Staying on the river front at the Fullerton Hotel would be divine but probably too expensive for my budget (http://www.fullertonhotel.com/). This area is really pretty at night and several museums are nearby including the Asian Civilizations Museum. This museum is fantastic and is sometimes open at night or it might be a good place to go mid-day when you need to cool off.
They seem to be re-organizing the museums in Singapore and some were closed. But the buildings they are using for museums are gems. They've remodeled the Art Museum using an old Catholic boys school, the National Museum of Singapore is a wonderful old building but has a fantastic addition. This would be a good place to start when you explore Singapore because there is an exciting 360 degree slide show and very good historical exhibits. Take the A/V tour offered with admission and learn everything you could possibly want to know about Singapore. There is a postal museum nearby and postal museums are always hidden gems; you can buy beautiful stamps to add to your postcards here.
You'll never do all the shopping Singapore has to offer so leave the malls for mid-day when it is too hot to be outside or visit them at the end of the day when you are too tired to do much walking. Don't go on the weekends though.
Get in the subway and just take it to the end of the line. The train runs above ground after you get out of the central area (at least the train I rode did) and you get to see a lot more of Singapore this way easily and in an air-conditioned car. The subway is super easy to navigate. Ask the cashier to give you a small pocket map of the system and you'll be set. When you are finished with your fare card insert it into the machine and you will get $1 back!
Don't be afraid to drink the water from the tap. The water is perfectly safe.
Get a hotel which includes breakfast and then eat a little late in the morning. Eat something different from your usual eggs, bacon, toast and cereal!
If you eat a healthy breakfast late in the morning you don't need to stop to eat lunch and you'll have a perfect excuse to try some really different snack late in the afternoon. Try lots of things because mostly everything is delicious. If you are walking along Orchard Road and need a treat try the basement of Takashimaya, a department store located in Ngee Ann City at 391A Orchard Road. The food court is somewhat like going to Harrods in London. Fantastic assortment!
If you get lost or confused, stop someone and ask. They are almost always willing to help; then they'll ask where you are from and how long you are staying. They might even ask where you are going next. It is surprising how friendly people were to me.
Take a taxi at least one night so that you can eat on the East Coast Parkway; you can see all the lights of the boats outside the harbor. We ate at a restaurant called Jumbo Seafood: The Big Name In Seafood and it was delicious (http://www.jumboseafood.com.sg/).
Go to an area called Holland Village which is near the Botanic Garden. We only discovered this in the last 2 hours of our stay and the little mall above Cold Store Grocery store had great offerings . It was fun to explore for a change of pace. I also found some pretzel bread that I love when I am in Germany and never find anyplace else. Who would have guessed?! There is even a subway stop nearby, Buona Vista MRT.
Try the offerings in one of the many bread shops. These are called Breadtalk (http://www.breadtalk.com/) is one of the best. These are not bakeries which sell bread like we see in the States but instead sell steamed bread with savory fillings or flaky pastry with curry fillings or a million other fillings. One of their signature buns has pork floss on top. Pork floss is a stewed pork which is then finely shredded and further dried out until it has a texture like cotton candy. It is used as a topping for lots of things including congee. Try the sweet breads too, some with red bean, some with cream and fruit filling. Grab tongs and a tray as you enter the store then load up and pay a very small amount. These usually keep even without a refrigerator. Eat these for a late afternoon snack with a young coconut juice or a million other fruit drinks available at stands in hawker courts.
Go into the temples because you can really see the people about their life in these. I found that the temples were really rich places to observe people.
The Night Safari was nice but not spectacular. I think this must have been because we had so little time to visit; this zoo is famous for its enclosures which are barely visible. But if you go to the zoo expect to find really good food! Go to the Botanic Garden early on Saturday morning if only to see Singaporeans out enjoying themselves. Walk through the Coolhouse when it gets too hot.
Getting cash is easy at the ATM's or if you need to convert some dollars almost any will do; apparently the currency exchange is controlled in Singapore so the rates at all of them are nearly the same. I found it far easier to use the ATM or my credit card.
Don't try to tip at the airport, it is not allowed. Often tipping isn't really expected. If you look at your bill at a restaurant most likely they have added in the tax and a service charge. You can leave the change if you want.
I found at least one taxi driver who didn't know where the art museum was and drove me in the wrong direction until I turned him around, then he drove past the museum and I had to ask him to let me out a block past the museum. Try to have a sense of where you are going or just walk. In the end I could have walked -it was that close - but I was too tired. Fortunately the taxis are very affordable so this was only a minor inconvenience. All the drivers I used were very, very friendly.
In Singapore drivers drive on the left side of the road and the driver sits on the right side in the car. It is like England. Look before you step by habit into the street.
You can't possibly see everything but this is a place I think I should have explored: Palau Ubin which is an island just off the northeast coast, you get there from Chengi point via ferry. (http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/2198). It sounds so different from the Singapore I saw! But that is Singapore for you; an amalgam of experiences.
The airport has everything you could possibly want. Grab a meal to take on your flight or spend that last bit of Singapore cash at one of the many shops. Bring some food home for me too!
