Celebrating New Year’s in Singapore

THE island-state has a long history of immigration. Its varied population of about five million consists of Chinese, Malays, Indians, a number of Asian races and Caucasians. Approximately 42 percent of its population work and seek higher education there.

Singapore is a popular shopping mecca, with most tourists at one time or another visiting its shopping malls, where they can shop, eat or catch a movie. Its malls offer great value on goods for shopaholics. Each mall offers its own unique shopping experience. Malls not to miss include Ngee Ann City, ION Orchard and VivoCity.

Why does Singapore attract tourists? It’s simply because Singapore promises all sorts of lively adventures, including culinary, shopping and events like the nighttime Formula 1.

Christmas and New Year’s is always a festive time in Singapore, and it is no surprise that many tourists choose the city-state for their year-end vacation. Singapore has already decked its streets with spectacular Christmas decorations, and taking in the sights along Orchard Road while making the most of the huge discounts on offer in the many stores makes for a wonderful holiday. Marina Bay also has a multi-censor display for all to enjoy.

Welcoming the New Year is never complete without a spectacular countdown, and what better place to head to for it than Marina?

Here one will find the Wishing Spheres Project, where people can make a wish, which is an important component of New Year’s. Anyone can write down their New Year’s hopes for a better future, with 20,000 wishing spheres to be thrown into Marina Bay, a bay of hope and light, as part of the fantastic visual installation.

And of course, no countdown is complete without a spectacular fireworks display, which at Marina Bay will be matched to the original music composition created by Iskandar Ismail, winner of a Cultural Medal, for eight minutes in a choreography to illuminate the sky from eight angles so that everyone can see the fireworks.

There is also The Float@Marina Bay program in which local and regional artists will make the occasion more festive. Themed “Christmas Alive at Marina Bay”, the beach will come alive with various dramatic arts and lighting as well as music installations. Focusing on young talents in music and the arts, this end-year celebration will offer various programs that match the spirit of the season.

Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is offering a world full of adventures at The Chronicles of Narnia: the Exhibition. You can also see hundreds of artifacts of the Titanic in Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. This is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

MBS is an integrated resort in Singapore located on Marina Bay. It has complete facilities, such as a casino, a hotel and a luxurious mall that has numerous retailers and world-class restaurants. Standing on an 800,000-square-meter-plot of land, it is the largest mall in Singapore.

As an integrated resort MBS, has various entertainment facilities. It also hosts The Museum, a building with a futuristic and unique architecture. So, you can get everything you need at MBS without having to leave the area.

With the slogan “Marina Bay Sands brings the world to your table”, MBS has top chefs that offer world-class culinary. Here you can find both local and international dishes, such as chicken rice, dim sum and Indian curry as well as Western-style grilled chicken and sandwiches. So, never doubt that you will have a wonderful experience, for vacationing here is the dream of many, especially at year-end. (Burhanuddin Abe)

The Jakarta Post, December 13, 2011

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