SINGAPORE - US President Barack Obama joined world leaders who donned colourful designer shirts for a glittering dinner Saturday, taking a break from annual talks to enjoy the Singapore waterfront and skyline.

Obama, who arrived late after jetting in from Japan, was resplendent in a shirt created especially for the 21 leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Singapore.

The other leaders were earlier transported to their dinner marquee aboard old-fashioned bicycle trishaws, pedalled by men in wide-brimmed straw hats at Singapore's premier arts venue, the Esplanade.

Many of the VIPs, including Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak, gamely smiled and waved as they were taken slowly past onlookers positioned behind a cordon.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet chatted animatedly on her mobile as she was pedalled past the crowd by trishaw - which in British colonial times was an important form of transport in Singapore.

The dinner setting offers some of the most spectacular views in this trading port, a multicultural city-state that has grown into one of the richest nations in Asia.

In keeping with APEC summit tradition, the leaders wore custom-made tops reflecting the host country's culture, this year crafted by Singaporean designer Wykidd Song.

Male leaders were given long-sleeved linen shirts with mandarin collars, a style inspired by the blend of Chinese, Malay and Indian culture found in Singapore. They chose from blue, red or green variants.

Bachelet and Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, the two female leaders, were supplied with V-necked blouses in red silk, with elaborate embroidery and lace.

The leaders were treated to a spread of Singapore cuisine - made less spicy and pungent than usual - as well as a 30-minute multimedia concert featuring 367 local artists, organisers said.

Singapore's high-rise banking district, a 55-storey Las Vegas-style casino complex under construction and the Singapore Flyer, said to be the world's tallest observation wheel, are visible from the dinner venue.