The rich uncle.
This is the best way for me to describe Singapore, the rich uncle in the family. Most Southeast Asian countries are still economically developing, but then there is Singapore. If there are some of you out there that watch Bling Empire on Netflix, you know what I am talking about (I just started the New York version if anyone wants to discuss 😊). Singapore is at the southern tip of Malaysia and a tiny country measuring only about 300 square feet. The city/country is small but mighty with lots of money and therefore VERY expensive! Because of its strategic location it is ideal for the huge international port. It also has a huge banking presence and large expat community. It is the most expensive hostel I have stayed in on this trip so far ($50 a night for a dorm bed). SOOOO I only stayed two nights. But in those two days I was able to see so much and got lots of steps in.
Old and new architecture.
What makes the city so unique and beautiful is the contrast between the skyscrapers, fancy hotels and the old surrounding neighborhoods with cultural architecture. I took so many photos of the buildings, I have at least 30 of the Marina Bay Sands Complex (the building that looks like a boat is resting on the top – shown here)! The first day I met Nelly, a traveler I met in my last hostel in Malaysia, and we started our walking tour of the main tourist attractions. My hostel was in Chinatown, which was charming, full of food halls filled with hawker stalls (actually reasonably priced), lined with Buddhist temples, and crowded at all hours of the day. Nelly and I walked to the Boat/Clarke Quay, down to the Merlion statue, danced across the Esplanade Bridge, past the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre where we watched a youth symphony play for a bit, walked across the Helix Bridge to spend some time in the Gardens by the Bay. This park is amazing. It reminded me of Central Park, but a bit smaller. It has many different tourist attractions inside the park, including the Cloud Forest, the Flower Dome, and the Super Tree Grove (giant metal trees). We spent over an hour walking through the gardens and later went up to the sky bridge in the Super Tree Grove. We made our way to the Marina Bay Sands Conservatory (getting lost a few times on the way there) with plans to take in the views during sunset only to be told tickets were sold out. The back up plan was to head to the dock in front of the hotel overlooking the bay and wait for the light and water show. The show started at 8pm and lasted 15 minutes. It was very entertaining putting music to water fountains and lights. We then raced back to the Gardens by the Bay to watch the laser show in the giant super trees at 8:30pm. We found a spot to lay on the ground and enjoyed the short show that was set to all movie soundtracks. A great spectacle! To end the evening, we headed to the mall in front of the hotel (a very fancy mall – with a LULULEMON – no I didn’t go in) and walked around the HUGE food court with food ranging from noodles to BBQ to seafood soup. We ended with some chicken, rice, and vegetables. Not the best food I have, but we were starving so anything would do.
Neighborhood exploration.
The next day I found a yoga studio, Ziva Yoga, to take a morning yoga class before tackling the day. I bought tickets the night before for the observatory for 1pm (while it wouldn’t be sunset, it would still be beautiful). I spent about 30 minutes soaking in the views and taking selfies (I didn’t have Nelly as my photographer this time) and went to find some lunch and coffee. I landed at Starbucks of all places where I got a curry pie and my trusted cold brew. I then walked to the National Gallery of Singapore that has free admission to several exhibits. And air conditioning, so that was a bonus. I could not leave Singapore without going to Raffle’s Hotel, the birthplace of the Singapore Sling drink (pictured below). I waited an hour in line for a seat at the bar. OK – are you sitting down for this next part? I paid $46 Singaporean dollars, or about $36 US dollars for ONE DRINK. At least they gave you as many free peanuts as you could eat. I guess you are paying for the experience and I will say the drink was delicious. But no way I was ordering more than one. My travel budget did not allow for that. I walked through the Bugis Street shopping plaza and bought a hair clip. It was a very cheap and crowded shopping area, so I quickly made my way to Arab Street and the Haji area of the city. These neighborhoods are colorful, beautiful, and lively. I could have spent hours there, but because everything was a bit more expensive, I decided to keep walking. I walked through Little India and back to Arab Street to find some dinner. I tried a local dish called Chili Crab Pasta and it was just the right amount of spicy.
The jen essentials for singapore.
- Comfortable shoes (no time for fashion when you got things to see)
- Credit card (unlike all other SE Asia countries, cash is sometimes not accepted)
- A larger budget (you will spend more money, so if working off a budget, prepare for that)
- Observatory tickets (buy IN ADVANCE if you want to go during sunset)
- Patience for tourists (so many good photo ops around the city and everyone has the same idea)
- Hawker stalls (cheapest food you’ll find in Singapore – dishes run about $5)
- Metro pass (easiest way to get around the city for sure)
- Love of light shows (while corny, they are quite entertaining!)
- Kaya Jam (this is a popular local coconut jam that is served for breakfast and DAMN it is tasty – I wish I could take it home with me)
- A plan (with only two days to explore, you gotta plan what to see and when to make sure you get it all in)
Wrap it up jen.
Although my time was short, I really got a feel for Singapore. I would describe Singapore (apart from the rich uncle) as the Vegas of Asia. It is a city that stands out from its surroundings and people from all over the world come to experience the hype. It’s busy, it’s unique, it’s expensive, it’s special. Not to mention the airport is incredible. Make sure to spend a few hours at the airport when visiting, it has gardens and huge waterfalls, and the people watching is top notch. It is easy to see why it is a popular tourist destination with so many cool things to see. I could have stayed longer and slung some more Singapore Slings, but thanks to my parents, I am way too frugal for that. I prefer places where my money goes a bit further so I can stretch out my travels longer and SLING in other countries. So that is exactly what I planned on doing.
Up next: Hiking volcanoes and practicing yoga in Indonesia for a month!
Signing off for now,
Jennifer