If you're ever at a similar loss, the City Museum is free and right next to Maxwell's. I killed a few hours in the AC, found it way more interesting than I'd expected.
As for food, next time you're in town the Old Airport Road and North Bridge hawker complexes are metro accessible and cheaper than most. I also like ABC in Geylang for the roti bombs, which are a couple of dollars and keep you nicely full. Mongpok dimsum next door is 24/7 and not expensive.
I love Singapore with a passion, and I've had to learn how to do it on the cheap!
Yes! URA Gallery (I think that’s the one you’re referring to) is great. Have been a few times and is fascinating, though I reckon on the city models they should mark which sand came from Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam! I do like Singapore--in small doses, sort of like returning to Sydney without needing to go there. Tks for the food tips!
1. Those are definitely some rookie mistakes you mention, Somtam, but I did the same thing while starting to travel again post pandemic. Give yourself credit for getting back on the road!
2. Does your phone have eSim capability? Have you tried those anywhere? I've heard good things.
3. Are the prices you are quoting SGD (as opposed to AUD or USD or CAD)?
4. The South East Asia Hotel looks like the keeper of the lot for location and price. Put another check in the "what you did right" column for this information and all the other recommendations. I could (and just might) build an excellent multi-day itinerary for Singapore based on the details in this article alone.
5. When is the trip to Laos? Where will you be going? Cheers.
Yeah, my head just wasn’t in the right place. Kept having that “how did I get here?” moments. Am not an eSim fan, tho yes could use. All prices are in Sing dollars. The South East Asia I liked a lot--very old school, but with that delapidated charm that can work well, and the location is great. After the dorms was nice having a decent-sized room. Am rewriting our walking tours at the moment--it is such a great walking town. Laos, not sure at this stage, I have a trip elsewhere in a couple of weeks so not sure.
Great insights - lived here 30 years great to get new perspectives. Only the expensive hawker centres use disposables - typical centres use plastic bowls/plates. If you ta bao (takeaway) typically you receive hard plastic container (reusable) or can take you’re own.?
Thanks Stuart - informative and entertaining as always! We are headed to Malacca (last visit 30 yrs ago!) via Singapore in a couple weeks so it's nice timing to read your post. Just wondering about your SIM card link - can't get it to open...? 🙏🙏🙏
Bookmarking SEA Hotel. Thanks! Strand, old TF recommendation, seems somewhat more expensive. Haven't been post Covid. Location comparable, I guess, but Little India is still go to. Forced to mid range, which is mostly out of your zone though. Too old and cranky for pods/hostels.
Liked Sultan, though b'fast was so-so. You already heard me whine about Daulat and Lloyd's.
I keep my city specific stored value cards in the same plastic zip loc I keep unused cash. SG & BKK changed their expired, pre Covid transit cards for no cost or just a small added value charge.
Likely will never go to Art/Science museum (I got as far as the entrance once), but I enjoyed Asian Civilizations Museum and would likely go again if forced indoors, even solo. Agree with Kate Walker about City Museum. Ok Thai food in the past nearby at Maxwell's.
Zoo and Night Safari are ok if with kids and you can trick your daughter into the fruit bat enclosure.
I didn’t look at the Strand--trying to focus more on places that are “a little bit different.” Little India is great for food, but the accommodation there, esp at the budget end has really withered. The Great Madras (owned by same mob as Daulat) is also ok, but think rooms at Daulat better. Wanderlust I didn’t look at, but you know what I think of there from past visits lol. I love the ACM, they have a wreck exhibit at the moment that is just extraordinary, visited zoo last trip when was there with Will, am really not a fan of zoos, and while they do a decent job, some of the stuff (elephant shows for eg) not ideal, plus it’s out of the way, and yes, expensive!
I love Singapore, and if I could live there for a while, I would. The last time I was there, Singapore and gone through phase 1 of its covid shutdowns and was sort of opening again. We stayed in a ritzy hotel for pretty darn cheap. (Getting home is another story, but we made it the day we were supposed to.) Since then, I've wanted to return, but talk about sticker price! Thanks for the ideas on where to stay! That alone is worth the price of my membership. Keep up the good work, Stuart. I'm a fan.
Thank you! Glad to hear the reccies are helpful. I looked at a bunch of places, but they were about the pick of the crop, at least at the more affordable end of the stick. So many hotels and hostels though, crazy!
Haha! And we are taking travel advice from you! Great post. Too bad you didn't get to Laos. I am sure you've been lots before. We were in northern Laos for a month a couple of years prior to Covid and prior to the Chinese fast railroad and really loved it. We really felt we got off the beaten track. I think our best experience was a hill tribe trek out of Phongsali and getting an invite to the local wedding. I'm not sure how they are all going to be affected by the new railway.
Ha ha, yes, whatever you do don’t listen to me lol. Was just a snowball of bad decisions, mind was really off the ball. Yeah have been all over Laos and Phongsali is a cracker--so beautiful. Was looking forward to seeing the train, but will have to wait for now.
If you're ever at a similar loss, the City Museum is free and right next to Maxwell's. I killed a few hours in the AC, found it way more interesting than I'd expected.
As for food, next time you're in town the Old Airport Road and North Bridge hawker complexes are metro accessible and cheaper than most. I also like ABC in Geylang for the roti bombs, which are a couple of dollars and keep you nicely full. Mongpok dimsum next door is 24/7 and not expensive.
I love Singapore with a passion, and I've had to learn how to do it on the cheap!
Yes! URA Gallery (I think that’s the one you’re referring to) is great. Have been a few times and is fascinating, though I reckon on the city models they should mark which sand came from Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam! I do like Singapore--in small doses, sort of like returning to Sydney without needing to go there. Tks for the food tips!
1. Those are definitely some rookie mistakes you mention, Somtam, but I did the same thing while starting to travel again post pandemic. Give yourself credit for getting back on the road!
2. Does your phone have eSim capability? Have you tried those anywhere? I've heard good things.
3. Are the prices you are quoting SGD (as opposed to AUD or USD or CAD)?
4. The South East Asia Hotel looks like the keeper of the lot for location and price. Put another check in the "what you did right" column for this information and all the other recommendations. I could (and just might) build an excellent multi-day itinerary for Singapore based on the details in this article alone.
5. When is the trip to Laos? Where will you be going? Cheers.
Yeah, my head just wasn’t in the right place. Kept having that “how did I get here?” moments. Am not an eSim fan, tho yes could use. All prices are in Sing dollars. The South East Asia I liked a lot--very old school, but with that delapidated charm that can work well, and the location is great. After the dorms was nice having a decent-sized room. Am rewriting our walking tours at the moment--it is such a great walking town. Laos, not sure at this stage, I have a trip elsewhere in a couple of weeks so not sure.
Great insights - lived here 30 years great to get new perspectives. Only the expensive hawker centres use disposables - typical centres use plastic bowls/plates. If you ta bao (takeaway) typically you receive hard plastic container (reusable) or can take you’re own.?
Cheers. I really don’t understand why any of them--including the popular ones--are using disposables for eat in. Seems bonkers.
Thanks Stuart - informative and entertaining as always! We are headed to Malacca (last visit 30 yrs ago!) via Singapore in a couple weeks so it's nice timing to read your post. Just wondering about your SIM card link - can't get it to open...? 🙏🙏🙏
Hi Kirsten,
Thanks, glad to hear you enjoyed the post. Not sure why the link is lot working for you as seems to open correctly for me. Perhaps try this one: https://www.klook.com/activity/16675-4g-sim-card-singapore/
Cheers!
Thank you - that worked!
Thanks for all of the tips. This one is bookmarked for our next trip back to SEA.
Welcome!
Bookmarking SEA Hotel. Thanks! Strand, old TF recommendation, seems somewhat more expensive. Haven't been post Covid. Location comparable, I guess, but Little India is still go to. Forced to mid range, which is mostly out of your zone though. Too old and cranky for pods/hostels.
Liked Sultan, though b'fast was so-so. You already heard me whine about Daulat and Lloyd's.
I keep my city specific stored value cards in the same plastic zip loc I keep unused cash. SG & BKK changed their expired, pre Covid transit cards for no cost or just a small added value charge.
Likely will never go to Art/Science museum (I got as far as the entrance once), but I enjoyed Asian Civilizations Museum and would likely go again if forced indoors, even solo. Agree with Kate Walker about City Museum. Ok Thai food in the past nearby at Maxwell's.
Zoo and Night Safari are ok if with kids and you can trick your daughter into the fruit bat enclosure.
I didn’t look at the Strand--trying to focus more on places that are “a little bit different.” Little India is great for food, but the accommodation there, esp at the budget end has really withered. The Great Madras (owned by same mob as Daulat) is also ok, but think rooms at Daulat better. Wanderlust I didn’t look at, but you know what I think of there from past visits lol. I love the ACM, they have a wreck exhibit at the moment that is just extraordinary, visited zoo last trip when was there with Will, am really not a fan of zoos, and while they do a decent job, some of the stuff (elephant shows for eg) not ideal, plus it’s out of the way, and yes, expensive!
I love Singapore, and if I could live there for a while, I would. The last time I was there, Singapore and gone through phase 1 of its covid shutdowns and was sort of opening again. We stayed in a ritzy hotel for pretty darn cheap. (Getting home is another story, but we made it the day we were supposed to.) Since then, I've wanted to return, but talk about sticker price! Thanks for the ideas on where to stay! That alone is worth the price of my membership. Keep up the good work, Stuart. I'm a fan.
Thank you! Glad to hear the reccies are helpful. I looked at a bunch of places, but they were about the pick of the crop, at least at the more affordable end of the stick. So many hotels and hostels though, crazy!
Haha! And we are taking travel advice from you! Great post. Too bad you didn't get to Laos. I am sure you've been lots before. We were in northern Laos for a month a couple of years prior to Covid and prior to the Chinese fast railroad and really loved it. We really felt we got off the beaten track. I think our best experience was a hill tribe trek out of Phongsali and getting an invite to the local wedding. I'm not sure how they are all going to be affected by the new railway.
Ha ha, yes, whatever you do don’t listen to me lol. Was just a snowball of bad decisions, mind was really off the ball. Yeah have been all over Laos and Phongsali is a cracker--so beautiful. Was looking forward to seeing the train, but will have to wait for now.
Always interesting
Thanks!