Harbourfront

If you think 'HarbourFront' is just another shipyard area, then you'll be awestruck at the bustling hub that it has been converted into over the years. Although mainly filled with shipping offices and the Singapore Cruise Centre, what was once the southern-most point of Singapore's main island is now also home to an immense shopping mall, the VivoCity, which is the largest in the country. Opened in 2006, this colossal world of retail and entertainment is so huge you'll probably need a day just to walk from one end to the other! With hundreds of stores, mostly international names, it's as if you're already halfway out of Singapore.

The Singapore Cruise Centre itself still operates in the HarbourFront and Keppel Harbour vicinity, comprising of two terminals which see almost a million cruise passengers passing through each year. The centre also hosts retail outlets and duty free shopping. This is also where you would be able to take a cable car to Sentosa Island, at the HarbourFront Tower 2. Go up the Jewel Box, an entertainment complex atop Mount Faber with dining and shopping besides the cable car rides. Feel the ocean wind whipping through your hair and drink in salty sea scents - holidaying is always about the simple pleasures after all. One thing's for sure, nothing beats a view of the harbour at night. Besides a gorgeous sunset, dozens of lights illuminate the area and are reflected in the sea. Picture perfect indeed!

Don't worry about missing the bus back if you find the pull of shopping too strong here. Considering its distance from the city centre and most other parts of the main island, it wouldn't be a bad idea to settle down here for the night and then make your way to Sentosa Island the next day, for instance. Warm, cheerful rooms are available at the Harbour Ville Hotel. This charming boutique hotel is strategically located with snug, cosy rooms and warm, personal service guarantees you a good night's rest. Its rooms, starting at SGD 112 (USD77), are charmingly decorated with all the necessary amenities which will guarantee a pleasant, memorable stay. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the view.

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