Singapore Holidays

Afternoon tea at Raffles is something of a Singapore institution and it’s a stylish and indulgent way to mark a special occasion or just treat yourself. It may have moved from the celebrated Tiffin Room, a part of the hotel’s story since 1892, to the recently restored Grand Lobby, but the experience is as evocative as ever. Sitting in the suitably palatial atrium, where three layers of Victorian pillars soar up to a vast skylight like a giant wedding cake, you’ll feel as if you’ve travelled back in time to a more elegant era. The effect is enhanced by the meal itself: delicious finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with jam and cream, and impeccably made seasonal cakes and pastries served on a three-tiered silver stand. Complementing the food, the exquisite teas come from a long-established French company, Mariage Frères, with everything from Earl Grey Imperial to South African rooibos.

• Duration: half day
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
The dress code is casual chic: collared shirts and trousers or dress shorts for men, and dresses, skirts or trousers for women. Please advise of any dietary requirements when booking.

For those short of time, or who just like to make the most of every minute, this action-packed three-and-a-hour tour will give you a comprehensive overview of Singapore. The journey begins at Kampong Glam, one of the city-state’s oldest areas, whose colonial-era buildings now house trendy bars and eateries. After that, you’ll drive around the Civic District, home to the wide-open space of Padang playing field and Singapore Cricket Club, the historic Parliament House and the National Gallery Singapore, well worth returning to later for an insight into south-east Asian art. Afterwards, you’ll stop at Merlion Park to enjoy the impressive views of Marina Bay and take a selfie with one of two statues of Singapore’s part-lion-part-fish official mascot. You’ll continue to the 200-year-old Thian Hock Keng temple, before driving past Chinatown and on to your final port of call, the UNESCO-listed Singapore Botanic Gardens. A walk through the National Orchid Garden, with an eye-popping display of 60,000 orchid plants, makes a perfect finale to the trip.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 9am to 12.30pm or 2pm to 5.30pm
• Departs Monday, Wednesday and Friday to Sunday
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
Merlion Park will be replaced with Mount Faberon on car-free Sundays.

In multicultural Singapore, food is something of a national obsession and you’ll soon discover why on this culinary adventure through two of its most vibrant districts. You’ll dive into the hustle and bustle of Geylang Serai and its popular covered market, designed to look like a traditional kampong, which has been a hub of the local Malay community since it opened in 1964. It’s packed with stalls selling all manner of ingredients, from live fish to spices, used in Malay and Middle Eastern cooking. Upstairs is the hawker centre, where there’s time for a local-style breakfast: perhaps a roti prata, a type of flatbread served with various spiced dips and chutneys. From here, you’ll head to colourful Tekka in Little India, Singapore’s largest wet market, where you’ll hear languages from all around the world and pass stalls selling everything from saris to piquant Indian snacks.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 8.30am to midday
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience