Singapore: From a Neighbour’s Perspective.

​Singapore and Malaysia has always have a sibling relationship (read : Can’t live with you, cant’ live without you, Love-Hate relationship). So it wouldn’t be surprising to know that what you can find in Singapore, you can too find in Malaysia and vice versa. But sometimes one can do better than the other or can they? 

You would think that as a travel blogger, the first few countries that I hit are the ones close to me right? No. Surprisingly, the last time I set foot in Singapore was 15 years ago for some random mental arithmetic competition.
​
Fast forwarding to 2018 where Singapore now has thrived as the safest city to travel in South-East Asia for a female backpacker you can't help but to wonder how did your adorable neighbour with the size of 277.6 mi²and limited resources manage to secure itself in the tourism industry. Or may be it’s the cheap air tickets that your colleagues/friends knew about that you don’t so you kept seeing them fly over ? ….

Places of attraction

The usual touristy places like museum, national galleries and malls, but let’s highlight a few must-go places:
​
Theme Parks
I think Universal Studio Singapore (USS) is definitely a must go for people who’s a mild adrenaline junkie like me! 

 Gardens by the Bay
An eco-friendly nature park spanning over 101 hectares in central Singapore, not to mention the supertrees that will definitely wow you away.

And this is the day view, imagine the night view !

Orchard road
Paradise for the shopaholics, need I say more? 

​Next up

Sentosa Island
For an ideal day to hangs be it with your family and/or friends, from SEA Aquarium to Casino, this is one island that people of all ages could spend their long weekends in.

Night Safari
Because we animal lovers love to watch animals all day… and night.  Fun fact: This is actually the world’s first nocturnal zoo operating to date. 

​Singapore Zoo
This apparently is one the best zoo in Southeast Asia.

There are a lot more places of attractions in Singapore and these are just a few that are high on tourist’s priority list. But what if, I’m a typical budget traveller who wants to go to places that is not overrated and populated by tourist?

Well a bit of research and you'll realise there are hidden gems in SG, albeit a concrete jungle these places will seem like you've been transported to another country.

---

​Pulau Ubin
Eastern Edge would be Chek Jawa (this place brings you close to the sea and you may even get a chance to see a wildboar ! ). Do the #InstaWalks organised by TheSmartLocal to discover beauty and nature of Singapore.

Picnic at the Esplanade Roof Garden 

​The Southern Ridges
10km trail offering panoramic views of both the natural and urban parts of Singapore. 

​
Heritage Trails – Little India, Toa Payoh , Tiong Bahru and Bukit Brown Cemetary are some of the heritage areas that one can visit to understand more on Singapore’s history and culture.
And one amazing tip for those transiting:

If you’ve got more than 5 hours of transit time, there’s a free city tour. 

Now that we’ve covered places to go, all that’s left is…  

---

Food

Apparently Singapore has food which is similar to Malaysia but also very different.
​
Bak Kut Teh (Non-halal)
Apparently Singapore’s Bak Kut Teh is a fusion of Kajang’s Hot Pepper soup and Klang’s Herbal soup. It’s more peppery than herbal. For those heading to SG do give their Bak Kut Teh a shot! ​

Chicken Rice
National Dish of Singapore, not quite sure how different it is from Malaysia’s chicken rice but if you’re ever in town this is a dish that should not be missed.

​Wanton Noodles (Non-halal)
In Malaysia our noodles are bath in dark and normal soy sauce however in Singapore it’s stirred up with Tomato Ketchup.

​Chili Crab
Although much debate has been sparked on which country actually came up with this recipe, if ever you find yourself in Singapore and in the vicinity of a restaurant that sells crab. Do order this wonderful dish and be blown away. 

To sum it up, I guess there are more than meets the eye for Singapore. It's a no wonder they're tourism industry is on a rise.  I'm not sure about you but I suppose trip down south wouldn't be such a bad idea now. Except for the exchange rate… Ringgitttt why you like that?! But thank god for 2  things, one ringgit seems to be recovering and two there are cheap flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and vice versa.