It’s about time we finally bid adios to 2021 and say hello to a new beginning with 2022. Don’t get us wrong, the past year had its highlights but we’re not going to miss its ever-changing restrictions, political drama and most of all, P2HA!
Welcoming us into the new year are these 15 new things to do in January to kick things off with a bang.
Video adapted from: Untitled Project
Look up when you’re passing Rochor this month as Selegie Road’s Ten Square is channelling some serious NY Times Square vibes. The freshly constructed building features a giant 3D LED signboard with surreal advertisements and creative art projects – it even hosted a digital fashion show back in December.
Image credit: @10sq.io
Stay tuned as there’s more in store as the screen is not just a pretty facade: the building itself is on its way to becoming the world’s largest luxury car “vending machine”.
Address: 1 Short Street, Singapore 188218
The exhibit in Paris
Image credit: @oraineinparis
Trippy, squishy or dream-like? Have some fun interpreting the 12M installation of The Art of Dreams yourself when it opens to the public this January, as part of Singapore Art Week’s (SAW) lineup. Created by hybrid sculpture artist Cyril Lancelin, the travelling artwork has arrived in Singapore after touring Paris, and admission is free for all.
Image for visual reference only
Image credit: @themagicianofthenight
This won’t be the only installation coming your way: More than 100 events will be a part of SAW’s 10th anniversary with plenty from exhibitions and films to tours and talks.
The Art of Dreams
Price: Free
Date: 21st – 29th January 2022
Time: Mon – Fri 2PM – 10PM | Sat, Sun & PH 12PM-10PM
Venue: Promontory at Marina Bay Sands, 11 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018940
Singapore Art Week
Date: 14th – 23rd January 2022
Image credit: @juzpingme
Whether you find running a boon or a bane, the virtual tokidoki Charity Run will help you get those cardio goals in check. But that’s not all – all proceeds from sign-ups will go towards the AIA Better Lives Fund which supports disadvantaged children and youths, so participants will be helping someone in need as well.
To top it all off, runners also get a goodie bag filled with event-exclusive tokidoki merch including a finisher medal, tote bag, sports towel, sticker set and dri-fit shirt – because it never hurts to feel cute when you run aye?
Price: $51
Date: Until 31st January 2022
tokidoki X AIA Better Lives Charity Run website
Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa – pool access is included for daycation bookings.
Image credit: @xopeachy_keen
Stay in a hotel without forking out the usual big bucks with a daycation. Through the new booking platform Dayuse, guests can book a stay in more than a hundred hotels in Singapore, for just half a day, at a fraction of usual prices.
Hotels include everything from a budget stay at HarbourVille Hotel Hamilton from $50 to a luxurious retreat at Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa from $150.
Find out more in our article on Dayuse.
Image credit: Teamsport
If Loh Kean Yew’s success in the World Championships has inspired you to take out your dusty old racket again, give the newly opened Teamsport Arena @ Suntec a shot. Two convention halls have been converted into a massive sports facility with 20 badminton courts that are lined with professional competition mats, no less.
Invite your friends for a match or two – currently, five players are allowed per court, with free-flow shuttlecocks available at a top-up.
Find out more in our article on Teamsport Arena @ Suntec.
Price:
Off-peak (Mon – Fri, 7AM-6PM): $15/hour
Peak (Mon – Fri 6PM-11PM, Sat – Sun 7AM-11PM): $30/hour
Address: Suntec Convention Centre, Hall 601/602, Singapore 039593
Opening hours: 7AM-11PM, Daily
Telephone: 8469 0003
Teamsport Arena @ Suntec website
Getting a tattoo has crossed many of our minds but being a tattoo artist? Probably not… yet. A new experience awaits at the palm of your hands – literally – at the Pseudo Tattoo Workshop by State of Shiok. Find out what goes on behind the needle with this three-hour-long session that comprises a tattoo gun and some fake skin.
Even if you aren’t a tattoo enthusiast, there’s no need to worry about feeling like a fish out of the water as a practising tattoo artist will be around to provide an introduction to the art form. Stencil designs can also be requested if you aren’t feeling confident in freehanding just yet.
Read our review of State of Shiok.
Price: $68/pax for three hours
Address: 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, #03-69, Singapore 168976
Opening hours: 12PM-9PM, Daily
Telephone: 9030 7284 | 9646 1157
Image adapted from: Colynn Chuah
With our hopes and dreams of VTL vacations dashed, it’s time to, once again, look inland for the experiences we dearly miss. Those who reminisce about relaxing in the onsens of Japan’s mountain towns shouldn’t miss a trip to the new Heiwa Wellness and Spa at Harbourfront Centre.
Soak those tense muscles into an infrared-powered stream bath and get a well-needed detox in their sauna room after. A complete self-care package here sets you back a reasonable $138 and includes a one-hour massage, a Japanese set meal and full-day access to spa facilities.
Find more similar options in our complete guide to onsen spas in Singapore.
Address: Harbourfront Centre, #03-44, Singapore 099253
Opening hours: 10AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 6970 2640
Image credit: @mypreciouzkids
Gardens by the Bay somehow manages to churn out weekend activities non-stop with first, Christmas Wonderland, and now an 8,600 sqft bouncy castle park. In this indoor kid’s haven, young ones can unleash their limitless energy upon eight giant inflatables themed after a maze, river cruise and obstacle course.
There’s also a Kith Cafe within the area for parents to refuel while keeping an eye on the kids.
Price: $18/pax | $66/family of four
Date: Now till 3rd July 2022
Time: 10AM-7.45PM, Daily. Tickets are sold in two-hour time slots with a 15-minute cleaning session in between.
Jumptopia: Wonder Garden at Gardens by the Bay website
Image credit: Moleskine
While many of us have migrated over to #teamdigital, you can’t deny the satisfaction of seeing your weekly schedule neatly penned down the old school way. If you haven’t gotten your 2022 planner sorted yet, shop limited-edition notebook designs at Moleskine’s first and only retail store in Southeast Asia.
Find out more about Moleskine’s flagship store.
Address: 290 Orchard Road, #02-20, Paragon Shopping Centre, Singapore 238859
Opening hours: 10AM-9PM, Daily
Image credit: TA.LE Architects
With Singapore’s heat, it’s hard to say no to a visit to an air-conditioned shopping mall, especially if it’s new and brimming with plenty of food.
A handful of new restaurants and cafes are now open at Orchard Road’s revamped Palais Renaissance. Spice up your next date at the newest French Fold outlet, fine-dining restaurant Caviar, or restro-bar Binary. Coming soon are also a luxe IG-worthy basement, and refreshed entrance, concierge and drop off point.
Crepes at French Fold
Read more about Palais Renaissance’s reopening.
Address: 390 Orchard Road, Singapore 238871
Opening hours: 10AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 6737 6992
Image credit: Funan SG
Rock climbing, cafe hopping and IT shopping at Funan have become all the more accessible with the 100M Underground Pedestrian Link that now connects the futuristic mall to City Hall MRT.
Other than providing a sheltered passage to keep all of us dry when it rains, this also doubles up as an art space, with upcoming plans to host digital projections and other exhibitions during Singapore Art Week 2022.
Address: Basement 2, Funan Mall, 107 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179105
The staycation scene in Singapore is off to a great start with two new unique hotels already on our radars.
If you loved SG Hotel on Wheels, you’ll have to experience tiny home living at The Container Hub, previously known as Shipping Container Hotel. The forest-themed accommodation surrounded by trees comes with everything you need in its 37sqm space.
Inside, find a dining room, kitchen, balcony, bathroom and even a creative living area that converts into a bedroom when you pull down a Murphy bed.
Behind the sofa is a hidden bed
Image credit: The Container Hub via Booking
But that’s not all, the roving hotel is also located in Haw Par Villa for a truly quirky and unconventional staycation. Guests get 50% off tickets to the museum until further notice!
Read more about The Container Hub here.
Rates: From $220/night for four people
Address: 262 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118628
Telephone: 6665 7500
Image credit: Villa Umbrella
If animals are more your thing, book your getaway at Villa Umbrella. Located in the nature enclave of Bukit Timah, this hotel has horses grazing at the entrance on weekend evenings – and the best part is, you can pet them for free. Activities like clay making workshops, animal feeding, hiking and a go-karting arena are but a short walk away.
Find out more about what you expect at Villa Umbrella Singapore.
Rates: From $148/night
Address: 100 Turf Club Road, Singapore 287992
Telephone: 6314 4287
Image credit: Trip
It may be in Pasir Ris but it’s the last thing from ulu – Downtown East needs no introduction as a hub of activities with an ongoing carnival, Tsum Tsum pop-up, roller skating rink and Wild Wild Wet.
Travel back in time to the Mesozoic era this month with Jurassic Dinosaur – Adventure Park, an indoor playground where kids can enjoy a dinosaur train ride, hop on a volcano trampoline and excavate an “archaeological site” before knocking themselves out with a bout of arcade shooting games.
Image credit: Trip
Price: From $25/ pax for 90-minutes of playtime
Date: Now till 13th February 2022
Time: Mon – Fri 12PM-9.30PM | Sat, Sun & PH 10AM-9.30PM
Venue: D’Marquee, 1 Pasir Ris Close, Singapore 519599
Jurassic Dinosaur – Adventure Park website
Image credit: Singapore Zoo
Glamping meets safari life at Singapore Zoo’s Staycation in the Wild, where a family escapade will be both adventurous and luxurious at the same time. This 2D1N experience comes with park admission to the Singapore Zoo, a guided tour, a rhino feeding session and clay modelling activities.
Gaze out your window for a view of the nearby lake
Image credit: Singapore Zoo
Yet, the highlight has got to be the glamping experience in a giant tent. Despite being in the great outdoors, everyone, including the kids, is sure to get a good night’s sleep with an A/C unit and two double beds within each tent.
Take the opportunity to stargaze here – since the campgrounds are situated by the Pavilion by the Lake, nights here should be dark enough for you to count the gazillion stars in the sky.
Rates: From $1,499/tent that fits up to four pax
Date: Until 19th March 2022
Venue: Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
Staycation in the Wild website
Image credit: @spinpainthouse
The sight of an empty canvas can be pretty daunting, especially if you’re anything like me, who flunked art classes back in school. Even so, the increasingly popular spin art technique is one that could turn you into an instant “Damien Hirst” – or at least, appear so.
Image credit: Spin Paint House
At Spin Paint House, each artist is stationed at their own custom-built hand-cranked spin table. All you have to do is douse your canvas with paint, activate the machine, and watch the colours explode outwards. Getting precise brush strokes right will be the least of your worries!
Price: From $65/person
Address: 61 Kaki Bukit Place #04-00,Singapore 416233
Opening hours: Wed – Fri 3PM-9PM | Sat 10AM-9PM | Sun 10AM-8PM (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Telephone: 8163 0999
2022 was this close to being the year of travel but with omicron lurking, staying within Singapore will be safer for now. On the bright side, there’re more than enough new events, exhibitions, and activities to keep us occupied in the meantime.
With our local scene already bursting at the seams, we’re thrilled to see what other exciting activities lie in store in the coming months.
For more happenings in Singapore, check out:
Cover image adapted from (L-R): @10sq.io, @themagicianofthenight, @mypreciouzkids
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