Located on the easternmost part of the island, Changi International Airport is a 25-minute taxi ride or about 35 minutes by MRT from downtown Singapore. If you’d like that trip to be shorter, the following hotels are located near the airport. The Crowne Plaza Changi is the only hotel that is walking distance from the … read the full post

Some travellers dismiss Singapore as “Asia lite”: sanitised, commercialised and dull. Dispel such silly notions with a visit to the wet market at the Chinatown Complex where some of the produce is so fresh it’s still hopping. With ground level stalls selling cheap souvenirs and sundries, the Chinatown Complex doesn’t look like much from the … read the full post

Get your pink T-shirt ready – Pink Dot is scheduled for June 30, 2012. This is the one time of year when Singapore’s gay and lesbian community, along with their friends, family and supporters, make a stand for equal rights. While Singapore is historically a multi-racial and multi-religious society, the same tolerance hasn’t evolved for … read the full post

For countless reasons – cheap food, a central location – the Little India neighbourhood is home to Singapore’s highest concentration of hostels. Since it’s no secret that backpackers like to drink, backpacker bars have popped up to keep them full of Tiger Beer. Here’s a rundown of where to go and what to expect. The … read the full post

Most travellers know to be wary of scams in cities like Bangkok, but feel they can let their guard down in Singapore. The fact that people feel so safe here combined with the belief that Singapore has cheap electronics is the perfect breeding ground for shopping scams. According to the Singapore Tourism Board, 37% of … read the full post

Singapore is known as the Garden City, so take some time to relax and smell the pepper flowers at the Spice Garden at Fort Canning Park. This lush hill near the city centre wasn’t a random choice for a spice garden — Singapore’s colonial leaders established one here nearly 200 years ago. When Singapore became … read the full post

When the British colonised Singapore in the 18th century they sent more than just governors and garrison – they also sent naturalists to document the island’s exotic flora and fauna. One of them was William Farquhar, and a new permanent exhibit at the National Museum Singapore showcases his well-known collection of natural history drawings. William … read the full post

Having already covered the best coffee shops in Singapore, I now turn my attention to the caffeinated brew known as kopi. Though it starts with the same beans, Singapore-style coffee has a culture and caramelised flavour all its own. Try a cup at one of these top kopi shops and you might just become a … read the full post

In Singapore’s steamy weather a couple of hours of icy cool air-con at a movie theatre can be a welcome treat. The malls of Orchard Road are teeming with multiplexes showing the latest Hollywood blockbusters, but if you’re in the mood for something with a little more culture it’s easy to find a foreign language … read the full post