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| Travel & Resources: SINGAPORE
Please help us keep these listings current and correct. Special thanks to Mastuka, riverrobles, KenW, bbox, flex11, ZAR, gsmgay1997, lovesunny, BillyBudd, aarontay, buattaktahu, AndrewWong, PWCT, T. Lee, David, Roger at AfA, Chan, Petrus, Marc, Kelvin L., Erik Lee, L. Cheung, Felicia, Roger, Thomas, Victor, Kelvin W., Davestar, Shao Ann, Eng Whatt, Alexis, e!, Ashley, Rabil and Sylvia at Fridae, Tan Peng and Alex Au for updates.
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SINGAPORE -- area code (65)
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Advisory: Singapore is politically conflicted about the natural desires of its citizens, straight and gay. In 2007 oral sex was finally decriminalized, but only for heterosexuals. While sporting one of Asia's most vibrant and fun gay scenes and a huge Wikipedia entry on Singapore Gay History, homosex (not homosexuals) remains illegal. Vestiges of antique British sodomy laws remain in force despite sloganeering for "Asian values", a weak disguise for conservative religion-based discrimination against sexual minorities (although Christians and fundamentalists are a minority in Singapore society, they hold half of the civil service jobs). Outrageously, while banning gay and lesbian self-help groups, government officials awarded a large grant of public money in 2006 to a Christian group that tries to un-gay queers. Fundamentalists have also been paid to teach lopsided sexuality courses in public schools. In 2009 an attempted takeover of a large women's NGO by Christian gay-haters was aborted by public outrage forcing the government to warn against mixing religion with secular politics.
Singapore's first public GLBT pride festival, Indignation, took place during the month of Aug in 2005. On May 16, 2009, thousands of GLBT and their freinds and families rallied peacefully in Hong Lim Park for the first PinkDot, calling for acceptance and an end to discrimination. The arts, especially theater, have been openly exploring the subject of homosexuality since the 1990s.
Police harassment and entrapment of gays ceased following Lee Kuan Yew's unexpected 1998 CNN statement that "what we are doing as a government is to leave people to live their own lives so long as they don't impinge on other people. I mean, we don't harass anybody." Most gay business owners have taken these words to heart and the gay scene quickly became more open, diverse, and world-class.
In October, 2007, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Parliament that "we recognise that homosexuals are part of our society. They have a place in our society and are entitled to their private lives."
Deputy PM Wong Kan Seng emphasized in 2009 that Singapore is a "stable society with traditional, heterosexual family values, but with space for homosexuals to live their private lives and contribute to the society."
Here is Lee Kuan Yew's pragmatic acknowledgment that homosexuality is likely a natural genetic variation:
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The updated and expanded 2nd Edition of the Utopia Guide to Singapore surveys the gay and lesbian scene in the Lion City. Listings include a gay scene map, organizations, bars, discos, spas, accommodations, restaurants, and more. A special section highlights venues that are especially welcoming for women. Click here to order
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Singapore has a lingering PR problem from its years of threatening gay citizens with the rotten rattan of its buggery-obsessed former colonial masters. Let’s lay that nonsense to rest: these days you won't be arrested for sharing a bed with your lover or chewing gum with that hot new “muscle Mary” gym buddy you just picked up at California Fitness. You don't need to withhold your pink dollars in a vote against the dinosaur technocrats because pink dollars are fueling a renaissance of gay-owned and managed businesses across the island. The tourist area of Chinatown already has several dozen rainbow venues filling up heritage buildings and attracting a steady flow of local clientele and in-the-know regional visitors. Have a look, sir. Drags also got, lah.
What will you get in place of homophobia and newspaper exposes? Southeast Asia's best cuisines collected together in one place, safe and clean multi-ethnic neighborhoods ripe for exploring, shopping malls up the wazoo, cheap world-class hotels, sport-spa-and-health legal highs, and rollicking nightlife.
Don't assume that Singaporeans are backward. Global access to information and the rapid economic advancement of this small island nation have created a mobile and progressive generation of educated, fit, English-speaking young men and women of diverse cultural backgrounds. The art of conversation is alive and well here and you will make fast friends who won't be afraid to challenge your thinking with their own opinions. Green, modern and organized, The Lion City is also a haven for well-to-do expats.
Officials stopped harassing gay venues at the end of the last century. The government has been officially hiring open homosexuals into the civil service for years now and gay and lesbian talents are sought after in the work force as the country strives to maintain its Asian "tiger" status through increased diversity. This new pragmatism seems set to continue.
In fact, Singapore has Asia's hottest gay scene going these days. Nobody would have predicted ten years ago that Bangkok would become dully conservative while Singapore would ascend to the wild heights last explored by the party men of 1970s San Francisco. Nobody but us. Singapore (along with Tokyo) has always been one of those round-the-clock fun factories, only now its scene has moved indoors from serene tropical cruise beaches, steamy inner-city jungle gardens, and dark, decaying Chinatown alleys. Unfortunately, along with this shift into high homo gear has come yet another young generation who think they invented partying and are somehow immune to the effects of drugs and STDs.
The population of Singapore is over 4.5 million people, which means that more than 180,000 Utopians live on this island along with an even larger number of self-professed metrosexual bi guys and gals who also participate in the local scene.
Lesbian listings
Men in Singapore message forum
Singapore Gay & Lesbian News
Singapore Gay Scene Updates message forum
Travel in Singapore message forum
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Additional links for Singapore GLBT information.
Navigating the local gay scene is easy with our interactive Utopia Map of Gay & Lesbian Singapore:

The Chinatown neighborhood is easy to navigate using our Utopia map:

- Being Gay in Singapore a special audio report by BBC World Service
- Singapore Laws Pertaining to Gays, an interesting posting from SiGNeL.
- A "scary/gross" expose on gay cruising from the Malay-language newspaper, Berita Harian.
Yawning BreadA ground breaking and award winning collection of ruminations on Singapore cultural life, including gay and lesbian issues.
- Singapore publications with GLBT themes:
- Abraham's Promise by Philip Jeyaratnam
- Corridor: 12 Short Stories by Alfian Sa'at (Raffles Editions)
- Andrew Koh's prize winning novella, Glass Cathedral
- OG Magazine
Now defunct, this world-famous Asian gay magazine was published in Singapore, believe it or not!
- Peculiar Chris by Johann S. Lee
- The Rainbow Connection (The Internet and the Singapore Gay Community) published by KangCuBine Publishing, Pte Ltd.
- Sisterhood and New Moon Over San Francisco by Joash Moo

- artN2design
387 Upper Changi Rd, Peakview Estate, Utopia Map, 8113-0603, email. Graphics, photography, interactive arts, illustration.
- Australia Migration Agency
6 Battery Rd #38-03, Utopia Map, 6100-2878, email. Professional advice for gays and lesbians on immigration to Australia. Registered migration agent based in Singapore. All migration options for Australia are provided including helping gay and lesbian partners of Australian PRs/citizens. Utopia Member Discount
- Headline Marketing
1 Lorong 19, Geylang, #03-01B The Primero, Utopia Map, 6842-4413, Email. Gay-owned car leasing (Renault Eurodrive in France and Europe) and global car hire specialists. Also, they offer tsunami alarm warnings via mobile phones.
- Osteopathic Pain Relief Centre
3 Pickering St, #01-09 Nankin Row, Utopia Map, 6327-8545, email. Osteopathic treatment for back pain, neck stiffness, migraine, sports injuries and other muscle/joint pains. They also offer sports massage and rehabilitation massage. Gay-owned. Utopia Member Discount

AIDS/HIV organizations and information
- Indignation
Singapore's first public gay pride festival took place in Aug 2005 and has become an annual event with larger premises and broader programs. The name is a foil to Singapore's melting pot National Day celebration, with its indigenous GLBT citizens indignant at being criminalized and discriminated against.
- Oogachaga Counselling and Support
41A Mosque St, Utopia Map, hotline: 6268-6626 (Tue-Thu 7-10pm and Sat 2-6pm), FAX 6399-4255, email. Founded in 1999, Oogachaga is Singapore's only community-based organisation specialised in counseling and support for GLBT. It runs a hotline, an affordable face-to-face counseling service, support group and informative workshops and talks.
- Pelangi Pride Center
2/F 41 Neil Rd (above DYMK bar), Utopia Map, email. Established in collaboration with HIV/STI prevention programs of AfA. The center is comprised of a library of 700+ GLBT-themed books (open for browsing/borrowing, enquire for times). They also offer counseling and referrals for medical, legal and other services.
- PLU (People Like Us)
PO Box 0299, Raffles City Post Office, Singapore 911710, email. Singapore's first grass-roots organization for men and women was silenced by the government. Many young professionals confident of their identities attended their popular topical forums. Their official mission was to promote awareness and understanding of the issues and problems concerning gay, lesbian and bisexual persons. Behind the scenes they directly addressed reversing discrimination against gays by lobbying police and government authorities. Their petition to the Registrar of Societies for official recognition was rejected on May 7, 1997, and their two subsequent appeals, all the way up to the Prime Minister's office, were declined without reason. They were then ordered to cease all activities or be subject to heavy penalties against organizers and members.
- Plu.edu.sg
Email. A group of Singapore-based teachers, educators and supportive colleagues from a range of institutions and backgrounds. They offer support to their members through regular meetings and social events. Their long-term mission is to achieve a situation in Singapore schools in which each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Gay teachers who are interested in joining this group should send an email.

- Chinatownology Tours
Email. Gay-owned, specialised tours for visitors to Singapore. Explore the fascinating cultures, foods and history of Chinatown, also the heart of Singapore's gay scene. Utopia Member Discount
- Mango Travel
Visiting hours are by appointment only: 6224-3171, email. Singapore's first boutique travel agency, focusing on the gay and lesbian for both incoming and outgoing travel. Their services include booking of hotels, air tickets, airport transfers, sightseeing tours, gift vouchers, and more.
- Neptune Group Pte Ltd
12 Regent St, 6728-0722, FAX 6729-9989, email. Gay-owned yacht sales and brokerage, yacht charters, corporate events and private functions, yacht supplies, services and maintenance. Their million dollar yacht is cozy and modern - plush sofas, stainless steel kitchen, granite counters. Multiple rooms for sleep-overs belowdecks, breezy party space with barbeque on the roof. A perfect locale for your private party, pride cruise, exclusive dinner party or birthday! Utopia Member Discount
- Tour Guide Service in Singapore
9666-1020, email. Licensed tourist guide to Singapore. Available for hire for personal/small group tour guiding. Experience the sights and sounds of Singapore along with its history, culture, heritage, food, and night scene. Gay and lesbian-friendly. Utopia Member Discount


Click here for Singapore hotels and accommodations.


Gay literature has found its way into mainstream bookshops throughout the island (often displayed under subjects like "Gender Studies"), including the following stores:
- Borders, Wheelock Place, Orchard Rd (a bit cruisy in the evenings, esp. mag section)
- MPH (at main branch under "Psychology" and "Gender Studies")
- Kinokuniya, Ngee Ann City branch, Orchard Road (stocks Chinese-language gay literature)
- Sunny Bookstore, Far East Plaza, Scotts Road


- California Gym
Orchard Rd. Gayer than ever! Check out the steam room as well as the dry sauna on the men's floor level 3, end of the shower section.
- California Fitness Center shower rooms and steam rooms.
Comments from Utopians:
"True Fitness has a lot of converts from California Fitness. Lots of eye candy in most branches, especially the Suntec and Raffles branch." -- genewilly, Apr 13, 2010

Utterly Art2/F 229A South Bridge Rd (diagonally opposite the Sri Mariamman Temple), Utopia Map, 9487-2006, email. This gay-owned gallery regularly exhibits local and Filipino artists, and occasionally work which deals with gay themes and the male nude. Ask for a private viewing of such works from the gallery collection.
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Singapore has one of the most vibrant cruising scenes in the region. In general, let locals make the first move. Contacts you make in public are at your own risk. Be discreet.
- Beaches: ask a local for directions as the specific hot spots shift. Late day and evening. Several locations.
- Maxwell Market hawker center
Utopia Map. Late nights on weekends after the nearby gay bars close.
- MRT Stations
- Boon Lay facilities
- City Hall facilities, popular
- Clementi facilities, popular
- Commonwealth facilities
- Eunos facilities
- Queenstown facilities
- Raffles Place facilities
Popular, lunchtime and evenings, also near the station and surrounding neighborhood at night. Mostly local scene.
- Somerset facilities
- Tanjong Pagar
- Orchard Road
Up and down and all around at any time of day or night. Some hustlers. Avoid them, there's plenty of free companionship.
- Parks and Gardens
- Chinatown (see green areas on our Utopia Map of Chinatown)
A number of small parks and darker alleys afford late-night cruisers a place to haunt. Cruising by car remains popular, especially along Telok Ayer and Amoy St.
- Katong Park
Utopia Map. Near the beach at Fort Road (avoid the toilet).
- Hong Lim Park, Chinatown
Utopia Map. Nicknamed "Jurassic Park". It was THE cruising place in the early 80's until the local authorities clamped down after a press report. All bushes and trees have been cut or pruned. Yet, older men still come here to meet up.
- Pasir Ris and Tampines have large gay communities. Check out the town parks or gardens below the blocks.
- Public Swimming Pools
Infamous and popular meeting spots. Be discreet and let the local take the lead if they show interest. Weekdays, afternoon to dusk.- Bukit Merah, Delta Swimming Complex (very cruisy weeknights and esp. weekends)
- Buona Vista, Holland Village
- Delta
Utopia Map. Close to the Redhill MRT Station, inside the Delta Housing Estate.
- Tanjong Katong -- Tanjong Rhu, near Katong Park weeknights and weekends)
- Wilkinson Road
- Yio Chu Kang, Ang Mo Kio Ave 9 behind Yio Chu Kang MRT Station
- Serangoon Rd
Utopia Map. From the plaza in front of Mustafa Centre to the Tekka Market. Young Indian men. Most lanes around Mustafa are also very cruisy in the evenings. Nepalese, Africans, Northern Indians -- gorgeous guys -- but mostly needy.
- Shopping Centers (almost any of the many that are here). Locals cruise around the new suburban shopping complexes near MRT stops. While you may chose to strike up a conversation, remember that security is vigilant. It is best to go somewhere else with your new friend.
- Century Square
- City LINK facilities: near HMV. Lots of activity, but better to meet here and go elsewhere with your friend.
- Golden Mile Shopping Centre
- Katong Mall
Comments from Utopians:
"Lately 95% of the shops have already closed down, leaving a couple of shops still operating. Hardly anyone crusing there these days." -- raider29, May 16, 2010
"A new cruisy place to hang out. Quite quiet and there's a 24-hour cold storage there and the facility is still the old fashioned open-concept loo." -- genewilly, Aug 9, 2009
- Little India Arcade
Utopia Map. At the beginning of Serangoon Rd. If you are into Indians, Sri Lankans, Tamils then there is no place better than this! The food court is cruisy all day and late evenings (just walk around the place, pretending to look for a good place to sit for a meal, and you will quickly find activity). The facilities at the end of the arcade is happening. Be discreet, but plenty to choose from.
- Lucky Plaza
Utopia Map. Busy facilities on 3/F (6/F is carefully watched by security these days), older and ethnic crowd.
- Orchard Cineleisure Complex.
- Northpoint
- Paragon
- Plaza Singapura
- Raffles City (City Hall MRT)
Utopia Map. Nicknamed "headquarters." Practically all facilities, from basement 1 to the 3rd level, including the posh facilities connecting the mall to the Swissotel Stamford. Be discreet as security is not tolerant of illegal behavior. You would be wise not to do anything on site, just make your connection and stroll off elsewhere. Very cruisy on Fri and Sat. Also on some weekdays between noon and 5pm.
- Suntec City
- Takashimaya/Ngee Ann City
Utopia Map. 3/F facilities next to Kinokuniya, afternoons through evenings. Also car park facilities on 6/F and 7/F. Watch for security.
- World Trade Centre
- Yangtze Complex, level 2.
- Sports and recreation areas:
- Bedok Stadium
Utopia Map. Bedok MRT Station. Take Bedok North Ave 3 to the pool and the stadium is just behind. Nights.
- Hill top jogging track at Pasir Ris Residential area (behind the Tibetan temple), opposite Block 220
- Loyang Way
- Mount Faber
Utopia Map. Take a jog around dusk and you might meet a hunter for a quick nature safari.
- National Stadium Gym
- National University of Singapore
- Tampines, (near the Esso station) Block opposite the Esso Station is very busy with joggers at night.
Comments from Utopians:
"Fort Road beach may be blocked but there is still some activity near the Fort Road beach carpark area. Once you make your way out of the carpark and towards the footpath, there are some cruising spots there, but do be discreet. Best times are in the late hours like 11pm onwards. Weekends like Fri and Sat do see a fair group there. Fort Road/Katong Park: Best times are in the late hours also like 1am onwards because its brightly lit still and the next block is a condominium." -- genewilly, Oct 25, 2009
"Amoy St is a another cruising spot for all types especially from 10pm onwards. Very happening and the parks are great for meetings. There is also a 24-hour ramen/western food restaurant open at the corner of Amoy St and near the Amoy St market. A real place to hang out in the wee hours after a gay pub nearby." -- genewilly, Aug 31, 2009

- Ah Chew Desserts
1 Liang Seah St, #01-11 Liang Seah Place, Utopia Map, 6339-8198. One of the jewels on this dining street of preserved heritage shophouses, Ah Chew (gesundheit!) specializes in traditional local happy endings surrounded by pure oriental kitch ambience. Dig into cups of warm almond or black sesame "pudding", mango slices and tapioca balls in coconut milk with crushed ice, or multi-textured taste treats mixed up from ingredients like crunchy water chestnuts, peanut sauce, pungent durian, juicy jack fruit, and green "worms." Closed Mon.
CHINATOWN
The Chinatown neighborhood is easy to navigate using our Utopia maps:


- Candlenut Kitchen (Nyonya-Baba cuisine)
25 Neil Rd, Utopia Map, 6226-2506. Foodie alert! This bright, modern restaurant serves authentic Peranakan (Straits Chinese) Nyonya (Grandmother) cuisine. Chef Malcolm, a rising culinary star, shares the kitchen with his Mum, conjuring up Singapore soul food with subtle and complex flavors using (increasingly) rare and unusual ingredients. The portions are just right, as are the prices. Leave room for their perfectly executed deserts!
- Maxwell Food Centre
5-way intersection at Maxwell, Tanjong Pagar, Neil and South Bridge Rds, Utopia Map. The crowd at this popular hawker center becomes 50% gay after midnight on clubs nights as partiers from nearby bars and discos refuel.
- Nanyang Old Coffee
On the corner of Smith Street and South Bridge Rd, Utopia Map. Traditional Singapore coffee with subtle caramel flavor, hot or cold. Traditional snacks including some of the best pork bao on the planet. Who knew a half-boiled egg with a drizzle of sticky, black soy sauce would go to great with coffee!
- Red Star (dim sum)
07-23 Blk 54 Chin Swee Rd, Utopia Map, 6532-5266. We're going to let you in on a well-kept secret, so promise not to tell anyone, OK? This old fashioned dim sum restaurant is hidden inside of a block of flats near the non-touristy section of Chinatown and is a super popular place with locals for yum cha feasts on a wide selection of goodies carted around the room. Alas, they redecorated in 2007 -- with mundane, mismatched and misguided decor -- wiping out 90% of this restaurant's former retro charm (sorry Wallpaper, you didn't get here fast enough). The only remaining bit of historical kitch is the revolutionary red star motif on the ceiling from way way back when Mao was an icon. Still it' remains an unpretentious place to savor top-notch no-fuss ever-popular taste treats with your good comrades.
- Tea Chapter (traditional Chinese tea house)
9A-9B Neil Rd, Utopia Map, 6226-1175. 11am-11pm Tue-Sun, 7pm-11pm Mondays. Rustic setting in a restored shophouse. Countless varieties of tea to try, all with properties and poetic names. Learn to prepare tea in the Chinese style. A unique place to relax with a group of friends.
- Tong Heng (traditional Chinese pastries)
285 Southbridge Rd, Utopia Map, 6223-3649. This foodie shrine serves up more than a dozen types of traditional sweets including their famous diamond-shaped egg custard tart, savory pastries, and seasonal holiday sweets such as Dragon Boat Festival rice dumplings and mid-Autumn mooncakes. Best of all, they spent 6 months researching and producing fabulous wall-mounted panels describing the history of each and every heritage treat. This unpretentious shop is a Singapore superlative. They also have the most strange and wonderful thing you've (possibly) ever put in your mouth: sweet and chewy cookies glazed with salty pork juice!
- Village Wok
80/82 Telok Ayer St #01-01, Utopia Map, 6743-9743. Their business card says "Singapore's only Old Canton Village cuisine and restaurant cum sauce boutique." We didn't try the cum sauce, but did love their do-it-yourself "wet" spring rolls. You order a variety of delicious ingredients, savory and sweet sauces, plus moist filling that makes these stand out from the average spring roll. After dining, be sure to visit the beautifully restored temple next door and view the diorama of Singapore life when this street was once at the ocean's edge.
ORCHARD ROAD

- Newton Circus (hawker center)
Near the Newton MRT station, Utopia Map. World-famous and very touristy. Every section of city has its own hawker center. Many regional specialties can be found. Get a table, then order from any booth you fancy. Food paradise.
- PS. Café
2/F Palais, 390 Orchard Rd #02-09A, Utopia Map, reservations: 9834-8232. Classicly elegant continental atmosphere. French flavors. Fabulous desserts. Handsome staff. International magazines of all kinds on hand for their upscale, world-traveling clientele to browse. The patio seating is up inside the green of the trees outdoors.
OTHER AREAS
- East Coast Parkway Seafood Centre
Utopia Map. Take a taxi. Sit near the ocean at any one of the large open-air establishments (we always go to Red House Seafood, 6442-3112). Great, fresh seafood. Don't miss the sweet and crunchy fried baby squid, pepper crab (ask for female crabs because they come with their own caviar), grilled prawns, and drunken prawns (brought to the table sober, they are dropped, skittering, into a clear bowl containing liquor so that they're feeling no pain when its time for the cooking pot). End the meal with a warm pudding of yam paste and coconut milk topped with ginko nuts.
- The Garden Slug (international)
55 Lorong L Telok Kurau, #01-59/61 Bright Centre (on Lorong L a few shops down from the intersection), Utopia Map, 9006-4163, email. This gay and lesbian-run local diner serves hearty, wholesome, home-cooked fare such as soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches, and sweets (try their signature Brownie Popsicle!). There are also dishes to please vegetarians. Very casual and unpretentious. Free Wi-fi, community bookshelf and pet-friendly! Resonably priced. Also available for special events and functions. See map and directions on their website. Utopia Member Discount

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