A change of plans. Instead of heading to Kyoto, this morning we made reservations for a trip to Singapore! It’ll be our first time there for the both of us. I’ve never had that much of an interest in going there, but it ended up being one of the best packages available right now, and from doing a bit of online reading, it looks like there should be enough stuff to see and experience during the 2 days we’ll be there. I’d of course love any recommendations (even websites) from anyone who’s been there, or anyone who lives there: nice shops, cafes, etc. I’m really look forward to the markets in the city, and getting some street stall food (it’s what me and Yuko enjoy the most when we travel in Asia).
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Jean Snow lives and breathes design and pop culture in Tokyo -- sustained by an unhealthy addiction to magazines and frequent visits to his favorites cafes. He has reported on these obsessions for the following online/offline publications: Time, Inside (Australian Design Review), Gizmodo, Gridskipper, Kotaku, Tokyo Q, Superfuture, OK Fred, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, I.D. (International Design), Metropolis, Azure, MoCo Loco, Kateigaho International Edition, Game|Life, and The Japan Times. He also manages the gallery space at Cafe Pause.
The Superfuture Superguides are a series of PDF travel guides to some of your favorites cities, updated monthly, and obsessively compiling the best places to shop, eat, and drink. The Tokyo guide is edited by Jean Snow.
Jean Snow is the design/culture editor at Neojaponisme, a web journal covering social and cultural aspects of Japan. Read the manifesto, by founder and chief editor W. David Marx, here.
PauseTalk is a regular series of events that take place at Cafe Pause on the first Monday of every month, with a start time of 20:00. The idea is to create a forum where Tokyo-based creatives can get together and discuss their own projects, as well as cultural currents of the city. The next edition happens May 12.
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Sounds great!
I don’t know much about Singapore, but I heard that you better not bring chewing gum.
I think they changed that law.
Oops, oh well… then I know nothing about Singapore. :) Looking forward to your pictures and reports!
Travellers have always been able to bring chewing gum in for personal consumption without restriction. You just can’t sell it in Singapore. The new law created an exception for gum with therapeutic purposes (e.g. nicotine gum).
If you like try street food in Singapore, I suggest you pick up this book that is widely available in Singapore called “Makan Sutra”. It’s the local food equivalent to the Michelin guides. Just don’t expect all the recommended eating places to be sanitized in appearance. But they should be safe as they are frequented by locals.
There were even better deals to Phuket.
Hi there, this is my first time to post a comment although I visit often. I’ve been to Singapore more than ten times for business and stay for about a month each time. I don’t know how long you will be there but I have some recommendations.
First, Singapore is famous for food especially chicken rice. The best place hands down is at Boon Tong Kee. It’s the last one of the shops on this page:
http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/harada/chicken_rice.htm
I would skip the first 2 places definitely. Chicken Rice is best eaten in a food stall atmosphere. There are many food courts and hawker centres around Singapore. The difference is that food courts have aircon while hawker centres do not. You will find that food from hawker centres is better. There is a big one worth going to behind Boat Quay, I forget the name but every taxi driver will know it. Boat Quay is nice at night but it’s a tourist place and the locals avoid it. The food there is just so so but it’s an idyllic Singapore setting worth going to once.
I wouldn’t spend too much time at Orchard Road unless you want to go shopping for brand name stuff. There is a good supermarket at B1 of Paragon which I loved since they had stuff you can’t get in Tokyo.
If you decide to go see a movie avoid the theatre in Isetan, it sucks. There are a few “modern” cinemas but more than half are really old. Also, bring a sweater cause otherwise you will freeze to death in the theatres, its cold!
Other places I found worth visiting are Chinatown and Little Indian, also the night safari is alright. I finally went this summer after the locals kept telling me to forget it.
Changhi Airport is probably the best airport in the world. Good Shopping. Oh yeah, don’t bring cigarettes into Singapore, you can get a big fine for bringing more than 3 cigarettes into the country..
I could go on but I’ll stop here. Enjoy you trip!
Hey Jean,
I grew up in Singapore and have travelled back there since several times in an odd citizen/tourist capacity.
One tip for any Hawker Centre … go for the stall that has the biggest queue … you are guaranteed a good meal.
You’re unlikely to find many of the old buildings still in existence but there are pockets where facades have been maintained. Best to pick up one of those walking tour guides at a bookstore. Public Transport is cheap but perhaps a bit tricky to navigate. You pay by the number of stops, and Singapore is definitely not planned on a grid.
From a design perspective, Singapore has quite a few small galleries and art spaces but they are unfortunately not all located in the one area. I think the local tourist office could give you more information … but don’t forget to check out the sculptures round the Fullerton Hotel (including a “blink if you miss it” litter of cats at the bridge nearby)… Singapore is big on sculpture!
As for shopping, Takashimaya is my pick, and Tangs, and I love Kinokuniya, but I expect you would be familiar with that already.
Anyway hope you have a great time … do not be conned in to going to Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling … its crap and cost too much!
Daniel
I was planning on getting a Sling at the Raffles. Is it really that crap?
hey, just saw your post. hope i’m not too late.
for Singapore local food, check out this forum: http://www.makansutra.com/forums/singapore/
this is helpful too: http://www.visitsingapore.com/sections/3a/0,1138,464,00.html
for tourist spots, remember to check out the Zoo(including night-safari), the Bird-park, and Sentosa(take a cable car to that island).
For you, you MUST check out this place: Sim Lim Square. Just ask any cab driver, they will know. It’s the techno-geek heaven here. Remember to bargain if you are to buy anything.
I think 2 days might not be enough, 4 days would be better.
If you are dropping by Singapore again, you take check out this Singapore food guide.
http://www.finkd.com
Hope you enjoy your stay . =)
Thanks for the tip. I’d love to go back someday.