See What's New in Singapore

Foodies, nature lovers, art buffs and sports fans: Singapore has exciting new adventures and experiences for you.

By: Lynn Coulter

Related To:

Shop This Look

Photo By: Singapore Tourism Board/Rebecca Lim

Photo By: Singapore Tourism Board

Photo By: Jorg Sundermann/Singapore Tourism Board

Photo By: Derrick See/Singapore Tourism Board

Photo By: Vincent Chong

Photo By: Darren Soh

Photo By: Singapore Tourism Board

Photo By: National Heritage Board

Photo By: Danny Santos

Photo By: Darren Soh

Photo By: Calvin Chan

Photo By: Darren Soh

Singapore's Merlion

Singapore’s 28-foot-tall Merlion reminds visitors this Southeast Asian city (actually, it’s a city/country/island) was once a simple fishing village. Today, the part-lion, part-fish statue overlooks Marina Bay Sands, a resort development that features a luxury hotel, boutiques, fine restaurants and a museum and casino.

For the past two years, Singapore has broken its own tourism records, thanks in part to new nonstop and direct flights that make travel from the U.S. more convenient. Now the city is welcoming new eateries, bars, shops and more to its mix of vibrant festivals, sporting events and cultural attractions.

Singapore Marina Bay Sands

The views are breathtaking from the Skypark, an observation deck atop Marina Bay Sands. The Sands boasts the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool, as well as more than 170 high-end stores and 80 restaurants, theater shows and celebrity chef-owned restaurants. LAVO, an Italian bistro and bar, opened this January on the 57 floor. Try the restaurant’s signature meatball, made with Imperial Wagyu beef, Italian sauce and whipped ricotta cheese, and save room for the decadent 20-layer chocolate cake.

Chinatown

Eat like a local at a Singapore food festival. The MICHELIN Guide Street Food Festival 2018 returns March 30-April 1. New this year: dishes from one of the city’s few Peranakan restaurants and Unadon (bowls of steamed white rice and grilled eel) from the popular Man Man Unagi eatery. The Singapore Food Festival, with venues in Chinatown and other locations, runs July 13-29 and features favorites like kimchi popiah (spring rolls), coffee pork burger and mod-Sin (modern Singapore cuisine). Dates can change, so check before you go.

The Singapore Tourism Board is partnering with Goway Travel to offer Foodie Tours (starting at $1,399 for the first person, with a discount for a second person) and Explorer Tours (starting at $1,199 for the first person, with a discount for a second person). Tickets must be purchased by March 31, 2018, through www.goway.com/singapore-2018/.

Gardens by the Bay

Solar-powered "supertrees" light up after dark at Singapore’s top-rated attraction, Gardens by the Bay, a 250-acre nature park. Look for the world’s tallest indoor waterfall in the misty Cloud Forest Conservatory, which houses mosses, ferns and other plants that thrive in cool, moist conditions. Late last year, real limestone formations from China—one weighing almost 4,000 pounds—were added to the Cloud Forest, along with some 7,000 new begonias, orchids and other plants. Don’t miss the amazing new hologram exhibit on climate change and sustainable living in the Forest Theater.

ArtScience Museum

Designed to resemble a lotus bloom, the ArtScience Museum, on Singapore’s Marina Bay waterfront, recently opened a new permanent exhibit, Future World: Where Art Meets Science. Cutting-edge technology lets visitors see nature in new ways, as when virtual crows fly by, leaving trails of light that form beautiful flowers. In another exhibit, visitors can create virtual towns. Also new through Oct. 28, 2018: the largest bamboo maze installation ever created by internationally acclaimed artist Rirkrit Tiravanija. You can find it, along with the world's largest public display of Southeast Asian art, at the Singapore National Gallery.

Sofitel Singapore

Sofitel Singapore City Centre opened its doors last fall. This five-star hotel is in Tanjong Pagar's central business district and has easy access to a mass rapid transit station. The hotel’s 223 rooms feature soaking tubs and Handy smartphones that let you make free local and international calls to 10 countries. Don’t see your favorite treat in your room’s minibar? The hotel plans to introduce Sophie the Robot, a droid butler, in the near future.

Little India

Newly-opened Meatsmith is just one of the eclectic restaurants in Singapore’s Little India community. The eatery serves Southern-style American barbecue flavored with Indian spices, sauces and rubs. (Think smoked chicken with an Asian touch or a stuffed suckling pig on a spit). After you eat, stroll through this historic district to savor a cup of chai tea, purchase a flower garland or get a professional henna tattoo.

National Museum

Since 1849, the National Museum of Singapore has showcased the nation’s history and culture. Its remarkable new exhibit, Witness to War: Remembering 1942, tracks the fall of Singapore, and the Japanese campaign in the Pacific, through artifacts (some on loan from overseas museums), first-hand accounts and art. The exhibit runs through March 25, 2018.

Don't miss the display of rare artworks from Renoir, Monet and other masters through March 28, 2018, at the National Gallery Singapore. The gallery also houses the world's largest public display of Southeast Asian art.

Orchard Road

Design Orchard opens in December 2018 in Orchard Road, a bustling shopping and entertainment belt in Singapore. More than 60 unique, local brands will be available on Design Orchard's first floor. This new development will house local designers on its second floor, making Design Orchard a one-stop shop for Singapore fashions, lifestyle and beauty products and more. Two new hotels, Novotel Singapore on Stevens, and YOTEL Singapore, are other new additions to Orchard Road.

Changi Airport

Named the world’s best airport for five years in a row, Singapore’s Changi Airport already boasts a delightful butterfly garden, 24-hour movie theater and indoor slide. Jewel Changi Airport, a mixed-use development set to open in 2019, will add a marketplace experience in a lush, park-like setting. Kids will be able to play on Sky Nets and slides and explore animal-shaped topiaries and flower gardens; adults can shop and dine at more than 300 establishments. A new hotel is also planned, along with technology to make checking in and boarding your flight easier and faster.

Formula 1 Grand Prix

In 2008, Singapore hosted the first Formula 1 Grand Prix held after dark. Last year, the city extended its contract to host this world championship race until 2021. Drivers will crank their engines and hit the Marina Bay Street circuit from Sept. 14-16, 2018, as an estimated 80,000 fans watch from the grandstands and hospitality areas. Limited tickets are available at Early Bird Prices until May 8, 2018.

Raffles Hotel

Acclaimed chef Alain Ducasse is joining other celebrity chefs who've opened fine restaurants in Singapore. His establishment, at Raffles Hotel Singapore, will debut in 2019. Raffles itself opened in 1887, and this iconic hotel is being renovated, with a grand reopening expected in the latter part of 2018. It's getting a facelift—a beautifully restored facade—along with an updated lobby, dining area and redesigned suites with marble bathrooms.

Shows

Hosts

Trending

Top Videos

Digital Exclusives

From Our Shows

Trending

Top Domestic

Top International

Trending

Explore By Region

Trending

Top Interests

By Trip

By Traveler

Travel Tips

Trending

Singapore

See What's New in Singapore

Related To:

Shop This Look

Singapore's Merlion

Singapore Marina Bay Sands

Chinatown

Gardens by the Bay

ArtScience Museum

Sofitel Singapore

Little India

National Museum

Orchard Road

Changi Airport

Formula 1 Grand Prix

Raffles Hotel

We Recommend

World's Coolest Pools 26 Photos

More From Travel