NYE

New Years Eve in Singapore

By Cara Merren

By Mia Russell

Singapore shimmers with bright lights and buzzing energy and is one of the best places to ring in the New Year. With extravagant fireworks displays, dazzling parties, and glittering celebrations, Singapore packs a punch when it comes to saying goodbye to one year and welcoming in the next.

From fabulous fine dining at some of the world’s best restaurants to sipping cocktails at the top of the Marina Bay Sands, here are some ideas for celebrating New Year’s Eve in Singapore.

  1. Marina Bay

Image of Fireworks, Lighting, City, Urban, Light,

Marina Bay is where it all happens on New Year's Eve there’s no better way to ring in the New Year than from the SkyPark Deck on the top of the Marina Bay Sands. Based on the 57th floor, this stunning spot offers the most incredible views of the sunset-silhouetted cityscapes and Marina Bay.

Book a table at the CÉ LA VI SkyBar to get front-row seats of the breathtaking fireworks to display at the stroke of midnight. Enjoy a five-course menu with standout dishes and use your pass to enjoy a free drink. Watch the fantastic Share the Moment light projection show that illuminates the façades of the Fullerton Hotel Singapore and the Merlion hotels while resident DJs will be spinning dance-hall-infused hits all night long.

  1. Star Island

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Say hello to the new year with a musical extravaganza of live entertainment and spectacular fireworks at Star Island. Expect 80 minutes of dazzling lights, sound, and color with larger-than-life pyrotechnics, world-renowned DJs on the decks, and specially designed-fireworks.

There is also plenty of pre-show entertainment and family-friendly activities at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza, including food and drinks booths and meet-and-greets with some of Sanrio’s most beloved characters.

  1. The Great Bay Fiesta

Join the family-friendly festivities at the Great Bay Fiesta. Taking place at the Bayfront Event Space for the entire month of December, you’ll find a host of fun, family-friendly activities to enjoy from a circus show and a food festival to a colorful carnival.

Feast on delicious local and global fare from 35 different food stalls and take a trip back in time on Flying Dumbo and Bumper Cars rides at the Great World Carnival. Make snow angels and build your own snowman; try ice skating, ice bowling, and ice curling; and watch acrobats perform death-defying stunts at the Great Cirque des Cascades.

  1. Skechers Sundown Festival

Hit the beach for an epic New Year countdown event and dance your way into the new year. Head to Palawan Beach Sentosa for Skechers Sundown Live, a one-night music event featuring headline DJs and other Asian acts. There’ll also be loads of family-friendly activities like face painting, scratch art, film screenings, and a food village.

Make your way to Sentosa Island with a fun ride on the Singapore Cable Car and use your pass to soar over Singapore’s skyline to the island.

  1. LAVO New Year’s Eve Party

    Image of Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, Landscape, City, Fireworks, Cityscape, Urban, Panoramic, Water, Waterfront,

For a glitzy and glamorous countdown party, head to LAVO Italian Restaurant & Bar at the Marina Bay Sands. Located on the 57th floor of the luxurious hotel, the restaurant serves contemporary Italian-American cuisine and an inventive craft cocktail menu against a backdrop of spectacular views of Singapore’s glimmering city skyline.

Relax over post-dinner drinks in the luxurious lounge to the tunes of international DJs before the midnight countdown in Marina Bay. Watch the fantastic Share the Moment light projection show illuminates the façades of the Fullerton Hotel Singapore and the Merlion hotels, followed by the world-famous fireworks display Singapore is famed for.

  1. Party at the MARQUEE

Welcome to the new year with an unforgettable carnival experience at one of Singapore’s nightlife superstars: MARQUEE. Spread over three floors with 30-meter-high ceilings, the mega club features a giant indoor Ferris wheel, three-story slides, and four thematic bars. Party to a line-up of highly talented resident spinners and international DJs against a backdrop of stunning visuals and state-of-the-art lighting.

  1. 665°F and Mr. Stork at Andaz Singapore

Take to the sky to ring in the new year with award-winning cuisine, fine wines, and spectacular views at 665°F and Mr. Stork at Andaz Singapore. Begin the evening with a special New Year’s Eve five-course tasting menu at sky-high steakhouse 665°F at Andaz Singapore.

Feast on delectable bites like Boston lobster, Kaluga caviar, blue cod bouillabaisse, and winter black truffles. Sip the world’s finest champagnes and pair your meal with a selection of curated wines. After dinner, head up to Mr. Stork to soak up Singapore’s iconic skyline against a backdrop of tunes from a live DJ.

Cara Merren
Go City Travel Expert

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Best brunch in Singapore

Brunch: The most indulgent meal of the day. Maybe you skipped breakfast because of visiting an early attraction, or maybe you slept in after sampling the incredible nightlife. Whatever the reason, you deserve a decadent dish to recharge your batteries and get you fired up for more exploring. We’ve listed our top 10 places in Singapore to grab brunch. Bon appetite! Boomerang café and bistro Singapore Resting on the Singapore River you’ll find Boomerang Cafe and Bistro, serving fresh, authentic Australian cuisine day and night. Australians know that to keep your energy levels up you need some good grub, and there’s plenty of that at Boomerang. With opening hours between 6am and 3am, you’ve got plenty of time to explore the menu. Breakfast runs until 11:30, after which it switches to the lunch menu. There’s a vast selection of breakfast options, including light and airy pancakes, to a fully Ozzy steak and eggs. The lunch menu contains a vast array of starters and sharing platters, although we’d recommend the garlic prawn and mango salad for the perfect brunch meal. If you’re craving more Boomerang action, Happy Hour runs Monday to Friday from 5pm until 8pm, and 2pm until 8pm on Sundays. Kinki Restaurant + Bar If bold Japanese cuisine is more your thing, try Kinki Restaurant + bar. Found near Marina Bay and Raffles Place, the views from the rooftop bar are breathtaking. The food’s a delight for all your senses, with bright colorful dishes created using exquisite ingredients. While we could talk about the menu all day long, the real show-stopper is the bottomless brunch. Available Saturdays and public holidays, the all-you-can-eat brunch includes fresh sashimi slices, a variety of maki rolls, various mains, and much more. For $68 you can feast on the smorgasbord of delights, and for an additional $38, you can add unlimited Sake, Beer, Prosecco, or Shochu to the mix. LAVO Restaurant & Rooftop Bar Enjoy classic Italian American food and hand-crafted cocktails from the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands Hotel. The view from the outdoor balcony is worth the visit alone. The prices reflect the exclusive location, with the Free Flow Dom Pérignon & Buffet Menu coming in at $398 per person. A seafood feast awaits with fresh lobster, tiger prawns, crab, and enough dessert options for even the sweetest of teeth. We also recommend ordering a slice of the 20-layer cake. You’ll thank us later. Carrotsticks and Cravings If healthy living is your thing, Carrotsticks and Cravings is the destination for you. Using the freshest ingredients and packed with superfoods, they cater to all dietary requirements. There’s no poor option on the menu, as everything looks and tastes delicious. The signature smashed avocado toast is a great start, with a baked chia parfait or superfood salad providing an excellent backup plan. If gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and vegetarian-friendly foods make your stomach smile, add Carrotsticks and Cravings to your brunch itinerary. Butcher’s Block If you’re a carnivore who loves their meat flame-grilled, you may find your dream brunch at Butcher’s Block. Raffles Arcade houses this avant-garde steakhouse where fire is the star of the show, whether you’re ordering meat or fish. Smoking with wood, slow roasting, or grilling directly over embers, Butcher’s Block knows how to extract every drop of taste out of their meals. Brunch is available on the weekends with a mouth-watering a la carte menu, or an option to upgrade to the Sommelier’s Selection which includes a 90-minute high-end wine-tasting experience. Waffle Place If you’re looking for somewhere unique or unusual to enjoy brunch, look no further than Waffle Place in Singapore. This halal cafe serves premium waffles with a multitude of toppings. With a variety of interesting flavor combinations, you’re unlikely to have the same waffle twice. There are some ‘classic’ topping options such as apple pie or ice cream, as well as more unusual toppings like duck in kerutuk sauce, or crispy chicken with a fried egg, spicy mayo, and maple syrup. A truly unique experience awaits you at Waffle Place, Singapore. Astor Bar Astor Bar at The St. Regis Singapore offers an adult-only cocktail brunch every Saturday, but don’t worry - it’s not just a liquid lunch. A luxurious platter of seafood on ice, including crab, oysters, and shrimp, ensures a decadent brunch to remember. Add in a soundtrack of live jazz music performed by the resident band and you’re only missing one thing; cocktails. Whatever your tipple of choice, it’s on the menu at Astor Bar. A Sip of Gilded Age, the iconic Chilli Padi Mary, or a chocolate martini are just a tiny sample of the cocktails on offer. Luckily, if you’re spoiled for choice and tormented by indecision, the helpful mixologists will guide you through the flavor profiles. Red House Seafood With influences from the Malay, Indian, and Peranakan traditions, Red House Seafood provides a brunch filled with exquisite Singaporean seafood dishes. Chili crab and satay chicken are classic Singapore mains, but here they’re handled with finesse and elevated to new levels. As one of Singapore’s oldest seafood restaurants, they know how to treat diners to something special. The Dim Sum lunch buffet allows you to choose from a menu of 50 items, including delicious steamed fish, prawn rolls and, of course, the delectable dim sums. Save on Admission to Top Singapore Attractions Explore the best things to do with a pass for Singapore by Go City®. Select from top attractions with our All-Inclusive and Explorer passes, where you’ll enjoy access to galleries, museums, tours much more. Share Your Adventure with Us Tag @GoCity in your vacation photos and we’ll feature you on our page. Follow the Go City Instagram and Facebook channels for exclusive competitions, special offers, and events to help you make the most of your travels.
Adam Fraiel
Overhead view of colored warehouses and the river at Clarke Quay in Singapore
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Things to do in Clarke Quay

Despite its central location and world class airport, Singapore is more than just a place to pass through – it’s a buzzing, cosmopolitan city with many contrasting districts to explore. While the Marina may be where most people head first, if you’ve got time then it’s worth detouring off the main tourist trail for the historic and pretty waterfront promenades of Clarke Quay. Named for the 19th century Governor Sir Andrew Clarke, this slice of Singapore forms part of the Singapore River Precinct and was originally lined with warehouses and docks for the moving and unloading of goods up and down the river. It’s since been renovated and revamped, and now serves as a lively open-air entertainment and commercial district popular with locals and tourists alike. While you’re there, take the opportunity for: Retail therapy A historical bicycle tour A river cruise A walk to Merlion Park Nightlife Exploring Fort Canning Park Chinatown Retail therapy Clarke Quay Central is the first place you should head if you’re in the mood for a bit of bargain hunting. It’s an enormous riverside mall with five levels to explore, so whether you’re on the hunt for the latest fashion or need to stock up on ‘I went to Singapore’ shirts for the folks at home, this is the place to come. There are plenty of restaurants with riverside views, and if you haven’t filled your bags by lunch time there’s the Riverside Point Shopping Center and the Clarke Quay Shopping Mall nearby. Historical bicycle tour If you like to combine your history with movement, or find it all easier to take in when someone’s explaining it to you, how about joining a four-hour historical bike tour of the city? You’ll get to know the city from a local’s perspective by visiting a residential area and a local market, as well as learning about the city’s history through its districts, museums and monuments. Your tour will include a stop at Clarke Quay, so be sure to ask your guide for some hot tips on the best shops and restaurants to come back to! River Cruise One of the best ways to explore a riverside district is from the water itself – the same way the bargemen and dock workers would have done in the days of the warehouses. Take a break from shopping and exploring by joining a River Cruise in a wooden bumboat – traditionally used to ferry goods from ship to shore – and relax as you wind up the river from Clarke Quay to the Marina and back again, if you like. Sit back, enjoy the fresh river breezes and discover that there’s more to the Lion City than Supertrees and skyscrapers. If you time it right, you’ll be able to watch the sunset from the water. Walk to Merlion Park If you feel the need to stretch your legs, and want to see a bit of everything, take yourself on a self-guided tour from the Quay to Merlion Park. It’s about a mile, though a couple of diversions and photo stops will stretch it out a bit. Start at Clarke Quay Central and head across Elgin Bridge to cross the river. Stop and admire the painted warehouses on either side, then divert north for a glimpse of the rainbow-colored (and somewhat unmissable) Old Hill Street Police Station. From here you can either cross back and walk along Boat Quay, or take the northern side past the former Parliament House (now the Arts House), the Victoria Concert Hall and the marble statue of the city’s founder Sir Stamford Raffles, believed to mark the spot where he first landed in 1819. You’ll also pass the Asian Civilizations Museum, which has an extensive collection of artifacts showcasing the continent’s major religions. From there, cross over the historic Cavenagh Suspension Bridge to Merlion Park, where you’ll find the half-lion, half-fish emblem of the city presiding over a busy square on Marina Bay. Nightlife Clarke Quay may be a busy retail hub during the day, but it’s in the evening when things really start to come to life. Even overnight the temperature in Singapore barely dips below 75 degrees, and it can be humid, so the riverfront is the perfect place for a refreshing evening stroll. It’s lively here most nights, and alfresco dining choices include Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Thai and Western cuisines. After dinner there are plenty of bars and clubs that will be buzzing with activity – the famous club Zouk, in a converted warehouse, always has an impressive line-up of guest DJ’s, there’s a Holey Moley if you fancy a round of mini-golf, or for a late-night snack try Hai Di Lao, which serves a traditional Hot Pot until the very early hours. Fort Canning Park Cross over to the northern bank of the river and not far away you’ll find the enormous Fort Canning Park, a grassy hilltop which often hosts concerts and plays, but during the day is a history-hunter’s playground. You’ll find Raffles House and Garden, the Fort Canning Lighthouse and the Battlebox, which is an underground bunker and network of tunnels that was used as a hub for coordinating war efforts in the 1930s and 40s. If you find the park a little overwhelming or need a fun activity to do with your friends and family, try a Fort Canning Puzzle Hunt – play as a soldier to solve clues and learn about Singapore's military history as you explore the hidden secrets of this remarkable site. Chinatown Less than ten minutes’ walk from the river is Singapore’s oldest district, Chinatown, which is worth at least half a day of exploring. As well as finding plenty of shops and restaurants – selling everything from lucky cats to the city’s signature Hainanese chicken rice – you’ll find the impressively modern Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. The district is also home to several of the city’s oldest temples, the oldest Chinese Tea House and several museums – though if you’re looking for more family-oriented entertainment you could try a Virtual Reality Experience or perhaps an Outdoor Escape Room puzzle hunt through the narrow, colorful streets. Explore Clarke Quay with Go City Whether you prefer indoors or outdoors, day or night, feet, water or wheels, there’s something for everyone in Singapore’s Clarke Quay district. Save money and see it all with Go City!
Karleen Stevens
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Guide to Singapore Zoo

Animal lovers will relish the opportunity to visit this immensely popular zoo. Singapore Zoo is designed around the concept of housing animals in naturalistic environments and is home to more than 300 different species. It’s also one of the most beloved animal parks in the region and attracts around two million visitors per year. Come here to encounter a wide array of fauna from across the globe, including everything from Asian elephants and sea lions to reptiles and the world’s largest population of captive orangutans. Spanning multiple themed areas, the zoo itself is an expansive animal park that takes hours upon hours to explore fully, so be sure to prepare in advance of your visit. To help you plan your time at Singapore Zoo, we’ve put together this helpful guide. It’s designed to make the most of your zoo experience and includes tips for visiting, must-see exhibits, and ways to save on admission. Singapore Zoo Tickets Looking for discount Singapore Zoo tickets? Snag a Go Singapore pass. You’ll spend less on admission to the Singapore Zoo and dozens of other popular area attractions. Save up to 52% on combined admission versus paying at the gate. What’s more, you can choose from two pass options: All-Inclusive Pass – All you can do for one fixed price. Includes admission to the zoo as well as 30+ attractions. Explorer Pass – Choose a number of attractions and visit them over a 30-day period. Includes admission to the zoo plus your choice of other attractions. When is the Best Time to Go to Singapore Zoo? You should plan to spend a full day at the zoo. It’s also advisable to go early to avoid the crowds as well as to increase the likelihood of seeing animals at their most active. The more time you allow yourself to spend at the zoo, the more feedings and keeper talks you can enjoy. These special experiences take place at scheduled intervals throughout the day; consult the operating calendar before your visit to see what you’ll catch during your trip. What to Bring Water: Singapore Zoo is massive, so you’ll definitely need to stay hydrated. It’s an especially hot climate during the warmer months so extra water is highly recommended. Sunscreen: Ditto for sunscreen—you’ll be outside in hot weather quite a bit and the last thing you want is a bad sunburn. Umbrella: The climate in Singapore can be temperamental, so be prepared for a sudden downpour. A rain poncho wouldn’t hurt either. Camera: One of the best parts of Singapore Zoo is the many opportunities you’ll get to see unique animals up close. Capture these moments with a camera or camera phone so you can remember your experience. Picnic: While the zoo offers plenty of dining options, you can save money by bringing your own picnic lunch. Please remember to eat only in designated picnic areas. Insect Repellent: It also gets quite buggy in the zoo, especially with so much natural vegetation devoted to the animal enclosures. Be sure to use bug spray or another form of insect repellent. Where to Eat at the Zoo There are plenty of dining options within the zoo itself, including everything from fast food and ice cream to the Ah Meng Kitchen (which features sumptuous local cuisine). You can also find the Wild Deli (which includes gourmet sandwiches and pizzas) and the Chawang Bistro (selling everything from seafood pasta to hotdogs). Save on Tickets with a Go Singapore Pass The Go Singapore Pass® is the best choice for saving and flexibility. Get Singapore Zoo tickets, plus admission to several other top area attractions. You’ll save up to 52% on museums, tours, and activities versus paying at the gate!
Katie Sagal

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