What’s happening in Singapore
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Last year, when the result of the Time Out City Life Index was released, Singapore had to face a hard truth. The survey quizzed over 15,000 people about the...
Have you gone on a nature trail recently? Or had a picnic in the park? Each month, we get our readers to share their favourite experiences in the city by...
My idea of a perfect weekend involves staying in bed till noon, binging on my latest Netflix addiction while snacking on some home-baked chocolate chip...
In the spirit of International Women’s Day on March 8, we speak to Pearlyn Tan of Babes. The initiative housed under Beyond Social Services aims to provide...
The world's best airport for six consecutive years – aka Singapore Changi Airport – has been teasing us with the opening of its new swanky megamall Jewel for...
When it comes to the merciless Singapore sun, nothing beats the heat quite like a pint of ice cold beer and sweet, sweet ice-cream. Guinness is answering all...
Didn't get the chance to sink your teeth into some In-N-Out burgers the last time there was a pop-up event in Singapore? Here's to another opportunity to...
Take your late-night revelry to new heights at Marina Bay Sands' latest nightlife destination, MARQUEE Singapore. The nightclub is set to open its doors on...
It may only be March but the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix 2019 announcements are rolling out. Happening on September 20, 21 and 22, the event sees over 100...
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There’s a brand new club for night owls to give a hoot. Make space in your late-night party schedule for MARQUEE Singapore. Helmed by the brains behind some of the biggest nightclubs in the world, TAO Group, the one-stop entertainment destination is set to take Singapore’s nightlife scene to new heights – quite literally. Known for its signature rollers in New York, Las Vegas and Sydney, MARQUEE makes its Asia debut at the iconic Marina Bay Sands on the weekend of April 12 and 13 with a grand opening soirée from 10pm until late. The red carpet affair is backed by an exhilarating line-up of internationally-acclaimed guest DJs to give revellers a taste of its world-famous parties. The swanky adult carnival occupies three storeys at Marina Bay Sands – making it the biggest nightclub in Singapore – and features a massive indoor Ferris wheel at its beating heart. Before you shake your way to MARQUEE Singapore, here’s everything you need to know about this brand new ultimate nightlife experience.
Singapore's known for the prettier sights like Marina Bay Sands, the Botanic Gardens and pastel-hued shophouses but switch it up for the lesser known, more offbeat, quirkier places like Haw Par Villa. This little theme park of horrors is both terrifying and impressive at the same time. Statues and dioramas are painted in bright, gaudy colours making it look more menacing than it should. Still, it's fun to explore this sloping park in the West. We pick some of the best things to see at the place. RECOMMENDED: The best secret and hidden parks in Singapore and the ultimate guide to Singapore's offshore islands
You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream in this unforgiving tropical heat. With an abundance of ice cream shops that sell a wonderful variety of flavours, Singapore is a lot of bearable when you treat yourself to an artisanal cup or a classic cone. Not including the $1 ice cream stand uncles, here is a list of 17 of the best ice cream shops in Singapore. Get your lickers ready and prepare for a brain freeze. Cross your sticky fingers that they still have your favourite flavours left! RECOMMENDED The best guilt-free ice cream in Singapore and the best soft-serve ice creams in Singapore
Just like that, the shortest month of the year (i.e. February) bids us adieu. But the month of love ain't got nothing on the month of Pancake Day, International Women's Day, St Patrick's Day and Earth Hour, all happening in March. Plus, school's out for the little rugrats so expect a wave of kid-friendly events around town, including Disney On Ice – perfect for the whole brood. Other than that, flex your vocal cords as The Kooks headlines Garden Beats Festival and Maroon 5 is back to serve you all their greatest hits. Laugh out loud with RuPaul's Drag Race superstar Bianca Del Rio and award-winning funnyman Jim Gaffigan. Step into strangers' homes in the name of art via Passport or explore the world of design at the Urban Design Festival. The list goes on, but here are our top 15. RECOMMENDED: The definitive guide on things to do in Singapore
First things first, the solitary cow on Coney Island is no longer there but there's still lots of reasons to visit the island. Opened to public, the island is now very easily accessible from Punggol Central – no passports and ferries involved. If you want to feel away from Singapore without leaving the country, Coney Island is a great place to escape to. This ecologically sustainable park also uses timber from fallen trees for all the signage in the park, benches and the boardwalk over the mangrove swamp. Pack your bags, it's time to make the trip to the North-East of Singapore. RECOMMENDED: The best hiking trails in Singapore and the ultimate guide to Singapore's offshore islands
From freshly brewed fruit teas to trendy crème brûlée brown sugar milk teas, these bubble tea stalls have more to offer than your typical brews. We hunt down some of the best new alternative bubble tea stalls on the island that are giving Gong Cha and Koi a run for their money. RECOMMENDED Taste test: Bubble tea and the best soft serve ice creams in Singapore
Singapore may not be Ireland but that doesn't mean we can't get jolly and celebrate St Patrick's Day in the Lion City. The iconic Irish stout Guinness is pulling out all the stops with its All Hail Patricks campaign, with events leading up to the Guinness St Patrick's Festival on March 16. The campaign also celebrates all named Pats and Patricks in Singapore with plenty of fun and exciting perks to be unlocked all through the month of March. If March seems like an eternity away, Guinness has got your back. The party starts early from March 1 and everyone's invited. Race your way to the mini-festivals happening on March 1 at Suntec City, March 8 at Peranakan Place and Cuppage Terrace and March 14 at Far East and China Square. Then round it all up with the Guinness St Patrick's Festival that’s taking over Maxwell Road on March 16 from 1pm to 10pm. There are plenty of booze, bites, banging tunes and cool experiences to indulge in. Grab a pint of ice cold Guinness and raise a toast. RSVP at get.guinness.com and unlock special perks for you to revel in at this annual outdoor bash. All are welcome and entry is free. It doesn’t end on March 16, either. Guinness is serving up more exclusive treats. By signing up at get.guinness.com, you get to enjoy discounted Guinness and partnered brands like Grab and Redmart throughout the month of March.
Mr Somasundram Mohgan is a man who doesn’t say much. A queue is building at his stall in Tin Yeang Restaurant, an eating house in Katong but he keeps his head down kneading the prata dough. His wife calls out to him to come out for a quick chat and he obliges, takes off his apron and sits himself at the marble table while his wife takes over manning the stall. She’s an efficient multi-tasker; taking orders from customers, dishing out chicken curry into saucers and also interjecting during the interview with some of her own anecdotes. While the Mohgans have an assistant who helps flip prata on the stove, the pair are always busy completing different tasks at once. Without saying much to each other, they seamlessly switch roles or pick up where one left off. Such a high level of communication only happens when one has been married for a long time – or running a prata business for over thirty years. Veterans of the local hawker scene, the Mohgans’ story is an interesting one. Prior to the current stall on Joo Chiat Road, they used to run an equally busy shop down the street at Crane Road. They closed it briefly in 2018 and out came rumours that the couple has retired. Mr Mohgan said that he was simply offered a stall at the current location for a good deal and moved. Coincidentally, his former space is now also a prata stand – so naturally, he cites competition as one of his challenges as a hawker. Unlike a lot of prata shops in Singapore that have expanded their men
What's on in Singapore this week
Find me a date
Game, set, match – we played matchmaker in a blindfolded, speed-dating event and managed to pair up some lovebirds
These city kids ditched Tinder and let us play matchmaker. Here’s a blow-by-blow account of their blind date...
Let Time Out and GaiGai play matchmaker as we bring our popular Find Me A Date series to real life – with a blinding twist
These city kids ditched Tinder and let us play matchmaker. Here’s a blow-by-blow account of their blind date
Every month, we set up two readers on a blind date at one of our favourite restaurants or bars – and it's on us!
These city kids ditched Tinder and let us play matchmaker. Here’s a blow-by-blow account of their blind date
These city kids ditched Tinder and let us play matchmaker. Here’s a blow-by-blow account of their blind date
These city kids ditched Tinder and let us play matchmaker. Here’s a blow-by-blow account of their blind date
These city kids ditched Tinder and let us play matchmaker. Here’s a blow-by-blow of their blind date
The best of Singapore
December 2018: Up to number one on our list is Esora – a new Japanese restaurant at Mohamed Sultan Road serving Kappo-style cuisine with a twist. Other new entries include Preludio, a restaurant that turns fine dining on its head and Thevar, a contemporary Indian restaurant with delectably spicy plates. Welcome to the Time Out EAT List, our handpicked best of Singapore’s food scene. These are the tastiest places to eat in this city right now: the freshest, most inventive and most memorable, ranked by expert local editors. You don't have to look very far to stumble upon an amazing nosh in Singapore. The city is packed with boundary-pushing restaurants run by star-studded chefs as well as humble hawker finds that'll satiate your appetite for cheap. Narrowing down the best restaurants in town to a list of 50 is no easy feat – that's why we have separate lists for the best Japanese, French and Spanish restaurants among others – but these are the places we think are worth a visit for unbeatable food, electrifying ambiance and genial service to boot. Eaten somewhere on this list and loved it? Know of a restaurant that should be on here instead? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutEatList Find out more about how Time Out makes recommendations and reviews restaurants.
December 2018: Up to number one in our list is Junior – a cosy pocket bar highlighting the drinking culture of New Orleans. It's due to change its concept once again soon so head there quick before yet another refresh. New at number 15 is The Other Roof. Brought to you by the same people behind The Other Room (number 9), this rooftop establishment is fun, breezy and chock full of addictive tea-infused tipples. Welcome to the Time Out DRINK List, our handpicked ‘best of’ Singapore’s drinking scene. These are the most buzzing bars in this city right now: the most inventive and most memorable watering holes, all ranked by expert local editors. Drinking in Singapore is expensive so we did all the hard work for you – scouring the city every night in search of amazing drinks, visiting incognito and footing the bill. That’s how you know that if it’s on this list, it’s awesome. Whether you sip or quaff, these are the city's top bars for a boozy night out. We've got joints stocked with quality vino, speakeasies hidden behind unmarked doors, dens devoted to whisky, craft beer breweries and much more in our roundup. We guarantee you won't be able to stop at one drink – just make sure you have a safe ride home. Drank somewhere on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDrinkList. You can also find out more about how Time Out makes recommendations and reviews bars here.
Neighbourhood guides
Once a prominent red-light district, you’d think it would take loads to eradicate the impression of Keong Saik Road being littered with brothels in the 1960s. Well, you’re right – and it has. Now, this bustling neighborhood has somehow seamlessly fused the traditional with modern to offer some of the most unique (and delicious) places to visit whether you’re a tourist or a local lifestyle enthusiast. From gourmet restaurants to trendy bars and even bespoke tailors, you’ll be filled with an endless array of activities as you traverse along the streets of shophouses. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Singapore and the best bars to try out in Singapore
Busy, noisy, filled with people, that’s the general consensus of the Chinatowns of the world. Singapore’s is no different, but ours (perhaps we’re biased) has a charming air about it that appeals to both tourists and locals. A good mix of hawker fare and swish eateries, history and architecture, here are a few good reasons to head down to Chinatown. RECOMMENDED: 101 best things to do in Singapore and guide to getting around Singapore
Joo Chiat and Katong have gained popularity over the years for their blend of Instagram-worthy Peranakan shophouses, delectable cuisine, and indie retail stores. Named after philanthropist, Chew Joo Chiat, this charming corner in the east of Singapore was once a small village of seaside retreats for the wealthy. It's since been revamped into a residential suburb surrounded by shops and eateries. Declared as Singapore’s first Heritage Town in 2011, this East Coast enclave still holds timeless treasures and insight into the rich Peranakan cultural heritage of the 1950s. Today, most of Joo Chiat’s multi-ethnic influences are most evident in its architecture, dining options, and activities. RECOMMENDED Creative spaces in Katong and Joo Chiat and the best restaurants and cafés in Katong
Singapore's glamorous shopping belt dazzles with luxury stores, local boutiques and plenty to eat, see and do.
It’s a given that Little India is colourful, vibrant and a hive of activity – but it’s also changing and gentrifying. There’s never a dull moment on this stretch, here are some of our favourite spots. RECOMMENDED: Where to eat in Little India
What was once Singapore’s sleaze central has smartened up big time thanks to classy new developments like Andaz. While the area is evolving into a mini CBD, it hasn’t gone all business-like just yet. With its mix old-and-new, here are some of our new (and old) favourite haunts. Still can't get enough of what this colourful neighbourhood has to offer? Check out the best cafes in Bugis or go on a bar crawl guide in Bugis when it gets dark out.
Singapore's infamous redlight district is the place to go your craving for the king of fruits and good food at any hour of the night.
Take a one-way (MRT) trip to the far east – you’ll find more than chalets and droves of army boys. Hit up Pasir Ris and Changi for a walk through nature as you explore the mangroves or chug down refreshing brews by the seaside. We round up where to hang out and what to do while you're in these two quaint neighbourhoods.
More than just the neighbourhood with Singapore's first IKEA, Queenstown is also home to plenty of cheap and good eats, outlet malls for a good bargain and more.
Get acquainted: Tampines – named for the large number of ‘tampinis’, or ironwood, trees that used to be in the neighbourhood – is the largest residential area in Singapore. The colourful HDB blocks and smart design of the district earned Tampines the United Nations World Habitat Award for Excellence in Housing Design in 1992. Make a deal: Just outside the MRT exit, bargains abound in 513 Tampines Central 1. Get cheap clothes at CK Discount, then wander around the building clockwise until you hear the carnival soundtrack and come to stall No 152 – Three Stars Buy 1 Free 1. Just like the name says, when you buy one of the household goods on sale, you get one free. Along the way, keep your eyes open for discount underwear and a jewellery pawn shop. Eat: On the third floor of the Tampines Mall (4 Tampines Central 5, and ground zero for mainstream shopping in this area), peek in the window of Din Tai Fung and watch dim sum masters rolling out dough and turning it into divine dumplings… okay, enough watching. Time to grab a seat and eat! For what could possibly be Singapore’s best dining bargain (a major claim), head to block 823A on Tampines Street 81 and find stall No 820 in the Food Park for a plate of $1.30 chicken rice. Get fit: After all that chicken rice (at those prices, you know you’ll get seconds), you’ll need a workout. The Tampines Sports Hall (495 Tampines Ave 5 S) offers 19 badminton and table tennis courts where you can play with your birdies and balls. If that doesn
