Singapore - First Time
 

So we're definitely going to be in Singapore Sept 22-27 and this is our first time there. Here's our to-do list so far:

Raffles Hotel for tea and a Singapore Sling
As much shopping and food tasting as time will allow...
Orchard Road
Chinatown
Arab Street
Little India
Tanglin
Asian Civilizations Museum
Singapore Art Museum
Ming Village
Malay Village
Holland Village

Anything else not to miss? What's going on in town that week?

Depends on your interests, but I'd add a trip to the Botanical Gardens, especially their Orchid Garden which is spectacular. Also, while at Raffles, visit their small museum which is charming. One of my favorite restaurnats in Singapore is at Raffles, Doc Cheng's.

Sounds good to me. I go to Singapore regularly and will be there in a few weeks. Oh, add the Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple. If you taxi to Indochine restaurant at 49B Club Street(upstairs) in East Chinatown(for lunch) then you can walk over to the temple after lunch and check it out and then since you'll be on a main street, you can either flag for a taxi or take one of those Chinese bicycle cars. They are outside of the temple. It's just one street over from Club Street. Plus Club Street has some very nice interior design stores. If you're interested in shopping for batik, go to 95 Arab Street...as for shopping malls I like Raffles City Shopping Mall and City Link (underground level of Raffles Shopping Mall) the best for more western style things. Plus there's Jason's supermarket in the basement which is real nice for ready prepared take out food and there's a western foodcourt if you have a craving for Mrs. field's cookies or want some of the western chain restaurants for a quick bite. I also highly recommend Thanying Express Thai restaurant at the B2 level of Takashimaya Dept Store..Ngee Ann City MAll...in the heart of Orchard Road. Also the Chinese restaurant called Lei Gardens is a must. It's inside the Chjmes complex right across from Raffles City Shopping Mall and the back side of the Raffles Hotel. There is a very good moneyexchanger in there if you need to exchange money and a Vietnamese restaurant in the complex that has wonderful fried bananas. Also drop into Peter Hoe-Evolution in the Chjmes complex which is a very nice Southeast Asian gift shop. And last, but not least Tanglin Shopping Centre at 19, Tanglin Road is a must. The whole Centre has Southeast Asian stores for interior design items,antiques,textiles, a great bookstore upstairs, etc. It's a quiet,specialized shopping centre. Don't confuse it with Tanglin Shopping Mall...that's a whole other place. Hope this has helped. Happy Travels!

1. If shopping near the corner of Orchard and Scotts Rd go for afternnon tea at the Goodwood Park Hotel .

2. Lunch at Banana Leaf Apollo in Little India - fabulous curries and fish served on a banana leaf .

I would consider the night zoo...its amazing and you'll need a break from all the shopping and eating :-)

My Singapore favorites:
The Botanical Gardens just before dawn (excellent when you are jetlagged!)

The night safari (zoo) Go late; it's open until midnight. Take the train in out and walk back. It's perfectly safe but eerie.

Newton Circus for a mix and match dinner.

I understand that there is a great exhibit there now on Zheng He the Chinese explorer/navigator, though I haven't seen it myself.

When you are in the Chinatown area I would suggest the Maxwell Road Hawker Center and the Chinatown food center instead of Newton. These 2 places are amongst the best in Singapore.

Checkout this for the best of the hawker foods in Singapore:

http://www.makansutra.com/legends.html

You must try the chilli crab and the curry fish head.

If you are pressed for time skip the Ming and Malay village. The Malay village area would be interesting in October when there's road side stalls selling food and stuff during Ramadan (Muslim fasting month).

Definitely the night zoo. It is 20 degrees cooler out there - SGD 15.00 by taxi. Don't bother taking a tour to get there. Very expensive for an ordianry dinner.
If you are flying with Singapore air you will get discount vouchers for Raffles tea & a free Sling.

i'd skip holland village, its only a couple of blocks of shops. go to clark or boat quay instead.

If you go to Clarke's Quay, then go at night because there is nothing much happening during the day unless there is the inside flea market(I think on the weekend)...which was ok, but nothing incredible. Happy Travels!

guenmai; good point, nothing happening at cq during the day. i guess the remodeling is complete by now.

ready for thanying express???

kmloke; thanks for the website. the fried hokkien mee looks good, and i will check it out on my next trip. the guy must be good, as he closes on "an ad-hoc basis".

Kuranosuke...I'm more than ready for Thanying Express and that new one...Sabai...by the owner of the old Thanying that was both at Clarke's Quay and the Amari Hotel,remember? I'm glad you told me about Sabai. I'll go there first and try it and report back. Happy Travels!

When you are on Orchard Road, go through the back of the cafes to the Emerald Hill residential/historical area. You're about one minute away from it, and it's a charming area of redeveloped houses and gardens - pedestrian only. It's like suddenly walking into an oasis!

kuranosuke
The hokkien mee is definitely one of the best in town. Be prepared to wait as there's long queues most times.

Another good hokkien mee is at Lorong 29 Geylang. They have another outlet at a coffee shop near Telok Kurau/East Coast Road which I've been told is better than the Geylang one. Again expect to wait.

kmloke; thanks for the additional info. i can eat hokkien mee all day. i've been to a hokkien mee place on east coast road. excellent.

wow! a hokkien place in geylang. what more can one ask for. :-).

Yes, definitely go to the Emerald Hill area right off of Orchard Road. Happy Travels!

I've been to Singapore dozens of times but have never heard of Emerald Hill. Could you please give more specific directions? Sounds like a nice walk.

it's in Orchard Road. The entrance is between Orchard Emerald and Peranakan Place. You will see a beer garden at the entrance. Just walk straight through it.

http://www.streetdirectory.com.sg/si...masterid=21796

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Sounds like we should skip "the villages" and head towards "the quays". Emerald Hill looks interesting too.

Being true foodies, we bought the Makansutra guide which will be a great help, but it doesn't list one yummy food that I want to try: pisang goreng (deep-fried banana with cinnamon/sugar and caramel sauce?) Anybody know of the best hawker stall for it?

We'd also like to buy ingredients, spices, cookbooks, etc..if you have recommendations.