*Go shawty, it’s your birthday, we gonna party like it’s your birthday, we gon’ sip Bacardi like it’s your birthday! Ahem, rap over. On a less ‘Fiddy’ note, you deserve to have an awesome party here in Singapore, regardless of how old and wrinkly you might be getting. Aside from your traditional brunches and big nights out, there are heaps of great options when it comes to celebrating on the island. And you don’t have to break the bank either – we’ve included ideas that start at $18 ($20 if you want to buy a party hat on the way). Check out the shortlist below and see if anything takes your fancy. Oh, and happy birthday/anniversary/graduation/Hanukkah/we’ll stop now.
Rent an island
Yep. That’s right. If your bank account is up to it, birthdays don’t get more special than inviting your closest 10 friends to enjoy a totally private island. The luxurious Pulau Pangkil is only a short ferry trip away, and you’ll have no worries about anyone complaining when it gets too noisy! The Pulau Pangkil package includes accommodation, three meals per day and full use of all the facilities. Plus, call the manager a few days before you arrive and they’ll prepare fantastic (complimentary) birthday cake – and fireworks!
Standard rate: $6,900 for a 3D2N weekend for one to 10 people. Charges apply for additional people.
Hop on a party bus
You’ve probably noticed those tourist-filled open-top buses going around Singapore before, right? Well picture the passengers lobbing their maps out of the window, grabbing a vino and turning the top deck into a pumpin’ dancefloor and you’ve got your potential birthday party. Rent a City Tour bus, hook the speakers up to your iPhone and tell the driver to go wherever you please on the island. Did someone say ‘pub crawl’?
City Tours provides charters of open-top tour buses – rent them in slots of three hours for $600. Drop Rosemini an email at rosemini@citytours.sg to customise your party package.
Cocktails on a yacht
You fancy schmancy you! Grab your friends, fill the cool box with beers and set sail around the coast of Singapore. Most companies allow you to design your own day, whether you want to sunbathe in the middle of the ocean, take a day cruise around the Southern Islands, snorkel in the shallows or enjoy a spot of fishing. Hungry? Request a barbecue package and enjoy food on board.
Tip: Sail over to Sentosa when the sun goes down and enjoy the nightly fireworks from the water.
Try the Neo Group – charter rates from $1,200 without food.
Back to nature
Take a ferry from Marina Pier for only $18 and head south to the offshore islands. Seringat Island, Kusu Island and St John’s Island each offer beautiful rustic beaches (not a shop in sight) -with swimming, snorkelling and fishing. Pack a picnic and umbrella and create a camp in the sand while your pals explore the islands’ lagoons.
Why not lengthen your birthday celebrations and turn the bash into an overnight camping affair? Charter a boat and head to Sisters’ Islands or Pulau Hantu to spend a night under the stars (please note, a camping permit is required and you have to take your own camping equipment).
TIP: The southern end of Seringat Island is merged with Lazarus Island, which, in turn, is connected to St John’s Island by bridge.
Get wet, get wild
Whether you’re turning 21 or 41, this birthday event will leave you with red cheeks and a big, tired grin. All you need is your bathing suit and plenty of energy for a whole day of splashing good times. Forget the crowds and queues at Adventure Coast, there are two brilliant water parks at opposite ends of the island – Wild Wild Wet and Jurong East Sports and Recreation Centre.
Entry to Wild Wild Wet is $19, and you get unlimited access to water rides like Ular-Lah, the first raft slide in Southeast Asia. For adrenaline junkies, try the Torpedo – where you’ll be ejected from an 18-metre-high capsule right into a heart-stopping four-storey-high free fall.
The Jurong East Sports and Recreation Centre costs less than $2 and is great for both serious swimmers and adventure seekers. While it’s not as wild and, um, wet as Wild Wild Wet, it has a three-storey tube slide, water playground, lazy pool and wave pool that will have you chuckling away in the sun. Jurong East Sports and Recreation Centre is at 21 Jurong East Street 31 – nearest MRT station: Chinese Garden.
Speed racer
Drive across the Causeway and make your way to Permas Go-Kart Club in Johor Bahru for a big dollop of speed and adventure. It’s cheap as chips, plus claimed to be the longest circuit in Malaysia. Go on as many rounds as your tummy can take, plus hop onto an all-terrain vehicle and zip around their special course. After all that, you’ll be in need of a birthday meal – head to Senibong for cheap and delicious seafood at one of the many restaurants overlooking the water.
Each 10-minute go-kart ride costs only RM35 for beginners on weekends. Call B & W Bus Transport Service on 6747 1788 to arrange transport from Singapore.
For more helpful tips head to our living in Singapore section.