| SINGAPORE LOCAL HISTORY | | | | Harry’s Quayside Bar & Upstairs at |
| | | | Harry’s Wine Bar – 28 Boat |
| Much of Southeast Asia’s attraction | | | | Quay. Harry’s is known for its live |
| was its position in between two monsoon | | | | Jazz and R&B music. |
| seasons. One half of the year saw winds that | | | | |
| carried sailing vessels from China to | | | | There is airy riverside seating or cozy |
| Southeast Asia, while the other half of the | | | | tables next to the stage. This is a classy |
| year carried sailing vessels from India and | | | | place and even though it is very popular, you |
| Arabia to Southeast Asia. The English, Dutch, | | | | can always get a seat. The wine bar is very |
| Portuguese, French and Spanish saw that there | | | | laid back with plush sofas and a dimly lit |
| was an advantage to having a trading post in | | | | seating area. This is the hottest hub for |
| Southeast Asia. Sir Stamford Raffles arrived | | | | musicians and other artiste types. Happy hour |
| in 1819, signed a treaty with Temenggong | | | | is from 11 am to 9 pm. |
| Abdu’r Rahman so that a trading post | | | | |
| could be set up on the island, in return an | | | | Liquid Room – 76 Robertson Quay. |
| annual payment to the Sultanate was made. In | | | | Liquid Room was the first dance club to spin |
| 1824 the Dutch signed a treaty with Britain, | | | | techno, trance and house music nightly in |
| acknowledging Singapore as a permanent | | | | Singapore. The DJ’s are very selective |
| British possession. In 1869, the Suez Canal | | | | only playing the best of each genre. This |
| opened which linked the Mediterranean and the | | | | club generally attracts the young and |
| Red Sea, this put Singapore in a prime | | | | energetic. Upstairs is the dance floor while |
| position and less dependent on trade winds. | | | | downstairs is a moody lounge, which provides |
| | | | some down time. Happy hour is from 7 to 9 pm. |
| Singapore was virtually untouched by World | | | | |
| War I, but with increased pressure by the | | | | SINGAPORE BEACHES |
| U.S, Britain broke off relations with Japan | | | | |
| and this made the defenses in Singapore a | | | | From Changi Point at Changi Village you have |
| primary concern. In 1941 the first bombs were | | | | a panoramic view of Malaysia, Indonesia and |
| dropped on Singapore. | | | | several of the Islands that belong to |
| | | | Singapore. The beach is calm, frequented by |
| Japanese ground forces attacked on 8 February | | | | locals who set up camps and barbecues and |
| 1942, driving the British forces back. The | | | | enjoy a day on the beach. |
| occupation was harsh, mass executions were | | | | |
| everyday events and prisoners of war were | | | | You can rent kayaks along the beach to do |
| tortured and killed. On 5 September 1945, the | | | | some water sports. There is a huge hawker |
| Japanese surrender to Lord Louis Mountbatten. | | | | center, international restaurants and pubs, |
| | | | which serve fresh seafood for lunch when you |
| In 1959 the Peoples Action Party (PAP) swept | | | | get hungry. |
| 43 seats in the country’s first | | | | |
| elections and Lee Kuan Yew became the first | | | | On Kusu and St. John’s islands there |
| prime minister of Singapore. In 1963 | | | | are swimming lagoons, which are quiet out of |
| Singapore was admitted to the Federation of | | | | the way places to go. Some of them have great |
| Malaysia, but due to the PAP wanting to | | | | views of the city. |
| become a national entity rather than a local | | | | |
| Singaporean party, Singapore was expelled | | | | Central Beach is the best beach that you will |
| from the Federation on 9 August 1965. In 1971 | | | | find in Singapore. It is located on Sentosa |
| the last of the British forces left the | | | | Island. There are varies water sports to |
| island and Singapore gained its independence. | | | | choose from and fun beach activities. |
| | | | Occasionally there will be a night dance |
| SINGAPORE ATTRACTIONS | | | | party here. There are also a variety of |
| | | | restraints and pubs to choose from to. |
| Kuda Kepang – This is not your average | | | | |
| traditional dance. Once in a while on a | | | | SINGAPORE PARKS & GARDENS Chinese and |
| Saturday night you can see young men on | | | | Japanese Gardens – Located at 1 |
| wooden horses who move like warriors, | | | | Chinese Garden Road. The Chinese Garden |
| whirling, spinning and slapping the horses to | | | | dedicates most of its area to the |
| make intimidating sounds out of them. There | | | | ‘northern style’ of landscape |
| is rhythmic, repetitive traditional Malay | | | | architecture. This is mainly the style of the |
| music, which the warriors dance to in unison | | | | Imperial gardens, with brightly coloured |
| and staging battles with each other, and by | | | | buildings to compensate for the absence of |
| the end of a long series of dances, the | | | | rich plant growth and natural scenery in |
| horsemen are in a trance. From a pot of | | | | China. The Stone boat is a replica of the |
| burning frankincense, the warriors inhale | | | | stone boat at the Summer Palace in Beijing. |
| this, and then all hell breaks loose. The | | | | Special attention has been paid to the |
| dancers are whipped, fed glass (which they | | | | placement of rock formations to resemble true |
| chew and swallow), walk on glass shards and | | | | nature. In the Japanese Garden marble-chip |
| shred coconuts with their teeth. What is | | | | paths have been laid so that you can hear you |
| really amazing is that the next day the | | | | own footsteps, but they also serve to slow |
| dancers don’t recall what they did the | | | | down your journey so that you can gaze upon |
| previous night. The dance is not performed on | | | | the scenery. This garden was designed to |
| a regular basis. | | | | evoke feeling. There are plenty of benches so |
| | | | that you can sit down and take in the sights. |
| Asian Civilisations Museum – Located | | | | |
| at 39 Armenian Street. The old Tao Nan School | | | | Singapore Botanic Gardens – The first |
| dates from 1910 and was completely renovated | | | | botanic garden was started at Fort Canning by |
| and reopened in 1997 to house the Asian | | | | Sir Stamford Raffles in 1822. |
| Civilisations Museum. There are various | | | | |
| displays of calligraphy, ceramics, furniture, | | | | There is a rose garden, sundial garden with |
| artwork and fine collections of jade. The | | | | pruned hedges, a banana plantation, a spice |
| exhibits in the galleries are continuously | | | | garden and sculptures by international |
| changing to represent the other Asian | | | | artists. The National Orchid Garden is 3 |
| civilisations as well. | | | | hectares of gorgeous orchids. There is a gift |
| | | | shop, which sells live hydroponics orchids in |
| Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom Museum of | | | | test tubes. There are also three lakes. The |
| Singapore – Located on Sentosa Island. | | | | Botanic gardens also offers ‘concert in |
| This is a walk in enclosure, which provides | | | | the park’ with various local and |
| an up close and personal view of some of the | | | | international performers Esplanade Park and |
| 60 live species of native butterflies, from | | | | Queen Elizabeth Walk – These two parks |
| cocoon to adult. | | | | are the most famous in Singapore and were |
| | | | established in 1943 on reclaimed land. There |
| The exhibits here are mostly dead, but | | | | are several memorials located in the parks. |
| extensive. The collection carries more than | | | | Theatres on the Bay opened in October 2002 |
| 2500 bugs. | | | | this is a unique double-domed structure and |
| | | | is locally known as the Durians because of |
| SINGAPORE CUISINE | | | | its spiky domes, which resemble halves of |
| | | | durian shells. These spikes are sun shields. |
| Singapore has a variety of cuisine’s, | | | | |
| which its local restaurants and eating-places | | | | SINGAPORE SHOPPING |
| specialize in. | | | | |
| | | | Hilton Shopping Gallery – 581 Orchard |
| There is New Asia cuisine also called fusion | | | | Road. This shopping Gallery is at the Hilton |
| food, which combines Eastern and Western | | | | International Hotel and has the most |
| ingredients and cooking styles for a whole | | | | exclusive shopping in Singapore. A few |
| new eating experience. You also get Cantonese | | | | international design houses have made this |
| cuisine, Beijing cuisine, Shanghai cuisine, | | | | their Singapore home, such as Gucci and Donna |
| Indian cuisine, Malay cuisine, Peranakan | | | | Karan. |
| cuisine and Chinese cuisine. | | | | |
| | | | Shaw House – 350 Orchard Road. Isetan, |
| SINGAPORE RESTAURANTS | | | | a large Japanese department store, which |
| | | | sells designer boutiques for men and women, |
| Ah Hoi’s Kitchen – 1A Cuscaden | | | | accessories and cosmetics, takes up the main |
| Road. | | | | floor. |
| | | | |
| This restaurant specialized in local cuisine. | | | | Specialists’ Shopping Centre – |
| The menu is extensive covering most things. | | | | 277 Orchard Road. The anchor store is John |
| The atmosphere is real ‘vacation in the | | | | Little, which is Singapore’s oldest |
| tropics’. This is a great alternative | | | | department store. The store opened its doors |
| for tasting seafood if you can’t get | | | | in 1845. The shop might be old, however, the |
| to the east coast. | | | | prices are very today. |
| | | | |
| Da Paolo e Judie – 81 Neil Road. This | | | | Tang’s Plaza – 320 Orchard |
| restaurant has been modeled in contemporary | | | | Road. C.K. |
| elegance with alfresco dining and a wine bar. | | | | |
| The wine list has wines from Italy. There are | | | | Pang peddled goods from an old cart in the |
| modern as well as classic recipes to choose | | | | street of Singapore, an industrious fellow, |
| from using the freshest seafood. The | | | | his small business grew and made it into a |
| qualities of food as well as service are | | | | department store. This store has been a |
| impeccable. | | | | success over the decades, and now competes |
| | | | with all the other international mega stores. |
| Indochine – 49 Club Street. There is | | | | Tang’s is truly Singaporean and its |
| an air of romance and mystery created by the | | | | history is a local legend. |
| Indochinese artifacts and subtle lighting. A | | | | |
| French twist is added to the popular regional | | | | SINGAPORE CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES Volcano Land |
| favorites. This is a place to try new things. | | | | – Sentosa Island. This is a walk |
| The Cuisine is a mixture of Vietnamese, | | | | through exhibit, which take you on a journey |
| Laotian and Cambodian. | | | | to the center of the Earth. A mythological |
| | | | explorer and his Jules Verne-style robot |
| Palm Beach – 5 Stadium Walk. Depends | | | | buddy talk you though the exhibit. Inside the |
| on what you are in the mood for. For an | | | | volcano is a multimedia show, which depicts |
| underdressed, informal evening, you can sit | | | | the mysteries of life and the universe and |
| in the downstairs dining hall, or if you feel | | | | there is also a simulation of an eruption. |
| like getting all dressed up and fancy, then | | | | |
| sit upstairs in the lovely upscale setting. | | | | Underwater World – Sentosa Island. The |
| The menu is the same and reasonably priced | | | | highlight of this attraction is the tunnel, |
| focusing on seafood cuisine. Located outside | | | | which is 83 meters of transparent acrylic |
| the restaurant is a gift shop, which allows | | | | where you glide on a conveyor belt. There are |
| you to bring home jars of the hot pot sauce, | | | | plenty of views of the sharks, stingrays, |
| a char, chili sauce and sambal. This is a | | | | eels and other sea creatures. In the smaller |
| very popular restaurant; so on weekends if | | | | tanks you can view the usual sea life. A |
| you don’t book you will have to queue. | | | | display of bamboo shark embryos, which are |
| | | | developing within egg cases, is something |
| SINGAPORE BARS & CLUBS Anywhere Music Pub | | | | that is totally amazing. |
| – 19 Tanglin Road. | | | | |
| | | | Jurong Bird Park – 2 Jurong Hill. |
| This is one of Singapore’s oldest and | | | | There is a collection of 8000 birds from more |
| most established bars. It is a casual joint | | | | than 600 species. There is a Waterfall |
| with a mixed crowd of mostly 30’s and | | | | Aviary; this is the world’s largest |
| up. The house band plays pop and rock covers | | | | walk-in aviary, a pretty walk over pathways |
| to packed crowds who dance on the dance | | | | and babbling brooks through the landscaped |
| floor. Happy hours are weekdays from 6 to 9 | | | | tropical forest. The world’s tallest |
| pm. | | | | man-made waterfall can also be seen here. |
| | | | Every day at noon this aviary experiences a |
| Bar None – 320 Orchard Road. There are | | | | man-made thunderstorms. |
| regular theme parties and comedy nights, a | | | | |
| resident band, which is the best club band in | | | | There are two shows, which feature birds of |
| town that play a high voltage mix of R&B, Top | | | | prey either acting out their natural |
| 40 and rock. This club is extremely popular, | | | | instincts or performing falconry tricks, and |
| so be prepared to stand queue. There is a | | | | a show of trained parrots that race bikes and |
| cover charge of $15 US, which includes 1 free | | | | other birds that perform all sorts’ |
| drink. | | | | tricks. |
| | | | |