Things to Do in Singapore

Singapore is city that resembles a patchwork quilt of different Asian cultural influences, and if you want a broader understanding of these regional cultures, a visit to the Asian Civilizations Museum is in order. Housed within the nineteenth century Empress Place building, the museum is the first of its kind in the region to examine the may ethnic groups that make up modern Singapore.

Divided into 10 themed areas, the museum displays an exquisite collection of art and artifacts from China, India, Southeast Asia and even Turkey and Islamic Asia. The West Asia galleries are particularly interesting, as they examine an area of the world responsible for the birth of three religions: Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

For the most rewarding museum experience, plan your visit during one of the daily guided tours of the collection, available in English, Mandarin and Japanese (French and Korean less frequently).

As one of the most important religious sites in the country, the catholic monument known as Chijmes is a former convent school with more than 130 years of history. Residing in a central area along Victoria Street, the restored complex today serves as a commercialized hub for visitors looking to experience a bit of history while enjoying the modern accommodations inside that includes shops, fine restaurants and even an entertainment center.

The large modern complex is open both day and night, hosting a plethora of celebrations and events such as private cocktail parties and lunches, as well as musical and theatrical performances. To match Singapore’s diverse history and peoples, the restaurants inside offer menus featuring several kinds of cuisines, from French to Italian to Cantonese.

With renovations having been completed in 1996 at a cost of $81.5 million, the complex remains brightly lit at night, while Chijmes itself takes up more than 16,000 square meters, or 172,000 square feet, of total space.

One of the most famous shopping areas in Singapore, Bugis street is the home of some 800 busy shops, but it is perhaps the history there which makes it one of the more interesting landmarks in the country.

In the 1950s, Bugis Street gained notoriety as a place where transgendered locals would come down to hang out, driving a tourism boom that made it ideal for grabbing some push-cart, or hawker, food while enjoying a variety of inexpensive merchandise.

Today, the area is much more tamed and where the retail scene is still very much alive, but less of a scandalous place than it once was. Nonetheless, visitors still enjoy going to Bugis to listen about the history as well as get their hands on great local foods, candy and some of the most fashionable clothes in Singapore.

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is perhaps the best place in Singapore for a look at Chinese Buddhism. Located in the heart of Chinatown, the temple is believed to house a sacred relic of the Buddha, housed within a gold stupa inside the temple.

While the temple exhibits Tang Dynasty architectural elements, it was actually built in 2007. In just a few short years, it has become a major landmark in Chinatown and a popular destination for both tourists and worshipers.

After visiting the main temple and viewing the various Buddha statuary, make sure to check out the museum on the third floor. Here, you’ll find a collection of Buddhist relics, artifacts and works of art. Also of interest is the History Gallery that outlines the conceptualization and construction of the temple. Admission to both the museum and temple is free, and guided tours in English are available twice per week.

Having moved from the prison site to its new location directly across the Changi Gaol in 2001, the Changi Memorial and Chapel is a testament to those prisoners of war who were made to suffer and perish during World War II.

In the memorial, several artifacts from the period show how Singaporeans, particularly those prisoners being held in the Changi prison, had suffered under Japanese occupation during the war. Boasting tons of personal affects including emotional letters, drawings and photographs, the memorial tells the stories of more than 50,000 people who had been there between 1942 and 1945.

Entrance is free or for a nominal fee, visitors can elect to embark on a one hour guided tour of the complex that goes through paintings made years later by several internees who recreated what life as a POW was like inside the prison. Visitors can also purchase an audio tour or stop over to watch one of a few informative videos with footage from the era.

In the corner of the memorial, there is a neat collection of rare books which deal exclusively with what Singapore was like during wartime.

Located on Upper Changi Road North, the memorial and chapel are open daily from 9:30am with last admission at 5pm. They can easily be reached by hopping on the SBS bus #2 from Tanah Merah MRT station (EW4), which stops directly in front of the Changi Chapel and Museum.

The Cavenagh Bridge, Singapore’s only suspension bridge, was built in 1869 to offer a quicker way of crossing the Singapore River. As one of the oldest bridges in the city, the Cavenagh Bridge is one of Singapore’s most important architectural achievements.

Designed by a British colonial architecture firm, Cavenagh Bridge was actually built in Glasgow, tested, disassembled, shipped to Singapore in pieces and reassembled by convict laborers over the course of a year.

Located in the city’s Colonial District, the elegant pedestrian bridge offers a reminder of Singapore’s colonial past. As you approach the bridge, keep your eyes open for an antiquated police notice warning that no horse- or cattle-drawn vehicles are allowed to pass over. The bridge is particularly beautiful at night, thanks to a series of lights that were added during the 1990s, so consider planning to visit on your way to Boat Quay, Singapore’s nearby dining and nightlife hotspot.

There are a number of places to scope out Singapore’s cityscape and the historic Boat Quay is among the best. Once the epicenter of maritime trade, the famous Quay now boasts loads of great restaurants and bars housed in well-preserved old shop houses. Complete with open-air terraces, these mainstays of the Quay are heralded for not only their terrific viewpoint, but reasonably priced sea food as well.

Open through the late hours of the evening, one can sit back there and take a midday break from the urban sightseeing or have a romantic dinner as the city lights glimmer on the waterfront. The pedestrian area also contains a few great nightclubs and pubs, for those looking to stay out a bit later.

Among the structures you can spot from the Quay are the Parliament House and Empress Place Building along the North Boat Quay Promenade as well as the famous Fullerton Hotel.

An unusual museum 30 feet (nine meters) beneath Fort Canning Hill, the secretive British military fort known as Battlebox once played an important role in Singapore’s history. Used by the Malaya Command to defend Singapore during World War II, the bunker was where Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival ultimately surrendered Singapore to the Japanese, marking the decline of the British Empire. Today, the cavernous space is filled with lifelike wax mannequins and antique photos and video clips that depict what it was like to live and strategize within the gray, 29-room labyrinth during the final days of the war.
 
The Basics

Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator is the oldest Christian church in Singapore, completed in 1835 by an Irish civil architect key in the construction of the country’s overall infrastructure. A towering all-white structure, the church is adorned with numerous crafted pillars and features an entrance framed with classical pediments.

Aside from admiring the exterior façade, the church is surrounded by an open garden and at the back a peaceful cemetery that was never used as a burial ground. The tombs there were brought over from a site in Bukit Timah when it was exhumed. Even though the last regular services in the church halted in the 1930s, the interior still has alters and between them, a royal red carpet leading up to the nave.

Overall, the church is a standalone example of tranquility in busy Singapore. Every now and then the church is the site for art exhibitions, but other than that it is open for visitors to see.