Singapore 101 or my 10 top tips for things to see and do in the Lion City

After almost 7 years living and working in Singapore, I often get asked about things to see and do in the Little Red Dot. Whether it is your first visit to Singapore or you are going back for more, here is a short list of my top recommendations, some of them off the beaten track! Enjoy my favorite city in the world!

1. Peranakan neighborhoods - Baba Nyonya House (a gorgeous Peranakan house) and the shophouses around it on Everton Road (NUS Baba House), the Peranakan neighborhood Katong with its gorgeous shophouses (Peranakan Houses) and Kim Choo Kueh Chang bakery with Peranakan sweets - try the ondeh ondeh (Kim Choo Kueh Chang (Katong))
2. Little India neighborhood - street art, three temples on Serangoon Road (Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman Temple, Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple and Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple), bangles and sarees, Mustafa Centre (Mustafa Centre - Wikipedia) and my favorite Northern Indian food restaurant - Amber Tandoor Restaurant (Amber Tandoor Restaurant - Little India)
3. Chinatown neighborhood - Sri Mariamman (Indian temple) (Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore - Wikipedia), Buddha Tooth Temple (Chinese temple) (Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum - Wikipedia) and street art
4. Kampong Glam muslim neighborhood at Bugis MRT station with a beautiful mosque (Sultan mosque) and shophouses (Sultan Mosque - Wikipedia)
5. CBD - Gardens by the Bay (Gardens by the Bay - Wikipedia), Marina Bay Sands (do not miss the free light shows in the evening) (Marina Bay Sands), Raffles Hotel (a gorgeous colonial style hotel) (Raffles Hotel), Chijmes (an old monastery converted into cafés and restaurants) (CHIJMES), Thian Hock Keng Temple (the oldest Chinese temple in Singapore) (Thian Hock Keng - Wikipedia), CapitaSpring rooftop with amazing views - Sky Garden at CapitaSpring (Sky Garden at CapitaSpring) and a boat ride on the river (Singapore River Cruise)
6. Gardens and parks - East Coast Park to ride a bicycle and enjoy the beaches (East Coast Park - Wikipedia), Sunghei Buloh Park to see crocodiles and other wildlife - Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Visitor Centre (Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve Visitor Centre), Singapore Botanic Gardens (including the Orchid Garden for the orchids) (Singapore Botanic Gardens | Homepage), The Lotus Garden in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and Pulau Ubin (an island where you can ride a bicycle and see monkeys - it is Singapore as it was in the 60s) (Pulau Ubin)
7. Bars and restaurants - Bar LeVel 33 (a bar with a great view and its own brewery) (LeVeL33), Din Tai Fung (Taiwanese dim sum) (Din Tai Fung), Ichiban Boshi (Japanese food) (Ichiban Boshi), food courts such as Old Airport food court (Old Airport Road Food Centre) and Lau Pa Sat (Lau Pa Sat), and Koma (Japanese food) at Marina Bay Sands (KOMA Singapore | Restaurant in Singapore l Marina Bay Sands)
8. Singapore breakfast with kaya toast and kopi at Heavenly Wang (Heavenly Wang) or Ya Kun Kaya Toast (Ya Kun Kaya Toast)
9. Museums - Peranakan museum (Peranakan Museum - Wikipedia), Asian Civilisations Museum (Asian Civilisations Museum - Wikipedia) and National Gallery Singapore (National Gallery Singapore - Wikipedia)
10. Very off the beaten track - Japanese Cemetery Park (Japanese Cemetery Park) and Toa Payoh garden and neighbourhood (Toa Payoh - Wikipedia) and biang biang noodles restaurant at Biang Biang Noodle (Biang Biang Noodle)