Singapore is often dismissed as being the most Westernised country in Asia, but the older generation has hung on to many customs including traditional Chinese funeral rites. While funerals are deeply personal affairs that visitors probably shouldn’t intrude upon, you can gain some insight by visiting a Chinese funeral supply shop. Funeral supply shops are … read the full post

We cycled the 2260 kilometres from Singapore to Bangkok in 18 days. I’d like to say that it was pure grit and determination that kept us going, but really it was the food. When you are cycling six to nine hours a day, you need a lot of fuel to keep going, and you can … read the full post

When Singapore split from Malaysia in the early 1960s, the government implemented a number of policies to rapidly modernise the newly independent city-state. One of them was to move all the people from Malaysian-style kampong villages to the high-rise public housing apartments. Somehow, one of these traditional villages was spared from the bulldozer and survives … read the full post

So what did we learn by cycling from Bangkok to Singapore? I learned that if I can do this, then anyone can be a cyclist. You just have to keep pedalling. There isn’t another way. As Yoda says, “Do or do not… there is no try.” He’s pretty much spot-on for a fictional gnome: just … read the full post

UPDATE, December 2012: While Palheta coffee still exists, it’s now being served at Chye Seng Huat Hardware and the address below is no longer current. Instead head to 150 Tyrwhitt Road, or contact them on 6396 0609. Many months of travelling in Southeast Asia on a budget may lead you to believe that coffee is … read the full post

The Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” needs to have a corollary: that the problem is you have to keep taking steps until you’re actually done. If you don’t take any steps, you don’t make any progress towards the thousand miles. Elementary? Yes, but harder to deal with … read the full post

If you’re a fussy eater who likes to know every ingredient that goes into your meal, this healthy soup is the perfect Singapore hawker dish for you. Every bowl of yong tau foo is custom-prepared with the diner choosing the ingredients and even the flavour of the broth. Common in hawker centres and foodcourts across … read the full post

Singapore may be an expensive city to visit, but at least it’s easy to get a cheap flight out of here. Changi Airport is well served by budget airlines and a one-way flight to another Southeast Asian country can cost less than S$100. Here’s a quick guide to where you can go. Burma: Burma is … read the full post

If there’s one dish that tops the “must-eat” list of visitors to Singapore it’s chilli crab. Whether you eat it in a hawker centre or a posh seafood restaurant, digging into a whole crab swimming in sweet and spicy sauce is the most memorable (and messy) meal that Singapore has to offer. Unlike most hawker … read the full post

Emerald Hill is one of the most colourful streets in Singapore and makes an easy detour from the shopping belt of Orchard Road. Come for the beautiful Peranakan architecture, a bit of antiquing, or maybe a drink at one of the trendy bars? During Singapore’s early colonial days, the Orchard Road area was home to … read the full post