Singapore Swing

executive summary by Darmansjah

Tasty cuisine, glitzy nightlife, and plenty of art make the city-state a must-see stopover for any traveler, by

The city offers some of the most stylish and delectable restaurants in the region.

the bar at Waku Ghin restaurant in marina Bay Sentosa

Singapore may be small, but it packs a big punch. From the pummeling of your credit card at the hands of countless shopping destinations and the enormous array of food to the ample adventure activities and the unfettered art community, this is an ever-evolving nation with plenty to offer.

the pool at Tanjong Beach Club

One of the iconic Singaporean foodie experiences is going to a local hawker center and diving chopsticks first into the selection of dishes served out little stalls and shops. While the culinary circus at the most stylish adn delectable restaurants in the region. For laid-back and initmate alfresco dining, check out Knolls (capellahotels.com), for their breakfast buffet. Vintage India (Block 10, 1-21 Dempsey Road) is Dempsey Hill’s most prestigous restaurant, offering dishes from across the Indian culinary landscape. Sage (sgerestaurants.com.sg) serves straight-up polished French fare at Mohammed Sultan Road.

For a truly posh dining experience and revolutionary cusisine, book a table at Iggy’s (iggy.com.sg). this award-winning restaurant, ranked humber 28 in S.Pellegrino’s World’s 50 best restaurants list in 2010, has a cozy ambience, top-notch service, and beautifully presented dishes. Another restaurant worh visiting for its haute cuisine is iconic Australian chef Tesuya Wukuda’s Waku Ghin (wakughin.com) at marina Bay Sands. This intimate space, for which you’ll need to have deep pockets, has mother-of-pearl paneled walls and seats only 25 people. The food is modern Eruopean with a Japanese twist and is served tapas-style. If you’re one for star chefs, Singapore’s gastronomy scene has skyrocketed with the opening of L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Hotel Michael Level 1, Resorts World Sentosa); whose chef has an incredible 26 Michelin stars, making him the most decorated chef in the world. The restaurant has a central kitchen so that you can watch the creation o your meals and even have them mad to your predilection.

While singapore isn’t exactly a non-stop city, tis nightlife lays claim to some of the most sophisticated bars and clubs in Asia. The newest to hit the scene are Avalon and Pangae. Both located at the Crystal Pavilion on Marina Bay; a massive entertainment venue for high profile events and an “ultra lounge bottle club: set on the two levels. 1-Altitude (1-altitude.com) at Raffles Place comprises three venues; a rooftop bar, a restaurant, and a sports hub, each with stunning views of the city. For something more down to earth, physically, Post Bar is a perpetually fashionable spot for innovative cocktails at the lavish Fullerton Hotel (fullertonhotel.com). Embracing the city’s equatorial spirit is Tanjong Beach Cllub (tanjongbeachclub.com). this slick, sexy, all-day club has a 20 meter infinity pool and daybeds, not to mention a host of activities like beach volleyball and table tennis. For beer-lovers, Brewerkz (brewerkz.com) on Merchant Road draws large crowds and can be thanked for probably starting the microbrewery trend in Singapore.

The city’s rich history inevitably makes it a treasure tove for art lovers. The artistic soul is catered to completely with a myriad of public art installations and sculptures scattered throghout the city. Orchard Road is home to seven installations like “Eulogy to Singapore” by Gerad D’Alton Henderson at the Hilton Hotel. The Civic District is a journey  back to colonial times where important monuments and memorials make a stand, while the Marina Bay area offers exploration of the city;s newest sculpture and architecture. Finally, the Singapore River is the backdrop for works by sculptors like Salvador Dali’s Homage to Newton. And What’s a trip to Singapore without dipping into some shopping. The city isn’t all extravagant retail like ION Orchard. Neighborhoods to check out for bargains are Kampong Glam, Holland Village, Chinatown, and Little India.

The world of adventure ativity is just as bustling and varied as the drink and food. You can go shark diving at Underwater World (underwaterworld.com.sg) in Sentosa, cas a keen eye about during Singapore Zoo’s Night Safari (nightsafari.com.sg), or explore the pristine primary rainforest of Bukit Timah Natural Reserve (nparks.gov.sg). and, of course, Singapore is home to the Singtel Singapore F1 Grand Prix (singaporegp.sg), coming up in September. It’s a small place, but Singapore is bursting and thriving with life.