Day 1Colonial streets, museums and legends
In the morning, “From Colonial River to Futuristic Bay: the Best of Singapore”: Raffles Hotel, the Padang, the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands. Have Hainanese chicken rice at Maxwell Food Centre and spend the afternoon, away from the strongest sun, at the Asian Civilisations Museum and Fort Canning Park, a short climb from the river. From there Chinatown is close: at sunset do “Opium, Fire and Sea Goddesses”, with Sri Mariamman and Thian Hock Keng, and have satay at Lau Pa Sat.
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Morning
From Colonial River to Futuristic Bay: the Best of Singapore
- Raffles HotelAsia's most famous colonial hotel, birthplace of the Singapore Sling and scene of the tiger story.
- The Padang and National GalleryA green field and two columned palaces where the war ended and self-government began.
- Raffles' Landing SiteThe white statue that marks where, according to tradition, British Singapore began.
- Cavenagh Bridge and the Fullerton BuildingSingapore's oldest bridge, made in Glasgow, still bans cattle and horses from crossing.
- The MerlionHalf lion, half fish: a symbol invented in 1964 for a 14th-century legend.
- Marina Bay Sands and the BayA 340-metre ship perched on three towers, on land that was sea fifty years ago.
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Lunch
Try Hainanese chicken rice at Maxwell Food Centre (Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice). 1 Kadayanallur Street
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Afternoon
Asian Civilisations Museum
A museum with collections from China, Southeast Asia, India and the Islamic world, in a nineteenth-century colonial building on the river. It is a good air-conditioned refuge in the hottest hours; pick two or three galleries rather than trying to see everything.
DirectionsFort Canning Park
The hill beside the centre, where tradition says the old Malay kings were buried and where Raffles built himself a residence. Today it is a park with trails, a spice garden and a Second World War bunker. From here, Chinatown is an easy walk downhill.
Directions -
Early evening
Opium, Fire and Sea Goddesses: the Secrets of Chinatown
- Pagoda StreetBehind the souvenir stalls there were once opium dens and a market in labourers.
- Sri Mariamman TempleSingapore's oldest Hindu temple, where every year devotees walk across burning coals.
- Buddha Tooth Relic TempleA new temple, a sacred tooth in doubt and a lane the Chinese called "the street of the dead".
- Ann Siang HillTelok Ayer's last hill: nutmeg plantations, letters home to China and a millionaires' club.
- Thian Hock Keng TempleWhere Chinese sailors thanked Mazu, goddess of the sea, as soon as they set foot on dry land.
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Dinner
Try Satay at Lau Pa Sat (Satay Street). 18 Raffles Quay y Boon Tat Street