Why Backpack Singapore: A Backpacker’s Guide
Singapore is a tiny independent island city-state situated towards the south of Malaysia. It is the smallest – yet easily the most affluential – country in Southeast Asia. As a global financial centre, it’s grand wealth and prosperity gives the city an immaculately western metropolis type of aesthetic, but at the same time, it manages to maintain all the charm and beauty of its multicultural origins.
For getting around the City, we recommend using Singapore’s metro system. The lines cover the majority of the major areas of the city. Trains run regularly and the fares are remarkably cheap. It is strictly illegal to smoke, eat, drink, or even chew gum on board the trains anywhere in Singapore.
Eating in Singapore
The food in Singapore is nothing short of incredible, and despite the city’s astronomical wealth, it’s food scene brings with it the added virtue of being surprisingly affordable. Singapore has clearly taken great care to maintain its cultural identity throughout its rise to prominence, and there is a huge abundance of multi Asian cuisine options across the city; From Malay to Indian to Thai to Chinese – it’s all there – ready and waiting to be devoured for as little as S$10 per head. For the backpackers, Singapore will not disappoint; Street food is common, affordable, safe and absolutely delicious. For as little as S$5, you can sample popular mouth-watering dishes from all across the South East Asian continent. The street food in Singapore is usually found in various covered food halls; Picture a medium sized shopping centre specifically for street food stalls! This may sound unauthentic for usual Asian street food operations, but believe us, it’s every travelling foodies dream come true! All of your favourite street food cuisine, from Asia and beyond, conveniently located in one indoor establishment with ample seating and bathroom facilities. If this sounds like your idea of heaven, then head over to…
- Maxwell Food Centre – located at the foot of Club Street and Ann Siang.
- Lau Pa Sat – Near Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar, Telok Ayer and Downtown MRT stations.
- Tekka Centre – Above Little India MRT station (Incredible Indian food!)
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to stick to the traditional street food layout where you eat in the actual street, you’ll find random stalls pretty much everywhere you go – just be sure to dispose of your trash responsibly. Heavy fines are generously dished out to those who fail to do this.
For the travelling restaurateurs looking to spend a little more cash and experience Singapore’s finer establishments, then Riverside point is the place to be. Here you’ll find some of the fancier restaurants that offer exquisite international food, many of which offer an al-fresco dining experience with a stunning view of the river.
When you’re done eating and ready to party, we highly recommend heading over to Clarke Quay – an attractive stretch of the river that plays host to some incredible bars, pubs, clubs and live music venues with the kind of electrifying atmosphere that will set your very soul dancing. For much more of the same kind of magic, Club Street is another great party spot with a similar vibe. Enjoy!
What to do
For a city that is so significantly smaller in size than many others in Asia, Singapore still manages to offer an abundance of things to see and do. 24 hours wouldn’t be enough by half – but just in case you’re pushed for time, we’ve given a few favourites.
- Chinatown
Singapore is populated by mostly immigrants, and the city reflects this by possessing a number of ethnic enclaves – Chinatown being the largest of them. The neighbourhood is packed with a variety of things to do and is constantly heaving with pedestrians passing in and out of its shops, eateries, food stalls, temples and markets. Here you’ll find delicious food, stunning works of traditional Chinese architecture, grand Zen Buddhist temples and trinkets galore. To summarise, Chinatown is a dreamland for the curious, thoroughly delightful for the senses, and a must for all visitors.
- Little India
Standing next to Chinatown as another heavyweight cultural enclave of Singapore is the wonder that is Little India – an exciting, colourful, bustling neighbourhood that is as closely matched to the real India as anywhere else on earth. Located a little more than 2 miles northwest of Marina Bay, Little India features a dense network of streets and shops where you can find anything; flower garlands, traditional Indian attire, fragrant spices, colourful fabrics and phenomenal Indian street food. We advise visitors to go to Little India with an empty stomach and take full advantage of the great northern and southern Indian dishes the local food scene has to offer. There are countless opportunities to venture down the smaller alleyways to discover true hidden gems, as well as the 24-hour Mustafa Centre and the open-air Tekka Centre, which offers sari and goldsmith retailers. Tired of shopping already? Check out the gorgeous Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, a Hindu place of worship.
- Gardens by the Bay
If you’re looking to experience nature, Gardens by the Bay is a beautiful urban jungle. This gorgeous attraction is conveniently located in Marina Bay and features a huge variety of sensory pleasures that beautifully combines the natural world with the metropolis. Supertree Grove is the most recognized landmark within the park. This features 18 “supertrees” that support and connect the OCBC Skyway, a 419-foot-long aerial walking bridge that provides visitors with views of both the surrounding gardens, as well as Marina Bay and the surrounding city skyline. Within these mysterious seashell-shaped structures, visitors will find the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest – the largest greenhouse in the world that holds countless species of plants and flowers grouped by country.
- Marina Bay Sands
Money to burn? Then treat yourself to a night at the iconic, world famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel on Bayfront Avenue. A luxurious five-star hotel that stands at 57 storeys high and offers panoramic views of the entire city. A little light on cash? No problem at all; You don’t have to be a guest – or particularly wealthy – to experience the hotels popular ‘Skypark’; A rooftop bar and restaurant located on the 57th floor of tower 2. Up here you can treat yourself to a reasonably priced meal and a few expertly made cocktails, all complimented nicely by an utterly stunning, panoramic view of the city skyline.
We can think of many reasons to go to Singapore – but the one that stands out amongst the masses is to experience history in the making. Singapore is an Asian success story; It’s a wealthy, sophisticated, affluent and tantalising wonder of modern capitalism that is undeniably on par with the likes of London, New York and Sydney in terms of global prominence. Go there – and discover Asia’s very own promised land.
