Backpackers' Singapore ~ Singapore, Singapore | 2 days
You have little money, everything seems too expensive, and any shopping would be seriously limited by the size of your backpack anyway. What does a backpacker do in Singapore?
ACTIVITIES/ATTRACTIONS: SightSeeing, Eating, Religious
SEASON: Any Time
PUBLISHED BY: Satu Rommi (Travel Writer) view profile
Day 1 ~ Little India, Bugis And Chinatown
Many backpacker guesthouses are in Little India, so you can start your morning with a Singaporean Indian breakfast. Wander around the streets and explore the little shops and stalls that sell incense, flower garlands and all things Indian. The backpacker bars in Little India are also good places to sit down and have a drink without spending the whole day’s budget on one cocktail (which is possible if you’re intending to have a Singapore Sling at Raffles).
Some of the backpacker guesthouses are in Bugis, a Chinese-dominated area that has plenty of markets and stalls selling everything under the sun for quite little money (in Singapore scale). There are also a few temples around for those who are interested in Hinduism or Chinese Buddhism.
Chinatown is a good place to walk around exploring the street markets and cheap souvenirs, or to sit down for a drink in one of the cafes and bars. The Buddha Tooth Relic temple on South Bridge Road is a newly built and lavishly decorated Buddhist temple, and further on the same street is the (Hindu) Sri Mariamman Temple. In the evening, Smith Street (Chinatown Food Street) is filled with food stalls, plastic tables and chairs for a cheap outdoor dining experience.
TIPS: Singaporeans love their taxis, but make use of Singapore’s efficient and affordable public transport system: the MRT (metro) and the bus network.
Places
Great place to eat local food. From 5 pm until late.
Plenty of gold and a sacred Buddha Tooth Relic. Admission free.
Over 600 stalls, hawker food and lots of people. Near Bugis MRT.
Day 2 ~ Botanic Gardens And The River
Spend a few hours in the Botanic Gardens. Walk around the Ginger Garden or do the Rainforest Walk, or check out free concerts that are often offered here during weekends. Admission is free (except to the National Orchid Garden), and you can bring a picnic to eat on the lawns. There is also a food court inside the gardens that is much cheaper than the outdoor cafes.
You can spend a whole afternoon and evening exploring the sights along Singapore’s river: The Fullerton Hotel and the Raffles Hotel, the Singapore Flyer and the Esplanade, the old boat quays and the restored shophouses and warehouses.
However, when it comes to eating out on a budget, stick to the hawker centres and food courts. Singapore’s street food is good and cheap, and portions are usually generous. There is plenty of choice from Chinese and Indian to Malaysian and Indonesian, and hawker food in Singapore is also safe to eat.
TIPS: Cigarettes are very expensive in Singapore, but you cannot bring them in from abroad either without paying lots of taxes.
Places
A good place for a picnic. Open from 5 pm to midnight daily. www.sbg.org.sg
Try Kaya Toast for breakfast: a generous helping of toast spread with coconut jelly, accompanied by local coffee. Doesn’t cost the earth.
