travelmom13

We will be in Singapore for about 1.5 days. We plan to go to the Night Safari. We would be so grateful for any other suggestions. We love adventure, my husband likes gardens, I like animals, and we both love food! One thing...I am pregnant and can't take too much spice or sketchy food this trip.

I've heard about the Botanical Gardens (specifically the orchard Garden). Is this a must see? I have also heard about the hawkers? I'd love to know more about that and where the best places are.

Any good shopping like in Hong Kong or Bangkok?
Any good restaurants that you would like to suggest? We would be willing to do one $$$ dinner and reasonably priced lunches at great and recommended places.

Can't wait to know more!
Thanks

Kathie

The Orchid garden at the botanical gardens is the largest orchid display garden in the world and is really spectauclar. Go early. If you are pregnant, you may not be very tolerant of the heat. Les Amis au Jardin is located in the botanical gardens and is now only open for dinner. French food, fabulous service, wonderful setting...$$$

My favorite place for a wonderful, long lunch (though also good for dinner) is Doc Cheng'a at Raffles. Ask for one of the romantic curtained booths.

Shopping is about the price of Hong Kong - no longer the wonderful bargain it once was. Still, there are interesting things to buy.

There is the museum of Asian Civilizations at Empress Place, which is worth a visit. There is also a small museum at Raffles hotel. Also worth a brief vist before or after lunch at Doc Cheng's.

You don't have a lot of time... there are lots of things to do and see in Singapore.

KMLoke

Good shopping. Depends on what you are looking for.

Food. You can ask for the chilli to be left out or reduced. There's lots of good eating places so you would like to tell us what type of cuisine you would like.

You must try the local hawker food. Unfortunately the good stuff are in hawker centers of which the best are normally not air-conditioned. Don't recommend the air-conditioned food courts as generally the quality is not quite as good. You could try the Straits Kitchen at the Grand Hyatt.

Some feedback on the place.

http://www.makansutra.com/forums/sin...pic.php?t=6317

Another place you could try is the buffet at the Merchant Court Hotel.

KMLoke

You can get lots of info on food at this site.

http://wineanddine.asiaone.com.sg/

Lindsey

Definitely try to visit one or two of the ethnic nieghborhoods.....the largest are Chinatown and Little India, and they are only 10 min apart by taxi. Ethnic diversity is what Singapore is all about and these areas are loaded with interesting temples, shops, restaurants and culture. For example, in Chinatown you can enjoy a tea traditional tea ceremony and in Little India watch the weavers make flower garlands to take to the temple.
If you want to try hawker food, the stalls at the Maxwell Road Food Center in Chinatown have some great examples of the more traditional dishes.

For a very romantic dinner in a uniquely Singaporean location, try Flutes at the Fort. Be sure to book ahead and request a table on the verandah. The restaurant is located in an old black and white colonial style house, up on a hill, so you have partial views of city lights. The food is Asian influenced, but nothing spicy. Sitting on that verandah, you can really imagine life as it was for the colonials, back in the days of Sir Stamford Raffles.

If your husband likes gardens, the Orchid Garden inside the Botanical Garden is a must do. Have breakfast or lunch afterward in rainforest, in the restaurant Halia. It's in the Botanical Garden, quite close to the Orchid Garden. It's completely glassed in so you can enjoy the views and the combination Asian and Western menu in air con comfort. (They also have a deck, but I think it's a bit warm to sit out there during the day, even with the fans.)
Enjoy your visit!