What was supposed to be a 5 day trip to Singapore during Christmas in 2017, turned out to be a whole lot different. And by different, I mean I spent only my first and last day of my 5 day trip in Singapore. Needless to say, those 2 separate days that I spent in Singapore were nothing short of adventurous. Short, but enjoyable. I booked my flight with Scoot, and from Tokyo, the flights there and back were both about 9 hours long—just enough time to get my sleep that I lost while packing the night before. (: I stayed at an Airbnb hostel called Central 65 Hostel, and at the time I booked it, the cost was roughly $17/night for a bed in a mixed dormitory. The hostel only had dormitory rooms available, and the mixed dormitory was a little cheaper than the female only option. Central 65 Hostel wasn’t exactly right in the city center, but it was, indeed, central enough to get around and explore Singapore. In this blog article, I’ll walk you through how I spent my time in Singapore. Though a shorter trip than I had originally intended, here are some things to do in Singapore if you have 2 days or less.
Gardens by the Bay
One of the most popular things to do on a visit to Singapore is to visit the Gardens by the Bay. It’s basically a huge, vibrant, horticultural attraction with 3 main features: The Cloud Forest, Supertree Grove, and The Flower Dome. The Flower Dome is a fully encapsulated greenhouse. But not just any greenhouse; Singaporeans were proud to announce that in 2015 (2 years before I visited), it broke the Guinness World Record as the World’s Largest Glass Greenhouse. Another conservatory at Gardens by the Bay, The Cloud Forest is a mist-filled greenhouse filled with a unique variety of rare vegetation.
A very popular photo-worthy attraction here is the Supertree Grove, basically giant metal tree-like structures, linked by a walkway tower over a forest filled with trees and lakes. What’s extra cool about the Supertree Grove, in particular, is the light show they put on at night to classical music. My plans to stay later in order to watch the light show were a bit interrupted, so I didn’t make it to the light show, but I hear it’s a special little event that is definitely worth spending the extra time to see. I hope to see it on my next visit to Singapore.
Like most of my pictures from my travels back then, this was taken with a little iphone 5, so the quality is lacking, for sure. It was also getting a little dark at the time I took the photo. But above is a picture I took of the Supertree Grove. Just look it up on Google though, and you’re sure to see a much more vibrant, inviting image of what Gardens by the Bay has to offer. Admission to the Gardens by the Bay is free and is open daily.
Eat Your Way Through a Hawker Center
Just because you’ve decided to take a trip to what’s known as one of the world’s most expensive cities does not mean that you’ll have to spend a fortune. Trust me. If that were the case, you would not catch me there then or now. If you’re wondering what exactly Hawker centres are, they’re where you will find a goldmine of tasty food without having to empty your wallet. There are 8 Hawker Centres in Singapore, and I happened to visit the Old Airport Road Hawker Centre, one of the most well-known and popular Hawker Centres. This was not, however, by accident. My all-time favorite food vlogger, Mark Wiens, actually made a Youtube video on the Old Airport Road Hawker Centre…and I may have visited a couple of the stalls that he did. And I was not disappointed, nor have I ever been disappointed with his recommendations.
My favorite of the stalls I visited was a well-known fried Hokkien Mee stall run by brothers, called Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee. I also would like to note that the Hawker Center is huge. So, I did a little wandering and snacking before I set out to find this specific stall. But when I found it, I could barely contain my excitement. I want to say it was about a 30-40 minute wait, and it was worth every minute.
This fried hokkien mee is a fried noodle with egg, squid, bean sprouts, and shrimp, fried with a savory, yet light sauce. It’s served with calamansi and chili peppers on the side – the citrus and spiciness of the 2 together helped cut through the saltiness of the noodles, so it gives it a bit of a refreshing taste. Definitely a meal to remember. Try it when you’re there and let me know how you like it!
Explore Tekka Centre in the Heart of Little India
What sets Singapore apart from other countries in its region is its multicultural and multiethnic society, due mostly in part to past immigration from China, Malaysia, and India. It’s incredibly diverse. But don’t just take my word for it. A research study done by the Pew Research Center in 2014 concluded that Singapore was also the most religiously diverse country in the world. This all brings me to Singapore’s different cultural neighborhoods. There’s a Chinatown, Little India, and Arab Street in Singapore. In my very short time in Singapore, I was fortunate enough to explore Little India and try some really good food.
Located near Little India MRT station, one of those Hawker Centres I was talking about, Tekka Centre, is a food center and shopping mall all in one. One thing that I saw a lot of on Youtube when looking at foods to eat in Singapore was prata. So, when I saw a food stall serving prata inside Tekka Centre, I was thrilled. I mean, my mouth started watering. The food stall was called Ar Rahman Royal Prata and they had a drink stand right next to it, as well.
Prata, or roti prata, is an Indian-influenced flatbread dish, usually filled with whatever filling of your choice. They had everything from sweet to savory pratas, but I chose an egg and onion prata because I figured you couldn’t go wrong with that, right? There were honestly so many stalls and I’m sure any would be a wise pick, but I was very pleased with my decision. Visit their stall if you ever find yourself in Tekka Centre! It opens at 5:00 every day except for Monday, when it is closed.
Visit the Famous Merlion Park
Residing at the Merlion Park waterfront is the official mascot of Singapore, “Merlion.” Portrayed as a sculpture with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, the water-spewing Merlion is oddly enough listed on Japan’s top 3 most disappointing sightseeing spots. I mean, it could be due to its previous location before it was relocated? Not sure. But when I went in 2017, it had already been relocated. Sure, it’s not the most extravagant structure or mind-blowing sightseeing spot. But I personally would not place it on such a list. I think it was a cool place for a quick visit, there were a ton of people around taking pictures, but most importantly, I had fun. And so can you.
Bonus
I just wanted to make a quick note of another restaurant that has stuck with me, Singapore Zam Zam. I had seen this restaurant when I was looking at food to eat in Singapore. But I had honestly forgotten about it, mostly because I didn’t really spend as much time in Singapore as I had planned. But after taking the bus back to Singapore on my last day, I was just strolling down some street and saw the sign. I quickly looked it up to see if it was actually the one I had seen before, and it was!
Singapore Zam Zam is known for murtabak, a stuffed pan-fried bread with whatever meat or filling you choose. It’s kind of like the prata I talked about earlier, where the dough is spread out super thin, an egg is cracked on top, onions are added, and then whichever meat you choose. I chose the chicken murtabak and it was as tasty and flavorful as I had expected. Inside, it is packed with the perfect balance of spices and seasonings that I can only assume the chicken was marinated in. It’s served with a little curry on the side, too, which amped up the flavor even more. Each bite was like a flavor explosion in your mouth. What a humble little gem in Singapore. A must visit if you’re in Singapore!
If you go here, you may be tempted to order more than one, but note that murtabak here are not small. Being my greedy self, I contemplated getting 2 different kinds and I was relieved I didn’t because it was a pretty decent size and I had already eaten a lot that day. But oh my gosh, it was so delicious—I still remember the taste so vividly. You will not be disappointed if you go here.
I hope you got a little insight on what to do in Singapore if you have limited time there. If you have any other recommendations, I’d love to hear about them! Planning a trip to Singapore? Tell me about your plans in the comments below! Happy travels!
