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