Take a pinch of Swiss efficiency, add a touch of palm-tree-lined Beverly Hills, the vaunted Chinese work ethic and some Malay-Indian-Eurasian ethnic attitude, and there you have this city-state. Its small-town, overachiever ethos runs like clockwork, whether with a rubber stamp at Changi Airport or white-gloved service at Raffles. If you like your Asian culture prim and pretty, there are few better places for a brief sojourn.
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01
Essentials
| 01 |
Singapore's fine culture is still in effect: chewing gum, drugs and even dancing in the street are big no-no's. |
| 02 |
Sin-glish in a nutshell: add lah after everything you say. |
| 03 |
Long stopover? The airport is 20 minutes from almost anywhere and has sun decks, a swimming pool and cinema. |
| 04 |
Live the beach life. Hop in a car to Sentosa and do sundowners at lounge-bar 8 KM. |
| 05 |
Don't forget that newspaper The Straits Times is, like much in this island-nation, controlled by the government. |
| 06 |
Head to the suburbs in the evening: the revamped old homes in Rochester Park are lovely for a drink or a bite at any time of night. |
| 07 |
Staid by light, wild by dark: Nightlife hub Zouk caters to Singaporeans of all ages. It's worth going to people-watch. |
| 08 |
Enter Kumar. Southeast Asia's most famous drag queen is not to be missed. |
| 09 |
Chilli or pepper? Take the latter for local street credibility when you go for your crab feast. |
| 10 |
Mum's the word. In business and daily life, the less verbal the better for purposes of power and projection. |
02
Hotels
Independent and easy
Berjaya Duxton
83 Duxton Road
+ 65 6227 7678
berjayaresorts.com
Dependable chain
Raffles
1 Beach Road
+ 65 6337 1886
singapore-raffles.
raffles.com
Premium
Ritz-Carlton Millenia
7 Raffles Avenue
+ 65 6337 8888
ritzcarlton.com
03
Dining
Fast breakfast
The Green Room at the Ritz-Carlton
7 Raffles Avenue
+ 65 6337 8888
ritzcarlton.com
Business breakfast
Tiffin Room at Raffles
1 Beach Road
+ 65 6331 1612
singaporeraffles.
raffles.com
Mid-morning coffee
Toast
02-11 Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road
+ 65 6733 8489
toast.com.sg
Working lunch with colleagues
Mezza9 at the Grand Hyatt
10 Scotts Road
+ 65 6732 1234
singapore.grand.hyatt.com
Need-to-impress-clients lunch
Saint Pierre
01 Central Mall, 3 Magazine Road
+ 65 6438 0887
saintpierre.com.sg
Lunch on your own
Shiraishi at the Ritz-Carlton
7 Raffles Avenue
+ 65 6338 3788
ritzcarlton.com
Afternoon tea/drink
Bars and Billiard Room at Raffles
1 Beach Road
+ 65 6337 1886
Dinner on your own
Iggy's at The Regent
One Cuscaden Road
+ 65 6733 8888
regenthotels.com/singapore
Dinner with colleagues
The Line at Shangri-La
22 Orange Grove Road, Orchard Road
+ 65 6213 4275
shangri-la.com
Big dinner with partner clients
Oso
27 Tanjong Pagar Road
+ 65 6327 8378
oso.sg
Drink after dinner
Il Lido
Sentosa Country Club
+ 65 6866 1977
il-lido.com
Late drinks
Graze
4 Rochester Park
+ 65 6775 9000
graze.sg
Late bite
Whitebait and Kale
One Orchard Boulevard
Camden Centre
+ 65 6333 8697
whitebaitandkale.com
On the tiles
Velvet Underground
17 Jiak Kim Street
+ 65 6738 2988
zoukclub.com
04
Reading
Bookstore
Page One
Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road
+ 65 6737 5021
05
Thank yous
Wine
Booze Wine Shop
01-04, 168 Robinson Road
+ 65 6435 1900
06
Shopping
Something you can't get anywhere else
Bespoke shirts from Colleoni
+ 65 9835 1845
(call for appointment)
Lost luggage – where to buy shirts, socks and underwear
Takashimaya
391 Orchard Road
+ 65 6738 111
takashimaya-sin.com
Something for the kids
Clothes from Lifebaby
252 North Bridge Road
3-34 Raffles City Shopping Centre
+ 65 6338 3552
lifebaby.com
Something for someone you love
Bespoke jewellery by Argentum
+ 65 6220 9219
(ring for appointment)
argentum.com.sg
Something for yourself
Art from Pagodahouse Gallery
143/5 Tanglin Road, Tudor Court
+ 65 6732 2177
pagodahouse.com
07
Two hour tour
| 01 |
Tyler Print Institute
41 Robertson Quay
+ 65 6336 3663
stpi.com.sg |
02 |
National Museum of Singapore
93 Stamford Road
+ 65 6332 3659 |
03 |
Asian Civilizations Museum
at Empress Place
1 Empress Place
+ 65 6332 7798 |
08
Limousine/car
Singapore Limousine
Block 103, Rivervale Walk
+ 65 6384 2290
09
Transport
Buy a pass
Most MRT (local train) and bus stations sell rechargeable Ez-link cards valid for travel everywhere.
10
Fitness
Good gym
Planet Fitness
Vivo City, 1 Harbourfront Walk
+ 65 6235 9622
planetfitness.com.sg
Good running route
The Reservoir by Upper Thomson Road
Fort Canning Park
Alternative diversion
Water Sports
William Water Sports
600 Ponggol, 17th Avenue
+ 65 6257 5859
williamwatersports.com.sg