Best things to do in Singapore

#travelwithgateway #singapore #travel2020

1. STROLL ALONG MARINA BAY WATERFRONT PROMENADE

• Image: ronniechua

• Ticket Free

• Opening hours 24/7

WHAT: As its name would suggest, Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade is a 3.5-kilometre along-the-bay walkway that brings people across many attractions at Marina Centre, Collyer Quay and the Bayfront. The promenade is designed as an environment-friendly recreation area. There are mist sprays to relieve guests from the blazing Singapore heat; breeze shelters with motion sensor fans to provide visitors with a cool stop from a tour walking around the bay. Singapore’s Marina Bay is a real beauty of nature, adorned with the most glitzy skyscrapers and uniquely architectural buildings. The promenade is there to give locals and tourists an up-close view of the bay. It also serves as a viewing area for various public events. WHY: The Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade is an excellent site for a number of fun and cost-free activities along the bay. Children can frolic at the fountain. Lovers can take a romantic walk with a picture-perfect view. Health buffs can have outdoor yoga sessions at the lower boardwalk. And everyone can sit at the bayfront and enjoy sunset. Free outdoor performances are also regularly held at the waterfront. HIGHLIGHTS AT THE PROMENADE:

• Wonder Full is considered as the largest light and water show in Southeast Asia. This free nightly spectacle features a delightful show of laser lights and water projections, accompanied by orchestra music. It is best viewed from the Event Plaza, which also holds concerts and other performances.

• The Helix Bridge connects Marina Centre to Marina South that is home to Gardens By The Bay. This uniquely designed pedestrian bridge has a double helix that resembles the DNA. Four viewing platforms are strategically located along the bridge for sightseers to enjoy breathtaking views of Singapore skyline.

• The ArtScience Museum is a lotus-designed building that forms part of Marina Bay Sands. Explore the museum’s 21 galleries and delve into the world of art and science that helped shape the human society of today.

2. EXPLORE ORCHARD ROAD – THE FASHION STREET OF SINGAPOREe: Erwin Soo/Flickr

• Ticket Free

• Shopping mall operating hours 10:00 - 22:00

WHAT: Orchard Road is a 2.2-kilometre shopping and entertainment avenue in the heart of Singapore. The boulevard is splendidly filled with luxury shopping malls, restaurants, and hotels. Orchard Road owes its name to its history as a farming area filled with fruit orchards. Gone are all the fruit trees. Modern-day Orchard sees all the lavish shopping centres rising and shining. ION Orchard, Paragon, Orchard Central, Nghe Ann City, Plaza Singapura, and Tangs are the most loved malls in this famous street. WHY: A walk along Orchard is a chance to know how glitzy and glamorous Singapore is. A lot of creativity and love were put into decorations and lighting to make the place sparkling. There is a bevy of shopping malls and retail shops on Orchard Road and an entire day is not enough to explore them all! Once there, you will be awed by the wide array of goods for sale from various shops, especially during Great Singapore Sale, an annual sale season. POPULAR SHOPPING MALLS ON ORCHARD ROAD:

• ION Orchard is considered as the most glamorous shopping complex in Singapore. It has over 300 stores, some of them offering 10% discounts for tourists through the Ion Orchard Tourist Wallet. Got cash to burn? Go and splurge at the flagship stores of Giorgio Armani, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Dior.

• Ngee Ann City is another much-loved mall on Orchard. It houses Takashimaya department store and Kinokuniya – Singapore’s largest bookstore. Popular brand shops, and Asian restaurants can also be found there.

• In the world of Orchard luxury shopping, Lucky Plaza survives as a bargain hunter’s paradise. It is most notable for affordable deals on electronic goods, cameras, and mobile phones. Lucky Plaza is also recommended for souvenir purchasing.

3. EXPLORE DOWNTOWN SINGAPORE ON A BUMBOATkr

• Tickets River Cruise: S$25 (adult), S$15 (child) River taxis: S$5 per trip

WHAT: In Singapore, bumboat refers to a small boat or water taxi that is used for quick transport and river tours. These bumboats are often painted with eyes and faces supposedly to “see the danger ahead.” There are two bumboat service companies in Singapore – Singapore River Cruise and Singapore River Explorer. They follow a similar route with stops at the Esplanade, Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Clemenceau, and Robertson Quay. A one-stop trip costs SGD5.00 (USD3.60). 40-minute river tours are also offered at SG$25.00 (US$18.00) per adult passenger. WHY: A bumboat ride down Singapore River is the cheapest and fastest way to see the stunning sights of downtown Singapore. You can relax at the boat deck and enjoy the breeze as the boat chugs along the river. Go in the late afternoon to catch the sunset and get the best of day and night views of the waterfront. A nighttime bumboat trip is a great chance to enjoy the light show at Marina Bay from a different yet amazing angle. LANDMARKS TO SEE ALONG THE BUMBOAT ROUTE:

• The Merlion is undoubtedly the most identifiable representation of Singapore. Built by a local sculptor, Lim Nang Seng, this 8.6-metre statue sits at one end of the Marina Bay waterfront.

• Marina Bay Sands is an iconic resort complex located at the Bayfront. The landmark consists of three towers connected at the top by a 1-hectare roof terrace. Don’t forget to take a selfie on the bumboat with MBS at the background!

• The statue of Sir Stamford Raffles stands at the Raffles Landing Site near the Boat Quay. Sir Raffles was the founder of modern day Singapore. The statue is a reminder of Singapore’s olden days and the single point in history that changed the destiny of this Lion country.

4. VISIT GARDENS BY THE BAY

WHAT: Gardens by the Bay is a modern green space that occupies 101 hectares in central Singapore. This innovative tourist heaven was born from an international design competition to create an urban garden in the city center. The project was aimed to seal Singapore’s title as a “City in a Garden”. The park is divided into three major sections: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. Since its opening in 2012, Gardens by the Bay has been visited by more than 20 million visitors. WHY: Gardens by the Bay is a design achievement that should not be missed by anybody who sets foot in Singapore. The garden’s advanced concept perfectly combines nature and modern technology, creating an awe-inspiring futuristic wonderland. Gape in wide-eyed wonder at every dome and garden feature. Enjoy the free access to the sky walk and see the gardens from above! At Gardens by the Bay, you could easily forget the time, spend the whole day, and still not want to leave at closing time.