Big cities. I like big cosmopolitan cities as much as I like a house in the hills or a town with a bit of culture. Big cities are not just one thing, they are a mixture of many things. They can be anything you want them to be. I spoke about this in an old post about London. London turns into the city that you want it to be that day, depending on which side of the bed you woke up from. I don’t particularly like when the cities that I have visited and have offered me different flavours to be typecast into just one thing. There are many cities, many in Asia that are considered a transit stop over for a day or two while you are on the way to other sunny places, tranquil beaches or a relaxing hub. Nothing really wrong with that though, one has to make the most of their vacation days of course. But most cities have so much to offer when you slow down!

Singapore is one such city that I love in Asia. Though everyone talks about, the buildings in the downtown, the high rises that make up the skyline, the Gardens by the bay, the shopping malls and the famous Sentosa Island, it always seems to be everything that could fit into a limited itinerary. I find it somehow lacking, because everytime I go and stay there for a week or two, the city has had so much to offer. It’s vibrancy stands out for a city that has a reputation of being just a bunch of tall building. There is an earnestness to anything that is built or exists in Singapore. It was not built for just being there, but built with 100% effort, maintained with earnest interest and that somehow comes through. But beyond all that it is so colourful and green. You don’t believe me? Read on.

 
Street art, Haji Lane

As I write this, I will not talk about the skyline of the city. Or the Gardens, though I do love what has been done with Garden by the bay, if only every reclaimed land could be harmonious with things around it like the Gardens. Neither will I talk about the Sentosa Island. This is a post dedicated to the charming parts of Singapore that I love walking around. Every time I visit the city, apart from what I have in mind to see, my friend, Madhavi, who lives in Singapore always has her clever spots bookmarked for me thinking I might like to walk around here when I next visit. For that I am so grateful!

Let me start with a few famous streets that one would recommend usually.
Haji lane and Arab Street – Haji lane is quirky and hip narrow lane in the Arab quarter of the town. It has independent boutiques, narrow shophouses that have clever, fun things to sell for home, trendy and hip clothes and a lot more. While on the outside  it’s a lane of colourful looking shops. The street also has many relaxed street side cafes along with side lanes full of street art.

Parallel to this lane is Arab Street which is lined with shop that sell stained glass lampshades, clothes, persian rugs, aromatic teas. This area comprises of the streets that surround the Masjid Sultan Mosque but unlike what you might expect, these few streets are turning into a trendy part of the city, with new calm hangouts, small cafes and pubs by the street , culture spewing out if I must say and yes, look out for the street art too. I will leave you to discover the cafes, pubs and the shops in Haji lane and Arab street. You will not be disappointed with your evening at all.

 
Haji Lane, Singapore

 

Chinatown  – Like all chinatowns in cities that are not in China, this one too will not disappoint. The lights, the trinkets, the shophouses, the food, it has it all. But my favourite part of chinatown in the Buddha Tooth Relic temple. The Buddha tooth relic temple stands at the edge of chinatown against the cityscape of Singapore. It is as majestic and richly designed on the inside as it is on the exterior. Singapore slows down inside this temple. See it during the day and with night lights. But make sure you go in before the temple closes by 7 pm.

Joo chiat and Koon seng road – Approaching Koon seng road from Joo chiat road is in itself a pleasant walk. The colonnaded pathways along the shops almost become your side walks with beautiful tiles laid under your feet. When this street opens to Koon seng road, the old style Peranakan houses lined up in different pastel colours are a treat to your eyes. The pre-war terrace house and the other terrace houses along this stretch of the road showcase some of the best examples of Straits Eclectic architecture, that originated in Melaka, it later spreads to Penang, Singapore and various parts of the Malay Archipelago. I especially loved the floral tiles on the sides of the house gates.

 
Joo Chiat road, Koon seng road, Singapore

Club Street , Amoy street and Ann siang hill – For your hip little watering holes and laid-back hangouts. A quick minute’s walk from Chinatown takes you to club street. No traffic comes through this street. it’s just tables set up on the street for people eating and having a drink like they would in a fancy pub. Make sure to include a stop here in your trip. That’s the thing about tropical countries, outdoors is never a problem except for the usual afternoon or one off evening thurderstrom almost everyday 😉 .

Amoy street is not far from club street, just a hop away actually but it offers a different vibe. The colourful shophouses have many restaurants here where you can eat and don’t forget to peep in any beautiful by lanes connecting the other streets. When you take one such bylane, you will come to a path that can take you to Ann siang hill. So suddenly out of no where you are between plants and trees and while you are climbing up this green slope do pop in at PS cafe and grab a bite and you also discover other cool places to bar hop.

The many museums of Singapore. Don’t miss them! The museum themselves are meticulously put together but a walk around them too has so much to offer. Visiting Singapore Art Museum (SAM) during the city’s art biennale was truly lucky. The artist and their visions curated were something to behold and experience. Though I am sure same is the case even when an art festival is not going on. My favourite museum has to be the lotus shaped Art Science Museum. It doesn’t matter how old you are, this museum is a treat. Art and science that you can experience, not just observe. But don’t forget to walk around these museums, the side lanes of SAM has much to show you, a hidden mural, a nice eatery, a sweet looking calligraphy center , wonder what else. Walk to the artscience museum is walking withing DNA itself. The double helix bridge and the view it has to offer is quite the sight.

 
Alley behind SAM, Queen st & Chinese calligraphy center, Waterloo st, Singapore

Take a walk around national gallery of Singapore, walk to St. Andrew church and to Hill street. Along the very attractive Ministry of Communication and Information building. I hear this building has 927 windows and the colour shades in creases in intensity with height. I could stand there for hours to get the right frame and the combination of different coloured vehicles , a variety of people against the colourful windows. Walk up Hill st to Chijmes, passing the art museum to lanes around Bugis. That is another afternoon well spent. Maybe for the evening you could go to Faber park, it is going to be a good workout climb. If you could pack a bit to eat or grab a book to read, nowhere better to do so than on the Henderson waves. the Henderson Waves bridge is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore, that connects the lush green faber park to the other side of civilization. The bridge mimics the undulating shape of a wave, curving and twisting along and allows it to have hidden recesses and shell-like niches, where pedestrians can sit and observe their surroundings.

 

 
Emerald Hill and Chinatown, Singapore

I could go on. I am sure there are still many beautiful streets that I haven’t had the chance to visit yet. Walk around find more things for yourself. The colourful House of Tan Teng Niah in the middle of Little India or the street art around there. Walk around Clark Quay to grab a drink or just sit by the Quay. While you are around Orchard street walk to Emerald hill, here are some beautiful houses that belonged to the wealthy Peranakans before and with a bit of history to it. As I said I could go on and I haven’t even started talking about the green areas of the city. I am sure a local can tell you lots more.

 
House of Tan Teng Niah, Little India & An old street art near Orchard road , Singapore

So every city has so much to offer, if you want to sit back and listen to it. Like a person, there are layers to peel and such interesting things to discover.

Singapore, you beautiful city, you will never bore me!

Leave a comment Cancel

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Δ