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| Travel & Resources: SINGAPORE
Please help us keep these listings current and correct. Special thanks to gsmgay1997, lovesunny, BillyBudd, aarontay, buattaktahu, AndrewWong, T. Lee, David, Roger at AfA, Chan, Petrus, PWCT, 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. While sporting one of Asia's most vibrant and fun gay scenes and a huge Wikipedia entry on Singapore Gay History, homosexual activity remains illegal in Singapore along with oral sex, meaning that most sexually active Singaporeans, gay or not, are urban outlaws. 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, in 2006 government officials awarded a large grant of public money to a homophobic Christian group that tries to turn gays straight. Fundamentalist religious groups are paid to teach lop-sided human sexuality courses in public schools. Hotel rooms and private men's saunas are considered public places under law. Four men were arrested inside a gay sauna in April 2005 and in 2001 two men were charged with "riotous, disorderly or indecent behavior in any public road or in any public place or place of public amusement or resort". Click here for more information on actual convictions.
Singapore's first public GLBT pride festival, Indignation, took place during the month of Aug in 2005. The arts, especially theater, have been openly exploring the subject of homosexuality since the 1990s. Police harassment and entrapment of gays has nearly vanished 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 has quickly become more open, diverse, and world-class.
Here is Lee Kuan Yew publicly acknowledging that homosexuality may indeed be 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.
- Questions about AIDS/HIV care? Current medical treatment offers a normal lifespan for those living with HIV. A Harvard-trained Physician and Infectious Disease expert in Kuala Lumpur offers compassion and strictly confidential advice about health matters and state-of-the-art HIV treatment. Email the Doctor with your questions.
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.
- You can find a lot of great travel tips for booking Singapore luxury hotels, though if you haven't had much experience in traveling, be sure that you're getting the best discount hotels that you can - from spa resorts to humble little hostels - so that you'll enjoy anywhere you stay in Singapore.

- 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
34C Keppel Bay Dr, #01-74 Caribbean at Keppel Bay, 8113-0603, email. Graphics, photography, interactive arts, illustration.
- Australia Migration Agency
6 Battery Rd #38-03, 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, 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, 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
- Rairua Photography
Email. Rairua Photography specialises in artistic or intimate shots for keepsakes, web personals and various imaginative uses. Face, body, close-ups, single, group, with clothes, without. Complete discretion assured -- their trustworthy reputation is of many years' standing -- and charges are reasonable.

- ADLUS (Adventurers Like US) is a group for GLBT (gay, lesbian, bi and transgender) people who enjoy outdoor sports and adventurous activities, nature walks and conservation.
AIDS/HIV organizations and information
- F.L.US. (Friends Like Us)
Blk 1 #01-13 Yishun St 23, 9631-5540, FAX 6851-7359, email. F.L.US. organizes weekly badminton, dragon boat and other recreational activities for PLUs (people like us) to foster friendship and promote community service. Utopia Member Discount
- 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
Counseling: 6268-6626 (Thu 7-10pm, Sat/Sun 2-6pm), email. Two support groups: one for 20-something gay men and another for 30-something gay men. HIV and women's outreach. Organized by SPACES, a personal development and counseling service for individuals, couples and families within the GLB communities in Singapore.
- Pelangi Pride Center
21 Tanjong Pagar, 04-01, (see map, above Happy), 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 every Sat, 4-8pm). All are welcome to hang out inside the (no smoking) café or out on
the terrace, and enjoy drinks & desserts. 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.

Mango Travel70A Duxton Road (see map), 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.
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Comments from Utopians:
"We just used Mango Travel. Very efficient, professional, cost-effective and effortless. Highly recommended." -- ZAR, Jan 6, 2007
- 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
- Perspective Journeys
8127-2723, email. Explore Singapore with an anthropologist. Gain perspective into how yesterday interacts with today to produce the cultural landscape and how it relates to you as a tourtist or business person. Gay-owned and licensed by the Singapore Tourism Board for specialty heritage tours. 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

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

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:
"Try Planet Fitness. I checked out several other gyms while in Singapore and found this one to be very nice. It also had the least expensive 'one time' or 'day rate' at only S$26. It's on north side of Cross St about two blocks east of South Bridge St." -- flex11, Feb 24, 2007

Utterly Art2/F 229A South Bridge Rd (see map, diagonally opposite the Sri Mariamman Temple), 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 (see 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 (see Ann Siang Hill)
- 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
- Almost any of the dark, public parks are make-out sanctuaries for straights and gays who have little privacy elsewhere.
- Chinatown (see green areas on our Chinatown map)
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 near the beach at Fort Road (avoid the toilet).
- Hong Lim Park, Chinatown
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, 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, from the plaza in front of Mustafa’s 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, level 3
- City LINK facilities: near HMV. Lots of activity, but better to meet here and go elsewhere with your friend.
- Golden Mile Shopping Centre, level 1 to 3 (lots of Thais)
- Little India Arcade 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, busy facilities on 3/F (6/F is carefully watched by security these days), older and ethnic crowd.
- Orchard Cineleisure Complex. Young crowd.
- Northpoint, all levels
- Paragon, facilities on 5 and 6.
- Plaza Singapura, facilities on 5 and 6.
- Raffles City (City Hall MRT)
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, 2/F (next to Reds salon) and 3/F
- Takashimaya/Ngee Ann City, 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, 2/F near overhead bridge
- Yangtze Complex, level 2
- Sports and recreation areas:
- Bedok Stadium (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: 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.

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