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 an absence of ‘soul’, in the event you strategy Singapore from a unique angle it may be a captivating vacation spot — to not point out very straightforward and hassle-free.

I’ve been to Singapore just a few instances, normally on a 1- or 2-day layover. I additionally as soon as stayed for per 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 think about its completely different execs 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 someplace else, due to its well-connected airport and central location in Asia.

But in the event you’re, say, heading to Bali for 2 weeks (with a hop by way of Singapore), you would possibly simply need to put all of your days into Bali as an alternative of splitting your time. In such a case, Bali is definitely the principle act that you simply 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 contemporary air or a disappointment, relying in your perspective.

You’re on a decent funds

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

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

You can positively go to on a funds; it’s simply that you simply would possibly miss out on sure facets in the event 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 rather more about well mannered cocktails than all-night ragers. Keep in thoughts that alcohol is taxed closely in Singapore, which has a manner of restraining the bar scene.

There is nonetheless loads of nightlife in Singapore in the event 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 positively extra of a factor in different Asian cities.

You don’t like humidity

On a foul day, Singapore could be extra humid than a steam tub. Since it’s situated 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 simple place to start out an Asia journey

Thanks to its superb airport in addition to being so secure, well-organized, and largely 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 quite a bit worse than beginning in Singapore. Major capitals like Manila and Jakarta are usually not vastly inviting, at the very least 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, however, actually allows you to ease into issues slowly.

You love avenue meals (however want to be cautious)

About Singapore being such an incredible 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 called 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 primarily like avenue meals locations, besides with seating areas and precise hygiene requirements. They’re excellent for diving headfirst into Asian delicacies.

You recognize the futuristic city design and parks

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

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

The city-state has some very eye-catching structure, together with the Marina Bay Sands, the PARKROYAL resort which seems like a high-tech backyard, and the Butternut Hotel, with its picket 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 mentioned, house is at such a premium that generally they’ll straight up tear a bunch of completely advantageous buildings down as a result of they’ve figured a greater use. Seeing how completely configured Singapore has grow to be (out of pure necessity) is likely one of the fascinating facets of exploring it.

You have some cash to spend

While it’s doable to get pleasure from Singapore on a funds, it’s a a lot better expertise in the event 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 sort of keep, you’ll absolutely love Singapore greater than these touring on a decent funds.

You need industrial/household leisure

With a really massive zoo, the resort island of Sentosa, a number of golf programs, and a Universal Studios park, there are all kinds of household outings you possibly can plan. This sort of leisure/leisure could be more durable to seek out in much less developed elements of Southeast Asia.

You’re on a layover

If you’re passing via Singapore anyway, and particularly in the event you’re on an extended Asia journey, then it positively adjustments the calculation — and it’d be a disgrace to not test it out for just a few days.

Singapore is ideal for a layover, too. Changi Airport simply retains profitable awards for one of the best airport on the earth 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 a large indoor waterfall. And a cinema. And a sculpture exhibit. Changi is actually 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 via Southeast Asia. I used to be actually 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 significantly loved spending time in much less developed locations in Asia and I suppose I wished issues to only proceed in that fashion.

My views turned extra nuanced on subsequent visits. I imagine that in the event you go to it with an open thoughts, Singapore could 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 the event you concentrate on the futuristic structure. It’s fascinating to consider how Singapore got here to be what it’s in the present day and the way it was capable of be so affluent.

But heritage, shade, and tradition will also 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 could be a pleasure to walk round (albeit a quick stroll). The Chinatown Street Market can 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 via nations like Vietnam and Cambodia, it was truly a reduction to reach in fashionable Singapore.

It made for the proper pit cease: just a few journey buddies and I used our time to go to the cinema, play some video games at a board sport cafe, and simply get pleasure from 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 searching for out of doors adventures could also be extra enticed by different cities. But in the event you’re curious concerning the parts that make Singapore the town that it’s, it’s very fascinating to spend at the very least a few days.