Close to the conference venue, the Pagoda street opposite the Chinatown MRT (subway) station offers a variety of souvenir shops that you will want to explore. Generally speaking, the shop owners don’t mind if you haggle a bit. And the lines of shops will lead you to some of the most popular restaurants, just in case.

• International chess: Singapore Chess Federation (http://www.singaporechess.org.sg/)
• Chinese chess: Singapore Xiangqi General Association (http://www.sixga.org/)
• Go: Singapore Weiqi Association (http://www.weiqi.org.sg/)
• Contract bridge: Singapore Contract Bridge Association (http://www.scba.org.sg/)

Note: For players who intend to play only Go, I personally recommend going to the City clubhouse at Bugis instead for a better playing environment. No comments on the other three organizations as I know nothing about them. I am currently an inactive member of the Singapore Weiqi Association, but am writing in my own capacity.

We’ve seen many visitors, whom having come from so far away, decide to splurge out and jet out to the palaces at Angkor Wat (Siem Riep is your closest city) and to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi being popular destinations). Certainly worth your while to go, but also consider some less popular (and more tranquil) places. Angkor Wat is mobbed during tourist high season (read: right before and after SIGIR), so if it’s historic palaces you want, you may fare better going to Cambodia but to palaces more off the beaten track. In Vietnam, Hoi An is quickly becoming a popular destination for its tranquil landscape and quaint, multicolored town. Thailand’s Bangkok may be a shopping haven, but consider Chiang Mai for its bastion of temples or Krabi for beautiful rock formations, sea and sun (I have a soft spot for rock climbing venues).

Chances are if you’re reading this post now, you’ve already planned something, or don’t have the time or money to plan an elaborate getaway. Relax, there are still plenty of ways to get a feel for the surrounding South East Asia countrysides. Here are some pointers for you:

• Bintan: If it’s a relaxing sand and sea resort that’s got your number, Indonesia’s Bintan island is just 45 minutes ferry ride away. Stay overnight on the white sand beach’s edge at either a comfy hotel or at a hostel. You’ll feel the post conference doldrums and the presentation stress melt away once you spot hermit crabs running around your feet and see the fishies wriggling in the clear waters at your feet.

• Snorkeling or diving? Try going to Pulua Tioman in Malaysia. This requires a bit more of planning, requiring a 2-day trip commitment. Lots of dive shops in Singapore take weekly runs to Tioman for visitors. More Nemos and sea cumcumbers than you can shake a stick at. For best results, I recommend a liveaboard adventure that can take you to less crowded areas. Do check the weather and sea forecasts before you book your stay.

• A nice city that’s relatively close by to go to is Malacca. A mix of the historic and colonial feeling and the great food, it is still a world of difference from modern Singapore, about 2 1/2 hrs each way by super comfy bus trips. Bus operators make daily trips from key locations (e.g., Golden Mile Complex) in Singapore.

While hunting, he spotted a deer and started chasing it. He came to a very large rock and decided to climb it. When he reached the top, he looked across the sea and saw another island with a sandy beach which had the appearance of a white sheet of cloth.

While hunting, he spotted a deer and started chasing it. He came to a very large rock and decided to climb it. When he reached the top, he looked across the sea and saw another island with a sandy beach which had the appearance of a white sheet of cloth.

Asking one of his ministers what land it was, he was told that it was the island of Temasek. He then decided to visit Temasek. However, when his ship was out into the sea, a great storm blew up and the ship was tossed about in the huge waves. The ship began to take in water.

To prevent it from sinking, his men threw all the heavy things on board into the sea to lighten the ship. But still water kept entering the ship and Sang Nila Utama, on the advice of a ship’s officer, threw his heavy crown overboard. At once, the storm died down and he reached Temasek safely.

He landed at the mouth of the present-day Singapore River and went inland to hunt wild animals. Suddenly, he saw a strange animal in the water with a red body, black head and the tail of a fish. It was a fine-looking animal and moved with great speed as it disappeared under the waves. He had never seen this creature before so he named it the Merlion and that has become the main icon of Singapore.

Thus, he decided to build his new city in Temasek. He and his men stayed on the island and founded a city.

He named this city “Singapura”. “Singa” means lion and “pura” means city. The name thus means the Lion City. Sang Nila Utama ruled Singapura for 48 years and was buried on Bukit Larangan (present-day Fort Canning Hill).

Now, since many of you will be coming to Singapura for the first time, I definitely recommend you to experience the same wonder. That is, spotting the mystical Merlion =) There are a few places in Singapore where this creature can be spotted.

The first place is to spot Merlion is actually near to the conference venue. Located near the Fullerton Hotel, you can spot two Merlions in the Merlion Park. The first Merlion is measuring 8.6 metres and weighing 70 tons. The second is smaller, measuring two metres high and weighing three tones. The body was made of cement fondue, the skin from porcelain plates and eyes from small red teacups. I suggest you come to this place during night time and don’t forget to bring your camera and tripod with you.

Or, you can go to Sentosa Island to spot the biggest Merlion ever stood. The nice thing about this Merlion is that you can enter its body and stand inside its mouth just to be rewarded with 360° view of Sentosa and Singapore’s southern shores. When you’re done gazing at the splendid views, don’t forget to grab an iconic souvenir of Singapore, Merlion from The Merlion Shop. Let the myths and legends of the deep and the joy and fortunes of the Mercubs continue to be with you.

That’s all. Don’t leave Singapore without first spotting this creature, okay !!!

How to get to Merlion Park: Take the MRT to Raffles Place, exit H, then follow the signs to One Fullerton.

How to get to Sentosa Island: Take the MRT to Harbourfront terminal and use the The Sentosa Express at Vivo City.

reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sang_Nila_Utama

The Bukit Timah Hill, at 164 m above sea level, is the highest point in Singapore, and is located in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve at the geographical central part of Singapore. Here you can see the tropical rainforest that is typical in the equatorial territories. According to National Parks Board, there are more than 840 species of flora and 500 species of fauna in this relatively undisturbed nature reserve. Adding to the tranquility of this place are two disused quarries, and occasionally you can observe monkeys and other animals roaming about. While it is possible to reach the summit from the entrance in 30 minutes using the most direct Main Road, I suggest that visitors explore the various side trails, such as the Dairy Farm Loop for added surprises, as well as some physical challenge. For more information, see http://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature_bukit.asp.

At Sungei Buloh Wetlands Nature Reserve, you can get to see a natural mangrove swamp in Singapore that faces Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia, well away from the bustling city center. The area covered by the ponds where fresh water and salt water mix is large enough that you can spend an entire afternoon or even a whole day in it. This nature reserve also serves as a refueling point as birds migrate between the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere during the migration seasons, making it a paradise for bird watchers. Along the way, you might also see iguanas, koi fish, small crabs, mudskippers and others roaming freely about. Also noteworthy are the prawn farms where the traditional method of harvesting can be seen. For further details, please go to http://www.sbwr.org.sg/.

For nature lovers, the HSBC Tree-Top Walk is also a must. This is a suspension bridge that connects two of the highest points in the MacRitchie area, and gives a bird’s eye view of the forest canopy below. According to National Parks Board, this bridge is about 250 m long and is up to 25 m above the forest floor, and facilitates research on how the forest ecosystem work. Located in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, it is fairly near Upper Pierce Reservoir, although it is more easily accessed from MacRitchie Reservoir. The trails in this catchment area that leads to the Tree-Top Walk also brings you through different parts of the mature secondary forest as well as the tranquil water reservoirs. Please refer to http://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature_central_treetops.asp for more details.

There are quite a few more places in Singapore for nature lovers. Check out Chek Jawa in Pulau Ubin, Labrador Park, Fort Canning Park and others!

You may notice taxi drivers in Singapore don’t really stay in their lanes much. My friends who came to Singapore were quite shocked that their taxi driver swerved around other cars seemingly without thought, especially with the reputation of S’poreans being very law abiding. Strangely, I was also puzzled for quite a while about this. Now, after several years, I think I’ve figured it out. SG, being a very densely populated city, has numerous intersections, traffic road repair diversions, flagging taxi passengers, itinerant garbage recyclers (”karang guni”), trishaw ice cream sellers, not to mention jaywalkers — all to keep drivers fluid, changing in and out of lanes and anticipating which lane to be in to make the turns three intersections ahead.

You might also notice that traffic congestion is pretty minimal in SG. The most famous part of the reason for this is called ‘ERP’, or for the uninitiated, “congestion road pricing”. RFID gates across the city register passing cars’ presence and charge tolls accordingly, hopefully keeping your trip relatively jam free. Another part of the equation is ‘COE’, or new vehicle entitlements. Such a Certificate Of Entitlement lets you own and drive a vehicle. SG regulates how many vehicles may ply the roads in proportion to the amount of capacity available. As more new roads are built, more old cars exported and more passengers choose to use public transport, the more entitlements there are to be auctioned off to future-vehicle owners. This keeps traffic in check and puts market demand and supply to work to regulate traffic.

But mass transit certainly has its role in keeping order in SG. The subway rail lines are modern and originated as a single project, unlike other older cities which merged several competitors. As recent as
2003 there were only two lines, but as SG targets to attract more immigrants to stay and contribute, the rail system is growing, currently building and planning and additional two lines to add to the three main trunks and light rail exchanges.

While the MRT system is growing and efficient, clean and hi-tech, for many S’poreans, the bus is the way to go. Early on, transport planners envisioned the MRT as the backbone for bus feeders to take passengers the “final mile” from MRT stations, and planned to shut down long, cross-island routes — especially those that partially mirrored rail stations. However, buses require less walking and often have seats (ok, ok, maybe not during rush hour and seldom in the city center), and so such long haul buses were retained and are still used by many commuters.

Bus stops in SG are often very close by, within 2-3 minutes walking distance, sometimes clearly visible just down the street. Coming from less congested cities, you may wonder why S’poreans will opt to wait 20 minutes for a bus that takes them 100 m closer to their destination or will huddle at bus stops, deathly afraid of the radiant sunlight. Once you’ve tried that extra two-three minute walk, you might guess why — it’s simply too hot to walk around and not get sweaty and stinky. So be patient and wait for the extra couple of minutes — your friends, colleagues and family will thank you.

A favorite activity I think is fun for visitors to try is what I call the “random bus game”. You take any form of mass transit and randomly get off at any place that seems interesting. Switch, transfer in any direction you might like and it can take you someplace off the beaten track (well as far as visitors go, anyways . Remember, Singapore is safe, and next to impossible to get lost in. A taxi ride of 20 SGD will get almost anywhere (perhaps just not at rush hour).

One last thing: coming from the US and other large places, I have gotten used to using compass directions to navigate places. In SG, it may not help much. Locals remember directions by left and rights and by place names. Highway signs are thus marked for “Changi” or “Tuas” and not “East” and “West”. I have yet to devise yet-another theory for this; so if you figure it out, please do tell me

There are many food stands here, gathered into “food courts” (air conditioned centers or hawker centers: open air plazas. What we’re after here is the hawker center. Why hawkers? Well, they are called hawker centers, named after the hawkers (callers) who used to go around the neighborhood crying out to advertise the food that they had to offer (”get your fresh fishball noodles here!!”). In more recent times these mobile food vendors were legislated and localized to a specific food stall for inspection purposes, among other things. Each center consists usually of about 15-50 stalls (although usually many fewer will be actually open) offering various Chinese, Indian, Muslim and occasionally other foods, such as Japanese, vegetarian or Italian. Within each plaza there is always a central stand serving drinks (thus you buy your beverages at a different stall), which sometimes doubles as a fresh fruit stand (because many of the beverages are freshly squeezed/pulped fruit juices). There are many variants of Chinese food that I didn’t recognize here when I first arrived in SG and for the most part I have been ordering what I can pronounce reasonably ok (it’s easier to use English and you probably sound less like you’re trying hard if you do). Also, family is a big thing here. There are practically no single people eating at these plazas, unlike the food courts of the US. Mostly families or friends or couples going out. The price of food at these hawker stands is also very cheap. Your average dinner at the food plazas will be around 6 SGD (4 USD), although our local school’s canteen, you might be hard pressed to spend more than 4 dollars for a regular meal. Eating times vary a bit from other global metropolises, where it is always possible to get a meal 24 hours a day. That can be done easily in Singapore too, but just in certain areas (ask me!). I find the hawker food good to eat and sometimes have a hard time in justifying the difference in cost to eat at an actual restaurant (the cost is about 15-20 SGD or much more), since the hawker food is already quite good for my taste.

Hawker food comes in many different varieties but there are some simple rules to remember about eating out:

- Bring tissues. Those small packs of tissue are essential for the traveller in Asia. If you don’t have one by the time you are at a hawker center, buy one from the drink stand (there’s always one open), or borrow one from your friend who came along and was better prepared than you

- Make sure to reserve a seat. One of the customs here is to “reserve” a seat at a table. Send your friends to buy their food first and then when they return it’s your turn. You did bring someone to eat with, didn’t you? Yes, it does waste valuable table space, seeing as many people in a hawker center are there just to reserve a space. But when in Rome…

- “Self-service” In the US, this means you pump your own petrol. But in Singapore, it means that you have to get the food after it’s cooked and return to your seat. If there’s no such sign, you can let the stall owner have their helper deliver it to your table (yes, that’s what the table number is for).

- “$2 $3 $5″: Don’t let someone fool you into thinking these are different prices for locals, expats and tourists. Nah, it’s for the portion size you might want to eat. Many dishes can be made with more ingredients to make a richer plate of food. You can tell the stall owner how much money you wish your food to cost. Typically, a higher price corresponds to more meat/veggies and not carbo, so it’s not quite the same as upsizing your McMeal.

- So are you ready? Listen to what locals tell their hawkers when ordering. If you can pick out the meaning, you’ll hear the dialogue being negotiated in a semi-fixed order. Usually, people tell the hawker what dish they want, followed by the dollar amount, whether they want chili or not, and specify *exactly* how they want it cooked (Burger King’s got nothing on this.) Other details follow: whether they want it “packet” (to go) or to “makan” (eat here, “makan” is eat/food in Malay) and where they are sitting (if it is to be delivered to your table).

Good luck and go forth and practice!