Quick Guide to Exploring Singapore
6. Go on a Food trip at Maxwell Food Center in Chinatown
A visit to Singapore’s Chinatown is never complete without dropping by Maxwell, a hawker food center. Some of the must-try here are the Hum Jin Pangs in Stall 28, the Fu Zhou Oyster Cake in Stall 5, and the Jin Hua Sliced Fish Bee Hoon at Stall 77.
You can also visit the TinTin Character Shop when you’re in the area.
7. Indulge in Art, Culture, Dining and Shopping on Haji Lane in Kampong Glam
Haji Lane might be difficult to find but it’s definitely one of those places you should go to. Some points of interest here are I AM Cafe’s Rainbow Crepes, Shop Wonderland, Maison Ikkoku, Pluck, and Know it Nothing.
During my visit to Haji Lane, an art museum featured Inoue Naohisa of Studio Ghibli’s works. While the pieces were for sale, visitors were free to view the masterpieces. The artworks were really beautiful and I’d love to own one when I have my own house!
Aside from cafes, restaurants, and bars, there are also some shops which line the streets of Haji Lane. Spoil Market, shown in the picture above, sells a lot of quirky and novelty items which make for great presents. I specially love the pillows! Now, if only I didn’t have to worry about money…
Note: If you’re fond of OOTDs or POTDs, you can visit Haji Lane during the day to get better pictures of the arts and murals. Otherwise, aim for the night life here once the sun sets.
8. Explore the Japanese and Chinese Gardens
If you want to take a breath of fresh air and get away from the city for a while, then the Chinese and Japanese Gardens in Jurong East should be on your list. The fastest way to get here is to use the Green Line MRT and alight at Chinese Garden Station. The park is just outside the station but to reach the entrance itself, you’d need to walk for about 10 minutes. The park opens from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm with free entrance. There are some areas inside the park which have their own opening, closing times and entry fees so it’s best to check them out here.
One highlight you can visit inside the Gardens is the Turtle Museum and costs SGD 5.00. Aside from having a great collection of turtle memorabilia, you will also see turtles of different species and sizes which are either in aquariums or individual pens. Be warned though, some of these turtles are huge and are not caged. Contrary to popular belief, some turtles are quite agile.
Another highlight would be the Bonsai Garden where one can peruse a collection of bonsai imported all over South East Asia.
Note: I would suggest you bring an umbrella or a cap, a hand towel, a portable fan if you wish, and a refillable water bottle (optional). The park has drinking fountains around so you could directly drink from there or fill up your bottle for later use.
9. Enjoy a bowl of Bak Kut Teh in Song Fa
During one of the lunches, my friend Eden treated us to Song Fa. According to her, it was her go-to diner for the best bak kut teh. When translated from Chinese, bak kut teh means “meat bone tea” which Song Fa is really great at making.
Eden ordered the Premium Loin for us to share which costs SGD 11.8. The only difference this has with other dishes is the part used in cooking. Regardless, all are equally soft, juicy and flavorful. You also get unlimited servings of soup and rice to go with this! I also had an Iced Lemon Tea which costs SGD 1.8.
To know more about Song Fa, you can visit their website here.
10. Attend and shop in I.T. Shows (Suntec City)
Every now and then, IT Shows are held at various convention centers in Singapore. These IT Shows allow different companies and distributors to showcase their latest products as well as sell them at huge discounts. On September this year, I was able to attend the IT Show in Raffles City’s Suntec Center.
This is where I bought my Sony MK4 at around Php 3000.00 cheaper. The retailer also gave away more freebies such as a backpack, a memory card case, and a travel charger. To know more about next year’s schedule and other information, you can visit their website here.
Note: Some booths also give free items, samples and raffles. With the constant persuasion of Eden, I joined Creative’s raffle and won the grand price, an iRoar. Converted, the prize item costs around Php 18,000.00! Such luck!
Of course, there’s also Resorts World Sentosa, iFly Singapore, Gardens by the Bay and many more. So what are your must-sees for a Singapore trip?
