Singapore is celebrating Christmas with the longest and most spectacular light-up in the world, from 12 November 2005 to 2 January 2006. The festive season in Singapore offers all the traditional Christmas trimmings in a tropical paradise, where you can shop, explore, relax and indulge in spectacular feasts, concerts and count-down parties.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Shoppers on Orchard Road, Singapore's premier shopping street, will be enchanted by Wonderland: A Musical Kaleidoscope, with glittering displays around every corner and Marina Bay will be transformed into a traditional winter wonderland, Winterland: Dreaming of a White Christmas. If you want to see the spectacular decorations close-up, why not take advantage of the free* Christmas Light-Up tours operating on open top HIPPO buses which give fabulous panoramic views of the city's wonderful decorations.

FESTIVE FEASTING

For many, Christmas is synonymous with eating far too much wonderful food and where better place to do that than Singapore? Food is the lifeblood of Singapore, indeed a national obsession, and the Christmas period is no exception. Visitors can treat themselves to a traditional Christmas Dinner at one of Singapore's many restaurants or try some local fare such as Singapore's sumptuous Chilli Crab, derived from Chinese, Indian and Malay styles of cooking and is the country's unofficial national dish.

EXPLORING NEW CULTURES

Amongst the Christmas decorations, visitors can immerse themselves in the country's five cultures (Chinese, Indians, Malays, Peranakans and Eurasians) and discover their distinct histories, food, and way of life, as well as how they celebrate this festival in their own individual ways. Singapore's ethnic quarters have a multitude of shops, eateries and monuments to explore. Turn-of-the-century shophouses and roadside peddlers can be found in the bustling district of Chinatown, which evolved around 1821 when the first Chinese arrived from the Fujian Province, and visitors to the Peranakan District will discover a unique community, descended from Chinese settlers who married local Malay women, with its language, customs and cuisine offering a fascinating insight into its distinct heritage.

RELAX IN A NATURAL PARADISE

Visitors wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping can relax by exploring the lush Garden City of Singapore with its orchid gardens and nature trails. Singapore is one of only two cities in the world to have a natural rainforest within its boundaries. The new suspension bridge at the MacRitchie Reservoir is the best way to explore the rainforest close-up and a perfect place to see the flora and fauna in the forest canap�, 25 metres above the ground. Alternatively, take a stroll through the Singapore Botanic Gardens, surrounded by frangipanis, heliconias, ginger plants, ferns and desert plants. Its highlights include the Swan Lake, Ginger Garden and the Symphony Lake, as well as having four hectares of rainforest. The National Orchid Garden, also within the Botanic Gardens, has over 20,000 orchid plants including the country's national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim.

For further relaxation and re-charging over the festive period, visitors can take advantage of the huge variety of wellness products and services in Singapore, ranging from elaborate spa treatments to soothing foot massages and reflexology. Several spas in the city offer pampering packages ranging from 30-minutes tension relief massages to full three-hour sessions using various techniques to soothe the body and mind. Alternatively, visitors can leave the city behind and head over to the island of Sentosa - meaning peace and tranquility, home to the Spa Botanica - Singapore's first outdoor garden spa. Set within the lush grounds of the elegant Sentosa resort and spa, you can relax in a mud pool or enjoy a massage in one of the spa's six outdoor pavilions or 14 indoor treatment rooms.

DIARY DATES

12 November - 2 January - Christmas Light-Up

16 - 25 December - "Celebrate Christmas" with nightly live musical performances, colourful floats and a life size nativity scene.

16 - 23 December - A brand new production of The Nutcracker will run at Singapore's spectacular Esplanade Theatre - Theatres on the Bay.

25 December - the Christmas Celebration Concert takes place on Orchard Road, where local and international artistes, celebrities and groups perform on an open-air stage.

- ENDS -

* Tickets are only available for collection from 12 November onwards in Singapore. The promotion is only valid for bone fide visitors. There are six tours nightly, at half- hour intervals between 7.30pm and 10.30pm. No tours on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. Other terms and conditions apply.

For further information please contact Abby Hillier / Nerys Jones on 020 7287 0652 or email abby@keenepa.co.uk

www.visitsingapore.com