Fodor's Singapore, 10th Edition: The Complete Guide to the Garden Isle, with Dining, Shopping and Tours of Ethnic Enclaves [Paperback]

Fodor's (Author)

Book Description

Series: 10th Edition | Publication Date: May 25, 1999

"Packed with dependable information." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"An admirable blend of the cultural and the practical." -- the Washington Post


Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over. Completely up-to-date, Fodor's Gold Guides are essential tools for any kind of traveler.  If you only have room for one guide, this is the guide for you.


The best guide to Singapore, completely updated
Walks in Chinatown, Little Araby, Little India, and beyond
Museums, temples, theme parks, and nature preserves
Markets and malls with designer dresses and silk saris, jewelry, baskets, batiks, and spices
Jazz, rock, and classical music in clubs and concert halls
Where to stay and eat, no matter what your budget
Colonial hotels and inns, luxury towers, beachside resorts
Stylish restaurants, teahouses, pubs, and hawker centers with Chinese, Malay, Nonya, Thai, and Western fare
Fresh, thorough, practical -- from writers you can trust
Costs, hours, descriptions, and tips by the thousands
All reviews based on visits by our savvy correspondents
21 pages of maps, vacation itineraries, and more

Important contacts, smart travel tips - Fodor's Choice - Background essays - Comprehensive index

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

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Fodor's Southeast Asia

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Destination Singapore

A City of Many Faces

Ever since Singapore became an independent nation in 1965, it has been a standing joke among Singaporeans that if you turn your back for a second, you won't be able to find your way home, the streetscape will have changed so much.

Demolition, development, and renewal rotate in endless cycles on the 646-square-km (249-square-mi) tropical island, contributing to the underlying nervous tension of the place.  Singapore's history, pocked with the turbulence of the World War II Japanese Occupation and postwar communist insurgency, has left a residue of anxiety.  The vulnerability many feel is heightened by the former British colony's geographical situation as a predominately Chinese island surrounded by the more traditional and conservative Malayo-Islamic cultures of Malaysia and Indonesia.  Hypersensitive to perceived danger and to criticism from without and within, Singapore's government has waged feisty battles with both the foreign press and local liberals.

Most foreigners in Singapore (including about 300,000 "guest workers," mostly construction laborers and maids, who do the dirtier work most Singaporeans will not do anymore) are mere birds of passage, but some have found reason to linger.  They find it hard to put their finger on what it is that has made them stay: "It's just a certain something."  But when pressed, many point to an underlying gentleness bordering on innocence, or a childlike enjoyment of simple, often material, pleasures that together typify the Singaporean.  Others relish the vibrant multicultural street life of a tropical city.  Still others cite the energy of the place, the constant sense of being busy and purposeful, of going somewhere.

You have to learn to love Singapore, it is not a love-at-first-sight place.  And as the old song goes, to know it is to love it.  It only takes time.


Pleasures and Pastimes
Dining

Eating is an all-consuming passion among Singaporeans, and you'll soon discover why.  There's a stunning array of cuisinefrom around the world, particularly from the three major cultures that make up the island nation: Chinese, Malay, and Indian.  It also won't take you long to discover that Singaporeans love spices.  But spicy doesn't necessarily mean hot.  It can also mean tastes that are mellow, as in thick, rich coconut gravies; pungent, as in Indian curries; tart, as in the sour and hot tamarind-, vinegar-, and lime-based gravies of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore; or sweet and fragrant, as in Indian desserts and beverages.


Gardens and Parks
  
You can escape from the concrete and glass that is modern downtown Singapore to visit orchid farms or the wonderfully kept Botanic Gardens.  If you have a lot of energy, you can hike the trails of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve -- the tigers have long gone, but the sounds and smells of the jungle are still here.  If you want to see a tiger or two, as well as animals from as far away as the North Pole, check out Singapore's pleasant zoo, designed on the open-moat concept.  And because many animals are nocturnal, there's another zoo, the Night Safari, where tigers and rhinoceros wake up at dusk to feed.


Lodging

Although Singapore isn't the same indulgent retreat it once was, it's hard to match the standard of comfort, efficiency of staff, and level of services that Singapore hotels offer.  The luxury establishments cater to every whim -- and so they should at more than S$300 a night -- but you can find good service, freshly decorated rooms, cleanliness, and modern facilities for around S$200. For less money, there are simple, clean hotels (often more personal than the larger ones), with rooms for about S$90.  For those on a tight budget, the youth hostels are spotless, cosmopolitan, and cheap.


Theme Parks

No other country of Singapore's size has put so much effort into creating attractions for both its citizens and tourists. Singapore may have spent millions destroying its heritage buildings, but private enterprise has also spent a fortune re-creating the old at theme parks, usually designed to educate and entertain.  Haw Par Villa emphasizes Chinese mythology, and the Tang Dynasty Village displays life in ancient China.

Product Details

• Paperback: 154 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's; 10th edition (May 25, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679000577
• ISBN-13: 978-0679000570
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,516,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fodor's Singapore: Most Current Source for Singapore Travel, April 23, 2001

By 

Kendergirl "E. Wryly" (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fodor's Singapore, 10th Edition: The Complete Guide to the Garden Isle, with Dining, Shopping and Tours of Ethnic Enclaves (Paperback)

This tour book was the most current I could find for preparing for my trip to Singapore last summer. I was especially happy that it was Fodor's that had printed this, as I found the Fodor's London Guide to be the handiest, lightest, and most helpful book in London. However, I found several things lacking, such as a listing of church service times, and also the little walking tours did not hold my interest or my boyfriend's. On the other hand, admission costs were extremely helpful, although the guide did not list places to purchase sightseeing packages. Overall, use the book for it's info on attractions, but don't limit yourself to the restaurants listed, and planning your own foot tours will be the most interesting.