Fort Canning Park & the Orchard Road

As early as the 14th century, Fort Canning Park was the half-mythical seat of the Malay kings. When Singapore entered its colonial period, the hill once more came to play a part, this time as a military facility. In the period 1861-1926, there was a fort there, named Fort Canning. Today not much is left, apart from the name Canning Park. From 1926, the present Fort Canning Center housed military barracks, and its “Battle Box” bunker served as the British command post in Singapore during the 2nd World War. Today, the area is a park with many facilities. Its highlights include two Gothic Gates from the mid- 19th century, the ASEAN Sculpture Park, with a sculpture from each of the ASEAN nations, and garden facilities such as the Spice Garden.

Orchard Road is modern Singapore’s epicenter for shopping and restaurants. Orchard Road’s new high-rises are a fascinating contrast to the city’s ethnic quarters, such as Little India and Chinatown. A trip to Orchard Road is a must when visiting Singapore.

Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple, Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya & Kampong Glam

Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple was founded in 1855, but it was later extended; in 1966 a tower was added. Sri Srinavasa Perumal is among Singapore’s most important Hindu temples, and the ceiling in the large prayer hall, Mandapam, the various shrines and the many small images of divinities are all richly decorated.

Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya is a Buddhist temple built in Thai style by a Thai monk in 1927. The temple has an illuminated 15-metre-tall, seated Buddha. It also has several religious relics, including, it is said, a replica of one of Buddha’s footprints and a piece of bark from the tree he was sitting beneath when he sought enlightenment.
Kampong Glam is Singapore’s Arabian quarter, and there is a distinct Middle-Eastern atmosphere in its streets. Arab Street is particularly interesting; here stands Sultan Hussein’s former residence, Istana Kampong Glam, and the Sultan Mosque (3 Muscat Street). The impressive mosque is Singapore’s holiest place for Muslims. The Irish architect Denis Santry in a typical fairytale-like Arab style designed it. The great domes, spires and balustrades are a wonder to behold.

Cathedral of the Good Shepard, Singapore Art & History Museum

The Cathedral of the good Shepherd was the first Catholic Cathedral in Singapore. It was built in 1843-1846 in a restrained Renaissance style after Denis Leslie McSwiney’s design. The slender spire is a later addition. The Cathedral has beautiful timber ceilings and stained glass windows.

Singapore Art Museum opened in 1996 in a building that originally belonged to a Catholic boys’ school. The Art Museum’s splendid collection primarily consists of Southeast Asian works from varying genres. In addition to the indoor displays, the museum also has idyllic outdoor areas that are used for displaying paintings and sculptures.
Singapore History Museum is considered the country’s National Museum. The fascinating museum is located in a beautiful building built in 1887. Until Singapore became independent, the collections focused on natural history and ethnography, but now other subjects have been included, such as the history of Singapore. Large dioramas depict the time from Raffle’s landing to the present-day city-state. The museum also showcases paintings and various handicrafts.

Jurong Birdpark, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve & the Mandai Orchid Garden

Jurong Bird Park has more than 9,000 birds belonging to more than 600 different species.Where possible, the park is arranged so that the birds can be seen in their natural habitat. There is a pelican bay, 200 penguins, and more than 1,500 free-flying African birds in the Waterfall Aviary, which has the world’s highest artificial waterfall. Parrot lovers are going to enjoy the park’s more than 1,000 colorful lories. Jurong Bird Park can be experienced on a 45- minute guided tour in an accompanied electric car, or by boarding the exciting panorail system.
Situated in the centre of Singapore is the large Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Having a preserved rainforest so close to the city presents a unique opportunity to experience its wonders. Bukit Timah has nice hiking trails where visitors can experience the forest and see the old stone quarry as well as Singapore’s highest point, the 164-metre-high Bukit Timah Hill.
Mandai Orchid Garden occupies approximately 4 hectares of hillside full of blooming orchids. An added delight is the beautifully landscaped water garden. The Orchid Garden is also a commercial orchid farm and it is possible to buy the beautiful flowers there, including Singapore’s national flower, the Vanda Miss Hoaquim orchid.

New Istana & the Little India

Istana Mansion is the official residence of Singapore’s president. The area was bought by the British government, which built Istana as residence for the British Governor. When Singapore became independent, its heads of state continued to use the building. Istana is a nice example of British Colonial style inspired by local architecture, in this case Malay houses. There are several other structures surrounding the mansion itself. Among them are Sri Temasek, a bungalow from 1869, Istana Villa from 1938, as well as a Japanese cannon, which was given to Admiral Louis Mount batten in 1945.

The area around Serangoon Road is just like India. In particular Little India Arcade and Campbell Lane have a very special atmosphere with their Indian shops and restaurants - and even fortune-telling parrots.

Raffles Hotel & the Chijmes

The world famous Raffles Hotel is known for its charm and elegance, which have been kept alive since the 1920s. The hotel is Singapore’s oldest, and has been visited by countless celebrities from all over the world, such as Charlie Chaplin and Michael Jackson. It is possible for non-residents to experience the atmosphere by having a meal in its restaurant, or perhaps enjoy a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar. It was in this bar the first Singapore Sling was served in 1915. Raffles Hotel also has museum showcasing its history, including its many famous guests.

The Convent of Chijmes was founded in 1854 under its original name, Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus. The Sisters operated an orphanage and a school until 1983 when the convent moved to another location. Chijmes’ most distinctive feature is the elegant chapel built in 1903 with its slender spire. Today the buildings are home to a shopping center.

Galeri Seni Johor & Sentosa Island

Johor Bahru’s Art Gallery alias the Galeri Seni Johor, holds many works of art and other items related to the history of the province. The museum was founded in 1910 and is housed in an elegant Colonial-style building.
Sentosa Island is Singapore’s resort island. Its great natural beauty is complemented by a cornucopia of exciting entertainments. The most interesting way to reach the island is perhaps via the cable car, traveling high above the harbor front. But it is also possible to simply walk there across the Causeway Bridge. The island has several tropical beaches and lagoons, and even a couple of golf courses. Dolphins, birds and insects are some of the fauna that can be seen on the island. Those who prefer a birds-eye view can try Skytower’s revolving panorama cabin, which travels to a height of 131 metres. Centrally located on Sentosa Island is the city’s icon, the 27-metre-tall Merlion Monument. A Merlion is a creature that is half lion and half fish. By Merlion Monument one can also find Merlion Walk, a 120- meter-long, Gaudi-inspired mosaic walkway.

Theatres on the Bay & the Singapore Flyer

Theatres on the Bay is a large complex built in 2002 that has a concert hall and a theatre with a capacity of 1,600 and 2,000 people, respectively. The acoustics in the concert hall are excellent, but Theatres on the Bay is best known for its architectural style, which makes it look like two rounded glass shells. Some call the place “The Durian” because of the building’s likeness to the fruit.

Singapore Flyer is a colossal observation wheel. It is 165 metres tall with a diameter of 150 metres. It has 28 air-conditioned gondolas, each with a capacity of 30 people. At the time of its opening in 2008, the Singapore Flyer was the highest observation wheel in the world and during the half-hour long ride there are fantastic views of Singapore, Johor Bahru in Malaysia and several islands, including Batam and Bintan in Indonesia.

The Padang, Supreme Court & St. Andrew’s Cathedral

The Padang is the great central field, which since 1830 has hosted many of the city’s sporting events, not least cricket games. At the end of the Padang stands the beautiful Colonial-style building that is home to Singapore’s Cricket Club.

Singapore’s impressive Old Supreme Court Building was erected in 1939 as the last major Classical architecture building to be built during the colonial period. The massive Corinthian columns and the great dome underscore the building’s importance. The frieze over the main entrance depicts the historic agreement between Sultan Hussein and Stamford Raffles, which made possible the founding of Singapore as a trading port in 1819.
Ronald Macpherson built St. Andrew’s Cathedral in 1861 on an initiative. Although the Cathedral is Anglican, it is dedicated to Scotland’s patron saint in recognition of the handsome Scottish donations. St Andrew’s Cathedral is built in a splendid English Neo-Gothic style, and its exterior is covered in white chunam plaster giving it an elegant look. From 1837 to 1852, an earlier Cathedral stood on this spot, but it was demolished because of serious damage due to lightning strikes.

Boat trip to Indonesia

From HaborFront/Singapore Cruise Center there are regular departures by boat to the Indonesian islands of Batam and Bintan. Batam is a 20 kilometers trip, Bintan 48 kilometers, and it is a great experience to sail from the busy waters off the coast of Singapore to the two tropical islands, which are still places of recreation for Singapore’s citizens in spite of heavy development in recent years.

Old Parliament House & Victoria Theatre

The architect George Coleman in 1826- 1827 as a residential mansion built Singapore’s Old Parliament House for the merchant John Argyle Maxwell. From 1962, it was home to Singapore’s Parliament. In 1999 the new Parliament House was completed and the Parliament moved there.

The cultural complex of Victoria Theatre consists of two buildings. Victoria Theatre was built in a British Neoclassicist style in 1862 and used for various English performances. Victoria memorial Hall was built in 1905, but was renamed Victoria Concert Hall in 1980. The 54-metre-tall clock tower was erected to join the buildings. Victoria Memorial Hall was used as a hospital during the Japanese bombardments of Singapore in the 2nd World War. The building also served as a venue for Japanese war crimes trials when the war ended in 1945. In front of the building there is a bronze statue of Sir Stamford Raffles. It has been there since it was moved from its original location at the Padang.