Travel

Spectacular Singapore

More Activities/Things To Do:
1.Shopping:
Singapore offers a variety with value for money quality and excellent services. Be it European high fashion or Asian designer products, traditional crafts or the latest, high-tech electrical and electronic goods, Singapore has it all. 'It is a "you-name-it, we-stock-it" city'. The best thing about shopping in Singapore is that it is a duty-free port offering all goods at prices lower than those existing in their original country of production. Add to all this is the fact that the shops are open seven days a week and for at least 11 hours a day.
Tip: Before you shop anywhere however get your Visitor's Card and save money throughout the country.
Art and AntiquesA wide range of hand-woven carpets from Persia, Afghanistan, Turkey, India and Pakistan are available. Singapore is also a centre for Asian antiques which include some priceless articles like Chinese porcelain and ceramics, jade, bronze items of the Tang and Qing dynasties. Interesting Thai, Indian, Indonesian, Burmese and Vietnamese antique pieces are also available at Tanglin Road, Orchard Road, Raffles Boulevard and hotel shopping arcades.
Electronic Goods
Cameras, computer hardware and software are on sale at good bargains. The Funan Centre is a favourite with buyers for computer-ware. Timepieces, jewellery, exotic fabrics, batic, cosmetics, pewter-ware, foot-ware and leather goods are all available at good bargains.

Shopping Venues:
1.Orchard Street :
From international or local and Asian designer clothes and accessories or boutiques and tailor shops; inexpensive fashion jewellery or gold jewellery or precious and semi-precious stones; Oriental arts and artefacts or Asian antiques; casual clothing, sports clothes and sports goods; electronic and electrical goods and items or children's toys, clothes and other accessories; you have it all in this area.
2.Little India :
Indians arrived Singapore along with Sir Stamford Raffles and later the immigration continued. They have created their own place in Singapore - "Little India", as it is called, which is the area covering Serangoon Road and its surrounding area. Once here you can experience the smells and sounds of India as well as the wonderful fabrics, spices, silks and saris or gold jewellery, jasmine garlands or silverware and brassware.
3.Kampong Glam (Arab Street):
This small fishing village at the mouth of the Rochor River, Kampong Glam (Eucalyptus Village) got it's name from the Glam trees which grew here in the earlier days. The focus for all Arab-Malay settler's and their present descendants, Kampong Glam was earlier the seat of the Malay Royalty. The area is still dominated by Istana Kampong Glam (the Sultan's Palace) and the Sultan Mosque. Known as Arab Street, it offers some of the best bazaar style shopping one can imagine. Muslim influence is strong and you will find prayer rugs and similar religious items being sold in a number of stores. Others offer some of the best bargains in silks, velvets, Arab-Muslim food articles and other knick-knacks and collectibles. Silver and gold jewellery; perfumes, herbs and spices are also available. Cane items, camel skin bags, pith helmets and miniature sewing kits are other interesting picks available.

Dining:
The food of Singapore reflects its multiethnic society. The hotels contain restaurants that specialize in dishes from all over Europe and Asia. The famous hawker centres, however, are possibly the best place to sample the various Singaporean cuisines. You can taste Indian, Malayan and Chinese dishes all in one night. These food centres can be a great experience and are part of the reason why Singapore is considered by many to be "the food capital of Asia." There are very strictly enforced official Public Health controls in Singapore, so it is safe to eat food from any of the restaurants or stalls.
It is important to note that smoking is completely banned in all air-conditioned restaurants.
Throats can get pretty dry in this climate and there are many ways to quench your thirst. Many soft drinks are available as well as coffee, tea, beer and tasty fruit juices. Tap water is safe to drink.

Singapore has a well-deserved reputation for satisfying the most discerning gourmet. Cuisines range from spicy Indian favourites and tantalizing Chinese fare to Nonya (a combination of Chinese and Malay) delicacies and the finest in French and Italian cooking.
Restaurants in Singapore open and close with amazing rapidity, and key staff, responsible for a restaurant's success, job-hop with similar speed. Independent establishments pop up everywhere, in everything from restored shops to warehouses, called go-downs. Try visiting one of Singapore's neighbourhood food centres and bazaars with stalls offering food from India, China, Indonesia and Malaysia, all at very low prices. The food centres are either open air, with a common area for diners, or air-conditioned food courts occupying the basement or the top level of shopping centres.

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