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Travel and holiday tips in Singapore :

For an island this small, Singapore sure has far more than its share of attractions. From idyllic, lonely stretches of beach and full blown amusement parks to solemn Buddhist shrines and cool, quiet museums… We present here a sampling of the attractions the island has to offer.

Famous Sites:

The Merlion.

The iconic symbol of Singapore, the Merlion statue is situated at the mouth of the Singapore river, the Merlion to Singapore is what the Statue of Liberty is to the United States. The statue itself is a depiction of a mythical half fish / half lion creature, and celebrates the republic's legendary past. According to the "Malay Annals" a collection of histories from the 15th and 16th centuries, a Sri Vijayan prince from Sumatra island by the name of Sang Nila Utama, sighted a lion while his ship was landing on the island and decided to name the island Singapura, from the Sanskrit words "Singa" (Lion) and "Pura" (City). The lion head of the statue signifies the island's name and the fish tail, synbolises Temasek, Singapore's ancient name.

 
 

Designed and crafted by Mr. Lim Nang Seng, it was officially installed in the year 1972, by Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. The Merlion is a popular tourist attraction and the promontory it's situated on offers excellent views and photo opportunities of the Marina Bay and the silhouette of the city's skyline, including One Fullerton and the Esplanade.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to Raffles Place Station, then walk. It's near the Fullerton Hotel.

Raffles Statue.

The statue of Singapore's founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, is situated at the spot where he was believed to have first come ashore. The site offers excellent views of the Boat Quay and Raffles Place.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to Raffles Place Station, then walk, it's near the North Boat Quay

The War Memorial.

A tribute to the people who died during the Second World War, this memorial stands near the City Hall MRT station. The Japanese occupied Singapore for three years from 1942 to 1945 and during this time, many civilians died in the brutal occupation by the Japanese Imperial Army. The memorial is comprised of four white columns and reaches some 230 feet into the sky.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to City Hall station, it's a short walk away from there.

The Esplanade.

The current performing arts center for Singapore, the Esplanade was opened in the year 2002 and contains a 1600 seat concert hall, a 2000 seat theater, outdoor performing spaces and a 3 level mall. Traditionally, the area it's situated in; the Esplanade had always been associated with leisure and relaxation, the brand new arts center is therefore a cultural focus for modern times.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to the nearest station, City Hall. And after that, you're on your own.

Address:60 Raffles Venue, Singapore 039800
Tel: 6332-0774
Fax: 6337-3633
Website: www.esplanade.com.sg

Sri Mariamman Temple.

Singapore's oldest Hindu temple is always a popular destination for visitors to Singapore. A traditional Hindu design complete with a myriad of ornate and colourful statues and statuettes as well as the striking and beautifully decorated pagoda shaped "gopurams" signifying the gates of heaven. It is a focus of the Hindu religion. Like most places of worship, visitors are advised to be respectful and polite while visiting, it's also mandatory to remove your shoes before entering.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to City Hall, and then take a bus, 61, 103, 166 or 197 from the nearby North Bridge Road, easier to just grab a taxi though…
Address: 244, South Bridge Road, Singapore 058793
Tel: 6223-4064


Thian Hock Keng Temple

The oldest Hokkien temple in Singapore, the design of the temple is a stunning example of Chinese architecture with intricately designed and illustrated columns, reliefs and friezes. The temple has it's roots back in the early 19th century and contain priceless relics from mainland China reputed to be several hundred years old. Note that the temple building itself was constructed without the use of any nails.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to Tanjong Pagar Station and walk from there.

Address: 158 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 048613
Tel: 6423-4616

Sultan Mosque

Built in 1928, the design of this mosque is heavily influenced by Moorish architecture, with its distinctive minarets and domes. A spectacularly designed building, the mosque offers excellent photo opportunities from within and without. The Muslim faith highly values modesty, so dress appropriately on the grounds and even more so within the mosque itself.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to Bugis MRT Station, the Mosque is close to the nearby North Bridge Road.

Address: 3, Muscat Street, 198833 Singapore
Tel: 6293-4405


St. Andrews Cathedral

Built in 1856 by a Colonel Ronald Macpherson, a beautiful, very "traditional" looking building, St Andrews Cathedral was built on the site of another demolished church. Guided tours are available as well as a video presentation of the Church's history. A Visitors Center on site offers a display of old artifacts.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to City Hall Station, the cathedral is right above it.

Address: Coleman Street, Singapore 179802
Tel: 6337-6104

Other famous landmarks is Singapore include the historic and architecturally spectacular Raffles and Fullerton Hotels, the Convent of The Holy Infant Jesus, The Merlion Park and the Singapore River Tour.

Popular Attractions

Singapore Botanical Gardens

Strikingly beautiful to experience with a combination of "wild" primary forests, and gardens dedicated to specific flowers and plants, the Botanical Gardens spans an area of some 52 hectares, that's a lot of ground to cover, but surrounded by such natural magnificence, you'll probably hardly notice it. The highlight is probably the National Orchid Garden where some 20,000 orchid specimens from around the world are displayed, beside the orchids there are virtually thousands of other plant and flower species on display.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to Orchard Station, then from there take the 7, 105, 106, 123 or 174 bus

Address: Cluny Road, Singapore 259569
Tel: 1-800-6-471-7300
Fax: 6475-4295
Website: www.sbg.org.sg


The Zoological Gardens

Spread out over an area of some 70 acres, the Singapore Zoological Gardens has its roots in the 1960's withdrawal of the British garrison stationed at Singapore, leaving behind their pets. The modern day Zoo however was officially opened in 1973 and is currently home to some 3000 "residents". The tram services and tours make it easy and educational for the visitor to experience the sights and sounds of the Zoo, this is complemented by the entertainment provided by the various animal shows on offer.

Night Safari (Zoological Gardens)

For those that want to see animals at night. The night safari takes an average of about 3 hours to complete, and 8 different geographical zones are represented. The zones include; the African Savannah, the South-East Asian Rainforest, Nepalese River Valley and the South American Pampas. There are over 1200 animals on display from some 110 species. Visitors board a tram and tour the zoo under simulated natural moonlight.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to Choa Chu Kang Station, when you get there, take the number: 927, alternatively go to Ang Mo Kio Station instead and take bus number 138.

Address: 80, Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
Tel: 6269-3411
Fax: 6367-2974
Website www.zoo.com.sg

Haw Par Villa

Was built by a traditional medicine and newspaper magnate, by the name of Aw Boon Haw, Mr. Haw's flagship product was a soothing (but very, err… aromatic) balm, called Tiger Balm. Hence Haw Par Villa's other name "Tiger Balm Garden". The Garden houses a large, fascinating and very striking collection of statues and dioramas depicting the various stories, tales and legends of Chinese folklore, intended to impress upon the overseas Chinese the richness of their parent heritage. Mr. Aw was said to have taken a very personal interest in the meticulous rendering of the statues making sure it would have the desired effect.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to Buona Vista Station and take the number 200 bus, alternatively take the number 10,30 or 188 from World Trade Center, 143 from Orchard Road or 51 from Chinatown.

Address: 262, Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118628
Tel: 6872-2780
Fax: 6872-2694
Email: orientmgt@pacific.net.sg

Jurong Birdpark

A vast collection of 8,000 birds await the nature lover at this park, constructed to simulate the natural habitats of the avians, the park, which measures some 20.2 hectares, has separate enclosures and separate "themes", where birds from different regions of the world are housed in their specific enclosures. Highlights include the "Fuji World of Hawks" show and the bird shows at the Pools Amphitheatre. Visitors can opt to go for comfort and convenience by boarding the park-wide "Panorail" system or rough it and walk.

To get there, you can…

Take the MRT to Boon Lay Station, then take the number 194 or 251 buses there.

Address: 2, Jurong Hill, Singapore 628925
Tel: 6265-0022
Fax: 6261-1869
Website: www.birdpark.com.sg


OK, besides these, there's a plethora of other places to go and things to do… For a comprehensive and very detailed write ups of these and many other attractions in Singapore go to the Singapore Tourism site here: http://us.visitsingapore.com/frameset.asp