I arrived in Singapore wide-eyed and slightly dazed, stepping off a red-eye flight into a city that was waking up right after an exciting Formula1 night street race. The streets around the Marina Bay circuit were strewn with reminders of a high octane event—temporary barriers being dismantled, the faint smell of spent rubber in the air— and everyone in the city seemed to have been out very late. As first impressions go, it was fairly exciting.
Disney Imagination Castle |
My Grab taxi cut west through the city and up into the tree-lined quiet of the Orchard boulevard, where I checked into the Four Seasons, iconic and beautiful with its collection of 1500 privately owned artworks. It sits a short walk from the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the nation’s first UNESCO Heritage Site, and a stone's throw from the full theatre of Orchard Road, a legendary shopping boulevard, where the pavements stay busy well past midnight.
A summer visit to Singapore reveals a city-state that has delivered a series of new attractions that together make a persuasive case for it as Asia's most dynamic family destination.
The wild side
For a calmer beginning, start in the north, deep inside the 126-hectare Mandai Wildlife Reserve. Rainforest Wild Asia, the region’s first adventure-based zoological park. Spanning 13 hectares with eight distinct zones, it is home to 36 iconic animal species. The experience is built for movement as visitors navigate a multi-layered rainforest adventure across the canopy, the forest floor and through cave chambers inspired by Borneo's Mulu Caves. Satiate your adrenaline rush with Via ferrata climbs up limestone karsts or the freefall Canopy Jump above the treetops. The obvious base for deep exploration of the reserve is the Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, set within the reserve itself, with rooms built around biophilic principles, nested in lush greenery or the tree house villas overlooking the Upper Seletar Reservoir. Singapore's first hotel to earn the Green Mark Energy Super Low Energy certification, its spa treatment pods are modelled after the critically endangered Sunda pangolin. For those staying in the city, it makes for a compelling day trip spanning Singapore Zoo, Rainforest Wild Asia and the exciting Night Safari.
Botanic Garden | By Joydeep Mondal
Getting to Sentosa island is half the fun if you choose your route wisely. The Singapore Cable Car's SkyOrb cabins fitted with glass floors reveal the Keppel Harbour directly beneath. Depart from Mount Faber and cross over to the island in style and at night, a ring of LED lights surrounds the windows, casting a glowing orb effect against the Sentosa skyline. Children, predictably, lose their minds entirely.
On the island, the new Singapore Oceanarium opened in July 2025 in place of the former S.E.A. Aquarium. It is three times larger than previously, and spreads across 22 themed zones. Start from the mesmerising jellyfish gallery through to zones on prehistoric oceans, heading finally to the Open Ocean area where manta rays drift past a 36-metre-wide viewing panel. Universal Studios is next door for those who want their thrills Hollywood-sized.
Oceanarium | By Joydeep Mondal
Moored at Marina Bay Cruise Centre is the newest and largest addition to Singapore's roster of family attractions. The Disney Adventure, Disney Cruise Line's eighth and biggest ship is the first ever to homeport in Asia. Robert Downey Jr., named Godparent of the vessel, performed the ceremonial christening blessing with a 23-piece orchestra in tow and Captain Mickey and Captain Minnie Mouse in attendance.
As Josh D'Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences puts it, “the ship is designed to introduce Disney to audiences who may be experiencing our magic for the very first time in Asia. Our cruise ships are ambassadors of our brand that carry joy, wonder and enchantment to destinations around the world”.
Mount Faber SkyOrb to Sentosa |
On board, it draws on more than a century of Disney, Pixar and Marvel storytelling across seven immersive themed areas. Guests can catch Remember, a brand-new Broadway-style musical, dine in character-led immersive restaurants, watch signature fireworks at sea, and ride the Ironcycle Test Run, their first-ever roller coaster at sea. Three and four-night sailings depart from Singapore throughout the season.
Art & More
For quieter musings, the National Gallery Singapore housed across the restored former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings offer an immersive art exploration. Its collection is the largest of Southeast Asian art anywhere in the world. For eating out, the hawker centres are located almost everywhere, selling extraordinary food at a few dollars a plate, eaten under fans on shared tables. The leap from char kway teow and kaya toasts to a tasting menu at Odette or Zén ( both Michelin three-star institutions), is a peculiarly Singaporean experience worth making at least once.
Sculpture gallery at National Gallery Singapore | By Joydeep Mondal
For a nightcap, head to one of the many exquisite bars in the city, be it the Ce La Vi atop the Marina Bay Sands hotel with massive views or somewhere else. Set within the lobby of Parkview Square in Bugis (known locally as Singapore's Gotham Building), Atlas looks straight out of The Great Gatsby, with soaring ceilings, gleaming gold and an iconic eight-metre gin tower housing over 1,400 bottles of juniper spirit from around the world, some dating back to 1900s Order a vintage of your choice and raise a glass to a city that mixes business with utmost pleasure, and a perfect getaway for a family summer vacation.
