My Localized Guide: Singapore
I like to complain about my country, Singapore. Many Singaporeans do too. After the French, I think we are the next whining champions of the world. One of the things we like to complain about is that Singapore is boring and there is nothing to do. Well, we are a lucky bunch to be situated 1 to 2 hours away by plane from our Southeast Asian neighbours (e.g. Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos...etc) and some of the best beaches in the world. However, Singapore does have some interesting things to do.
Now, I am going to show what you can do (other than the usual touristy stuff) to make your stay in Singapore more amazing:
Enjoying the Nature
1. Bukit Timah Hill
15-Hindhede-Nature-Park bukittimah_littledayout.com Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Bridge bukitpanjang.com
Photo Credits: www.littledayouout.com
The hill, located in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, is the highest hill in Singapore. It stands only at about 164 metres tall. Locals like to go there to hike on the weekends. It is an easy hike and takes about 30 minutes to reach the summit. You can choose between the paved path or the steps of stairs up the hill.
For more information, please visit http://www.littledayout.com/2015/04/07/bukit-timah-hill-journey-to-the-summit/
2. Coney Island Park
West Entrance
Photo Credits: www.littledayouout.com
Coney Island is an island off the northwestern part of Singapore. It is once know as the "millionaire's island" and the "wakeboarder's paradise". The National Parks Board of Singapore deliberately chose to preserve the island's natural character, giving it a rustic charming feel. It is the new kid on the block and Singaporeans love to have a stroll and cycle there. There is also a kind of "secret beach" in the west promenade. If you are lucky enough, you might spot animals such as otters, chickens or even monkeys.
For more information, visit http://thesmartlocal.com/read/coney-island-guide
3. Pulau Ubin
Pulau Ubin, also know as the "Ubin Island", is one of the last surviving villages in Singapore. This small island of Singapore has a population of 38 residents in 24 households as of 2012. It looks like the 1960s era of Singapore. There are no skyscrapers there but you will see many small village houses of the old Singapore. Many leadership and adventure camps are held there and people like to go there to cycle and to have their famous seafood. A one-way boat ride from the main island of Singapore costs about S$3 for a person. For a better description of Pulau Ubin, I shall let the videos do the talking.
More information, visit https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/pulau-ubin-and-chek-jawa
Video credits: www.nparks.gov.sg
There are other offshore islands in Singapore to explore for their nature and ecosystem. Some of these islands are:
- Chek Jawa Island
- St John's Island
- Pulau Semakau
- Sister's Island
For information on the above islands, visit: https://weekender.com.sg/w/explore-singapore/offshore-islands-singapore/
Soaking Up the Sun
1. Wakeboarding And Water Sports
Photo Credit: www.ministryofadventure.com
Photo Credit: www.singexperience.sg
Wakeboarding has to be one of my favorite activities in Singapore. It is the best way to get a tanned skin while keeping fit and getting a sense of adrenalin rush! One of the wakeboarding spots I like to go to is the Punggol/Loyang canal area. There are several wakeboarding and water sports providers in Singapore. Some of them are:
- The Edge Wakeboarding (http://edgewake.com/)
- Wake Pirates (http://wakepirates.com/)
- Ryder@Punggol (http://www.rydersatponggol.com/)
- Wake Time (https://waketime.com.sg/)
... And for a few others that I did not mention here, please consult www.google.com.
A typical 1-hour wakeboarding session cost about S$130. This rate varies with different service providers. It includes full equipment, coaching, speedboat and driver. To make it more economical, I suggest going in a group of 4 for 2 hours so you can have the whole boat to yourselves.
2. Sentosa Beach
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Photo credits: www.singapore-guide.com and www.touristexpedition.com
This is the most famous beach in Singapore. It is located on Sentosa Island and next to The Universal Studios Singapore. It comprises of 3 beaches: Palawan Beach, Siloso Beach and Tanjong Beach. There are many cool bars including Wave House where you can surf on the artificial waves. Yearly beach parties like "ZoukOut" is held on the Siloso Beach.
For more information, visit http://www.sentosa.com.sg/explore/beaches
Enjoying the Food
Singaporeans are known to be very serious about food. Even the former President of United States, Barack Obama, knows that (please go straight to the 18-second mark to see the video):
If you are wondering who is the Michelin hawker/street vendor that Obama is talking about, let me enlighten you....
...He is the little guy in that little stall. One plate of his "Michelin-Grade" noodles costs only about S$4. After he won the Michelin star award, the waiting time in that stall became 1 to 2 hours long. Welcome to Singapore, queuing up in line is our favorite past time.
1. Hawker Centres
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Hawker centres and hawker food are part and parcel of a Singaporean's life. The food is authentic, cheap, good and tasty. A decent meal costs you about S$3 to S$5 and a drink cost about S$1 to S$2. You can find all kinds of food there: Chinese, Malay, Indian, Asian and western food. There are many hawker centres around Singapore and you can easily find one everywhere you go.
2. Coffee Shops
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In some countries, a "coffee shop" is like café for people to have an expresso and a little snack. But in Singapore, it has a slightly different meaning. A coffee shop is like a mini-version of a hawker centre. The price of the food and drinks are similar and they are normally located around residential areas and below apartment buildings. Coffee shops play a big part in Singapore food culture and the daily lives' of Singaporeans. Also, it will be a unique experience to buy beers from the "beer girls" or "beer promoters" in these coffee shops.
3. Food Recommendation
There are far too many good food and things to eat in Singapore to list them out. So, I decided to pick some of the local food that you must try:
- Nasi Padang with Beef Rendang
warong nasi IMG_2199 warong-nasi-pariaman
Mamma mia! This is probably the best chicken curry and the best beef rendang I have ever eaten. All my foreign friends love these! Nasi Padang is a dish originating from the city of Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. The name of this eatery is called Warong Nasi Pariaman located near the Arab Street.. The location and the details of their store can be found here: http://pariaman.com.sg/.
- Chilli Crab
roland-restaurant-07 Longbeach16
This is another dish that made Singapore famous. I believe this is internationally renowned and it can be a chore just to eat them. However, it is totally worth the effort. The two recommended restaurants to go to are Long Beach Seafood Restaurant and Jumbo Seafood Restaurant.
- Xiao Long Bao (Mini Dumplings) by Din Tai Fung
din-tai-fung xiaolongbaoDTF
Photo credits: thesmartlocal.sg and tripadvisor
Din Tai Fung is a chinese restaurant originating from Taiwan. The Michelin one-star restaurant group was ranked as one of the World's Top 10 best restaurants by the New York Times. This is definitely one of the dishes my foreign friends would rush to if they are in Singapore. They are reasonably priced too!
Enjoying the Hippie and Café Culture
1. Tiong Bahru and Keong Saik
Tiong Bahru and Keong Saik are two of the most hippiest place in Singapore. The place is filled with unique shops, pre-war houses, cool bars and cafés.
Plain-Vanilla-Cafe-Singapore-AspirantSG books-actually keongsaik_sg.asia-city.com
Photo credits: AspirantSG.com, sg.asia-city.com
2. Haji Lane
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Photo Credits: vulcanpost.com and parkroyalhotels.com
Haji Lane, located in Arab Street, is at the heart of Singapore's hipsters scene. It has a number of trendy shops, bars and cafés. Young people like to frequent the shophouses along this lane for independent fashion boutiques and middle eastern cafés.
For more information on hippie places, visit: https://www.skyscanner.com.sg/news/top-5-hipster-neighbourhoods-singapore
Enjoying the Nightlife
Singapore is very famous for the vibrant nightlife. There are simply too many nightspots to visit in this country. I am only going to pick some of the places that I usually go to for the view and the ambience.
1. Robertson Walk
The reason I go to Robertson Walk is because it is less touristy, it has nicer ambience, and most importantly, the wines are relatively cheap compared to other places in Singapore! This area has good and authentic Japanese and Korean restaurants too. The other very famous nightlife area is Clarke Quay. For me, Clarke Quay is too crowded with many tourists as compared to Robertson Quay/Robertson Walk.
2. South Bridge Rooftop Bar
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Photo credits: www.asia-bars.com and www.therooftopguide.com
This is a rooftop bar located at the Central Business District of Singapore. I used to frequent this place with my friends when I was working in a corporate job. It is a good place to get a view of Singapore's skyline while catching a cool night breeze.
For more information, visit http://www.southbridge.sg/
3. Level 33 Sky Bar (For the view)
This bar is located at the top of Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1. Besides having one of the best views, Level 33 is known for their microbrewery in the bar. Not surprisingly, the drinks here are not cheap. There is a price to pay for a view like this. It is definitely worth the price.
For more information, please visit http://www.level33.com.sg/.
4. Holland Village
Photo credit: sg.asia-city.com
Holland Village is a nightspot that locals like to frequent for food, live bands and bars. The area has a good mix of nice restaurants and bars, hawker centre and coffee shops. It is located slightly away from the city centre and the most localized as compared to the places above.
For more information on the endless nightlife and party spots in Singapore, visit http://thesmartlocal.com/read/best-of-nightlife-in-singapore.
Other Touristic Places
This is probably the most easiest part of all. All the famous tourist attractions can be found on the internet. Since these places are well known, I shall not go too much into these places. I will leave you with a slideshow and names of these places in Singapore. Here we go:
- Clarke Quay
- Gardens by the Bay
- The Infinity Pool in Marina Bay Sands
- The Universal Studios Singapore
- Botanic Gardens
- Esplanade Theatre
Singapore_Botanic_Gardens,_Symphony_Lake_21,_Sep_06
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