Image of the Heeren, Orchard courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board.

Singapore is one of the world's most expensive cities, reports the Wall Street Journal, becoming Southeast Asia's most pricey metropolis to live in and ranking 9th in the world.

That's according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) annual cost-of-living survey - "Asian cities are no longer just a cheaper outpost for expats and multinationals," intones the Journal. "Singapore was listed as the 6th most expensive last year, but remarkably was ranked 97th in 2001."

The EIU compares the cost of living in 93 countries, allowing managers to calculate fair compensation policies for their international employees. This bit of news shouldn't worry tourists too much: after all, Singapore also has plenty of budget options for travelers with not a lot of dough to burn. Check out our list of Singapore budget hotels to see what accommodations can save you money when in the Lion City.

Image courtesy of Far East Hospitality.

After an SGD 3.5 million facelift, the Elizabeth Hotel (compare rates|buy direct) is re-opening its executive rooms with a new contemporary design and plenty of creature comforts: modern furnishings in every executive room, along with a 40-inch LED HD TV and a rain-shower experience in each bathroom.

And from $183 (about SGD 228) per night, guests can kick back in The Elizabeth Hotel's new Executive room, together with a FREE return trip on the Singapore Cable Car plus admission to Sentosa for two. This promotional bundle also comes with a free American-style buffet breakfast, mini-bar amenities, unlimited Internet access, local calls, and laundry service of two items daily.

If you so choose, you can upgrade to the Executive Premier rooms for just $40 (SGD 50). The roomier Executive Premier guestrooms come with a freestanding bathtub, among others.

The promo is valid for bookings from now till March 31, 2012. Terms and conditions apply.

The Elizabeth Hotel is located at Mount Elizabeth, only a few minutes' walk away from Orchard Road's shopping but set amidst an abundance of tropical greenery. Guests can choose among 256 rooms, including 100 Executive Rooms and four Executive Premier Rooms.

Compare rates on the Elizabeth Hotel and other Orchard Road Hotels.

Mount Apo has always been a favorite for Filipino adventurers (see our list of Nature & Adventure Travel Activities in Davao City, Philippines for more), but adventure travelers from around the world are only just starting to pay attention to the Philippines' tallest mountain. The International Mount Apo Boulder Face Challenge ought to be right up their alley: a 24-hour extreme adventure race starting from the beach lines of the town of Santa Cruz and ending at the summit of Mt. Apo 9,600 feet above sea level.

The race is a team effort: each team should be comprised of two racers and one logistics crew member, all fighting their way through about eighty kilometers of punishing terrain with twenty marshal points in between. The race goes through four different stages, requiring different types of mastery: mountain biking, trekking, water tubing and road running. Read More...

Image © tajai/Creative Commons

For Southeast Asia's formidable Indian Hindu population, tomorrow's celebration of the feast of Thaipusam marks one of the most important days in their religious calendar. The day marks the birthday of the Lord Murugan, on the full moon of the Tamil month of Thai (Thai + Pusam, a star at its apogee = Thaipusam).

Malaysian newspaper The Star Online reports temple committee member Rivehemanda Batu Malai's prediction of 1.5 million visitors for the big day itself. "The crowd has been coming in non-stop since Saturday evening," says Mr. Rivehemanda. Read More...