Jetstar Promotion 2013: Bigger Better Sale

Bigger Better Sale (BBS), Singapore’s version of Cyber Monday, is featuring over 50 retailers offering free giveaways, huge discounts, and gifts with purchase. The online sales is presented by Visa My Finds, Bigger Better Sale has kicks off at 8 pm on 30 May with a massive 24 hour sale, and you’ll find great deals over a 10 day period until 9 June.

JetStar, one of the most popular budget airlines in Asia-Pacific, is also participating the BBS. Jetstar's Bigger Better Sale offers some great flight deals to great destinations from Singapore such as Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Hong Kong and Beijing:

$34 for JetStar flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (sales ends on 1 June 2013 8 pm),
$78 for flights from Singapore to Phuket (sales ends on 3 June 2013 8 pm),
$98 for flights from Singapore to Bangkok and Haikou (sales ends on 3 June 2013 8 pm),
$118 for flights from Singapore to Manila (sales ends on 3 June 2013 8 pm),
$128 for flights from Singapore to Hong Kong (sales ends on 3 June 2013 8 pm),
$168 for flights from Singapore to Taipei (sales ends on 3 June 2013 8 pm),
$178 for flights from Singapore to Beijing and Shantou / Jieyang (sales ends on 3 June 2013 8 pm) and
$198 for flights from Singapore to Hangzhou (sales ends on 3 June 2013 8 pm).

Jetstar Promotion 2013: Bigger Better Sale

According to Bigger Better Sales web site Jetstar is the most popular brand of the online shopping event along with online retailer Zalora Singapore. Other than these flight discounts, there are many other travel deals to enjoy in BBS such as 3D2N Hong Kong Delights from $348, up to 25% off Superstar Aquarius - Japan fly cruise package from $1484,  up to 30% off Superstar Libra – Thailand Twin Cities Fly Cruise Package, etc.

Zalora cash-on-collection in Singapore via 7-Eleven

Online shoes and fashion shopping platform Zalora has launched an interesting logistics trial in Singapore: Shoppers of the online retailer can select cash-on-collection as payment method and then select their preferred 7-Eleven store to collect their purchases and pay on spot. Shoppers will receive an SMS when the order is ready for collection upon payment.

This would be very for many people who cannot be at the delivery address at a specified time to collect their orders. Just last month, Online marketplace Qoo10 has announced a similar partnership with 7-Eleven to offer Singapore's first cash payment option for online shoppers.

"This is an exciting step for us as it can help those still apprehensive about online shopping get over that initial barrier. We hope that this collaboration can help us grow the market by increasing consumer confidence in e-commerce efficiencies," said Amanda Eng, marketing director for Zalora Singapore.

If this pilot trial is successful, the service will be expanded across all 570 7-Eleven stores in Singapore. Currently 19 stores are participating the trial including outlets Pasir Ris MRT, Causeway Point, Clementi Mall, 313@Somerset and Serangoon Central Mall.

Customers ordering items online from Zalora Singapore may soon be able to collect
their orders from 7-Eleven outlets around the island.

Founded in 2012, ZALORA is one of Asia’s most popular online retailer featuring the region’s largest range of products and brands. ZALORA operates on a pure e-commerce model, being solely online. ZALORA Asia Group that also has a presence in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia since late 2011.

Princess Cruises 2014-15 Exotics Cruises

 Global cruise and tour company Princess Cruises offers many great cruises along Asia, Africa, Australia & New Zealand, Tahiti & the South Pacific, and South America in their 2014-15 exotics program. The lineup in 2014-2015 will also includes Princess Cruises’ first-ever World Cruise sailing round-trip from North America and additional capacity in Tahiti & the South Pacific. In Australia, Princess will continue to offer the biggest choice of ships, home-ports and itineraries with four ships deployed in the region. The West Africa itinerary, returning to the lineup due to popular demand, will add a new port to Princess’ roster of more than 300 around the world, with a maiden call to the island nation of São Tomé.

In total, the fall 2014 to spring 2015 program spans six continents and calls to more than 145 worldwide destinations. Eight ships will cover the globe with 114 departures of 37 itinerary options.

“Worldwide cruising has long been a Princess specialty,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “Our expertise in these exciting destinations offers passengers the perfect way to check that ‘must-see’ place off their bucket list.”

Princess Cruises’ 2014-15 Exotics program

Asia & Africa
Sapphire Princess in Asia - Sailing between Beijing and Bangkok or Singapore, Sapphire Princess with her 2,670 passengers capacity will offer a 17-day Grand Asia itinerary. Sapphire Princess will offer three departures in Asia in fall 2014. Each cruise wil include an overnight stay in spectacular Hong Kong as well as calls to Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Busan, and Nagasaki. Cruise departures run from October 7 to November 10, 2014.

Ocean Princess to Asia and Africa – Small ship Ocean Princess sails through the Indian Ocean along the coast of West Africa in spring 2015. The ship’s 32-day Singapore to Cape Town voyage is followed by a 30-day Cape Town to London (Dover) voyage featuring visits to a number of intriguing destinations in West Africa. True world travelers can combine these voyages for a 62-day cruise to a variety of exotic calls such as Ghana, Togo, Namibia, Senegal, and Princess’ maiden call to the island nation of São Tomé. Sailings depart April 3 and May 5, 2015.

Land & Sea Vacations – In Asia, passengers can add to their cruise with a land tour to the top attractions in China – including UNESCO sites like Beijing’s Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, The Great Wall, Xian and the Terra Cotta Warriors – as well as three nights on a Yangtze River cruise.

Sapphire Princess cruise ship will be in Asia in 2014-2015.

Australia & New Zealand
Diamond Princess in Australia & New Zealand – The ship once again sails on this favorite itinerary between Sydney and Auckland. The 12- or 13-day voyages include calls in both countries, and spectacular cruising through the dramatic Fiordland National Park. Departures run from December 16, 2014 through February 15, 2015.

Diamond Princess Round Australia – For the first time, Diamond Princess offer a full 28-day circumnavigation of the Australian continent. Featuring Princess’ largest ship ever on this route, the Sydney to Sydney voyage offers two departures – November 18, 2014 and February 27, 2015.

Australia Homeport Cruising – Sun Princess, Sea Princess and Dawn Princess will offer sailings from three homeports – Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne – on a series of New Zealand, Fiji, South Pacific and Tasmania cruises geared especially for local tastes.

Australia & Asia – Diamond Princess and Ocean Princess offer Australia & Asia departures between Sydney and Singapore featuring the Northern Territory, Queensland as well as ports in Vietnam and Indonesia.

Land & Sea Vacations – Travelers can add more of the wonders of Australia with land tours that visit iconic UNESCO sites such as Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kakadu National Park in the Outback, the Great Barrier Reef, and cosmopolitan Sydney.

Tahiti & South Pacific 
Small Ship Cruising in French Polynesia – Princess returns to the blue waters of Tahiti & Polynesia with two ships for increased capacity in to this beautiful destination. Intimate sister ships Pacific Princess and Ocean Princess offer the small ship cruising experience in fall and spring on a 10-day Tahiti & French Polynesia itinerary roundtrip from Tahiti (Papeete). Each departure includes two full days in Bora Bora as well as Moorea, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Huahine – all selected in Condé Nast Traveler’s 10 best islands in the South Pacific. Sailings depart between October 9, 2014 and February 16, 2015.

Pacific Princess to Marquesas & Polynesia – Pacific Princess will also feature three departures of a 10-day Marquesas & Polynesia itinerary featuring the remote island of Nuku Hiva – famed as the island where Herman Melville penned his first book, Typee, about life on a Polynesian island. Departures are offered on October 29, November 28 and December 28, 2014.

South America & the Caribbean 
Golden Princess in South America – Two itineraries aboard Golden Princess offer passengers the best of Southern Hemisphere cruising. Sailing between Santiago (Valparaiso) and either Rio de Janeiro or Buenos Aires, the Cape Horn & Strait of Magellan or Route to Rio itineraries each include the dramatic cruising of the southernmost tip of South America and the Chilean Fjords. Sailings depart between December 20, 2014 and February 28, 2015.

Golden Princess Andes & South America – At the beginning and end of the season, Golden Princess will also sail between two continents and cross the Equator on two departures of a Andes & South America itinerary between Los Angeles and Santiago, featuring calls in Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica and an optional overland tour to magnificent Machu Picchu. Departures are offered on December 3, 2014 and March 14, 2015.

Ocean Princess Caribbean Connoisseur – A special 14-day Caribbean Connoisseur voyage aboard Ocean Princess over the holidays adds a new sailing choice from Ft. Lauderdale. A unique opportunity to enjoy small ship-cruising in the Caribbean, this voyage includes calls at small gems such as St. Barts, Martinique and Virgin Gorda. Ocean Princess departs on December 19, 2014.

Land & Sea Vacations – Land tour options offer the opportunity to explore dramatic UNESCO sites like Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian-Argentine border or mysterious Machu Picchu in the Andes in addition to a South America cruise.

World Cruise 
World Cruise on Pacific Princess – For the first time, Princess’ World Cruise will depart and return from North America. The 111-day voyage aboard Pacific Princess sails roundtrip from Los Angeles, with an option for a 94-day itinerary from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale. Spanning six continents and featuring more than 34 destinations to 25 countries, this unique World Cruise includes four overnight calls in Sydney, Hong Kong, Dubai and Barcelona. Overland excursions and day excursions will be available to see some of the most iconic destinations such as Sydney Harbour, Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, the Taj Mahal and Mexico’s Copper Canyon. Pacific Princess sets sail on January 23, 2015.

Premier League football superstars in Marina Bay Sands on June 20

Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand, Stoke City’s Peter Crouch, English league stars Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Jamie Redknapp, John Barnes, Ian Wright, Les Ferdinand, Peter Reid, Denis Irwin, David Seaman and Owen Hargreaves and well-known former players and managers Glenn Hoddle, Ozzie Ardilles and Harry Redknapp will all be in Marina Bay Sands on  20 June. No, the Premier League football superstars will of course not be in the integrated resort for gambling; a number of these elite professional players will participate in a clinic with students from Marina Bay Sands’ designated charities at the Skating Rink in The Shoppes at 3 pm.

The footballers will teach a group of 80 students to perfect the art of juggling, dribbling and taking a penalty. Members of the public will be able to catch the action “live”. Fans of the footballers will also have the opportunity to watch the match from the levels above the Skating Rink which provide unobstructed views of the rink. The football clinic is designed to allow talented and under-privileged students a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn the art of football from renowned athletes. In August, Sands for Singapore will also launch its
inaugural three-day signature charitable event that will be held throughout Marina Bay Sands.

“As part of our Corporate Social Responsibilities initiatives, Marina Bay Sands is proud to be able to give back to the society, inspire youth in pursuing their dreams, and improve the skill sets of young people through an event of this calibre. Sands for Singapore allows us the opportunity to pair our activities with our community and engage our charities in activities that are close to their hearts,” said Mr George Tanasijevich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marina Bay Sands.

Peter Reid said, “I’m really excited to be involved in what I’m sure is going to be a fun-filled event. Marina Bay Sands is a world-class venue, and I’m sure that the boys and I will have a fantastic time!”

Source : Football Superstars dribble to Marina Bay Sands for “Sands for Singapore”

Vietnam hotel deals in Hoi An by Agoda.com

Hoi An is a beautiful city in Vietnam located approximately halfway down Vietnam's long, S-shaped coastline, just south of Da Nang. It is said that Japanese mariners in the 18th century believed that Hoi An was the heart of all of Asia. The Old Town of Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to UNESCO, the town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site.

The town has been a strategic ocean port since at least the  mid-1400’s, and was officially founded in 1595 as a result of the increased trade policies of the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Southern Vietnam from 1558-1777. During this time European powers were exploring and trading with an enthusiasm never before seen, and the mystical orient proved an irresistible destination. The town grew fast and quickly became the busiest and richest port in the region, and much evidence of these developments still remains.

Today, however, the town is known mostly for its thriving tourism industry, and rightly so – the beautiful architecture and narrow streets have hardly changed since the old days, and it’s easy to take an evening stroll down Bạch Đằng Street and imagine pacing the route 200 years in the past. It seems that there is a restaurant, coffee shop or store on every corner, each one offering a delicious meal, perfect beverage, or unique souvenir.

Hoi An

This time of year is perfect for a visit to the beach-side town, as tourist numbers are low and summer temperatures are kept in check by the constant ocean breeze.  Take a look at the hotels below to find some great deals in this beautiful town.

Little Hoi An Boutique Hotel & Spa 4*
Book now and enjoy a 55% discount. Expires June 20, 2013.

Ancient House River Resort & Spa 4*
Book now and enjoy a 54% discount. Expires October 31, 2013.

Hoi An Pacific Hotel & Spa 4*
Book now and enjoy a 52% discount. Expires June 30, 2013.

Hoi An Riverside Resort & Spa 4*
Book now and enjoy a 50% discount. Expires October 31, 2013.

Van Lan Riviera Villas 3*      
Book now and enjoy a 50% discount. Expires June 16, 2013.

Huy Hoang Garden Hotel 3*
Book now and enjoy a 50% discount. Expires June 30, 2013.

Memories Homestay 1*       
Book now and enjoy a 50% discount. Expires December 31, 2013.

Hoi An Glory Hotel & Spa, 4*
Book now and enjoy a 50% discount. Expires June 30, 2013.

Lotus Hoi An Hotel 3*
Book now and enjoy a 50% discount. Expires June 30, 2013.

Southern Hotel & Villas 3*  
Book now and enjoy a 50% discount. Expires June 30, 2013.

Flights from Kuala Lumpur to Lombok by AirAsia increased

Beginning from 11 June 2013, Malaysia based popular budget airline AirAsia will introduce more flights from Kuala Lumpur to Lombok, an Indonesian island east of Bali, increasingly getting popular tourist destination as an "unspoiled Bali". AirAsia will fly daily between Kuala Lumpur and Lombok instead of current four times a week frequency. To celebrate the the launch of the daily Lombok flights, AirAsia is offering promotional flights (all-in-fare) from as low as RM 99 one-way from Kuala Lumpur to Lombok. Promotional fares for return flights from Lombok – Kuala Lumpur are also offered from as low as RM 102 one-way. The promotion is valid for booking period from now until 19 May 2013, for the travel period from 11 June 2013 – 30 April 2014.

AirAsia has launched the direct flights to Lombok as the 15th Indonesian destination from Kuala Lumpur in August 2012. Located just east of Bali, Lombok in many ways lives up to or exceeds the promotional term, "an unspoiled Bali". With beautiful beaches, enchanting waterfalls, the large, looming volcano of Mount Rinjani combined with relatively few tourists, Lombok is indeed the paradisaical tropical island that many people still mistakenly imagine Bali to be now.

Visitors can ride the waves by surfing in Tanjung A’an or experience a dreamlike and picture perfect underwater world by snorkelling and diving around one of the many Gilis off the coast of Lombok, such as Gili Trawangan.

Watching the sunset, while walking on untouched sandy beaches at Senggigi, presents perfect romantic moments for honeymooners. After a day of rigorous activities, revitalize by enjoying a relaxing massage at one of the many spas in Lombok. Continue having fun into the night by visiting local seaside nightspots along Senggigi Beach, enjoying a drink and trendy music while being caressed by the cool sea breeze.

For food lovers and those with a keen taste for full-bodied spicy cuisines, Lombok is famous for halal Sasak dishes such as Ayam Taliwang, Sate Ikan Tanjung and Pelecing Kangkung. White rice—a Sasak staple--is regularly served together with the scrumptious dishes.

Passionate shoppers will find Lombok as a trove for unique woven fabrics, exquisite pearls and fine potteries. These local products are available for purchase at dedicated galleries, or for an authentic buying experience, obtain it directly at the villages cum cultural centres where they are produced.

Lombok is a unique and immaculate destination, which will definitely satisfy diverse holiday preferences. It is a must for those looking for adventure, serenity or a romantic getaway.

AirAsia will fly from Kuala Lumpur to Lombok 7 times a week.

Besides contributing towards reinforcing Malaysian – Indonesian bilateral ties through direct air connection to various destinations of both nations—promoting economic gains and enhance business and tourism activities—this latest effort by AirAsia is set to bring in more business and leisure travellers into Lombok and presents unparalleled access to Kuala Lumpur for Lombok’s population.

Guests are encouraged to pre-book their check-in baggage allocation online along with their flight bookings as they are able to save up to 66% as compared to checking-in their bags over the airport counter.

Flight Frequencies for Kuala Lumpur – Lombok (from 11 June 2013 onwards)

Sector	Flight	Depart	Arrive	Frequency
From Kuala Lumpur to Lombok	AK 1408	0840	1145	Daily
From Lombok to Kuala Lumpur	AK 1409	1215	1525	Daily

Apart from that, guests are also able to pre-book their in-flight meals with a wide variety of hot meals available on board with an option to book up to two meals for each guest. Check-in baggage allocation, in-flight meals, Pick-A-Seat, travel insurance and more are all available online and guests are able to add or make changes to their booking very simply through ‘Manage My Booking’.

Eight New and Affordable Hotels in Singapore for 2013

With the average room rate hovering around US$205, Singapore hotels may be very expensive compared to South East Asia standards (Singapore being rated the sixth most expensive city in the world according to a recent survey conducted by London-based Economic Intelligence Unit) but the thanks to hungry demand for cheap and budget hotels in Singapore, new budget hotels are adding up to the stock of existing budget hotels. In 2013 up to now, eight new budget hotels have been opened according to a press release by BudgetHotels.sg.

In 2013 with the help of some newly opened attractions such as Singapore River Safari, Marine Life Park and Gardens by the Bay; 15 million visitors have arrived to Singapore in 2013.

“These new budget hotels couldn’t choose a better time than now to open. There is a huge pent-up demand from travelers for cheaper accommodation and especially visitors from countries like Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. Also, as part of the hotels’ opening marketing drive, these hotels will be offering special Singapore hotel promotions that discerning travelers should take advantage of,” says Danny Lee of BudgetHotels.sg, an online hotel guide platform specializing in listing budget hotels near MRT train stations.

Here are the eight new budget hotels in Singapore catering to cost conscious travelers:

Venue Hotel 
Situated in the tranquil settings of Peranakan district in Singapore, Venue Hotel is a 3 stars boutique hotel restored from an old Chinese shop house. The hotel is within walking distance to Paya Lebar MRT train station.

The Seacare Hotel 
Situated at Clarke Quay / Riverside area, this stylish and contemporary business hotel with 103 rooms is within 10-minute walk to Chinatown MRT train station.

The Daulat Hotel 
A quirky hotel with Persian-designed elements straddling Bugis and Little India districts and is blessed with close proximity to either MRT train stations.

Big Hotel 
A mid-size hotel in downtown Bugis with 300 over rooms and all rooms come with Serta mattress and free Wi-Fi.

Big Hotel in Bugis is one of the new affordable hotels in Singapore.

Amaris Hotel Bugis, Singapore 
A small and no-frills budget hotel conveniently located in Bugis and within short walking distance to Suntec Convention and Exhibition Center that will appeal to the budget-conscious business travelers.

Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park 
Located in Novena / Balestier, this 3-star hotel offers 405 rooms under the well-known Days Inn hotel chain.

Hotel Clover 
Designed for both business and leisure travel, Hotel Clover is ideally situated in Bugis; one of the city's most popular locales. the hotel is within walking distance to Bugis MRT train station. The rooms are Scandinavian-inspired and equipped with work-desk and free Wi-Fi for business travelers.

Bliss Hotel Singapore 
A boutique hotel with avant-garde rooms and free Wi-Fi that is located near the vicinity of Chinatown MRT train station.

Source : New Hotels In Singapore 2013

Singapore Flyer put in receivership

The Singapore Flyer, a observation wheel in Singapore, has been put in receivership. Situated on the southeast tip of the Marina Centre, the 150 m diameter wheel,  was officially opened to the public on 1 March 2008.

What is receivership? Receivership is a type of corporate bankruptcy in which a receiver is appointed by bankruptcy courts or creditors to run the company. According to The Routers, Ferrier Hodgson, a law firm specialised in insolvency and corporate turnarounds, was appointed as receivers and managers over the charged assets of Singapore Flyer Pte Ltd, the company which owns the ferris wheel.

"It said in a statement on Tuesday that "it is business as usual at Singapore Flyer" and it is working with business partners and tour operators to ensure smooth operations through the receivership.

Ferrier Hodgson also said it is confident it will be able to identify investors to manage and improve the Singapore Flyer. "We will be calling for expressions of interest shortly to commence the process."

Usually, the primary responsibility of the receiver is to recoup as much of the unpaid loans as possible.

According to The Straits Times, analysts and tour agents were not surprised that company that owns the Singapore Flyer has bankrupted:

Analysts noted that the Singapore Flyer was not attractive to locals and did not encourage repeat visitors while tour agents also told The Straits Times that the ticket prices were too expensive and some had stopped taking tourists there.

Mr M. Loganathan, a tour guide, said that he prefers to take tourists to view Singapore's scenery from buildings like the OUB building instead. "It's cheaper so we earn more. At these places, tourists can stay as long as they want and take as many pictures as they want," he said, adding that he suggests alternate locations to the Flyer to tourists the guides.

Singapore Flyer put in receivership

Shangri-La Hotel Singapore offers Local Teh Tarik Culture At The Lobby

Gain instant insight into Singapore’s local tea culture with daily teh tarik (Malay words for ‘pulled tea’) demonstration by an Indian teh tarik man dressed in traditional hawker attire.  From 5 to 6 p.m., guests at the Tower Wing lobby can enjoy a complimentary glass of teh tarik and assorted nonya cakes for free as an introduction to Singapore’s food culture.

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore prides itself as an advocate of local culture and ethnic traditions.  This educational Shangri-La experience of freshly made teh tarik and nonya cakes at the lobby aims to bring guests back in time and relive a part of Singapore’s hawker history.

Commonly found in local coffee shops, teh tarik is a popular black tea made with condensed milk.  This hot Indian milk tea, unique to Southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia, derives its name from the repeated tossing from one mug to another with artistic theatrics to create the thick froth.  The tossing also helps thoroughly mix the condensed milk in the tea.

Guests at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore can partake in a piece of street hawker history with the fun and engaging teh tarik man dressed in traditional hawker attire – a white singlet and wrap-around cloth skirt or sarong – serving teh tarik in double-glazed glasses.  The joy of watching a long stream of teh tarik being tossed without spilling is both a novelty and an educational feast of Singapore’s food culture.

Eight different types of colourful nonya kuehs, including Ubi Bingkah (Tapioca Cake), Mini Ang Ku Kueh (Red Tortoise Cake) and Rainbow Kueh Lapis (Rainbow Layered Cake), add authentic flavours to this delightful evening tea experience.

Catch the experience at the Tower Wing lobby of Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore from 5 to 6 p.m.

Bigger Better Sale Singapore

Have you heard Bigger Better Sale Singapore? Modeled after highly successful Cyber Monday in United States and Singles Day in China this new 24-hour flash sale platform Bigger Better Sales will start on May 30th 2013 at 08:00 am and the main sales will run 24 hours on biggerbettersale.com. This main online sales will  a ten-day sale with items from over 50 participating merchants until June 9. These merchants will offer free giveaways, discounts and gifts with purchases. BiggerBetterSale is supported by Visa's MyFinds.

Bigger Better Sales will be an online alternative and challange to Great Singapore Sales (GSS) and recently slammed by organizers of GSS by the way it takes away shoppers from GSS on the eve of GSS. Competing for the same shopper pool at almost at the same time with GSS, Bigger Better Sales (BBS) will feature up to 80 percent and 50 percent at Zalora and at Reebonz respectively, to travel deals such as one-way ticket at S$34 (US$27) to Kuala Lumpur on Jetstar. Popular brands like Golden Village Cinemas, Adidas, Eu Yan Sang and Courts are some of 50+ merchants participating the event.

"The idea is to be the online platform for the GSS. Singapore does not have a one-day sale culture yet" says Australian Dorjee Sun, the entrepreneur behind BBS. According to Mr Sun, the merchants will not be charged a fee in this first sale.

"We think that with around 50 merchants and several hundred products listed, we could be helping boost e-commerce in Singapore by an excess of several million in sales during our 24-hour sale and the subsequent 10-day period.

However our goal for the first year is about helping increase online wallet share online in Singapore while providing merchants with a great return on investments on this campaign, as we are offering them this first campaign for free."[1]

Bigger Better Sale is Singapore version of Cyber Monday in United States.

[1] - BiggerBetterSale is a Cyber Monday in Singapore

Flights from Hong Kong to Jakarta by Tiger Airways

 From 25 July 2013, Tiger Airways will introduce direct budget flights from Hong Kong to Jakarta four times weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Tiger Airways plans to increase the frequency of Hong Kong - Jakarta flights to daily by September 2013. "We are excited that Tiger Airways is the first low cost carrier flying direct from Hong Kong to Jakarta, one of Asia's fastest growing economies. Our new service aims to offer best value in travel to both business travellers and Indonesian workers in Hong Kong. The competitive pricing, frequent schedule and value-added services on demand makes Tiger Airways' flight offerings unique and certainly more cost effective" said Kaneswaran Avili, Commercial Director, Tiger Airways Singapore.

The new Tiger Airways flights between Hong Kong and Jakarta is celebrated by an introductory promotion named "Hong Kong - Jakarta Return for Free" which will be open for booking until 29 May 2013. The promotion offers complimentary return (Jakarta to Hong Kong) airfare, excluding taxes, on round trips booked for travel between 25 July 2013 to 29 March 2014.

Tiger Airways is a group of budget carriers operating in the Asia Pacific region. The group consists of wholly-owned Tiger Airways Singapore and Tiger Airways Australia, and partially-owned Mandala Airlines and SEAir. Tiger Airways aims to expand its presence in Asia through both new strategic partnerships and organic growth. Tiger Airways flies to over 50 destinations in 13 countries in the Asia Pacific region.

Tiger Airways Singapore is rapidly expanding its network in Indonesia. Domestically within Indonesia, the budget airline flies between the capital city of Jakarta and key cities including Bali (Denpasar)  Medan, Surabaya, Padang, Pekanbaru and Yogyakarta. Tiger Airways is also launching budget flights to Yogyakarta and Bandung from Singapore starting on 1 July and 1 August 2013.

http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/245-TigerAirways.shtml

World’s Longest Virtual Flight by Scoot Airlines

Singapore based long-haul budget airline Scoot has announced registrations for a contest what it calls “World’s Longest Virtual Flight”. The contest will take place on 4 June 2013, one year after its first commercial flight, and will follow the same route. The virtual Scoot flight from Singapore to Sydney will "take off" at 9 pm on June 4 and the flight from Sydney to Singapoire will take off at 5 am on 5 June.  Contestants “on board” must tap (mobile) or click (desktop) the “Scoot Virtual Flight” every 60 seconds initially…with the contestant who outlasts all others walking away with S$20,000 cash and free Scoot flights for one year! All participants will also have the chance to receive one of the S$30,000 in Scoot travel vouchers being given away throughout the contest.

“In the past 12 months, Scoot has gone from just one aircraft and one destination to a fleet of five aircraft operating to Sydney, Gold Coast, Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo, Tianjin, Qingdao and Shenyang, with Seoul and Nanjing commencing in the next two weeks. It’s been a busy and exciting year for all of us at Scoot, and we’re incredibly grateful for all those who’ve supported us. Our online community, especially, has been fantastic, so we wanted to celebrate our first anniversary in a fitting way – and what more fitting way for an online community than to win cash and prizes for doing what they do best: clicking!” said Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot.

In addition, 200 contestants will be invited to participate in person at Golden Village City Square Mall theatre, where they can enjoy a free movie marathon, make themselves comfortable with Scoot blankets and “win before they begin” with travel vouchers.

Registrations for the flight was closed yesterday.

Singapore based Scoot is a long-haul budget airline which operates medium and long haul no-frills flights between Singapore and Sydney, Gold Coast, Bangkok, Tianjin, Taipei and Tokyo, with Shenyang and Qingdao commencing shortly

Source : Scoot to Win S$50,000 in cash and tickets!

Regent Seven Seas Cruises adds Asia and South America to Why Choose? Promotion

Regent Seven Seas Cruises adds 12 Asia and South America cruises to its popular promotion called Why Choose...When You Can Have It All. Originally featuring only cruises in Europe cruise guest now can enjoy three exclusive offers of free unlimited Internet, a $300 per suite shipboard credit and a pre- or post-land program where available from $499 per person on eligible Asia and South America cruises.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is specialized on luxury cruises in ships with small passenger capacity and many included amenities. In contrast to other cruise lines which price the cruising experience, to some extent, a la carte, Regent Seven Seas bills its cruises as "the most all-inclusive". Base fare on Regent Seven Seas ships includes most alcoholic beverages on-board ship and most shore excursions in ports of call, as well as all gratuities that would normally be paid to hotel staff on the ship. Fare also includes one night's hotel stay before boarding[3] and airfare to and from the cruise's origin and destination ports.

Travel agents can receive a $100 gift card on every new booking made under the Why Choose? promotion, which is good from now until May 31, 2013. Regent Seven Seas Cruises' offer is valid on the following 2013-14 Asia and South America cruises:

Seven Seas Voyager
December 3: Indian Ocean Odyssey, Dubai to Singapore, 19 Nights
December 22: Coral Reefs & Koalas, Singapore to Sydney, 16 Nights
January 7: Australian Interlude, Sydney to Auckland, 10 Nights
February 1: Wonders Down Under and Asia, Sydney to Singapore, 18 Nights
March 21: Asian Highlights, Beijing to Bangkok, 18 Nights
April 28: Three Seas Adventures, Dubai to Rome, 20 Nights

Seven Seas Mariner
December 8: Cosmopolitan Classics, Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires, 12 Nights
December 20: South American Symphony, Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, 15 Nights
January 4: Brazil and Beyond, Rio de Janeiro to Miami, 21 nights
January 25: Panama Canal Passage, Miami to Lima, 14 Nights
February 28: South American Playgrounds, Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, 10 Nights
March 10: Transatlantic Passage, Rio de Janeiro to Barcelona, 18 Nights

For the cruises above use promotion code WHYCHOOSE.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Seven Seas Voyager Cruise ship

The following European 2013 sailings, which were featured in the original promotion, are still available and include free unlimited internet, a $300 per suite shipboard credit and Business Class Air from $699 per person, each way.

Seven Seas Mariner
July 8: Aegean Allure, Athens to Istanbul, 10 Nights
August 12: Jewels of Italy, Venice to Barcelona, 10 Nights
August 22: Baroque Bliss, Barcelona to Rome, 7 Nights
August 29: Venetian Dreams, Rome to Venice, 10 Nights
September 8: Adriatic Escape, Venice to Monte Carlo, 10 Nights
October 17: Italian Interlude, Rome to Monte Carlo, 7 Nights
October 24: Princes & Patricians, Monte Carlo to Venice, 7 Nights
November 10: Passage to Iberia, Rome to Barcelona, 10 Nights
November 20: South Atlantic Sojourn, Barcelona to Rio de Janeiro, 18 Nights

Seven Seas Voyager
September 26: Classical Visions, Barcelona to Rome, 10 Nights
October 6: Mediterranean Melody, Rome to Monte Carlo, 7 Nights
October 23: Lands of Myths, Seas of Fables, Rome to Venice, 10 Nights
November 12: Red Sea Odyssey, Istanbul to Dubai, 21 Nights

Use promotion code EUROPE2013.
Source : Regent Seven Seas Cruises adds Asia and South America to its Why Choose? Promotion

Jetstar's Discover Darwin and the Top End Sale

Australia may not look like a short getaway destination from Singapore but thanks to JetStar's short-haul flights from Singapore to Darwin, it actually is. Darwin, Australia’s northern-most city, has a laid-back lifestyle, balmy tropical weather, nice entertainment scene, and is a gateway access to amazing World Heritage-listed sites make the ‘top end’ a totally unique experience. You can join in the laid-back ambience of local markets for an amazing variety of food, arts and souvenirs. At night, Darwin bursts into life with inner-city pubs, clubs and stylish restaurants. Or, catch a famous Darwin sunset followed by casual harbour-side dining on the boardwalks of Cullen Bay Marina.

If you are looking for an outback adventure, you can be swimming under the cool, pristine waterfalls at Litchfield National Park within two hours of leaving the city limits. Or take a riverboat ride on Katherine Gorge - a deep gorge carved through ancient sandstone. And just a three-hour drive away is the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, teeming with a remarkable variety and concentration of wildlife, vast floodplains and billabongs.

Until May 31 2013, you can book budget flights from Singapore to Darwin as low as $98 one way. Just go to Discover Darwin and the Top End Sale special.

AirAsia X Promotion 2013: Two is Better Than One

Malaysia based long haul budget airline Air Asia X is offering "Two is Better Than One" promotion available for booking until June 2 2013. For travel period from 1 June 2013 to 31 October 2013, you can book flight tickets for great destinations like Busan, Taipei, Perth, Chengdu, Shanghai starting from RM 299 (all-in-fare) for not one but for 2 person! And if you want premium flights by Air Asia X's FlatBed, the rates start from RM 1398 all in fare. (The Premium Flatbed's in Air Asia X comes with universal power sockets, adjustable headrests and built-in personal utilities such as tray table, drink holder, reading light and privacy screen. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services which include Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Blanket.)

Two to Go promotion is easy to book. You can simply Go to airasia.com and select "number of guests" as  2 – 8 to view the promo fares. When you select 2 – 8 guests, you will automatically be able to see ‘Two to Go’ fares. ‘Two to Go’ promo is only available for D7 to D7 Fly-Thru flights.

AirAsia X Promotion 2013: Two is Better Than One

Asian Cruises by Cruise Direct

The Caribbean, Mediterranean and Europe are still the top cruise destinations, and Americans and Canadians making up the bulk of cruise passengers. But Australia and Asia is rapidly rising as a global cruise destination by many top cruise liners increasing their presence in the region. In May 2013, Costa Cruises has added Costa Atlantica to Costa Victoria in Asia and increased its capacity to 5,074 passengers. By June 2013, Royal Caribbean International's Mariner of the Seas will debut as the largest cruise ship in Asia and through out 2013 summer cruise season, the voyager class cruise ship will sail in Asia servicing cruises out of Singapore and Shanghai, China. And Princess Cruises will position Sapphire Princess cruise liner in Singapore between November 2014 and February 2015.

According to the Chief Executive Pier Luigi Foschi, Carnival Asia is aimed to convert South East Asia to "Caribbean of Asia" in cruising using Singapore as a major hub, as Miami currently is for the Caribbean. "There is good weather, lots of islands to visit and a lot of experiences. South East Asia is not too different from the Caribbean in terms of these basic conditions."

Explaining why Singapore was chosen, Jan Swartz, executive vice president for sales, marketing & customer service, Princess Cruises, said: “We see the growing awareness of cruise tourism in Singapore, which gives us an opportunity to grow.” She added that the cruises from Singapore were also expected to draw strong interest from neighbouring countries like Malaysia, India and Indonesia.

"We are very bullish on China and Asia as a whole," said Jim Berra, chief marketing officer of Carnival Cruise Lines and CLIA's marketing chair.

Mariner of the Seas seen here in Caribbean will be deployed in Asia in summer 2013.

He added that cruise lines are investing in the region with more home ports and ports of call, and sending ships into the region to meet the growing market.

If you want a great holiday on cruises in Asia, you can take a look at cruisedirect.com's Asian Cruises offered by top cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, etc:

3 Night South East Asia Cruise from Singapore by  Royal Caribbean - Mariner of the Seas calling ports Singapore, Port Klang, Malaysia, Singapore.

3 Night Far East Cruise from Singapore with Costa Cruise Line - Costa Victoria calling ports Singapore, Malacca Malaysia, Penang (malesia), Singapore.

3 Night Strait Of Malacca Cruise from Singapore with Princess Cruise Line - Sapphire Princess calling Singapore, Kuala Lumpur (port Kelang), Malaysi, Singapore.

4 Nights South East Asia Cruise from Singapore with Royal Caribbean - Voyager of the Seas  Shanghai (baoshan), China, Busan, South Korea, Jeju Island, South Korea, Shanghai (baoshan), China.

For last minute cruises take a look at here: Last Minute Cruises

Foodpanda and Singapore Dine merge in Singapore and become Number One

Foodpanda Singapore, an online food order and delivery platform in Singapore, has started a partnership with Singapore Dine, Singapore’s best Restaurant and Dining web portal. This partnership will make Foodpanda the market leading food delivery company in Singapore. This partnership announcement came just a week after Foodpanda announced its cooperation with RedMart, Singapore’s fastest growing online grocery delivery service.

Founded in March 2012, Foodpanda Singapore grew into a Singapore wide food order and delivery platform with more than 200 restaurants in its list. “The merge with Singapore Dine makes us by far the market leader in the Singaporean food delivery market. Customers, who want to order at Singapore’s Dine will be redirected to www.foodpanda.sg in future to access the broadest culinary variety from more than 200 restaurants delivering island-wide. We are very happy that we can offer the leading and best food delivery platform in Singapore” said Kiren Tanna, CEO Asia at foodpanda in Singapore about the merger.

Singapore-Dine has also been operating food delivery service since 2010 through its online ordering portal: www.Singapore-Dine.sg/delivery. The site offers the widest index of eateries in Singapore, including buffets, coffee places, hawker centers, restaurants & more, taking into account your budget, your location and even by MRT station. Our site includes an on-line reservations system; the first on-line restaurant booking system in Singapore.

Cheap Travel Deals and Holiday Discounts by Zuji Singapore

ZUJI is an online travel agency owned by Travelocity. It is one of Asia Pacific's leading online travel company with teams in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. The company enables its customers to create their unique holiday by booking flights, hotels, activities, cars, etc. from a single platform. ZUJI has a large set of choices for this purpose: You can choose from 200,000 weekly flights on 400 airlines, 100,000 hotels, an endless number of holidays and activities, car hire and travel insurance.

But what does ZUJI mean? Zuji is in fact an English derivation of the Chinese/pinyin word for 'footprint'. Since Zuji enables travellers to create their own path for their journey, this name is choosen for the company.

Each ZUJI site is unique and tailored to the local traveller’s needs, giving them trusted recommendations. The firm’s goal is to give consumers the chance to plan their travels exactly the way they want it. ZUJI has teams and operates travel websites in: Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and India ('Travelocity India' and Travel Guru), as well as many 'Travel Partner Network' sites throughout Asia Pacific.


For five years running, 2005 to 2009, ZUJI was recognised as Asia Pacific's 'Best Online Travel Agent', as awarded by TTG travel magazines in Asia Pacific. The firm was also awarded as the 'Best Online Travel Agency' in 2007 by the Travel Weekly (Asia) Industry Awards. 'Condé Nast Traveler' magazine (March 08, US-edition) announced ZUJI as the 'best travel web site for flights in Asia'. ZUJI was conferred the "Asia's Best Brand" by the first ever CMO Asia Awards 2010.

The company regularly offers cheap travel deals and holiday discounts. Some deals originating from Singapore are:

4 Days 3 Nights Hong Kong at less than $500 per person. Find your Hong Kong Long Weekend Getaway at the best price with ZUJI.

5-star Macau hotels at less than $115 per night.

4-star Singapore hotels fr $145 per night. Find your ideal hotel stay with ZUJI.

Flights from Singapore to Boracay by Tiger Airways

Singapore based airline Tiger Airways will start direct budget flights from Singapore to Kalibo, Boracay Island on 18 July 2013. Tiger will be the only budget airline flying direct to Kalibo. This will provide a 3.5 hours travel option to Philippine's paradise island Boracay from Singapore as opposed to current 5.5 hours travel time through Cebu or Manila.

Currently, visitors to the island generally transit at Manila and Cebu to board a 2-hour and 1-hour domestic flight respectively, before arriving at Kalibo. The new 3.5-hour direct flight to Kalibo, to be operated by Tiger’s associate airline, Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAir), will cut down on transit and travelling time. Travellers will also enjoy savings on airfare as they will now be paying for air passage on one flight instead of two. Tiger Group is the only budget carrier to offer a direct Singapore-Kalibo call.

In conjunction with the Singapore-Kalibo route launch, Tiger Airways will be offering promotional fares of $88 between 21 May and 24 May. This fare, which is inclusive of taxes and other charges, is valid for travel from 18 July 2013 through 29 March 2014.

Flights from Singapore to Kalibo, DG 8803, will depart on Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 12:25 hr from Singapore Changi Airport and arrive Kalibo at 16:05 hr. Flights from Kalibo to Singapore, DG8802, will depart on Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 08:10 hr from Kalibo and arrive Singapore Changi Airport at 11:55 hr.

Flights from Singapore to Boracay by Tiger Airways
(flights are operated by SEAIR)

Surrounded by stunning white sand beaches, Boracay Island is the best island on the planet earth according to "Travel + Leisure" magazine's 2012 World's Best Awards. It offers beaches in the same league with more popular destinations such as Caribbean, South Pacifi, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Kalibo is a gateway to Boracay, which has gained much interest among travellers in the recent years, including an increasing number of Singaporeans who frequent its beaches for short getaways.

Lana Marks and CH Carolina Herrera opens at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, purveyor of fashion forward labels and international luxury brands, is thrilled to welcome CH Carolina Herrera and Lana Marks to its existing conglomeration of globally acclaimed boutiques under one roof. To inaugurate the opening of their new outposts, world-renowned fashion designers Mrs Carolina Herrera, Carolina Herrera de Báez and Lana Markswere recently in town to
celebrate and unveil their limited edition items crafted exclusively for The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

Yesterday, world-renowned handbag designer Lana Marks opened her eponymous luxury handbags and accessories label at The Shoppes amid a glamorous spectacle of audience, including Her Royal Highness Princess Izzul of Brunei and Mrs Caroline Adelman, wife of David Adelman, U.S. Ambassador to Singapore.

Lana Marks, founder and designer of eponymous fashion label, said, “I’m overwhelmed with excitement to be opening our Singapore flagship store at the magnificent The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. My boutique here will house the most important designs and colour of the brand including the Singapore Exclusive Positano Bag.”

Lana Marks also launched her very first “Celebrity Showcase Exhibition”, a display of actual Cleopatra clutches carried by various Hollywood celebrities at The Oscars, such as CharlizeTheron, Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren and Angelina Jolie.

These exquisite pieces will be on display at The Shoppes from 21 to 23 May, followed by a splendid showcase of Lana Marks’ newest collection until 03 June. This exhibition, located on L1-41, Bay Level of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, is open for all to view.

Launched in 2001, CH Carolina Herrera is a luxury lifestyle label founded by Venezuelan fashion designer Carolina Herrera. This is the brand’s third venture in Asia after China and Japan, as well as its first foray into Southeast Asia.

To mark its entrance in Singapore, CH Carolina Herrera collaborated with Spanish Artist Yolanda de Andres to design a limited edition bag exclusively for the boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

Mr. John Postle, Vice President of Retail, Marina Bay Sands, said, “The Shoppes is extremely excited to welcome the very best of world-class fashion to its existing mix of luxury retail offerings.”

The debut of these highly recognised fashion labels is truly reflective of Singapore and the market’s appeal as a luxury shopping destination. To be the preferred partner for these highly distinguished fashion designers and for them to design products exclusively for The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands reaffirms our leading edge in the world of fashion, as well as our position as Asia’s premier shopping destination.”

Amid these new-to-market luxury brands, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is also now home to English perfume house Penhaligon’s. This is the gorgeous vintage perfumery’s second standalone store in Singapore.

Luxury pearl jeweler Mikimoto will also unveil its Southeast Asia flagship store this July at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.Mikimotowill add to the existing collection of over 70 watch and jewelry boutiques available at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

Source : The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands houses top notch new-to-market luxury fashion labels

Singapore model Janell Ong leaked nude photo scandal

Jenell or Janell Ong, one of the Singapore’s FHM GND Top 15 Finalist, found herself in the middle of a leaked nude photo scandal when in April 2013 her more than explicit photos started to circulate over the internet forums. Jenell Ong was a top 15 finalist for FHM Singapore 2010 sexiest model contest. She is a 23 year-old model and blogger from Singapore. Now there are naked images of her playing with another girl circulating in the internet.

Singapore model Janell Ong leaked nude photo scandal

For other photo scandals in Singapore check this article of ours.

Agoda Great Singapore Sale Hotel Deals

What is the best time to visit Singapore if shopping is top in your travel agenda? Great Singapore Sales time is the best of course. Great Singapore Sales will be held between 31 May and 28 July 2013. Often abbreviated simply as GSS, Great Singapore Sales, is an annual event centered around the national sport of Singapore - shopping. During this time, participating outlets offer some of the best sales deals, specials and super saver deals in Singapore. The event is in its 20th year in 2013 and as before some of Singapore's best-known retail names will offer shoppers a great way to stock up on their favorite brands while seeing some of the city’s most dynamic neighborhoods.

Main focus of GSS will of course be on Singapore's central shopping district, Orchard Road, which is also one of the most famous shopping destination in Asia. With huge shopping malls such as the massive ION Orchard mall and the Mandarin Gallery, countless stores below and above the ground (and often interconnected by underground air-conditioned tunnels) biggest shopper crowd will be in Orchard Road.

But shopping in Singapore is not restricted to Orchard Road. Relatively new shopping enclaves like The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and Vivo City offers modern, branded and posh products while historical shopping streets like Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Holland Village and Little India offers unique objects, novelties and handcrafted items that reflect the unique personality of the neighborhood they’re sold in. Many of these neighborhoods also offer eclectic restaurants, live music and funky coffee shops to help shoppers recharge during their long day.

Shoppers can also check out the inaugural Singapore International Jewelry Expo 2013 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Center from 4 to 7 July, which will showcase displays from leading designers, brands and gemstone suppliers from around the world across 8,000 square meters of floor space.

Agoda offers Singapore hotel deals during Great Singapore Sale 2013.

The best part of the festival is that in order to accommodate the crowds of deal seekers, many of the stores and malls will be staying open late to maximize the shopping opportunities. No more rushing to get everything done before the stores close!

To top it all off, the grand prize of the event is the MasterCard Biggest Spender Reward, in which the biggest spender of the festival can win S$20,000. Details are available on the GSS website, but if that’s not an incentive to stock up on new supplies, nothing is!

During your stay in Singapore, you will probably need a hotel and Agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site, has a variety of Singapore hotel deals in the lead-up to the Great Singapore Sale.

The Sentosa Resort and Spa 5*
Early bird special! Book 21 days in advance and enjoy 15% off. Expires December 31, 2013.

Hotel Re Pearl’s Hill 4*
Limited time rate – only US$ 104! Expires June 30, 2013

Resorts World Sentosa - Equarius Hotel 5*
Flash Deal – enjoy 60% off! Expires December 31, 2013.

Fairmont Singapore 5*
Early bird special – book 2 days in advance and enjoy 20% off! Expires December 31, 2013.

Orchard Hotel Singapore 5*
Limited time rate - 25% off! Expires July 31, 2013.

Royal Plaza on Scotts 5*
Stay a minimum of 3 nights and enjoy 20% off! Expires July 31, 2013.

Grand Park Orchard 5*
Early bird special! Book 14 days in advance and enjoy 20% off! Expires December 31, 2013.

Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore 4*
Limited time rate - 30% off! Expires December 31, 2013.

Marine Life Park at Resorts World Sentosa Ultimate Marine Encounters

Would you like to skuba-dive in Singapore without going not further than Sentosa Island?  Then you can head to Marine Life Park at Resorts World Sentosa. Visitors to the Marine Life Park can now participate Open Ocean Dive, which allows certified divers to explore 18.2 million litre Open Ocean habitat, the Open Ocean habitat, the centrepiece and highlight of the world’s largest aquarium – S.E.A. Aquarium. This new scuba-diving programme is the first activity to debut as a part of a series of Ultimate Marine Encounters.

Open Ocean Dive is 150-minutes long and will run every day at 10:30 am. Each skuba-diving session will be for up to 4 divers and start with a 30 minute dive master guided orientation. After the first 30 minutes, divers will be able to explore the aquarium’s largest habitat swim among 50,000 fishes of more than 80 different species, including manta rays, groupers, leopard sharks and many more, in one dive location. In a sense an aquarium diving cannot beat an open sea one but where alse you can see these diversified number of species in a single dive!

Staring from 30 June 2013, Marine Life Park will also introduce Sea Trek Adventure come 30 where guests without diving certification immerse themselves into the world’s largest aquarium. The highlight
of this hour-long programme is a 20-minute underwater helmet diving experience, allowing guests to breathe with ease as they descend atop a sea mount in the Open Ocean habitat, to stand in awe of a breathtaking panoramic view of the vibrant marine life and experience the wonders of an oceanic adventure.

“Getting near these majestic marine animals has never been easier, with a hassle-free experience from drive to dive. With all gear provided, it’s only a matter of suiting up and taking the plunge,” said Mr. Craig Sowden, Chief Curator of the Marine Life Park.

Mr. Sowden added, “As guests immerse themselves in the middle of the marine ecosystems, they will encounter first-hand the relationship between marine life and humans. Through these unique experiences, we hope that our guests walk away with a deeper appreciation for marine animals and be inspired to do their part to help protect the treasures of the deep blue.”

Beyond the Open Ocean habitat, immersive experiences will also be launched at other marine habitats, including Shark Seas. Starting 15 June 2013, the new Shark Encounter will see guests come face-to-face with the apex predators of the seas. This 30-minute experience will be held thrice daily, inside the Shark Seas habitat which is home to more than 200 sharks. Guests will be descend inside a cylindrical acrylic enclosure, taking in a 360-degree view of hammerhead, sandbar, black-tip reef sharks and other shark species swimming around and beneath their feet.

SCUBA diving is now a step closer to home with the Open Ocean Dive, allowing divers to get up-close to over 50,000 marine animals representing more than 80 different species.

Mr. Roger Lienhard, Senior Vice President of Attractions at Resorts World Sentosa is delighted that
the Marine Life Park has fast garnered international awareness and recognition within a short time since its opening.

He said, “Launching these immersive experiences signifies our commitment to continually refresh and inject new elements into our attractions. This is just the start of many more exciting offerings to come at Resorts World Sentosa.”

Open Ocean Dive staring on May 22 will cost S$1,280 per person (inclusive of admission to Adventure Cove Waterpark and S.E.A. Aquarium) and will last 150 minutes (30-minutes under water).

Shark Encounter starting on 15 June will cost S$88 per person (excluding admission to Adventure Cove Waterpark) and will last 30 minutes (15 minutes under water).

Sea Trek Adventure starting 30 June will cost S$238 (excluding admission to Adventure Cove Waterpark) and will last 60 minutes (20 minutes under water).

[1] - Marine Life Park Launches Up-Close Marine Life Encounters

Samsung Galaxy S4 Deal Singapore 10% off retail price

Samsung Galaxy S4 retail price in Singapore is $998 without contract. But currently, there is a limited stock deal in Singapore's Deal.sg where you can buy a Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505) at 10% off Singapore retail price! The phone color is white frost and the phone is a local set with 4G and 1 year warranty.

The new flagship phone of Samsung, Samsung Galaxy S4 is world's best selling Anroid smartphone. Equipped with a 5 inch Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) display of 441 ppi, which fits perfectly within an extraordinarily slim bezel encased in a polycarbonate body, the device is the most lightweight and sophisticated Galaxy S device. Its beautifully slim and uniquely textured body not only accent it with an air of smart casualness, it also doubles as a highly convenient and portable phone.

Specifications:

Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
5.0'' screen Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) display
1.9 GHz Quad-Core Processor
16GB Internal memory, 2GB RAM
Up to 64GB external memory ( microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC)

Main camera (rear) with flash
Matrix 13 Megapixels, Resolution 4128×3096 pixels
Secondary Camera (Front)
Matrix 2 Megapixel, Resolution 1600×1200 pixels with Full HD recording - 30fps

Standard Battery: Li-Ion 2600 mAh
Battery life: 17 hrs talk time/ 7 hrs web browsing/ 12 hrs video playback

Dimensions: 136,60mm (W) x 69,80mm (H) x 7,90mm (D)
Weight: 130g

Model: GT-i9505

Samsung Galaxy S4 Deal Singapore 10% off retail price 

The Merchants of Bollywood musical at Marina Bay Sands Singapore

Super hit musical The Merchants of Bollywood is back at the MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands, Grand Theatre, from 5th November to 10th November 2013, announced in a press release by Marina Bay Sands. An original production from Australia and a cast & crew from Mumbai,  The Merchants of Bollywood, is the world’s first authentic Bollywood musical, is inspired from the real life story of Vaibhavi Merchant, the shows choreographer.  The musical, which has been described as "an Indian version of the Billy Elliot story", premiered in 2005 and since then was performed in over 200 countries to over five million people. The show was staged more than 1000 times in Brussels, Antwerp, Paris, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Auckland, Sydney,Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Zurich,Geneva, Berlin,Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok, Paris, Amsterdam,Vienna, Rome, Milan inclusive three sell out seasons on London's West End.

The Merchants of Bollywood is about the workings of the World’s largest film industry – Bollywood and the part it plays in the heart and soul of Indian society. The show is written and directed by Toby Gough, who is famous for his creations that cross conventions, cultures and continents. In an extraordinary evening of music and dance spectacular lies a touching story of a young girl, her grandfather and their love of dance. The story set in the desserts of Rajasthan showcases the rich traditional culture, colourful costumes and vibrant music.

This splendid theatrical piece is a heartfelt story about the Merchant family dynasty: a young girl, Ayesha; her grandfather, Shantilal and their love for dance, music & Bollywood. The merchant family holds the responsibility of upholding the ancient tradition of Kathak, the dance of gods. Shantilal, a choreographer in India’s film industry had faith in cinema to heal wounds in the minds of people, but eventually left the industry due to the lawlessness and commercialization. Ayesha left home against his wishes to make a career and became the reigning queen of choreography in Bollywood films. Her belief that cinema helps people escape
from reality to a world of fantasy differed in opinion, causing irreparable damage to their relationship. Thus, tears are shed, wounds healed and conflicts reconciled in a powerful journey to the sacred heart of dance.

The Merchants of Bollywood will be in Singapore between 5-10 November 2013 at
Marina Bay Sands.

The finale showcases a healing bond between old and new; in a fusion of Folk, Classical, Modern, Western and Indian dance forms. Their electrifying energy, lively rhythm and enchanting dance steps, undoubtedly makes this the most exciting musical of the year!! This visual treat with over 8 performances ONLY is all set to spellbound Singapore audiences.

This show will reach across all cultures in this multi-racial society. It features songs and dance from smash-hit Bollywood movies like Lagaan, Devdas, Musafir, BuntyAurBabli, JhoomBarabarJhoom, Rang de Basanti, Dhoomand Dhoom 2, music from the Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman (two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song), and numerous other great moments of Bollywood live on stage in a lavish production capturing the essence of India, its rich and diverse culture, and its people in a world of Technicolor brilliance. For Singapore the show is being updated to include all the latest smash hit songs inclusive;Thuh Le, Jigar Da Tukda, Haippa and the block buster Mashallah from the hit film EkTha Tiger.

The musical with a cast and crew of over 40truly depicts India’s rich traditions and values. While Indians will proudly feel the affinity towards this musical, for the non – Indians it will truly be a feast for the eye, heart and soul – representing the rich heritage across the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent.

Merchants of Bollywood: Sneak Peek Video

This music and dance spectacular is performed by internationally renowned dancers and stage performers to high energy music set by the famous Bollywood duo: Salim&Sulaiman Merchant. Vaibhavi Merchant, regarded as one of India’s very renowned young choreographers is famous for her creativity that brings loads of vigour and life to all her spectacular shows. She has beautifully choreographed this production combining the ancient traditions of Indian Classical Dance with the contemporary and western dance forms in
Bollywood’s true glamorous style.

Ticket Prices for The Merchants of Bollywood Marina Bay Sands, Grand Theatre are $168, $138, $98, $68 and $48 (includes $3 booking fee)

Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre

If you are looking for a Singapore hotel with clean and large rooms, good breakfast, central and prime location and nice service and you are in Singapore for mainly shopping, sight seeing and dining, 4-Star Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre is a very good hotel alternative for you. Centrally located at a short walking distance from trendy shopping malls of Orchard Road,  the hotel offers one of the best hotel stay in Singapore for shoppers in the town.

Location
Location of Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre is the biggest winner, The hotel is practically an Orchard Road hotel. It is located at a very prime area, on Cavenagh Road, which is a short road ending in Orchard Road. Orchard Road needs no introduction. This 2.2 kilometer-long street is the retail and  entertainment hub of Singapore, is a major tourist attraction and the most popular shopping enclave in Singapore.

Cavenagh Road intersects with Orchard Road just right next to Concorde Hotel & Shopping Mall. From the hotel, Somerset MRT Station and Dhoby Ghaut MRT Stations are short walking distance away. From the hotel, it is an easy walk to restaurants, Orchard Road, convenience stores, and shopping malls.

Rooms
Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre offers large, spacious rooms which quite rare in Singapore. One of hotels most loved feature other than its great and central location in Singapore is the large rooms and large beds. The hotel has 324 rooms equipped with free wireless Internet, flat-screen TV and 1 King or 2 double beds.

Holiday Inn Singapore is also a very suitable hotel for families since it offers rooms with 2 large beds which can accomodate 2 adults and 2 kids. Extra beds are dependent on the room you choose, so if you need extra beds check the availability for individual rooms before booking.

The room prices in Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre start from $185 per night but for latest discounted rates, last minute promotions, deals and specials for Mandarin Oriental Singapore, it is usually best to book online through sites such as Agoda.com.

Facilities
Starting from March 2013, the hotel offers WiFi to all hotel guests in public areas and all room types. Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre offers an outdoor rooftop pool, kids pool,  fitness center (8th floor), massage, jacuzzi, SPA, sauna and steam room. The roof-top pool of Holiday Inn is open till 11 pm and is a great way to end a hot and humid day in Singapore.

You can dine on rich curries and daal at hotel's Tandoor North Indian Restaurant or choose western and Asian cuisine at Window On The Park.

Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre

How to get to Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
The hotels address is 11 Cavenagh Road, Orchard, Singapore. The nearest MRT Station is Somerset MRT Station.

For Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre rates, promotions, reviews and bookings refer to hotel's Hotelscombined page.

Foodpanda and RedMart partners

Foodpanda Singapore, a leading online food order and delivery platform in Singapore, has announced a partnership with RedMart, Singapore’s fastest growing online grocery delivery service. Both companies will pursue exclusive deals for both customer sides and perform joint marketing activities.

Foodpanda SG is founded in Singapore on March 2012 by German online start-up incubator Rocket Internet GmbH, who is also the founder of online shoes and fashion shopping site Zalora Singapore. Foodpanda currently has 200+ restaurants in its list with island-wide coverage.

Online grocery and home essentials service RedMart.com offers delivery seven days a week of groceries and home essentials throughout Singapore. Customers also receive free deliveries for orders above $75 and can even set automatic reorder reminders for their next purchases via the website.

“We are very happy about our cooperation with RedMart. Both companies are leaders in their areas and share a similar target market and a strong culture for customer service and value. With this partnership, we aim to provide the best service, choices, offers and create even more value for our customers. This will help us further firm up our leadership position in Singapore” said Kiren Tanna, CEO Asia at foodpanda.

Roger Egan, CEO of RedMart, added: "Both RedMart and foodpanda have the same focus - making people's lives easier by offering great deals on food and related items with the convenience of online ordering and delivery.  This is a natural partnership and we are confident that all of our respective customers will benefit from us working together."