07:00: Begin the day with an energetic run up the winding road to Mount Faber, serenaded by the rhythmic morning song of cicadas. This low-rise hill is Singapore’s smaller version of Hong Kong’s The Peak, and the take-off point for a cable car ride to Sentosa. During Singapore’s colonial days, Mount Faber was a retreat for the well-heeled. Today, it is a terrific destination in its own right, dotted with charming black and white bungalows nestled among lush foliage, and with panoramic views of the busy harbour.

08:30: Hop in a cab and head to the East Coast for an authentic local breakfast at Chin Mee Chin (204 East Coast Road). Forget Starbucks. For 60 years now, generations of local residents have been turning up here for a morning kick-start of jet-black coffee – served in traditional porcelain cups – and soft-boiled eggs. A must-have are the thick slabs of toast slathered with tiles of butter with a side-slathering of kaya, an addictively rich jam made from pandan leaves, sugar, eggs and coconut milk.

09:30: After breakfast, wander around Katong, the breezy East Coast enclave famed for its Peranakan residents – the hardy offspring of the early Chinese immigrants and local Malays. This ethnic mix has produced a distinctive culture, famous for its beautiful architecture and artifacts, and amazing cuisine, such as laksa (a spicy soup), poh piah spring rolls and dumplings steamed in banana leaves.

12:30: Have an unforgettable lunch at Hjh Maimunah (11 & 15 Jalan Pisang). The Indonesian fare here is redolent of a different time and place – of rustic villages and hand-pounded herbs and spices, and of recipes passed unhurriedly from mother to daughter. There are plenty of dishes to choose from, but the tender chunks of beef braised in a creamy coconut sauce, chicken curries, grilled meats and technicolour spread of puddings and cakes are guaranteed winners.

14:00: Hitch a bumboat ride from the Esplanade foreshore down the Singapore River past the quays and the skyscrapers at Raffles Place. This historic waterway was once choked with rubbish and debris from the boats unloading their cargo at Clarke Quay, but after a major clean-up about 15 years ago, the river is back in business once again.

15:30: Few places in Singapore evoke a greater sense of its past identity than Chinatown. Although largely gentrified, there are still lovely echoes of its history, including a dense collection of original shophouses, some dating back as far as the 1840s. Once homes, many now house offices, traditional herbalists, modern spas, trendy boutiques and restaurants – especially the stretch along Ann Siang Hill Road and Club Street.

Few people, never mind locals, know about the Chinatown Heritage Centre (48 Pagoda Street), which is good, as it keeps the jostling crowds to a minimum. A labyrinth of fascinating, hyper-realistic sets recreate early immigrant life, and include bedrooms, kitchens and living conditions from that era, with startling vividness.

18:30: Return to your hotel to freshen up, and then make a beeline for the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel (1 Beach Road), the famed haunt of Somerset Maugham and Ava Gardner. The vibe is a little Disney-fied, but there is no denying the charm of the gloomy interiors, dark-stained timbers and antique ceiling fans, not to mention the crunch of discarded peanut shells underfoot. For sheer nostalgia order the iconic, super-sweet Singapore Sling, which was first mixed here.

20:00: Head to the next block for a sidewalk meal of beef ball noodles along Purvis Street, a trendy strip of furniture boutiques and local eateries.

22:00: End the night with a post-dinner gin and tonic at Loof (331 North Bridge Road, 3-7 Odeon Towers). Just three storeys up, this attractive rooftop bar makes up for its lack of height with a power crowd, chilled drinks and a glittering view of the city across the roof of the Raffles Hotel opposite.