Singapore Recommendations?

[rwa12]

I'm doing an international residency in Singapore next May as part of my Masters Degree. I'll be there for a week, and my wife will be travelling with me. Any recommendations on restaurants, things to see, things to avoid?

[JimH5]

I lived there for 2 1/2 years from Jan 2008- June 2010. Fantastic place. Bring sunscreen and stay hydrated! And bring money. . .

 

Not sure where you'll be staying. Public transportation is terrific if you are near an MRT station. Taxis are plentiful, too.

 

It's hard to recommend food, as there are price points all over the map. The buffet at the Conrad Centennial hotel is fabulous ($$$$), and the Newton Hawker Centre is an interesting cultural experience ($). Din Tai Fung is awesome. The Food Republic food courts in some of the malls will get you warmed up to some Asian cuisine options, if that's to your taste.

 

I would recommend Orchard Road, just to see unabashed luxury. Takashimaya at Ngee Ann City, ION Orchard, plus some of the newer shopping centers.

 

We loved the Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoo & Night Safari (daughter was age 3 1/2 to 6 while we were there). The orangutan exhibit at the Zoo is worth the 20 hour flight by itself. There is a new River Safari (?) which may be open now with pandas either there or scheduled.

 

The National Orchid Garden is fabulous. I understand the Sky Garden atop the Sands resort is spectacular, though it wasn't open yet when we left.

 

There really aren't any unsafe places there, though Geylang and Orchard Towers are prostitution zones, so they may leave you a little skeeved out. With a young child, we were not nightlife people, so I can't speak much of that, though Clarke Quay seemed to be a happening place among expats and locals.

 

You'll see a ton of freight ships on the water off of East Coast Park, and thus, the water isn't great for swimming. Most beachgoers go to Sentosa for that. Sentosa was growing quite a bit just as we left, with a new casino/resort & Universal Studios park.

 

Singapore is a great place, and you're in for an adventure. . .

[rwa12]

Thanks Jim! It sounds awesome, and we are really excited. They are putting us up at the Renezvous Grand Hotel, which is supposed to be centrally located and near a MRT stop. We are fairly adventurous eaters, with my wife also being a seafood fanatic.

[JimH5]

There is another BF.netter named TigerBrew who also lives/lived in Singapore. I haven't seen him on here in awhile, but he may have more current info than me.

 

Your hotel is near the Dhoby Ghaut station, which is a hub of three prominent MRT lines. You'll have no problem getting to where you want to go. If you're interested in Sentosa, take the yellow line to the HarbourFront stop (the last stop). That's where the large VivoCity mall is, the cruiseship terminal, and the bridge to Sentosa. Underwater World is a pretty cool aquarium on Sentosa Island. . .

 

You're in an ideal location. I walked through there at least once a week for those years. We attended the Wesley Methodist Church not far from Dhoby Ghaut. Plaza Singapura is a mall on top of the terminal. The residence of the Prime Minister (and it's armed guard patrol) is adjacent to Plaza Singapura.

 

I would also recommend a visit to Little India. Interesting restaurants, the 24-hour Mustafa Centre department store, the Tekka Wet Market. Good stuff.

 

We're hoping to get back there for a vacation sometime in 2013. If you can fly Singapore Air, by all means, do it. All the seats on the Newark-to-Singapore flight are either First Class, or Business Class, with oversized seats that lay virtually flat. And onboard service is unlike anything you'll find in the US.

[GAME05]

If you can fly Singapore Air, by all means, do it.

 

i flew first class on Singapore Air from San Francisco once. only plane ride i've been on where i didn't really want to get off the plane.

 

ok, and i don't know if it's because they don't have to pasteurize their orange juice or something, but best orange juice i've ever had! oh man it was good. i didn't even take any booze on the flight, but kept asking for glasses of orange juice. the stewardess thought i was weird. make sure you have some.

[rwa12]

I will be unfortunately be flying whatever airline is cheapest for the government. It will most likely involve holding a goat for the duration. Thanks for the tips Jim, we can't wait to go!

[JimH5]

I will be unfortunately be flying whatever airline is cheapest for the government. It will most likely involve holding a goat for the duration. Thanks for the tips Jim, we can't wait to go!

 

Well, you never know, If the government is paying. . .oops..wrong forum.

[RobDeer 45]

Try the Sling...... ok bad joke.

 

Best of luck on the trip, I bet it will be pretty sweet!

[JimH5]

Try the Sling...... ok bad joke.

 

Best of luck on the trip, I bet it will be pretty sweet!

 

Incidentally, the Singapore Sling was invented at the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel. They still make them there, but they're around $30 each, so it depends on how badly you want to pay homage.