Neon sign advertising live music in green and red lights.

Singapore Bars with Live Music

By Stuart Bak

Singapore is one of those cities that never sleeps, with oodles of late-night (and all-night) entertainment if you know where to look. And what better way to kick off a fun evening out with friends than by getting your feet moving at one of the dozens of Singapore bars with live music? From sultry jazz joints to crazy rock ‘n’ roll nights and silky smooth soul, we’ve got you covered with our guide to live music bars around the city. So what are you waiting for? Pull on your glad rags, buckle up those dancing shoes and shimmy on in!

Timbre

Timbre is a local legend of some pedigree with several venues around the city, each with a more unwieldy name than the last. These are the places to go if you fancy tapping your feet along to well-known local and international bands over a few casual beers or cocktails. Set in the historic district by the waterfront, Timbre X S.E.A is perhaps the best of the bunch, serving up pizza, wings, Southeast Asia-inspired dishes and live tunes in a beautifully restored colonial building. Head east to Changi for sister venue Timbre+ Eastside @ Expo. Effectively a modern hawker center with food and drink options galore, and live music every evening, it’s a cool and colorful place to hang out with friends. Last but by no means least is Timbre+ @ One-North in Queenstown, another hawker center with high-octane rock bands and a lively crowd.

Find it: various locations

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Blu Jaz Cafe

Kampong Glam, one of Singapore’s hippest ‘hoods, is where you’ll find the ultra-cool Blu Jaz Cafe. Look for the electric blue (or should that be blu?) neon sign a stone’s throw from the landmark Sultan Mosque and enter the bar’s seductive glow, where on any given evening you can expect live jazz music, poetry slams, open mic comedy and late-night DJs. The drinks menu is every bit as eclectic as the entertainment, with a cocktail list that’s longer than your average experimental improvised jazz performance.

Find it: 11 Bali Lane, Singapore 189848

Cool Cats

Cool cats, crazy cats top cats, and hepcats: all are welcome at this seductively swanky jazz joint directly opposite the historic Raffles Hotel on Beach Road. Hit up the hotel’s legendary Long Bar – frequented by a boozy who’s who of iconic 20th-century legends over the years, including Elizabeth Taylor, Ernest Hemingway, Christian Louboutin and Queen Elizabeth II – and sample the signature Singapore Sling before slinking over to Cool Cat’s unmarked doorway and entering the dimly lit New York-style bar – all velvet drapes, plush cushions and brass fittings – for some of the hottest jazz and coolest craft cocktails in town. Sip on an Ella Fitzgerald-inspired Singapore Sling/French 75 crossover or try the Smoked Fig Sidecar, with its nod to Prohibition-era recipes and the smoky sounds of Miles Davis’s trumpet.

Find it: 32 Beach Rd, Singapore 189764

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Shake Eat

So beloved of Singaporeans that they made a TV soap set there, Holland Village (or Holland V to those in the know) is one of the city’s most happening districts, a thriving shopping and entertainment hub that draws crowds of (mostly) young people. At the heart of this diminutive district is the colorful Shake Eat bar, where you can expect high-energy Mandopop and Cantopop acts performing equally colorful tunes. There’s live music every night and, if the bands don’t float your boat, plenty more to entertain you, from darts machines to beer towers and more.

Find it: 34 Lorong Mambong, Singapore 277691

Hero’s

I just can’t, I just can’t, I just can’t control my feet. And why would you even want to at the toe-tappin’, shoe-shufflin’, booty-shakin’ boogie wonderland that is Hero’s? The party really gets started when the resident live band takes the stage at this massive Wild West-themed bar in Boat Quay, and it isn’t long before their repertoire of the classic rock and pop classics has the whole place on its feet to bust some hip-swivellin’, hand-jivin’ (ok, that’s enough now – ed.) moves. Not your vibe? Don’t worry: there’s live music six nights a week and a smattering of chilled acoustic acts mean it’s not this high octane all the time. But try telling that to the dudes in the VIP beer-tap booths, attempting to drink their way to the top of the ‘most wanted outlaws leaderboard’. An extensive menu of burgers, kebabs, pasta and pizza provide plenty of opportunity to temper any... overindulgence.

Find it: 69 Circular Road, #01-01, Singapore 049423

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Maduro

This hip Dempsey Hill lounge bar comes over like a friend’s living room, if your friend happens to have impeccable taste in interior decor and Singaporean jazz, that is. Pull up a chair at this plush hilltop hideaway, surrounded by the neighborhood’s lush greenery, and indulge in a few choice cocktails as you soak up the sounds of the finest local crooners and chanteuses. The playful cocktail menu takes the Jazz Age theme and runs with it, with classic manhattans and whiskey sours to satisfy discerning punters. After a few of these killer concoctions, you might imagine yourself listening to Nina Simone in a smoky New York nightclub, circa 1968. Yep, Maduro is that good.

Find it: 40C Harding Rd, Level 3, Singapore 249548

Muddy Murphy's Irish Pub

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that every city worth its salt should have at least one great Irish pub. And Singapore’s is Muddy Murphy’s, a truly Irish bar that was purportedly built in Dublin, then dismantled and shipped to Singapore back in 1996. This place has it all: cozy nooks and traditional wooden booths, exposed bricks and beams, walls festooned with vintage adverts and other knick-knacks, live music and, of course, great Guinness. Expect the kind of lively atmosphere for which these themed bars are renowned, with great craic and traditional Irish pub bands bringing the entertainment.

Find it: 442 Orchard Road, #01-02 to 05 Claymore Connect, Singapore 238879

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The Mekong River zone at River Wonders wildlife park in Singapore.
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Singapore Zoo and River Wonders Guide Plus Backstage Pass

The Mandai Wildlife Reserve in northern Singapore is an epic tract of rainforest and wetland that just happens to contain some of the island’s finest natural attractions. We’re talking Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Bird Paradise and more, all well worth a day trip (or two, or three) out of the city. Here we take a look at River Wonders and Singapore Zoo, including how to get there, what to see and how a Singapore pass from Go City can save you money when visiting these and other local attractions. Check out our whistlestop guide to Singapore Zoo and River Wonders below. Singapore Zoo Singapore Zoo has a whole host of credentials to its name. Not only is it one of the most popular attractions on the island, it’s also frequently voted one of the best on the planet (up there with titans like London and San Diego) thanks to its open-concept environment and world-leading focus on conservation and biodiversity. Zones at the zoo include Fragile Forest, a whopping 20,000 cubic meter biodome housing a tropical rainforest habitat that’s alive with the chatter of hundreds of cute and curious jungle critters. Here, golden-headed lion tamarin monkeys peep through the canopy, colorful eclectus parrots and majestic Malayan flying foxes soar from treetop to treetop, and timid lesser mouse-deer forage on the forest floor. Head to the plains of Wild Africa where you might encounter an inquisitive giraffe, shy white rhino or hair-raising pack of African painted dogs as well as some of the savannah’s legendary big cats. The RepTopia reptile house is where it’s at for regal horned lizards, cool and colorful panther chameleons, showstopping electric blue geckos and other such slithering, cold-blooded pals. And you can get up close and personal with Antipodean animals of all shapes and sizes in the Australasia zone. There’s even a dedicated island where orangutans are able to roam freely in the treetops. And that, frankly, is just for starters. Singapore Zoo Fast Facts Age: half a century – the zoo first opened back in 1973 Size: 69 acres Number of species: 300+ Number of animals: 4,200+ including lions, elephants, monkeys, reptiles and birds Annual visitors: approximately two million River Wonders River Wonders is just exactly what it sounds like: a watery tropical paradise, where meandering walking trails and boat rides allow you to meet some of the many beasties you’d expect to find living in and around rivers – everything from ferociously cute red pandas to the giant Mekong catfish. This is Asia’s first (and so far only) river-themed wildlife park, and it also just happens to be home to the world’s largest freshwater aquarium. There are a few ways to explore the various zones of River Wonders. You’ll be relieved to learn you can do it on foot without the need for waders. But you can also book the Amazon River Quest boat ride, designed to simulate a journey down the Amazon, where animals like tapirs, leopards and giant anteaters can be spotted around the water’s edge. Check out other epic zones including the Amazon Flooded Forest, a ginormous freshwater aquarium that’s home to manatees, giant river otters and red-bellied piranhas. The Ganges River is where you’ll find the rare Indian gharial – a relative of crocodiles and alligators – the frog-faced softshell turtle, and the fearsome goonch catfish (aka the giant devil catfish), a river monster with razor-sharp teeth and a taste for human flesh. Come face to face with cute tamarins in Amazonia Encounters and don’t miss your chance to say hey to the inhabitants of the Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest, among them the eponymous big guys, plus their diminutive red panda pals. Cute! Backstage Pass Add-ons to general admission at River Wonders include the Backstage Pass, which gets you access to Manatee Mania. Here’s where you can get really close to these magnificent marine mammals, taking part in their training sessions and even having a go at hand-feeding them during meal time. Find out more, including ticket prices here. River Wonders Fast Facts Age: the Giant Panda Forest opened in 2012 with the rest of the park following in 2014. Originally known as RIver Safari, it changed its name to River Wonders in 2021. Size: 30 acres Number of species: 260+ Number of animals: 11,000+ land and aquatic critters including manatees, giant river otters, pandas, leopards and catfish. Annual visitors: approximately one million Tickets A Singapore pass from Go City includes general admission to all four of the wildlife parks at Mandai. That’s Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Bird Paradise and the Night Safari. Passes allow you to visit as many attractions as you like over several days, and also include other Singapore big-hitters like the Gardens by the Bay, Universal Studios and the SkyHelix Sentosa. In other words, you can save up to 50% on Singapore attractions if you plan to visit a lot. Find out more about the different Singapore pass types and buy yours here. Alternatively you can buy tickets – including multi-park passes – direct via the Mandai Wildlife Reserve website. This is also where you should book add-ons not included with Go City, such as the Amazon River Quest boat ride and River Wonders Backstage Pass. Opening Hours Singapore Zoo: 8.30am-6pm. Last admission at 5pm. River Wonders: 10am-7pm. Last admission at 6pm. For opening times of individual attractions within the park check here. Getting There Take the red North-South MRT line from downtown and disembark at Khatib station, exit A. From here, a shuttle bus runs to and from the Mandai Wildlife Park. Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Panorama of the Singapore skyline as sun rises with green space, the river and Marina Bay Sands
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Singapore in February

Sigh...The truth is that, in the Western hemisphere at least, February can seem a bit...bleak. The holiday season is a distant memory and spring has not yet sprung. But don’t despair! With kids the world over back in school, it’s a particularly good month to plan an adult break. And especially to escape to the equator and sun-soaked Singapore! Whatever part of the world you come from (and frankly whatever the time of year) you can look forward to a mesmerising mix of green environments, bustling cityscapes, futuristic architecture and exciting attractions. Wondering what to do in Singapore in February? Hold tight and we’ll share all the top tips, including: Weather in Singapore in February Chinese New Year Thaipusam Best things to do in Singapore- Gardens by the Bay- Singapore Cable Car- Universal Studios Singapore Exploring Singapore- Singapore Bicycle Tours- Singapore Big Bus Tour- Singapore River Cruise What's the weather like in Singapore in February? Is it warm all year round in Singapore? Yaaay! It’s a yes. Pack your sunhat. The average temperature in February in Singapore is a delicious 31oC (87oF) with evenings dropping to a pleasant 24oC (75oF). You’re unlikely to need your umbrella either as, with the end of the Northeast Monsoon season, February is Singapore’s driest month. The only place you might want to pop on your sweater is for the air-conditioning blasting out in malls and public places. Chinese New Year Depending on the timing of the first full moon of the year you might be lucky enough to be in Singapore for Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year). The 15 day festival is celebrated all over the world and, in Singapore, whilst some local shops and markets will close for the celebrations, you’ll find major malls, tourist areas and entertainment attractions open and buzzing with noise, colour and beautifully blazing lanterns. Whatever you do, don’t miss the Chingay parade in Marina Bay, perhaps the year’s most dazzling display of Singapore’s multi-cultural heritage, celebrated with enthusiasm not only by Chinese but by Malay, Indians and Eurasians too. Pick your spot and thrill to spectacular floats, colourful costumes dancing dragons and staggering stilt walkers. Then dive into the whirlwind streets of Chinatown where temples open their doors, stalls sell everything from raw fish to unique home decor, and decorations glow under the lanterns of the night bazaar. Late afternoon and evening are the best times to soak up the atmosphere and bag a bargain in the markets around Smith Street. And since the best part of any festival is the food, don’t forget to cram in as many delectable sweet and savoury treats as you can! After all that excitement you might want to stop for a nice cup of tea. Kick off your shoes and ease into the tranquility of an authentic tea appreciation experience at Tea Chapter, the largest and oldest teahouse in Singapore. Find your zen amid ornate architecture, relax to traditional Chinese music and savour tea fit for a queen - Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh were also served a pot of Imperial Golden Cassia so you’re definitely in good company. Thaipusam The festivities continue, since the Hindu religious festival Thaipusam also falls in January or February, depending on the date of the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai. This time you’ll need to stake out your viewing spot in the historic streets of Little India to watch the colourful chariot procession wind its way through the streets to Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple at Keong Siak Road. Devotees carry milk pots and heavy wooden ‘kavadis’ decorated with flowers and peacock feathers in honour of Lord Murugan, Hindu god of war. Some pierce their tongues or other body parts with skewers and hooks, requiring elaborate prayer and preparation. Less painfully, let’s talk about some of the best sights in Singapore, like... Gardens by the Bay Have you even been to Singapore if you’ve not visited Gardens by the Bay, the stunning natural park that has become perhaps the country’s most recognisable symbol? Immerse yourself in the intriguing Cloud Forest and marvel at the eighteen 50m-high sustainable ‘Supertrees’. Not only does their vertical planting provide a wildlife habitat but they harvest solar energy, collect rainwater and serve as air exhausts. It’s tough to know when to visit. As one of the city’s most popular attractions, morning is the best time to beat the crowds and explore the 101 hectares of indoor and outdoor gardens, lakes, sculptures and artwork. But there again, it would be a crime to miss the Garden Rhapsody light show that wows the crowds at 7.45PM and 8.45PM every day. Singapore Cable Car Maybe you’ll follow the pattern of many visitors and split your time between the city and the delights of Sentosa Island. Soar over the city skyline aboard the Singapore Cable Car and take plenty of snaps of the unforgettable views as you travel from Mount Faber on the main island, to Sentosa, which means ‘island of tranquility’.If you time your trip to be back at the Mount Faber cable car station after dark you can also enjoy Miraculous 2, a kaleidoscopic, multi-media light show exclusive to cable car ticket holders. Universal Studios Singapore Aside from the sandy beaches, the main event on Sentosa island is surely Universal Studios, Singapore, guaranteed to thrill visitors of any age with its wild coasters, family rides and interactive shows, all themed to your favourite movies. Explore seven themed areas: Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City, Ancient Egypt, The Lost World, Far Far Away and Madagascar. Get your white-knuckle kicks on Accelerator and Revenge of the Mummy, brave the world’s tallest duelling coasters themed on Battlestar Galactica and prepare to get wet as you escape the dinosaurs on the Jurassic Park Rapids. There are plenty of family favourites too with rides, shows and character meets from favourites like Shrek, Minions and Sesame Street. Virtual Reality Fighter Jet Experience Do you feel the need for speed? Whilst we’re talking thrills, Singapore offers the rare opportunity to enjoy a fast and furious experience learning to fly a (virtual) F-15 or F/A-18 military jet. Attend your pre-flight briefing, then don your headset, before blasting off on a memorable mission over some familiar American landmarks. Ways to explore Singapore In the heat and humidity of the summer months you might not have the energy to explore, but, as the beginning of the dry season and before temperatures rise too much, February is an ideal month for outdoor activities. Cycling around the sunny island is a great way to enjoy the sights and green spaces. Singapore is one of Asia’s most bike-friendly cities with a well-connected network of cycle paths, so get on your bike, not forgetting that helmets are mandatory.A four hour Historical cycle tour of Singapore ticks off loads of city highlights including Chinatown, the Singapore River, Boat and Clarke Quays and the Museum District... Best of all, being accompanied by an expert guide allows you to see the city from a local perspective, including visiting a residential area, checking out a lively market and sampling tasty local cuisine. Or perhaps you’ll prefer to pedal your way to some stunning evening panoramas on a two hour Marina Bay bicycle night tour. There are stunning photo opps all along the way, from the Supertrees, to the Singapore Flyer observation wheel, to the Formula One Pit Building.Wheel around the business district where charming historical buildings jostle with gleaming skyscrapers. Look out for the famous floating football pitch at Marina Bay. If you’re lucky you might even catch a live music performance in the Esplanade entertainment area. If you’re feeling less energetic maybe you’ll choose to cruise, drifting along on a Singapore River Cruise. Climb aboard a traditional bumboat (yes, you heard right) to glide past sights like Old Parliament House, the Merlion Park and Marina Bay Sands Resort. Or simply hop on (and off) a Big Bus tour and take in all the landmarks at your own pace with a day ticket and pre-recorded commentary in your choice of 12 languages. For a more original experience, an hour-long Singapore DUCKtour, in an amphibious vehicle, splashes into the bay for a sail around the beautiful harbour before exploring the Civic district on land. However you choose to get around, remember, not only in February but year round, Go City is the best choice for maximum savings and flexibility for all your Singapore sightseeing. What are you waiting for? Enjoy your adventures!
Jo Cooke
Woman studying a map in front of a pagoda-style building in Seoul.
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Singapore to Seoul

For a heady mix of cultures, terrific and varied pan-Asian cuisine and a list of weird and wonderful attractions as long as your arm, Seoul and Singapore are second to none. Frequent direct flights between the two mean doing the Singapore to Seoul (or indeed Seoul to Singapore) double on your Asian vacation couldn’t be easier. Read on for our bite-size city guides and discover the best ways to get from one city to the other. Seoul: the Lowdown Split through its middle by the wide Han River, Seoul is a densely populated megalopolis of some 10 million people, its futuristic towers, bridges and skyscrapers set among ancient mountains and plains in the northwest corner of South Korea. Attractions here are many and varied with several ancient UNESCO sites, including the regal gardens and pagodas of Changdeokgung Palace and the royal tombs of the Joseon dynasty, which ruled over Korea for 500 years from the 14th to the 19th centuries. More modern pursuits include a visit to Seoul’s tallest building, the skyscraping 123-story Lotte World Tower, and its sprawling amusement park namesake on (and around) Seokchon Lake. Then there’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a space-age architectural marvel packed with shops, bars, restaurants, exhibitions and even a sensory playground for kids. And the achingly photogenic oasis that is leafy Nami Island, a mere 90 minutes from the city center. Seoul is dry and icy-cold in winter and very hot and humid in summer, with a monsoon season that runs between June and September. The relatively short spring and autumn seasons are therefore the best times to visit, when you can expect mild weather and clearer skies but also – as inevitably as night follows day – higher hotel rates. On the plus side, there’s accommodation here to fit most budgets, though visitors should remain conscious that a week in Seoul can be eye-wateringly expensive wherever you end up staying. As a general rule, downtown districts including Jongno or Euljiro are likely to be cheaper than Myeong-dong and Gangnam, while longer-term visitors might want to consider rented accommodation in student neighborhoods like Sinchon and Hongdae. Wherever you choose to lay your hat, you’ll find getting around Seoul a breeze thanks to its superb metro system, which has a whopping 300+ stops within the city’s relatively compact nine-mile radius. Just download the Seoul Subway Metro Map – an interactive route-planning app – pick up a T-money card (and add some credit) and you’re good to go. Handily, your T-money pass is valid for use on metros, buses and even taxis across South Korea. Save a bit of cash with Go City when you buy an All-Inclusive or Explorer pass to multiple major Seoul attractions. Singapore: the Lowdown There’s a whole world of fun awaiting in Singapore, from splashing around in the world’s biggest rooftop infinity pool (57 stories up atop the Marina Bay Sands Resort, fact fans) to gorging on chili crab and sticky pork satay in one of the wonderful hawker centers here. Then there’s the soaring Singapore Flyer observation wheel, authentic Singapore Slings at Raffles Hotel (where the iconic cocktail was invented), the Instagram-tastic Gardens by the Bay, and the island playground that is Sentosa, its myriad attractions – Universal Studios, the S.E.A. Aquarium and several of Singapore’s finest palm-lined beaches – easily reachable by monorail or cable car. In fact, getting around Singapore is remarkably straightforward in general, largely thanks to the super-efficient (and mercifully air-conditioned) mass transit system, or MRT. Six lines and close to 150 stations ensure good coverage of most of the island, but you’ll likely spend most of your time here in and around the downtown circle line which calls at many of the main attractions. Pick up a Singapore Tourist Pass (STP) for unlimited use of the network for 24–72 hours or simply pay as you go by tapping in and out of stations using your contactless debit or credit card. There’s also a decent cycling infrastructure here, and plenty of green space to explore – they don’t call Singapore the Garden Island for nothing, you know! Rent a bike and cruise your way around the epic Park Connector Network and beyond. The climate in Singapore is hot, humid and wet, with temperatures in the high 80s year round. Monsoon seasons between December to March and June to September all but guarantee daily downpours, but also make for some of the most competitive accommodation rates at these times of year. We’re speaking relatively, of course: Singapore is notoriously expensive, but you may just about be able to afford a stay at luxury icons like Raffles and Marina Bay Sands during the monsoons without the need to mortgage a kidney. Cheaper alternatives are of course available, with plenty of good budget and mid-range options available in the likes of Chinatown and even around the high-end shopping mecca of Orchard Road. Save a bit of cash with Go City when you buy an All-Inclusive or Explorer pass to multiple major Singapore attractions. Singapore to Seoul by Air and Rail Direct flights between Singapore and Seoul depart several times daily and take a shade over six hours each way. Carriers serving the route between Singapore’s Changi Airport and Incheon Airport in Seoul include Korean Air, Singapore Airlines and Asiana, with a one-way trip starting from around £300. Express trains from Incheon to downtown Seoul depart every 20–40 minutes and take 40 minutes; the slower, more regular trains make several stops along the route but still only take an hour to the center of town. At half the price and five times the frequency, these are probably the better bet, assuming you’re not in a crazy hurry. And if you’re really in no rush, you could even consider making the epic voyage from Singapore to Seoul by rail. Not for the faint of heart, this method takes you up through Malaysia, and across across Thailand and Laos (with a bit of bus travel required here), then onwards through Vietnam and China before finally catching the ferry from Qingdao in North Korea to Incheon in South Korea – because you can’t cross the North/South Korea border by land. If spending several days traveling 7,000 kilometers through unfamiliar countries on public transport sounds like an utterly absurd idea, that’s because it probably is. But adventurous souls with time on their hands could make it a reality, experiencing amazing coastal vistas, jungle trails, supercities, traditional villages and a mix of wildly different cultures along the way. Or, you know, go as far as Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok and catch your onward flight from there – both also epic adventures with plenty of fun to be had along the way! Save on attractions and activities in Singapore and Seoul Save on admission to Singapore and Seoul attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak

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