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This is a Singapore tourist spot one has to visit to be able to feel the atmosphere of the olden days when drinking cocktails and listening to live music was fashionable.

The diversity of Singapore is so rich and specific that you might feel you have to pay close attention not to miss out on something along the way. That is how I came across a villa not far from Orchard Road that looked like emerging from the foundation of a high modern building.

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A house emerging from building foundations

Some streets are adorned with colonial style heritage buildings while just around the corner you might find lush greenery, small tropical park area, and then – the skyscrapers.

Singapore Tourist Spot

Long Bar at Raffles Villa

When going around the city you would have to notice various districts. Even though different in style and size, they still stand harmoniously side by side.

Singapore tourist spot

Entrance to the famous Long Bar

Next to the Central Business District you will come across the Raffles Place, another business area all built in white. In that strange February light, while the sky was covered with white and grey clouds, there was a strange reflection coming from this district making it even more shiny.

If you are interested in British heritage in general, there are a few buildings in Singapore you can visit: the house where Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles lived (more about Sir Raffles in the blog about Merlion Singapore), the old Parliament building, and the Raffles Villa. Try not to miss the last one, since there you will find the popular colonial-styled – Long Bar.

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SINGAPORE TOURIST SPOT: Raffles Villa charming courtyard

It deservedly bears its name since it stretches from the ground floor – where you will come across a courtyard with chairs and tables, fountain, and local girl dressed in an evening gown, singing old Western hits – over the first floor, and along the vast terrace.

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SINGAPORE TOURIST SPOT: Full sacks of peanuts at Long Bar

You actually need to go all the way around to get to the bar where you eat peanuts right from huge sacks. While peanut shells crack under your feet, you try to juggle those elongated cocktail glasses.

 

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This is where the first Singapore Sling cocktails was created in 1915 and you can still try it today. If you like the atmosphere of an old 1950’s movie, you will fall in love with the place.

Singapore cocktail

This is what Singapore Sling looks like (Curtesy of: raffles.com)

It is really popular Singapore tourist spot and you will often hear that “you can’t really say that you spent a night in Singapore, if not being up until dawn in the Raffles’ Long Bar”.

Tourist Places of Singapore

Night Market Singapore

And yet, after this small excursion into the past, if you continue strolling around the center, you will stumble upon another even older tradition.

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The bustling Night Market

The place with mixture of fast food scents, strangely shaped vegetables, but also souvenir stands, clothes of not so good quality, imitations of famous brands’ products, etc. If you come at dusk, you will witness the area coming to life like a bee hive. This is where I found postcards and souvenirs with another famous Singapore tourist spot – Merlion embedded in every possible item – from belts and lighters to key rings. This is the Night Market.

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Going down towards the subway

If you are interested in art and museums, the city has it all – from the Opera I mentioned earlier, to theater, and the National Gallery situated in the colonial building that once served as a church.

Singapore Metro

When it comes to means of transport, take the subway if you are in a hurry, if not – go by bus. You will have a chance to look outside and see all the diversity of the city. Taxi is also a solution – not expensive and drivers are nice.

Metro stations are spotless clean. The first level is usually transformed into a shopping mall and there are stores of all kinds selling food and clothes, while narrow passageways take you down to the station.

In accordance with everything else in the city, subway is also quite automated and well “organized”.

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Clean underpass with shopping area

The “machine” will ask for your destination, sell you a ticket, and you just need to go through a small gate. With a nice and simple map of stops, it is quite easy to go from one part of the city to another, while the subway goes above the ground on the outskirts of Singapore and descends back underground when getting closer to the center.

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Clean subway and ardent citizens

I didn’t find it crowded or noisy, it was just pleasant. And I have to say that I was amazed by the fact that the underpasses and subway stations were extremely clean, and that citizens were so ardent standing in marked areas.

Off the beaten track

Subway was the option for visiting some locations further away from the center, that came out to be really authentic and among the most beautiful in the city. These Singapore tourist spots were not included in tours with local agencies when I was there for the first time. The entrance fee was symbolic and I spent almost the whole day in the Chinese and Japanese Garden.

I will tell you all about it in the next glimpse.

Next: CHINESE AND JAPANESE GARDEN (6)

Full Singapore SERIES

Singapore Tourist Spot

 

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Comments:

  • 26/05/2017

    We have never been to Singapore so this write up is useful. Thank you

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  • 27/05/2017

    Thank you for sharing!!!

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  • 30/05/2017

    I am going to Singapore/Bali in October so I look forward to your next posts. I pinned this one for later. The long bar is on my list!

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  • 30/05/2017

    I love Singapore, it is such a diverse city. Too bad I didn’t know about the Raffles Villa when I was there. Thanks for sharing, I will definitely go there on my next visit!

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  • 30/05/2017

    One of our friends lives in Singapore so this is familiar to us even if your overview is perfect. We’d love to try your experience, so saved this post for the future!

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  • 03/06/2017

    The Long Bar seems like such a good time! I used to have a friend who lived in the Raffles area. Maybe I should track her down and go visit!

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  • Patti Morrow

    03/06/2017

    Singapore is one of my tentative places for 2017. I might go in October. The night market looks fun!

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  • 03/06/2017

    I love the Long Bar idea. I have visited something similar in Amsterdam and absolutely enjoyed throwing the peanut shells on the floor. Makes me feel like a kid again, hehe.

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  • riely

    03/06/2017

    Long Bar in Singapore seems like a place you don’t want to miss out on. I do appreciate a 1950’s feel so this bar may be the spot for me. Thanks for sharing.

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  • 04/06/2017

    The photo of the Thailand coconut looks nice. I want one fresh coconut juice right now. Haha! I would like to explore the night market of Singapore. I assume that it is better to shop at night because it is probably too hot during the day.

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  • 04/06/2017

    One of the places where we plan to spend our first off-the-country trip (we’re from the Philippines) is Singapore. It’s just that it’s a little bit expensive here…at least for us. We’re not sure though how we could “fit” in the ultramodern city considering that we’re more inclined towards the wild outdoors. But it should be an interesting experience. 🙂

    reply...

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