Chinatown
To call Chinatown a little China in Singapore would not be an exaggeration. Chinatown has pockets of traditional shop houses where crafts like calligraphy and clog-making are still practised. Traditional atmosphere seems unaffected by the stream of modernity. It is best to tour this part of Singapore city during the Chinese New Year.

Orchard Road
2.5 kilometer Orchard Road is said to be the largest concentration of shopping malls worldwide. The shop-aholics’ heaven is lined with effulgent malls linked by air-conditioned underground squeaky clean passages. The road is replete with swanky eateries and luxury hotels.

Parliament House
Oldest government building in Singapore, built in 1827, today houses the Republic’s parliament. A bronze elephant which stands right in front of the building was gifted by Siamese King Chulalongkorn in 1871.

Raffles Hotel
Not long ago, Raffles Hotel was the most famous building in Singapore. One of the last great 19th century hotels, it has played host to royalty, world leaders, film stars and other renowned personalities. Called fondly as the Grand Old Lady of the East, it is fully restored to her former glory after a comprehensive $160 million restoration.

Tour the renovated complex which has a shopping arcade with 70 shops, a museum displaying Raffles memorabilia and a theatre presenting a multimedia show on the hotel’s glorious past.

Singapore River
Head for the Singapore River if wanting some real fun. Ride on a bumboat enables one to appreciate the transformation of Singapore from an obscure fishing village to a bustling metropolis. Watch beautifully restored warehouses that now host dining and entertainment spots. Contrast these with the Singapore skyline. Admire the grand colonial buildings.

You can tour Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay, three well-known quays on the banks of Singapore River.

Supreme Court and City Hall
Constructed in 1939, the Supreme Court building shelters Corinthians columns painted by famous Italian artist Cavaliere Rodolfo Nolli. Cheek-by-jowl is the City Hall where Lord Louis Mountbatten signed the document of the capitulation of the Japanese in 1945.