Carlton Hotel
Indulge in stay at Carlton Hotel’s comfortable Premier Club Room this National Day (from $308++ per night, valid for stays from Aug 2 to Aug 11 when you book by Jul 19). You'll receive a welcome fruit platter, get a breakfast buffet at the Club Lounge, and evening cocktails and canapés (6pm-8pm).

Conrad Centennial Singapore 
Get 20% off room rates, a "One Singapore" cocktail, a Conrad teddy bear and other perks when you book your weekend getaway at Conrad Centennial Singapore hotel for National Day. Perfectly located facing Marina Bay, you can view the fireworks display from the privacy of your room (prices start from $240++).

Fairmont Singapore
Exclusively from Aug 9 to Aug 10, Fairmont Singapore is offering a National Day Package (from $648++) for hotel rooms with a view of fireworks. Each package comes with breakfast buffet for two at Prego or Alligator Pear, and complimentary 24-hour overnight parking at Raffles City Shopping Centre.

Four Seasons Hotel
Check into their luxurious accommodation and get 50% off a second room (for children travelling with their parents) with the Family Package (from $430++). There's also a “Kids for All Seasons” program which provides a complimentary backpack or cap, bathrobe and slippers for all children below 12 years old.

Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel
Pamper yourself with a rejuvenating getaway and enjoy the spectacular display of fireworks (Aug 3-9) from their elegant Bayview hotel rooms ($248++). If your birthday falls on National Day, you get to receive a complimentary birthday cake too.

Grand Park Orchard
Head on down to this fashionable hotel along Singapore’s prime shopping district this National Day with your girlfriends and enjoy a 15% discount off Deluxe and Premier Rooms (from $300++). The “Stay Beautiful” package comes with Bvlgari bathroom amenities, in-room breakfast and complimentary cocktail at Bar Canary.

Hotel Fort Canning
Receive a 48% discount off all room rates when you check into this relaxing hotel surrounded by lush greenery from Aug 1-31. All bookings are inclusive of a daily buffet breakfast The Glass House Restaurant, complimentary wireless Internet access and complimentary drinks at the Private Lounge (6-8pm).

Marina Bay Sands
Soak up the sun at the stunning Sands SkyPark Infinity Pool, followed by a workout at Banyan Tree Fitness Club before proceeding to catch the fireworks on display at Marina Bay Sands. Room rates start from $599.

Marina Mandarin
Catch the fireworks from the Executive Deluxe ($1200++), Premier ($1400++) or Meritus Club ($1700++) hotel rooms. Then, enjoy a buffet dinner at the Pool Garden Pavilion, which includes smoked salmon with plum sauce and local delights such as the Singapore chilli crab and more ($58 per adult).

Naumi Liora
Hop down to Peranakan-styled boutique hotel, Naumi Liora from Aug 1-11 to enjoy special room rates in commemoration of our nation’s 48^th birthday. Prices start from $170++ (minimum stay of two nights).

Pan Pacific Orchard
From Aug 8-11, Singapore citizens and permanent residents get to enjoy a two-day, one-night stay at a special rate of $250++, and celebrate the nation’s 48^th birthday with 10 at Claymore’s Timeless Plates of Pleasure special at $48++ per person (Aug 8-9).

Pan Pacific Singapore
Witness the stunning fireworks at Marina Bay against the backdrop of the CBD from the comfort of the Harbour Studio (from $530). Celebrate National Day with local fare at Edge (from $78) or opt for Japanese dining at Keyaki (from $120) or Cantonese cuisine at award-winning Hai Tien Lo (from $68) from Aug 5-11. Plus, enjoy the Singapore Sling at $18 per glass for the month of August.

Parkroyal on Pickering
Experience a luxurious escape with The Suite Life package which includes access to the exclusive Orchid Club Lounge, buffet dinner for two at LIME and a pampering 60-minute spa at St Gregory’s. The package is priced at $688++ for Junior Suite, $738++ for Executive Suite and $1988++ for the Presidential Suite.

Raffles Hotel
Kick start the long weekend with Singapore Slings at the renowned colonial Raffles Hotel (an icon of this city) and have a Sunday Champagne Brunch for two at the Bar & Billiard Room for a supplementary price. The package is available from $550++.

Swissotel The Stamford
Embrace the National Day revelry at Singapore’s tallest hotel in their guestrooms with a grand view of fireworks and enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet for two at Café Swiss or Kopi Tiam. Rates start from $748++ and include free 24-hour overnight parking at Raffles City Shopping Centre.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel
Retreat into this luxe hotel by the waterfront on the weekends leading up to National Day to enjoy dazzling views of the fireworks display and breakfast for two at Clifford restaurant (Jul 13, 20, 27, Aug 3 with prices starting at $598 for a Premier Room). Enjoy a relaxing dip in their 25-metre infinity pool and private views of the fireworks on display if you opt for the National Day Room Package ($720++ per night for a Premier Room).

The Fullerton Hotel
From Jul to Aug 3, The Fullerton Hotel is offering a special Fireworks Festivities deal with rates starting at $468++ for the Quay Room (weekends only). Also dig into an American buffet breakfast and Singapore high tea at Town restaurant for two. Check into the Courtyard Room (from $388++ per night) on National Day and get exclusive access to One Fullerton for a rooftop view of the fireworks (6.30pm-8.45pm).

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia
Pulling out all the stops, Ritz Carlton’s Let Us Dazzle You package (on Aug 9) includes a night in a Club Premier suite, an in-room American breakfast for two and personalized monogrammed Ritz-Carlton bathrobes (from $1999). Alternatively, check in to a Deluxe Room (from $530) on NDP rehearsal dates to catch fireworks on display.

PLUS: Best dining deals for National Day 2013

Al-Ameen Eating House

Be spoilt for choice when it comes to Indian cuisine in this beloved supper joint.

Chatterbox

A good place for lunch or dinner—especially if you’re in town and craving some good ol’ chicken rice.

Rasapura Masters

Fancy great local food fare? They can all be found here amid the luxurious setting of Marina Bay Sands.

The Roti Prata House

Well-known for their signature crispy prata, the restaurant also offers superb indian food all-night long.

Oscar’s

Well-known for its sumptuous buffets, this hotel restaurant is a staple in the Singapore dining scene.

Spize

Due to its strategic location, this is a an all-time favorite for revelers to have supper after a night of partying.

Bastille Day Celebrations at Balzac Brasserie

Mark Bastille Day with this limited four-course menu care of chef Jean-Charles Dubois and his team. Emphasizing the importance of communal dining, the meal will feature French classics like oysters and poulet roti, plus baba au rhum for a sweet finish. Minimum two diners per table. Jul 13-14

Bastille Day at Tanjong Beach Club

If you're tired of snooty Bastille Day celebrations, here's a thought: strip down to your beach wear and revel in this beachside joint on this day when Jean Baptiste will be spinning his trademark soul, funk, disco, latin and jazz. Jul 14, 2pm

French Bastille Party

To mark the French National Day, wine bar O Batignolles is offering free-flow Champagne and nibbles (6:30-9pm) for $25, and glasses red, white or rose wine at $5 from 9pm until late. Folks who dress in stripes and “like” their password on Facebook also get free shots. Jul 13, 6.30pm

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Party / Festival of the Year
ZoukOut
There’s no beating this one. The city’s first outdoor dance music festival, already in its 12th edition, is still the go-to party for pure unadulterated fun in the company of 40,000 revelers (its highest yet) last year. Big names who rocked the crowd at Sentosa’s Siloso Beach for 2012’s edition include Paul Van Dyk, Paul Kalkbrenner and Above & Beyond. This year’s edition takes place Dec 13-14.

Best Exhibition or Arts Event
Night Festival
Close to 75 acts took to the streets surrounding the National Museum and School of the Arts (SOTA) last year for the festival’s third edition, with the highlight being the dance performance Fuerzabruta by Argentinean Ozono Producciones, where performers were suspended in mid-air. Quite the sight. And on Aug 23-24, 30-31, expect more nocturnal magic when the fest happens again.

Best Venue
Esplanade—Theatres by the Bay
While the sound system at the Indoor Stadium is unbeatable, the various spaces found at this beloved arts center are still the most versatile. Smaller international indie acts like mouse on the keys have played at its Theatre Studio and bigger names like Esperanza Spalding and Kraftwerk at its Concert Hall, while emerging local bands and musicians are always putting up performances at both its indoor and outdoor concourse areas.  There’s nary a dull moment here.

Best Museum
National Museum of Singapore
Not only are the interactive elements found throughout the museum’s many galleries totally cool, the diversity and breath of the exhibitions which opened over the past year are also highly commendable—not least the ongoing Princely Treasures from the House of Liechtenstein which features rare masterpieces from Europe and local artist John Clang’s recently concluded Being Together: Families and Portrait, which featured evocative contemporary photographs.

Best Art Gallery
MAD Museum of Art and Design
Before Japanese contemporary art got hip here with the recent opening of Tomio Koyama and Mizuma Gallery at Gillman Barracks, the guys at MAD were already at it—selling sought-after and rare works by the legendary Yoshitomo Nara, on top of their regular shows featuring many established Asian artists.

Best Local Production
Shakespeare in the Park
The event has grown from strength to strength over the years, having seen renowned classics of the Bard such as Othello, Twelfth Night and Macbeth. The recent Othello was particularly sexy, with palpable chemistry (and heat to match) between leading actors Daniel Francis and Wendy Kweh, with a plot revolving around deceit and jealousy—hot.

Artist of the Year
:phunk Studio
These guys are your favorite visual artists for a reason. Not only have they consistently held art shows—from Art Stage to Art Seasons—featuring their trademark whimsical silkscreened paintings, they’ve also collaborated with furniture makers Bench recently to produce a series of arty wood benches featuring the words “Dream” and “Armed”. Now that’s a smart way to garner further street cred.

NIGHTLIFE

Nightspot of the Year
Zouk
Despite stiffer competition from newer clubs like Kyo, the nightlife stalwart still holds fort for the best in dance music—last year’s playlist included visiting guest DJs like Pete Tong and Sven Vath. Resident DJs djB, Ghetto, Hong, Jeremy Boon and Adrian Wee also enjoy substantial local support with their regular nights spanning everything from house to soul to indie-dance to hip hop.

Best Lounge Club
Velvet Underground
Zouk’s sister space is also your pick for the best to simply dress up, look good and people watch. It also helps that you’re surrounded by some beautiful artworks.

Best New Bar
The Vault
What this cool watering hole has that not many bars can boast: space. The 7,000 sq. ft. duplex houses bistro on the ground floor and a swanky lounge-bar on the second level. Grub and tipples offered here may not be extraordinary, but its bimonthly Sunday Artists Market certainly ups its hip factor.

Best Cocktail Bar
28 HongKong Street
It was all very hush-hush when 28 first started, although this is still the go-to place for “insiders” (read: us) to sample mighty-fine bar bites and potent concoctions care of Best Bartender winner Michael Callahan. Nabbing the title two years in a row isn’t going to make it any easier to score a seat.

Best Rooftop Bar
Ku Dé Ta
Never mind that it faced some legal troubles last year, the plush nightlife spot still packs in the crowd with its unbeatable, tried-and-true formula: a luxurious space with killer views, serious cocktails, smooth sounds and ladies night that gives away expensive things. Nice...

Best Live Music Venue
Timbre
Arty-farty locations, hearty food, beers and great music by local musicians: Timbre ticks all the right boxes for a good night out.  The music roster changes from time to time, so emerging bands like Runaway Rose and Insight have their chance to shine.

Best Microbrewery
Brewerkz
The grand-daddy of the better beer movement has a large, loyal following for its fresh craft brews, with everything from golden ale and oatmeal stout to experimental seasonals. Plus, it has some of the best happy hour deals around (a jug goes for $14 before 3pm and $22 before 6pm).

Best Wine Bar
Wine Connection
Affordable, quality wines coupled with an unpretentious vibe (you get none of the wine snobbery nonsense here)—no wonder its outlets, including the latest and revamped branch at Robertson Walk, see a steady stream of customers every day of the week.

Bartender of the Year
Michael Callahan
Callahan’s innovative cocktails at 28 Hong Kong Street (also your pick for Best Cocktail Bar) rock, of course, but he’s also the most hardworking host in town. He’s currently working on a new menu featuring drinks infused with organic herbs grown on the bar’s rooftop—you heard it here first.

Best Local DJ
Aldrin
Still the city’s most consistent and reliable DJ to get the crowd going with his party-ready prog-house music sets, now featured monthly at Zouk for his monthly ONE with Aldrin nights. Our most famous export also toured Ibiza, Seoul, Bali, Taipei and even JB last year.

HEALTH & FITNESS

Best Gym
Fitness First
Winner in the same category for the second year running, the largest fitness chain in Singapore has expanded to 12 outlets islandwide, including seven Platinum gyms in the Central Business District. They’re vast and filled with the latest exercise equipment such as the Technogym Cardio Wave machine, but that’s not why they’re so highly sought after—you’ll find movie libraries, stunning heated pools, an outdoor group studio and even a sky garden.

Best Spa
Banyan Tree Spa Marina Bay Sands
Another one that’s topping the same category in two years is this amazing 55-story escape smack dab in the middle of the financial district. With grained parquet floors, twisted branches and earthy tones, Banyan Tree’s Singapore debut evokes the ambiance of a bamboo garden, with standard rooms equipped with kampong-style footbaths and double suites overlooking the skyline.

Best Yoga Studio
Pure Yoga
A vast and varied schedule sets Pure apart. The facilities here are conveniently located and extremely well maintained, plus the programs are nicely innovative, especially the intensive Forrest Yoga for Deeper Grounding series and the Satsang sharing sessions.

Best Gym Alternative
Wave House Sentosa
We may not have Hawaii or even Bali’s waves, but as long as we’ve got Wave House, we’re good. The two waves—the endless, non-curling FlowRider for beginners and the more challenging simulator, the FlowBarrel—are perfect for both those looking to pick up the sport and show off on its 10-foot wave.

Best Pilates Studio
Sky Pilates
With 50 classes a week, you’ll always have the opportunity for some corrective work at Sky Pilates. Looking for something fun and relaxing? The Gyrotonic expansion system sessions available here combine the best of yoga, dance and tai chi.

Best Running Event
StanChart Marathon
The undisputed standard bearer for a quality running event. This IAAF Gold Label road race has had more than 20 years under its belt with renowned runners marking the date each year in their running calendar. With various categories that cater to different running backgrounds, this is a truly inclusive event.

STYLE

Best Fashion Brand
Hansel
Much lauded designer Jo Soh’s whimsical, vintage-inspired creations get better with every collection, with the latest Spring/Summer’13 collection winning hearts (and votes) with its synchronized swimming theme, earning a perfect 10 in your books.

Best Indie Boutique
Blackmarket
Yet again, proprietor Jasmine Tuan’s 1,500 sq. ft. style den came up tops for the third year running, despite newer multi-label boutiques in the market threatening to usurp its throne. And it’s obvious why: the edgy store keeps things fresh and unpredictable with new collections and labels, all in the name of good taste.

Best Lifestyle Boutique
G.O.D.
The Hong Kong lifestyle label stays relevant with select goods specifically designed with the city in mind, like the tongue-in-cheek book/catalog The “Xi” Paper: 69 to 6.9 Million and adding “lah” for its signature DelayNoMore tees. Who can say no to nostalgic kitschy-cool items that remind you of the good ol’ days?

Best Flea Market
Flea & Easy
The city’s first trendy flea market has faced some serious competition in recent years, what with folks at Public Garden and For Flea Sake steadily gaining ground. To set itself apart, the Zouk team revamped the daytime flea to a convivial night market with great music vibes, courtesy of DJ group FFF DJ Bootcamp. Good times.

Best Mall
ION Orchard
With its diverse and impressive tenant mix (everything from fashion, dining, tech to home), ION Orchard pretty much offers the best of Orchard Road in a single location.

F&B

Best Restaurant
Les Amis
Last year’s winner is still the undisputed champion of fine dining in Singapore. Fans return time and again for the lovely ambiance, knowledgeable wait staff, sublime French fare and seriously impressive wine selection.

Best New Restaurant
Catalunya
A slick space encased in a glass dome floating on the water—the setup here (designed by award-winning New York design firm AvroKO) is undeniably gorgeous. The team—who trained at world famous joints like El Bulli and Sketch—puts out unfaultable Spanish bites and cocktails to boot.

Chef of the Year
Justin Quek - Sky On 57
Also the 2012 title holder, the Singapore industry veteran has been working this town for years, and we all know and love him from his days at Les Amis. Even though he left to expand his empire in Taipei and Shanghai, that’s affected his name recognition here not one bit. These days, folks flock to his MBS restaurant Sky on 57 for Singapore-inspired recipes.

Best Brunch
Wild Honey
From the exotic Tunisian breakfast—comprising fried eggs and chorizo in a spicy tomato sauce—to healthy muesli, this cute as a button establishment has everything a bleary eyed breakfaster could ever crave.

Best Coffee Joint
Chye Seng Huat Hardware
From the Papa Palheta folk comes this hip spot located in an Art Deco shophouse. With a 360-degree coffee bar, killer bottled cold brew coffee (served with milk and syrup on the side) and some seriously delicious pastries to go alongside—it’s your top choice for a jolt of caffeine.

Best Dessert Spot
2am:dessertbar
National pastry sweetheart Janice Wong helms this dimly lit sweet specialist, which is a favorite with area night owls (they stay open till two in the morn). Prettily plated and often including unusual ingredients (think mustard crumble and smoked tofu), dessert here is never boring.

Best Hawker Center
Old Airport Road
Time and again this hawker center snags the best street food title, and for good reason. Seasoned cooks at stalls like Blanco Court Kway Chap and Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee put out grub so good it makes the more than hour-long queues seem worth it. 51 Old Airport Rd.

Best Food Event
World Gourmet Summit
The who’s who of the food industry makes their way to Singapore for this annual event. And last year for its 17th addition, we saw superstars like three Michelin starred French chef Yannick Alléno and Aussie celeb chef Matt Moran.

TRAVEL

Asia Pacific’s Best Airline
Singapore Airlines
The undisputed champion of luxe air travel, our national carrier is ever reliable for impeccable service and efficiency. www.singaporeair.com.

Best Budget Airline
Jetstar
Affordable sister airline to Qantas is your top pick yet again, with its good range of routes (23 at last count) flying out of Changi Airport Terminal 1.

Best New Hotel
W Hotel
Located in chi-chi neighborhood Sentosa Cove, this establishment is super plushy by any standards, with a rocking branch of W’s signature watering hole Woobar—featuring nightly DJ acts—as well as two great restaurants The Kitchen Table and Skirt.

Best Boutique Hotel
The Scarlet
Its location in Chinatown is stellar, providing easy access to Ann Siang Hill’s top notch bars and restaurants. The hotel’s got lots of historic appeal too: the building dates back to 1924. And with classy wood and marble furnishings, the place exudes old world charm.

Best Hotel
Marina Bay Sands
The view from the SkyPark of this now iconic structure has got to be the most stunning in the city. Plus, the convenience of staying right by the world class casino, shops and celeb restaurants like db Bistro Moderne can’t be beat.

Best New Attraction
Gardens by the Bay
Who said parks can’t be fun for grown-ups? You have splendid flora to surround yourself with day and night, plus acts like Aerosmith, ATB, Kings of Convenience and Markus Schulz have performed on its grounds recently.

ETC

Coolest Local App
Uber
It’s no wonder you like it—there are still more taxi cabs than there are Uber sedans on the street, but snagging one and being driven around town in luxury is hard to beat.

Most Promising Startup
RedMart.com
This is a vote we badly want to get behind—everytime we order our drystores off RedMart, the delivery’s prompt and accurate, plus the staff’s friendly. The variety is just right, too.

Best Creative Networking Event
Creative Mixer
Each edition of the popular series
 by Relay Room sees an amazing turnout—up to 100 of the city’s creative game changers.

Hottest Neighborhood In Town
Tiong Bahru
The undisputed hip hood recently welcomed men’s only salon We Need A Hero and diners Two Face Pizzeria and Kisses to its turf. Competitors Jalan Besar and Everton Park still have a long way to go.

Best I-S Distribution Venue
Wine Connection Cheese Bar @ Robertson Walk
Its bustling Robertson Walk location, coupled with our distribution stand prominently placed at the entrance, makes this the best place to pick up I-S.

How much time do you spend at Golden Mile?
I go about twice a week. It’s important just because our suppliers can’t find just what we want. Like if I want to buy green papaya for som tum, there are so many different species that you can buy. And it’s hard to find a good supplier that’s actually going to go out and get me exactly what I want. I am quite specific with somethings so it’s good to go to Golden Mile. It keeps me up to date with what’s going on and allows me to adjust the menu where necessary.

Do you still have import a lot of stuff on your own or do you manage to get everything you need here?
We get everything we need. Nothing is grown here, it’s all imported. And most of it does come from Thailand. Some bits and bobs we do get from Malaysia too. Malaysia’s actually starting to boom in terms of their organic suppliers.

Is Isaan food getting popular?
Well it’s been slowly, but it’s not a new thing. Pok Pok did it in the States. The trend started in Portland, and then went nuts. Isaan food has started becoming popular with Westerners such as myself, Andy Ricker from Pok Pok and Jarrett Wrisley from Soul Food in Bangkok. I think we’re just trying to make it more accessible to people and especially because non-Thais, when we go to Thailand, and look at the street food, especially when we come from a country like Australia where there is no street food, we see that and I think we’re a bit put off by it. And there’s no real restaurants in Bangkok that do good Isaan food. It is tasty and for me, non-Thais have been having massaman curries and pad thai for way too long. There’s much more to Thai food.

What is it about Isaan that you like?
I think that it’s the rawness. It is what it is. A grilled piece of meat is a grilled piece of meat, with some fish sauce, lime juice and just a bit of chilli. It’s not flashy, there is no fine dining element to it. Really, it’s a peasant food. There’s no heavy creams and heavy sauces in there overpowering everything. Like the salt crusted sea bass we have at the moment. That’s what it is. That’s what you taste. And a little bit of nam jim on the side to liven it up a little. After cooking Thai food to eight to nine years, the restaurants I was working at were always more Central Plains and I was finding that on my days off, the Thai food that I was looking forward to eating was more Isaan.

We noticed the menu is listed as “Isaan-inspired” not Isaan. Was this a conscious decision?  
Kha’s been around for five years. There were some reservations whether Isaan food would work or not, whether customers would be ready for the raw, in your face flavors. And some people have said, “Wow this is really hot and this is really salty.” There is a following for the restaurant, and there are regulars who come back just for the green curry. I’m not hear to rock the boat. It’s no trouble to me to keep three curries on the menu. But what we’re focusing on is Isaan.

How authentic is your food?
The word “Issan-inspired” is trying to protect the restaurant. But the flavors are authentic to me and I’m not holding back. People have been holding back, dumbing down Thai flavors for years and what’s the point of that? 

How’s business?
Good. People do like it, especially the grilled sea bass. Isaan food is really simple so you can’t hide your mistakes and the food has to be really fresh. The reviews have been generous. 

How often do you get people saying it’s “too strong”?
You get one complaint every one or two months. It’s not actually a complaint, more just a comment. There are signs on the menu warning people this is really spicy but sometimes people don’t believe it. 

Do you have a wish list for the menu?
For me I’d like to make it more Isaan, slowly, slowly taking off those green curries and things, and then start bringing in more raw salads and interesting things like salted beef.

Chef Adam Cliff cooks at KHA.