Where Singaporeans go for a seafood supper.

Pasir Panjang is a mid-sized hawker centre with about 45 stalls in total, but you really can’t go wrong ordering from any of them. Our top pick for a seafood feast is the Alan BBQ Seafood Stall where squid, fish, clams and stingray are slathered in spicy sambal sauce, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled starting at S$10 for a portion big enough to feed two. You can also sample Singapore’s famous chilli crab here, though locals tend to prefer the black pepper or butter version. The cost of crab depends on the market rate, so always ask before ordering.

All the must-try hawker dishes can be found here including satay, chicken wings, char kway teow, fried carrot cake and both kinds of rojak. There is also authentic Thai food to be found here at the Bua Siam stall – the phad kapow gai (minced chicken with basil) and tom yam goong are just as loaded with chillies as anything you get in Bangkok and a bargain by Singapore standards, with prices from S$5.

BBQ stingray with lots of chilli — our favourite!

All of this spicy food definitely calls for some ice cold Tiger beer, and it’s also a bargain here at S$5.20 for a big bottle – try drinking it like a local in a mug filled with ice cubes. If it’s too early to start drinking, you can also get Singapore-style coffee (kopi), soft drinks, fruit shakes and fresh sugar cane juice.

Considering the low prices, Pasir Panjang Food Centre provides good service – most hawkers will bring your food to your table when it’s ready (tell them your table number) and you pay when it arrives. The downsides are that the cleanliness isn’t always up to Singapore’s high standards and it gets crowded at night, though that’s true of anywhere in Singapore that serves excellent food at a fair price.

While many stalls are open for breakfast and lunch, Pasir Panjang’s beloved seafood stalls don’t open until after 17:00. To make up for it, they do stay open late and you can feast on fried rice and spicy seafood until 22:00 on weekdays and 23:00 or later on weekends. Best yet, this hawker centre is extremely easy to get to via public transit — take the escalator up from Pasir Panjang MRT station and you can’t miss it.

Pasir Panjang Food Centre
121 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Pasir Panjang

A step up from Little India’s hostels and budget hotels.

The Albert Court Village Hotel occupies a cluster of historic shophouses separated from Little India by busy Bukit Timah Road. The facade has been impeccably restored with Peranakan carvings and shuttered windows and there’s a garden courtyard in the rear. All of the hotel’s rooms are comfortable, a decent size and have a few elegant touches like high ceilings and hardwood floors – just don’t come expecting Raffles Hotel.

True to its ranking as a four-star hotel, the rooms offer all mod cons including a telephone, flatscreen TV, coffee-maker, minibar, air-con and high-speed internet access. Most rooms come with the choice of one queen or two single sized beds, and the other furnishings are hardwood with a simple but timeless design. Although the lower priced rooms have old-fashioned looking bathrooms, I found them to be very clean and more than adequate by Singapore standards, especially considering that every room has a bathtub. If you want to treat yourself, consider upgrading to one of the premier rooms which are located in a separate wing filled with tropical plants and come with a complimentary breakfast.

A touch of colonial charm in the heart of Little India.

The Albert Court Village Hotel gets an A for effort for the facilities it offers, though we doubt we’d use them if we were staying here – no one else seemed to be. Guests have access to a fitness centre which, while small, has a decent selection of work-out equipment and, rather than a swimming pool, there are two Jacuzzi tubs – one which is kept cold. There is also a stuffy-looking cafe on the second level and a small lobby lounge. What most travelers will want to take advantage of is the free WiFi or at least the Macs in the lobby for guest use.

If you plan to explore Singapore by public transit, the Albert Court Village Hotel’s location is unbeatable. Both the Little India and Bugis areas are within walking distance, and the proximity to Little India MRT means you can be on Orchard Road in five minutes or Sentosa Island in 15. Cheap and delicious hawker food is just a stone’s throw away at Tekka Market, but for a more formal meal we recommend the Shish Mahal restaurant in the hotel’s courtyard – a curry dinner surrounded by palm trees and colonial architecture is a memory of Singapore you won’t soon forget.

Check rates & availability at Albert Court Village Hotel on Agoda.com.

Albert Court Village Hotel
180 Albert Street, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Little India
T: 6339 3939
http://www.stayfareast.com/en/hotels/albert-court-village-hotel/

Singapore has modern travel clinics with English-speaking staff.

Singapore General Hospital, the city-state’s largest medical facility, has a full Travel Clinic that offers country-specific health advice, vaccinations and anti-malarial medication. The clinic has drop in hours from 08:30 till 17:30 Monday to Friday where you can see a nurse practitioner for information or an injection, but you’ll need to make an appointment for a consultation with a doctor. Not only is it an all-around excellent choice, it’s walking distance from Outram Park MRT.
Singapore General Hospital Travel Clinic, T: 6326 6723

Tan Tock Seng Hospital has a Travellers’ Health and Vaccination Clinic located on its first floor. They offer vaccinations against typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis and yellow fever as well as anti-malaria prophylaxis. You can call the clinic to make an appointment or visit during their walk-in hours, 08:00-12:30 and 14:00-16:30 weekdays and 08:00-11:30 on Saturdays. They also answer questions by email.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital Travellers’ Health Clinic, T: 6357 2222, THVC@ttsh.com.sg

In eastern Singapore, Changi General Hospital offers a Medical Centre for International Travellers. Their staff offers pre-travel advice, vaccinations, anti-malarial medication and a handy ‘travel medical kit’ stocked with medication for common complaints like headache, motion sickness and traveller diarrhoea. The staff are also trained to deal with post-travel health complaints like strange rashes or bug bites. You can simply drop by to purchase the travel medical kit or get some advice, but an appointment is needed for vaccinations.
Changi General Hospital offers a Medical Centre for International Travellers, T: 6850 3333

Put your back out?

If you have more money than time, all Raffles Medical Clinics offer travel vaccinations, travel health kits and consultations on a walk-in basis. Vaccinations against influenza and hepatitis A and B are available at all 72 locations — including those at Singapore’s Changi International Airport  — while Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever vaccinations are available at selected locations. The staff are very professional and efficient, but these are private medical clinics so do expect the fees to be higher than at the hospitals listed above.
Raffles Medical Group Travel Health Services, T: 6311 1111

Get that water really, really clean.

As a tiny island surrounded by saltwater, natural sources of drinking water are rare in Singapore – and now with a population of 6,000,000 there’s a downright shortage. The Singapore government has historically solved this problem by importing water from their northern neighbour Malaysia, but advancements in water purification technology have given them an alternative.

After 30 years of research, Singapore’s water treatment facilities are able to purify water that is flushed down toilets and sinks to such a high degree that it can be put back into the taps. This reclaimed sewage is known as NEWater and if you’ve ever drunk the tap water in Singapore, you’ve tried it.

The filtration process — only a few thousand times larger.

Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and includes a video presentation and a guided walk through the factory while learning facts like that NEWater currently meets 30% of Singapore’s water needs, with the goal of increasing it to 50% by 2060. Each tour concludes with the part everyone’s been waiting for – NEWater taste test time. Participants on the tour are offered all the bottles of NEWater they like and it tastes no different than your average bottled water.

Tours of the NEWater Visitor Centre are free, but it is suggested that you register in advance. There are five tour slots throughout the day — 09:00, 10:45, 12:30, 14:15 and 16:00 –  and generally four are conducted in English and one in Mandarin. You can sign up for a tour on the PUB website, listed below.

The prettiest sewage treatment facility on the planet?

The NEWater Visitor Centre is located in the middle of nowhere by Singapore standards, but it’s still easily reachable by public transportation. First, take the MRT to Tanah Merah station. As you exit the station look for signs pointing to the bus stop for the NEWater shuttle bus. Pick-up times are about 15 minutes before the tours, so at 08:45, 10:30, 12:15, 14:00 and 15:45. This is a free service and it will take you back to the same MRT station after the tour.

NEWater Visitor Centre
20 Koh Sek Lim Road, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Tanah Merah, then a free shuttle bus
Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 09:00–16:00 (five tours per day)
www.pub.gov.sg/water/newater/visitors

Forty Hands does coffee right.

The cafe’s name comes from the fact that, on average, twenty people (and therefore forty hands) are involved in production of coffee from field to cup. The coffee served at Forty Hands is fair-trade and prepared by expert baristas, resulting in happy coffee workers and happy coffee drinkers. At S$3.50 for a single espresso to S$5 for a latte, Forty Hand’s prices are lower than chains like Starbucks for a far better quality product. Their house blend is always available and is well balanced, but coffee connoisseurs should enquire about the seasonal single-origin coffees that are available until they inevitably sell out.

If you like to start your day with more calories than in a cappuccino, Forty Hands makes a mighty good breakfast. The “Big Boy Breakfast” (S$18) with grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon, chipotle sausage and eggs any way you like ‘em will keep you full through dinner, while for the health-conscious there’s tropical fruit salad with yogurt (S$11). My favourite is the eggs benedict (S$14) with creamy hollandaise, a generous portion of ham and a side salad. Best yet, you don’t need to get up early to enjoy breakfast at Forty Hands – breakfast is available all day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Forty Hands is known for their delicious breakfasts.

The lunch and dinner offerings aren’t quite as extensive, but everything is delish. For a quick bite order one of their toasties (S$10-12) with gourmet fillings like Jamaican jerk pork, spicy Thai chicken or, for the vegetarians, four different kinds of mushrooms. On Friday and Saturday nights when Forty Hands stays open late and more people are drinking beer than coffee the order of choice is gourmet hotdogs or Asian-style sliders – both spicy, savoury and a big step up from your usual bar food.

If you just want something to nibble on, the baked goods are on display near the cash register – a selection of tarts, cookies and even Asian red bean buns. In line with Forty Hands laid-back vibe, the restaurant is partly self-service – place your order at the counter, pay and the staff will bring it to your table when it’s ready. This also means that the usual 10% service charge is not automatically added to the bill so the prices on the menu are what you pay.

Follow the sign to great coffee and food.

Forty Hands is rightfully popular, especially having recently been named “Best Coffee Joint 2012” by I-S Magazine. That said the coffee alone makes it worth the wait to snag a table in this cosy shophouse cafe and you can kill time by browsing at Books Actually across the street – one of Singapore’s best independent bookstores.

Forty Hands Cafe
#01-12, Blk 78 Yong Siak Street, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru
T: 6225 8545
Open 08:00–19:00 Tuesday to Thursday, 08:00–22:00 Friday and Saturday, 08:00–19:00 Sunday, closed Monday
http://www.40handscoffee.co

Not a bad view for S$5.

Given the high cost of living in the city-state of Singapore, more than 80% of Singaporeans live in government-built apartment blocks known as HBDs (so-called for the Housing Development Board you must apply to when you want to purchase one). Completed in 2009, the Pinnacle @ Duxton is the largest HBD to date and is comprised of seven 50-storey towers linked by open-air skybridges. With 1,848 apartments in total it falls short of being the world’s largest, but the Pinnacle @ Duxton does take the title of being the tallest public housing building in the world.

Not only is the Pinnacle an interesting opportunity to see how the average Singaporean lives, it’s a good alternative to overpriced viewpoints like Marina Bay Sands or 1-Altitude Bar which charge admission fees of S$20 or more.

The Pinnacle @ Duxton’s 50th storey skybridge is open to the public from 09:00 to 22:00 daily at a cost of S$5 per person. So not to impact the residents’ lives too much visitors are limited to 200 per day, but this quota is never reached except during special events like the National Day fireworks display. You can check the total number of visitors so far each day on the Pinnacle @ Duxton website.

The Pinnacle @ Duxton is the world’s tallest public housing.

The entry system is entirely automated and you must pay using an EZ-Link card – the same prepaid card you can use to pay for fares on buses, subways and taxis. After paying the entrance fee at the ticketing machine on the ground level, take the elevator to the 50th floor, tap your EZ-Link card against the electronic lock and access skybridge gate via a turnstile.

In one word, the view is stunning. As the buildings surrounding the Pinnacle don’t compare in height, there is nothing to obstruct the view as you look out towards Chinatown, the central business district, the busy Singapore harbour and Sentosa Island. There’s plenty of space on the skybridge and you may see residents of the building jogging or just relaxing with a newspaper.

Officially eating and drinking are not allowed on the skybridge, but this writer admits to buying a couple of cans of Tiger beer at the 7-eleven on the ground level to sip while watching the sun set. I wasn’t the only one flouting the rules – there was a couple having a dinner of chicken rice. There are security cameras, but as long as you clean up after yourself it shouldn’t be a problem.

The Pinnacle @ Duxton
1G Cantonnment Road, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Outram Park
Open to the public 09:00–22:00 daily
www.pinnacleduxton.com.sg

Clean, cosy room with everything you need.

Stepping off the streets of chaotic Chinatown, the immaculately clean, antique-filled lobby makes The Inn at Temple Street seem like a mini-museum. Take your time browsing the Chinese antiquities like porcelain plates, gramophone and antique steam iron as it will probably be a couple minutes before staff can attend to you – it’s a small hotel and sometimes feels like it’s staffed by one person.

The inn’s 42 guestrooms are located on the upper levels and, since it’s a heritage building, you’ll be taking the stairs. The rooms are almost as charmingly decorated as the lobby with touches not usually found in the budget range in Singapore, like carved headboards for the beds and wooden wardrobes so you can actually unpack.

The other offerings are pretty standard including air-con, TV, telephone, coffee maker and a decent WiFi signal that reaches the top floor. The attached bathroom is nothing fancy with a toilet, sink and hot shower, but Peranakan-style floral tiles give them some personality and they’re kept immaculately clean.

A good value on a great street.

Though the rooms are larger than at the shoebox-sized Porcelain Hotel, with two people and luggage it will be cosy. If you need some more space or are travelling with children, there are a limited number of family rooms with one queen and one single bed. Room rates vary depending on the day of the week and time of year, ranging from S$100-150 for a regular room to S$150-200 for a family room. Book at least 30 days in advance to get the best rates.

Overall, The Inn at Temple Street is a smart choice if you want some creature comforts for a reasonable price while still being in the heart of Singapore’s action. As the name suggests, the inn is located on historic Temple Street and attractions like the Chinatown Street Market, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Chinatown Heritage Centre are steps away. The hotel does not have a restaurant, but you will not go hungry with some of the city’s best Chinese restaurants and hawker centres minutes away. You’re also well connected for transit with Chinatown MRT at your doorstep and dozens of bus routes.

Don’t be put off by the hotel’s overall low rating on Tripadvisor — the rooms were renovated in 2011 and the vast majority of negative reviews are from before then.

Check rates & availability at The Inn at Temple Street, Singapore.

The Inn at Temple Street
36 Temple Street, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Chinatown
T: 6221 5333
www.theinn.com.sg

Could you call a dorm bed home for a month?

If you contact them directly, many hotels and guesthouses will offer discounts for long-term stays. For example, Betel Box Hostel offers a discount of 10% after seven nights, meaning you pay as little as S$18 for a dorm bed and breakfast. The Traders Hotel near Orchard Road offers rates as low as S$240/night for guests staying longer than a week — a good deal for a hotel with its facilities in Singapore — plus perks like complimentary breakfast and room upgrade.

A handful of hostels in Singapore offer weekly and monthly rates. If you’d like to make your base in Chinatown, you can stay in a dorm at Chinatown Backpackers’ Inn for as little as S$150/week or S$450/month. You’ll find everything you need on site including guest computers, a kitchenette and a washing machine. They also have a limited number of private rooms starting from S$390/week for a room with a double bed and shared toilet.

A handful of hostels offer weekly and monthly rates.

Another good option on a tight budget is the Pinoy Hostel where a dorm bed goes for as little as S$126/week or S$350/month. Female-only dorms are also an option here, though they cost a bit more. As the name suggests, the hostel mainly caters to immigrants from the Philippines, but tourists are welcome too. Facilities include a kitchen, laundry facilities and free WiFi, plus it’s walking distance to Lavender MRT.

Moving up in price as well as comforts, Sun Vista City Lodge offers monthly room rentals with attached bathrooms. A room suitable for two people (your choice of one queen bed or two single beds) costs S$1,800/month inclusive of WiFi and regular housekeeping service. If you don’t mind sharing with a few strangers, you can book a spot in a four-bed room from S$500 per month.

In case you’re planning to stay in Singapore even longer, in Part 2 I’ll cover serviced apartments, sublets and how to rent a room in someone’s house.

The guide does the talking, you do the walking.

The granddaddy of Singapore walking tours is Original Singapore Walks. Their expert guides have been enlightening tourists and locals alike since 2003 and their offerings have branched into eight tours focusing on Singapore’s unique neighbourhoods and colourful history. I truly enjoyed their Chinatown tour titled “Red Clogs down the Five Foot Way”. A different tour is available every day and costs S$35 per person (with discounts for multiple tours).
Original Singapore Walks: www.journeys.com.sg, T: 6325 1631

If you’re on a tight budget, join one of the free walking tours from Singapore Footprints. Your guides are local university students who will show you around Singapore’s historic neighbourhoods and tell you the stories behind colonial buildings, places of worship and other landmarks. Tours are only offered on weekends and last about 90 minutes. If you had fun and learned something please do remember to tip your guide – they are students, after all.
Singapore Footprints: www.singaporefootprints.com

Learn the story behind landmarks like the Merlion.

Singapore’s National Parks Board offers (mostly) free nature walks around the island’s plentiful gardens and nature reserves. Some of the guided tours give a general overview of the ecosystem – like the wetland walk at Sungei Buloh – while others have a more specific focus like the Macaque Walk at Bukit Timah forest and the Spice Trail Walk at Fort Canning Park. Most of the tours are free and take place on weekends. Visit the National Parks Board website for a full list of upcoming walks.

If you just can’t get enough hawker food, you should join the famous Betel Box Food Walk. Offered every Thursday night, this tour is six hours of walking and eating through the foodie paradise of Joo Chiat. The cost is S$40 (or less if you’re staying at the Betel Box Hostel) but you’ll sample at least 40 dishes from chilli crab to durian to the neighbourhood’s iconic Peranakan cuisine. One of Travelfish’s famished founders ate their way through this tour and highly recommend it.
Betel Box Hostel & Tours: www.betelbox.com, T: 6247 7340

Grounds fit for a Sultan.

The centre is also known as the Istana Kampong Glam as it served as the Sultan’s palace back in the days when Singapore was one with Malaysia and ruled by the Sultan of Johor. Some of the Sultan’s descendents continued to live on the sprawling property until recent years, but were  evicted in 1999 to make way for the Malay Heritage Centre.

The goal of the centre is to showcase Malay heritage and culture in Singapore, and it does so with six permanent exhibits spread throughout the palace’s numerous rooms. The first exhibits you see upon entering the centre are the most museum-like with maps showing historic migration patterns, black and white photographs, antique keris (ornate swords) in glass cases and mannequins dressed in traditional Malay costumes like the baju melayu for men and kebaya for women (which inspired the uniforms worn by Singapore Airlines’ flight attendants). Stick around to watch the restored videos of the Kampong Glam area of the past – the transformation is astounding.

Traditional costumes on display at the Malay Heritage Centre.

The most notable change in the re-opened Malay Heritage Centre is the interactive exhibits celebrating Malay music and film. There’s a new listening room where you can put on headphones and listen to Malay pop records from the 1960s and a mini-theatre where you can enjoy the films of P. Ramlee, the iconic Malay actor and director.

To get the most out of a visit, come at 12:00 or 14:00 when there are free guided tours. Tours are currently offered from Thursday to Sunday and last about 45 minutes. It’s also worth checking if there are any special events. The centre aims to be an important part of the Malay community and regularly hosts cultural performances, children’s activities and educational workshops.

Movie time at the Malay Heritage Centre.

If you have any interest in Malay culture or history, the centre is certainly worth the nominal admission fee. That said, young children will certainly have more fun running around the expansive lawn than reading the informational displays. Even if you don’t plan to go inside, it’s worth a visit to check out the peaceful palace grounds and the nearby Sultan Mosque.

Malay Heritage Centre
85 Sultan Gate, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Bugis
T: 6391 0450
www.malayheritage.org.sg
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00
Admission: S$4 for adults, S$2 for children/students, free for children under 6