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  • Asia
    • Introduction
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Malaysia
    • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
  • Singapore
    Overview
    • Introduction
    • What to see
    • When to go
    • Getting there
    • Arrival
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    • Eating
      • Drinking and nightlife
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      • Shopping
      • Festivals
      • Kids’ Singapore
      • The media
      • Travel essentials
    Inspiration
    • Things not to miss
    • Features
    • Gallery
    Explore
    • The Colonial District
    • Little India
    • The Arab Quarter
    • Chinatown
    • The Financial District
    • Orchard Road
      • The Botanic Gardens
      • Marina Bay
      • Sentosa and the southern isles
      • Northern Singapore
      • Eastern Singapore
      • Western Singapore
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  • Things not to miss
Chinatown’s once characterful shophouses have been rendered improbably perfect by restoration, but the area is still home to many shrines and shops specializing in Chinese food, medicine and other products. The towers of the Financial District are amazing viewed from the Singapore River or Marina Bay. Singapore’s clubbing scene is small but seriously happening, with space-age decor and regular visits by world-famous DJs. From ballet in the ultramodern Esplanade complex to street performances of Chinese opera, Singapore’s entertainment scene has something for everyone. Chinatown’s biggest, newest and brashest temple has its own museum, roof garden and, most memorably, thousands upon thousands of Buddha figurines. Little India is easily the most atmospheric of Singapore’s historic quarters, with colourful south Indian-style shrines, spice shops and outlets blaring Tamil music. Crisscrossed by several easy trails, this pocket of primary rainforest offers an authentic jungle experience, minus leeches but with the prospect of coming face-to-face with hyperactive macaques. Boat Quay is alfresco dining at its best, the reflected lights of its myriad riverside bars and restaurants dancing on the waters of the Singapore River by night. The annual fire-walking festival is centred on the Sri Mariamman temple, a Hindu shrine that, in true multicultural Singapore style, happens to be in the heart of Chinatown. Centred on a replica wartime chapel, this is a hushed and moving memorial to the horrors perpetrated in Singapore during World War II. Dominated by the golden-domed Sultan Mosque, the area around Arab Street is a fascinating mix of carpet-sellers, curio shops and alternative boutiques, and its informal Arab and Malay restaurants are a great place to chill out in the evening. Spot polar bears and Malayan tigers at this excellent zoo; one section is entirely devoted to nocturnal animals and open, appropriately, at night. Think Oxford Street, Fifth Avenue or Ginza: Orchard Road has enough famous brands to impress even the most jaded shopaholic. Packed with hair-raising rollercoaster rides and fantastic re-creations of everything from big-city America to ancient Egypt. Take stock of Singapore’s transformation from rustic island to hi-tech metropolis, a story enlivened by plenty of oral-history clips. Enjoy Malay and south Indian curries and a bewildering range of Chinese rice and noodle dishes – mainstays of Singapore’s delightful and inexpensive street food – in myriad food markets called hawker centres and in the kopitiam diner. Genuinely world-class, Singapore’s Botanic Gardens feature everything from jungle and ornamental tropical shrubs to a dazzling collection of orchids.