Your questions: What should we do with a week in South Korea?
J. Anderson, Wangaratta, Vic
What you might do is fly from Jeju Island to Busan and then take an express bus from Busan Central Bus Terminal to Gyeongju, which takes about 90 minutes. Gyeongju is the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom, which ruled most of the Korean Peninsula for several hundred years. The site contains some outstanding examples of Korean Buddhist art, including temples and palaces, sculptures, reliefs and pagodas, mostly created between the seventh and 10th centuries. It's particularly lovely in autumn, when this world heritage site is set against a backdrop of auburn colours. Spend two nights here, and Namuae is a traditional Korean guesthouse with good reviews.
From Gyeongju take a 100-1 bus or taxi to Golgusa Temple but the bus trip involves some walking. Golgusa has a two and three-day temple stay program, consisting of meditation, exercises and traditional Korean arts. Return to Gyeongju and take a bus and train to Andong, known as a centre for culture and folk traditions, and in particular its masked folk dances. The Andong Mask Dance Festival, a major cultural event, will be held from September 26 to October 5, 2025. Visit Andong's Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A train from Andong to Seoul takes just short of four hours.
We are an active family of three older teens plus two parents. In January 2026, we're looking for a budget-conscious international holiday in Asia or the Pacific which includes four days of cycle touring followed by seven days of learning to surf.
J. Fitzgerald, Kingsford, NSW
Vietnam has most of what you're looking for. Base yourselves in the coastal resort town of Hoi An and from there you can ride to Hue via the Hai Van Pass. Hoian Cycle Touring operates two-day escorted tours along this route, and while that's short of what you're after this is a fairly tough and fulfilling ride, with the option of a return journey by bike. Go Surfing is a local surf school that operates in Hoi An and also Da Nang. Seek Sophie is another local operator.
I am travelling to the Maldives, do Australians require a visa? I have underlying medical conditions which can result in fractures. Which travel insurers provide good cover for younger people with complex health issues? Are there any restrictions on entering the country and for transit through Singapore with any prescription medications, including analgesia and injectables?
H. Harmer, Mildura, Vic
All foreigners visiting the Maldives must submit a Maldives Immigration Traveller Declaration, which can be done online. Complicated medical conditions require you to notify your travel insurer to ensure coverage. The best way to do this is to email several travel insurers with an outline of your medical condition. There is no insurer that stands out for their coverage of younger travellers with health issues, all conditions are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Provided you have proof that your medications have been prescribed by a doctor, and provided your medications do not include controlled drugs with a high risk of addiction such as Buprenorphine, fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, tapentadol or pethidine, you should have no problems entering the Maldives with your medications. Since you are in transit in Singapore, this is not an issue. I'm assuming you are not planning to carry a syringe in your carry-on luggage.
In October my husband and I will arrive at Sarande in Albania and plan to hire a car for a 10-day road trip. To avoid one-way charges, we plan to hire from Tirana International Airport. Is there reliable bus transportation from Sarande to Tirana and can you recommend affordable car hire?
D. Carter. Lorne, Vic
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7NEWS
16 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Amid border tensions and terror concerns, is it safe for Australians to visit South East Asia at the moment?
More than five million Australians visit South East Asia each year, but a series of deadly events across the region has created a mixed bag of travel advice and warnings from the Australian Government. In recent weeks, many were shocked to see the rapid escalation in violence at the border between Thailand and Cambodia, two countries popular with Australian travellers. A ceasefire declared on Monday appears to be holding and 260,000 people who evacuated homes in the region are returning. Exchanges of heavy fire left at least 38 people dead, with soldiers and civilians lost on both sides. Horrifying imagery of the conflict has flowed to the wider world — showing explosions, rockets, and destroyed homes, businesses, even a hospital. Along with thousands upon thousands of terrified and displaced people. For the Thai Government, these are sights difficult to reconcile with the image it promotes of a holiday paradise which attracted some 800-thousand Australian visitors last year. And the conflict is just the latest cause for tourist concern to pop up in the country, which relies on holidaymakers to generate 20 per cent of its gross domestic product. In June, explosives found outside Phuket International Airport and elsewhere prompted the Australian Government to update its terrorism advice for Thailand. The whole nation is covered by advice to exercise a high degree of caution, with a note that popular tourist areas including Phuket and Bangkok may be targeted. While do not travel warnings are in place following the border conflict for within 50km of anywhere along the Thai and Cambodia border. 7NEWS visited the capital, Bangkok, last week to look into the latest with the ceasefire and make sense of the current travel advice for Thailand and the broader region. Thailand's Tourism Minister Sarawong Thienthong told 7NEWS Australian visitors had been rising from January, but in July saw a dip of 2 per cent or about 3000 people. 'First of all, Thailand is very safe, very safe,' Thienthong said. 'Cambodia and Thailand are like brother to brother countries, but they hurt us,' 'It's happened, but we are neighbours, and I think everything is going to be well very soon.' The tourism trade remained busy, but international arrivals had taken a hit in recent days, Thienthong said. 'Yesterday, I checked and about 7000 had cancelled.' 'But mostly Australians do not go to that area anyway, the most popular locations that Australians go to are Bangkok and Phuket.' 'Only seven provinces on the border are affected out of more than 70 provinces in Thailand.' About 300km from the border is Bangkok which is home to more than 10 million people, and in charge of the metropolitan area is popular Governor Chadchart Sittipunt. Sittipunt often runs 10km or more each day, and we met with him in a Bangkok city park where he was jogging. 'Today I ran 12km, all the way from home at 4.30am, so Bangkok is safe,' he said. 'The border conflict is a sad event, we didn't want it to happen, but from Bangkok it is quite far away.' 'We support our soldiers and people at the front line, but if you come to visit Bangkok you won't see any effect from that.' The governor recently played a prominent public role in helping with the aftermath of the March earthquake, which saw an office tower under construction in Bangkok collapse, killing 92 people. 'Only one building collapsed and it had some problems with the construction and design, but we recovered quickly from that event,' Sittipunt said. 'And we have seen improvements, now we have alerts and warning systems if an earthquake hit again or some other emergency. 'And our regulations are prepared for nearly twice that magnitude, so most buildings had no effect.' The collapsed tower was to be the State Audits office, a government building. Since the collapse about 17 people have been arrested with investigators pointing to corners cut on the building's construction. Just a few hundred metres from the now empty site of the collapsed tower was the scene of Bangkok's latest deadly tragedy on Monday. On the same day the border cease fire was declared and Thais felt they finally had some good news to welcome, Bangkok was rocked by a mass shooting. A gunman opened fire at the Or Tor Kor Market in Chatuchak, killing five people and then himself. It has been reported the man's wife is a vendor at the market and he held a long-running grudge with security staff there following an incident five years ago when his car was scratched there. His victims included four security guards and another market vendor. 'That was a tragedy, but I think it was a random thing that happened,' Sittipunt said. 'But in Bangkok that's not common, very rare.' Bangkok was the world's most visited capital city in 2024 and Australian man, John Gamvrogiannis, who has lived there for eight years now said that is because for the most part the city is safe and welcoming. 'Thailand gets a bit of a bad rap for being a place that's dangerous,' he said. 'I've always got my mum on the phone to me after reading some article or hearing something in the news, worried beyond belief about me living in Thailand, when actually I find it to be a super safe place.' 'You really have to be living in a particular way to find trouble here, it's a very cosmopolitan place, people are looking out for each other.' Gamvrogiannis, along with wife Arin, run one of Bangkok's famed rooftop venues Aesops. The restaurant was inspired by his father's Greek restaurants in Sydney of the same name in Double Bay and on Macquarie Street, with some added party atmosphere. Along with the skyline views, Green dancing and traditional plate smashing draw crowds. 'The idea is social dining, so fine dining is kind of done, and it's all about fun dining, so we want a space where people can interact,' Gamvrogiannis said. 'The tables are sturdy enough that you can get on, stand on the tables, smash plates, and party all night.' On Fridays and Saturdays, Aesops is usually a full house, with a mix of locals and tourists. But Gamvrogiannis fears tourists may be put off visiting Thailand by a perception that the border conflict is nationwide. 'It's such an odd thing when you live in a country like Thailand, which is so friendly and peaceful,' he said. 'So, it hit home, and it hit home for me, especially because my wife is from a border province.' 'You could see she was scared about what was happening and maybe impacting her family.' Gamvrogiannis asked her parents to evacuate to safety in Bangkok, but they stayed behind in Trat to help their neighbours. 'They're in good spirits,' she said. 'We're all just trying to get on with our lives, we don't want to be fighting with our neighbour.' Outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Brisbane tourists Emily Miller and Dani Aylward said they were feeling safe in the city. 'I guess we did have some concerns, but we were researching on the Smart Traveller website, and I spoke to a couple of people who said we would be fine just don't go to the border area,' Aylward said. Elsewhere in the region the Smart Traveller website warns of dangers of methanol poisoning from cocktails, after two Melbourne women died in 2024 after consuming tainted drinks in Laos. While terrorism advice is in place for Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Thailand. 'I think terrorism is a risk for every city, and we have to take precautions, but here there has been no incidents for a long time,' Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said. 'And I think Bangkok is quite an inclusive society, it is a city where we embrace everyone, so we don't have any conflict between religion, or gender, or anything.'
Sydney Morning Herald
20 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
New wave of lifestyle hotels reshapes Australian investment in Bali
Bali has long held appeal for Australians looking to own a slice of paradise, often in the form of private villas tucked among rice fields or perched near the surf. But that picture is changing. A growing cohort of Australian investors are turning away from standalone homes and embracing a new breed of lifestyle-focused hotel developments. Instead of building or buying a traditional villa, some are buying into professionally operated resorts through fractional ownership – an arrangement that allows shared access to a hotel-managed property, often backed by well-known travel or fashion brands. This shift reflects broader global trends toward flexibility, shared experiences, and curated environments. As the island becomes busier and more connected, many buyers are rethinking what it means to have a stake in Bali. Chad Egan, chief executive and founder of Geonet Property & Finance Group, says Australian investors are becoming more educated about how people actually stay when they're on the ground in Bali. 'About 75 per cent of all of the people that come to Bali go to hotels,' he says. 'So it's hotels that have the undersupplied market. Villas are an oversupplied market.' Egan says that hotel stays – with concierge services, amenities, and consistent service – increasingly appeal to both travellers and investors. 'Guests prefer the hotel experience where everything is done for you.' With this in mind, Egan says that investors are also drawn to new hotels as investments. Developments are often backed by brand partnerships with travel operators and lifestyle companies. These alliances help shape expectations and reduce perceived risks for offshore buyers by offering a more familiar and service-led model.
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
All the things we love about Singapore (plus five we don't)
To celebrate Singapore's 60th anniversary as a nation, we present the 60 reasons we love visiting this country that boasts such a colourful past, but an even more exciting future. While Singapore is also a favoured travel destination for Australians, a perfect stopover on the way to Europe and other parts of Asia, it's also an attraction in its own right, one worthy of a much longer stay for myriad reasons. Today, it's a highly successful financial and cultural hub, one that has taken in so many disparate peoples, from Chinese to Malay, Indians to Europeans, and created something unique and beautiful from their efforts. In 1965, Singapore's future was uncertain, with many people sceptical of its chances of survival as an independent state. It seems incredible to think that the Singapore we know today, the modern metropolis, the world-leading city-state, has been around only 60 years. August 9 marks the country's 60th birthday ( ), its 60th year since independence from Malaysia – and what a difference six decades can make. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Here's the flipside to those affordable restaurants: the high-end dining scene, which Singapore also does extremely well. Three restaurants here have the coveted three Michelin stars – Odette (undergoing a refresh from September), Zen, and Les Amis – while six have two stars, and 33 have one. Singapore's accessible, affordable dining scene doesn't begin and end with hawker centres. This city-state is filled with casual eateries serving high-quality food – everything from noodle dens to roast-meat specialists; dumpling joints to thali places; shopping centre food courts to late-night food streets and international favourites to tiny local holes-in-the-wall. Singapore loves to eat – you will too. Until 1971, Singapore's street-food culture was much like everywhere else in South-East Asia, with hawkers peddling food from portable street-side kitchens. During the 1970s and '80s, however, the Singaporean government constructed large 'food centres' to give hawkers permanent homes. Those centres have become cherished features of the local culture, and ideal places for visitors to sample a huge range of affordable, delectable dishes. At the likes of Old Airport Road, Tiong Bahru, Maxwell and Tekka you will find the best of Singaporean cuisine at only a few dollars a plate. Singapore is famous for its chilli crab, but there's something better: black pepper crab, drier than its chilli brethren, with a focus on pungent, smoky black pepper balanced by sweetness and umami. Australia is well-represented on the Singapore food scene. Check out Burnt Ends, the temple of fire-driven cooking by expat chef Dave Pynt; Waku Ghin, high-end Japanese by Sydney favourite Tetsuya Wakuda; Fysh, by Josh Niland; or even Cloudstreet, Sri Lankan chef Rishi Naleendra's fine-diner named in honour of the Tim Winton novel he read during a stint cooking in Sydney. No exaggeration: Singapore has one of the world's best bar scenes. There are four Singaporean venues in the current World's 50 Best Bars list. The highlight is probably Atlas, an opulent art deco space with a 10-metre-high display housing the world's largest gin collection. There's also Jigger & Pony, with world-beating cocktails; a speakeasy-style whisky joint, and Last Word, a classy, Japanese-style bar. There's no better way to start a day in Singapore than with this classic combo: slices of toast heavily buttered and slathered in sweet kaya paste, which are then dipped in runny eggs seasoned with soy sauce and pepper. Paired with a strong black coffee, your day is off to a flyer. Here's another dish that is worth the journey alone. Hainanese chicken rice is deceptively complex: chicken is gently poached, and then the leftover liquid used to cook the rice. Those two components are served with dark soy, minced garlic and chilli. It's true: this is an outrageous rip-off. A Singapore Sling at the Long Bar at Raffles, where the drink was conceived, will set you back $S41, or almost $50. For one drink. But look, this is just one of those things you have to do because the Long Bar is legendary, the Singapore Sling is an icon, and sometimes the (pricey) cliches make for the best travel experiences. See Every weekday at 7pm, and every weekend at 3pm, Boon Tat Street is closed to traffic and the satay hawkers arrive. Trestle tables and plastic chairs cover the street, smoke clouds the air, and diners feast on freshly grilled satays late into the night. See Greenery everywhere Even hotels embrace greenery … lagoon pool terrace at Pan Pacific Orchard. This is the tropics, so although Singapore can seem like the big, bad city sometimes, it's also easy to access green space. Even some of the high-rises are covered in vegetation. Singapore Botanic Gardens Lily pads in Singapore Botanic Gardens. Credit: iStock This sprawling, 166-year-old tropical garden is World Heritage listed (one of only three in the world to hold that honour), and boasts more than 10,000 species of flora spread across 82 hectares. Entry is free. See Gardens by the Bay Gardens by the Bay. Credit: Getty Images When a garden becomes a major tourist attraction, you know something has been done right. And this is a spectacular garden, featuring a blend of modern architectural flourishes and design-heavy floral displays. The likes of the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Floral Fantasy capture the imagination of adults and kids alike. See Pulau Ubin Serene boardwalk on Pulau Ubin island. Credit: iStock This isn't the Singapore you've been picturing: Pulau Ubin is a quiet island north-east of the mainland. It has no high-rises, no highways, no hawker centres and no shopping malls. What it does have is peace, tranquillity, wildlife, a few charming little restaurants, and the chance to take things slow. See Rail Corridor Singapore's Rail Corridor is a 24-kilometre passage that links the city-state's major green spaces, and has been designed not just for wildlife to move between these areas, but walkers, runners and cyclists too. A stroll in the early morning or evening is the perfect antidote to big-city life. See Singapore River Iconic lotus flower-shaped ArtScience Museum on the Singapore River at sunset. Flowing through the CBD and into Marina Bay, this is Singapore's key waterway, and it's surrounded by riverside restaurants, bars and other nightlife attractions. Evening strolls along East Coast Park Cycling trails in East Coast Park. Credit: Singapore Tourism Board There are more than 15 kilometres of walking and biking tracks on this coastal stretch of parkland near Changi airport. East Coast Park is the perfect place for a beachfront stroll in the cool of the evening, a stroll that will ideally take you to either Jumbo Seafood, a purveyor of black pepper crab, or East Coast Lagoon Food Village, a hawker centre that specialises in satays. See Reliably warm weather (and air-con) There is no time of year you can possibly arrive in Singapore and find it cold. You will always be able to swim. You will always live in shorts and T-shirt. TRANSPORT Singapore Airlines Singapore's national carrier is ranked among the world's best. If this isn't the world's best airline, it's certainly up there. See Singapore Changi Jewel Changi Airport's famous Rain Vortex feature. Credit: iStock With probably the world's best airline comes probably the world's best airport: Changi, packed to the rafters with traveller-friendly features such as outdoor gardens, rooftop pools, sleep pods, hawker centres, airside transit hotels, and even the publicly accessible 'employee canteen', a food court for staff where you can pick up authentic Singaporean cuisine for a couple of bucks. See Singapore taxi drivers Professional and reliable … Singapore's taxi service. To become a taxi driver in Singapore you have to complete a training course with the Land Transport Authority, pass a theory test, and then obtain a licence. This means taxi drivers in Singapore are professional and reliable. No (or few) traffic jams Singapore's road network is not just well-designed, with plenty of highways and bypasses, but car ownership is also prohibitively expensive, meaning most people seek other forms of transport. The result: little time waiting in traffic. Extensive public transport More than 3.41 million ride the MRT rail lines each day. There are plenty of public transport options in Singapore, all of which are reliable, modern and comfortable. There's the MRT, a series of six rail lines, plus an extensive bus network that covers any part of the city not easily reached by rail. There are also ferries to get you to smaller islands and nearby parts of Indonesia. See SOCIETY The Green Plan Here's the deal: Singapore has a plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. That includes concrete targets over the next 10 years, including planting 1 million trees, quadrupling solar energy deployment, and reducing waste sent to landfill by 30 per cent. Impressive stuff. See The chope system Always carry a small packet of tissues with you in Singapore. Partly because paper napkins are scarce, but also, so you can reserve a table. In Singaporean hawker centres and other places with unreserved seating, placing a pack of tissues on a table – a 'chope' – means you have bagged that spot, and absolutely no one will mess with it. Safety According to World Population Review, Singapore is the fifth-safest country in the world, which makes travel here a pleasure. Cleanliness Renowned for its cleanliness. Singapore is also incredibly clean and tidy, which has to do with the law: first-time offenders can be fined up to $S2000 ($2380) just for flinging a cigarette butt onto the ground. Bad for litterers – good for you. Everyone speaks English (and another language) Singapore has four official languages: Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and English. That means basically everyone you meet in this country will be able to speak English, and at least one other language – perfect for travellers just finding their way. Singlish Singaporeans don't just speak English, but a more charming creole version that's known as 'Singlish'. The most obvious sign of Singlish is the word 'lah' or 'leh' at the end of sentences: 'Can lah' means someone will be able to do something for you. Love it. Street art Singapore's Muscat Street, with street art and architecture based on Omani culture. Credit: iStock For a country so bound by strict rules, Singapore also has a healthy (sanctioned) street-art scene. Wander the Kampong Glam neighbourhood and you will find walls filled with murals created by some of the best in the business. Connections to Asia There are so many amazing destinations within a short flight of Singapore: Bali, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap, Hanoi, Luang Prabang, Brunei and more. This is your gateway to South-East Asia. See Singapore Grand Prix Singapore's Formula 1 Grand Prix takes over the streets each year. Credit: Getty Images Every October the streets of Marina Bay morph into a racetrack and the billion-dollar circus that is the Formula 1 Grand Prix arrives in Singapore – the city goes nuts for it. See STAYS Raffles A Singapore icon … Raffles Hotel. Credit: Alamy This is one of the world's great hotels, an establishment with real history, having been around since 1887 (when it was a 10-room hotel). Raffles continues to set the standard for luxury hotels worldwide, with gorgeous suites, sprawling gardens, impeccable service, and high-quality drinking and dining establishments on site. See Raffles doormen Speaking of that impeccable service, Raffles is famous for its doormen, suave characters who set the tone immediately upon arrival, and who have become Singaporean stars. Fullerton Hotel The Fullerton. The neoclassical Fullerton Building was completed in 1928, and is a national monument, once home to Singapore's general post office, and now the Fullerton, a 400-room, five-star hotel. The rooms here are truly beautiful. See Parkroyal Collection Pickering The Parkroyal Collection Pickering is built around a 15,000-square-metre urban garden, a dense, tropical green space that rises into the air with the building around it. The luxury hotel also has sustainability bona fides: 262 solar panels on the roof, EVs for guest transfers, and a design that allows maximum natural light and minimal artificial needs. See Shangri-La's family themed suites Shangri-La Singapore's castle room. Plenty of hotels pay lip service to being family-friendly, but few commit to the bit in the way the Shangri-La Singapore does. Not only is there a breakfast buffet just for kids, a waterslide park, an indoor play area and child-minding service, the hotel also has 'family-themed suites': 16 individually themed rooms with bunk beds, kids' writing desks, bean bags, toys, treasure chests and tunnels between rooms. See FAMILY Singapore Cable Car Cableway, Sentosa Island, Singapore. Credit: Getty Images Linking Mount Faber, in Singapore's main island, with Sentosa, the Singapore Cable Car is a tourist attraction that provides bang for buck, soaring almost 100 metres above Keppel Harbour on a 15-minute journey. See Sentosa Island theme parks Packed with family-friendly attractions … Sentosa Island. Credit: iStock Though Sentosa lacks historical charm (save for Fort Siloso), it does offer a swath of theme parks and attractions to keep families happy: Universal Studios, Singapore Oceanarium, KidZania, Harry Potter: Visions of Magic, Adventure Cove Waterpark and more. See Family-friendly Grabs Grab is essentially another version of Uber, and in Singapore, it's very handy, particularly for families with young children. The app allows you to book cars with either one or two child seats, which provides welcome peace of mind in an already safety-conscious city. See Merlion Park The iconic Merlion statue stands opposite Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Credit: iStock A merlion is exactly what you think it is: half lion, half fish. It's also the symbol of the metamorphosis of Singapore from small fishing village to giant Lion City, and the 10-metre-high merlion statue on the promenade overlooking Marina Bay remains one of Singapore's most popular attractions. National Museum of Singapore This city-state's oldest museum has both modern and historic exhibitions and is well worth a visit, particularly during a tropical downpour. See Wildlife viewing Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Yes, there's wildlife in Singapore. In places such as Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve there are hundreds of birdlife species, not to mention monkeys, estuarine crocodiles, and even otters. See Free activities Tai Chi in the Botanic Gardens. Credit: Getty Images There's plenty to do in Singapore if you don't feel like parting with any cash. Visit the Botanic Gardens, explore Southern Ridges, visit various temples throughout the city, see the waterfall at the Jewel, wander Chinatown or Little India, and much more. HERITAGE Shophouses Shophouse art: Yip Yew Chong's mural Lion Dance Head Maker, based on the actual shop at No. 3 Ann Siang Hill in the 1980s. Credit: Getty Images Singapore's shophouses really do fit the 'icon' description. These terrace buildings combine architectural influences from Chinese, European and Malay cultures, and often have ornate features and historic charm. There are more than 6500 shophouses still lining the Singapore streets – most can be found in Chinatown, Joo Chiat, Emerald Hill, Little India and Blair Plain. Shophouse museum Singapore's Chinatown Heritage Centre in Pagoda Street. Credit: iStock Want to know more about Singaporean shophouses? Check out the Chinatown Heritage Centre, which is made up of several restored shophouses. See Historic members clubs Though they aren't always easy to access – you'll need reciprocal membership, or know someone who can bring you in as a visitor – Singapore has a host of private members' clubs that are fascinating slices of the city-state's history. The Tanglin Club, founded in 1865, and Singapore Cricket Club, around since 1852, are prime examples. Peranakan culture Clean and beautifully preserved candy-coloured Peranakan houses. Credit: Getty Images Most come to Singapore expecting to find a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian culture, but don't expect a fourth influence, that of the Peranakans. Also known as Nyonya, or Straits Chinese, this is a culture that can be experienced in specialist restaurants in the Katong-Joo Chiat area in Chinatown, and at the Peranakan Museum. Festivals When you have three main cultures – Chinese, Indian and Malay – plus a general tendency to put on large events to please visitors and locals alike, you end up with a packed festival calendar. That's exactly what Singapore has. NEIGHBOURHOODS Chinatown A street vendor in Chinatown watches over his store selling Chinese lanterns. Credit: Getty Images Singapore boasts what is surely one of the world's great Chinatowns, a maze of narrow roads lined with historic buildings, a living, breathing cultural relic. There are also three of Singapore's best hawker centres: Chinatown Complex, Maxwell Centre, and Hong Lim Market. Little India The most colourful house in Singapore in Little India. Credit: Getty Images Here's the perfect complement to Chinatown: Little India, another cultural enclave that will whisk you directly to the streets of Chennai. There are Hindu temples, peddlers of traditional saris and flower arrangements, plus incredible food at the Tekka Centre. Kampong Glam Muscat Street in Kampong Glam. Credit: Getty Images No neighbourhood captures the meeting of tradition and modernity in Singapore like Kampong Glam. This is one of Singapore's oldest areas, with historic buildings and the majesty of Sultan Mosque. It's also home to some of the city's best bars, its most interesting street art, and Haji Lane, a pedestrian street filled with boutiques, cafes, bars and restaurants. Orchard Road The dazzling ION Orchard mega-mall on Orchard Road. Credit: iStock Shoppers, pack your credit cards, because Singapore offers many an opportunity to part with cash. For all your shopping needs on one street, Orchard Road is home to mega-malls such as ION Orchard, Paragon, Takashimaya, 313@somerset and Mandarin Gallery. Each is stocked with every major international retail brand you can think of – not to mention some very nice places to eat. Dempsey Hill Dempsey Hill's stacked dining precinct … among the options, renowned restaurant Burnt Ends. This is a surprise attraction for many visitors to Singapore, a former British army barracks near the Botanic Gardens that's now home to a series of art galleries, retail stores, wine bars and restaurants – including outlets of famed local eatery Jumbo Seafood. See Loading Geylang Geylang was once Singapore's red-light district, and it retains plenty of that edge; it's also, however, a vastly interesting and approachable neighbourhood, with rows of old shophouses, buzzing local restaurants and bars, and even a signature local dish, Geylang frog porridge, which is far tastier than it sounds. ARCHITECTURE WOHA Architects Contemporary design and old-world charm … Singapore's 21 Carpenter Hotel. Co-founded by Australian architect Richard Hassell, this Singapore-based firm is responsible for some of the most eye-catching buildings on the Singapore skyline, from spectacular Pan Pacific Orchard and quirky 21 Carpenter to the bold Singapore Institute of Technology. See The Jewel Sprawling indoor gardens at Jewel Changi Airport. You would visit the Jewel, the entertainment and shopping complex built around the world's largest indoor waterfall, even if you weren't flying out of Changi airport. There are more than 300 dining and retail outlets across 10 levels, plus indoor gardens, the Canopy Park and the Experience Studio. The fact this has direct access to one of the world's best airports is an added bonus. See Marina Bay Sands Landmark: Marina Bay Sands. Credit: Getty Images This is one of those 'wow' buildings that inspires you to pull your camera out immediately. You may love or hate what's inside – the high-end restaurants, bars and nightclubs, the whopping casino – but it's hard to deny the awe of these three towers connected by a platform 56 storeys high. A swim and a cocktail at the rooftop pool is a must-do. See Retro atrium hotels The soaring atrium of Conrad Singapore Orchard hotel. In the 1960s and '70s, American architect John Portman helped popularise a style of hotel design that focused on grand, airy atriums, and Singapore boasts three of his most spectacular works: the Mandarin Oriental, the Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, and the Conrad Singapore Orchard. Even if you're not staying, each is worth a wander. Henderson Waves Henderson Waves pedestrian bridge, part of the walking trail connecting the Southern Ridges with Mount Faber. Credit: Singapore Tourism Speaking of impressive design, don't miss Henderson Waves, a 274-metre pedestrian bridge in Southern Ridges park with a distinctive wave pattern – like a giant snake – making for excellent Instagram fodder. See Five things we don't always love about Singapore The strict adherence to rules Laws are tight in Singapore, everyone knows that. But what can come as a surprise is Singaporeans' adherence to rules and norms of all kinds. When it seems to an outsider as if bending the rules might make the most sense – still, locals will be unwilling. The humidity Reliably hot weather: great. Love it. What isn't always so pleasant, however, is the dense weight of humidity that can hang over Singapore, draining the energy of even the most ardent diner or shopper. Loading Rojak Singaporean food is, almost without exception, delicious. That exception? Rojak. A variety of raw fruits and vegetables are chopped up and then topped with a sweet, spicy sauce. Honestly, the whole thing makes no sense. Expensive alcohol You can get an excellent meal in Singapore for a very low price. If, however, you would like a few glasses of wine with that meal, the cost will rise significantly because this is an expensive country in which to do your drinking. The lack of napkins In Japan, you spend your days wandering around looking for non-existent rubbish bins. In Singapore, you're constantly on the hunt for non-existent napkins. People just don't give them out in this country like they do in others. Hot tip: carry your own.
