Singapore Accommodation & Cheap Lodging

Singapore is an Asian melting pot a fascinating crossroad between East and West. Here the hypermodern buildings of the financial district blend with Chinatown's classic small houses. As an old trading town, Singapore is the natural place for anyone who wants to shop – the range is enormous. In addition, Singapore offers a cuisine with influences from all corners of Asia that exceeds the highest expectations.

Singapore is clean, safe and efficient and the inhabitants are as proud of this as they are of the city's great financial heart beating around the clock. The harbour is the busiest in the world and capital flows on the stock exchange. All the world's banks, insurance companies and investors are represented here. In 200 years, Singapore has gone from being a deserted island to an eminent industrial nation and major financial power, as reflected in the flourishing townscape. A good start for anyone who wants to experience Singapore today, with its mixture of old and new, is to have a drink on Boat Quay in the late afternoon. The renovated harbour district is packed with bars and restaurants. People from the financial district also meet here after work to socialise. Another traditional watering hole is Raffles Hotel, built in the Colonial style. Is there anything more embedded in mystic than to drink a Singapore Sling in the hotel's Long Bar? It is a fantastic environment for a drink, the perfect way to experience Singapore and perhaps the very best way of all to experience the meeting between the city's exciting history and modern times. Anyone who is looking for the original Singapore might like to head for the crowds of Chinatown where fortune-tellers, calligraphers and temple visitors are a permanent feature of everyday life. In Little India you will find the best Sari fabrics and lots of exciting spices. Don't miss the small shops on Arab Street either.

Singapore is a hectic metropolis with bustling street life, many sights to see and experiences of different kinds to offer everything from legendary Raffles Hotel to meeting tigers.

Raffles Hotel The drink Singapore Sling was created here in 1915 by the bartender Ngiam Tong Boon and it is still served in the traditional Long Bar. A wonderful hotel with a great atmosphere, museum and beautiful gardens.

Singapore Zoo The Singapore Zoo is a so called "open zoo" and it is a world-famous zoological garden with 315 animal species of which approximately 60 are endangered. You can find all the big cats here: lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard and puma. There are also rare white tigers.

Sentosa Action - packed adventure, romantic escapades, stylish indulgence or non-stop partying. Whatever your expectations are, you will not be disappointed. Beaches - the island boasts Singapore's three most pristine beaches the revitalized and lively Siloso Beach, the family-friendly Palawan Beach and the romantic Tanjong Beach - meet shopping paradise and nightlife.

Chinatown Construction of the Chinese district of Singapore started in 1828 and in former times it was rougher, more cramped and crowded than today. Most of it has been renovated, but the narrow streets and shops remain, as do several large markets.

The Sultan Mosque A very beautiful building in the Kampong Glam district. This mosque is the Muslims' most important building in Singapore (there are 68 mosques in the city in total). The Sultan Mosque with its cupola and minarets gleams light green. Visitors are welcomed to the mosques even if certain parts are still off limits to those who are not faithful Muslims.

Boat Quay The newly renovated part of an old harbour district. It has a long row of bars and restaurants, both inside and outside. Many people, not least those who work in the adjacent financial district - Raffles Place is the heart - usually gather here in the evening.

Fort Canning Park This park, in the middle of the colonial city centre is a great spot for anyone who wants to learn more about Singapore's military history. Sir Stamford Raffle's last home during his time in the city is also here.

Suntec City Eat, stroll and be impressed. This is a monumental indoor complex full of shopping arcades, cinemas, restaurants, hypermarkets, conference centres and works of art, including a gigantic fountain.

Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon Here you'll get to observe the fascinating dolphins. Lucky visitors might even score a peck on the cheek, or a chance to wade next to them. There is also a possibility to swim with the Dolphins for S$150/person (S$425 for 3 persons).

Images of Singapore Experience the magic behind the history of Singapore! Legend, fact and folklore are creatively interwoven for the special "I am there" experience. Images of Singapore is a journey to the very soul of Singapore.

Mount Imbiah Originally used as an "examination battery" to screen merchant vessels before they enter the Singapore harbour, this battery was abandoned in the 1930s. Today, and at 60 metres above sea level, this scenic lookout point commands some fabulous sea views of the Western Anchorage.

Singapore Flyer With its 165 meters the Singapore Flyer is even taller than the London Eye and gives you a visual feast of the Marina Bay and the great icons and landmarks of Singapore.

Clarke Quay This riverside quay was once the entrepot centre of the Singapore harbour. Now a bustling night-life area, the run-down warehouses, or "go downs", have been turned into nightclubs, restaurants and flea markets.

Esplanade At the mouth of the Singapore River lies the Esplanade, a performance art centre featuring a concert hall, a theatre hall, recital and rehearsal studios, as well as out-door performing spaces. Casually referred to as "the Durian" because of its resemblance to the famous tropical fruit, the architecturally stunning building boasts some of the world's best acoustics.

Holland Village Often referred to as "Holland V", this happening area is popular with young Singaporeans and expatriates. It offers a bohemian mix of fine restaurants, cool bars and street eateries.

The Southern Ridges A remnant of the luxurious greenery once covering the whole of the island, the Southern Ridges is a series of green spaces strung along 9 km.

Dempsey Hill During colonial days, this area housed British military barracks, today it has been revamped into a shopping, eating and lifestyle area with lush gardens and spa-like ambience. Great place to get away for the weekend, grab a taxi from Orchard Road and spend a day antiquing and relaxing in this colonial hotspot.

Singapore Restaurants
Singapore is an unparalleled city for food – a number of really major Asiatic cuisines blend with the best of the Occident. Indian, Malay, Japanese, Chinese and Singapore's own cuisine. The result is a fantastic choice, both in terms of the number of restaurants and the quality. In Singapore you can eat cheap and tasty at one of the twenty something hawker centres - earlier they were open air complexes selling a variety of food, today they are slowly being replaced by indoor and air conditioned food courts. Or, if you prefer the opposite but still tasty, you may chose to eat extremely expensive and luxurious in skyscraper restaurants!

Singapore Bars & Nightlife Those who want to dance and enjoy themselves all night long have plenty of options in Singapore. Often the visitor, who is looking for something to drink in Singapore, is tipped off to try a Singapore Sling at Raffles. But there are naturally lots of other alternatives. Here are some of them:

Singapore Cafes As in the rest of Asia, the café culture is not particularly widespread but the café chain Starbucks is everywhere with lots of cafés dotted around the city.

Shopping is a national sport in Singapore and there is an enormous range in all price brackets to choose from. The artery of Singapore's shopping life is naturally Orchard Road where the largest and most well-known department stores are lined up. Moreover, there are lots of shopping centres and markets around the city. Anyone who is after a bargain, for example in home electronics, is smart enough to checks the prices at home before leaving, just to have something with which to make a comparison. Not everything is cheap but watches, clothes, cloth, gold, and spices and jade at a good price.

DFS Galleria DFS houses over 100 internationally renowned brands under one roof and provides 100% Worldwide guarantee with excellent after sales service which is so important when you shop away from home.

Orchard Road Orchard Street is main shopping street in Singapore. There are department stores and shopping centres at an incomparable range which beats most. Anyone who wants can easily add a few days to walk up and down Orchard Street. Address: Orchard, Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut

Chinatown Chinatown is just below the financial district's skyscrapers – colourful, bustling and with the typical fragrances of the Chinese district (spices, herbs, medicines, fruits). Tanjong Pagar you can find traditional tea shops, masks and other works of art.

Kampong Glam & Little India In the Muslim districts there are lots of small, bazaar-type shops selling fabric, baskets and mats. Arab Street is the main street in Singapore's Muslim world and much of what is sold is also of religious and ethnic origin (prayer mats and headdresses for example).

Riverside At Clarke Quay there are a number of newly renovated harbour warehouses, accommodating some 150 shops. They sell antiques, clothes, souvenirs and other things.

Centrepoint Centrepoint is the largest and most popular shopping centre in Singapore. This includes, among other things, the legendary Robinsons & Co. Shops for music, clothes, optics, electronics, furniture, mats and books - everything anyone might need.

The Heeren This is where to find HMV, the largest music shop in south-east Asia. Many restaurants on the fifth floor.

Ngee Ann City It takes more than one day to get around this massive complex properly. The main attraction, naturally, is Takashimaya, the large Japanese chain store.

Plaza Singapura Singapore's first shopping-mall with many shops, built in 1974 and a favourite with the locals. A one-stop-shop for lifestyle items with brands like Carrefour, John Little, Marks & Spencer and Best Denki.

Marina Square Bigger than seven football fields combined, Marina Square is one of the largest shopping malls in Singapore. Located at Marina Bay adjacent to Suntec City, the recently revamped mall is divided into eight uniquely thematic zones with over 250 stores on five levels.

Sim Lim Square Located near Bugis Street and regarded as the most established IT-mall in Singapore, Sim Lim Square is a six storey complex guaranteed to satisfy your need for anything electronic.

Far East Plaza What Far East Plaza lacks in glamour it certainly makes up for in diversity and bargaining fun. Located on Scotts Road just off Orchard, this mall, popular among locals as well as expatriates, boasts more than 800 stores and most certainly something for everyone.