Singapore Things to Do - 3

Nightlife

Singapore has started to loosen its tie over the past decade. The nightlife options keep expanding, with the two casinos mentioned earlier slated to open in late 2009 at the island’s “integrated resorts,” and nightlife hotspot Clarke Quay, a Disney-fied collection of colorfully themed clubs and restaurants along the Singapore River, continues to draw bar-hoppers into the early morning. Highlights include The Clinic, where shots come in syringes and people recline in wheelchairs; new Cirque du Soleil-inspired Zirca; and stalwart dance club Attica.

Off the Quay are three of my favorite clubs: Butter Factory, an artsy venue in One Fullerton that plays hip-hop as opposed to trance/techno music found most other clubs; Supperclub, where you dine on beds and watch interpretive dance performances; and Zouk, one of the oldest and best nightclubs in town.

Fans of pubs might feel at a loss in Singapore, where clubs reign supreme. Try Boat Quay for beers at alfresco bars along the river, or walk one block back to Circular Road for popular Irish pub Molly Malone’s and brewery Archipelago. Or, hold out for the annual Singapore Beer Festival or take a tour of the local brand Tiger Brewery.

 

• Head down to Clarke Quay for some of Singapore’s most popular nightlife spots.

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Secret Singapore

Did you know it snows here? Kind of. Indoor ski center Snow City makes its own snow for skiing, snowboarding and tubing with a compressed air gun.  

Also, did you know prostitution is legal in Singapore? There are “Designated Red-light Areas” (DRAs) in Geylang, on Desker Road in Little India, and in Orchard Towers on Orchard Road. Though you can shop in Orchard Towers during the day, you might want to give it a pass at night, when gawkers and “customers” take over.