Things to Do in Singapore 2025: Rainforest Trails, Food Festivals, and a “White Lotus” Afternoon Tea
Need something exciting to do in Singapore this month? Singapore might be a small country, but it is brimming with new openings, art exhibitions, pop-up stores, exciting promotions, live music, and performances. Keep up to speed on the latest in Singapore City with our monthly guide on fun things to do in the city.
Things to do in Singapore February-March 2025
Such a short month, so many things to do: February’s just gone, and there’s already so many new foods to try, places to explore, and experiences to have. As the weather warms up, take yourself away to sunny places with cocktails at the Latinada Festival, or a luxurious White Lotus-inspired, Thai-style afternoon tea at the Four Seasons Hotel. Wander through the rainforest trails of Mandai Rainforest Wild– the highly anticipated park opens this month– and through the historic streets of Kampong Glam at the annual Ramadan bazaar. Take it from us– you’ll always find the brighter side of life.
For more of the newest things this month, check out our monthly restaurant guide and beauty guide.
Image credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Mandai Rainforest Wild – Choose Your Own Adventure At This Immersive Rainforest Park
The latest and most eagerly awaited addition to Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Rainforest Wild, opens on 12 March– and it brings you much closer to the action than you’re used to. This adventure-centric park will have you on the ground and trekking through the rainforest, experiencing guided free-fall from a 20m platform, and getting up close with snakes and tigers: though if you’re not that crunchy, there are elevated walkways for you to experience the park from.
Rainforest Wild is Mandai’s carefully researched and populated recreation of a Southeast Asian rainforest, with 36 free-roaming species, including endangered animals, from the region like the Malaysian giant turtle and François' langur. You’ll be able to tailor your own adventure with activities for adrenaline seekers, forest trekkers, and admirers of rainforest views: the extensive route of elevated walkways caters to visitors with diverse mobility needs.
There’s even a fully recreated cave system: modelled after the Mulu Caves in Sarawak, it houses cave species, waterfalls, and several scorpions. Gear up with a headlamp and experience the Critter Crawl: navigate a 60m cave tunnel, admire rock formations and fossil imprints, and get a look at the hissing cockroaches through a glass floor panel.
Ticket sales are live on Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s website.
Mandai Rainforest Wild. 20 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729825.
UNIQLO – Spring/Summer 2025 Collection Launches in Singapore
UNIQLO’s 2025 Spring/Summer Collection has officially landed in Singapore, featuring new additions to the LifeWear collection as well as the UNIQLO:C collection, a collaboration with British designer Claire Waight Keller. The Lifewear range introduces versatile pieces for exercise, city life and the outdoors, in bright cheery colours that match the temperament of the season, while UNIQLO:C presents chic pieces for urban wear.
If you recall UNIQLO’s pop-up earlier in February at the National Design Center, yes– it is this collection that now hits the market. Available at all UNIQLO stores islandwide, the new Lifewear collection features UNIQLO’s signature ultra-light fabrics, now in the form of pocketable parkas for unpredictable weather, stylish yet practical activewear basics, and relaxed clothing in natural fabrics. Warm-weather staples like the loose, pin-striped Linen Blend Easy Pants and Seersucker Volume Blouse Short Sleeve accompany fun, garden-party pieces like the Cotton Gathered Mini Dress.
The UNIQLO:C collection is unusual for UNIQLO in how it takes many cues from streetwear, but maintains its design ethos in minimalism and versatility: chic, easily-styled pieces like the Smooth Cotton Crew Neck Sweater and Hooded Pullover Shirt, as well as sport utility wear like the Active Dress Sleeveless. We’ve heard that big bags are making a comeback, and we’ve had our eye on the Soft Puffy Shoulder Bag since its preview at the National Design Center: it’s got everything you’d ever want out of a big bag, like wide, comfortable straps and a stable form, but remains stylish.
Oakley – Sports Eyewear Brand Relaunches at Marina Bay Sands with Custom Apparel
Oakley, the favoured eyewear brand of athletes at the Paris Olympics 2024, is back at Marina Bay Sands– and the newly refurbished store lets you create fully customised pairs of eyewear, as well as embroidery services for apparel: the first of its kind outside Japan.
This Oakley store is the first in Southeast Asia to feature the innovative in-house Oakley Eye Exam Lab by Essilor, which offers eye examinations and allows you to create prescription lenses with Oakley’s signature style. The Oakley Prizm™ lenses, designed to enhance performance and visual clarity for athletes without compromising on practicality or design, are available through this system. The “Smart Shopper” digital store, exclusively at Marina Bay Sands, is also here: shoppers will be able to infinitely customise a pair of Oakley glasses and explore various colourways and styles, then pick them up a week later. The Virtual Mirror function also allows shoppers to virtually try on glasses and test out various lens effects such as polarised lenses, various Prizm™ colour options, and transition lens effects.
The store also features a wide range of apparel and lifestyle products, built for both high-performance athletes and style enthusiasts: several special collections are available in-store, including the limited-edition Oakley Latitude Collection for its 50th anniversary. A personalisation service, first in the world outside Oakley Shibuya, is also available at this store: in collaboration with Temple of Skate, Oakley has released locally inspired, street art-influenced designs that can be embroidered onto your apparel purchases in-store.
Oakley. 10 Bayfront Ave, #B2-47 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018956.
Four Seasons Hotel– Exclusive “White Lotus” Afternoon Tea Takes You On A Cinematic Journey
Inspired by the latest season of drama series The White Lotus, the Four Seasons Hotel takes you to Thailand with an exclusive, HBO-partnered White Lotus afternoon tea. Sit down in the lush White Lotus pop-up bar, savour four signature cocktails, and indulge in the rich flavours of Koh Samui through a carefully designed and curated afternoon tea set.
The savouries in this tea set are done particularly well– the Tom Kha with Lemongrass and Coriander Essence consists of springy lobster, tangy lemongrass and a hint of chili, and the Blue Crab Curry with Wafer is deceptively simple but delicious. We enjoyed the Thai Lobster Salad with Kaffir Lime and Caviar, presented in a beautiful bowl set with lotus leaves. The sweets were phenomenal too, like the Cashew Nuts, Blue Vanilla Mousse, Cacao Nibs Praline, and Coffee Milk Chocolate– a decadent mousse wrapped up in a bright pink shell like a lotus bud. There’s also a serving of ice cream with your tea set: coconut, pandan and mango, which recreate the flavours of creamy mango sticky rice.
Three of the four cocktails available with tea are Thai-inspired: The Lotus, with Tanqueray gin, peach liqueur, and jasmine-infused white wine, is refreshingly easy to drink, and the Pineapple Suite with Don Julio Blanco, pineapple juice, lime juice, Coco Lopez, Turbinado and ube is festive and tropical. The fourth cocktail, though, is a Singapore exclusive: the Kayatini is a spirit-forward, coffee-inspired drink topped with luscious kaya foam.
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. 190 Orchard Blvd, Singapore 248646. For reservations, call (+65) 6831 7653 or text on WhatsApp to (+65) 9455 3466.
Image credit: Marina Bay Sands
Wicked – Broadway Sensation Returns to Singapore at the Sands Theatre
Wicked the Musical returns to Singapore this March, hot on the success of the film adaptation with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande– the last staging of Wicked here in Singapore was in 2016, making this the musical’s third staging here since 2011. This cult favourite has captured the hearts and minds of over 67 million people worldwide, and has received multiple awards including the Grammy, the Olivier, six Helpmann awards, three Tony Awards®, and six Drama Desk Awards.
One of the pioneering works in the twisted fairytale genre, Wicked, based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, follows the life and adventures of the Wicked Witch of the West, long before the arrival of Dorothy. The musical tells of the friendship and rivalry between Elphaba, the green-skinned, passionate young woman soon to become the infamous Wicked Witch, and Galinda, charismatic and ambitious, who will become Glinda the Good Witch. This prequel to The Wizard of Oz is charming, heartwarming, and utterly heartbreaking– bringing magic, drama and political intrigue together for a spellbinding evening.
This staging of Wicked will feature the Australian principal cast, who last performed in Perth in December 2024– starring Sheridan Adams as Elphaba, Courtney Monsma as Galinda, Robyn Nevin as Madame Morrible and Todd McKenney as the Wizard. Tickets are on sale at Sistic and on Klook.
Sands Theatre. 10 Bayfront Avenue, Marina Bay Sands, The Shoppes, #B1-69/70, Singapore 018971.
Image credit: The Straits Times
Kampong Glam Ramadan Bazaar – Ramadan Festivities In A Historic Cultural Hub
Gemilang Kampong Gelam, Kampong Glam’s annual Ramadan fair, is back this year. This 35-day bazaar, which celebrates the Islamic holy month, includes traditional and contemporary workshops and performances, light-ups at Sultan Mosque on weekends, and more than a hundred F&B and retail outlets. Drop by and soak up the festivities leading up to Hari Raya Puasa (Eid Al-Fitr).
Kampong Glam’s annual communal iftar, where 1000 attendees will break their fast at sunset, will take place on 22 March at 6:30pm, but there’s plenty more to do– historical precinct tours, the Kampong Charity Run, workshops offering Arabic calligraphy and Batik painting, parades with traditional Malay and Javanese dancers and instruments, and stamp rally kiosks. Live performances will also take place every Sunday from 8-9pm at the Sultan Gate Stage.
There’s a massive range of food stalls to choose from– Pichanhas for grilled beef steak, Wagyu and sausages, Al Pasha Kebab for Middle Eastern wraps, Gohed Gostan by Tarik for cheese wheel pasta, La Birria Tacos for Mexican Food, and the famous Ramly burger. Also here to tickle your tastebuds: classic vadai, Habibtea’s iced milk tea, 1L Satu Liter’s massive liter iced drinks, and matcha drinks from Matcha Klasik.
Guzman y Gomez Introduces Limited-Time Chicken Rendang to Celebrate SG60
Look forward to Guzman y Gomez’s bold new local twist! GYG is shaking up Singapore’s fast-food scene with the rollout of its limited-edition Chicken Rendang, available exclusively from 4 March to 4 May 2025.
This fiery new filling combines GYG’s signature Guerrero-marinated grilled chicken thigh with a house-made Rendang sauce. Expect a rich, coconut cream-infused delight packed with over 10 different spices, including coriander, cumin, turmeric, and star anise—this is as flavourful as chicken gets! Every order is sautéed fresh on the hot grill, ensuring each bite is smoky, tender, and packed with spice.
Plus, you can mix and match it with all your GYG favourites. Enjoy Chicken Rendang as a filling in burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, nacho fries, and more.
GYG remains committed to 100% Clean food—no preservatives, artificial flavours, added colours, or unwanted additives.
Tuck into Chicken Rendang while it’s here, because this limited-time kick of flavour won’t stick around forever.
Available at all GYG restaurants and via GYG social ordering, the website, and delivery platforms.
Image credit: Latinada Festival on Facebook / latinadasg
Latinada Street Food & Music Festival – A Three-Day Celebration of Latin America
The previously two-day festival has been expanded to three days this year, and happens from Friday 21 March to Sunday 23 March at Peruvian restaurant Canchita on Dempsey Hill. If you still can’t get enough of Latin American food, there’s plenty here with a 14-chef lineup from all across Latin America, as well as live music, DJ sets, and traditional performances.
The Latinada Festival was created in 2018 by husband-and-wife chefs Daniel and Tamara Chavez, with the intention of bringing Latin American culture to Asia. First a series of dinners, it became a full-fledged festival in 2024 spanning two days. This year’s festival takes place between two rooms, the Inka Room and Amazon Room, and features signature dishes from Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Chile and Venezuela: tacos, anticuchos, chiccharones, and Singapore’s biggest ceviche. You’ll also be able to participate in bachata and salsa classes and witness performances by Mexican and Colombian dancers, Reggaeton and Spanish rock sets.
Latinada Street Food & Music Festival. Canchita Peruvian Cuisine, Dempsey Rd, #9A 9B, Singapore 247698. For tickets, visit here.
Gardens by the Bay– “Mosaiculture” Comes To Singapore With A Madam White Snake-Themed Floral Garden
As its first display of 2025, Gardens by the Bay has revealed its ambitious attempt to bring the horticultural art form of “mosaiculture” to Singapore– a garden inspired by the legend of Madam White Snake, complete with a 4.5m tall, 26m-long sculpture of the heroine herself, blooming in time for the Lunar New Year. The display, as a homage to the myth, is a celebration of love, devotion, and hope.
This year’s Lunar New Year display, “Spring Blossoms”, involved collaboration between horticulturists from Gardens by the Bay and experts from Beijing Florascape, a renowned Chinese horticulture firm known for its work at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Mosaiculture, a complex horticultural art form which features the use of living plants in sculpture creation, is the star of the display– flowering sculptures of Madam White Snake’s loyal friend the Green Snake Xiaoqing, and Jixian Pavilion, a landmark of Hangzhou’s West Lake and backdrop of the tale, also appear as mosaiculture creations. Over 1000 dahlias are used in the sculptures and dotting the display, all grown in-house and including several new decorative variants.
The exhibit also features a 7m-tall replica of Leifeng Pagoda, where Madam White Snake was imprisoned for her love for a mortal man, in which two wooden models of Chinese pagodas are displayed: on loan from the Asian Civilisations Museum, they are historically significant as part of 84 pagodas showcased in the ACM’s new exhibition Pagoda Odyssey 1915: From Shanghai to San Francisco. For a limited time, Flower Dome ticket holders will enjoy complimentary admission to this exhibit: visit here for more information.
Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome is at 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953. To purchase tickets, visit here.
Culture Cartel - Over 80 Brands + Exclusive ASICS Limited Edition Collab and Gel-Kinetic Fluent Launch
Culture Cartel, Asia's street culture convention, returns for its fifth edition from 17 to 19 January 2025 at Singapore EXPO Hall 5. Spanning over 100,000 square feet, the largest venue to date, this year's event celebrates the theme ICONS Uprising, bringing together legends and rising stars in art, fashion, music, tattoos, and toys. With more than 80 brands, exclusive drops, workshops, panel discussions, and interactive exhibitions, this three-day celebration promises something for every street culture enthusiast.
ASICS takes centre stage with a booth designed to captivate attendees through creative installations, product showcases, and a trendy photo booth offering the chance to win exclusive merchandise. Highlights include a limited-edition collaboration with jewellery brand SYLK and Seoul-based AVEC BAG, blending ASICS’ philosophy of balance with SYLK’s storytelling approach. Only 100 pieces will be available, alongside on-site promotions, raffles, and special giveaways for visitors.
Adding to the excitement, ASICS will debut its GEL-KINETIC FLUENT sneaker, a blend of heritage design and advanced comfort technology, featuring Scutoid GEL and FF BLAST PLUS ECO cushioning. Priced at SGD 259, the sneaker will officially launch in February 2025 but will be previewed exclusively at Culture Cartel. We’ll see you there!
Buy your tickets here.
River Hongbao 2025 – Singapore’s Highly Anticipated Chinese New Year Carnival Returns
Singapore’s most highly anticipated Lunar New Year event is back– River Hongbao returns with its 39th edition at Gardens by the Bay. With towering lantern sculptures featuring aspects of local and Chinese heritage, live performances, and a Lunar New Year carnival and food street, the annual event continues to wow visitors and bring Lunar New Year cheer to central Singapore.
This year’s River Hongbao is also a tribute to SG60– 60 years since Singapore’s independence. Besides the fan-favourite God of Fortune lantern sculpture, expect to see nostalgic set-pieces celebrating Singapore’s unique cultures and practices: the iconic Singapore breakfast and Lion Head Roller Coaster. Art and history exhibitions, like the “Greetings from Afar: Chinese Remittance Letters” exhibition, focusing on the experiences of early Chinese migrants in Singapore: the ancestors of many modern Singaporean Chinese, will also be there.
The Food Street, featuring local and foreign carnival bites like Muah Chee, Char Kway Sotong, Turkish Kebabs, Japanese Takoyaki and Korean Spicy Noodles, will entice lovers of festive food, while amusement rides like the Double-Storey Horse Carousel add to the atmosphere. If you’re at River Hongbao at midnight on Lunar New Year’s Day (28-29 January), don’t miss out on a countdown event that ends in spectacular firecracker displays.
River Hongbao is held at 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore 018953.
Lunar New Year Celebrations at Everyone’s Favourite Mall, ION Orchard
ION Orchard, the go-to shopping destination, invites visitors to celebrate the Lunar New Year in “花开扇语 A New Beginning Unfolds”, a celebration of prosperity and togetherness happening from 2 January to 12 February 2025. The mall’s Lunar New Year decorations include a backdrop with an opened fan, symbolising new beginnings,and mountain motifs that represent stability and grandeur, all in festive deep red.
For the festive season, scheduled performances have been brought to ION Orchard to heighten the Lunar New Year cheer: expect a roving God of Fortune handing out tokens of blessings to shoppers, vibrant and energetic Twin Lion Dances, and other festivities like the High Pole Lion Dance, Eight Lion Dance Cai Qing, and Dragon Dance. Additionally, from 4 January to 12 February 2025, shoppers can discover their fortunes for 2025 at the “Fortune of the Year” installation at Level 1 Atrium: find out what the year holds for you in luck, wealth, relationships, career and health. Among other exclusive offerings and rewards, shoppers will also receive auspicious greetings with a complimentary calligraphy experience.
ION+ Rewards Members get a little extra: receive a set of 8 red packets with fan motifs in a subtly luxurious gold-foil finish, available in two colours: chic red and bold orange. Members also get to redeem a custom mandarin orange carrier at ION Orchard, for all your Lunar New Year visiting needs.
ION Orchard is located at 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801.
Cosford Container Park CNY WKND Market
The Chinese New Year WKND Market at Cosford Container Park, taking place over one weekend only on January 18-19, brings together local craft, retail, and food and beverage brands against seaside views on the East Coast.
Cosford Container Park, located just down the road from the laid-back Changi Village, opened in May 2024, making this their first Lunar New Year event. It’s been a hub for gastronomic delights and outdoor concerts, serving up treats like barbecued seafood, pizza and rooftop cocktails and hosting live sports viewings and gigs. Cosford Container Park’s monthly WKND Market event gets a festive twist this January with lion dance performances on January 18 and a snake charmer on January 19.
Bring your friends and family and pose for a portrait at Mel Portraits, pick up some Lunar New Year cookies at Phiang Delights, or pick up a pair of intricately designed clay flower earrings at Haeng Bok Clay. Why not refresh your wardrobe sustainably with curated vintage clothing from Unalome– specialising in quirky vintage T-shirts?
Cosford Container Park is located at 30 Cosford Road, Singapore 499550.
Singapore Art Week 2025
It’s a busy month for the arts– Singapore’s biggest celebration of visual arts returns in Singapore Art Week 2025, held from 17 to 26 January. Each year brings local and international artists together in a display of light installations, performance art, visual art exhibitions, and creativity.
The Light to Night Singapore event brings outdoor art installations and light-ups to Singapore’s Civic District, including the famous light projection installation on the façade of the National Museum of Singapore. This year’s theme is “Do You See Me?”, which explores the ways in which we see ourselves and others.
Over at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, current home of the Singapore Art Museum, Sonic Sessions, a series of live performances by both local and international music artists spanning various genres, takes place over both weekends of the Singapore Art Week. Catch local indie-rock band Subsonic Eye (17 January, 8:30pm), experimental digital sounds and visuals by Bangkok-based artist duo SPIRIT ATS (17 January, 9:30pm), evocative “Geylang Crunk” DJs O$P$ (24 January, 5:30pm-10pm), and many more.
Aliwal Urban Arts Festival 2025
The Aliwal Arts Centre, located within the historic Kampong Glam district, is managed by non-profit organisation Arts House Limited. The centre hosts studios, workshops, and continues to promote the development of multi-disciplinary art in the region through the annual Urban Arts Festival, a gathering of traditional and urban art talents.
This year, the Urban Arts Festival returns with all the highlights, including the much-anticipated Live Graffiti Painting on the back wall of the centre, as well as a new, dedicated Aliwal Feature Wall. Participating artists include Thailand-based street artist Waris and award-winning local urban artist SPAZ– get to observe their creative processes, soak in the atmosphere, and be a little inspired yourself. There’ll be graffiti tryout workshops led by the Aliwal Arts Centre’s youth resident artists, where you’ll put your skills to use.
Other events at the festival include a Creators’ Market, skateboarding workshops, activities and a competition, and live music performances by experimental artists.
Aliwal Arts Centre is located at 28 Aliwal Street, Singapore 199918.
The Art Of Banksy: Without Limits
The world-famous street artist and film director Banksy’s exhibition remains open at 25 Scotts Road, and will be until the end of this month on 26 January 2025. The work of the anonymous artist has captivated audiences from around the world with its blend of street art and social commentary: prominent ones include the Flower Thrower installation, which appeared on a mural in the West Bank in 2003; the temporary art project Dismaland, a parodic theme park “unsuitable for children”, and “Girl With Balloon”, a series of poignant illustrations on walls around London.
Though the exhibition is unauthorised by Banksy himself, who remains dedicated to free and unofficial means of creating and sharing artwork, it remains an interesting look into Banksy’s life and work– much of it satirical, striking in imagery, and fun. The “Death of a Phonebooth” features a crumpled sculpture of a classic London telephone booth, and installations and prints of the now-defunct “Dismaland” bring it back to life. The show has toured in various cities across continents, and each iteration includes a unique, localised installation: if you’ve not seen Singapore’s, why not find out for yourself?
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