Victoria Davies, Singer, Songwriter living in Singapore

Singapore is often described by seasoned travellers as “Asia-lite” and compared to her neighbours Thailand or Malaysia this may well be true. However Asia-lite does not equal Asia-boring.

Beneath Singapore’s upwardly mobile exterior she is a melting pot of cultures with Chinese, Malay, Indian and expat communities that combine to make a cultural mash-up, best reflected in the country’s unofficial language, Singlish. Singaporeans love to shop but not nearly as much as they love to eat, and with good reason – they have some of the best food in the world.

While in Singapore, go local on the East Coast a SG$15 cab ride from Changi Airport to Joo Chiat Rd to see some of the most beautifully ornate shophouses in Singapore. These buildings house local shops that offer plenty of options for local cuisine and shopping. Check out The East Coast Lagoon Food Centre for some seriously cheap and delicious fresh seafood – get your fix of chilli crab here. If seafood isn’t your thing then you can pretty much try any hawker centre in the East. Some are better than others by local standards… but for most visitors “it’s all good”. I promise you’ll find some of the best laksa of your life for around $2.50 a bowl.

Shop ‘til you drop

Singapore is not cheap by Asian standards. You will not find the crazy deals you find in Thailand, but depending on your currency you’ll likely always find a deal.

The shops and malls are usually open until about 10-11pm so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get around the various areas to find the best deals. The famous Orchard Rd really is the place to scratch that itch for high-end brands with malls like Ion Orchard offering you almost anything you could want from pampering treatments to designer fashions.

For edgier designer clothing check out Orchard Central. Haggling isn’t really done in S’pore but you can try your luck in Little India (again the food here is some of the best you will try outside of India and with the added bonus of no nasty surprises later). Little India’s famous Mustafa Centre is a huge and very quirky department store that is open 24 hours and features a floor dedicated just to gold! The electronics floor is said to have some of the best deals in Singapore. Bugis is a popular area with art students and young people. Bugis has great malls and shopping strips and again if you are after a deal on electronics check out Sim Lim Square. 

Something Different

For a slice of history and a little bit of hipster culture head to Tiong Bahru where you will find a historic pre-war housing estate that always reminds me of a Hollywood studio back lot. Tiong Bahru has great bookshops, little designer shops hidden down alleys and plenty of great local food offerings.

A must see is the Tiong Bahru Wet Market and Hawker Food Centre, go early and try the traditional Singaporean style breakfast – very sweet coffee, eggs and toast all done in a very special Singaporean way. If you are hanging for a decent cup of coffee (not easy to find in Asia) then you are in luck as Forty Hands Cafe is located in Tiong Bahru.

Get around: Cabs are cheap and honest, no need to negotiate, they use a meter. 
Trains (MRT): The Singaporean train network is excellent, clean, fast and efficient.

Stay

Anywhere that suits your needs or budget, Singapore is an Island, everywhere is close by or near an MRT station. But if you want the best try the Mandarin Oriental  or The Fullerton 

For something a little more boutique try Wanderlust in Little India

What to wear?

Keep it light and smart casual, Singaporeans are fairly casual in their dress code. Keep in mind it’s generally always hot and humid weather but the malls and department stores keep aircon on high. It can get a little much after a while so always pack a scarf or cardigan to fend off the arctic chill.

Need to know Goddess Tip:

The saying “Singapore, it’s a fine city” is true. There are big fines for breaking seemingly small rules in S’pore, so get rid of the chewing gum at airport and don’t even drink water on trains or the train platforms – that’s a $500 fine, thank you!

 

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