October . November . December People | Places | Events |Dining | Nightlife People |Places |Events SINGAPORE INSIDER 02 PHOTO TRAILS WANT MORE? VISIT VISITSINGAPORE.COM Singapore is getting ready to party! Get into the year-end party mood at these 12 bars, which are ranked among Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2018 Beyond Gallery Walls Treasures of (pg 30-31). To experience 10 Discover an urban 20 Little India our multifaceted city, we landscape that is permeated Experience Singaporean Indian recommend hopping with street art like no other. culture and take home authentic aboard these unique tours mementos of your stay. that came out tops at the Coffee Talk and Singapore Tourism 12 Culture Walks Just Kidding Around Awards 2018 (pg 28-29) or Check out historic Jalan 22 Thrills and spills for simply following this Besar and Beach Road, the whole family. fascinating trail of street which showcase both Time Travellers art that peppers our island tradition and modernity. Retrace the footsteps (pg 10-11). Throughout 24 your stay, you’ll discover Makan Time of our founding fathers. that Singapore abounds 14 Tuck into our Paint the Town with diverse culture and local delights. 26 Dive into these lively rich heritage, along with Great Eats watering holes and New Year’s thrilling adventures 16 Visit these new countdown parties. suitable for the whole restaurants to savour family (pg 22-23). Foodies Not Your modern iterations of are invited to taste 28 Conventional Tours innovative renditions of Chinese gastronomy. These unusual journeys came classic Chinese dishes at Sweet Treats out on top at the Singapore these new restaurants (pg 17 Indulge in Singapore’s Tourism Awards 2018. 16) while thrill-seekers favourite desserts. won’t want to miss the Take Me Out Have a WTA Finals’ last edition in Go Local! 30tipple with friends at Singapore (pg 5). Our 18 Collect special these 12 Singaporean watering exuberant end-of-year keepsakes from these holes, which are ranked among celebrations are the icing Singaporean brands. Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2018. on the cake. Party with the world’s most popular Editor Andre Frois DJs at ZoukOut, which is Contributing Editor Victoria Tay Asia’s largest beach party Sub Editor Chai Tze Yuen (pg 8), then cap 2018 off Art Director Shirley Chia, Nor Hamimah with spellbinding Cover Photography Nicky Loh www.mongoosepublishing.sg Cover Model DJ Zushan aka Ben Teo, [email protected] pyrotechnics and Resident DJ at Zouk vivacious live music at our energetic countdown For general enquiries, contact SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD parties (pg 9). There’s no Tourism Court, 1 Orchard Spring Lane, Singapore 247729 better place to spend the Tel: +65 6736 6622 | Fax: +65 6736 9423 holidays than in our Tourist line: 1800 736 2000 (outside Singapore) vibrant metropolis, where endless excitement awaits. STB is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of this publication and shall not be liable for any damage, loss, injury or inconvenience arising from or in connection with the content of this publication. You should verify or seek clarification from the individual third parties referred to in this publication. DC 001 05 18 Q4 HAD A GOOD TIME? SHARE IT WITH US AT #VISITSINGAPORE 02 HANDY TIPS Handy Tips Follow these pointers to make the best of your stay. TRANSPORT MRT Bus Taxi Trains typically run from Fares start as low as Fares start from S$3.90. 5.30am to midnight. S$0.77. Try to have the Comfort and CityCab Standard tickets vary exact fare as bus drivers +65 6552 1111 from S$0.77 to S$2.50. do not give change. Premier Cabs See page 32 for the MRT map. www.sbstransit.com.sg +65 6363 6888 www.smrt.com.sg www.smrt.com.sg +65 6331 1000 +65 6331 1000 SMRT Taxis +65 6555 8888 CONNECTIVITY Free Wi-Fi SIM Card Register for free public Wi-Fi Telcos in Singapore have service with your foreign number ceased the provision of 2G at any Wireless@SG hotspot across network in Singapore. To attain 3G/4G Singapore, and receive your login details roaming, buy a Singapore prepaid SIM via an SMS message. Overseas charges card from Singapore Visitor Centre may apply. Alternatively, you can rent a (orchardgateway), Changi Recommends pocket Wi-Fi device at Singapore Visitor or telecommunications retail shops Centre (orchardgateway) or Changi located at the airport, major shopping Recommends at Changi Airport. malls and convenience stores islandwide. SINGLISH, SIMPLIFIED English is Singapore’s primary language, A Malay word that “Afraid to lose out”, which though our English Singaporeans use to is an attitude that many is peppered describe something Singaporeans share. with colloquial upper-class. “The laksa stall sells out very expressions “The city centre has quickly, that’s why you’ll see all the that you can easily both street food and kiasu Singaporeans forming long pick up. atas restaurants.” queues there even before it opens.” WANT MORE? VISIT VISITSINGAPORE.COM HANDY TIPS 03 GST REFUNDS Payment by cash and cards is safe and efficient in Singapore. Tipping is not a common practice as service charge has been factored into the Goods and Services Tax (GST). As a tourist in Singapore, you can claim a refund on 7% GST under the Tourist Tax Refund Scheme if you make any purchase more than S$100 at the participating shops. Here’s how to go about it: 1 Look out for these signs at the shops VISITSINGAPORE APP Download and try the enhanced 2 Choose one credit/debit card as a Token for tagging your purchases. Visit Singapore Don’t forget to ask for your eTRS Ticket, original invoice or receipt. Travel Guide app (available on iOS) 3 Apply for your tax refund at the eTRS self-help kiosks located at for tips and Singapore Changi Airport’s Departure Hall and Departure Transit Lounge of Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as at the ICA duty office recommendations at Seletar Airport. Be sure to file your GST claims before checking on hidden gems in in your goods. the city. Choose places of interest 4 At the eTRS kiosk, swipe your assigned Token to retrieve your purchase details. Otherwise, scan your eTRS tickets to retrieve according to your your purchase details. Passion Tribes, explore Singapore 5 You can choose to have the refund credited directly into your with ease and credit card at the eTRS self-help kiosk, or get a cash refund. If you chose the latter (available only at Changi International Airport), discover nearby proceed to the Central Refund Counter after the immigration recommended checks. places of interest. 6 Alternatively, apply for tax refunds with the Tourego app, a mobile tourist tax refund solution that is downloadable from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Get your refund ticket issued directly to an e-wallet. Tourego also provides users with the latest shopping, food and travel tips for an overall fuss-free journey in Singapore. A Malay expression An expression of “Can” is used as both a question referring to food or great satisfaction and a reply. If someone is able the act of eating. and pleasure. to do something, he or she will “There are many shiok “The food in hawker reply your query with “can”. makan places in this centres like Lau Pa Sat “Uncle, one packet of neighbourhood—here, it’s and Tekka Market is chicken rice, can?” makan time, all the time!” very shiok!” “Can.” HAD A GOOD TIME? SHARE IT WITH US AT #VISITSINGAPORE 04 WHAT’S ON OCT 5–7 PVP eSports Championship Featuring Arena of Valor and Dota 2, this three-day event also 5–21 includes a global Kinky Boots pro stop for Directed and choreographed by From 17 Oct Blizzard’s Hearthstone two-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Nursery Crimes Championship. Powered Mitchell, Kinky Boots is an Strange things have been by Singtel Group and exhilarating story of a shoemaker’s happening in Miny Moe, an Razer, the championship son, who revives his father’s amazing world filled with nursery will bring together business by producing rather rhyme characters. Families are winning teams from peculiar footwear. Sing along to invited to follow Polly as she across the region, and Grammy and Tony Award-winning investigates the trouble that’s promises to be a Cyndi Lauper’s pop classics, as afoot. Children of all ages can join whirlwind of fun for unlikely duo Charlie and Lola in the singing and dancing as gamers and enthusiasts. dance their way to the fashion they meet familiar nursery rhyme Come down and unleash runways of Milan. characters who have come to life. the passion! www.marinabaysands.com/ www.srt.com.sg www.pvpesports.gg entertainment/shows/kinky-boots.html KC Arts Centre, 20 Merbau Road Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands® Suntec City Fort Canning Esplanade Bayfront 16 Oct – 11 Nov Singapore River Festival 2018 Indulge your taste buds at some of Singapore’s best restaurants, located in Robertson Quay, Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. Afterward, take a stroll along the banks of our historic river during the Singapore River Festival with your family, where you’ll be amazed by the talents of street performers and also get to take part in an assortment of fringe activities. www.srf.sg Singapore River Clarke Quay, Fort Canning and Raffles Place WANT MORE? VISIT VISITSINGAPORE.COM WHAT’S ON 05 19–28 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global Till May 2019 This fifth edition of the WTA Finals Singapore Experience Lab Singapore will be its last outing in Come join us at the Singapore Singapore, so don’t miss this chance to Experience Lab—a showcase catch your favourite tennis stars of Singapore’s past, present in action on the court and in intimate and future tourism products practise sessions, and pick up tips from in the comfort of a conserved globally renowned speakers at the shophouse.