Singapura: More than a Little Red Dot (GT Guide Part I)

Despite its compact land mass and lack of abundant natural resources, Singapore remains a vibrant country that represents constant and innovative change. This inspiring transformation invites travelers to experience everything it has to offer, from its diverse food choices to modern architectural wonders.

There are two essential things a traveler should know when traveling to Singapore:

1) Singapore is expensive! If you want to save and be practical, take the MRT since it's the most convenient way to go around the whole city. I recommend that you get the EZ-Link Card so you can avoid the long lines and you can also use this for the bus. Of course, get a map. Singapore is fairly easy to navigate.

2) The humidity and heat could be unbearable. Coming from a tropical and humid country, I thought that the weather in Singapore was worse. Always bring a bottle of water and an extra shirt.

Here are some of the things you can do while in Singapore.

1) Visit the Central Tourist loop (a.k.a The Merlion, Esplanade, Singapore River) - If it's your first time in Singapore, you should definitely cross this off your list first. It's basically the heart of Singapore. From any point in the City, find the nearest MRT station and take the MRT to Raffles Place or Esplanade. Either way will lead you to the Merlion (Half-fish, half lion) Singapore's official committee-designed symbol.

We went to Esplanade first, two dome shaped buildings that resemble the durian fruit (or even a hedgehog). Esplanade is currently Singapore's building solely devoted to arts.


The CBD skyscrapers that have long defined Singapore.


Presently, however, an odd building with three towers dominates the skyline of Singapore (More about Marina Bay Sands below).


The best time to go would be during late afternoon when the weather is more bearable for a leisurely stroll. You can just chill somewhere near the Merlion and wait until the night envelopes the whole city.


Singapore actually looks better at night!


2) Ride the Singapore Flyer - For magnificent views of Marina Bay and CBD, ride the word's largest observation wheel (Yes, it's bigger than the London Eye). The Flyer has 28 airconditioned capsules that will give a 360 view of Singapore's iconic and historical landmarks. We, however, chose to skip the flyer since we were going the Marina Bay Sands. It's also more expensive (SGD 29 versus Skypark's 20). Just pick one.


3) Clarke Quay (pronounced as Key) - Since my friend had a meeting in this area, this was the first place we visited when we arrived.

The al-fresco dining here reminded me of our very own Greenbelt mall in the Philippines.

A must try would be the Turkish Ice Cream in Clarke Quay. Be prepared to be entertained (and maybe a bit annoyed). If you see more than a dozen onlookers gathering around an ice cream stand, then you have come to the right place. The ice cream guy is a master artist! Eating ice cream will never be the same again. Apparently, this reward needs a bit of work before you get it.

Watch Ralph as he struggles to get his Ice Cream. My battle was painstakingly longer.

Being a doctor, I found this bar/restaurant interesting because of its unique style. I was actually thinking of bringing this concept to Manila.

For some pure adrenaline rush, you can try the G-MAX Reverse Bungy and GX-5 Extreme Swing. This can be found next to the Coleman Bridge. You won't miss it! ($40)

We were supposed to try this to but I would have just thrown up everything I had eaten. We forgot to go back after that night.

2) Chinatown- Singapore probably has the cleanest Chinatown in the world. Aside from the touristy kitsch, CT is the place where you can buy cheap perfumes and electronics (Funan Mall would be your go-to place for digital stuff too)

We ate at Yum Cha restaurant, which was hidden from the main street. It was the place we needed after too much walking. The Xiao long bao and dumplings were excellent but we hated the hidden charges. The food was pricey and we almost paid for the wet-ones we didn't use. We even had to pay for the service water. Terrible.

As soon as you are up and running, forget your hotel breakfast. A must try in Singapore is their traditional breakfast of kaya toast, runny eggs and "kopi". You can get this is any Coffeshop or Kopitiam. Ya Kun Kaya Outlets serve the best kaya in town.

We had ours in Nanyang Old Coffee, which served an equally excellent breakfast. It did not make me full but it was enough to jumpstart our long day ahead.

For photography enthusiasts, the shophouses in Chinatown would be great subjects. As the name suggests, a shophouse contains a residential area with a shop on the ground floor.

The shophouses clearly remind me of Singapore's colonial past.


The colors of the facades seem to add more charm and life to Chinatown.

In Chinatown, you can also see Sri Mariamman Temple, which is located on South Bridge Road (End of Pagoda Street). Notice the intricate carving of gopuram or gate statuary above the entrance. Admission is free here. Just make sure you take off your shoes.

One last thing you should never forget: Bring home some bak-kwa (Minced pork with some secret recipe) from Bee Cheng Hiang.

3) Visit some fine hotels - Singapore has a myriad of choices when it comes to luxury hotels. However, if you only have a few days, you need to visit these three:

The Raffles Hotel, built in French Renaissance style, was named after Singapore founder Sir Stamford Raffles. This hotel has impeccable luxurious service spanning more than a century.

Tradition lives on. The hotel has an air of exclusivity. If I were to choose between this hotel and more modern ones, I'd pick the Raffles Hotel.

2) Marina Bay Sands (MBS) - MBS has dramatically changed the skyline and energy of Singapore. The hotel is an architectural wonder that people either love or hate.

(Top) Entrance of MBS; (Below) Shoppes of MBS

The "piece de resistance" of MBS is the Skypark. Soaring 57 stories above the ground (around 250 m), the Skypark offers vertiginous and spectacular views of the city.


If you want to swim and feel like you own the world, the 150-m infinity-edge pool can give you just that. The Amazing Race Victory Party was held here during the previous night! We missed it!

3) Fullerton Hotel - Post Office-turned-Hotel is Singapore's shining jewel at night. For more magnificent views of the bay, have some cocktails at the Lantern Bar. Staying in this hotel comes with a hefty price tag.

5) Since the urban jungle can be overwhelming, the Singapore Zoo/Night Safari/Jurong Bird Park might be a great way to spend the day. If you plan to visit all three, you can get a pass at a discounted price. We only went to the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari since we were seriously tired of seeing animals after two days. It might be better to space out your visit if you are in Singapore for more than a week.

(L) I was thrilled to see Giant Tortoises. It made me want to go an adventure in Galapagos Islands (R) The Proboscis monkey looked like it had a man's body part hanging around as its nose.

These talented and brilliant Pachyderms made our day! Clap Clap.


The Night Safari, which has won so many awards, is definitely a must-visit for any traveler.




6) Food Tripping all over Singapore! - This country is a foodie's dream!

**For the best Katong Laksa, we had to try Lonely Planet recommended 328 Katong Laksa (No. 51 East Coast Road).

It was actually my first time to try this dish so I couldn't say if this was the best one or not. FYI, laksa is basically a coconut based curry soup popular in Malaysia in Singapore. In Katong laksa, a variant of laksa, the noodles are cut into smaller pieces so that the dish can be easily eaten using a chopstick or spoon. The dish is complemented with either seafood or chicken (and more!). This could very well be Singapore's national dish.

We got a seafood platter of laksa (around SGD 7). It had a more than satisfactory serving. The curry was not overpowering at all. The verdict: We loved it! I think I need to try more laksa in Singapore for comparison (I hear that Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa also has one of the best laksa in town.)

**Eat Chicken Rice - They say that this is the food that you need to try in Singapore. Since we were staying a few blocks away from Maxwell Road Hawker Centre, we couldn't resist. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is known to have the best Chicken Rice in Singapore. New York Times call it "Chicken Rice Shine". (Big Thanks to Ryan and Marielle for taking us here.)


It's so good that even chef extraordinaire Anthony Bourdain swears by it.

My verdict: We were the first ones to line up (meaning we got the first batch) so I expected that it would be more flavorful as I thought it would be. It was delicious nonetheless! We actually tried Chicken Rice the previous day in the Republic Food Court (Also a must try food court!) for comparison. Tian Tian's was definitely better. I could eat this dish everyday.

**Little India - We did not have much time to explore this part of Singapore but we had a chance to try the Naan and Tandoori Chicken in the hawkers for lunch. Cheap and authentic! After this, you can go to Mustafa Centre for some cheap shopping.

**Go to Republic in Suntec City - With a cozy library atmosphere, Republic would be a great place for more food tripping.

Sergeant chicken Rice was the first Chicken Rice we tried in Singapore.

**Go to IKEA for the Köttbullar - Aside from the furniture shopping here (I had to much excess baggagae because of IKEA) the next best thing would be the meatballs. It was a revelation (Big Thanks to Marielle) - The meatballs, the gravy and the lingonberyy jam! Ahh... I would bring home some if I could! The blend was explosive in your mouth.


Since you are already in this area, drop by the Fountain of Wealth - known to be the biggest fountain of Asia. There's a show here at night.


Touch the water and go around it 3 times for more wealth!


**Makansutra Gluttons Bay - If you want to have another gastronomic adventure, you should this food haven near Esplanade. We had a feast here on our last night in Singapore.


We tried Gado Gado, Satay...


and Stingray. The Stingray was spicy but I liked its texture.


7) Experience Singapore Nightlife - For a quick taste of the party life in Singapore, hit the Zouk. Zouk is the premier club in Singapore. We immediately went to Zouk on our first night. It was an interesting 80s and 90s theme. We purposely did not bring a camera when we went.

Source from Zouk

The Ultimate Party would be the Zoukout in Sentosa (Siloso Beach)! It was Zoukout's 10 year anniversary and it was one of my reasons for going to Singapore.


Tiesto and David Guetta had great sets but we couldn't keep our energy up until 8 am.


8) Do Singaporean's favorite hobby -- SHOPPING! - The malls are everywhere so pick your poison. Start from Orchard Road and work your way out. Hopefully there would be an H & M when we return! I repeat: Check Funan Mall for Cheap Electronics and Mustafa in Little India for some goodies.

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Singapore may be a small country but it is packed with activities for tourists and locals alike. We didn't even go to Universal Studios (We figured it would be more or less the same as the one in Hollywood) and Resorts World. I also wanted to go to the Botanic Garden but time was all we lacked.

Five Days in Singapore gave us a taste of this Global City's power to properly integrate its past with the modern world. I believe this would be the most exciting time to visit Singapore as it reinvents itself as one of the most scenic and surprising cities in the world - a perfect blend of Western modernity and Asian sensibilities.

We cant wait to go back.