If you are travelling to Southeast Asia it is likely your flight will be via Singapore. Especially if you decide to travel via Singapore Airlines, you are likely to have a transit at Singapore airport a.k.a. “Changi”.
There are many reasons why you should visit Singapore, here are a few:
- Food: I hardly know any places in the world where you can have a delicious chicken curry at 1 a.m. on a monday at night and not be the only customer (“Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice”). One of the hallmarks of Singapore are it’s so called hawker centers: They are basically multiple street food stalls under one big roof, where you purchase your food, in order to consume it in a common seating area. Oh, and don’t forget to put back your plate in the proper place as instructed by the signs. You will find a variety of food from China, India and Europe as well. When I visited Singapore in August 2022, one of the most popular stalls was a pasta outlet from Mirko Febbrile, Nudedles.4, at Chinatown Complex. The waiting queue was approximately 15m long, and it was dissolved by around 11:30 a.m. because the food was sold out.
- Safety: Singapore is probably the safest place in Asia, if not in the world. Consequently, it is a good place to start exploring Asia, if you have not been there before. Most banks like Deutsche Bank and Citi have offices in Singapore, consequently there is a great number of expats who live and work there. And a lot of the infrastructure just feels like what you are used to from Europe (buses, metro systems etc.)
- City state: Singapore is a city-state. Yes, besides Monaco and Vatican city, it is one of the few places in the world that fall into this category. Another tick off in your bucket-list.
Logistics: Take a flight to Changi (Singapore Chanig airport). From there either grab a cab or take the “East West Line” to get to city center.
Currency: 1 € : 0,75 SGD (Singapore Dollar)
Hotel: I recommend staying in Chinatown. It is centrally located, reasonably priced and you will find everything you need to start your trip like SIM-cards etc.
Transport: MRT Singapore is your first choice for getting around. Additionally you can use buses or cabs, which are reasonably priced.
Food: This section can be filled with enough content for the next year, and it would still not pay due recognition to the food culture in Singapore. However, I will just list the places I went to during my short stay there:
- Maxwell Hawker Center – Tian Tian Hainanese, Hajmeer Kwaja & Fu Zhou Oyster Cake: Chicken rice is a classic dish in Singapore, try it at Michelin awarded Tian Tian Hainanese. After that make sure to visit Fu Zhou Oyster Cake, and get a bite of that cake; the owner is super-friendly. Both places have also been visited by the late Anthony Bourdain. If you are looking for a good breakfast option have a Prata at Hajmeer Kwaja, and don’t forget to buy a coffee to accompany the Prata from neighboring SMH stall.
- Tanglin Halt Original Peanut Pancake: This place opens at 3:30 a.m. Yes you read it right, 3:30 a.m. in the morning, and the pancake sells out by 10:00 am. I took a cab at 7:00 a.m. in the morniging, when I visited, and trust me it was worth it 🙂 The shop has a loyal customer base, some have been visiting for 50 years! Be sure to crab a coffee from one of the neighboring stalls. Coffee in Singapore just tastes different; I don’t know what it is, try for yourself and fall in love.
- Little India: I only visited Little India once, due to time constraint, however the food offering there is comparably good with that of Chinatown. Whampoa Prawn Noodles have a very good reputation; you will find the store at Tekka Food Centre. Be sure to walk down Serangoon Road to catch the vibe of Little India – jewellry shops, temples & clothing stores with Bollywood music playing. Not far from there you will find Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice – remember the place where you can grab food even at midnight 🙂
Tourist Attractions: Marina Bay Sand hotel is a must-visit. If you cannot afford a night there, costs about 450 € last time I checked, do not worry. It is possible to access the upper deck and enjoy the view of Singapore. I am still impressed by the amount of ships that can be seen at Singapore Straits; also it gives an idea of the economic relevance of Singapore. Oh, and nearly everyone here speaks perfect English; easy!
I hope you enjoyed this read. Until next time.
