Things to Do in Singapore

Located in the middle of Singapore’s Chinatown sits the country’s oldest and most popular Hindu temples. Built in 1827, the Sri Mariamman Temple resembles the colorful Dravidian style of the temples of South India, and many of the temple’s worshippers are South Indian immigrants and their families.

The ornamental entrance tower of the temple, covered in colorful sculptures of deities and mythological beings, has become one of Singapore’s most recognizable landmarks. Within, you’ll find a main shrine area dedicated to the goddess Mariamman, a member of the Hindu pantheon known as a healer. Freestanding shrines surrounding the main prayer hall display statues of many secondary deities.

Admission to the temple is free, but if you plan to take photographs, you may be asked to provide a small “donation,” though this isn’t always enforced. If you visit the temple in late fall, you might get lucky and catch the annual fire walking ceremony, one of many festivals and events hosted by the temple throughout the year.

Once a British trading colony, Singapore today is the world’s busiest port and one of the most prosperous countries in the world.  Consisting of a main island and more than 60 surrounding islets, it boasts expansive parklands and several nature reserves. Culturally diverse, modern and sophisticated, Singapore is also one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

How to Get to Singapore

Most cruise ships dock at the Singapore Cruise Center, which is about a 10-15 minute taxi ride from the city center. It is also connected to downtown by the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system. Since 2012, larger ships may instead dock at the Marina Bay Cruise Center. Some ships docking at Marina Bay offer shuttles into the center; otherwise, you will need to catch a taxi. The ride either way is about 25 minutes.

One Day in Singapore

For many visitors, Singapore is all about the shopping and you could easily spend an entire day checking out the many shopping centers around Orchard Road. Try the C.K. Tangs Department Store, the Kinokuniya bookstore, the Wisma Atria and Ngee Ann City.

Aside from shopping, you might start your visit with a stroll along the Boat Quay, a mix of old wharf houses and towering skyscrapers. Then head to the city’s charming colonial district, keeping an eye out for the Old Parliament House, the Fullerton Hotel and St. Andrew’s Church. For lunch, make your way to Chinatown for Chinese cuisine and then check out the Sri Mariamman Hindu temple.

Spend the afternoon exploring Singapore’s nature and wildlife by paying a visit to the Singapore Zoo, the Botanical Gardens or the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Spread across more than 120 acres, the Botanical Gardens feature a rainforest, lake and multiple gardens, including the National Orchid Garden. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is home to more plant species than all of North America and the Zoo has more than 3,000 mammals, birds, reptiles and fish.

The Tekka Center in Singapore’s Little India area is an ethnic food center and shopping mall offering a range of day-to-day goods at rather inexpensive prices. Built originally in the 1910s, the center underwent relocation and then a few renovations, but now stands as a clean and colorful shopping complex where one can buy anything from groceries to souvenirs and other trinkets.

The center is distinguished by its flamboyant façade, segmented into blue, green and beige sections across a modern and busy looking structure. It was reopened with air-conditioning in 2009, making for a more pleasant experience in an otherwise sweltering city.

Depending on what entryway you use, there are different sections of the center offering mixed ethnic cuisine, especially Chinese and Indian, at its various hawker stations, but it is also a place to run errands, with loads of great tailors, hardware shops and even religious shops selling traditional supplies such as incense robes and other offerings.

Singapore’s art scene benefits from Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern cultural influences, and the Singapore Art Museum showcases a rotating collection of more than 6,500 pieces by Singaporean and Southeast Asian artists. The museum opened in 1996 inside the nineteenth century St. Joseph’s Catholic School, and limited gallery space means the works on display are always changing and you’re likely to see something new every time you visit.

The museum’s curators design exhibits based on stylistic, social and historical themes. Visiting international exhibits round out the museum experience. The E-Mage Gallery displays works from public and private collections throughout Asia on high-definition monitors, and the Q8 wing of the museum highlights works by living artists. If you’re visiting with children, be sure to swing by the Children’s Gallery for a little hands-on art.