Leisure activities
LEISURE AT QUAYS
If looking for a swingin' good time, make your way on down to Boat Quay - the Singapore entertainment scene. With a mix of high end restaurants, alfresco dining, lively bars and pubs, BOAT QUAY is arguably the favourite place to "chill out". Imagine that only a century ago, Boat Quay was the hothouse for trading. When Raffles signed the agreement securing the auspicious title of free port for Singapore, this instantly opened the floodgates of immigrants from neighbouring countries. Within six months, a familiar scene in this location was sun-tanned coolies and swaylos (water-hands) balancing heavy gunny-sacks of rice on their shoulders, with springy gangplanks under their feet, loading and unloading a bewildering plethora of produce. By the 1860's, three-quarters of all shipping business was done at Boat Quay. Here was the starting point of Singapore's success as a business hub.
Shop, eat and be entertained by the riverside! Featuring five blocks of restored warehouses, CLARKE QUAY offers a alternative to mainstream attractions, with second-hand and antique shops and restaurants with an amazing array of F&B options. In the evenings, dance clubs and pubs come alive with music from the 1960s to the present.
Named after Sir Andrew Clarke, Singapore's second governor, Clarke Quay had been the commercial centre, where an unending stream of lighters would transport their goods upriver to the warehouses. Near the entrance to Clarke Quay on River Valley Road is Whampoa's Ice House which belonged to Hoo Ah Kay, an early immigrant from Whampoa, China who imported ice from Boston in the mid-1800s before ice-making facilities were available in Singapore. Note how the Chinese and European merchants brought their own architectural styles to the area.
ETHNIC QUARTERS TO VISIT
LITTLE INDIA As you step into Little India, be prepared for an overpowering of the senses! First, you will be greeted by the strong, heady scent of spices and jasmine garlands, followed by the treasure trove of silverware, brassware, ethnic jewelry and colourful silk saris, dazzling to behold.
CHINATOWN Singapore's Chinatown evolved around 1821 when the first Chinese junk arrived from Xiamen, Fujian province in China. The passengers, all men, set up home around the south of the Singapore River which is known today as Telok Ayer.
MALAY VILLAGE Geylang Serai is the cultural heart of the Malay community in Singapore. At the Malay Village, go back in time and discover the traditional 'Kampung Days' lifestyle of Malays in the 1950s and 1960s!
Malay Heritage Centre
Named after the Gelam tree which used to grow in the area, Kampong Glam was the historic seat of Malay royalty in Singapore. Today, the former Istana Kampong Glam (Sultan's palace) has been converted into a heritage museum to showcase the rich history and culture of Singapore's Malay community.
NOCTURNAL SAFARI AT ZOO
The world's first wildlife park built for night visits is nestled in 40 hectares of lush secondary forest and inhabited by 1,000 animals from 100 species. When the sun goes down, the wolves, racoons, owls, hyenas, and all their nocturnal friends, come out to play. The six-time winner of the "Best Leisure Attraction Experience Award", night safari offers 8 geographical zones, which can be explored either on foot or by tram. On board of a moving tram, it journeys the guests into drama and mystery of tropical jungles and animal kingdom.
SENTOSA, ISLAND RESORT
Weary urbanites flee to the concrete jungles of Singapore, south of mainland, to Sentosa, which means "peace and tranquility" in Malay language. The island offers attractions for nature-lovers, sun-seekers and wildlife enthusiasts and even history buffs. The visitor can relax under swaying palm trees, dive into a shark-infested tank or take a round of golf and enjoy the services of up-market hotel's spas.
TASTE OF SEA FOOD
Sin Huat Seafood Restaurant and its signature Crab Bee Hoon have legions of fans who don't mind waiting in queue for its fine fare. The relatively modest pairing of large, meaty Sri Lankan crabs and bee hoon is elevated to gastronomic heights here;
each platter comprises a huge crab filled with bright-hued roe and firm and juicy flesh, swimming in a thick pool of flavoursome broth and transparent noodles. Famous foodies such as celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, the Age newspaper's food critic Matthew Evans and famed British food writer Kevin Gould have indulged in this dish and come away effusive with praise. But beware: the restaurant is perpetually packed. Those in-the-know will tell you that the magic hour to visit for a taste of heaven is after 9pm, so one can avoid all that waiting time.
FANCY FOOT WORK
Practically a necessity among Singaporeans thanks to our stressful hectic lifestyles, foot reflexology is a natural health method practiced by the ancient Chinese, where the reflex zones (nerve endings) in the feet are massaged to normalise the
function of the body's internal organs. And thanks to its ubiquity and fuss-free nature (indulge in one any time of the day!), you'll find locals here - from the elderly to the yuppie set, to even little tykes - getting their feet massaged and kneaded at foot reflexology centres across the island. Indeed, Singapore is home to nearly 200 foot reflexology establishments island-wide, so you can be sure of finding one near you when you're in need of some foot work.