As my first post, starting with Singapore (SG) was a no brainer… this tiny country is a land of paradoxes, and home to my favourite people.
Colorful street art at my favorite Haji Lane, Singapore
My ‘Behna’ (which means Sister in Hindi, the most common North Indian language.. NOT called ‘Indian’. India has over a thousand languages by the way) lives on this tropical-paradise- meets-New York City-skyline island country.
I have a place to crash for extended periods and get the full-on insider scoop on the what, where and how.
There is something for everyone on my favourite island. Solo trippers, couples, the young and not so young. It is an amazing place to travel with your kids too. Overall the trips I have had, and all my extended stays, there has always been something new to see.
The trendy bars and restaurants that pop up every few weeks are hard to keep up with. From fancy and pocket-emptying tasting menus to some of the best food-court meals under 8 dollars, you will never run out of options.
Singapore was formerly a British port that changed hands from Japan to Malaysia and is a relatively new independent country. This is evident in the mix of cultures and heritage. The most prominent cultures here are Chinese, Malay and Indian with a huge influx of expats from all over the world due to a booming economy, tropical weather, and super kid-friendly environment. Not surprisingly, Singapore has been rated the safest place in the world. It is also one of the cleanest places with ridiculously high fines for anyone littering.
Vibrant shophouses.. so pretty!
The weather is more or less the same all year round with hot, humid days interspaced with tropical showers. The sun is strong and unbearable, but the dominance of air-conditioned malls, markets and restaurants all over offer a relief from the heat.
This island is Disneyland for the shopaholic. You can find almost every lux brand under the sun in malls that never end and merge into the next to go crazy with high street stores, binge on trendy Korean fashion and little boutiques on quaint lanes. Move over America, Dubai and Oxford Street you have nothing on Singapore.
WHERE TO STAY
Singapore is the world’s most expensive city for a reason and the cost of stay will hurt real bad.
LUXURY
Marina Bay Sands
Their epic and world’s most Instagram-able pool (eye roll) is a serious draw, especially to Asian and Indian tourists. Be warned, it is a chaotic mess, the rooms are small, and the pool is full ALL the time. However, the connecting mall, and close proximity to the Gardens and Casino are a huge plus point to consider.
The stunning Marina Bay Sands (Pic courtesy Pranay Mehra)
Shangri La Rasa Sentosa
We had a weekend getaway here and it was just such a fun place. The sea-facing rooms have a spectacular view, the kids club is great for little ones and the pool is huge but always full.
The beach here isn’t probably as real as one would hope but the combination of the little cove, kayaks and stand up paddle boards available along with the nearby bungee and zip line make for a very attractive experience for the outdoor enthusiasts.
#RoomWithaView Shangri-La’s Rassa Sentosa Resort
Not far are a bunch of great beach clubs like Tanjong beach club and FOC, great for lazy brunches and cocktails.
The Shang’s endless buffets were something else, I am not a fan of buffets unless they are breakfast buffets… but the Indian food here was Oh-so-good that 1 day into my trip I was stuffing plates and plates of lamb biryani like I had been in starving in Antarctica for over a year.
Capella
A super high end, peaceful and romantic spa hotel. Recent claim to fame: the historic place of the Trump- Kim meeting. Peacocks all around (to be fair, the Shang had them too) A stark contrast to the Shang but if you do not have kids and need some peace and quiet this is where you want to be. The spa here is exceptional, their day packages are worth the massive dent in your wallet, luxury is this.
Other options for stay are :
M Social, The Fullerton hotel, and some interesting AirBnB finds. Be warned matchbox rooms are all over.
EAT
Singapore has some of the best food in the world. I am also biased because Asian and Chinese food is definitely my favourite, but it is amazing how a simple 5 dollar chicken and rice can completely blow your mind.
Food court scenes
Every mall has a food court, wherever you go. Food courts have all kinds of food, from Vietnamese to Peking duck, and crackling pork and the famous Singapore chicken and rice. Malaysian parathas, fish ball soups, and noodles of all kinds, Indian tandoori chicken and lentils, you have it all. Word of caution: SMELLY.. most food courts can be intensely fishy-smelling so may not be everyone’s cuppa tea. My favourite food court is the one at Ion Mall and recently discovered the one at Great world City too.
Foodcourt at Great World City!
Singapore chicken and rice
Melt-in-mouth chicken and rice cooked in a bucket load of fat, sauces probably full of way too much salt but oh so worth it!
My top 2 are:
A 5 dollar-ish one from Five-star chicken and rice, (please give me a moment as I direct my salivation off the keyboard)
The combo of the crispy skin, boiled chicken over the most insane rice and the spicy sauces, heaven. Take out is a good idea; the restaurant itself is quite a local street scene. We always order from the one at River Valley.
A fancier one, and therefore more expensive, is Chatterbox at Mandarin Orchard Hotel, but they do not have the roast version which kind of sucks, but it is a better, way nicer place to sit down and super yum.
Hawker centers
Think of a playground full of food, almost like a school fair but with Asian food and all year long.
Satays, dim sum, crab, fishball soup, traditional rice cakes and endless stalls of joy. Newton’s is the most popular one but every Singaporean will have a preference and an argument Lah. If you have read Kevin Kwan’s ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ you will understand how arguing over the best food is a favorite local past time.
Din Tai Fung (DTF)
Dumplings dumplings dumplings! You can find this chain around South East Asia and the East offers top quality Xiao long Bao (pork soup dumplings) along with the best egg fried rice, pork rice, and noodle soups. There are a bunch of veggie options too and don’t forget your greens and try the Baby Kailan in special sauce. Combine with a chilled Tiger beer and you have your perfect meal.
Delicious food at Din Tai Fung!
My favorite DTF is at Paragon mall in the basement and it is usually my first stop EVERY SINGLE time!
Crystal Jade
Similar to DTF, arguably as good but I do not personally think so. A similar rice and noodle combos, baos, dumplings, and the woks.
Crab
No seafood lover can miss the chance of getting into some Singapore chili crab.
Here is a list of my favorite crab places and what to get where.
Dempsey Hill
Formerly the old military barracks of Singapore, Dempsey is now a hip sprawling green area of dozens of restaurants, fine food stores and more. My favorite restaurants here to try for lunch are:
PS Café (there is another one on Orchard road): Yummy continental food and the world’s best Truffle fries (I mean it)
Open farm community: Loove! Right in the back is their own organic veggie garden, with a farm to table concept, I love their Red curry Pasta with Crabmeat.
Jones the grocer is a great store to buy gourmet food: Cheeses, olives, coffee cocoa and a lot of stuff from down under.
Jumbo and Long beach are both here but I would recommend them for dinner (refer to my top crab places)
Burgers and European food
Wild honey is a good spot when all the Asian food gets too much.
Food at Arab street
Some of my favourite restaurants:
Beirut café for Arabic food and Alaturka for Turkish, pop over to Haji Lane for some quirky and curated shopping.
Sushi airways for some Japanese and Indian food at Flying Monkey are super popular with resident Singaporeans and high up on my list for my next trip.
BARS
There are soooo many bars, one could just walk along Robertson Quay, Boat Quay or Bar street and just pop in and out of any bar.
Spago
Spago has a view from the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands. Soak in the Singapore Skyline with a foreground of their iconic pool combined with the Supertree Grove and the marina behind you. The cocktails are innovative and yum, the food is pretty good. Be ready to shell out some big bucks and make a reservation for the bar. Spago also has a very proper fine dining restaurant that is great but I would much rather the bar.
1 Altitude
Another panoramic view of the Singapore skyline from the 65th floor. Fun music, cool crowd, and good drinks.
Potato Head
The same guys from Bali, nice chill place.
Cufflink club for the best Whiskey sours
Ce La Vie (formerly Ku De TA) I know I keep bringing you back to Marina bay sands (sorry! ) but it is a fun spot to party, crazy crowds and pumping music
Bar Stories
In Haji Lane in a very suspicious walk up, this place is not just a bar, it is an experience. Chat with the owner turned bartender about your life, preferences, flavor palette and he will whip up some exotic and delicious cocktails for you. No menu here and that is the point.
A glimpse of our cocktail adventure!
Beach clubs
Sentosa is a great place to spend a lazy afternoon on the weekend sipping some chilled yummies.
Exploring Sentosa and its secret coves!
Tanjong beach club is great with a pool and the beach, a nice getaway from the concrete jungle.
FOC is another option and has some great food too.
The W has a gorgeous pool area and beach where one can hang out, look online to find events.
Hanging around on the beach at FOC, great for Sunday brunching
SEE
MARINA BAY AREA
Marina Bay Sands overlooking the Supertree Grove
Gardens by the bay
The Supertree Grove and skywalk feel like you are straight out of Avatar (the movie), fabulous in the day but even more spectacular at night. They have a light show at 7:30 pm and the walkway is quite a trip.
Cloud Dome
Avatar continued, the walkway up, gigantic waterfall and mistiness in this dome will give you amazon jungle feels, this is one really cool experience.
Flower Dome
Beautiful temperature controlled dome filled with plants from all over the world
They had a Sakura festival when we went and it was really beautiful, get there bright and early if you want some peace or be prepared for pushy tourists.
Sakura exhibit at the Flower dome with my cute Nephew
The walk from the Marina bay Shoppes to the Supertree Grove by the river is quite a beauty, views of Marina bay sands, the Singapore flyer (SG’s version of the London eye) makes for some great photos and is not crowded.
The Singapore flyer itself is alright, if you haven’t gotten around to the tons of ways (above) to get a skyline view then this may be a good option.
Singapore Skyline (pic courtesy Pranay Mehra)
Singapore Botanic Gardens
A UNESCO world heritage site and home to the most spectacular Orchid garden ever. Also, a great place to generally picnic but be warned Singapore weather is not very picnic-friendly unless you like to melt. I have had an encounter with a large wild monkey here once which was terrifying.
SENTOSA ISLAND
Fancy hotels, beach clubs and a whole load of fun
Sea Aquarium
Okay so I am a scuba diver, I am happiest to swim with sea life in their natural habitat and recently have become more aware of avoiding places like this, I understand now that we need to be more ethical with the way we travel and I am not proud of this one… but…
Confession time: I was 10 when I first visited Singapore with my family and I have 2 vivid memories of that trip.
1. My first sight of hovercraft like stings rays and mantas floating over the glass tunnel in what was then called ‘Underwater World’. That was my exact moment of realization, and where my love for underwater life began.
2. A terrifying high tea with the orangutans and I was being super brave but I freaking haaaate monkeys and they always seem to find me and scare the heck out of me.
Universal Studios
If you have no access to amusement parks elsewhere this is a good way to spend the whole day, even just adults, again super pricey as is most stuff in Singapore but you must have an express pass to do all the rides and skip the lines. Do not miss the Transformers ride
Night Safari is a fun activity but best done if you are traveling with kids
China town
Walk around for some cool shophouses, street food, and colorful temples mixed into some relatively cheap shopping and knick-knacks.
Little India
Best known for the famed Mustafa store that literally sells everything under the sun is open all day and night and is super intimidating. Little India is now gaining some major blogger and instagram popularity because of it’s bright color-blocked buildings and temples. (sorry I have no pictures yet) Next trip, I promise.
The colorful Tan Teng Niah in Little India
Art Scene in SG
The ArtScience Museum at Marina bay sands has some great exhibits. I have seen the Mummy exhibit from the museum of natural history as well as a fabulous National geographic photography exhibit. Pop in to check for shows or check out their website. The Singapore Art Museum, home to the Singapore Biennale and numerous cool events is another hot spot for the art aficionado. I am not the best person to speak of art so check out Time Out and other resources before making a decision.
The Quays
Clarke Quay: More touristy, full of restaurants, cafes, and bars
Robertson Quay: my favourite place to walk around, hang out and some restaurants and my new favourite bar Publico and Mexican food at Super Loco.
Robertson Quay: A view of the warehouse hotel, my favourite walk
Shophouses of Singapore
The Peranakan shophouses around Singapore represent a mix of cultures that makes Singapore what it is. These gorgeous colorful structures with their colorful tiles make up for some of the most gorgeous backdrops and are so popular with the locals and tourists alike. Head to Joo Chiat Road, Koon Seng road, Ann Siang Hill and Geylang to explore these colorful historical houses. Hand around in the area of Koon Seng to explore some of the cutest stand-alone boutiques, this area is the new hipster space in Singapore.
Can’t get over the colourful vibes!
East Coast Park (ECP)
Rent a cycle through the Obike app, and cycle around this park along the sea. My favourite Jumbo for chilli crab is here too.
Walk Around Singapore for some gorgeous architecture, buildings and colourful buildings.
Always better to explore a city by walking around!
SHOP
The Malls of Singapore
Someone can write a thesis on the shopping in SG, and no it won’t be me. I would rather spend my time in them than write about them but here goes.
Ion
My first time there reminded me a bit of the Titanic, you know how the first-class cabins are up top and as you go down you can find the cabin class and others. Yup not very different, the high-end stores are on the main floors and up, as you go down the endless escalators, you will find high street fashion, and then local boutiques and a food court, it somehow manages to merge into another mall Wisma Atria and a few other malls as well as the MRT (public transport) so be prepared to get completely lost, overwhelmed and dehydrated. I still go back every single time though.
Paragon
A fancy-ish mall with high-end stores (and my favorite Din Tai Fung for lunch) Less chaotic usually with some good food in the basement.
Ngee Ann City and Takashimaya
High-end mall and the tourist favorite Taka (Shimaya ) is a crazy multi-designer store with endless options from stationery to kitchenware, high-end designers, local boutiques and a craaazy number of tourists, and a designated counter for Tax-free (GST refund processing) so you get the idea but a true SG shopping experience.
Bugis
Loads of Korean stores and less typical but the crowds can be a tad overwhelming
Robinsons
A departmental store that has some of the best dress collections I have seen, mid to high price range and great for everyone in the family.
Far east plaza
Far east plaza used to be a major haunt for me, not so much anymore though. What this mall offers is hundreds and hundreds of small boutiques with cheap shopping to inexplicable expensive options.
Samples of super-luxe designers, potentially some knock offs and ‘cut-labels’/either rejects or surplus (who cares?) are what one can find with a load of patience and skill.
You can find camisoles, denim, shoes, shorts, ball gowns and even wedding dresses here but don’t count on the quality. A few of my favorite stores have been on level 2 and 3, total hit or miss, but if you are a fashionista looking for a bargain and something that stands out, this place is for you.
Center point
Loads of Local affordable boutiques
Haji lane
Haji lane really should have been first on this shopping list. Boutiques with beautifully curated clothes, accessories, little stores with pop art, optician shops, and handbags.
A day at Haji Lane, the shopper’s paradise
Take half a day to pop in and out of these beautiful stores and take breaks posing against the fabulous street art.
Another glimpse of the Haji Lane
My favourite stores here would have to be Salad Shop, Tangers, Simplicity, Vain Gloriously you.
Walk around the street to find lanes and lanes of fabric stores with lace and endless varieties, which can be a dream for a designer. And the Sultan Mosque is a gorgeous backdrop adding to the rich cultural feel to this area.
Exhibitions and fairs
Local fairs have some great options so if you manage to find out about one, check it out. The best fairs are the ‘Boutiques fairs’ and you can get some really great stuff here.
Best local brands to buy in Singapore
- Charles and Keith made here and at the best prices and in literally every mall
- UNIQLO: This Japanese brand is my top spot for basics
- Fond, another local store, great for summer dresses
- Yatch 21 at Great world city mall.
- Vain gloriously you
GETTING AROUND
Taxis are a challenge, every mall has a mile-long line to get a cab, you can spend an average of 30 minutes (or more!) some days to get a cab. Grab Taxi has just bought over Uber making it a pricey option but still worth it if you are pressed for time. MRT is well connected but confusing. With the Grab taxi takeover, I will probably explore it more seriously in the future.
FUN FACTS
Most of the well off locals, Chinese residents and expats have live-in helpers who all get the day off on Sundays and congregate around some typical malls like Lucky plaza after church. Wealthy Chinese housewives are called ‘Tai-Tai’ who dress impeccably head to toe in luxury designers and lunch out after spending a lot of money shopping. Easy to spot at all the high-end malls and fancier lunch places. Chewing gum is banned in Singapore. You can never be too over or underdressed anywhere you go, you can go out to the mall wearing gym wear or a bandage dress but no one really cares. Just remember that it is hotttt out and most malls are all out freezing with air conditioning.
Singapore, such a colourful place to be!
For my lazy friends and readers here is a sample Itinerary to cover as much of this beautiful country as you can in one short trip.
I would love to hear from you and help you with any more questions you have about this blog or travel in general.
Reach out and also please follow me on Instagram @whereissamm.
