If you are starting your Singapore vacations soon, be ready to pay more for the hotel room that you stay in.  The peak season is expected to last at least till the end of September, with the forthcoming events like the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) and the Singapore Grand Prix driving.

Booking through a travel agent for mid range hotels, like a night’s stay at a four-star hotel like Furama City Centre or Carlton Hotel starts from $250 a room – about 40 per cent higher than in the same period last year, according to the Straits Times.

Singapore saw the tourist arrivals hit a record high of one million last month, thanks partly to the opening of its two gigantic casino resorts.

Fortunately, you can still get lower rates with the hotel search engines like the one on Singapore-Vacations.com.

The inaugural Youth Olympic Games opened last night (14 August 2010).  The event receives some 5,000 athletes and officials from the 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), along with estimated 1,900 media representatives, 20,000 local and international volunteers, and 320,000 spectators.  The games are held from August 14 to 26, 2010.  Young athletes – aged between 14 and 18 years – will compete in 26 sports and take part in the Culture and Education Programme.  

Soon after the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010, Singapore will hold the FORMULA ONE Grand Prix 2010 from 24 to 26 September 2010.        

The GP is held in conjunction with other events, including star-studded concerts featuring international artistes like Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Daughtry, and Adam Lambert.  The concerts are held at a mega stage in the Padang, which is accessible to all ticket holders of the GP.  As a result, the entire circuit park is being transformed into an urban street party.  

Other events held from 17 to 26 September 2010 are various lifestyle and entertainment offerings, including exciting parties, art exhibitions, new retail and dining experiences.

“We’re excited that the key entertainment highlight of this year’s Grand Prix Season Singapore is going to be closely integrated with the race and held in the heart of the Marina Bay circuit. The strong line-up of international music artistes performing in-circuit will complement the many lifestyle offerings presented by the Grand Prix Season Singapore. Race and music fans have one more reason to book their tickets early and secure their places to this mega event in Singapore. Experiencing both the high octane race and concert together will be unforgettable!” said Ms Lynette Pang, Executive Director, Arts & Entertainment, Singapore Tourism Board.

In Singapore, when you are saying Takashimaya, which is a Japanese department store brand, you can very well mean the Ngee Ann City shopping mall.

Ngee Ann City is a landmark along Orchard Road of Singapore.

While it is monumental for its façade, it is in fact very cosy inside, and is one of the most upmarket shopping mall in Singapore.  Do not miss it during your Singapore vacations, if shopping is in the heart of your itinerary.

The mall houses over 130 specialty stores, including internationally renowned fashion brands such as Hugo Boss, Christian Dior, Cartier, Zara and A/X Armani Exchange.  There are over 30 food and beverage outlets offering

For many Singaporeans, the mall is more widely known as Taka, or Takashimaya.  This is because Takashimaya Department Store, the retail giant from Japan, is the anchor tenant of the mall.  It takes up a gross floor area of 35,000 square metres.  

For those who love books, Books Kinokuniya has its Asia’s largest bookstore there. Best Denki, a Japanese electronics retailer, also has an outlet there.  It is also a good place for foods.  You can find restaurants for cuisines of both East and West.  Among them is  the Crystal Jade Group of Restaurants for Chinese cuisines, Coca Restaurantop for steamboats, and Sushi Tei for the Japanese.  It also has a fantastic food court on its basement that offer simple delights.

For its shopping guide, click here. 

The easiest way to get there is by taking the MRT train, alighting at either the Orchard MRT (NS 22)or the Somerset (NS 23)MRT stations.  Alternatively, you may also take a taxi.  If you are taking a public bus, alight at a bus stop near Lucky Plaza or Tang Plaza.

Picture by Gautham Vunnam.

Although a new addition to the already saturated Orchard Road, Ion Orchard has become an icon of the famous shopping street of Singapore.

If buying branded goods is part of your itinerary for your Singapore vacations, Ion Orchard is definitely a mall that you must be in.  The huge Louis Vuitton store greets you at the main entrance, alongside with Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Dior.  There are many more ‘who is who’ in the building, from Yves St Laurent, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada, Miu Miu, Longchamp and many more!

There are also fantastic foods. In addition to fine dining restaurants, a food court known as Food Opera can be found on Basement 4.  The variety of food is good, including interesting choices of local favourites.   Other services including the city service centre of the Singapore Airlines on the forth level.  Click here for a comprehensive store guide for the Singapore shopping mall. 

Located at the junction of Orchard Road and Scott Road, Ion Orchard impresses with its architectural marvel.  The use of Media Facade and cutting edge technology make it glow like a jewel, especially in the night. 

Getting there is easy.  The Orchard MRT stations is directly below it.  Buses and taxis are easily available as well.

Picture by i.am.leon.

Orchard Road of Singapore is a world-renowned shopping street.  If you enjoy shopping, not only do you have to pay it a visit during your Singapore vacations, you must spend enough time to walk there to immerse in the shopping joy.

How to get there?

The easiest way is to call a taxi.  Every taxi driver is familiar with the street.  You may even ask for recommendations, based on the merchandise that you are getting.

The next best is to take a MRT train.  Read the map carefully, and you’ll be able to find your way there.  Look out for one of these stations along the North-South line, and you’ll end up somewhere along the road:  Orchard (NS22), Somerset (NS23 ) or Dhoby Ghaut (NS24). 

If you prefer to take a public bus, there are a lot of choices as well.  You can go to this map to search for the most appropriate bus to take you there. 

In any case, obtain a tourist pass to enjoy cost benefits.

Enjoy shopping!

Pix by: Rajesh Vijayarajan

“Marina Bay will define Singapore in the same way the Bund defines Shanghai,” says Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, said during the recent opening of the waterfront promenade in Marina Bay.

Indeed, the waterfront of Singapore is changing face day by day.  During your Singapore vacations, do not miss the magnificent views  of the area.  With the completion of the 3.5km waterfront promenade, which followed the opening of the Helix Bridge and Marina Bay Sands integrated resort earlier this year, you can now walk around the whole Marina Bay with ease.

You will not miss the recently opened Marina Bay Sands, one of the biggest casino resort complexes in the world.  It is so huge!  Cost $S5.25 billion to build, it was designed by the renowned Palestinian-born American architect  

The complex consists of three 55-storey towers, crowning a massive rooftop platform known as SkyPark.  It also includes 2,560 expensive hotel rooms, a 121,000 square meter convention center that can accommodate 45,000 delegates, a lotus shaped museum, and a 74,400 square meter shopping center. Of course, there’s also the 15,000 square meter casino — with main gaming floor described as the most elegant on earth. 

At 200 metres high, part the SkyPark is partially opened to the public to experience the breath-taking views of the Singapore cities from high up.  It features a 150-metre infinity pool, believed to be the largest outdoor pool in the world.

One of the most popular IT shopping malls in Singapore is Funan Centre.

I prefer to buy my electronic gadgets there because of the good variety of choices it offers. Although it is not the best place for bargains, I find the retailers there to be more credible, and would not mind paying a little more if needs be, rather than running the risks of being ripped off.

You can find in the mall the latest gadgets in town. As there are many retailers selling similar products, the competition is keen, and you can often find the things you want at good value.

It offers tourists an additional great convenience: tax refund. There is a Downtown Cash Refund counter within the mall to provide instant tax refund!

The mall is located at 109, North Bridge Road; and operates daily from 10:30am to 10:00pm.

Take the MRT and alight at City Hall MRT station, and you are just 5 minutes’ walk away.

Alternatively, you may take a bus there.

Bus stop at Hill St: SBS – 2, 12, 32, 51, 63, 80, 124, 142, 145, 166, 174, 174E, 197 SMRT – 61, 190, 851

Bus stop at North Bridge Road: SBS – 32, 51, 63, 80, 124, 145, 166, 174, 195, 197 SMRT – 61, 851, 961

Picture source:

A new attraction in Singapore that is bound to attract a lot of family visitors is the Universal Studios of Singapore.

It started operations on 18 March 2010.

Situated on the Sentosa Island of Singapore, the park is of the size of 20-hectare, and consists of seven themed zones. Among its 24 attractions is the world’s tallest “dueling rollercoaster”, where you see two roller coasters shooting off at the same time and loop around each other. In addition, there is a 4-D cinema, as well as rides based on Hollywood films such as “Madagascar” and “Jurassic Park.”. 

The attraction will add excitements to your Singapore vacations.

The park is part of the $4.4 billion Resorts World at Sentosa, which also has a casino and six hotels.

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If you are having Singapore vacations with your children, do pay the Singapore Zoo a visit.  They will enjoy it.

The Singapore Zoo is known to be one of the world’s most spectacular zoos. It is an “open” zoo that uses natural barriers like streams, rock and plants that separate visitors from the animals, and yet allow them to be close enough as if part of the animal kingdom. Spreading over 28 hectares, it is home to over 3,600 mammals, birds and reptiles, including rare and endangered species.

Plan your time so that you can attend as many of the animal shows as possible. There are a dozen of them, including shows of elephant, orang utang and polar bear. Go to the website of the zoo to help you plan.

Get wet with the children at the Rainforest Kidzworld. This new and special attraction within the park offers an educational, fun and engaging time with family-focused activities. Waves of fun await children at the water play area, themed like a wet animal wonderland! Watch out for the massive bucket as it tips over or dash under the droplets of water gushing out from the many water spouts.

If you have the energy, or can only visit the zoo at night, do not miss the highly acclaimed Night Safari which is right next door.

Picture source:

Singapore is a good destination for family holidays.

If you are travelling with Children during the Singapore vacations.  Visit Singapore Science Centre.  The children will like it.

Singapore Science Centre teaches children science concepts and ideas through its many interactive activities. The exhibitions are thematic, such as the human body, the solar system and space sciences.

In addition to permanent exhibits, there are special events to make the venus even more interesting.

Watch a movie in the Omni Theatre. The 276-seat theatre is equipped with state-of-the-art IMAX technology which delivers the world’s most immersive experience. This is possible through the combination of specially-designed facilities (5-storey dome screen, seating configuration, digital sound system) and quality large format films (15perf/70mm).

The educational films offered cover genres such as science, space, nature, animals, marine life, culture, natural disasters and more.

Read more …

Singapore is a very open country, and welcomes foreign visitors with open arms. 

Most visitors to Singapore, therefore, do not require visas for entry into the country.  They are often given up to 30-day social visit passes for staying in Singapore, upon arrival with valid travel documents.

Of course, it is always good to double check your visa requirements when planning your Singapore vacations.  This is especially when you are traveling to the country on your own.  For that, this is a good link for reference:  ICA Singapore.

For countires that require visa, you may refer to the table on our main site.  Visitors from these countries need either a Business visa (for business visit) or Social Visit visa (for social visitors) to enter Singapore:

Visa can be applied online. For more information, click here.