™ Asia Pacific Guides Singapore for Families A guide to the city's top family attractions and activities Click here to view all our FREE travel eBooks of Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Bangkok Introduction Singapore is Southeast Asia's most popular city destination and a great city for families with kids, boasting a wide range of attractions and activities that can be enjoyed by kids and teenagers of all ages. This mini-guide will take you to Singapore's best and most popular family attractions, so you can easily plan your itinerary without having to waste precious holiday time. Index 1. The Singapore River 2 2. The City Centre 3 3. Marina Bay 5 4. Chinatown 7 5. Little India, Kampong Glam (Arab Street) and Bugis 8 6. East Coast 9 7. Changi and Pasir Ris 9 8. Central and North Singapore 10 9. Jurong BirdPark, Chinese Gardens and West Singapore 15 10. Pulau Ubin and the islands of Singapore 18 11. Sentosa, Universal Studios Singapore and "Resorts World" 21 12. Other attractions and activities 25 Rating: = Not bad = Worth trying = A real must try Copyright © 2012 Asia-Pacific Guides Ltd. All rights reserved. 1 Attractions and activities around the Singapore River Name and details What is there to be seen How to get there and what to see next Asian Civilisations Museum As its name suggests, this fantastic Address: 1 Empress Place museum displays the cultures of Asia's Rating: tribes and nations, with emphasis on From Raffles Place MRT Station: Take Exit those groups that actually built the H to Bonham Street and walk to the river Tuesday – Sunday : 9am-7pm (till city-state. bank, turn right and walk along the river 9pm on Friday), Monday : 1pm – 7pm for a minute or two, then cross Cavenagh Housed within an impressive 19th Bridge. 6332 2982 / 7798 century Neo-Palladian building, right The entrance to the museum is just a few Website next to the Singapore River, it displays steps from the bridge. thousands of rich and fascinating English guided tours of the museum exhibits, including ethnic costumes, Other nearby attractions: The Merlion, are available at the following times: traditional jewelries, ancient books, Clarke Quay and a Bumboat cruise on the 2 pm on Mondays, 11 am and 2 pm sculptures, religious artifacts, Singapore River. Tuesday - Friday, 7pm on Friday eve, archaeological findings and what not... and 11am, 2 and 3pm on Sat and Sun. From China and Southeast Asia, The guided tours are at no extra cost through the Indian subcontinent all but you'll better call the museum's the way to the Middle East… How to find the best deals in Asia ? front desk in advance 6332 7798 Instantly compare the world's (Information on free guided tours) The museum is tastefully designed, so leading hotel-websites and get the the visitor is not 'bombarded' with too BEST rates for accommodation in much information… Moreover, every Macau, Hong Kong, Shanghai, gallery has some interactive displays Beijing, Bangkok, Singapore, and touch screens that make the Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Taipei and whole experience more interesting elsewhere in Asia! and tangible (especially for the little ones...) Singapore River Bumboat Cruise Although it is a tourist cliché, cruising Both HiPPO River Cruise and Singapore the Singapore River on a bumboat is River Cruises operate this service. Rating: recommended, as it gives you another angle of the city and makes it easier You can find the jetties in central points Morning till evening for you to get from one point to along the river, such as: Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Raffles' Landing Site (Asian Website: Singapore River Cruises another, without having to sweat. Civilisations Museum), The Merlion, Website: HiPPO River Cruise Robertson Quay and so on… Clarke Quay (and G-Max reverse Clarke Quay, the middle of the three From Clarke Quay MRT Station: Take exit bungee) historic quays along the Singapore E, turn left and left again, to the river River, has been restored quite a few front. Cross Read Bridge and you are there. Rating: years ago and became one of the city's best Wine and Dine areas… The old Take a bumboat from one of the jetties 7 days a week, almost 24 hrs a day godowns have been painted along the river (or walk) vivaciously and were converted to Information on restaurants, cafés and restaurants, cafés, bars and other Discover Singapore with those entertainment venues night spots. who know it best! Click here to view our choice of city-tours and No entrance fees activities. For the young ones, however, the real The G-Max Reverse Bungee & GX-5 G-Max and GX-5 fun starts at the nearby Gmax (reverse Extreme Swing are located at the end of bungee) and GX5 (Giant swing)… Clarke Quay. Daily, 2pm till late If you ever wanted to know what it feels like to be fired from a slingshot, 6338 1766 go there… (Or join the "angry birds"). The Merlion Soaring to a height of almost nine Address: Next to One Fullerton metres, right in front of Marina Bay, Rating: The statue-fountain of "The Merlion" From Raffles Place MRT Station: Take Exit is one of Singapore's best known H to Bonham Street and walk to the river 24 / 7 landmarks bank, turn right and walk along the river for a few minutes, passing under the road, No entrance fees This imaginary creature was invented until you reach the open piazza, where the back in the 1960s, as a logo for the famous statue-fountain stands. tourism board and has since become a Although Singapore has one of symbol of the city. It incorporates a Nearby attractions: Asian Civilisations the best public-transport body of a lion, which signifies the lion Museum, Clarke Quay and a Bumboat systems in the world, taking the from the legend about the founding of cruise on the Singapore River. Singapore City Hop-on Hop-off Singapore, and a tail of a fish, which Tour is highly recommended, as signifies the city's relationship with the it takes you directly to the ocean. various attractions and saves Next to it, there's a "Baby Merlion" you the time and hassle of statue where kids can take photos, waiting for a bus or walking… and a wide open space with coffee shops and restaurants, where you can dine 'alfresco' and enjoy the nice view. 2 Attractions and activities around the city centre Name and details What is there to be seen How to get there and what to see next Funan DigitalLife Mall Also known as Funan Centre, this is From City Hall MRT Station: Take exit B, one of the best places in Singapore to turn left to North Bridge Road and after Rating: look for newly released electronic crossing Coleman Street you will see the gadgets and other IT toys. mall on your right. Daily, 10:30am – 10pm website There are 178 shops here, loaded with Nearby attractions: Singapore Philatelic whatever you can think about… Museum and Fort Canning Park (The Battle No entrance fees Box) Civil Defence Heritage Gallery Housed within the red-bricks building Corner of Coleman St. and Hill St. of Singapore's oldest existing fire (See instructions on how to get to Rating: station, this small museum focuses on Singapore Philatelic Museum below). the history of firefighting and civil Daily, 10:00am – 5pm defence in Singapore and has some antique fire engines and other No entrance fees firefighting equipment on display. Singapore Philatelic Museum While it is a "must visit" for stamp Address: 23-B Coleman Street collectors, Singapore's Philatelic Museum can also be a nice place to Rating: From City Hall MRT Station: Take exit B, visit for everybody else… turn left to North Bridge Road and right to Daily, 9am – 7pm (Mon: from 1pm) Coleman Street. Other than international and regional stamp displays, there are some After crossing Hill Street, you will see the website interesting exhibitions here that show museum on your left. Entrance fees apply how a new stamp is created, A to Z… Fort Canning Park (The Battle Box) Rising high above the city and the Getting there: From Bras Basah MRT Singapore River, Fort Canning Hill is Station: Cross the open piazza to where both ancient and modern Singapore Management University (SMU), Rating: Singapore started from… where you cross Stamford Road and proceed through the garden, to the left of Daily, all day Nowadays, the hill is covered by lovely the National Museum of Singapore, and Fort Canning Park, which boasts quite the escalator, to Canning Rise, where the Entrance is free a number of attractions and historical entrance to the park can be found. monuments, as well as some nice and easy nature walks, and other than If coming from City Hall MRT Station: Take archaeological sites (which are not of exit B and turn left to North Bridge Road, The Battle Box much interest to kids), you can see the and then right to Coleman Street. Walk th remains of the mighty 19 century straight along Coleman, cross Hill Street, Daily: 10am – 6pm British Fort and visit the Battle Box, pass by the Philatelic Museum and after a where the bunker of Fort Canning and couple of minutes you will see the the headquarters of the British forces entrance to the park on your left side… 6333 0510, Website was during the Battle of Singapore. You can join a guided tour here and Nearby attractions: Singapore Philatelic Entrance fees apply watch an interesting presentation that Museum, Civil Defence Heritage Gallery recaptures the fierce battle against the and National Museum of Singapore.