Experience in Singapore, Singapore by Rose

What is it like to live in Singapore? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Living in Singapore is fun at first, because it seems like there's a lot to do (they have a whole 'island' for amusement, after all), but in reality the place is kind of small and so it all gets done rather quickly.

They really do make the most out of the space they have, but the space they have isn't actually all that much. Plus, honestly, the prices are sky-high, which means your money doesn't go as far and you can't truly do as much as you'd like and still keep hold of a decent budget.

I'd definitely recommend it for visiting or a short stay, but not longer than a few months or so and not if you are short on cash.

How much does it cost to live in Singapore?

A lot. I can't give specific figures because obviously that differs for everyone, but while transportation was priced rather okay, the food was hella expensive. Supermarkets were surprisingly rare and the prices in some of them were quite high.

I got just a small pack of cookies, for example, for around 50 baht. A KitKat was almost double the price that it is here in Thailand. To be fair, you can get street food at a relatively reasonable price, in food courts or stalls or hawker centers, but you sometimes sacrifice on quality or convenience then (non-aircon and cheap plastic tables, for example).

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Singapore's 'carrot cake' (there were neither carrots nor cakes involved in this dish)

Extremely varied, but also limited? That's odd to say, I know, but what it comes down to is that Singapore is something of a melting pot of cultures and nationalities, so you've got your Indian food, your Chinese food, your Arabic and Turkish food, your Malaysian food, and of course some European food. So, there's a lot of diversity there.

On the other hand, Singapore is tiny. That means lots of different kinds of food, but not as many options/sellers of each type of food as you'd get in other places. You can try them all out and get bored pretty quickly. I know people who'll cross the border to Malaysia or catch a cheap flight to Thailand in large part just so they can get the food they like.

I can't say what was my favorite dish, however, because half the time I didn't even know/remember the names of whatever I was eating. I know there were a lot of different types, but I wasn't doing the ordering most of the time, or if I did I just pointed at whatever looked good. 

What places would you recommend visiting in Singapore?

Okay this is a big one, so I'll try to keep it as brief as possible. I do have other posts that go into more detail about some of the places mentioned here, so feel free to check those out too for more information.

1. For amusements/attractions

Universal Studios Singapore is definitely a great place to visit if you like rollercoaster rides and those sorts of attractions. Actually, Sentosa Island as a whole is incredible. Some stuff is very expensive, but they do have plenty of free attractions also, like Fort Siloso and its skywalk, or the Palawan beach.

The S.E.A Aquarium Singapore is on Sentosa Island also; it's not free (around 40 singapore dollars for an adult to visit) but it's one of the largest aquariums in the world, so if you are into marine life, that's a great place to spend a day. 

2. For places to visit

- Little India

Tan Teng Nian

I particularly liked Tekka Center, which sells food and goods, and the Tan Teng Nian house, which you can't enter but which is very colorful and makes for a good photo-op. There's also the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple if you're into religion or architecture, the main Little India area on Campbell Lane, and maybe Tekka Place, a shopping mall.

- Chinatown

At the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Chinatown is super good for food and souvenir shopping. First you should visit the Chinatown Visitor Center, since they're obviously going to be one of the best sources of information regarding where to go and what to see here.

From my experience though, Pagoda Street seems to be the most famous tourist road in the area, but the roads nearby are full of interesting places and things to see too. The Chinatown Street markets are great for shopping and souvenirs and the Chinatown food street is -- as it's name suggests -- where you're going to find a lot of Chinese food.

For shopping and food, the Chinatown Complex and the Chinatown Hawker Center are really huge areas with a bit of everything, and at decent prices. The Buddha Tooth Relic temple is again, good if you're into religion, and comes with free tours and a free vegetarian meal, if you'd like to try that.

- Bugis and Kampong Glam (the Malay-Muslim area) 

Prayer times are listed in red here at the Masjid Sultan

Interesting places here are Haji Lane, Arab Street (cool to see), the Bugis area (good for window-shopping or real shopping), and the Masjid Sultan. The Masjid Sultan is a mosque so, again, skip if you're not into visiting religious places.

- The Downtown Core/Marina Bay area

The Merlion looking out onto Marina Bay 

I have no idea if this area has an actual name like Little India and Chinatown, so that's just what I'm calling it. This is the fancy section of Singapore that's really nice to walk around, especially in the evening, when there are loads of events/things to see.

Interesting places to see here are Marina Sands Bay (a massive hotel, shopping area, and casino, and interesting sky-bridges that give great views), the Promontory, the Merlion, the Esplanade Bridge and also maybe the Esplanade (a mall on the beach front with a rooftop garden and where they hold free concerts in the evening).

Then there's the Helix bridge, which has a very nice design. I also absolutely recommend the free parts of the Garden by the Bay, and in particular the Supertree Grove, with its absolutely stunning free light and music show.

3. For hiking/nature

Hindhede Quarry at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

The only place I've personally been hiking to is the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and its Hindhede Quarry. That was fine, nice enough if you just want a casual walk in nature, but some other places I heard good things about for hiking are the MacRitchie Trail and, if you have your own transportation or take a taxi, the TreeTop Walk (near the Singapore Island Country Club).

For just nature and gardens, the Jurong Lake Garden, Chinese Garden, and Japanese Gardens are all super close together. They're pretty far out, but easily accessible via public transport -- go to the Chinese Gardens station on the Green Line -- and if you combine it with a trip to IMM (the largest outlet mall), which is also nearby, you could make a nice day of it and also get some good shopping in.

4. For religion

Aside from the places already mentioned above (the Masjid Sultan, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, and Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple), the Hindu Sri Krishnan Temple, Buddhist Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, and the Catholic St Joseph's Church are also nice and in reasonable walking distance, though not specifically in this area. There's also the Taoist Thian Hock Keng Temple, though I only walked by it and didn't look inside.

Is it good to eat out in Singapore? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Honestly, I'm not a foodie, so I don't know much about eating out in Singapore. I'm a vegetarian, and I don't even particularly like veggies. I mainly ate snacks, whatever was on offer at the hotel, and the cheap food at hawker centers.

The deal I usually have when I go travelling with friends is: I'll find the interesting places and things to do/see, you handle the food. So this is one area I really don't have much knowledge about. I don't know the names of places we've been to, or even have a clear bead on location. I can say that there's a fantastic Foodpanda selection though.