From a bird paradise to a gamified go-kart track: fresh ways to sell Singapore

SURF, SKATE AND SNOWBOARD

Jam-packed with shopping malls and five-star hotels, Orchard Road is Singapore’s busiest artery. Recent additions include a Richard Mille flagship boutique (complete with a bar) and south-east Asia’s first L’Artisan Parfumeur store at the Takashimaya Shopping Centre.

There’s also the family-friendly Trifecta (trifectasingapore.com), which opened in 2023 and has a dry ski slope, a Citywave Surf Machine and a skate bowl, the first attraction in Asia to bring all three sports together. Off-peak open sessions start from £23.50. 

CULTURE FIX

Singapore’s top museums and galleries include The National Museum of Singapore (nhb.gov.sg/nationalmuseum), which dates back to 1849 and will emerge from a massive renovation in 2025 (it will remain open), and the National Gallery Singapore (nationalgallery.sg), which houses some 8,000 pieces from Singapore’s National Collection. 

There are various tours (recommend the Back of House tour for behind-the-scenes insights), but don’t overlook the smaller spots, such as the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands (marinabaysands.com/museum.html). The highlight here is Future World, where Japanese art collective TeamLab has created interactive digital art installations designed to appeal to all ages. 

WHERE TO STAY 

GARDEN IN THE CITY 

The Shangri-La Singapore has it all – three distinctive wings, 11 restaurants and bars and a great location in downtown Singapore. Clients visiting for special occasions should consider the luxurious Valley Wing (VIPs stay here when they’re in town), while the Garden Wing, where rooms surround a landscaped garden, is great for families. Recommend the hotel’s brilliant new Local Heritage Tour Experiences – these include deep dives into Peranakan cuisine and sustainable architecture. 

Book it: Tower Wing Deluxe Rooms from £249 on a B&B basis; shangri-la.com

A NEW EDITION

The Singapore Edition opened in January 2023. The 204-room property is the first Edition hotel in south-east Asia, and it’s at the heart of the Orchard Road shopping district. Of the four restaurants and bars, Fysh is generating the biggest buzz – it showcases the philosophy of Aussie chef Josh Niland, the “fish whisperer”, known for his dry-ageing fish techniques.

Book it: Double rooms from £404 on a room-only basis; editionhotels.com

BUDGET BRILLIANCE 

Clients staying at the three-star Ibis on Bencoolen will be in easy reach of Chinatown, Orchard Road, Little India and Suntec City. This fantastic hotel has the feel of a boutique property, with funky furniture in the airy lobby and bamboo bikes for guests. Unexpected perks include a hotel laundry.

Book it: Double rooms from £113 on a room-only basis; all.accor.com 

EXPERIENCE SINGAPORE IN A MORE IMMERSIVE WAY

SADDLE UP

You don’t have to be a Tour de France hopeful to enjoy cycling around Singapore. A vast network of (mostly flat) cycling routes, known as the Park Connector Network, connects Singapore’s green spaces, and there are several standalone routes to explore, too. A favourite is the Rail Corridor, a 24-kilometre cycling and hiking route in the footprint of a former railway. Rewilding projects along the trail have made it a paradise for wildlife (the rare Sunda pangolin has been spotted here) and restored buildings along the route include Bukit Timah Railway Station, opened in 1932, which has been turned into a visitor centre. Clients can either rent a bike or use the SG dockless bicycle share scheme, which has pick-up points all over Singapore; nparks.gov.sg

DELVE INTO CHINATOWN

Singapore’s Chinatown is one of the world’s oldest, and a great place to gain a deeper insight into Singapore’s past. It’s the only Chinatown with a Buddhist temple, an Islamic mosque and a Hindu temple on the same street. Keep an eye out for beautiful murals depicting life in Chinatown. Several are by Yip Yew Chong, a prominent Singaporean street artist who works closely with the tourist board. Standouts include his colourful images of Singapore’s lantern festival outside Chinatown MRT station and, on nearby Smith Street, scenes depicting his childhood in Chinatown; chinatown.sg

ENJOY ISLAND LIFE

When it comes to Singapore’s islands, Sentosa tops the list, but there are plenty of others to check out. Lazarus Island, which has a beautiful lagoon and is just a 15-minute boat ride away, recently unveiled five Tiny Homes (compact, eco-friendly cabins), and a new watersports centre offers kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Facilities are limited on Lazarus (that’s part of its appeal) but visitors can grab supplies at the recently opened SOL by BDC (Bespoke Dining Club). There’s also Pulau Ubin, a 15-minute boat ride from Changi Point Ferry Terminal. On this small, tranquil island clients can explore Singapore’s last-remaining kampong (village) and Chek Jawa Wetlands. It is best toured by bicycle, available to rent on the island.

TRADE AND TESTED

John Parker, product manager, Premier Holidays, says: “Encourage your clients to book their trip early. Singapore is incredibly popular and hotels are already filling up for 2024. Those who book well in advance give themselves the best chance of securing their first choice of accommodation. So that clients can experience both sides of Singapore, we can offer a seven-night package that includes three nights at the Orchard Rendezvous Hotel and four nights at the Village Hotel Sentosa (from £1,419pp). Walking and cycling tours are proving particularly popular, enabling clients to experience parts of Singapore that they wouldn’t normally visit – and we can pre-book these.”