Restaurant, on 151 Dunlop, serves a variety of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian specialties and is particularly famous for its Dosa (Thosai): A South-Indian style crispy crêpe, stuffed with various fillings and served with different sauces and deeps on the side...

Continue walking up along Serangoon Road and visit authentic temples such as Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, on 141 Serangoon Road, which was built in the 1880s in honor of Kali, Shiva's wife and destroyer of evil, and Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, on 397 Serangoon Road, which was built in 1855 for Vishnu, one of Hinduism's three major deities, or, more precisely, for Krishna, who is one of Vishnu's avatars. 6:30pm: From here, walk to Farrer Park Station and take the MRT underground to Promenade Station, next to the Singapore Flyer (you will have to change trains at Dhoby Ghaut – No need to leave the station though): Singapore Flyer, the world’s current largest Ferris wheel soars 165 M (550 ft) above the city and affords stunning views of Singapore and its environs… The best time to ride it is at around 6:30 - 7pm, which is twilight time in Singapore almost all year around, and that is when you will be able to get a fantastic view of the city, as it lights up like a Christmas tree... Although Singapore has one of the best publictransport systems in the world, taking the Singapore City Hop-on Hop-off Tour is highly recommended, as it takes you directly to the various attractions and saves you the time and hassle of waiting for a bus or walking…

From here you can take a pleasant 10 minutes' stroll via Hellix Bridge (a high-tech looking bridge that links Marina Centre with Marina Bay Sands and offers lovely views of the new city centre) to Marina Bay Sands (Tip: If you feel too tired, you can also take the MRT from Promenade Station, to Bayfront Station) :

Marina Bay Sands, Southeast Asia's newest and most popular mega-attraction, boasts an ostentatious casino (Singapore's first), a fantastic shopping mall and almost endless dining and entertainment options, although the real hoo-ha here is the Sands SkyPark - An enormous sky terrace that is perched across the three hotel skyscrapers, at a height of more than 200 metres, and offers breathtaking views across the metropolis.

Two other recommended places to end the day at are New Asia Bar, on the 71st floor of the Swissôtel The Stamford Hotel, right next to MRT City Hall Station, or 1-altitude, the world's highest alfresco bar, which is perched atop of 1 Raffles Place (adjacent to Raffles Place MRT Station), at a height of 282 m. Discover Singapore with those who know it best! Click here to view our choice of city-tours and activities.

The See Singapore Attraction Pass can save a lot of money for those of you who wish to make the most of their precious holiday time… You can take a Singapore River Cruise, or ride the world’s largest observation wheel, visit one (or more) of Singapore's fantastic museums, see the world's largest collection of tropical orchids at the National Orchid Garden, visit Jurong's BirdPark and Singapore Zoo, join a guided walking tour and much more…

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