Singapore has been put on the map over the course of the last decade. Long known as a center for international business, it’s climbed the ranks fairly rapidly as a tourist destination. And now having featured prominently in the smash summer film hit Crazy Rich Asians it’s likely to get even more popular.
There’s plenty to do all around Singapore, from enjoying pretty beaches to sampling the street food (which incidentally had its own scene in Crazy Rich Asians, in which a main character says it’s the only place in the world where street food earns Michelin stars). However, the main attraction – at least from an international travel perspective – is undoubtedly the Marina Bay Sands resort. Towering and state of the art in every fashion, it’s one of the world’s most intriguing resorts, and the surrounding area essentially constitutes an entertainment and accommodation complex that can occupy you for an entire vacation.
These are five of the best things to do there.
1. Swim The Infinity Pool
If you’re familiar at all with Marina Bay Sands, you know it consists of three towers with a sort of horizontal tower across the top of them. On top of this rooftop, for lack of a better word, there is a bar and an infinity pool that appears from certain angles to simply spill out into the surrounding city. It’s the highest swimming pool in the world and undoubtedly the most unique attraction at the resort. Unfortunately you have to be a guest to use the pool, and the hotel is not cheap – but assuming you stay for a couple of nights, this should be at the very top of your list of things to do.
2. Play At The Casino
Marina Bay Sands has become known as one of the world’s best places for casino entertainment, right alongside Las Vegas and Macau. In fact, the casino floor is the largest on the planet (or more accurately it’s the largest atrium casino on the planet), meaning there’s no shortage of activity to enjoy. Real money gaming definitely isn’t for everyone, and even if you’re into it, it’s important to remain responsible. That said, it’s worth stopping by even if you simply observe, rather than play games.
3. Climb The Supertrees
The Supertrees got a lot of good screen time in Crazy Rich Asians, which should only raise their profile as part of arguably the most unique garden attraction in the world. It’s actually difficult to describe them in words, but they’re essentially giant vertical gardens in the shape of trees, branching out into canopies, crisscrossed at their upper layers by walkways, and strung with multicolored lights. It may all sound somewhat Disney-ish (and it is, a little), but the whole complex, known as the Gardens by the Bay, is a wonder to behold.
4. Dine In
It probably goes without saying that Marina Bay Sands has some exceptional dining options. As mentioned, Singapore also has quite the reputation for local street food, so you’ll want to get out and about for a few meals also. However, a meal or two in the resort will do you right. Steakhouses, modern Asian restaurants, breakfast buffets, authentic Italian and more make up a selection that will delight most any guest.
5. See Future World (@ the ArtScience Museum)
It’s unclear how long Future World will be around, or whether it’s permanent, but it’s essentially an exhibit at the Marina Bay Sands ArtScience Museum. Described as Singapore’s largest digital playground, it’s essentially a big interactive museum full of all kinds of strange and dream-like activities. One write-up mentions the iconic scene in the film Big in which Tom Hanks’s character plays a giant piano with his feet in a toy store, and likens the experience to a whole bunch of variations of that. It’s not a bad description, but for the fact that there’s a lot more play with lighting involved and the surroundings are a little more surreal.
