Singapore Travel Guide: Restaurants, Hotels and More

Chan expressed surprise when his food stall Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken Rice Noodles received a Michelin star earlier this year. After all, the stewed chicken with rice he sells is not a fancy dish, and the average plate costs less than two yuan. But the award probably comes as no surprise to Singaporeans, who take their food so seriously they have been known to wait over an hour for a meal at a hawker stall. (In fact, Singapore’s second stall, Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, also received a Michelin star.) If you want to explore Asia’s wealthiest city-state, read on for our guide to restaurants, hotels and attractions.

Jumbo Seafood Everyone in Singapore has an opinion on where to get the best chilli crab, a crustacean cooked in a sweet, spicy, tangy tomato gravy. Those who prefer the taller Scoville flats will argue for Long Beach’s chilli crab, while those who prefer the white pepper version will remain forever loyal to No Signboard. For the Goldilocks of chilli crab, though — not too hot, not too sweet or too sour, but a balance of all three — Jumbo is the place to go. Multiple locations; jumboseafood.com.sg website

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice If you come for Hainanese chicken rice, be prepared to wait; on weekdays, this hawker stall at Maxwell might be packed with crowds. You’ll likely be in line for at least an hour.Once at the booth, you’ll see a photo of Anthony Bourdain – he stopped here on the Travel Channel stopover— but don’t get distracted. Order the chicken rice (chopped ginger is the perfect accompaniment) for delicate poached chicken and fragrant rice. 1 Kadayanallur Street, #01—10/11 Maxwell Road Hawker Food Center

Open Farm Community A Napa-inspired take on Singapore, this charming spot focuses on locally sourced ingredients cooked in an avant-garde style (think chicken tonkatsu burger with carrot pasta, red grouper with chipotle and mint puree, or ribs with pho) . It also serves killer cocktails. 130E Mindeng Road; openfarmcommunity.com

Royal Park Pickering The Chinatown Hotel is known locally as the Garden Hotel because of the sky gardens that separate the guest rooms, and the façade is covered in verdant tropical plants, frangipani and palm trees. Designed by Singapore-based WOHA Architects in 2013, the hotel’s gradient effect takes inspiration from natural rock formations, a theme repeated inside. 3 Upper Pickering Street; parkroyalhotels.com

Marina Bay Sands You’ve seen the pictures on Instagram: Moshe Safdie’s designs are some of the most striking in the hospitality world. The 55-storey hotel is actually three towers connected by a cantilevered sky garden and an infinity pool on the 57th floor, and since it opened in 2010, it may be the most famous architectural development in Singapore. 10 Bay Drive; marinabaysands.com

Raffles A historic institution, the five-star hotel will celebrate its 130th anniversary next year. Not only has this colonial-style building hosted Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, Michael Jackson and Prince William, but it’s also home to the famous Singapore Sling (a pink cocktail served with a Alcohol, gin and pineapple juice) was invented in 1915. 1 Beach Road; Raffles.com

national gallery Arguably Singapore’s most important cultural institution, the National Gallery opened in November 2015 as an architectural triumph, combining the former Supreme Court and City Hall. French firm Studio Milou has linked two adjacent buildings with fine metal mesh, allowing sunlight to filter through while providing shade. 1 St. Andrew’s Road; National Gallery.sg

Gardens by the Bay Home to two greenhouses (one called the Flower Dome and the other the Cloud Forest), these mega-conservatories are living evidence of Singapore’s commitment to ecological conservation. Since opening in June 2012, the gardens have been best known for their supertrees – towering vertical gardens covered in ferns, bromeliads and orchids that not only generate electricity for the park but also provide visitors with nightly music and lights show. 18 Gardens Avenue Esplanade; website gardensbythebay.com.sg