Michelle Ng

It’s always nice being a tourist in your own city, and treating yourself to a staycation is the best way to get away from the daily grind. Luckily, Singapore is filled with plenty of fantastic hotels to choose from, so it's easy to have that much-needed quick getaway without jetting abroad. From chic boutique hotels, to luxurious heritage accommodations, as well as swanky loft-style spaces, these comfy hotels in Singapore will give you the best night's sleep. Plus, with stellar facilities and amenities like infinity pools, bars, and sleek lounges, you're bound to stay entertained throughout. RECOMMENDED: Best rooftop bars in Singapore and 101 things to do in Singapore

School holidays or not, when the kids have to play, it's best to take them out of the house once in a while. While it's a no-brainer to allow the kids more screen time to keep them occupied, it's a slippery slope you don't want to start on. Instead of keeping them homebound, let them run riot in an indoor playground. Rock climbing, trampoline arenas and obstacle courses sign them for a day of madness (and fitness) at one of these outdoor playgrounds.   RECOMMENDED: The best free playgrounds in Singapore and 50 best things to do with kids in Singapore

Strap on your BCD, put on your flippers and dive into the deep blue waters at these beautiful stunning scuba diving destinations within southeast Asia. Be mesmerised by colourful reefs, thriving marine ecosystems or explore carefully preserved wrecks.RECOMMENDED: More of a landlubber? Try motorbiking through northern Vietnam or gorging yourself on the best Bangkok street food.

With Singapore's unlimited supply of sun, it's a no-brainer to have some splashing good fun under, well, the sun. If you've frequented the island's beaches, pools, and water parks, you'll be familiar with the myriad of opportunities to get wet and wild. Singapore's calm waters are great for first-timers to learn the basics of sailing, canoeing, and kayaking while daredevils can get their adrenaline fix with surfboarding, wakeboarding, and even jetblading in the sea. Are you game? Suit up and prepare to get wet at the best places in Singapore for water sports. Run along the scenic Marina Bay waterfront, complete with road closures, at the T100 Triathlon that’s happening this April 2024 – it’s suitable for both race pros and rookies. RECOMMENDED: The best water parks for kids and adults in Singapore and the best public pools in Singapore

Ah, the perils of dating. So you've exhausted your list of cafés to café hop together and you've had enough of boring movie and dinner dates. 'What else is there to do in Singapore?', you question. It's time to spice things up a little with some fun and unique activities to do with your main squeeze. They say the course of true love never did run smooth so it's time to skip the mediocre date nights for something al little more exciting. Here's a list of date ideas in Singapore where all you couples can do all your couple-ly things together. RECOMMENDED: The best free date ideas in Singapore and the best alternative date ideas for goths in Singapore

When it comes to exercise, it is often all too easy to start a routine. The real challenge lies in sticking to it consistently. Like us, you may have tried adhering to a workout programme – running, weights training and so on – you follow it for a week or two and then you start to find the routine a drag. You are not alone. What we’ve discovered is that finding an activity or sport that you enjoy is key to ensuring you commit to working out consistently. If you are keen to lead a more active and healthy lifestyle but know that running or visiting a regular gym is not for you, here are some fun and exciting activities that you can try to help you stay trim and fit. RECOMMENDED: The best HIIT gyms and studios to work out in Singapore and the best mixed martial arts gyms and boxing studios in Singapore

Need an outfit to guarantee you free drinks, entry to clubs and general admiration from your fellow monsters, zombies and creepy creatures? Whether it's Halloween, a themed get-together or just dressing up for fun, there are a handful of specialty shops around Singapore where you can get outfits for any theme and occassion. These shops stock Harry Potter costume, rocker outfits, outrageous wigs, and so much more – so get shopping.  RECOMMENDED: 10 local myths and superstitions that every Singaporean should know and the creepiest local ghost stories to tell this Halloween

Singapore may be small in size but you'll be surprised to find plenty of green spaces including farms (yes, we've got farms!) – if you know where to look. Leave the car at home, hop on a bicycle and explore these cycling trails in and around the city. Don't worry, we've included plenty of leisure beginner-friendly options (with a good view to boot), intense mountain biking tracks and everything else in-between to suit all abilities.  RECOMMENDED: The best hiking trails in Singapore and the best mountain biking trails in Singapore

Urban Decay, Fenty Beauty, Glossier and Tarte are all well and good but sometimes it takes a local beauty and wellness brand to come up with solutions that are unique to our skin and suitable to the Singapore climate. With the humidity and unpredictable weather as the main enemy, it takes a local to know what will work. We highlight some local beauty and wellness brands with everything from skincare to bath essentials that would lift your spirits and keep your skin clear. RECOMMENDED: The best local fashion brands you need in your wardrobe and the best local sustainable, vegan and eco-friendly brands in Singapore

If the Singapore sun, sea and sand – or even your next tropical vacation – can't get your mind off swimsuits, then get acquainted with homegrown swimwear brands that are making waves islandwide. With everything from functional bikinis and one-piece suits in bold prints, alluring cut-outs and earthy colourways, there is absolutely no excuse not to update your beachwear and swimwear wardrobe. After all, you can always chill by the pool or beach in style even if you're not doing laps in the water. RECOMMENDED: The best beaches in Singapore and the best public pools in Singapore

Missed your flight? Departure been delayed? Or are you just the type of person who likes to show up three hours ahead of schedule? Whatever the reason, if you’ve got a couple of hours to kill, there's no airport in the world that's better to be in than Singapore's Changi Airport. After all, there's a reason why it's the best airport in the world. There might be all the good stuff like nice buildings and great food waiting for you on the outside there's also plenty to do at the airport. Here's how to make yourself comfortable and right at home at Changi Airport.  RECOMMENDED: Do's and Don'ts for tourists in Singapore and the guide to getting around Singapore on public transport

Orchard Road may be touted as the iconic shopping belt in Singapore but there are heaps of cool independent stores where you can find local labels, vintage memorabilia and random knick-knacks. Here are seven hipper-than-thou shops to check out, along with one must-buy item from each to bring home. RECOMMENDED: Vintage shopping in Singapore and The best thrift shops in Singapore

Try this gym for free with Classpass My arms are sore and my thighs are quivering. Yet I can’t let go. Not unless I want to free fall three metres or so on to the, admittedly, cushy crash pad below – but I’m too chicken to do that. I’m two-thirds through a bouldering problem in Boulder Movement ($30/single entry, $148/month) and, despite the aches, I can already see the appeal of this sport. Bouldering is very much like indoor rock climbing, except the former is stripped down to its raw essentials – there are no ropes and harnesses involved. All you need is a good pair of climbing shoes, a bag of chalk, some fundamental techniques and a whole lot of guts to take on a bouldering problem (the path a climber has to take in order to complete the climb). Conveniently located in the CBD, Boulder Movement is the newest entry into the burgeoning climbing gym scene in Singapore. Founded by climbing enthusiasts Jansen Ko, Lwee Jia Wei and Joe Fu, the gym positions itself as a beginner-friendly bouldering-only facility with over 30 metres of wall, lengthwise. The walls are no higher than four metres –which sounds short, but trust me, it’s certainly high enough to experience the thrill of climbing without any safety gears. Bouldering problems are categorised by different climbing abilities: white tags BM1-6 are for beginners, blue tags BM6-16 for intermediates and red tags BM17-25 are for the advanced – a section of the wall is refreshed every two weeks so you’ll never get bored. First-t

On the first floor, SPRMRKT Daily is a grocery shop, retail space and riverside café rolled into one. Shop for handcrafted trinkets, carefully sourced produce or have a meal featuring beloved dishes from the McCallum Street outlet. Try the blackened fish and chips ($20) featuring locally-caught fish fillets fried in house-made squid ink batter, or the fail-safe English Breakfast ($28) of Kurobuta pork sausage, bacon, vine-ripened tomatoes, sauteed mushroom, two eggs served with toasted brioche. Climb the stairs up to SPRMRKT Kitchen and Bar, and the vibe changes completely. The clean aesthetic peppered with pastel pink hues and glints of gold makes the restaurant perfect for both brunch and dinner dates. The European bistro-style menu with brunch, lunch and dinner focuses on quality produce sourced either locally or regionally. Singaporean chef-owner Joseph Yeo serves dishes like the twice-cooked chicken roulade ($28) on a bed of smoked curried cauliflower puree and chicken jus, and smoked lobster tail ($42), with macaroni mixed with three cheeses and pumpkin, and topped with toasted garlic panko bread crumbs for extra crunch. Desserts are equally stunning with the Earl Grey creme brûlée ($16) taking the cake with its lemon lavendar streusel base, fresh seasonal fruits and edible pressed flowers.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... B-Rex? This prehistoric-looking grey bird (note: not related to T-Rex) is one of two Shoebills (Balaeniceps rex) – the newest arrivals in Jurong Bird Park's Wetlands exhibit. The pair comes from Qatar and is reportedly the only ones in Southeast Asia under human care (translation: these strange-looking birds are pretty damn rare). Shoebills are named for their large iconic shoe-shaped bill – a typical bill measures over 20cm in length and is marked by a sharp hook at the end for killing its prey, which is primarily fish but can sometimes include amphibians, snakes, rodents, and even baby crocodiles. These birds are native to tropical East Africa but are facing threats such as habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade. They are classified as 'vulnerable' in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species with only 30 shoebills under human care worldwide and an estimated of 5,000 to 8,000 left remaining in the wild.  See a video of the shoebills here: Say hi to the shoebills at Jurong Bird Park. Regular park admission charges apply.

Beauty junkies, guard your wallets. Because Christmas came early and these seriously major skincare and beauty brands have landed in Singapore – you'll be putting money down on the counter before you can even say "highlighter".  1. Sunday Riley This US-based skincare brand (yes, the founder's name is indeed Sunday Riley) is known for its cutting-edge high-performance luxury skincare formulas that are also green to boot. Be prepared to shell out a pretty penny to get your hands on the cult-favourite Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment that works to deeply exfoliate the dull surface of the skin and plump lines – the 30ml bottle goes for $148. Other hot favourites include Luna Sleeping Night Oil ($78/15ml), a blue retinoid oil that works overnight to improve skin smoothness and radiance, and C.E.O Vitamin C Rapid Flash Brightening Serum ($120/30ml).     2. Huda Beauty Founded by Dubai-based makeup artist Huda Kattan who has 20 million followers on her Instagram account, Huda Beauty is all about inclusiveness (the #fauxfilter foundation comes in 30 shades!) and colours. The newest release to hit the shelves is the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk Eyeshadow Palette ($100) with 18 shades inspired by the Arabian desert and landscape, including one pure glitter bronze-golden shade. Exact launch date to be confirmed.  3. Tatcha  Japanese time-honoured beauty practices meet modern Californian formulations, Tatcha is all about creating the best base with pure and effective ingredients

Brace yourself for this Halloween, because Universal Studios Singapore just released their lineup of haunted houses for this year's edition of Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) – and it's scarily good.  Previously HHN already announced that they are partnering with Netflix for the first time to bring to life the award-winning supernatural television series Stranger Things at this year's edition of the scare festival and it's all that you can dream of and more. The highly anticipated Stranger Things haunted house features 12 thematic rooms including the menacing Hawkins National Laboratory, to the Byers home adorned with an erratic display of flashing Christmas lights and the eerie Upside Down woods. Asian horror also takes centre place in this year's edition – come face-to-face with a Chinese secret society of vampires in Killuminati, feel the chill in your spine as you tread carefully in a Malay village to escape the infamous long-hair ghost in Pontianak and step back in time to the Edo-era of Japan in The Haunting of Oiwa.  In addition, the highly popular zombie laser tag (additional $38/pax) is also back with an arena double the size of last year's, along with two Western-themed scare zones and three live shows.  Halloween Horror Nights return to Resorts World Sentosa from Sep 27 to Oct 31. Early bird tickets (available now till August 12) start from $55 and can be purchased here. 

Have you checked out a cool art exhibition? Or dined at a new fancy restaurant in town? Each month, we get our readers to share their favourite experiences in the city by hashtagging their Instagram posts with #timeoutsg or #timeoutsingapore for a chance to be featured on our magazine. Here are our June picks: 1. Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay by Dewi Tiara Ongkowidjaja (@dewitiara)  Fly me to Finland and I’ll be on CLOUD 9 #GardensByTheBay #ChanBrothersTravel #VisitFinland - Photo captured by the crazily-talented @nickkloo ✨ A post shared by DEWI TIARA (@dewitiara) on Jan 7, 2018 at 2:35am PST   2. ION Orchard by Ahmad Azhar (@a_fareed23)  Momentum 🚨 A post shared by Ahmad (@a_fareed23) on Apr 1, 2018 at 4:44am PDT   3. Swan lake by TuNa (@iam_2rana) 🍃🌱🛶🌱🍃 #timeoutsg #singapore #loves_nature #photography #picoftheday #instagram #exploresingapore #singaporeinsta #wonderlustsingapore #visitsingapore #asia #travel #photooftheday #thisissingapore #gosingapore #singapore_insta #lovesingapore #theyravelwomen #turkobjektif #todayweexploresg A post shared by TuNa (@iam_2rana) on Apr 19, 2018 at 6:04pm PDT   4. Antidote by Vanessa Quek (@sodapiah)  When the girls find that's too much sugar in our diet than in our lives #antidotebar #hightea . . . . . . . . #yoursingapore #instagsg #sgig #cafehoppingsg #sgeats #sgfood #sgfoodie #sgfoodporn #burpple #burpplesg #hungrygowhere #chope #openricesg #onthetable #whati8today #jiaklocal #fairmontsinga

Welcome to Time Out Singapore's 52 Weeks of #ExcitingSG – our commitment to showing you the best of what's going on in the city this week. Every Monday, a guest writer who's "in" with the scene shares a recommendation on what to see, eat, do or buy in the city. This week, we chat with Ivy Teo, General Manager of Merchandising at Robinsons as the Great Singapore Sale (GSS) sweeps into all the malls and shops across Singapore.  What gets you excited about Singapore? It’s the multi-racial culture and heritage that we experience in Singapore that gets me excited! Also, we must not forget the wide variety of food that comes from the melting pot of cultures. There's chicken rice, ba kut teh, laksa, Peranakan dishes, Singapore-style seafood, satay – the list goes on. Besides eating, Singapore is known for its shopping scene. Any top tips for finding the best bargain this GSS? I would say that it’s a must to visit Robinsons for the exclusive brands we carry. Not only do you get items that are stocked nowhere else in Singapore, this GSS period you can get them at great discounts that range between 30-70% – over and above the other stores along the Orchard belt. There are a number of up-and-coming local designers and brands – do you think they have enough support/get enough exposure in Singapore? Can you name a few of your favourite? Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has been very supportive of local brands and a designer showcase will be launched along Orchard road in 2019 showcasing thes

The top things in Singapore people are talking about in June 2018 – served up in bite-sized format.   1. Middle ground After much humming and hawing, it's finally official. Singapore is set to host Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un during a summit on June 12 – it's definitely one for the history books. Hopefully the pair find common ground over some local food or check out some sights in Singapore.  2. End of the line All our hopes of jumping on a train and heading to the capital of our neighbour country Malaysia is now dashed. The Malaysia government is pulling out of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high speed rail project in a bid to reduce the country's RM1 trillion debt burden.  3. Bazaar fever During Ramadan, which ends June 14, everyone knows that the place to be for Instagrammable hipster treats is at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar. From beef ribs in a bucket and rainbow grilled cheese toast to paddle pop snow bowls, these OTT creations rack in the likes before you can even say ‘Selamat Berpuasa’. 4. Wings of change SilkAir, Singapore Airlines’ regional wing, is set to merge with its parent brand after a $100 million cabin revamp starting in 2020. With SIA operating a larger fleet, The SilkAir name is gradually being phased out. It’s the end of an era. 5. Through new lens We bet you’ve never seen an MRT station like this before. To celebrate its involvement in the upcoming Thomson- East Coast Line, Japanese company Taisei Corporation and filmmaker Makato Shinkai made a br

Welcome to Time Out Singapore's 52 Weeks of #ExcitingSG – our commitment to showing you the best of what's going on in the city this week. Every Monday, a guest writer who's "in" with the scene shares a recommendation on what to see, eat, do or buy in the city. This week, we chat with Charlotte Goh, Executive Director of Playeum – Children's Centre for Creativity. This week marks the start of the June school holidays – so we check in with her to see what to do with the kids this month.  What gets you excited about Singapore? Singapore is a young country and a cultural melting pot. Over the years, our country has been creating a robust arts scene with our museums, the theatre industry, our local music scene etc. This is an exciting time for us because there are so many areas within the creative arts that we can explore and expand on. It seems like art and culture scene in Singapore is mostly aimed at adults – but Playeum is entirely aimed at kids. How important is it to expose kids to the art scene from a young age? And what are the benefits of doing so? The art scene in Singapore seems to be in constant flux and that's great for adults. But a lot of what's aimed at kids is still very structured or run-of-the-mill – so Playeum aims to be that bridge in the community. I feel we came in at just the right time. We encourage children to explore open-ended, self-directed play and to do that, we provide the platform for children to be able to think and create freely and to explore

"This is my country, this is my flag. This is my future, this is my life." You know how it goes.  This year's National Day Parade (NDP) theme song dropped without a warning and, while it's not 100% perfect, it'll definitely strike a chord with most Singaporeans. We Are Singapore is a modern take on the 1987 classic song written by Hugh Harrison, refreshed and updated by local singer Charlie Lim. The 29-year-old rewrote some of the lyrics, including hard-hitting lines such as "The future is uncertain and everything must change", and recorded the demo in – as millennials do – his bedroom, which was used – instead of the studio recording – in the final rendition of the song.  Other local singers such as Vanessa Fernandez, Aisyah Aziz, Shak’thiya Subramaniamm and Joanna Dong also lent their voices, plus TheLionCityBoy recites the Singapore pledge mid-way through. With scenes of a young hawker family, a plus-sized beauty pageant winner, a multi-generation family having an outdoor picnic and makciks holding cats – We Are Singapore presents a more inclusive representation of Singapore today. Let's just say we weren't ready for all the ~feels~.  Watch the music video here: And as Charlie Lim croons "No, nothing's ever perfect, but I still call you mine." Indeed. #Singaporepride.  The National Day Parade takes place at The Float @ Marina Bay on Aug 9. Ticket application is open until June 3, click here to ballot for either 2, 4 or 6 tickets. 

Korean heartthrob Lee Seung Gi is set to meet local fans on July 7 – a much-awaited appearance since his last fan meet in Singapore five years ago. The singer-actor most recently starred in the massively popular South Korean drama series, A Korean Odyssey, after a hiatus to complete his military service. Other popular dramas he's starred in include Gu Family Book and My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox.  He's also nicknamed the 'Ballad King' and known for his hit songs such as Because You're My Woman, Will You Marry Me and Return.  Prepare to scream your lungs out at Lee Seung Gi's fan meet, happening on July 7 at 7pm at Zepp@BigBox. Tickets start from $138 and go up to $248 for a VIP ticket – which includes a handshake and a L folder file fan memorabilia. 

By Odin's grace, we petty and tiny humans will get a chance to meet Chris Hemsworth aka Thor in the flesh on May 25 at Marina Bay Sands. *Cue screams* The Norse god of thunder – most recently seen in the Avengers: Infinity Wars, which is just the number 1 movie of all time in Singapore #nbd – will grace Singapore with his presence at the reopening of the Boss store in Marina Bay Sands. He's the German luxury fashion house's 'Man of Today' – we can certainly agree on that.  There are two ways to wrangle your way to this meet-and-greet. First, stand a chance to meet him by purchasing a 75ml or larger bottle of Hugo Boss fragrance from any of the Sephora stores till May 22. Second, get to Marina Bay Sands bright and early (possibly the night before because #kiasuism) and collect a ticket starting from 1pm at the Sands Ticketing Office to enter the Sands Theatre foyer to meet Chris when the official meet-and-greet session commences at 6.15pm.  And to sweeten the deal, we hear that fellow Marvel actor Sebastian Stan (aka Winter Soldier/White Wolf/Bucky and Carter Baizen in Gossip Girl) is also making his way to Singapore that weekend for this event. Whether he'll be doing a meet-and-greet is still unknown but let's keep our fingers crossed. Christ Hemsworth's meet-and-greet session happens at Marina Bay Sands, Sands Theatre Foyer on May 25 at 6.15pm to 7pm. 

Welcome to Time Out Singapore's 52 Weeks of #ExcitingSG – our commitment to showing you the best of what's going on in the city this week. Every Monday, a guest writer who's "in" with the scene shares a recommendation on what to see, eat, do or buy in the city. This week, we chat with Bryan Tay, ex-national and Olympic swimmer and now owner of boutique boxing gym boOm Singapore. With FitnessFest 2018 happening this week, he tells us all about what gets him excited about Singapore's fitness scene. 1. What gets you excited about Singapore? More people are starting to prioritise their general well-being, be it physical fitness, mental health or just happiness in general. I think it's a really positive shift that I'm excited to be part of. Fitness aside, I'm inspired by the fact that so many people out there are trying to make an impact, be it in a small or large way. Ilm proud to be in a country where people are always trying to do things better or different. Also, there are always new things popping up – ideas, industries, technologies, passions, trends, restaurants and more – it’s hard not get excited about that! 2. What are your thoughts on the fitness scene in Singapore? It's heartening that group fitness is gaining popularity. Physical fitness aside, the community aspect of this trend is what I find most meaningful. These classes have the ability to bring together different groups of people for a short period of time (say 45 minutes to an hour) with one shared purpose to g

Belt out your most soulful version of My Heart Will Go On as Celine Dion takes the stage in Singapore for a two-night performance on July 3 and 4 as part of her 'Live 2018' Tour.  Tickets to see the five-time Grammy award winner go on sale on May 10 at 10am – but it's gonna cost you. Prices start from $150 and go up to an eye-watering $1,200 for a VVIP experience, which includes exclusive merchandise but, sadly, no meet-and-greet.  Members of TeamCeline, her official fan club, will be able to buy tickets through an advance pre-sale on May 10 and 11 at 10am. Following that, SingTel customers will have the opportunity to buy tickets on May 16 at 10am while general public ticket sales will be start on May 17 at 10am. Celine Dion 'Live 2018' Tour is at Sands Grand Ballroom, Marina Bay Sands from July 3 & 4 at 8pm. General public tickets ($150-$1,200) sale commences on May 17 at 10am on Sistic and here.