Recommended Tours in Singapore
Another article: Vacation in Singapore
Ever since I returned from a trip to Singapore, I have become a sort of ambassador for this wonderful country. To anyone who wanted (or didn't want) to listen, I talked about the wonder I discovered, about the exemplary order, the special atmosphere, the harmony between religions, about a huge mosque alongside a Chinese temple and next to a colorful Indian temple, about the unique cuisines, about the abundance of attractions, about the eternal sunshine, about this compact city-state that has everything, about advanced and innovative urban planning.
Singapore is a two-hour flight from Bangkok, and a visit can be combined as part of
a trip to Thailand or at the beginning or end of an interesting cruise in Southeast Asia. For example:
a cruise in exotic Asia from Singapore to Japan via Hong Kong and Taiwan or a cruise
from Shanghai to Singapore, via Japan, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.
Singapore is a great destination for families or couples. You can read extensively about its abundance of attractions in the article
"Vacation in Singapore".
The residents of Singapore are mostly immigrants from China, India, and Malaysia who arrived in Singapore about 100 years ago. The mark they left on Singapore is expressed in both the culinary scene and the cultural richness of Singapore.
74% of Singapore's residents are of Chinese descent. The Chinese influence is evident in many places in Singapore, but especially in Chinatown. This is the place where settlement in Singapore began, and there are still several particularly impressive buildings, such as the first Chinese temple in Chinatown, Thian Hock Keng, which was the immigrants' first stop after the long journey to Singapore.
.jpg)
Among the picturesque alleyways of Chinatown, you can see many stalls selling a variety of souvenirs cheaply, but you can also get an up-close look at the special harmony and togetherness of Singapore.
♦ Booking recommended guided tours in Singapore from Viator:
Recommended Hotels in Singapore
For families, I recommend staying on Sentosa Island, where there are wonderful hotels and resorts to which (and to its attractions alone) you can easily dedicate three days. You can, of course, stay at one of the new Resorts World resorts, each designed around a specific theme. Recommended for families:
Resorts World Sentosa - Festive Hotel - which is entirely dedicated to the theme of festivals, and Resorts World Sentosa - Hard Rock Hotel - designed around rock stars, guitars, and music.
Today, the most successful resort on this island for family accommodation is:
Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa
belonging to the Shangri-La chain. It is the only resort in Singapore located on the beachfront with an excellent sandy beach. It features plenty of family activities, including an active kids' club. The resort underwent extensive renovation in 2010 and is full of restaurants, facilities, and innovations.
An expensive and amazing hotel:
A luxurious five-star hotel with a very unique structure and an amazing rooftop pool.
♦ Booking food tours, bike tours, and Universal tickets from Viator:
Temples
Side by side, built on the same street, are an impressive Buddhist temple, Buddha Tooth Relic, and a colorful Indian temple, Sri Mariamman, where you can catch a glimpse of a very special ceremony in which the monks wake the gods from their beauty sleep.
This is done by playing instruments and using various ingredients like turmeric, coconut milk, water, and more.
Urban Planning Center
A modern and innovative building located next to Chinatown is the Singapore City Gallery, Singapore's urban planning center, which displays Singapore's development plans throughout its 50 years of existence and into the future. At the planning center, you will find models of the city center and the whole city, alongside various stories about life in Singapore as an immigrant country and its development from a Third World country to a First World country. Entrance is free, highly recommended!
The Malay Quarter
13% of Singapore's residents are originally from Malaysia. In the early 1960s, Singapore joined a federation with Malaysia, but political differences between the countries led to Singapore's independence in 1965. Singapore was then small and resource-poor, a land of refugees mostly arriving from China, and therefore was not interested in the separation, which was essentially forced upon it by the Malaysians. But under new leadership led by Lee Kuan Yew, who governed the island until 1990, it achieved, as is well known, brilliant economic prosperity.
In the Malay Quarter, Kampong Glam, you cannot miss the huge and impressive mosque, Sultan Mosque. Under the golden dome, which resembles Aladdin's castle, lies a massive prayer hall.
The mosque is one of the most impressive places of worship in Singapore. Opposite the mosque, there are restaurants serving authentic food from Malaysia and India. The rich flavors, along with the quarter's historic streets, make for a truly unique experience.
For those who want to learn more about Malay culture in Singapore, it is recommended to visit the Malay Heritage Centre. The center was established where the seat of the Malay Sultan in Singapore once stood.
The Indian Quarter
Fewer than 10% of Singapore's residents are Indian. Despite their relatively small numbers, their rich and colorful culture is prominent throughout the streets of Singapore. In every market, you will find women vendors offering henna decorations alongside stalls serving a variety of Indian delicacies - both savory and sweet.
In the Indian Quarter, Little India, you will encounter the Indian community in the markets, shops, vibrant streets, and colorful temples. Shopping enthusiasts will surely enjoy visiting the huge department store, Mustafa Centre, which is open 24 hours a day. In the department store, you will find over 300,000 items such as jewelry, housewares, books, clothing, sports equipment, and more.
Guided Tours
To experience the unique character of Singapore, its residents, and the special fabric of life, it is worth joining a guided tour of the city.
A very successful tour in Hebrew is offered by the company Wok 'n' Stroll. The tours combine a variety of tastings from Singapore's diverse cuisine alongside explanations and stories about Singapore and its neighborhoods, and how it transformed from a small fishing village into a thriving, modern financial capital. Thus, you can get to know "Singapore through food" in an experiential way and through a particularly successful tour.
For example, you will taste a variety of delicacies from Chinese cuisine at Hawker centers, which are food centers serving all residents from morning until evening; you will visit colorful markets, taste special dishes straight from Malaysia in Kampong Glam, finish with various sweet Indian desserts in Little India, discover tropical fruits like durian, and more.
Another interesting way to learn about Singapore through food is with the company Singabites, which offers food tours in the Katong area. This is a residential neighborhood in central Singapore, located close to the coastline.
In the past, the sea came right up to where residents' houses stand today, but as the population grew along with the need for massive housing construction, it was decided to reclaim land and move the coastline back. Until the middle of the 20th century, anyone living in Katong was considered elite, as there were mostly villas there. Today, Katong is a cultural, modern, vibrant, and lively center. Among the many pubs and clubs, you will find a concentration of restaurants serving Peranakan cuisine.
Peranakans make up only 1% of Singapore's population, but they are considered an elite class and, as such, managed to leave a mark on the culinary scene. Peranakans are essentially men of Chinese descent who married non-Muslim Malay women. Their influence is noticeable to this day and is expressed, as mentioned, in cuisine, but also in clothing, architectural style, wedding customs, and more.
One of the most famous Peranakan dishes - which you can taste on the guided tour - is Laksa soup. The meaning of the name in Chinese is spicy sand, but in fact, it is a spicy noodle soup with exotic flavors containing clams, fish, coconut milk, and more.
The tour is successful and recommended. Booking in advance is required.
.jpg)
In conclusion, tours of Singapore's ethnic quarters are a culinary and cultural adventure. Singapore is much more than the impressive Marina or the famous Marina Bay hotel. There is plenty to do, see, and taste.
A Trip to Thailand Combined with Singapore
The combination of a trip to Thailand along with Singapore is a winning combination – these are two Asian countries that are so different from each other, and both are wonderful for the traveling family.
The availability of flights between Thailand and Singapore is very high. There is plenty of flights from Bangkok or Phuket to Singapore and back, including by Low Cost companies where you can fly for $70-$80 one way (including taxes).
(Written by: Orad E.B.)