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Singapore is one place where you can be sure the whole family will
have fun. From exciting theme parks and spectacular zoos to sunny
beaches and beautiful botanical gardens, you'll find lots of things
to occupy your kids - and yourself, too.
Singapore is sunny all year round, so anytime's a good time to
bring your family on a trip here. If your visit coincides with the
Arts Festival, you'll find special activities for kids - or the
Great Singapore Sale - which often lasts for the whole month of
June, and has department stores and shops all over the island giving
great discounts. Christmas, when the whole stretch of Orchard Road
is strewn with fairy lights, is also an excellent time to bring
the kids.
Where to stay
The town centre, near Orchard Road, is only a few minutes away
from a mind-boggling array of restaurants, fast-food outlets, ice-cream
parlours, cinemas, arcades, and shops, shops, shops.
There are many luxury hotels in this area - such as the Four
Seasons Hotel Singapore, the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore and the
Singapore Marriott Hotel - but if you're on a tight budget or
have a very large family, there are many cheaper options available.
For mid-range hotels, there's the Allson
Hotel, or the
Carlton Hotel Singapore. There are also the ever-reliable YMCAs
-- one is located at the eastern tip of Orchard Road, and the other
on Stevens Road.
Another ideal area to stay in is Sentosa - Singapore's offshore island theme park. There's the Beaufort Hotel
as five-star choice, or you can rough it out in hostels and guest
houses. Your kids can spend one or two full days just wandering
around the island, with its many theme sites and attractions.
Most of the hotels are family- and children-friendly, with large
rooms and other amenities on hand. The larger hotels often have
a day-care nursery or offer baby-sitting services and some are attached
to, or near, 24-hour convenience stores. Many hotels offer to book
you on day tours, or operate special bus tours of their own -- so
you can see all the sights without too much of a hassle.
Check out the hotels available
in Singapore...
Where to go
A must for the children is Singapore's world-famous Night Safari.
This fascinating zoo is special in many ways - it features only
nocturnal animals housed in their natural surroundings, without
cages or barbed wire. Book yourselves on the tram ride that will
take you on a winding journey through the deep jungle, thick rainforest
or dusty savannah - all in the dark of night.
The Singapore Zoological Gardens and Jurong Bird Park also feature
animals in their natural surroundings. These are ideal places to
introduce your children to wildlife, and even to have a picnic.
The night safari, zoo and bird park hold regular daily shows featuring
seals, boa constrictors or parrots doing clever and amusing stunts.
If you're game for it, you can also arrange for your family to have
breakfast with the friendly orangutan of the Singapore Zoo.
If you're hankering after the wide open spaces there's always the
Botanical Gardens, a large and beautiful landscaped park where you
can choose to wander in the Tropical Plants and Jungle section,
the National Orchid Garden, or the Palm Trees section. Families
are often seen having a picnic in these scenic surroundings.
Don't forget to set a day aside for Sentosa, Singapore's island
based theme park. You can get there by taxi, ferry or - most fun
of all -- by cable car. At the island, you can visit Underwater
World, a spectacular aquarium where you can see all kinds of fishes,
sharks and giant squid; Volcano Land, where you journey to the centre
of the earth; Fantasy Island, a huge pool with slides, rides and
waterfalls; and lots more.
Sentosa has a few pretty, artificial beaches, but if you want the
real thing you can bring your family down to East Coast Park. Besides
lazing at the beach, you can go para-sailing, wind-surfing or roller-blading
and cycling along the special pathways by the sea. There are great
food centres and seafood restaurants at East Coast Park, too.
Read more about the attractions
of Singapore...
Where to eat
Most restaurants in Singapore - except for a very few - welcome
children and large groups. High chairs for toddlers are often provided,
even at coffee shops and some food centres. The food in Singapore
is very varied, so beware of spicier varieties of Indian, Malay
and Thai fare if your children aren't used to it.
Some of the best restaurants to bring a family to are: Harry Ramsdens,
which serves fish and chips; California Pizza Kitchen; Billy Bombers;
The Rainforest Café; Planet Hollywood; Crystal Jade Restaurant,
which dishes up dim sum and Chinese food; Sanur, which specialises
in Indonesian food, and the Satay Club at Clarke Quay.
Read more about the restaurants
in Singapore...
What to buy
You can buy almost anything in Singapore, of course, but perhaps
the cheapest goods to buy here are consumer electronics. Video game
consoles, CD players and personal digital assistants are usually
available at low or reasonable prices. You can go to ethnic quarters
like Chinatown and Little India to buy cute little cheong sams (Chinese
dresses) or sarongs for the kids, or to bargain for some exotic
games or toys.
Read more about shopping
in Singapore...
Fun for kids
- Don't miss the highly entertaining animal shows at the award-winning
Singapore Zoo.
- Go wakeboarding and spin around the waters of Singapore
- Cool off with a big splash at the Fantasy Island, Sentosa.
- Make friends with a pink dolphin. Visit the Dolphin Lagoon
at Underwater World, Sentosa.
- Take a bumboat ride from Changi Point and explore rustic
Pulau Ubin on a rented bike. Bring along camping equipment if you
want to spend the night star gazing.
- Come face-to-face with a cougar at the Night Safari.
- Visit the world's largest fountain at Suntec City. It is
believed that walking clockwise around the fountain 3 times while
touching the water will bring luck and good fortune.
- Instead of a lazy dip in the hotel pool, why not be energetic
and go water-skiing at the Kallang Basin.
- Visit the Singapore Science Centre for an educational and
entertaining experience.
- Saddle up a horse on Sentosa and enjoy an exciting horse
ride on the resort island.
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