Is Singapore Worth Visiting? It Depends On A Few Things… • Indie Traveller

Singapore generally is a love-it-or-hate-it place.

It’s extremely developed, spotlessly clear, and meticulously deliberate and architected — a far cry from the congestion, noise, and erratic growth seen in lots of different Asian capitals.

While many backpackers bemoan a scarcity of ‘soul’, in case you strategy Singapore from a special angle it may be an enchanting vacation spot — to not point out very straightforward and hassle-free.

I’ve been to Singapore a number of occasions, often on a 1- or 2-day layover. I additionally as soon as stayed for every week to go to a good friend, which gave me some extra time to poke round. If you’re making an attempt to determine whether or not to go to Singapore, listed here are what I’d take into account its completely different professionals and cons.

Singapore is perhaps NOT price visiting if…

You are on a shorter journey in Asia

Many individuals go to Singapore on a stopover to some other place, due to its well-connected airport and central location in Asia.

But in case you’re, say, heading to Bali for 2 weeks (with a hop through Singapore), you may simply wish to put all of your days into Bali as a substitute of splitting your time. In such a case, Bali is definitely the primary act that you just got here to see — and with restricted time it’s in all probability higher to skip proper to it.

You need a chaotic place like Bangkok

Singapore is totally civilized, managed, and predictable. That could make it a breath of recent air or a disappointment, relying in your perspective.

You’re on a good finances

Singapore is an costly place — and it’s finest loved with a pockets to match. At least $100 per day per particular person is an effective estimate to make use of.

It might be exhausting to be Singa-poor in Singapore, although transportation and meals are fortunately very low cost, so even a backpacker can survive simply tremendous. These prime hostels in Singapore allow you to get monetary savings on lodging too.

You can undoubtedly go to on a finances; it’s simply that you just may miss out on sure points in case you’re doing Singapore on a budget.

You crave low cost and rowdy nightlife

In this respect, Singapore additionally isn’t like Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City. The metropolis is far more about well mannered cocktails than all-night ragers. Keep in thoughts that alcohol is taxed closely in Singapore, which has a approach of restraining the bar scene.

There is nonetheless loads of nightlife in Singapore in case you search it. Clarke Quay is a key nightlife space. I as soon as ended up at a karaoke bar at 6 a.m. singing Eye of the Tiger whereas surrounded by a bunch of off-duty aptitude bartenders we’d met throwing bottles round our sales space. But loopy nights are undoubtedly extra of a factor in different Asian cities.

You don’t like humidity

On a foul day, Singapore might be extra humid than a steam bathtub. Since it’s positioned in an equatorial local weather, you ought to be ready for it to get a bit sticky.

Singapore IS price visiting if…

You need a straightforward place to begin an Asia journey

Thanks to its wonderful airport in addition to being so secure, well-organized, and principally English-speaking, Singapore makes for an ideal launching pad into Southeast Asia.

If you’re on a first-time Southeast Asia journey, you are able to do so much worse than beginning in Singapore. Major capitals like Manila and Jakarta will not be massively inviting, a minimum of as a primary cease in Asia. Even Bangkok doesn’t win many followers amongst these for whom it’s their first style of the area. Singapore, alternatively, actually permits you to ease into issues slowly.

You love avenue meals (however want to be cautious)

About Singapore being such an excellent introduction to Asia… a big a part of that is the meals.

While Singapore banned avenue meals distributors many many years in the past, they gave them formally sanctioned locations (often known as hawker facilities) to proceed their enterprise.

At hawker facilities you possibly can pattern dishes from throughout Asia at very reasonably priced costs. The everlasting stalls are basically like avenue meals locations, besides with seating areas and precise hygiene requirements. They’re excellent for diving headfirst into Asian delicacies.

You admire the futuristic city design and parks

Singapore is usually accused of being overly sanitized. With its glittering monetary heart and meticulously stored areas that may actually be the case.

However, Singapore tries its finest to be inventive with its parks and public areas. You may admire Singapore for the architectural and concrete design surprise that it actually is.

The city-state has some very eye-catching structure, together with the Marina Bay Sands, the PARKROYAL resort which seems to be like a high-tech backyard, and the Butternut Hotel, with its wood inside pavilion. Singapore additionally has some spectacular city parks, most notably the Gardens by the Bay.

Singapore is the third most densely populated nation and but miraculously it doesn’t really feel like that in any respect.

That stated, house is at such a premium that generally they’ll straight up tear a bunch of completely tremendous buildings down as a result of they’ve figured a greater use. Seeing how completely configured Singapore has change into (out of pure necessity) is likely one of the fascinating points of exploring it.

You have some cash to spend

While it’s doable to take pleasure in Singapore on a finances, it’s a a lot better expertise in case you can splurge. The metropolis not a lot about slumming it within the dorms and extra about sipping Singapore Slings by the infinity pool.

If you’re right into a resort/drink/eat kind of keep, you’ll certainly love Singapore greater than these touring on a good finances.

You need business/household leisure

With a really giant zoo, the resort island of Sentosa, a number of golf programs, and a Universal Studios park, there are all types of household outings you possibly can plan. This kind of leisure/leisure might be more durable to search out in much less developed components of Southeast Asia.

You’re on a layover

If you’re passing by way of Singapore anyway, and particularly in case you’re on an extended Asia journey, then it undoubtedly modifications the calculation — and it’d be a disgrace to not test it out for a number of days.

Singapore is ideal for a layover, too. Changi Airport simply retains profitable awards for one of the best airport on this planet and it’s truly a little bit of a vacation spot in itself.

Oh, and this botanical butterfly backyard inside a greenhouse in Singapore is actually cool too.

Psych! This is the airport.

Yep, the airport actually has a butterfly backyard. And an enormous indoor waterfall. And a cinema. And a sculpture exhibit. Changi is truthfully the form of airport the place you’d nearly need your flight to be delayed.

My tackle Singapore

The first time I ever visited Singapore I used to be on a backpacking journey by way of Southeast Asia. I used to be truthfully a bit upset and had the moment kneejerk response of ‘this place is too developed and sanitized *BZZZZttt* I don’t prefer it’.

I had vastly loved spending time in much less developed locations in Asia and I suppose I needed issues to simply proceed in that model.

My views grew to become extra nuanced on subsequent visits. I consider that in case you go to it with an open thoughts, Singapore might be very fascinating and pleasant. When I revisited Singapore, my focus was a lot extra on how futuristic it feels and the way that’s a extremely cool factor (and far much less so on the way it’s not like different Southeast Asian cities).

If Hong Kong is cyberpunk, then Singapore is Star Trek. The feeling is usually that of strolling alongside a promenade at Starfleet Headquarters.

Above: a really “deck 2 on the habitat ring” kinda temper

Even the procuring malls are a little bit of an expertise in case you concentrate on the futuristic structure. It’s fascinating to consider how Singapore got here to be what it’s at this time and the way it was in a position to be so affluent.

But heritage, colour, and tradition can be discovered. I’m fairly a fan of the ethnic neighborhoods of Chinatown, Kampong Glam (the Arab quarter), and Little India.

Haji Lane is a colourful and cute part of city that may be a pleasure to walk round (albeit a quick stroll). The Chinatown Street Market can also be enjoyable to wander round. Like the meals within the Hawker Market, Singapore itself is kind of multi-cultural, with Chinese, Malay, Indian, and different ethnicities represented.

Singapore is a little bit of an oasis of ‘Western’ comforts in Southeast Asia. When I visited following a number of months of untamed adventuring by way of international locations like Vietnam and Cambodia, it was truly a aid to reach in trendy Singapore.

It made for the right pit cease: a number of journey buddies and I used our time to go to the cinema, play some video games at a board sport cafe, and simply take pleasure in being in a peaceful and arranged metropolis for some time.

Is Singapore price visiting? My reply is ‘yes, definitely’, however it’s good to know what to anticipate. History buffs, excessive tradition vultures, or these looking for outside adventures could also be extra enticed by different cities. But in case you’re curious concerning the components that make Singapore the town that it’s, it’s very fascinating to spend a minimum of a few days.