Singapore City

Three days from Chinatown to the Supertrees and Sentosa

Three days cover central Singapore: Chinatown, the riverside museums and Gardens by the Bay on the first, Kampong Glam and Little India on the second, and the Botanic Gardens, the Southern Ridges and Sentosa on the third. Walk outdoors early and save museums for the afternoon heat.

Day one starts early in Chinatown, before the heat. Walk up South Bridge Road past Sri Mariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore, to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, where Vesak is marked each May (see Vesak Day in Singapore). Lunch at Maxwell Food Centre, then take the afternoon indoors at the Asian Civilisations Museum by the river. At dusk, follow the bay from the Merlion over the Helix bridge to Gardens by the Bay for the Supertree light show.

Day two belongs to the old Malay and Indian quarters. Morning at Sultan Mosque and Haji Lane in Kampong Glam, then a short walk north to Little India for Tekka Centre, the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple and the flower-garland stalls on Campbell Lane. In the afternoon, cool off at the National Gallery in the former Supreme Court and City Hall, and climb Fort Canning Hill before dinner at Lau Pa Sat, the cast-iron market hall beside Satay Street on Boon Tat Street.

Day three goes green. Take the Circle Line to Botanic Gardens for the National Orchid Garden, then ride to HarbourFront and hike the Southern Ridges over Henderson Waves. Finish on Sentosa, or take the Sentosa Express back for a late cruise from Clarke Quay.

Laksa, chilli crab and the tissue-packet rule

Hawker culture is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list, and it is the cheapest, best way to eat here. Each centre is a covered hall of small stalls around shared tables: find a seat first, then order at as many stalls as you like.

Hainanese chicken rice is the national comfort dish, poached chicken over rice cooked in stock, with chilli and ginger sauces. Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown has long queues for it. Laksa, noodles in a spicy coconut broth with cockles, is the Katong speciality in the east. Char kway teow, flat noodles fried with egg and cockles, and roti prata with curry for breakfast are everywhere; Tekka Centre in Little India adds biryani and fish-head curry.

For seafood, chilli crab and black pepper crab are shared dishes best eaten at the seafood restaurants along the East Coast. Lau Pa Sat, a cast-iron Victorian market hall in the financial district, is the easy evening choice for satay.

Breakfast like a local with kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and strong kopi at a coffee shop. Many hawker stalls close one day a week and some by mid-afternoon, so go at lunch.

From Lunar New Year to Deepavali lights, a festival in most months

Something is on in almost every month. The big dates are Thaipusam and Lunar New Year early in the year, Vesak in May, National Day on 9 August, the Formula 1 night race in late September or early October and Deepavali in October or November. January brings Singapore Art Week with gallery openings across the city, and Thaipusam, when devotees carry kavadi from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road to Tank Road (Thaipusam in Singapore), falls in January or February.

The lunar new year follows with River Hongbao at Gardens by the Bay and the street floats and performers of the Chingay Parade Singapore about ten days later. Vesak lanterns fill Buddhist temples in May.

August is the patriotic month: the Singapore National Day Parade is held on 9 August at Marina Bay, and the Singapore Night Festival lights up the museum buildings of Bras Basah and Bugis. The Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, a night race on streets around Marina Bay, usually takes place in late September or early October.

Little India is strung with lights for Deepavali in October or November, and the Singapore International Film Festival screens at the Esplanade and other venues around late November and early December.