World Country Guide

Singapore City

Singapore City was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company, who recommended that different areas of the town be set aside for the various ethnic groups. There are still fascinating pockets where more traditionally exclusive enclaves exist, principally in Chinatown, Arab Street, Serangoon Road (focus of the Indian community) and Padang Square with its very strong colonial associations. The best way to experience the remarkable diversity of the city is on foot: the traditional architecture, customs and cuisine of the various ethnic areas are in fascinating contrast to the lavish luxury shopping arcades of Orchard Road and Raffles City.
Orchard Road is the ‘Fifth Avenue’ or ‘Oxford Street’ of Singapore, and just as bustling, with its vast luxury malls, shops ranging from megastores to vendors of souvenir tat, as well as cafes and restaurants. The corner bar of the Singapore Marriott Hotel, itself a landmark, is the prime spot to watch the world go by.
Arab Street is the centre of the Arabian quarter of Singapore, and a great place for shopping. Other streets with excellent shopping opportunities are Baghdad Street and Bussorah Street, while Sultan Plaza is a centre for cloth traders. The golden domes of the Sultan Mosque, Singapore’s chief Muslim place of worship, dominate the area; nearby are two historic Muslim burial grounds.
Chinatown, though somewhat overwhelmed by the growth of the Financial District, is a bustling and colourful area with shops, teahouses and restaurants, and also several temples such as the Fuk Tak Ch’i in Telok Ayer Street and the Temple of the Calm Sea. Ancient crafts of calligraphy, papermaking and fortune-telling are practised, and traditional goods and foodstuffs can be bought. The characteristic domestic architecture of Singapore – the shop-house with a moulded front, shuttered upper floor and an arcaded street front – is much in evidence.
Serangoon Road is the centre of Little India, the Indian quarter stretching from Rochar Canal to Lavender Street. The Zhu Jiao Centre, at the southern end of Serangoon Road, is a particularly vibrant example of Little India. Other attractions in the area include the Sri Veeramakalimman Temple, the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hall in Race Course Lane and Farrer Park.
No trip to Singapore would be complete without a visit to the Raffles Hotel, one of the most famous hotels in the world. A ‘Singapore Sling’ in the Long Bar is almost de rigueur; alternatively, drop into the Writers’ Bar which provided inspiration for, amongst others, Noel Coward, Somerset Maugham and Joseph Conrad. The CHIJMES complex near the Raffles Hotel was developed out of the former Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, whose Gothic shell is the basis for a series of plazas housing chic shops, restaurants and bars. A statue of Sir Stamford Raffles has been erected on the banks of the Singapore River on the spot where he is believed to have first set foot in Singapore. Nearby is Parliament House, the oldest government building in the country, the core of which dates back to the 1820s. Boat Quay and North Boat Quay, flanking the river on both banks near the Raffles statue, has now become one of Singapore’s most popular bar and recreation areas, with traditional shop-houses converted into restaurants and clubs. Clarke Quay forms a triangle defined by a bend in the Singapore River. It is a complex of colonial ‘godowns’ (eastern term for warehouses) converted into a maze of bars, outdoor eating places, clubs, souvenir shops and mobile stalls that present the ‘Old Singapore’ tourist experience at its most concentrated, if occasionally tacky. Riverside Walk, on the opposite riverbank, extends the zone further, and the whole area is a must-see for visitors. Mohammed Sultan Road, west of Clarke Quay, is Singapore’s classiest bar and club strip.
The Botanic Gardens, over 47 hectares (116 acres) of landscaped parkland and primary jungle, are situated to the west of the city (Napier/Cluny roads), and are home to a wide range of animal and plant life. Within the gardens you will find the National Orchid Garden which has the largest collection in the world. Opening hours are Mon-Fri 0500-2300 and until 0000 at weekends and public holidays. Admission is free.
The Bukit Timah Reserve, established in 1883 and located northwest of the Botanic Gardens on Bukit Timah Road, contains Singapore’s last stretches of original and immaculately manicured rain forest. The nature reserve also consists of tropical vegetation with clearly marked trails which lead up to Bukit Timah, the highest hill in Singapore. Admission is free.
Fort Canning Park, on Fort Canning Rise, was once an ancient fort of the Malay kings covering 2.8 hectares (7 acres). Colonial ruins of the British citadel can still be viewed, as can a 19th-century Christian cemetery. The Battle Box in the park is the old command bunker of the World War II defence of Singapore, now a museum open Tues-Sun 1000-1800, with a small admission fee charged.
The Mandai Orchid Garden is a commercial orchid farm enshrining Singapore’s characteristic horticultural export, with a hillside of exotic orchid species and a spectacular water garden. Opening hours: daily 0900-1730. An admission fee is charged.
The Kranji War Cemetery and Memorial, northwest of the Mandai Orchid Garden, commemorates the death of all those who fell in the catastrophic campaigns in the defence of Singapore during World War II. The cemetery and landscaped grounds are open daily; no flowers are allowed on the graves.
The Singapore Zoological Gardens, towards the north of the island of Singapore, are largely an open zoo, using natural barriers rather than iron bars. Over 170 animals live here, including many rare or endangered species, such as orangutans, Sumatran tigers, Komodo dragons and clouded leopards. Daily attractions include ‘wild breakfast’ or ‘afternoon tea’ and ‘Animal Showtime’. One special and much publicised attraction is the Night Safari; a combination walking and tram tour of predominantly nocturnal species. The zoo is open daily 0830-1800 and the Night Safari daily 1930-2400.
Buddhist and Hindu temples, mosques and Anglican and Catholic cathedrals are all likely to be encountered during a comparatively brief walk around some of the central areas of Singapore. St Andrew’s Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, the Al-Abrar Mosque, the vast and florid Kong Meng Sang Phor Kark See Temple Complex, the Chettiar Hindu Temple and the Sri Mariamman Temple are only a few of these.
Other interesting attractions in Singapore City include the Singapore Art Museum, the Asian Civilisation Museum; the National Museum & Art Gallery; Merlion Park; the Thong Chai Medical Institution; the Singapore Mint Coin Gallery; the Singapore Crocodile House (feeding time at 1100, crocodile wrestling at 1315 and 1615); and the Fort Cannings Aquarium in River Valley Road, with over 6000 species of freshwater and marine animals. Also not to be missed is Singapore’s performing arts centre.