Singapore is one metropolis I really feel fortunate to have known as house! An enormous cause why is, after all, all of the enjoyable issues to do in Singapore however the sudden nature of a few of them is probably what actually made it so particular to name the town ‘house’ for some time…

My transfer to Singapore occurred proper intertwined with my time finding out at Cambridge College and I’ve gotta admit, I moved over armed with not a lot else than a stereotypical expectation of what Singapore, being the worldwide metropolis that it’s, could be like.

Shiny, sparkly and chock-full of glass and metal towers, was just about so far as my expectations would stretch on the time.

And don’t get me flawed, Singapore is shiny, sparkly and all of the stuff you’d anticipate from a world metropolis (properly, aside from the truth that the crime fee right here is admittedly low!

You’d really feel as protected wandering across the streets at 4am as you’ll at 4pm) however right here’s the factor – Singapore is about a lot extra than simply these shiny lights.

It’s additionally chock stuffed with some sudden surprises (that’s a little bit of a tautology – like “moist water” however you already know what I imply 🤪😄).

And they’re nice surprises too!

The form of shock that makes you realise why the town isn’t just an ideal place to go to but additionally a tremendous place to name house. The sort that made me actually wish to keep on in Singapore lengthy after my preliminary plans right here.

However sufficient about that, let’s leap proper in, lets? 😁😁

1.) Ubin Island

So like I mentioned earlier than, Singapore is a shiny metropolis! It’s house to many single multi-billion greenback firms accessible and has the best focus of millionaires on the earth.

Every part about Singapore appears to shout shiny metropolis so that you’d be so simply forgiven for not realising there’s a extra pure and rustic aspect to the town! Stated place is Pulau Ubin, in any other case simply often known as Ubin or Ubin Island. (“Pulau” in English interprets to “Island”).

I didn’t truly discover out about Ubin island myself. I truly obtained an invitation to a piece workforce day factor on the island (a country retreat in Singapore!) triggered my curiosity so I signed up.

Arriving on the island (it’s a brief boat journey from the mainland), I realised this was part of Singapore that’s nothing like the remainder of it.

On Ubin island, you’ll discover cobblestoned footpaths, deserted granite quarries and conventional kampongs (villages) – conventional Malay attap homes – and are available throughout kingfishers and Southeast Asian birds within the wetlands. It’s like taking a step again to the previous in Singapore and is chock full of fantastic wildlife.

It’s the form of island the place you may end up at a roadblock as you’re biking by as a result of the monkeys have determined to have a fruit break on the roads, or discover a wild pig rummaging by your bag searching for snacks, or the place seeing a hornbill or big monitor lizard is simply commonplace – positively very completely different from the Singapore you may anticipate if you happen to solely spend time within the metropolis centre.

Ubin Island is superb and part of Singapore most travellers by no means actually suppose to go to. It’s such a implausible option to “get misplaced” in nature and is so spectacular to discover. As briefly talked about earlier, attending to Ubin Island is fairly straightforward – it’s only a brief 10-minute boat journey!

To get round once you’re on the island, you possibly can hire a bicycle, which makes essentially the most sense because it you cowl extra of the island, although exploring on foot can be one other nice possibility right here.

Suffice to say, that is simply one of the enjoyable issues to do in Singapore if you happen to’re actually trying to get a extra balanced view of what Singapore has to supply, past bustling metropolis life.

2.) Lazarus Island

Singapore shouldn’t be a kind of cities you’d anticipate finding a seaside in, and it’s not with out causes both. It’s by no means actually been a ‘seaside vacation’ vacation spot however that’s to not say you possibly can’t even have a extremely beautiful day on the seaside right here.

Lazarus Island is one other a kind of underrated locations in Singapore that the majority travellers visiting the town by no means actually suppose to discover.

Most individuals may suppose as a substitute to go to Sentosa (there are stretches of man-made seaside right here) however Lazarus Island is definitely the most effective locations in Singapore to go to if you’d like a time out on the seaside.

Lazarus Island isn’t actually crowded (it’s usually locals you discover right here) and it feels such as you’ve stepped so distant from the town (you possibly can’t even see the skyline once you’re right here as a result of it’s trying away from the town). A visit right here is definitely one of the relaxed and most enjoyable issues to do in Singapore.

To get right here, you catch a ship from Singapore’s Marina South Pier to St John’s Island and simply stroll over to Lazarus island.

It is usually value trying out St John’s Island for a little bit bit right here and if you happen to get the possibility to, after you’re carried out with Lazarus island, the ticket you get can take you over to Kusu Island -pop in there too for a little bit bit.

Oh, by the way in which, you gained’t discover locations you should purchase issues right here and there isn’t actually shade on the island except you step away from the seaside and head over to the coconut timber so make sure you carry every part you want with you (sunscreen, meals, drinks…and so forth).

3.) MacRitchie Nature Path

Carrying on within the nature-based mostly theme, one other sudden factor to do in Singapore was exploring the Macritchie Nature Path. The Macritchie Nature Path is a kind of spots proper within the metropolis that feels such as you’re miles away from the town. This 12-hectare nature reserve has mountain climbing trails, kayaks and canoes for hire.

You may catch a taxi (or drive, you probably have a automotive) right here, park up and inside minutes really feel such as you’re elsewhere completely.

We confirmed up anticipating a fast stroll round however at 11 kilometres of strolling trails (and with a number of choices as to how to do that), you may very simply spend an nearly a full day simply wandering across the trails right here (after all, you possibly can select to be right here for as lengthy or as brief as you’d need). In the event you’re up for outside adventures, that is simply one of the enjoyable issues to do in Singapore for that!

I feel it was whereas we have been right here that I realised how energetic Singaporeans actually are. They profit from the character round them and it wasn’t unusual seeing individuals simply twice our age (greater than generally) energy strolling previous you at a tempo we couldn’t even sustain with (belief me, we tried… many instances!!! 😄😄).

There are such a lot of alternatives to identify wildlife right here too – particularly these cheeky macaque monkeys and you may even discover flying lemurs right here. The Macritchie Nature Path has such lush tropical vegetation that it feels nothing like something you possibly can even hope to seek out in some other world metropolis and is simply such an excellent place to go to in Singapore.

4.) Little India

Whenever you consider Singapore, it’s maybe its Chinese language heritage that involves thoughts for most individuals however Singapore is such a melting pot of various cultures and that is maybe most evident that in terms of the scrumptious meals on provide right here.

In the event you’re on the lookout for a number of the finest Indian curries exterior of India, Little India in Singapore is without doubt one of the finest locations to go to within the metropolis.

Because of Singapore’s comparatively big Indian inhabitants, you get to dine on a number of the most superb meals once you’re in Little India and at such superb costs. It’s simply one of the scrumptious locations and one of the enjoyable issues to do in Singapore.

Whenever you’re carried out consuming to your coronary heart’s content material, a little bit jaunt across the space is so value it as there are such a lot of alternatives to snap up a discount or two on stuff you maybe don’t actually need however really need. 😄😄

5.) Marina Bay Sands

This one’s a simple one. It’s truly not sudden in the way in which you may suppose – in that everybody is aware of about Marina Bay Sands and would most likely look to spend a while round right here.

Folks even learn about that tremendous swimming pool proper on high of the resort right here. What may shock individuals is that that is each the most important and the best infinity pool on the earth!

Though we have been dwelling in Singapore then (fairly actually down the street from right here), I simply knew I needed to keep right here even when for only a evening in order that I might go to the pool (the pool is just for resort friends).

Spoiler alert – it’s so value it! It felt like one thing of an pointless indulgence on the time however arriving there, I knew I’d made the appropriate name to not miss out on attending to benefit from the world’s largest and highest infinity pool! (Suffice to say, the view up there may be additionally fairly superb!). It’s a kind of enjoyable issues to do in Singapore that I simply can’t suggest sufficient! 😁😁

I stayed up right here until lengthy after my fingers had gone as wrinkly as prunes! We have been the primary up there the following morning too! In the event you ever get an opportunity to, even if you happen to’re not a visitor on the resort for your complete time, make sure you e book in an evening right here and arrive as early as attainable to profit from that tremendous pool!

6.) Gardens by the bay

This one is probably not a lot so ‘shocking’ or ‘sudden’ anymore however is just included on right here as on the time, discovering such a tremendous place within the metropolis centre was a tad sudden – particularly so, the supertrees round right here that are as tall as a 16 story constructing!

Today, it’s simply one of the well-liked and most enjoyable issues to do in Singapore and with excellent cause too.

It’s one other good instance of how Singapore does such an ideal job at balancing nature with metropolis life and is without doubt one of the the reason why Singapore is lauded as one of the pure (or, I suppose inexperienced) cities to go to.

7.) Hawker Centre

Singapore being one thing of an costly metropolis is one thing most guests have come to anticipate of the town.

Like I discussed earlier, the town is house to the most important focus of millionaires on the earth and is consistently ranked as one of the costly cities to purchase a property in and even to dwell in.

As such, it’s comprehensible that most individuals anticipate to need to spend some huge cash after they go to however this couldn’t be farther from the reality in terms of meals.

A number of the finest meals in Singapore may be present in its hawker centres, the place you’ll discover a plethora of scrumptious native meals accessible at fairly unbelievable costs (generally as a lot a 1/10th of the costs you’ll discover in additional formal eating places).

If you’d like the perfect meals in your travels, consuming the place the locals eat is one thing of a no-brainer and in Singapore, that place is the hawker centres.

Working example – do you know that Singapore’s Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Rooster & Rice at the moment holds the honours because the world’s most cost-effective Michelin-star meal at below S$3 (roughly round £1.70 ) – how superb is that?

Why was this sudden? Properly, I suppose once you arrive in a metropolis that’s well-known for being fairly fancy, discovering out that that is so not the case in terms of one thing as important as meals is certainly one nice shock to seek out within the metropolis (particularly so when the meals is so good).

8.) Tasting Durian Fruit

For the uninitiated, durian is that pungent fruit that for lack of a greater option to describe it, smells like solar-ripened rubbish. For some cause although, it’s so well-liked right here in Singapore and is one factor it’s a must to do once you’re right here.

Everyone seems to be so fascinated with it and it’s nearly marmite-like in that individuals both actually find it irresistible or actually hate it – no in-between! Nobody is ever ambivalent about it.

It took me a number of months to lastly work up the braveness to do that and spoiler alert – it’s tastes fairly much like the way it smells.

If for nothing else, it’s worthwhile to strive durian right here to see if you happen to’re gonna be a kind of who thinks it’s a lush, creamy fruit or certainly, one thing you by no means wish to scent once more! 😆😆 It’s positively of essentially the most enjoyable issues to do in Singapore for foodies and the culinary-adventurous!

9.) The World’s Tallest Waterfall

Singapore’s Changi Airport has for some time now been broadly thought to be the most effective airports on the earth. There’s simply a lot to see and do once you’re right here that’s it’s turn into greater than only a place to catch a flight from!

As an alternative, it’s extra of a enjoyable hub for travellers and locals alike. It’s a spot that you just may wish to arrive early simply so you possibly can spend time in and is really one of the enjoyable issues to do in Singapore.

Probably the most thrilling addition to the airport now’s the spectacular round waterfall which is definitely one of the spectacular installations in any airport – it’s additionally the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. When you’re carried out right here, there’s truly much more stuff to stand up to on the airport however I’ll depart you to seek out these out once you do go to.

10.) Common Studios

It’s not fairly often that you just discover a full-on theme park smack inside a metropolis.

They’re often so much additional out of the town and are locations you don’t actually consider simply “popping in” for just a few hours so this one completely took me abruptly once we have been in Singapore, as we have been making our option to a wholly completely different spot within the metropolis. After we noticed the signal for it although, we determined we needed to test it out.

It was such a scorching day that we simply selected a whim to pop in simply to get soaked on the Jurassic Park journey. One journey later and we promptly upgraded to a season ticket and even threw in a queue leap to the combination. Greatest impromptu choice we made in Singapore for sure! 😄 😄

In London, now we have to traipse out of the town to seek out something like this so whereas we lived in Singapore, I made it a mission to go to as a lot as attainable, particularly contemplating how straightforward it’s to get to.

In the event you’re right here with pals, household and even youngsters (‘massive youngsters’ 😉😄 and little ones, after all), it’s completely value popping in for a enjoyable-crammed day! (Take into consideration how a lot money and time individuals spend to go to locations like Orlando for a full-on vacation and right here you may have the choice to take action proper in your doorstep).

And there you may have it! A number of the components of Singapore essentially the most enjoyable issues to do in Singapore that completely shocked however completely thrilled me after I lived on this superb metropolis!

When you end up in Singapore, make sure you test a minimum of one of many above out (if not all of them!).

Have a tremendous journey!

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