Singapore

Travel time
7 hours 30 minutes

How to get there
Etihad Airways flies to Singapore on Sun, Wed & Fri. Fares currently start at Dhs4,465 (Jul); Dhs2,955 (Aug); Dhs3,405 (Sep)

Sleep

Budget
Hotel Re!: Fancy waking up next to a silhouette of John Travolta in his classic Saturday Night Fever stance? Then check-in to Hotel Re! Decked out in psychedelic disco hues and retro furniture, it is a seriously fun place, as well as practical with 24-hour free Wi-Fi, LCD TV with cable, mini-bar and en-suite in even the most basic rooms.
www.hotelre.com.sg. Jul-Sep rates start at SGD138 (approx Dhs357)

Blow it
Raffles Hotel: Open since 1887 and restored and reopened in 1991, the old-world style of Raffles Hotel, with its tropical suites and open courtyards, is a shining example of Singapore’s colonial past. All suites come with a personal butler service for that touch of old-school luxury.
www.raffles.com. Jul rates start at SGD690 (approx Dhs1,786) per night; Aug SGD740 (approx Dhs1,916); Sep SGD801 (approx Dhs2,074)

Eat

Budget
Newton Circus: This open-air food market is great fun to walk around and pick up local delicacies here and there. Keep an eye out for the signs with the letters A, B, C or D on them: these indicate the cleanliness of each stall.
500 Clemenceau Avenue North, prices vary – but are very cheap!

Blow it
Iggy’s: Iggy’s is fast becoming one of Singapore’s most famous (and best) restaurants. Its bold, counter-dining, set-menu-only experience shifts with the seasons, but include such delights as char-grilled sea bass with truffle gnocchi and rosemary oil and a piña colada soufflé.
www.iggys.com.sg. Average price of a meal for two SGD390++ (approx Dhs1,010++) for the set menu

Do

Budget
Botanic Gardens: Established in 1852, Singapore’s Botanic Gardens are a beautifully tranquil respite from the city buzz. Highlights include the National Orchid Garden, with the world’s largest collection of orchids, there is also a lake where visitors can feed the black Australian swans and see a large population of turtles. Then there’s the Evolution Garden Walk, a well-landscaped plot containing the fossilised remains of ancient trees.
www.sbg.org.sg. Entry to Botanic Gardens is free. Entry to Orchid Garden is SGD2 (approx Dhs13)

Blow it
Universal Studios: With a super scary rollercoaster battle on Battlestar Galactica, a good soaking on Jurassic Park Rapids, views from the air with the Canopy Flyer, a ghost train for grown-ups with Revenge of the Mummy, as well as a chance to meet Madagascar and Shrek and characters, Universal Studios is, in a word, awesome.
www.rwsentosa.com/language/en-US/Attractions/UniversalStudios Singapore. Adult ticket prices start from SGD66 (approx Dhs171)