*I've been to Singapore for work several times, but my buddy Jarod's just sent his thoughts from spending three months living there in response to a coworker whose brother is heading there. His recs are at the top, mine below
- If he's there on the last Thursday of the month, have him to go New Asia club. It's at the top of a hotel (72nd floor), but on this day they open up the helipad (2 floors higher) and turn it into a bar. Best experience in Singapore, hands down, and also best 360 degree, unimpeded views!
- Gardens by the Bay – free to walk around and open til 2am, or can pay and get in the cloud forest and a couple other spots (close at 9pm)… supposed to be very much worth it, but just did the outside gardens and those were awesomely lit up and Avatar-ish
- Little India – Great place to get out and walk around and smell the aromas. There's a great hawker center just right off the MRT exit that's cheap and good
- Arab Quarter – a couple streets, by the Bugis MRT, with lots of row shops and restaurants. Arab Street is closed off for cars and you can walk and get great Turkish food along here. Blu Jazz is a highly recommended bar… best pita bread I've ever had, and thus best shwarma I've ever had too.
- Brewerkz – great brewery with an incredible happy hour (12-3pm). Right on the water in Clarke Quay and can sit outside and enjoy a pint of good beer (in Singapore this is an incredible find)
- Clarke Quay
- Good Beer Company – this is a hawker stall in Chinatown just off Eu Tong Sen St and Smith St (take the MRT to Chinatown stop, or Outram Park and walk a couple more blocks). Actually have Californian beers along with Belgians, Germans, ciders, and all at a good price in Singapore standards ($8-$10 US)
- Night Safari – I didn't do this, but it's the #1 attraction in Singapore, and I wanted to. Supposed to be very cool.
- Din Tai Fung – dim sum chain that's Michelin rated and absolutely epic. Bring me back some!
- If he runs, go do the Promenade or ECP
- Merlion Park – kind of cool… a merlion is the national figure, and they've got a big statue with a nice view of downtown behind it. Cool at night or sunset.
- Stay away from Orchard Rd – just shopping malls, which Singapore has way too many of in the first place
Per Aki...
- Hawker malls – the food in Singapore is phenomenal. In a brilliant move to get street vendors off the street, they put them all in these highly regulated food malls that have amazing cheap food all around the city. Very specialized vendors, so you can get one dish from like four or five different places. Famous Singaporean dishes are chicken rice, chili crab, and fish head curry.
- Marina Bay – new casino that opened a few years ago. The bar at the top is free to get to (drinks are like $20) but has awesome views of the city. The Garden by the Bay next to it is this awesome public garden with these funky clusters of Super Trees
- Orchard Road is the famous shopping road. Not a stop for me but if you like that kind of thing...
- Transportation - Very easy to get around on MRT (subway) though taxis aren’t bad either
- My favorite restaurant in Singapore is Samy’s Curry House, but it is kind of far from central Singapore in Dempsey (15 min cab?). They’ve really developed this area the last few years so there are a lot of great high and mid end restaurants (and some bars) there now.
