Forget about feeling frosty and fire up in Singapore’s top 10 hotspots!

With winter upon us and many of us wistfully wishing for warmer climates, why not shake off the bad weather blues and head to sunny Singapore – home of endless summers, sizzling food, warm welcomes and Asia’s hottest shopping and nightlife.

Ever-changing, it’s hard to keep up with what’s hip and happening in Singapore, so here’s a list of the current top 10 hotspots and activities that are Uniquely Singapore:

Hot’n’steamy Singapore venues:

1. St James Power Station (www.stjamespowerstation.com)

Work up a sweat at the newly opened nightlife mecca St James Power Station, where nine sensational entertainment venues converge under one magnificent roof, in what was once Singapore’s first coal-fired power station. For just one cover charge, you can sway to the tunes of swing and big band, blues and jazz, then move to disco and pop or live rock music, sashay to world beats and expand your lungs at karaoke. Located in Singapore’s prime HarbourFront Precinct, St James Power Station is the ultimate club-hopping destination.

2. Clarke Quay (www.clarkequay.com.sg)

You can’t afford to miss Clarke Quay’s funky makeover which has resulted in a slew of new hip restaurants and bars nestled in restored traditional warehouses or “godowns” underneath an avant-garde roof to help keep the showers at bay. Enjoy the buzzing waterfront atmosphere and get glammed up to warm your feet on the dance floors of the many popular clubs, including London’s famous Ministry of Sound, Attica, and Forbidden City by Indochine.

3. Km8 (www.km8.com.sg)

Inspired by the uber popular beach clubs of Spain’s Ibiza, there’s nowhere hotter on sandy Sentosa Island (just a hop from mainland Singapore) than the Km8 club at Tanjong Beach. Sprawling across more than 4000sq feet, Km8’s eclectic décor is a mix of colonial and Mediterranean, but its beats are distinctly chill and house. Avid partygoers will adore the addictive strains of this trendy offshore getaway with its spectacular sunsets, heavenly jacuzzi and cool candlelit evenings. More than a club or a café, Km8 is the ultimate location for an evening of dance, wine, food and an unrivalled view of the turquoise South China Sea.

Wind down in Singapore:

4. Dempsey Road (www.tanglinvillage.com.sg

Part of the lush green Tanglin Village – home to a diverse community of entrepreneurs, chefs, educators, artists, architects, designers and dancers – locals’ favourite Dempsey Road is a well-kept secret, packed with wine bars and eateries and the ideal choice for an al fresco meal with a difference. Choose from the very ‘in’ Oosh, Hacienda, PS Café, Wine Network or Wine Company.

Businesses and organizations.

5. Loof (www.loof.com.sg)

Make the most of the breezy tropical evenings with a totally unique night out at Loof – a bar on a roof – where you can sip cocktails under a star-sprinkled sky and take refuge from the hustle and bustle below. Mellow but with a hip, modern vibe, Loof is an edgy, fascinating spot with glass underfoot, fabulous city views and no two seats alike. For a playful night out or a late night tipple, Loof is nothing if not hot.

6. red dot traffic (www.reddottraffic.com)

Housed in a superb 1920s colonial building which was once home to the traffic police headquarters, red dot traffic is now an eclectic space featuring a design museum, creative and lifestyle organisations, and avant-garde eateries. Showcasing the best of modern Singapore and one of the hottest venues of the moment, red dot traffic offers an innovative, fresh, original experience to locals and visitors alike.

Spice up your Singapore adventure:

7. Cookery Magic (www.cookerymagic.com)

Join a hands-on cooking class in a 200-year-old Malay Kampong (“village” in Malay) house and you’ll be warming up from the inside. Take a bumboat ride from Changi Jetty to the small kampong community on Pulau Ubin; then stroll through the jungle to harvest your own wild herbs before learning to make traditional Malay classics in a fun, intimate group. You don’t need experience, just bring enthusiasm and your appetite.

8. Zaitoon Masala (Blk 44 Holland Drive)

Follow your nose to find this tiny aromatic stall filled with a dizzying array of colourful pastes and ground chilli, coriander, cumin, pepper, fennel and turmeric – just tell Madam Beevi how hot you like it and she will create a personalised curry paste for you. A sure way to warm up your senses, and put fire in your belly this winter!

Shopping hotspots:

9. VivoCity (www.vivocity.com.sg)

VivoCity is Singapore’s hippest shopping and lifestyle destination. Just a five-minute drive from Singapore’s CBD, and a short 10 minutes from Orchard Road, VivoCity’s retail experience caters for everyone, with stores ranging from fashion to homeware, toys to entertainment. The centre has over 300 retail outlets housing new concept stores and just-launched labels not found anywhere else in Singapore. Popular shops include Marks and Spencer, Gap, Ted Baker, Coulisse and Every Woman.

10. Bugis Street (Nearest MRT: Bugis)

Bugis Street has reinvented itself as a Singapore destination not to be missed. Under sheltered walkways it is now home to more than 600 stalls, offering an eclectic mix of trendy street wear, bargain items and food snacks. Heat up your afternoon with a follow-up shopping spree at Parco Bugis Junction, where you’ll find everything from electronic items to clothes, costume jewellery and knick-knacks.

While escaping to Singapore this winter make sure you also enjoy the Lion City’s perennial favourites – The Great Singapore Sale and Singapore Food Festival. Whether you love fossicking for bargains or strutting your designer style, join lovers of retail therapy from around the globe until late July for the annual Great Singapore Sale.

Foodies never miss out on the Singapore Food Festival in July either, when Singapore celebrates her favourite pastime – eating out. From local cuisine to cutting-edge international dining, from budget hawker stalls to opulent dining rooms, there’s something for every palate – and budget.

So shed your winter woollies, forget the flu, beat the blues and snap on your sandals for sunny days in Singapore.  Packages to Singapore start from $1071* ex Perth, $1297* ex Melbourne, $1299* ex Brisbane, $1314* ex Sydney and $1315* ex Adelaide. Packages include return economy class airfares flying Singapore Airlines, return seat in coach airport/hotel transfers#, 4 nights in Singapore at Hotel Royal, daily buffet breakfast, 1 day SIA Hop on Hop Off Trolley Pass and a Super Value Coupon Book^.

Call Singapore Airlines Holidays on 1300 666 722.

*Prices shown are per person, twin share for travel 01May07-17Jun07 & 28Jul07-31Aug07. Seasonal surcharges and black-out dates apply for all other departure dates. Taxes, levies and charges are included in package price and are correct as at 17Apr07 but are subject to change at anytime without notice. Package rates will vary according to itinerary options, taxes and exchange rates applicable at time of payment. #Surcharge applies for late night and early morning seat in coach transfers. Frequent Flyer points DO NOT accrue on these packages. ^Super Value coupon booklet only valid with the purchase of selected hotel packages, booklet will be given to passengers on arrival at Singapore Airport at the Singapore Airlines Holidays Stopover counter in Terminal 2. Offer is subject to availability and confirmation at time of booking. Additional nights maybe required depending on departure date. All travel is subject to availability at time of payment. Booking conditions apply.

Report by The Mole