Fun things to do in Singapore

Hi there!

If you have 3 days to kill at the place itself, you can definitely head off to the following places in Malaysia:

- KL
- Langkawi
- Tioman Island
- Redang island
- Malacca

You might want to do some research on these places beforehand.

Cheers!

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Taking a rivercruise is one of the more comfortable ways of seeing Singapore.
The cruises are mostly done by "bumboats" which are old fashioned boats that used to be used for transporting goods from the big ships in to the shore.
These days they have been modernised though and are quite comfortable to ride.
The cruises go down Singapore river and ends up at the merlion statue where you can overlook the Singapore skyline and Marina Bay.
This is a very family friendly way of seeing some of the Singapore sights.
The trips take around 40 minutes and cost 17 Singapore Dollars.

The parlament building in Singapore is one of the best excamples of colonial architecture in Singapore and the oldest goverment buildingin the country too.
It´s from the early part of the 19th century and is still used as the parlament.
There is a little museum in the building you can visit too if you have the time, but the building itself is interesting enough from the outside in my opinion.

Marina Bay Sands Hotel might just be a hotel but it has kinda become the landmark of Sigapore since it opened in 2010.
It´s the worlds most expensive hotel that cost a staggering 8 billion dollars to build and it has the worlds largest casino and a roof top pool that is 150 meters long making it the longest of it´s kind in the world.
It´s overlooking Sigapore harbour and is impossible to miss when you are in Singapore and it´s really an impressive sight that looks like something you would usually find in Dubai.
I am personally really facinated by the place and i think it has really boosted Singapores image as a happening place.

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Check in hotel 81 its around $120 (sing $) a night or find a cheaper backpack hostel in Little India would be less than $100. Shop around Bugis street and Chinatown! Love the food from SG there are many hawker stalls...A day in Singapore you can do a lot! get some info from the airport tourism authority ( free maps with %). Visit Sentosa, Universal Studio, Esplanade,Merlion, Marina Bay, SG Flyer, Clarke Quay at night, river ride, Botanical garden, SG zoo or night safari, museums etc...Oh BEFORE you get out of the immigration you should ask the counter at the left side, since you'll be there for a day could you check in the airport hotel and get a 1 day pass to visit SG. I think they have this for people with long stop overs, but maybe you cant get off the bus...Kindly ask and find out your options! All the best!

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For themeparks, the Universal Studios is a popular destination and found in Resorts World.
We booked the ticket online because we heard that there are limited tickets sold within the day. The tickets cost SGD66 each on an ordinary weekday. There are lots of rides you can try.
Don’t miss the Lights, Camera, Action by Spielberg! Experience the action as if you are in a actual movie shoot! No doubt Spielberg’s a history!

And if you’re into super thrilling action, try Battlestar Gallactica, the world’s tallest pair of dueling roller coaster! We didn’t dare to try that one! If we ever did, we might have been in the “Final Destination” movie of our lives. Don’t dare to try it if you have heart problem! but for a milder thrill of action, experience the ride from Shrek- King Harold's Far Far Away Castle! Also, I recommend the ride in the Jurassic Park!

There are lots of souvenir shops and restaurants inside. You can’t ask for more!

I really love taking pictures in the Revenge of the Mummy. The statues are very realistic.
I can imagine how I look like if I was an Egyptian in my past life... haha!

You might want to check out the Singapore Tourism website for more information on the attractions and events going on in Singapore. Very compreshensive information with an itinerary planner.

http://www.yoursingapore.com

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Raffles Hotel is a Singaporean icon.

"Raffles in Singapore stands for all the fables of the exotic East"
SOMERSET MAUGHAM.

The history of Raffles is folk-lore. Tales of visiting dignataries- movie stars, royalty, writers- abound. It was named after the father of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles. There are suites named after famous dignataries. Somerset Maughm was just one of the famous writers who called Raffles home, but there were many others. Noel Coward, Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling were fixtures. The bars- Long Bar and Writers Bar are testamant to the popularity of Raffles in the first half of the 20th century. The tradition of dropping peanut shells onto the floor in the Long Bar remains a mystery to me- but I suspect that some flippant but famous writer started the habit, and it has remained so for half a century. In fact, it is mandatory to make a mess with the shells. The peanuts come free with drinks in the Long Bar.

There is a fable about a tiger being trapped underneath the billaird table, scaring the privilaged guests. Its true. Around the turn of the century the tiger had escaped from a nearby circus, and made its way to Raffles.......seeking some luxurious accommodation maybe? Bad mistake- the poor fellow was shot in the Billiard room (some say the Long Bar) but his escapade has become one of the many legendary Raffles tales.

Opened in 1887 by Armenian brothers Sarkies, Raffles was popular with intrepid travellers during the early part of the 20th Century. After financial problems due to the Great Depression, the original Raffles was foreced into recievership.
In 1933 the hotel was rehabilited after being bought by a public company, Raffles Ltd.
The balls, dinners, high teas and genteel style of life became an intergral part of high society in Singapore. Then came the war. After the Japanese occupied Singapore, Raffles was used as a base for the Japanese Imperial Army. At the end of the war, in 1945, over 300 Japanese committed suicide inside the building. It was therafter used as a transit camp for prisoners that had been held in Changi Jail. The hotel was once again in dire straits, in bad repair and deep in debt.
In 1950 a Dutch reporter Franz Schutzman, who had been reporting on wars in the area, was hired to manage the hotel.
The Singapore Sling was concoted here- and the recipe was imported to the rest of the world. Approximately one thousand Singapore Slings are sold at Raffles despite the exhorbitant cost.

Franz , recalling the popular days of opulence and gentility, began to implement rules that gradually brought back the Golden days of Raffles. Dinner dress was formal. Balls became weekend highlights, and the huge Ballroom glittered. High Teas, served on the finest china, are still the best in Singapore today. The dainty cucumber sandwiches wafer thin and cakes and pastries of the finest quality.
The hotel was re-furbished.....again and again. The rich and famous flocked back to the hotel.
Management changed over the years. Suites and new dining areas were added. The most recent re-furbishment was in 1989, at a cost of many millions.
Today- even if a stay at Raffles is not within the average travellers budget, the hotel can still be visited. The bars and dining areas are open to the public, and are often frequented by visitors staying elsewhere. The courtyard is a delightful place to sit and partake of a long cool Singapore Sling or other refreshments.
There are designer shops within the main lobby arcade, which is exquisite in design and oozes luxury and good taste.
The museum located upstairs is filled with memorablia- priceless artifacts, photographs, letters, postcards and letters which trace the history of Raffles. I spent hours browsing around here. The museum shop sells souveniers, books , posters and pictures.
In my opinion, no visit to Singapore is complete without a visit to Raffles Hotel.