In the ultimate stopover city, it’s possible to cram a surprising amount into a day in Singapore. Whether it’s taking in sobering World War II history, investigating giant Buddhist temple complexes or eating out in the sky, there’s plenty of variety to keep any short-term visitor occupied.
Taoist style temple
Dine on the Singapore Flyer
Given that rivals are being constructed across the world, it’s unlikely that the Singapore Flyer will hold onto its title as the “World’s Biggest Observation Wheel” for long. But for now, it is the king of big wheels – 30m taller than the London Eye – and a ride on it is a great way to look out over Singapore.
One revolution on the wheel takes approximately half an hour, and the glass capsules ensure great views of the city as it goes round. It’s possible to see highlights such as the starting grid of the Grand Prix circuit and the remarkable Marina Bay Sands resort, with its giant rooftop boat on top of three sleek towers.
It’s spectacular in itself, but for the hungry there’s another unique option available. The Singapore Flyer offers ‘sky dining’ where you eat as you go round.
Taking the sky dining option gives you two revolutions – one for starters, one for main – as a butler serves drinks. It feels somewhat absurd; tablecloths are a starched white, the butler is dressed at his smartest and the food comes in lovingly presented form. Yet at the same time you’re on an enormous wheel, watching the light show on the arms that hold the capsules.
Dessert is served in a special VIP lounge once the second rotation is completed, and the views from the terrace outside are equally good – Singapore looks pretty special once lit up at night.
Haw Par Villa
Set up by the founders of the Tiger Balm dynasty, Haw Par Villa is an exceptionally strange Chinese take on a theme park. The grounds are full of pagodas and odd statues of round-headed tigers, rats and smiley dragons. But the real highlight is the Ten Courts of Hell exhibit.
This is supposed to be a lesson in morality, but it ends up being a graphically gory romp through the punishments that naughty boys are believed to undergo in the afterlife.
A series of a dioramas feature heavily-painted demons instigating numerous grizzly tortures under the watchful gaze of kings, who also act as judges.
The figurines undergoing the marvelously unpleasant procedures – such as having their hearts cut out, being sawed in half or being impaled on a mountain full of knives – are punished according to the crimes they committed while they were alive.
Some would argue that the punishments are somewhat disproportionate to the crimes – especially given that some of them are meted out to people who disrespect their siblings or fail to adhere to a rulebook.
Haw Par Villa is the first stop on Viator’s Round Island tour.
Kranji War Cemetery
Kranji War Cemetery
The second stop on the Round Island Tour is the Kranji War Cemetery, where thousands of Allied soldiers who died defending Singapore in the Second World War are buried. It’s a somber place, with the headstones lined up in neat rows. The sheer expanse of these rows brings a lump to the throat.
At the top of the hill is the Kranji War Memorial, and this is inscribed with 24,346 names. All of them belong to soldiers who died in the World War II, defending Singapore and Malaya.
Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
The Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, also known by brevity fans as the Bright Hill Temple, is a remarkable complex of Buddhist temples, stupas and meditation halls.
It’s the biggest temple in Singapore, and the mishmash of architecture is fascinating. Only one of the buildings has been made in traditional Buddhist style – and that’s the pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas. The central stupa is golden from the outside, but inside it is decorated with thousands of Buddhas as the name would suggest.
The other buildings are constructed in a Taoist style – they’re colourful and covered with intricate carvings of dragons.
But the major highlight is the Venerable Hong Choon Memorial Hall. It is the size of a football pitch and has no interior pillars. That the giant Buddha in the middle manages to dominate the room is testament to how impressive it is.
The Buddha was specially made to order in Taiwan and then reassembled in Singapore. It weighs 55 tons and stands at 13.8m tall.
The hall itself is used as a meditation and prayer area – visitors are requested to remove their shoes and keep silent as they walk through to the Buddha.
Outside, the scent of joss sticks fills the air while the Bodhi tree – a scion off the sacred Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka – is worth a look too. It is surrounded by paper leaves on which hundreds of people have written down their hopes and wishes. It’s rather touching.
Giant Buddha at Bright Hill Temple
Changi Memorial and Chapel
For a truly moving experience, however, the Changi Memorial and Chapel is a must visit. Though no longer on the site of the Changi prison where thousands of Allied servicemen and civilians were held during World War II, it still packs a powerful punch.
The chapel itself is a rather simple outdoor affair, but the museum tells the tale of life under Japanese occupation beautifully. The brutality of the Japanese regime saddens, but the spirit of the people gladdens.
An air of stoic defiance permeates. Quilts made by the female inmates to send simple messages about how they were doing to the men they were kept apart from are on display, while accounts of the concerts put on by the POWs to keep morale up bring a smile to the face.
There are many moving stories on display, and none more so than that of the murals on St Luke’s Chapel. These were painted during the period of Japanese occupation, and were discovered again in 1958.
There was a worldwide search to find the artist, and it turned out to be Stanley Warren – an arts teacher at a London secondary school.
Warren was persuaded to come back and restore the paintings in 1963, but broke down when confronted by the memories of the horrors he and his fellow prisoners were subjected to. They were completed nonetheless, and now the walls of the chapel have been moved – murals and all – into the museum.
From somber to spectacular, there are a number of activities to do while in Singapore. So make a point to visit at least one of these attractions – even if you are in town just for a stopover.
