REAL TALK WITH DANIELLE - Travel in Singapore

Singapore is known for being the city-state where “East meets West”. It has a fascinating history as a trade port that was well-developed by the British. Since declaring sovereignty in 1965, it has been home to traditions from the Malay, Chinese, and Indian people, while also maintaining a culturally westernized society. Singapore is an easily walkable city, a dream come true for foodies, and a home for many fun tourist attractions.

Things to Do:

Monster Free Walking Tour - We started off our travels with a free walking tour. Our, fantastic guide, Yap, brought us to some incredible sights including the Chinatown murals, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, and the Maxwell Hawker Centre. Hawker Centres are famous in Singapore for serving incredible food for very cheap prices. Our guide even ordered our tour some classic Singaporean dishes.

Gardens by the Bay - Opened in 2012, this has quickly become a “do not miss” sight while in Singapore. We lied down underneath these enormous “trees” and watched as they lit up in different colors, synchronized to an epic orchestral soundtrack. It was surreal, especially because there were very few tourists. It was a form of escapism in public art like I had never experienced before, and it was free!

#FutureTogether - This was another public art exhibition that was on temporarily in the Dragonfly Lake by Gardens By The Bay. Multi-colored eggs were lined up in rows and changed colors on the water. It was completely mesmerizing, and I hope it becomes a permanent installation.

National Museum of Singapore - This is one of the best national history museums I have ever visited. Singapore is the only sovereign city-state in the world, and arguably has one of the most interesting histories of any country. The basement floor shows the history of imperialism in Singapore and the first floor presents the history up to Singaporean independence in 1965.

National Gallery of Singapore - The National Gallery is made of two historical buildings including the former City Hall and Supreme Court Building. Meaning, it’s enormous. There are tons of galleries, but the best parts were a moving boat on the roof and the absolute best view of the most famous buildings in Singapore.

Shopping in Haji Lane - All of the cute boutique stores and restaurants are right here in Kampong Glam. Many of you know that I love collecting rings from each of the places I go, and I found my newest one here in my new favorite store called HYGGE. (It’s the paw print ring on my pinky below!) Besides that, there are plenty of stores with cute clothes, jewelry, and knick-knacks that will send you home with a smile!

St Andrew Cathedral - It’s worth taking a peak inside Singapore’s largest cathedral for some beautiful stained glass window works. It is near the center of town and an easy, short visit on the itinerary.

Merlion - This iconic statue of the Singapore mascot is one of the most Instagram-able points in all of Singapore. It sits right on the edge of the water and there are perfect views of the famous Marina Bay Sands.

Esplanade - Just a short walk from the Merlion, there are always performances happening at the Esplanade, which is an outdoor theatre on the bay. While visiting, we saw a small orchestra warming up for their evening performance.

Botanical Gardens - These gardens are so large that they reminded me of Central Park. It’s a beautiful location where many Singaporeans spend their weekends. It hosts the most flora of any sight in Singapore, and has small indoor interactive learning centers to explore different types of materials made from nature.

Food:

Hawker Centres: These are open-air buildings in Singapore with multiple stalls, serving a wide variety of Southeast Asian foods, which usually cost a maximum of $4 USD. The two largest “Hakwers” that we visited were the Chinatown Complex Food Centre and the Maxwell Food Centre. It is so overwhelming to walk through these because there are so many choices of food. We also visited Zion Riverside Food Centre, which had less stalls, a ton of Christmas lights, and a much more relaxed vibe. The last one we visited was Adam Road Food Centre which had particularly good cheesy fries and nasi goreng at Al Sheik Mee Stall. Another stall called, Nasi Ikan Bilis, had delicious smoothies as well! I am adding the other restaurants we visited below, but to be honest, the Hawkers made up the bulk of our meals. Eating out in Singapore can be very expensive otherwise.

Artisan Boulangerie Company - Also known as “ABC.” This was a completely westernized café and a great place to return to comfort foods when we needed a taste of home. The breakfast and brunch situation here gets two thumbs up.

Piedra Negra - This Mexican restaurant has definitely left a good impression on foodie travelers throughout Singapore. The decorations of the restaurant look authentically Mexican, and the food is delicious, but pricey. Still, homegirl isn’t trying to turn down a taco.

J Cones Jipangy - J Cones are a Korean dessert that I have never experienced before. It’s basically a cannoli shaped into a “J”. But rather than a hard outer shell, it is a soft waffle. Piped through the waffle is soft-serve ice cream which is also piped on either tip of the “J”. I would not be mad if this made it’s way to the States.

Fun Facts and Travel Tips: 

Durian: This fruit is illegal in some Southeast Asian countries due to it’s pungent smell. But not in Singapore! The fruit tastes like a dried out orange combined with pineapple.

Alcohol: Singapore is one of the most expensive cities to drink in. One cocktail costs anywhere from $18-$25 USD. A cheap bottle of wine costs $18 USD. Singapore has heavy import taxes on alcohol, and buyers have to pay a “Goods and Services Tax” with every purchase. Suffice it to say, I was pretty dry in Singapore.

Coronavirus Impact: Singapore was virtually empty due to coronavirus. The government issued an advisory to self-quarantine, and the citizens of Singapore took this very seriously. The very few people walking outside were wearing masks. There was also minimal tourism. We were asked for our contact information at every museum. We also took temperature screenings at almost every building we walked into. It was eerie to see the streets, shops, and restaurants so empty.

Getting Around: Singapore has well developed infrastructure and is one of the easiest cities to get around. Their metro and bus system makes it easy to get anywhere in the city within a half hour. They also have Grabs (essentially Uber) and cabs for people who need to get somewhere fast. The heart of Singapore is also extremely walkable. Within each neighborhood there are so many fun sights to see, restaurants to gorge at, and places to explore! You won’t want to leave.

Cost: We spent $35 per person per day in Singapore, but that is literally a shoestring budget. The only reason we were able to spend this little was because we had free accommodation through Trusted Housesitters. More on that below. Nomadic Matt recommends a $40-$55 per day budget for Singapore, which is much closer to what our spending would have been if we paid for accommodation.

Trusted Housesitters: Our accommodation was FREE thanks to Trusted Housesitters. Real Talk - I would not affiliate myself with a service unless I absolutely 150% believed in it. Travel is, for me, one of the most important things I could do with my time. But it costs a lot of money to book accommodation! So, how do I get free accommodation anywhere in the world? TrustedHousesitters allows for just that. After doing a few housesits near home, we have already been able to find 6 weeks of housesits internationally. We get to spend time with some adorable animals in actual homes, and we’ve saved $1500! If you’re into the idea of free travel, don’t forget to: click my link! Here are the adorable pups we got to hang out with in Singapore:

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