Singapore Is World's Top City To Visit

[george]

CONDE NAST TRAVELLER MAGAZINE READERS' AWARDS

NO 1 AIRPORT: CHANGI AIRPORT

NO 1 BUSINESS AIRLINE: SIA

NO 2 LONG-HAUL AIRLINE: SIA

NO 9 SHORT-HAUL AIRLINE: SILKAIR

SINGAPORE has moved up the table to take the top spot as the world's best city to visit.

In 2002 it stood at No 11, moved up two places a year later, then it leapt eight places to No 1, in the latest annual survey by US-based magazine Conde Nast Traveller.

The magazine's readers' awards also put Singapore as the safest country to visit.

Singapore Changi Airport was ranked the best airport in the world, ahead of London's Heathrow Terminal 4, Dubai International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport.

Changi Airport scored for its lounge and flight facilities, its cleanliness and its choice of food and restaurants.

The rankings by Conde Nast Traveller are recognised in the industry as benchmarks of quality hotels for leisure travellers around the world.

The scores are calculated using an index of satisfaction with travel facilities and services.

In the travel awards questionnaire, readers were asked to choose the best that the travel world has to offer - everything from hotels and spas to airlines and airports.

They were then asked to rate their choices according to various criteria, such as service and value for money.

Among the other top choice cities for tourists are Sydney, Barcelona, Rome and Paris.

The only other Asian city ranked among the top 10, is Bangkok at No 6 - for its excellent value for money.

Travellers were also asked to rank countries - and Singapore came in at No 4 favourite country in the world.

Australia was tops in that category, with travellers voting for its warm climate and scenic views.

FAVOURITE AIRLINE

In the airlines category, Singapore Airlines (SIA) was voted the favourite airline for business travellers, while for long-haul leisure travellers, it scored a close second, behind Air New Zealand.

SIA's sister airline, SilkAir also found a place among the top 10 airlines for the short-haul flight category, at No 9.

Singapore hotels have also made their mark among the best hotels, with Raffles Hotel ranked at No 1 leisure hotel in Asia, and the Shangri-La voted the best business hotel in Asia, with the Conrad Centennial, Ritz-Carlton Millenia and the Oriental also making it into the top 10.

Homegrown brand, Banyan Tree, has also carved a place in the international travel scene, with its Banyan Tree Spa in Phuket voted as the best spa resort in the world, ahead of the Givenchy Spa in Mauritius and the Mandara Spa at luxury hotel, The Datai in Langkawi.

In response to queries by Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, a spokesman for the Singapore Tourism Board said it was gratified by Singapore's top position as a tourist attraction.

It hopes that visitors to Singapore will enjoy the 'Uniquely Singapore' experience.

One visitor, Mr Snopkowski, 57, from Australia, said that all the services here were excellent, and all the people he met in shops and hotels were 'friendly and polite'.

'I would recommend this hotel (Phoenix) and your country to my friends,' he said.

--The Straits Times, SG, 2004-09-20

[PvtDick]

Well...I agree about the airport and the airlines. But what else does Singapore have to offer? Certainly no cultural attractions to speak of.

[Sporting Dog]

"Singapore Is World's Top City To Visit"

No its not - too expensive and sterile. Boring after 3 days. Changi is particularly well-run, clean and BORING.

just my opinion tho', who am I to argue with conde nast

SIA are a good airline tho'

[chingy_]

sorry but i have to disagree, i don't see anything except concrete

[Ijustwannateach]

I've heard they have a good zoo?

"Steven"

[Cabana]

Attractions - Night life finish at 4 am (many choices from upmarket discos to places stocked with many visiting (how can i say this) ladies from Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam if thats your bag , fantastic choice of food both high and low end, a neat zoo, Sentosa Island and of course the shopping - bored (not).

[Dradam]

In that same poll, Singapore was #4 Country in the World.

Who beat Singapore?

#3 New Zealand

#2 Thailand

#1 Australia

Singapore received a high score for cleanliness to boost it to number 4.

I guess if cleanliness is the deciding factor in tourism, go to Singapore.

If you favor other reasons, choose another country.

If you want a good zoo, there are much better than Singapore.

[chingy_]

Attractions - Night life finish at 4 am (many choices from upmarket discos to places stocked with many visiting

you wanna bet compare to thailand, i think not

(how can i say this) ladies from Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam if thats your bag

thailand got all the above and more, and russian also

fantastic choice of food both high and low end

how can you compare, tom yam cun will blow you alway.

a neat zoo, Sentosa Island

you wanna trade this for phuket, krabi,pataya etc.. i don't think so

and of course the shopping

ripp-off, over price cloathing, i'll skip

bored (not).

boring(yes)

[350torana]

I love Singapore. Mainly because it is only a few hours flight away from the kingdom, but u get your dose of ' western civilisation', u know safe driving, clean streets ect ? Does my head wonders to get away for 3 or 4 days.

Changi airport is great, the MRT is great. Was gonna say Tiger Beer is great but can buy that here now The zoo is good fun, my Thai other half was fascinated by the baboon(or rift valley apes or whatever) enclosure and their sexual prowcess .

Sorry, i am not a tourist ad for Singapore, just think it is a great place to visit. Only drawback is the cost of everything.

[Rinrada]

CONDE NAST TRAVELLER MAGAZINE READERS' AWARDS

NO 1 AIRPORT: CHANGI AIRPORT

NO 1 BUSINESS AIRLINE: SIA

NO 2 LONG-HAUL AIRLINE: SIA

NO 9 SHORT-HAUL AIRLINE: SILKAIR

SINGAPORE has moved up the table to take the top spot as the world's best city to visit.

The must be doing something right however it aint all 5 star hotels and expensive speakeasys...

Dont know if anyone remembers a right old "DOSSHOUSE"in from memory Ben Coolan Street?..called Peony Mansions..(little india)

I was on my "uppers" down there one time hand had to spend the night and would recon it to be the most miserable,cockroach infested ,manky,smelly,

dismal,ucky dump I have ever had the missfortune to crash out in,(and i have been in quite a few )in my mortal.

The only other pig sty that came anywhere near it was another dump in...think again from mem. Damascus in Syria angry: where agai...want to forget it

Anyway next time it has to be a slum down to Rafs and maybe a Sing Sling to celebrate although the old boy in the bar at the Honey H makes as good a mix as you will get anywhere and prob. a lot cheaper

so..

Skytrax

Airport of the Year 2004 -

1.Hong Kong Int'l Airport

2.Singapore Changi Airport- ....not quite however

3.Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

4.Seoul Incheon Airport

5.Kuala Lumpur KLIA Airport

Airline of the Year-

1.Singapore Airlines-

2.Emirates

3.Cathay Pacific

4.Qantas Airways

5.Thai Airways.

Best Inflight Entertainment

1.Singapore Airlines-

2.Emirates

3.Virgin Atlantic4.Cathay Pacific

5.Malaysia Airlines.

BEST CABIN STAFF - 2004

1.Malaysia Airlines

2.Thai Airways Int'l -

3.Asiana Airlines

4.Air Tahiti Nui

5.Qatar Airways

6.Singapore Airlines -

Singapore has traded in its rough-and-ready opium dens and pearl luggers for towers of concrete and glass, and its steamy rickshaw image for hi-tech wizardry, but you can still recapture the colonial era with a gin sling under the languorous ceiling fans at Raffles Hotel.

At first glance, Singapore appears shockingly modern and anonymous, but this is an undeniably Asian city with Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions from feng shui to ancestor worship creating part of the everyday landscape. It's these contrasts that bring the city to life.

One day you're in a hawker stall melting over a bowl of Indian curry, the next you're enjoying high tea in whispered environs complete with air-con, starched linen table cloths and gliding waiters. Super-safe and mega-clean Singapore may be, but its sultry rhythms wash inexorably beneath the regimented beat of big-city

http://www.airlinequality.com/index.htm

[Pink Mist]

Anybody ever bought a beer at Raffles, you only buy 1

[Sporting Dog]

I was there once as a tourist - ordered a Guiness (I thought it would be a pint), a singapore sling (for the little lady) and a small plate of French Fries.

The pint was only a half so I ordered another.

57 singapore dollars!!!!

It was a nice place, birds flying around in the bar, and those old mechanical fans on the ceiling but I won't be dinking there again.

Alcohol was EXPENSIVE everywhere in SIN - could never stay there too long.

[Axel]

Singapore is expensive. So skip dinner and eat the peanuts at the Raffle's Long Bar. They are for free.

[tuky]

The magazine's readers' awards also put Singapore as the safest country to visit.

I was once called "white trash" whilst walking down orchard one night, and a katouy tried to steal my wallet once!!! Safe??? huh

Singapore is great, but drives me nuts after a while, why do the taxi drivers change shift between 5pm and 7pm? Peak hour?

HiSo folks in S'pore are rude and arrogant, I have not met many worse.

However if you have the 5 C's you can enjoy your time there, and the local ladies will see you as a potential, don't have any C's and your doomed to a lonely life.

[Merlin]

Yes Singapore has got a great zoo. Normally I thought I would have been bored stiff, but my hosts took me there and I really enjoyed my day.

Also for the technophile, Singapore beats BKK hands down. The very latest technology at prices better than Panthip, and sales people that speak English, and actually know what they're talking about! I went into several shops where they had demonstration systems set up to make choice easy. One place had 6 PCs set up side by side, identical except for the video cards, so you could see the difference. And if you wanted to compare a different card, they were happy to open one up and put it your selected card to compare against the others. Same thing for speakers, etc etc.

And the MRT system is the best public transport system I've ever seen, anywhere. Fast, clean, quiet and efficient - and easily understood by a first time visitor.

[meadish_sweetball]

Good points:

1. It works.

2. It's clean.

3. The food variety for relatively ok prices. Note variety, not quality.

4. Facilities available.

5. Well-mannered and nice service people everywhere I was... Oh, except for at the Thai embassy.

6. Good outdoor food courts where the Tiger Beer is fairly cheap and comes in jugs.

7. Sentosa.

8. Little India (to remember you are in Asia).

Not-so-good points:

1. Some locals have a stuck-up attitude.

2. Singlish. Not very beautiful.

3. Work ethics like Lutherans on yaa baa. (Very little spare time if you want to make a career)

4. Expensive nightlife.

5. Harsh criminal code based on the punishment principle and very little regard for rehabilitation.

[bkkexplorer]

I can see why Singapore took top place. It does feel like you're in Disneyland...

[french fannies]

I've been to Singapore a few times on short stays and have found it to be almost as good as Calgary.

[MadFrankie]

Anybody ever bought a beer at Raffles, you only buy 1

never brought one, drunk numerous gallons in there tho.. The band is a pain in the ass, same tunes all night

[honeyen]

... what else does Singapore have to offer? Certainly no cultural attractions to speak of.

Precisely! Other than shopping and clubbing, I can't think of anything else to do in Singapore. (oh ya, maybe few hours on Sentosa Island).

[LadyinRed]

Black Pepper Crab

Not talking about those mincey tiny meatless crabs you get here in Thailand, but real chunky meaty giant crabs! Yummie!

Public Transport (Buses, MRT)

Beat Thailand hands down.

Sim Lim Tower, Sim Lim Square & Funan Centre

Beat Pantip in emptying wallets hands down!

Zouk

Beat Q Club and the likes hands down

Newton Hawker Centre

Beat night markets in downtown anytime

Orchard Towers

Beat the sleaze in Nana or Patpong hands down

Arrogance

Close fight with the tourist hawkers here

Singapore Science Centre (IMAX Theatre)

Haven't found one here yet

Free wireless in the airport

The IT hub in Phuket?!

[SK1972]

Whether a place is boring or not would depend on the people and the individual themself. There are some fun places to visit in Singapore but to compare an island to Indo China's "fun" country i.e. Thailand is not very fair.

Ladyinred..........love the huge crabs...........yummy!!

Sporting Dog..........where did you go?? Oriental Hotel? There are some places in Bangkok which are over priced too. It all depends on where you go and whether you know where to find them.

Singapore has their restrictions on bars/pubs and night spots, Thailand doesnt....well they claim they do but everything can be solved with money......... Hence, it would seem night life is more "fun" in Thailand.

Singapore is a "fine" city