Let's Visit Asia » Singapore

Singapore Food Festival 2008

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:34:29 +0000

Singaporean cuisine, being a fusion of Indian, Malay and Chinese cooking, is possibly the most diverse in flavors among Asian cuisines. If you’re in the island over the weekend, it’s the perfect time to sample local cuisine as the Singapore Food Festival comes to a close.

Here are the Top 10 Must-Try Dishes:

1. Chili Crab
2. Rojak
3. Hainanese Chicken Rice
4. Bak Kut Teh
5. Satay
6. Char Kway Teow
7. Fried Carrot Cake (no, there’s no carrots in there at all)
8. Fish Head Curry
9. Roti Prata
10. Laksa

For tourists, just present your passport to any of the Singapore Visitors’ Centres (located at the airport, Orchard Road, Little India, and Suntec) and you get a Singapore Food Sampler vouchers for a FREE portion of any three local delights.

Image: Screenshot from the Singapore Food Festival Website

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Singapore Sun Festival

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:36:03 +0000

A festival also held in Napa and Tuscany, this premier arts and lifestyle festival will also be held in Singapore for the second time.

From 17 – 26 October 2008, embark on an exciting journey to celebrate the Art of Living Well through over 90 premium lifestyle and arts events encompassing Music, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Wine, Cuisine and Wellness. Join over 250 artists, musicians, chefs, writers and celebrities at various beautiful locations along the Singapore River and Marina Bay throughout the 10 days.

Check out the calendar of events and ticketing details from their official website. If you book until end of July, you can get early bird discounts!

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Resorts World Sentosa, July 2008

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:51:30 +0000

A friend of mine emailed some illustrations of the future casino currently under construction in Sentosa Island in Singapore, set to open early in 2010. I can’t post them here as I can’t trace the origins and provide credit, but they are basically the same as those featured in the headers of the Resorts World Sentosa website.

I am awed at those illustrations, not just with the sheer expanse and attractions planned, but mainly because it’s blows my mind that something so extraordinary and sophisticated can rise from a site that currently looks like this:

This photo is from my personal collection, taken last July 16 from the Tiger Sky Tower. Bordering the huge construction site is the Sentosa express snaking between the mainland and Sentosa island, and on the upper left corner, you can see a glimpse of the Singapore central business district.

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Sentosa for Seniors: Getting There and Around

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:15:02 +0000

Although it is being marketed as a hip and happening destination for the younger crowd, there’s one good reason why Sentosa is also a good place for seniors traveling in Singapore: you can get there and around with minimal walking.

We went to Sentosa via the Sentosa Express from Vivo City (cost: S$3 per adult, includes entrance fee to the island) and hopped off at the Beach Station. From there, you can either take the trams to the beach, or the buses to the other sights in the island. The rides within the island are all free and you can tour nearly the whole island without having to walk!

Image: from Sentosa website

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Playing Tourists at Home

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:08:08 +0000

Sometimes, it takes visitors to rouse you from your day-to-day activities and see more of interesting spots in your own locality. That’s what I’ve been up to the last several days (and the primary reason why it’s been slow going here at Let’s Visit Asia), playing tour guide to my mother and aunt who are visiting from overseas.

It turned out that there’s quite a number of activities here in Singapore for traveling seniors, afterall. It’s just that I’m used to moving around with kids in tow, so I’ve been more familiar with kid-friendly places rather than places to go for the elderly.

So, yes, I’ve been re-discovering Singapore the last couple of weeks, seeking out place I haven’t been to before because of my unusual company. It’s been fun, and I’ll be sharing them in the next few entries. Stay tuned!

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Singapore for Seniors

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:41:31 +0000

My mom’s visiting us here in Singapore and I’m at a loss with where to bring her. She’s not exactly at the pink of health, having already had a stroke, a triple bypass, a gall bladder op, and other aging-related maladies over the last few years. She can’t do walking tours anymore, be it trhough the city or through a park. She’s not interested in shopping and is scared of heights, so no cable car, no DHL Balloon, and no Singapore Flyer.

I guess we’ll have to make do with the Duck Tours and exploring Sentosa by trams and buses. The idea is to see lots with the least energy exertion!

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Tiger Airways Now Charges for Checked-in Luggage

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:16:36 +0000

Yowza, budget airline Tiger Airways is now charging extra fees for checked in luggages!

I’ve been watching similar developments in US-based airlines the last several weeks and was hoping the trend wouldn’t reach this part of the sky. Ugh, wishful thinking. Tiger has followed the lead of Air Asia on charging fees for checked in baggages.

Which airline next?

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Jetstar Now Flies Between Singapore and Phnom Penh/Siem Reap

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:04:20 +0000

Starting July 2008, Jetstar Asia will be offering daily flights between Singapore and Phnom Penh in Cambodia, either with four non-stop flights weekly or via Siem Reap thrice weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

That means you can now fly from Singapore to Siem Reap, stop there for a few days, dive and take a peek into Cambodia’s past (and see where Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider was filmed). Then you have the option of either heading back, or flying further to Phnom Penh for more gallivanting.

This makes booking your flight to see more of Southeast Asia just a few clicks easier!

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The Great Singapore Sale 2008

Fri, 23 May 2008 11:20:31 +0000

Yup, the annual shopping spree in Singapore is on, and don’t fret, you’ve got ample time to look for great bargains and super deals — the sale runs til July 20, 2008, and major shops and malls will be extending their shopping hours till late every weekend during the sale!

Where to shop? Well, it depends on what stuff you’re after. High-end fashion, electronics, non-branded street wear? You’ll be amazed at the range of stuff you’ll find in Orchard Road, Marina Bay and Bugis. Or you may want to see more of Singapore’s heartlands on your way to the malls. Or if you’re looking for some ethnic goods in particular, there’s Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam.

With so much to check out, no wonder the sale runs two months!

Image: from GSS website

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Vesak Day

Sun, 18 May 2008 17:05:26 +0000

Tomorrow is a public holiday here in Singapore: it’s Vesak Day, also informally referred to as “Buddha’s birthday,” but actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment Nirvana, and passing (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha. It is a public holiday not only here, but also in many Asian countries like Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, as well as Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Being a Christian myself and having lived only in largely Christian nations before, I have to admit I am totally ignorant of what happens during Vesak Day. But here’s what I found on the web:

The day starts with chanting of the sutras by saffronclad monks, while devotees visit the temples to pray and meditate and to make offerings. Acts of generosity known as dana are observed by Buddhist organizations and temples. These include the freeing of caged birds and animals, visiting and giving alms to the poor and needy, while some Buddhist youths organize mass blood donation at hospitals. The celebration concludes with a candlelit procession through the streets. Observers as well as devotees are welcome to join in the celebration at Buddhist temples.

Hope to catch glimpse of some of the festivities tomorrow!

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