Destinations, Travel tips, Festivals and Public Holidays
Ethnic Quarters
Cultural Tour In Little India
Feb 11th
Singapore
In order to study the Indian culture, you do not have to go to India. When you in Singapore, you can also find this culture. Located in Serangoon Road, Little India, is a small speck in the modernization of Singapore who still nuanced India. The first Indian settlers in Singapore arrived with Sir Stamford Raffles as assistants and soldiers in 1819. In the late 19 th century, more and more Indian immigrants who came to find work, both as a builder of roads or occupy important positions in the civil service sipil.Little India still save a lot of traditions that continue to be preserved. Distinctive odor of spices and incense is a sign when we entered this area.
There is one spot that towered over there. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, an Indian Hindu worship site in the middle of Little India area. The temple was built in 1835 and has undergone renovation in the year of 1987 (as the inscription is written in front of this site). This temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, the god of strength and cruel incarnation. The Veeramakaliamman means The Brave Kali.
The temple was full of interior. On the outside part, there are a variety of ornamental statues of Hindu gods, against the wall next to the soaring roof of this temple. Inside is a statue of Goddess Kali is flanked by two sons, Ganesha and Murugan. Kali is the goddess who has a lot of hands holding weapons of all. If you want to watch a religious ceremony in the temple, according to the information I gather, came in on Tuesday or Friday.
Little India Arcade and Campbell Lane, is the center of culture, commerce and entertainment of India. Try a sari, watch spice grinder to grind spices with aroma, or ask a parakeet to read your fate. All this you can do in one day! There are still some places in Little India giving more attractive place to visit, such as the Masjid Abdul Gofur which is the only mosque that is designed with 25 rays of the sun. Its a symbol of 25 prophets chosen. In this mosque there are reportedly using the clock sunlight. Again, there was more activity in Little India that is fun to be tried, Indian Fortune Teller. Do you want to know your future live? Ask!
River Hongbao At Marina Bay 2010
Feb 11th
Singapore
In spirit of 2010 Chinese New Year celebrations, The Float@Marina Bay will be transformed into a fairyland of lantern displays and decorations with the God of Fortune and twelve Chinese Zodiac Animals.
See also: Chinese New Year 2012
Look out for the firing of firecrackers and fireworks against the spectacular skyline. Join in the Chinese Lantern riddle-guessing and other onsite competitions while savouring an array of mouth-watering local cuisines, specialty food from Chengdu (China) and beverages.
There will also be onsite cooking demonstrations, handicrafts and specialty products for sale. Visitors can also look forward to line-up exciting performances from Chengdu, Taiwan and local groups.
Dates: 12 Feb 2010 to 20 Feb 2010
Time: From 12 noon to 2330 hrs
FREE Hotel Pick Up Time: 13:00, 15:00 or 18:00
Except for CNY eve (13 Feb 2010):12 noon to 1.00am.
Price: S$19.90 (Adult) / S$15.90 (Child)
Package includes:
A) FunVee City Attractions Hopper Pass
B) FunVee Ethnic Attractions Hopper Pass
C) FunVee Marina Attractions Hopper
D) Complimentary Sentosa Attractions Hopper
E) Complimentary Marina Bay Walking Tour (worth S$12)
F) Complimentary Drink at Hard Rock Cafe
G) Complimentary Drink at Manchester United Cafe & Bar (worth over S$35)
Tel Citytours : (+65) 6738 3338 | (+65) 8188 6000
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.citytours.sg
Big Shopping At Little India
Feb 11th
Singapore
During vacation, when you are still in Singapore, there is one unique place with India nuanced. Visit a “street shopping” that offer a lot of cheaper products. The location is Little India namely. From its name, Little India, you can guess that this area is dominated by Indian culture & heritage. In Little India, people still keep a lot of traditions to be preserved.
Using public transportation, train, you can stop at Little India MRT Station. Little India is one of shopping centers that known with its cheapness. And most important things is that this area is opened 24 hours a day! Satisfy yourself with some jewelry – silver engraving, bridal jewelry, bracelet, anklet cheap and colorful, and other jewelry. See also special sheets of India and a giant photograph of Indian movie stars.
Visiting Little India will not be complete without seeing the two main interesting place, Tekka Center and Mustafa Center. Tekka Center on Buffalo Road, known as street market by the locals. It provides full of vegetables, fish, meat, spices and fresh flowers. For small souvenirs, look to the store for brass or other small shops. At the other end of Serangoon Road, in Serangoon Plaza there is Mustafa Center, a department store with emporium and Aladdin cave that is open 24 hours. When you go inside , there is classical and you’ll find all sorts of things with the cheapest price in Singapore. This department store is a popular shopping center for electronic goods and household goods. Buyers can find all kinds of items from its collection that reaches more than 120,000 products.
Other places that is still interesting is Little India Arcade. It’s like a tunnel that contains the vendor offering a variety of ethnic Indian collection. In addition, in this place is also filled with a variety of outlets that offer the most unique clothing of India, “Sari”. And for you who love the art you can visit Chellas Gallery specializes in paper boxes and other objects collections from Kashmir.
Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2010
Feb 11th
Singapore
Firecrackers and pyrotechnics display during these three main events:
- Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2010 Official Light-Up & Opening Ceremony
23 January 2010 | 6pm-10pm - Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2010 Countdown
13 February 2010 | 9.30om – 12.30am - Chinatown Yuan Xiao Jie
28 February 2010 | 7pm – 10pm
Chinese New Year Celebrations Package
Dates: 23 Jan 2010 to 28 Feb 2010 Tour Starts: 18:30
Hotel Pick Up Time: 18:00
Price: S$32.90′ (Adult) I S$29.90 (Child)
Package includes:
A) Chinese New Year Light-Up Tour (worth S$23.00)
B) FunVee City Atttractions Hopper Day Pass and
C) FunVee Ethnic Attractions Hopper Pass (worth over S$35)
D) FunVee Marina Attractions Hopper
E) Complimentary Sentosa AttractionsHopper
F) Complimentary Marina Bay Walking Tour (worth S$12)
G) Complimentary Drink at Hard Rock Cafe
H) Complimentary Drink at Manchester United Cafe & Bar
Tel Citytours 
+65) 6738 3338 | (+65) 8188 6000
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.citytours.sg
Hari Raya Puasa 21 September 2009 Holiday
Aug 8th
Hari Raya Puasa / Hari Raya Aid Il Fitrj falls on 20 September 2009. Due to 20 September 2009 is a Sunday, the holiday is substituted to 21 September 2009 Holiday.
Holiday date is based on Islamic Calendar, every thus year the date is different. Due to shorter year (with approximately 355 days) in Islamic calendar, generally every year the holiday will falls on earlier date than the year before.
This is slightly different from Chinese calendar. Eventhough both are using lunar (moon) movement for calculation, in Chinese lunar calendar there are leap years, where one of the month will be calculated twice. Example, this year 2009, in Chinese calendar the fifth month happen twice.
Hari Raya is the most important religious festival for Muslims around the world. It celebrates the end of Ramadan (or fasting month), signifying the triumph over evil.
After prayer at the mosque, people will pay visit to each other, especially more for young people to visit the elder. The common greeting is “Selamat Hari Raya” (Happy Eid) and “Mohon Maaf Zahir Batin” (I seek your forgiveness). Many also greet “Min Al Aidin Wa Al Faizin”. This last greeting, originated from Arabic words, was commonly thought to mean the same as “Mohon Maaf Zahir Batin”, but actually it has different meaning. Loosely translated, it means “People who return and people who are triumphant”.
In this region, Hari Raya Puasa is a public holiday celebrated in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Holiday Destinations & Tourist Attractions in Singapore
Jul 20th
Where to go in Singapore? What are the popular destinations? What are the places of interest in Singapore?
We got asked these questions quite frequently.
Singapore is one of the most amazing places in the world to go on a vacation with incredible tourist attractions, great nightlife, awesome cuisines and wonderful spa retreats.
A lot of people like to go on a Singapore holiday in order to make the best of their vacations and have a great time with their friends and family. It is a shockingly modern city and a fantastic place to visit during the holidays. It has a great deal of almost everything to offer to its visitors. The major tourist attractions will leave you bewitched with its charm.
So to give you a bit of overview, here we compile a list of Popular Holiday Destinations & Tourist Attractions in Singapore
Sentosa Island
Sentosa island is the undisputed No 1 most popular holiday destination of Singapore. In brief, it is a whole island converted into an attraction park. It is big and will probably take you 1-2 whole days to explore everything. Sentosa Island is the answer of Singapore to Disneyland, and will be even more so with the opening of Universal Studio with the Integrated Resort (IR) next year.
Beach lovers can enjoy exciting games and sea sports along the 3.2-km long sandy beaches stretching across Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong.
Fort Siloso is the Singapore’s only preserved coastal fort stands as an important window to our colonial past and a poignant reminder of the war years.
What else to do ? Ride a movie (Cinemania) / Join the army (Fort Siloso) / Spot sharks without getting wet (Underwater World) / Admire butterflies / Erupt yourself (VolcanoLand) / Splash yourself (Fantasy Island) / Fall for dolphins (Dolphin Lagoon) / Climb the Merlion for a panoramic view / Walk on a dragon / Have a look at other countries (Asian Village) / Relax on spotless artificial beaches / Rollerblade on the alleys or rent a bike / Spot skeleton on a nature walk / Have a photo with a snake / Watch monkeys getting coconuts / Walk a suspended bridge / Admire a collection of shells / Cool off by one of the numerous fountains or manicured gardens (orchid, scented, spices,…) / Bike on water / Dream at the musical fountain / Stand on the southernmost point of the Asia continent / Ride the monorail around for free / Dance on the beach in swim suit at the two beach bars (regular foam parties as well) / Swim in the laguna
Orchard Road
From the world famous city, comes the world famous shopping destination – the Orchard Road Singapore. There are over 30 malls and shopping centers located in the stretch or road, closely connected to each other by pavements and underground pass. Here, you’ll find everything like the stylish Louis Vuitton, the exquisite Bergdorf Goodman, the elegant Tiffany & Co., the ever popular Prada, the immaculate Versace, Cartier, Fortunoff, Dior, Fendi, and Chanel. And the list goes on and on…
Ethnic quarters
As a multiracial country, Singapore host a number of unique destinations which celebrates the cultural diversity of the different races. Here are some places where you can experience the culture, customs and traditional festivals.
1. Geylang Serai
It was earlier known as the Geylang Kelapa; Geylang Serai was an abode to many of the Malay Kampongs. It is famous for the exquisite quality of lemongrass that grows here in abundance. There are traditionally made Malay-Kalimpong houses and a cultural museum as well.
2. China Town
China Town was historically the home to Chinese population who lived here. The place can be best explored on foot and can be marveled at the various interesting areas of Chinese worship. The main places of worship include the Thian Hock Keng temple, Sri Marimman temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic temple. The China Town market is very popular for its cheap bargains where you can buy a lot of stuff like the textile, medicinal herb and Chinese handicraft.
3. Little India
Little India is a district endowed with Indian culture’s ethnic elements. The most attractive features of here are Sri Veeramakaliamman temple and Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple. The latter is known more for its massive Buddha statue. Exquisite Indian silk, brassware, gold jewelry and trinkets can be bought from the exotic market. Little India’s cuisine and henna are also very popular.
4. Arab Street/ Kampong Glam
The colorful district of Kampong Glam got its name from a local tree, Gelam. It has a Malay Heritage Centre and Sultan Mosque. Also known as the Masjid Sultan, the mosque excels in architectural splendor. The textiles, fabrics and the baskets made of cane, straw and rattan of the market, trinkets, and perfumes are very famous here.
Nightlife
As for a taste of Singapore nightlife, some popular night spots highly recommended are Chijmes Singapore , Singapore Boat Quay, Mohammed Sultan Road, Singapore Robertson Quay and Holland Village Singapore. Arguably, some of the most popular party destinations currently are Zouk, St James Power Station (coal-fired power station turned into large entertainment complex), and MoS (Ministry of Sound)
Food
As a metropolitan where most of the population dines out, Singapore naturally has huge array of gastronomical offers. From posh five-star restaurants to economical food hawker centers, you can find and enjoy international as well as local food almost everywhere in Singapore.
Other destinations
You will never go wrong with the well-known Singapore tourist attractions such as the Singapore Zoo, Singapore Night Safari (Night Zoo), Jurong Bird Park and the Singapore Flyer etc.
Looking for best deals on anything and everything in Singapore? Check out The Great Singapore Sale !
China Public Sector / National Holiday For Calendar Year 2010
Jun 24th
China Public Holidays 2010 Calendar
Here is the list of public holidays observed in China. You may note that some falls on Saturday or Sunday. This is norm in the seven working days China.
Majority of the public holidays are traditional holidays, some dating back to pre-Civil war era. The only international holidays observed here are New Year 1 January 2010 and May Day 1 May 2010.
The China Government will usually announce official holiday dates nearer to closing of the preceding year (in this case year 2009), so for time being, hopefully this calendar is good to make some planning.
List of China Public Holidays 2010:
International New Year
Friday, 1 January 2010
Spring Festival, Chinese/Lunar New Year
1st day of 1st lunar month
Chinese New Year
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Monday, 15 February 2010
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Qing Ming (Tomb Sweeping) Festival
5th Solar Term
Monday, 5 April 2010
Labour Day / May Day
Saturday, 1 May 2010
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Monday, 3 May 2010
Dragon Boat Festival / Dumpling Festival
5th day of 5th lunar month
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Mid-Autumn Festival / Lantern Festival
15th day of 8th lunar month
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
National Day
Friday, 1 October 2010
Saturday, 2 October 2010
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Happy holidays !
Hari Raya Puasa Holiday 2011
Jun 18th
Tuesday, 30 August 2011 is a Ministry of Manpower (MoM) public holiday in Singapore Calendar. The holiday is to celebrate the Muslim and Malay Hari Raya Aidilfitri Holiday. In Hijriah (Islamic Date) calendar, it falls on 1 Syawal 1431.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri (also known as Hari Raya Lebaran, Hari Raya Idul Fitri, and Hari Raya Puasa, literally “Celebration Day of Fasting”) is the Malay term for the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr.
It is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan 2011 / Ramadhan 2011, the Islamic holy month of “Puasa” (fasting). The holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated starting on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal / Syawal.
Muslims in Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia celebrate Eid like other Muslims throughout the world. The term “Hari Raya” literally means “Day of Celebration” — it is also occasionally used to refer to Eid ul-Adha in the form of “Hari Raya Aidiladha” or “Hari Raya Idul Adha”.
On this day, Muslims all over the world offer a special prayer in the morning and later visit their relatives and friends. The young will seek forgiveness from elders for their past misconduct.
In Singapore, the first day of the Hari Raya is celebrated as a public holiday, where civil servants and private sector workers alike are mostly not required to work.
In Indonesia and Malaysia, it is a long holiday period, with some companies are not working for as long as 2 weeks.
The main greeting used by Muslims in Singapore and Malaysia is “Selamat Hari Raya” which means “Happy Eid” in Malay. Another greeting is “Maaf Zahir dan Batin” which translates loosely to “I seek forgiveness (from you) physically and spiritually”, for Hari Raya is a time to reconcile and renew relationships with others.
In Indonesia, the more commonly used greetings are “selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri”, “Selamat Lebaran”, and “Maaf Lahir dan Batin”.
During the Muslim month of Ramadan leading up to Hari Raya, it is mandatory for Muslims to fast from dawn to dusk. All Muslims except the young, old or infirm must fast. Many Muslims also abstain from pleasures such as smoking cigarettes and sexual activities during the daylight of the fasting month.
Widely, markets, or ‘Ramadan bazaars’ are held in many areas around the country, where all sorts of food and kuih — traditional Malay delicacies — are sold for breaking fast or buka puasa. Hotels and restaurants have also exploited this situation to offer exorbitant Ramadan buffets.
The main attraction place to observe the Hari Raya and the preparations prior to festival is best observed at Kampong Glam and Geylang Serai, a bustling outdoor market and the Hari Raya Light-Up, as well as various Mosque around Singapore.
Happy Hari Raya Puasa 2011
See also:
Hari Raya Puasa 2011
Hari Raya Puasa 2012
