Not only from my memories and favourite things to do in ‘SG’ before and during the pandemic, but now from being back in the country after several years in the proper working world. Everyone’s tastes and preferences in Singapore are different, and depending on what you’re in the tiny country to do you will have more or less inclination to follow along. Still, I am quite confident that each section of activities will still retain quite a few that are accurate, enjoyable, and sufficient to introduce you to the Singaporean lifestyle from two distinct lenses: the local and the foreigner / tourist.

*Rough map of suggestions, simply demonstrating where most of the exploration is clustered on the island*

Before my suggestions, allow me to quickly breakdown popular regions. Singapore is quite small and with its extremely clean, comfortable, and efficient public transportation systems it is no issue at all to traverse the entire country in just about an hour. However, you may want to see certain regions over others, or at least get a general idea of what each is like to desires of your company. I have briefly outlined (and over generalised!) areas below:

ORCHARD

The central shopping district and very fashionable area. Mostly made of one main street (Orchard Rd) but it’s worth exploring in and around all the malls and various spaces. There is a cool skatepark area called “Scape” that’s fun to check out. The main malls and plazas worth stopping at (starting from the west and working east):

Cuppage Plaza, 313 @ Somerset, Mandarin Gallery, Paragon, Takashimaya, Wisma Atria, Ion, Wheelock, Scotts Plaza, Far East Plaza, and Tanglin Mall.

Near Somerset station is also a really cool area called Emerald Hill; it is worth walking up and down the streets to look at the traditional Peranakan architecture and stop at a bar (Ice Cold Beer is a classic) to have a drink.

HOLLAND VILLAGE (HV)

This is another area that is home to lots of expatriates. It’s off one of the main roads running west and offers nice bars, cafés, restaurants, a bit of shopping, as well as some food centres within the HBDs. I recommend trying the acai bowl place called ‘Project Acai’ if you want to run into, again, a lot of international school students. Their cookie butter is quite good.

Crystal Jade is a decently popular restaurant chain in Singapore offering Chinese but also plenty of fusion. Their outlets vary in fanciness and the one at HV is accessible but still a nice place to eat.

Cecilia Westberry Beauty Spa is located inconspicuously inside an HDB (Housing Development Board of Singapore = public housing / government subsidised housing where 80% of the local Singapore population lives) Block in Holland Village, but she is the sweetest woman in the world and offers great hair, nails, makeup, waxing, etc services.

CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (CBD)

This is where all of the banks and fancy companies have their headquarters in Singapore. It’s a beautifully green business district, and of course home to lots of food centres, malls, bars, and restaurants. It’s worth walking through, or at least photographing from the adjacent Quays. If you hear people saying they are going to the CBD this is what they mean.

EAST COAST

A mixture of more affordable housing and home to lots of Indian families as well as frequented by tourists and families from all over that come for an activity, East Coast Park is one of the more interesting places to spend outdoor time. It’s really nice to rent bikes further north / east along the trail (take public transport here) and cycle down to Gardens by the Bay for sunset. You can rent a bike from one location and generally drop it off at another.

WEST COAST

More remote and authentic feeling than East Coast Park, and home to more Malay families it’s also a nice green space. If you’re in the area, walk or cycle past Haw Par Villa. It makes a cool photograph and is close to West Coast Park if you’re feeling adventurous.

LITTLE INDIA

Really fun area to walk around with a proper wet market inside the Tecca Center. Also don’t miss going inside Mustafa Centre where you can literally find anything and everything. Make sure you walk past the temple as well. Rochor station is a good place to get out at on the MRT.

I have three food recommendations, Murugan Idli (for, believe it or not, idli and dosa and uttapam and other south indian breakfast foods — don’t go here after 12:30), Saravana Bhavan (also South Indian, and also a chain, I know, but I love it always), and Copper Chimney if you’re looking for North Indian cuisine.

CHINATOWN

This place is quite busy and overwhelming but really fun to walk around. Good for souvenirs, sweets, a mix of touristy and traditional stuff to buy, and two nice Hawker Centres (Chinatown, and Maxwell). Going at night it’s lit up really nicely. If you’re brave enough to try Durian I would do it from here. If you want an affordable meal and a more humbling experience, you can eat in the basement of the Chinatown Buddhist Relic Temple. All the meals are vegetarian… although sometimes I am confused as they serve fish… and for $3 SGD you can eat well.

SENTOSA

A manmade island home to Singapore’s wealthiest people, traveling here sort of feels like you’re crossing the bridge into some fairyland. It's nice to come here if you don’t have access to a pool at your hotel or you aren’t a member of some club. There are a few different beach clubs, all quite expensive if you want to rent a daybed (but worth it in my opinion). Tanjong is definitely the most fashionable and comfortable, Rumors is a bit younger and more party vibes. No one is stopping you from bringing a picnic and your own towels and going anywhere on the island for free.

If you’re here for a day I would go walk around the marina and look at all the crazy nice boats/yachts and houses in Cove Drive and Ocean Drive.

GEYLANG

If you really know Singapore, you know that there isn’t a place on the island that is ‘sketchy’ or unsafe, and the closest you could get based on crime rates would be Punggol or perhaps Yio Chu Kang. However, for some reason Geylang gets this reputation of being a slightly crazy place to go. Potentially as it was formerly the ‘red light district’ of Singapore, but that scene has now since moved to Orchard Towers (only until July, 2023 when the government is shutting it down). You might see some characters, but they have a really nice Hawker Centre here as well and it’s worth exploring another local area with cool architecture.

I personally go to the Singapore sports hub on weekday afternoons to patronise their free fitness classes. Then I cycle through Kallang waterside park and end up around all the mosques at the edge of Geylang in time for the evening call to prayer. Very nice and serene.

SINGAPORE RIVER

This is the area connecting the CBD with the Quays and the Touristic areas around Kallang but before Orchard. It’s definitely a great place to walk around and see a lot of sites all at once, ducking in and out of museums, bars, and malls. I would recommend to go around in the late afternoon, then stop and have dinner somewhere, then come back out and take more photographs and explore at night.

ARAB ST

This is right around the Singapore River area, and a small few streets all packed together, but it’s quite picturesque and honestly feels like you’re on the set of a movie at times. Haji Lane is a tourist destination, with cafés, streets done of with graffitti, and little boutiques. There are shops selling fabrics, thrift stores, and confused restaurants claiming to be ‘Turkish-Lebanese-Greek’ where you could easily also order a bowl of spaghetti… but it’s a fun vibe and the people are super nice; however, don’t come here if you don’t like being called at to come sit down or buy this or that… As salam alaikum sister, come eat falafel, pizza, pasta, houmous, authentic ME food…

Touristy Stuff (a few things you ‘MUST’ do on your first visit)

See Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and walk around the Singapore Botanic Gardens / Singapore River Area
See Fullerton Hotel, Raffles Hotel, and all of these tourist attractions that stand as proof of the not-so-late British Colonisation of the country
Walk down Orchard (I recommend starting from Somerset Station and walking left/east towards Orchard station & ION Shopping mall)
Cycle along East Coast park towards the centre at sunset (beautiful views)
Eat at Newton Hawker Centre (this is the most touristy one, featured in Crazy Rich Asians) see below for other more authentic options
Travel to Sentosa and spend the day at Tanjong Beach Club
Do the Tree Top Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir
Visit the National Gallery & Peranakan Museum (introduction to Singapore history and culture). The Asian Cultures Museum is also incredible
Have a drink on Emerald Hill (lined with beautiful classic Singapore Shophouses – Take a photo of 26 Saunders Rd and send it to me, my old home 😔)
Visit Little India, Chinatown, and Arab St respectively
Walk through CHIJMES, it’s an area of outdoor gardens and British colonial architecture. Popular spot for family, wedding, and senior portraits
Walk around all the Quays – they are hard to miss, and most of them clustered around the centre, but some stereotypes to know: Robertson and Boat Quay have nice restaurants and bars all around them. Clarke Quay is known as the drinking / party spot for not only lots of underaged high schoolers but also younger Singaporeans so it’s quite a fun place to be at night without committing to a clubbing experience
I’ve never been to the Singapore Zoo, but it’s world renowned and if that’s your kind of thing I would go. They also have a night safari which is really fun to go on after a few drinks

Food (Local Dishes not to miss)

Roti Canai – amazing Indian/Malaysian flatbread found at any hawker with a delicious but light side curry. I suggest the vegetarian version, but fish is the second best
Mee Goreng – A stir fry of noodles that is a classic in the region
Bee Hoon – Thinner noodles also stir fried in a traditional way
Hokkien Mee – Thicker and wetter noodles with lots of seafood mixed in, if you have a gentle stomach be slightly cautious
Nasi Lemak – Indonesian dish that is done really well in Singapore with coconut rice, fried chicken, sambal paste, peanuts and anchovies
Rendang – An amazing Malaysian curry
Satay – Classic Singapore style satay with peanut sauce, cucumbers, and chunks of rice
Hainanese Chicken Rice / Duck Rice – The epitome of classic Singaporean food, have to try at least once
Fishball Noodles – Surprisingly delicious
Laksa – An amazing, coconut-based, slightly spicy bowl of thick soup with rice noodles and your choice of fillings (tofu, beansprouts, fishcakes, and prawn is quite common)
Kopi – this means “coffee”, there are 10,000 different ways of ordering. I have attached a guide here relevant for kopi and teh
Teh Tarik – Amazing sweet but slightly spicy malaysian tea
Milo Dino – This is NOT just your average chocolate milk!! Milo dino is a treat, with extra scoops of chocolate powder on top, if you simply want the drink just order an iced Milo
Chendol is an amazing icy dessert
Tang Yuan are really nice sweet glutinous rice balls usually served in a warm ginger broth

Food (Restaurants)

Tiong Bahru Hawker, and there’s a really good thai place opposite Tiong Bahru Bakery
Upper Thompson Rd Roti Prata House (a bit out of the way but completely worth seeing a local area and having the best Roti Prata (Roti Canai) in Singapore
Geylang Hawker
Anywhere in Little India, although specific suggestions noted above
Bleu Cucina (good, fancy Greek, but don’t go to the Dempsey Hill location, go to the Bukit Timah one)
Dempsey Hill / Duxton Hill to see expats and foreigners eating overpriced meals, but the vibe is cool
Wild Honey is a good brunch spot… coming from someone who hates brunch
McDonald’s in Singapore is actually an experience (especially at Serene Centre – open 24hrs there are always people here after a good night out. Try their McSpicy with Milo and fries)
The Coconut Club is famous
Any Middle Eastern place around Arab St is okay if you don’t have hummous expectations
Two Men’s Bagels is a fashionable bagel sandwich spot that has a few locations around Singapore
Ce La Vie is on top of the MBS building and is worth having an overpriced drink for the views, Wednesdays ladies can get free entry and a free drink!
Din Tai Fung is a classic and if you like Xiao Long Bao and desire a proper Singapore experience it’s worth going. Their spicy cucumber salad, noodles with the ‘special sauce’ and steamed yam buns for dessert are all delicious
Shi Li Fang hotpot has a few locations around the city and is quite affordable compared to a place like Hai Di Lao, but similar experience and delicious
Ghim Moh market has really good dosai and fresh fruit markets
The mala place in Alexandra — Mala is a really nice (and spicey, mouth-numbingly so if you’re not careful) dish quite popular in Singapore. I would go for medium-spicey max, and don’t be embarrassed for less. You have to get some sort of tofu skin and lotus root in your dish, and the rest is up to you. I suggest Enoki mushrooms and vermicelli rice noodles as another staple, but it’s really a build-your-own mala experience
In general I really recommend eating at Hawker Centers (food stalls/markets) at any area you’re in, it will always be more exciting, better value for money etc. If you want an air conditioned / proper experience than you can’t go wrong with many places in Singapore but the food is of your average international city prices and quality.

Outdoors

MacRitchie Reservoir
Bukit Timah Hill (prepare yourself it’s a short but vertical hike)
Henderson Waves in Mount Faber Park has really good views
East Coast park for bicycles, restaurants, walking, running, bbqs, etc
West Coast Park is much more local than East Coast Park but has nice paths along the harbour
Singapore Botanic Gardens is very tame nature, but beautiful walks with close access to the center
Kayak at Ohana Beach House in Pasir Ris! It’s run by super friendly people at good prices, if you’re feeling adventurous you can even paddle all the way across to Pulau Ubin (a nature reserve off the coast of Singapore)
Marina Barrage (beautiful place for a sunset picnic on the tip of Gardens by the Bay (I would cycle or walk here through the centre area and relax or even fly a kite!)
Sentosa Beach clubs are all interconnected by a free shuttle so you can walk or bus around to see which beach club you prefer
Fort Canning Park has nice places to sit down and wander around, it’s a nice hilly park in the centre of the city

Shopping

Singapore is all about shopping, everything is on Orchard Rd for the most part – a general rule, the further underground you go, the more affordable it gets, at street level and above are all the designer brands. DAISO is a fun Japanese ‘dollar store’ to visit, and in the bottom of most shopping malls are really amazing food courts that have decent options and good people watching. Takashimaya has an amazing Japanese bookstore inside as well.

Miscellaneous

Joo Chiat – a little further out, but a really cool area with houses all built on stilts (Eat at 5 Star restaurant if you come here!)
Eat on a floating fish kelong (Smith Marine is the newest one, near Pulau Ubin)
Day trips on a ferry to Lazarus Island (it’s the prettiest beach you’ll find in the Singapore Straits)
Army camps – you will find these scattered all over Singapore, don’t be afraid of fenced out areas or signs suggesting military presence, it’s just where army boys serving their national service are training and working

A few general tips for first time visitors:

MRT = Singapore’s Tube (subway, train, etc)
I never bother buying an MRT card if I am there a short while, you can pay for all transport with a contactless card / your mobile
Download Grab (the Uber of Singapore)
PCN = Park Connector, trails for pedestrians and cyclists that go all around Singapore, part of an initiative to greenify the country and keep everyone nice and healthy
Don’t worry about eating street food / drinks, everything is very safe and clean
Refer to locals as Auntie/Uncle, it’s familiar and polite, the equivalent of Ma’am/Sir, you can also refer to people more your age as Sister/Brother
“Can” = “Yes”
You don’t have to tip
Don’t worry about exchanging much cash – you could even get away with not doing it at all – but at hawkers and markets it’s often easier for the business if you pay in cash
Don’t smoke outside the boxes of tape on main streets, you will get seriously fined
Don’t vape in public (it’s technically illegal to have a vape in Singapore)
Don’t litter, eat on public transport, or spit your gum on the ground
Sunday are the days that most domestic workers have off, so if you want to experience something kind of cool, walk through Lucky Plaza on a Sunday. There is also tons of delicious and extremely cheap Filipino food here

ADDITIONAL SECTION FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT ENJOY WALKING OR CYCLING AROUND SINGAPORE

Below I have just included a few of my favourite routes around Singapore and given them a slightly overdramatic name and description. Bicycle routes in red and walking routes in purple. These are certainly more for a long-term stay in Singapore, or for people who know it a bit better, although I wouldn’t discourage any curious mind from giving them a go.

Singapore Guide

Global Economics

Being a First year for a Second time in a Pandemic