Singapore holidays

Just south of the city, Sentosa Island is Singapore’s tropical beach retreat, with white-sand stretches along the entire length of its northern coast. The rest of the island is filled with shops, restaurants and attractions, so you can pair some time sunning yourself with a visit to Universal Studios Singapore or the Singapore Oceanarium.

Calm waters, lots of space and a pirate-themed splash park make this beach ideal if you’ve got children in tow. There’s also a selection of bars, restaurants and a 7-Eleven for stocking up on suncream. Cross the wobbly bridge to the island just offshore and you can climb the lookout tower for panoramic views out to sea. While you’re there, make sure you get a selfie with the sign that marks out the southernmost point of continental Asia.

Siloso is the beach where trendy twenty-somethings come to hang out. Swim in the pool, sip cocktails while lazing on a sunlounger and listen to the DJ-spun tunes at one of the beach clubs. Or for something more active, you can ride the waves on the surfing simulator, or have a go at watersports, like kayaking and skim-boarding. Bistro-style restaurants and beach bars line the sand’s edge, and there are regular parties here, too.

Little India is a world away from the high-shine malls you find throughout the rest of the city, and that’s where the appeal lies. Here, you can get stuck in haggling for brightly-coloured pashminas, spices and jazzy bangles, surrounded by the hum of music from Bollywood films. Along the way, stop for some fuel in the form of roti prata vegetable pancakes and coconutty, chickpea stew.

Orchard Road will satisfy the most determined of shopaholics with its two-kilometre-long strip of gleaming malls and department stores. You’ll see plenty of familiar high street names here. The Centrepoint shopping mall has its own Marks and Spencer, the Wisma Atria lines up a Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins, and the 313@Somerset centre comes with a New Look.

At the foot of the luxury Marina Bay Sands Hotel, there’s a big, glossy shopping mall, called The Shoppes, which is brimming with luxury boutiques. Gawp at the Cartier watches, try some Jimmy Choo stilettos for size, or pick up a vintage wine. Celebrity chef restaurants spread over the top floor, while the lower level hosts a gondola-filled lagoon – similar to the one at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

For an evening of casual bar-hopping, make tracks for the colourful Clarke Quay, where an assembly of bars and eateries spreads along the water’s edge. There’s every kind of theme you can think of, from Cuban bars to aviation-themed pubs, steakhouses and ice-cream parlours. And air-conditioning units blast the routes from one place to another, making changing venues a literal breeze.

Singapore party nights start in an area known as Bar Street, which – as you’d expect – is filled with trendy wine bars and breweries. After a few early evening tipples, hop in a taxi to Kyo, a popular nightclub in the financial district, where a DJ spins chart-topping tracks.

Pineapple juice, grenadine, lime juice, cherry brandy and gin are blended together to make this bright-pink cocktail, which is known as Singapore’s national drink. It’s topped off with a pineapple slice and a maraschino cherry.

Satay is so popular in Singapore that there’s a whole street dedicated to it. After dark, stalls selling skewers of chicken, lamb, beef and pork line up around the Lau Pa Sat outdoor dining area, in the middle of the city’s Central Business District.

This Chinese-inspired dish is simple yet flavoursome. The chicken is cooked in an aromatic broth, before being sliced and served on a bed of rice along with ginger, soy and hot chilli sauces.

This spiky, green fruit has a smell so pungent that it’s banned from enclosed public spaces, like trains. As unappetising as it may sound, Singaporeans love its sweet, custard-like flavour. Try it if you dare.

If you like Thai curries, give laska a try. This Malaysian dish consists of vermicelli noodles, fried bean curd, fish, green vegetables and pineapple served in a creamy, coconut sauce.