Four days three nights

[KhorTose]

I am going to Singapore in November for three nights and four days. I love good Chinese food, and would like any and all recommendations. I am staying in Chinatown.

I would also like to know of any must see places, especially those not know to tourist. Good gay bars with entertainment (My BF is going with me.), or great local non-gay entertainment or clubs.

Any information you can provide would be appreciated.

[Guest fountainhall]

Here are some thoughts from TIME magazine

 

http://www.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1845806_1845592,00.html

 

The airport has tons of free and very good maps. Make sure you pick up a couple after Immigration. You are already staying in Chinatown, and so within walking distance there will be lots of local atmosphere, lots to see and plenty of excellent small inexpensive restaurants.

 

One evening, wander along Boat Quay where there are lots of small restaurants with outdoor eating at reasonable prices and plenty of atmosphere. But I’d also suggest going there in the daytime, wandering down river and then crossing over on the old Cavanagh pedestrian bridge near the river mouth just before you come to the old Post Office (now The Fullerton Hotel). Pay a visit to the Asian Heritage Museum at 1 Empress Place on the other side. Just outside by the river bank is the excellent Indochine restaurant. It’s a bit pricey, but wonderful to sit outside by the river enjoying a few starters like Spring rolls. If you’re lucky, you may see some dragon boats practicing on the river.

 

The Marina Bay Sands is an architectural marvel, but a poor hotel. Don’t bother with the $25 fee to get up to the public promenade deck. Instead, if you want a high-up view of the city, go to the Swissotel Stamford at City Hall MRT station and go up to their 71st floor New Asia Bar for a drink. Again, not cheap, but much better value than the MBS. Whilst in that area, it’s worth having a look in at Raffles Hotel across the road, home of the famous Singapore Sling. It used to be a run-down place but with bags of atmosphere. The owners spent a fortune recreating it, but lost the atmosphere. Still, it’s interesting in its own way. Venturing west from there, you soon get to the Singapore Art Gallery. It’s permanent collection has nothing special, but there are occasionally worthwhile visiting exhibitions.

 

One quirky thing to do as suggested by TIME (which I’d had never heard of before on many visits) is to view the modern artworks at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. “The majority of the pieces were specially commissioned for the public spaces and guest suites. The treasures on view include Andy Warhol and David Hockney's exuberant colors, Rainer Gross's geometric compositions, Henry Moore's restrained monochromatics and the lush botanicals of Robert Zakanitch. It's all free to view, and you even get an iPod-guided tour.”

 

I suspect your bf will never forgive you if you don’t take him to the Universal Studios Theme Park on Sentosa Island. It’s virtually a full-day trip. Also on at one of the theatres in the MBS Convention complex is an excellent international production of the Elton John/Julie Taymor musical The Lion King. If you have not seen it, ‘go’! It is even better than the movie. The opening sequence will blow you away! Try and sit in the stalls – for reasons which will become obvious. And book your tickets a.s.a.p. because there are a lot of Lion King hotel and show packages being sold well in advance.

 

In the evenings, Chinatown has several gay bars. One I like is called Backstage at 13A Trengganu Street on the corner of Temple Street. Not far away, and on the fringe of Chinatown, are Taboo and Tantric Bars on Neil Road. But also visit Zouk nighclub and bar (as mentioned in that TIME site). Even 15 years ago it was an amazing ‘happening’ place and had a section where mostly gays congregated.

 

Friends who took a Night Safari at the Jurong Bird Park say it was a highlight of their trip. Not sure if it’s your scene, but worth considering.

 

I have not listed websites as they are all easy to find. And utopia-asia.com has tons more information on the gay scene.

[Guest fountainhall]

I forgot to add a few photos. The Singapore skyline is pretty much known everywhere and so I am attaching only a few. The one of the Sports Club and the business district was taken from near the top of the Swissotel Stamford Hotel. The 2 Boat Quay pics are fairly self-evident. The dragon boat race practice was being held just outside the Asian Civilisations Museum - and about the time you will be there.

 

[KhorTose]

Many thanks Fountainhall for all the pictures and information. I have copied all and I now think I have 3+ days of things to do and see, unless anyone else has anything that Fountainhall might have missed.

[KhorTose]

Many thanks Fountainhall for all the pictures and information. I have copied all and I now think I have 3+ days of things to do and see, unless anyone else has anything that Fountainhall might have missed.

[Guest snapshot]

Don't have a Singapore Sling...they're disgusting.

 

Other great nightlife spots are Clarke Quay (lots of nightclubs) and St James Power Station (bars and nightclubs) but there aren't any gay bars in these areas. Don't forget Play in Chinatown... varied crowd but lots of young guys.