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Tours in Singapore |
The nightlife scene saw the start of big developments in 2006, thanks to the tentative legislative approval of 24-hour licensing for the city's nightspots. This could make a big difference in a city where after-hours drinking and dancing is not as diverse as in many big cities around the world. Saying that, it seems unlikely that the plethora of upmarket, trendy bars and clubs or alternatively karaoke lounges will be replaced an alternative music scene.
Most venues are packed at weekends. Certain areas and venues are popular with expats and tourists, like Boat Quay with its string of shop-houses converted into noisy bars and restaurants overlooking the river. The bars in the hotels along Orchard Road are a safe bet for a refined drink or to meet clients, and nearby Emerald Hill Road has a great collection of lively bars attracting locals and visitors.
The area with the liveliest nightlife is around Mohammed Sultan Road, with nearby Robertson Quay offering several classy waterfront venues. The East Coast has a few respectable, expat-flavoured bars, and Tanjong Pagar attracts a mixed, trendy crowd to its English-style bars and karaoke lounges.
Most clubs are open Sunday to Thursday 2200 to 0100 and Friday and Saturday 2200 to 0300. Dress code is generally smart-casual and the minimum age limit for drinking alcohol is 18 years, although some clubs have an over-21 policy. There is normally a cover charge, especially at weekends. Drinks tend to be quite expensive, but most bars offer happy hours or two-for-one on drinks at certain hours of the evening.
I-S Magazine (free), which has good local listings and review guides, is available at many food and drinks outlets island-wide.
Bars: Within the colonial grandeur of Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road, are Bar & Billiard Room, and the Long Bar for that famous Singapore Sling. The pretty Emerald Hill, with 19th-century Peranakan shop-houses, contains several bars, the liveliest of which is Ice Cold Beer, 9 Emerald Hill, famous for little else but its deliciously cold beers, and Alley Bar, 180 Orchard Road. For a civilised drink in an intimate, sophisticated setting, Bar Opiume, 1 Empress Place Waterfront, is a winner purely for its location, with a cool terrace facing the river, pulling in a chic crowd. For a chocolate martini, try the Mezza9 Martini Bar, Grand Hyatt, Scotts Road. Recent new additions include the pleasantly unpretentious rooftop bar Loof, located near Raffles Hotel at 331 North Bridge Road, and the multi-venue centre for live music and drinks at St James Power Station at 3 Sentosa Gateway. Altivo Bar at the top of Mount Faber is a romantic setting with wonderful city views and One Rochester, 1 Rochester Park, has a wonderful wine selection in the refurbished 70-year-old colonial house. On Sentosa's waterfront, KM8 and Café del Mar are relaxed bars recently opened, and very popular especially at weekends.
Clubs: The newest major addition to the club scene is the cavernous Ministry of Sound, Block C, The Cannery, 1-2 River Valley Road (website: www.ministryofsound.com.sg), reputedly the largest club in Asia, with a range of rooms oozing style and pumping dance music. The iconic Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim Street (website: www.zoukclub.com.sg), going strong for over a decade, has reopened after a major renovation, and is considered Singapore's pioneer clubbing institution. In the past it has hosted notable DJs such as Sacha, Paul Oakenfold and John Digweed plus international bands. Within its walls are the mellower Velvet Underground, to which the cool, mature clubbers flock, the pre-club WineBar with refreshing terrace, and Phuture, a small club with breakbeats and hip-hop. Slick, swanky dbl-O (pronounced double-O), 11 Unity Street, Robertson Walk (website: www.dbl-o.com), is one of Mohammed Sultan Road's most popular, playing dance hits, retro and Top 40s on various nights of the week.
Karaoke: As in the rest of Asia, karaoke remains an inordinately popular evening's entertainment. The fun bar JJ Mahoney's, 58 Duxton Road, has karaoke sessions in between the live music.
Live Music: Harry's Bar, 28 Boat Quay (website: www.harrys-bar.com.sg), housed in a renovated shop-house facing the river, is famous for its great live jazz, and popular with Singapore's power brokers and bankers. Zouk (see Clubs) is the best venue for big names, and has recently hosted Kylie and M People. A friendly bar with live R&B and classic rock, Crazy Elephant, Clark Quay Trader's Market, 3E River Valley Road (website: www.crazyelephant.com), is an informal venue which has attracted some music greats. A safe bet for its in-house band, if hardly ground-breaking, Bar None, basement Marriott Hotel, 320 Orchard Road (www.barnoneasia.com), attracts a mix of tourists, expats and locals, and usually packed at weekends.
Most venues are packed at weekends. Certain areas and venues are popular with expats and tourists, like Boat Quay with its string of shop-houses converted into noisy bars and restaurants overlooking the river. The bars in the hotels along Orchard Road are a safe bet for a refined drink or to meet clients, and nearby Emerald Hill Road has a great collection of lively bars attracting locals and visitors.
The area with the liveliest nightlife is around Mohammed Sultan Road, with nearby Robertson Quay offering several classy waterfront venues. The East Coast has a few respectable, expat-flavoured bars, and Tanjong Pagar attracts a mixed, trendy crowd to its English-style bars and karaoke lounges.
Most clubs are open Sunday to Thursday 2200 to 0100 and Friday and Saturday 2200 to 0300. Dress code is generally smart-casual and the minimum age limit for drinking alcohol is 18 years, although some clubs have an over-21 policy. There is normally a cover charge, especially at weekends. Drinks tend to be quite expensive, but most bars offer happy hours or two-for-one on drinks at certain hours of the evening.
I-S Magazine (free), which has good local listings and review guides, is available at many food and drinks outlets island-wide.
Bars: Within the colonial grandeur of Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road, are Bar & Billiard Room, and the Long Bar for that famous Singapore Sling. The pretty Emerald Hill, with 19th-century Peranakan shop-houses, contains several bars, the liveliest of which is Ice Cold Beer, 9 Emerald Hill, famous for little else but its deliciously cold beers, and Alley Bar, 180 Orchard Road. For a civilised drink in an intimate, sophisticated setting, Bar Opiume, 1 Empress Place Waterfront, is a winner purely for its location, with a cool terrace facing the river, pulling in a chic crowd. For a chocolate martini, try the Mezza9 Martini Bar, Grand Hyatt, Scotts Road. Recent new additions include the pleasantly unpretentious rooftop bar Loof, located near Raffles Hotel at 331 North Bridge Road, and the multi-venue centre for live music and drinks at St James Power Station at 3 Sentosa Gateway. Altivo Bar at the top of Mount Faber is a romantic setting with wonderful city views and One Rochester, 1 Rochester Park, has a wonderful wine selection in the refurbished 70-year-old colonial house. On Sentosa's waterfront, KM8 and Café del Mar are relaxed bars recently opened, and very popular especially at weekends.
Clubs: The newest major addition to the club scene is the cavernous Ministry of Sound, Block C, The Cannery, 1-2 River Valley Road (website: www.ministryofsound.com.sg), reputedly the largest club in Asia, with a range of rooms oozing style and pumping dance music. The iconic Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim Street (website: www.zoukclub.com.sg), going strong for over a decade, has reopened after a major renovation, and is considered Singapore's pioneer clubbing institution. In the past it has hosted notable DJs such as Sacha, Paul Oakenfold and John Digweed plus international bands. Within its walls are the mellower Velvet Underground, to which the cool, mature clubbers flock, the pre-club WineBar with refreshing terrace, and Phuture, a small club with breakbeats and hip-hop. Slick, swanky dbl-O (pronounced double-O), 11 Unity Street, Robertson Walk (website: www.dbl-o.com), is one of Mohammed Sultan Road's most popular, playing dance hits, retro and Top 40s on various nights of the week.
Karaoke: As in the rest of Asia, karaoke remains an inordinately popular evening's entertainment. The fun bar JJ Mahoney's, 58 Duxton Road, has karaoke sessions in between the live music.
Live Music: Harry's Bar, 28 Boat Quay (website: www.harrys-bar.com.sg), housed in a renovated shop-house facing the river, is famous for its great live jazz, and popular with Singapore's power brokers and bankers. Zouk (see Clubs) is the best venue for big names, and has recently hosted Kylie and M People. A friendly bar with live R&B and classic rock, Crazy Elephant, Clark Quay Trader's Market, 3E River Valley Road (website: www.crazyelephant.com), is an informal venue which has attracted some music greats. A safe bet for its in-house band, if hardly ground-breaking, Bar None, basement Marriott Hotel, 320 Orchard Road (www.barnoneasia.com), attracts a mix of tourists, expats and locals, and usually packed at weekends.
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