Chinese New Year at Singapore

I was chatting with my friend online on a lazy December evening when she mentioned that she had 4 days off during the Chinese New Year at Singapore and nothing to do. I jokingly replied that I could come over and before we realised, we were both chalking out a plan for the 4 day holiday. Soon we realised that there was a lot of stuff to do in the four days in Singapore. Here is a glimpse of some of the fun things to do there specially around the Chinese New Year: 

China Town:

A visit to China Town is a must during the Chinese New Year. The whole locality is resplendant with the ambience of the Chinese culture, be it the red colored lamps, the red envelopes ( Hong Bao), little souvenirs, linen, and delicacies. You can get a good bargain where most things would be available in sets of 3 for 10 SGD. A great place to collect nick knacks for the dear ones at home. Chinatown is closed on the New Year's day and a couple of days following it. The month before the new year's day is a good time to visit Chinatown.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum:

This temple is located in Chinatown. There are nearly 1000 idols of Buddha in different sizes. One of the most beautiful Buddhist temples to see.

Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple:

This is a Hindu temple. It is believed that if you pray with your heart in this temple and your wish is honest, your wish will come true.

River Hong Bao Festival:

This is the main attraction of the Chinese New Year. On New Year's eve, the floating platform on Marina Bay is decorated and there are performances by artists from various fields. There is no charge to watching these performances. Go early to get a good seat. A great opportunity to know more about the Chinese Horoscope.

Wild Wild Wet:

With the tropical weather of Singapore, the Wild Wild Wet water park offers a great break from the heat. Splash in the Tsunami pool and if you are the adventurous kinds, do not miss the steep boat slide on the Water Slide.

Sentosa Island:

Your Singapore visit cannot be complete without visiting Sentosa. Some of the attractions here are the Dolphin Lagoon, Underwater world,Luge and the Skyride, the 4D Cinemagix, the "Songs of the Sea" show, the cable car etc.

G-MAX Reverse Bungy:

If you are adventurous and the adrenalin rush excites you, the G-MAX Reverse Bungy is the thing for you. Even the bravest scream their lungs out when flung into the air against the gravity. They also take a video of you when you are at the peak of the ride.

Jurong Bird Park:

If your are tired of the stunts of your local celebrities, here are some celebrities with a difference. These birds are truly rock stars and as one of them flies past making it right throuh the ring or counts to 100 in Chinese, or plays basketball, you will capture memories to cherish forever.

Night Safari:

Most people have visited the zoo sometime or the other but the night safari is a different experience. Greeted by the foot thumping tribal dances, your quiet sojourn into the serene forest environment during the late night hours will make you experience the animal world like never before.

Bugis:

If you are looking for a combination of expensive mall shopping and the not so expensive street shopping, Bugis is the place for you. Check out the street market and if you care to splurge then the malls across the road have some great offers.

These were just some of the things that I experienced during my Singapore visit. In addition, the discipline and cleanliness of the place is an experience in itself...