Must See Places for 2014 (with just 21/2 months to go)

CRIMEA, UKRAINE

Travel Tips

When to Go: May-October

Where to Stay: Newer (opened in 2011) Crimea Breeze Residence is a posh, southern peninsula oasis with low-rise stucco-and-stone luxury villas, seawater pools, and a helpful English-speaking staff.

How to Get Around: Marshrutka (minibus) routes crisscross the region. Private and public bus and train routes connect most cities, and taxis are readily available. Luxury train tour options include the two-week Crimean Express Railway Journey from St. Petersburg to Yalta.

Where to Eat or Drink: Sample traditional Crimean Tatar dishes like lagman (spicy noodle soup), chee-börek (meat turnover), and plov (rice pilaf and lamb) at Harem in Yalta, Kafe Marakand in Simferopol, and, in summer, at the small beach stands and cafes in Koktebel and Sudak.

Cultural Tip: English isn’t spoken widely outside the major tourist areas. Bringing a Russian phrase book and learning a few basic phrases before your trip will make it easier to ask directions, order food, and interact with locals.

What to Read Before You Go: Lady With the Little Dog and Other Stories (1896-1904), by Anton Chekhov (2002). The legendary Russian playwright and modern short story master penned these 11 tales during his final years, spent living in a Yalta villa.

Fun Fact: Joseph Stalin stashed wines confiscated from the tsars’ palaces in the Massandra vineyard cellars, located in underground tunnels. Temporarily relocated during the 1941 Nazi invasion, these rare vintages remain the jewels of Massandra’s estimated million-bottle collection.

MARSEILLE, FRANCE

Notre Dame Cathedral, Marseille

 

Travel Tips

When to Go: June-August for beaches, April-May and September-October for comfortable temperatures and lighter tourist traffic.

Where to Stay: Walk to the Vieux Port from the sleek and affordable Mama Shelter Marseille or see the boats from your private terrace at the luxurious Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port.

How to Get Around: The Régie des Transports de Marseille public transportation network includes metro, bus, and tramway lines. Consider a tourist City Pass for one or two days’ travel, museum admissions, and tours. March-September, a batobus (water shuttle) runs between the Vieux Port and Pointe Rouge. Kitschy, blue-and-white tourist trains wind through the streets of the oldest districts.

Where to Eat or Drink: Bouillabaisse is the homegrown culinary art form. Try Le Miramar in the Vieux Port or Chez Fonfon or L’Epuisette in Vallon des Auffes.

What to Buy: Wander through the maze of indoor and outdoor stalls at the Marché aux Puces and the daily Prado Market. Shop for santons (clay crèche figures), olive and lavender soap, olive oil, navettes (small, rowboat-shaped orange or lemon cookies), and pétanque balls.

What to Watch Before You Go: The Fanny Trilogy (Marius, Fanny, Cesar), 1948 (DVD 2004). Beloved 1930s French films (English subtitles), adaptations of the plays by Marseille’s preeminent writer, Marcel Pagnol, are considered national cultural treasures.

Fun Fact: France’s newest national park, Parc National des Calanques, is located on the outskirts of Marseille. Created in April 2012, the land (lagoons, cliffs, beaches) and sea (dolphins, turtles, seabirds) preserve is accessible only by foot or boat.

RAJA AMPAT ISLANDS, INDONESIA

Raja Ampat has been dubbed the Amazon of the Oceans. Is that hyperbole? Not really. There are single reefs here containing more species than the entire Caribbean. A mini-archipelago of rain-forest-clad islands, cays, mangroves, and pearlescent beaches off the coast of West Papua, Indonesia, this marine frontier brims with life.

Travel Tips
When to Go: Late September through early June. Be aware that mid-June through mid-September is monsoon season, with rains typically contained to the afternoon.
Where to Stay: Exclusive Misool Eco Resort is a secluded tropical hideaway on the remote, private island of Batbitim. Book your personal water cottage-on-stilts (veranda stairs lead directly into the translucent lagoon) to snorkel and dive in one of the world’s most biologically diverse marine environments.
How to Get Around: Travel by boat from Sarong to Wasai. Longboats, speedboats, motorboats, and dive boats connect Wasai to other islands. Outside the resorts, on island travel is primarily by foot or ojek (motorcycle taxi).
Where to Eat or Drink: If you’re not staying in an all-inclusive resort or on a dive boat, Raja Ampat dining options are limited to the small stores, outdoor markets, and warungs (family-run cafés/stores) in Wasai, Raja Ampat’s capital. Another option is to stock up in Sarong before traveling to Wasai.
What to Buy: In the established tourism villages Arborek and Sauwandarek local women make and sell wood and orchid bark nokens (string bags), pandan leaf hats and bags, and wood or banana fiber skirts.
What to Read Before You Go: Raja Ampat Through the Lens Of, by the Raja Ampat Research & Conservation Centre (2009).This coffee table hardcover is a 288-photo journey above and through the Realm of the Four Kings. Proceeds support local conservation efforts.
Fun Fact: On Raja Ampat’s Um Island, bats circle the blue skies by day and seagulls take flight at night. The compact island (one lap around takes about 15 minutes) is dotted with caves, home to the diurnal bats that feast on ripe fruit.

Please contact us for arranging these packages & more !!!

Unique Beaches Around the World You Need to See to Believe

AMAZING BEACHES AROUND THE WORLD ....

1. Hidden Beach, Mexico (Marietas Islands)
Swim through a dark tunnel to this secret spot

2. The Baths, British Virgin Islands (Virgin Gorda)
Hidden pools are nestled between majestic boulders

 3. Maho Beach, Caribbean
Watch planes fly right above your head

4. Boulders Beach, South Africa (Simon's Town, South Africa)
See the famous penguin colony



5. Driftwood Beach, Georgia, US (Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA)
Snap photos of the amazing driftwood and ocean views

6. Glass Beach, California, US (Elm Street and Glass Beach Drive, Santa Maria Ca, Fort Bragg,CA)
Enjoy the colorful glass stones that cover the beach

7. Liaohe Delta, China (Liaohe Delta, Shuangtaizi District, Panjin 124000, China)
Seaweed has turned this beach incredibly red

8. Zlatni Rat Beach, Croatia (Bol, Brac Island, Croatia)
Nearly 580 yards long, this beach extends into the sea

Enjoy your Holidays by going off the grid when you travel....

Ever yearn to travel old-school style, without the screens, gadgets and multitasking stress? Do away with worrying about chargers, adapters, cables, cases, insuring all your devices, and organizing foreign wi-fi plans and roaming. Instead, enjoy the moment, get out of your comfort zone, generate new ways of thinking and build stronger bonds with your family and friends. Naturally you’ll still want to remember your trip, but you can achieve that with a simple checklist: pen, paper, book, film camera.

Local faces, not Facebook

Why

Do you really need to know what your friends and barely-friends are doing while you’re away? Leave behind the need to be validated by their ‘likes’.

How

Ask the woman selling mangoes in the market about how the area has changed, or the man at the ferry stop what sights he recommends. If language is a problem, bring a phrasebook, or try universities or bookshops, which often have conversation corners with eager locals who want to practice speaking your language and will share stories about their lives.

Paper maps, not Google Maps

Why

If you have grown used to planning everything with a digital map, you might find that a paper map is actually easier to use. You can personalise it and write on it, it doesn’t take time to load or require the internet, and it can be tucked away and pulled out quickly. Best of all, looking at a larger area gives you a much better idea of where you are.

How

Most tourist information booths and some hotels offer free local maps, often with points of interest marked on them. Or you can try wandering around without a map and speaking to locals – you may get lost at times but you may also get to know an area properly and discover some unmapped gems.

Film cameras, not digital selfies

Unlike digital, every shot taken on a film camera costs money, so is valued and considered.

Digital cameras take multiple, deletable, quick-fire snaps that mean you can spend more time seeing the world through the lens than living the experience. When we take shots on a smartphone, our minds seem even further away from the trip, experiencing it for the sake of social media.

Why

Taking digital photos has become the experience, and sometimes even the point of the trip. In contrast, film photos let you look back at your trip – there is space between having the experience and reliving it because you have no idea at the time what the photo will end up looking like. There is a certain thrill about collecting your prints from a photo shop (the real thing, not the software) and seeing how they turned out. A surprise great shot is something to pin up or hand to somebody. Even the failed shots are not something to be deleted but are a natural captured moment.

Higher resolution

Have you ever wondered how a high-definition Blu-ray disc can be produced from an old movie? It's because a film that was shown in cinemas 30 years ago is still of a higher resolution than most modern digital movies. The same goes for still photos. The common 35mm film of yesteryear produces shots equivalent to 25 megapixels – double the resolution of most digital cameras today. Film photos just look better.

How

Film processing hasn’t disappeared; in most cities you can still turn a roll of film into photos in a day, and sometimes in half an hour. In the same stores you can buy film in different speeds and ISO (sensitivity). To get that Instagram look, Holga cameras can easily add fancy effects, and in a stylish case too.

Real books, not Kindles

Why

A book has a paper-thin display that boots instantly and never has a flat battery. You can take it to the beach, get sand and splashes on it without breaking it, and leave it unattended while you swim with little fear of it going missing. Not something you’re likely to do with an iPad or e-reader. Plus, books have that unique tactile experience – you can easily flick back and forth and know how much is left. And nothing evokes travel memories months later like picking up a book off the shelf and coming across the local bus ticket you used as a bookmark.

How

Yes, they weigh more than e-readers, but real books are something you can share, passing on to other people on the road, thus lightening your load. On your travels you can swap one book for another on a book-swap shelf in hostels or book exchanges. Think of that one novel you are reading as personal to your trip, and forget about the stress of a multitasking e-reader or tablet.

Post real letters, not instant messages

Why

Staying in touch with people electronically while abroad is instantaneous but often shallow and rushed in fleeting moments, limited by texting fingers. And your two-line status message might be read by a bunch of people that you have only ever met once.

So don’t go near Twitter, Whatsapp, SMS, blogs or emails. Give somebody that flutter in their tummy when they hold a real letter from you in their hands, complete with colourful local stamps and your excited handwriting and doodles. Your letter is a little piece of another country and something for your friend to sit with at full attention, not wanting it to end, and rereading it when it does.

Meanwhile, you'll keep your head space in the country you’re visiting.

How

As with tweets, there is an art to fitting the words onto that postcard or opaque airmail paper – the lighter it is, the cheaper it will be to send. Leave some space for a Par Avion stamp for airmail delivery and ask to choose which postage stamp design you’d like, especially as many post offices now use an uninspiring white label.

Receive snail mail abroad, not digital likes

Why

You can also receive real letters while overseas, to make you feel more connected with home and spur you on for the rest of your trip. It will give you a stronger form of validation compared to a few ‘likes’.

How

Poste restante is available in many countries: a local post office will hold mail addressed to you for you to collect, usually for up to 10 or even 30 days. Your friends and family just have to write ‘Post Restante’ on the envelope after your name, followed by the name and address of a post office in your city. In Canada and the USA (for national mail), instead of writing ‘Poste Restante’, the letter should be labelled ‘General Delivery’. In other countries the wording is different and uses the local language, so check with the post office before telling people to start writing you perfumed letters.

--by Phillip Tang from the Lonely Planet

Indian citizen? Here’s where you can go visa-free ( a list of 58 countries !!!)

Good News for all of us Indians....!!!

Minimize paperwork and planning with our guide to the countries where you no longer need to apply for a visa in advance:

NO VISA REQUIRED

1. Bhutan (only ID card is required - No need for a passport)
2. British Virgin Islands
3. Cook Islands
4. Dominica
5. El Salvador
6. Grenada
7. Haiti
8. Jamaica
9. Montserrat
10. Micronesia
11. Niue
12. Nepal (only ID card is required - No need for a passport)
13. Saint Kitts and Nevis
14. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
15. Trinidad and Tobago
16. Turks and Caicos
17. Vanuatu

 VISA ON ARRIVAL

1. Cambodia
2. Cape Verde
3. Comoros
4. Ecuador
5. Ethiopia
6. Fiji
7. Hong Kong
8. Indonesia
9. Iran
10. Jordan
11. Kenya
12. Laos
13. Macau
14. Madagascar
15. Maldives
16. Mauritius
17. Palau
18. Samoa
19. Seychelles
20. Tajikistan
21. Thailand
22. Tuvalu
23. Uganda
24. Myanmar
25. Timor-Leste

 VISA NOT REQUIRED IF YOU HAVE CERTAIN OTHER VISAS

1. Albania: Valid multiple entry Schengen visa (Type C or D)
2. Andorra: Valid multiple entry Schengen visa
3. Costa Rica: Valid multiple entry US, Canadian, Schengen (or any European Union member country visa) or Japanese visa
4. Guatemala: Valid US, Canadian or Schengen visa
5. Honduras: Valid US, Canadian or Schengen visa
6. Ireland: Valid UK visa, and entry through the UK
7. Macedonia: Valid multiple entry Schengen visa (Type C)
8. Montenegro: Valid US or Schengen visa
9. Nicaragua: Valid multiple entry US, Canadian or Schengen visa
10. Taiwan: Valid US, UK, Schengen, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian or Japanese visa

 VISA ON ARRIVAL FOR US VISA HOLDERS

1. Dominican Republic
2. Mexico
3. Puerto Rico

 ONLINE VISAS REQUIRED

1. Dubai (only if you’re flying emirates)
2. Sri Lanka
3. Turkey
4. Vietnam

PLEASE CHECK BEFORE YOU PLAN TO TRAVEL, AS THE IMMIGRATION RULES MAY CHANGE ANY TIME.

For your enjoyable holiday to any of these places, contact us:

GoWorld Holidays - Ph: 91-44-42145808 / 9025802720 / 9043019109

URL: http://www.goworldholidays.com

Mail: contact@goworldholidays.com 

Tangalle - the New Beach Destination of Srilanka

Forget Bentota and Hikkaduwa. Sri Lanka’s deep south is the next big destination. Tangalle, on the southern coast (just three and a half hours from Colombo) is a small town with a bustling fishing port and is well known for its beautiful stretch of palm-fringed bays and coves. The name Tangalle means ‘projecting rock’, because long ago, the town was protected from the ocean by a long rocky slab that projected into the sea across the mouth of the bay. Here are eight ways to get acquainted with this lesser-explored region of Sri Lanka:

Luxe out

Tucked into a coconut grove and bordering an arc of pristine white sand beach, Amanwella resort has thirty luxurious suites built on three different levels, with  private plunge pools and terraces overlooking the Indian Ocean. The Australian architect who designed the resort with local hand-hewn stone and terracotta roof tiles was inspired by the clean vertical lines of Geoffrey Bawa , Sri Lanka’s most famous architect. There is nothing that separates you from the sea: the Bar, restaurant, swimming pool and cosy library all look out over the turquoise sea and endless coconut groves.  Have a massage at the spa here and tuck in to Mediterranean and Asian fusion cuisine as you sip on a local beer or two. (www.amanresorts.com) 

Cruise through the mangroves

Tangalle has some beautiful lagoons and mangroves where you can go on a river safari or kayak and spot weaver-birds and monkeys in the trees, storks and cranes along the banks, and water monitors in the shallows. Plan to wrap up just before dusk if you can, to witness the amazing sight of thousands of fruit bats descending on the trees. When you're done, get a snack at one of the many small restaurants on the nearby beaches.

Tuck into local fare

Tangalle is a great place to eat traditional Sri Lankan food like rice and piquant curries, hoppers made from fermented rice batter with a dash of palm toddy and coconut milk, sea food and the famous street-food favorite Kotthu paratha, which is diced chapattis pounded with spices, meat and vegetables. Don’t forget to taste local specialties like fiery coconut sambol and drink sweet King Coconut water. Indulge your sweet tooth too, with local desserts like thick buffalo curds that are sold in mud pots with local treacle made from the sap of a palm tree called Kitul, and Watalappam—steamed custard made from coconut milk and palm sugar spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

Visit the fishing harbour
Tangalle once was a harbour for the Dutch and British fleets. Today it has a bustling fishing harbor (the first manmade one in Sri Lanka) where trawlers and boats land after days out at sea, with their swollen nets of fresh fish. Go early in the morning to see fish being auctioned, gutted and cut up.

Laze on the beach

Tangalle’s beaches are meant for lounging. You share the beach only with small fishing boats and a few fishermen mending nets. The turtle-trampled sands are great for walking and sunbathing. Tangalle’s deserted beaches are where the turtles lay their eggs in the golden sand. If you want to see giant sea turtles coming ashore at night (January to July) to lay their eggs, then the beach of Rekawa is ideal. Tangalle has some great stretches of beaches like Marakolliya and Medaketiya, which are dotted with tiny shacks selling freshly-cooked local fish and curry.

Visit the Hoo Maniya blow hole
Around seven kilometres from Tangalle, the village of Kudawala is home to the Hoo-maniya blowhole, whose name derived from the low, whistling sound it produces prior to spouting water. The blowhole is formed from a narrow fissure in the cliff, and is most impressive during the monsoon when the jets—churned to a dazzling whiteness—can go as high as 15m.

See the stilt fishermen

On the way to Tangalle, around Kogalla, you will see Sri Lanka’s famous stilt fishermen perched on a vertical pole planted into the sand, holding the stilt with one hand and a fishing rod in the other. They catch small fish like herring with just a crude fishing pole and a hook with no bait. Many say that this originated after the Second World War when the fishermen had to contend with rocky beaches and found this method a good way to fish inside the deep waters. Of course with it now becoming such a popular tourist attraction, many of the wily fishermen ask for money before letting you photograph them.

Trek to the famous rock temple

One of the best local trips from Tangalle is to the stunning rock monolith of Mulkirigala, 20km to the north, reached after a strenuous climb of a series of rock steps leading to natural caves with wall paintings and Buddha statues. One cave houses a library, where an important discovery was made in 1826 by a British administrator. He found some ancient palm-leaf manuscripts containing the key to translating the Mahawamsa, the Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka.

- for all kinds of Srilanka packages please Contact Us:

GoWorld Holidays, Chennai.India

Ph: 91-44-42145808 / 9043019109 / 9025802705

Mail: contact@goworldholidays.com 

-Text/Pic: Courtesy: Conde Nast Traveller

WORLD'S BEST HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS - PICTURE PERFECT DETAILS

Four Seasons Bora Bora

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four Seasons Bora Bora -Guests at the Four Seasons Bora Bora (in French Polynesia) can laze uninterrupted in their over-water villas but the resort also offers excellent snorkelling and paddling in its Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary, home to more than 100 species of fish.

The romance of Venice is incomparable and one of the best bases to experience it from is the Cipriani hotel. On an island in the Venetian lagoon away from the main tourist stretch, it has welcomed celebrities and aristocracy for decades.

Elephant Hills Rainforest Camp by Cheow Larn Lake in Khao Sok National Park is Thailand's first floating hotel. For a back-to-nature experience, couples can kayak, spot gibbons, trek and swim.

Rooms at the tented camp are comfortably finished with en-suite facilities and hot water available, but guests who want a variety and extra facilities can finish their stay at sister property Elephant Hills Tented Camp.

One of the most rewarding ways to spend a day is on a game drive with a local guide. The area is a big five destination and rhinos, leopards, lions and wildogs can all be spotted. A more rugged and adventurous honeymoon experience awaits at Loisaba, located on a remote 60,000-acre private reserve.

At night, the most distinctive accommodation options are provided by Loisaba's Star Beds, which give couples to fall asleep in the open air.

Niyama Resorts, Maldives. Its dining options, include outdoor restaurant Tribal, where dishes are seared over open flames, and Edge, an over-water restaurant accessible only by boat.

NIYAMA challenges the perception that resorts in the Maldives are sleepy. Chief amoung its unexpected attractions is Subsix, the world's first underwater nightclub, where couples can watch rays and sharks as they dance and drink six metres below sea level.

For a room with a view it's hard to beat the Shangri-La Paris's Eiffel Duplex Terrace Suite. Rather than going out for dinner, many couples lucky enough to stay here order room service and make the most of the spectacular panorama.

Shangri-La, Paris. Terrace View

Exceptionally romantic, the Taj Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur, India, is contained within a 250-year-old building on Lake Pichola. If it looks familiar that may be because it featured in the Bond film Octopussy.

Vividly coloured and beautifully decorated with traditional art, rooms are awash with character at the Taj Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur, India.

For booking in any one of the above, please contact us:

GoWorld Holidays, Chennai. Ph: (044)42145808 / 9025802705 / 9043019109

Singapore travel guide: luxury hotel concierges' recommendations

The concierges' guide to Singapore: A guide to Singapore's best attractions, bars and unusual experiences, as judged by concierges at the city's best hotels. 

(courtesy:telegraph.co.uk)

A view of Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Flyer

Rapidly developing Singapore is making a name for itself with audacious new attractions such as the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum but some things, such as its reputation as a culinary capital, have been developed over decades. As the current Singapore Food Festival continues, concierges from three of the destination's best hotels give their guides to the city's best attractions, hawker centres, restaurants and bars - and give a brief introduction to Singlish. 

Sharing their knowledge are:
Ali Alsagoff, chef concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Syed Musaddiq, chef conciege at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
Roslee Sukar, concierge at Raffles Singapore
 

I'm new here. Tell me something interesting about Singapore.
Ali: Only 710sq km in size, Singapore is known as the “Little Red Dot”. Despite its size, the “City in a Garden” is resplendent in lush greenery.

 

Which attraction should I definitely make time to see?
Ali: The venerable 154-year-old Botanic Gardens, which are also home to the National Orchid Gardens. At the moment, the Botanic Gardens are awaiting an announcement on their bid to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Syed: Sentosa Island which is just off the southern coast of Singapore and about half an hour’s drive from the city. The island is home to an exciting array of themed attractions, award-winning spa retreats, lush rainforests, golden sandy beaches, resort accommodations and renowned golf courses.
Roslee: I don’t want to sound biased but you have to visit the 125-year-old Raffles Singapore. It is not just a hotel, but a National Monument in Singapore, where having a Singapore Sling at Long Bar is a true rite of passage for travellers. Also visit Gardens by the Bay.

 

Which of the “must-visit” attractions should I avoid?
Ali: Raffles Hotel & The Merlion Tower at Sentosa Island…. both are overrated!
Syed: You should not avoid any attractions while in Singapore as each attraction is different and unique in its own way.
Roslee: There is something for everyone, with different tastes or preferences, here in Singapore. Read up on the attractions beforehand and you will be able to make an informed choice.

 

Is there a particular exhibition I should see while I’m here?
Ali: The four permanent galleries at National Museum of Singapore – Singapore Living Galleries: Film & Wayang [traditional theatre]; Fashion; Food; and Photography. These are the four components that define our nation as it is today!
Syed: The Singapore History Gallery and the Singapore Living Gallery: Food at the National Museum of Singapore. They both trace the major events in Singapore’s history and bring you back to Singapore’s yesteryears with food-related artefacts and sound installations.
Roslee: The Peranakan Museum showcases a mixed-heritage culture unique to a handful of locations in Southeast Asia - Singapore being one of them. Peranakans are descendants of intermarriages between foreign traders from the old days and local women. Their cultural costume and cuisine are unique unto themselves.

 

Where can I take the best picture of Singapore?
Ali: Either from a capsule of the Singapore Flyer or from the highest alfresco bar in Singapore – One Altitude. Both offer a vantage point for a photo of the famous Singapore Skyline.
Syed: Merlion Park. Apart from taking a picture of the Merlion which is Singapore’s most famous icon, you will also be able to take pictures of Singapore’s other famous landmarks such as the Esplanade – Theatres by the Bay, the Singapore Flyer and The Fullerton Hotel which used to be the General Post Office back in the British colonial days.
Roslee: From the double helix bridge at Marina Bay. You could take a photo of the city skyline with the bay in the foreground, and the bridge overlooks a floating platform. Some evenings, the platform is used for football (it’s an Astroturf pitch). I think it’s pretty amazing to look at a football match played on a pitch surrounded by water.

I’d like to try something new here – what do you recommend?
Ali: Peranakan (Straits Chinese) cuisine which is the original fusion cuisine between the Malays and the Chinese and dates from the 15th to16th century. Also try our one-of-a-kind thorny “king of fruits” – the Durian.
Syed: You should try Peranakan Cuisine while in Singapore. True Blue Cuisine Restaurant located at 47 Armenian Street is known for its authentic heritage Peranakan dishes and the restaurant is also located next to the Peranakan Museum where you can discover more about the unique culture.

 

I’d like to buy an unusual souvenir – what do you recommend?
Ali: Pick up something from Arch – a unique shop that specialises in framed wood carvings depicting famous landmarks in Singapore.
Syed: In the Peranakan Museum you can purchase ornate brooches and unique business card holders with designs inspired by the Peranakan culture.
Roslee: A Raffles Doorman stuffed toy. My colleagues are the only hotel doormen I know of who have a stuffed toy made in their likeness.

 

Tell me a phrase or piece of slang I can use to fit in around here.
Ali: The best way would be to learn Singlish – colloquial Singapore English. To start off, end each of your sentences with the affectionate “lah”.
Syed: “Alamak” which in Singlish means “oh my God” in English and “Shiok” describes something that provides great pleasure and is often used after indulging in a delicious meal.
Roslee: When befriending a local, instead of simply saying “Good afternoon, how are you?”, try “Hello, how are you? Have you had lunch?”…and the conversation will take off.

 

Is there a particular Singapore law or form of etiquette I should be especially aware of?
Ali: No littering and jaywalking on the streets. Always hand out your business card with both hands.
Syed: To keep Singapore as clean and green as it is, smoking in public, chewing gum, spitting in public, littering and jaywalking are prohibited.
Roslee: If you happen to see packets of tissue paper at a table in a hawker centre, it means that seat is occupied. Locals leave packets of tissue paper on tables at hawker centres to hold their seats while they make their purchases at the food stalls. Similarly if you plan to go a hawker centre, be sure you are equipped with a packet of tissue paper.

 

What’s the best restaurant in the city right now?
Ali: Restaurant Andre and Iggy’s – both are ranked on the prestigious S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Syed: For a special occasion, I would recommend Catalunya. Opened in late 2012, the contemporary Spanish restaurant is helmed by an international team of award-winning culinary experts from the likes of elBulli, Santi, Drolma, and Sketch. The restaurant itself is housed in a unique glass-encased dome floating on the waters of Marina Bay with spectacular views.
Roslee: There is no time like the present to be in Singapore for dining. International Chefs such as Joel Robuchon, Wolfgang Puck, Jamie Oliver, Daniel Boulud and Jason Atherton have all opened restaurants here in recent years. The current top-rated restaurant internationally is Andre’s, by chef Andre Chiang – it is on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2013 Guide and is number 5 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.

 

What’s your favourite hawker centre, and your favourite food stall?
Ali: Maxwell Food Centre; my favourite stall is #01-10 Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Syed: Maxwell Food Centre located at 1 Kadayanallur Street. My favourite food stall is Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice at unit No #01-10/11 located in Maxwell Food Centre. Chicken rice is one of Singapore’s most famous dishes and features steamed chicken accompanied by rice cooked in chicken stock. It is served with cucumber slices, minced ginger, chilli sauce and dark soy sauce.
Roslee: This is a difficult question, but a favourite hawker centre is Lau Pa Sat and food stall 51 has excellent Satay and Chilli Crab. Another hawker centre is the Tiong Bahru Market Hawker Centre, which has a great selection of local food. The “chwee kweh” [steamed rice cake] here is well-known across Singapore. In the housing estate across the road from Tiong Bahru market is a fruit stall that sells jelly in a fresh Coconut husk. To enjoy this, spoon the jelly out while digging into the fresh coconut flesh – it’s delicious.

 

And where’s best for drinks? I don’t want somewhere touristy.
Ali: The Tippling Club at Dempsey Road. The mixologists there are geniuses.
Syed: Lantern Bar located on the rooftop of The Fullerton Bay Hotel. Designed by the highly sought-after Andre Fu, the décor is chic and the ambience is sophisticated. In addition, with sweeping views of the city’s skyline and landmarks, the bar provides a sense of place and a setting that is unforgettable.
Roslee: Bitters and Love at North Canal Road. All you need to do is select the spirit of your choice, let the bartender know your preference (eg. a tall drink/slightly tart or refreshing/sweet) and they will create a cocktail for you. The bar is in a ‘shophouse’ – an old two-storey buildings protected by conservation. The shophouse is located by a road so there is not much for an external view.

 

What can I do to relax in Singapore?
Ali: Go on the Southern Ridges walk from Alexandra Arch right onto the Forest Walk, a zig-zag metallic runaway amongst the trees that ends at Henderson Waves - a wavy pedestrian bridge 36 metres above sea level, complete with park benches overlooking the harbour.
Syed: You can charter a yacht to Lazarus Island. The island offers a laid-back ambience, sandy beaches and clear waters where you can swim, snorkel and dive.

 

I’m going to propose to my partner while I’m here – where should I do it?
Ali: The Bandstand at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Built in the 1930s, it used to be the stage for evening performances of military bands. Private and romantic, it is the perfect setting.
Syed: If your partner is a nature lover, you can consider making your proposal along the 22-metre-high skyway at the SuperTree Grove of Gardens by the Bay during the beautiful Rhapsody Light and Sound Show at 7.45pm and 8.45pm.
Roslee: The Singapore Flyer, which offers a great view of Singapore over a 30-minute ride. Dining may be arranged in the capsules too.

 

Who’s the standout creative talent in Singapore right now – is there someone in particular whose work I should check out before I leave?
Ali: Check out our drag queen stand-up comic – Kumar, who performs every Monday night at 11pm in Hard Rock Café. 17 years on, he is still rocking with his jokes regardless of race, language or religion - he takes a swipe at everyone and everything.

 

Thanks for your help. Should I tip in Singapore?
Ali: Tipping is not customary as most establishments charge a 10 per cent service charge. However, if a service staff went above and beyond, an additional tip will always make his or her day.
Syed: In Singapore, tipping is not typically expected as a 10 per cent service charge is included in your total bill. I would, however, suggest giving a tip in the range of S$5 and S$10 when you experience exceptional service to encourage and show your appreciation to the service staff.
Roslee: Tipping is not encouraged.