Singapore is a ‘crazy rich' city, but here's how to do it affordably
While many excellent museums offer insights into Singapore's unique cultural cauldron of Chinese, Malay and Indian influences (standouts include the National Museum and the Peranaken Museum), it's even more compelling to experience it firsthand. Monster Day Tours offers excellent free (aka tip-based) walking tours of Chinatown, Kampong Gelam and Little India that showcase these vibrant districts' intriguing histories, sights and cuisines.
You'll get a similar perspective by visiting a prominent place of worship, such as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple – an imposing, Tang dynasty-style complex built in 2007 that claims to house the Buddha's left canine tooth. Others are the atmospheric and deity-covered Sri Veeramakaliamman Hindu temple and the arresting gold-domed Sultan Mosque. Entry to all three is free.
For live entertainment, the durian-shaped Esplanade theatres next to Marina Bay Sands (MBS) have a year-round program of free performances, and the district's nightly free sound and light shows – Spectra at MBS and Garden Rhapsody in Gardens by the Bay – are unmissable. If you watch the 8pm Spectra show, you'll have time to walk to the 8.45pm performance of Garden Rhapsody.
Trail warrior
Despite Singapore being the world's third most densely populated country, it's surprisingly easy to escape the urban embrace and discover restorative open spaces.
The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is a tranquil oasis with 20 kilometres of trails winding through more than 2000 hectares of native forest. A popular option is the seven-kilometre TreeTop loop, which includes an impressive 250-metre-long suspension bridge from which you may glimpse long-tailed macaques and flying lemurs.
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is another gem, offering hiking and biking trails through one of the largest surviving remnants of primary rainforest. It's home to both the city's tallest tree, a 60-metre seraya, and its highest natural peak, the 163-metre-high Bukit Timah Hill.
If you do only one hike, make it the 10-kilometre trek from Mount Faber Park to Kent Ridge Park along the Southern Ridges, a network of parks and reserves with captivating city and coastal views. Easily accessible by public transport, the trek has highlights including the city's tallest pedestrian bridge (the undulating Henderson Waves), a treetop boardwalk and several World War II sites.
If you're more of a stroller than a hiker, Singapore has free gardens galore, from the stunning 82-hectare UNESCO World Heritage-listed Botanic Gardens, home to more than 300 plant species, a swan-dotted lake and a stunning orchid collection (well worth the $S15/$18 entrance), to Gardens by the Bay, a fusion of futuristic Supertrees with tranquil spaces such as the Kingfisher Wetlands and the Serene Garden. While there's a charge to enter the climate-controlled Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, the rest of the complex is free.
Just be warned that any outdoor exertion in Singapore's legendary humidity is going to induce Olympian levels of perspiration, so dress accordingly and carry plenty of water.
Art addict
While many of Singapore's museums contain impressive art collections (the National Gallery boasts South-East Asia's largest public collection of modern art), it can get expensive to visit them all.
Fortunately, the city's streets and laneways are ablaze with murals and sculptures which can all be enjoyed at no cost. You'll find prolific artist Yip Yew Chong's works all over the city, but some of his most evocative murals depict traditional life in Chinatown.
Muscat Street is another hotspot, with two ornately carved eight-metre-high granite arches book-ending colourful Omani murals and mosaics, as is Haji Lane in Kampong Gelam, which is decorated with bold artworks by street artists from throughout the world.
To discover the city's varied collection of public sculptures, download one of the National Arts Council's self-guided art trails. For kid-friendly phone-based fun, check out the playful augmented reality experiences available at many notable sights via Google Maps (enter 'Singapore' and they'll be marked with a pin).
Frugal foodies
While you could easily squander a week's wages at any of Singapore's 51 Michelin-starred restaurants, for those on a budget, we have two words for you: hawker centre.
You'll find them all over the city – busy, noisy, cavernous food courts lined with compact stalls selling outrageously good food for refreshingly low prices. Feast on Singapore staples such as Hainanese chicken rice, char kway teow and spicy laksas, then return the next day for minced pork noodles, popiah spring rolls and chilli crab.
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While there are dozens to choose from, you can't go wrong at the Maxwell Food Centre, Chinatown Complex Food Centre or Lau Pa Sat, which has the added benefit of being next to 'Satay Street', a laneway that changes into a nightly food orgy with its sizzling satay stalls.
The customary Singapore breakfast of kaya toast with coconut jam and soft-boiled eggs isn't for everyone, but it's a budget-friendly option available from traditional kopitiam coffee shops and most food courts.
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The Age
7 hours ago
- The Age
Singapore is a ‘crazy rich' city, but here's how to do it affordably
While many excellent museums offer insights into Singapore's unique cultural cauldron of Chinese, Malay and Indian influences (standouts include the National Museum and the Peranaken Museum), it's even more compelling to experience it firsthand. Monster Day Tours offers excellent free (aka tip-based) walking tours of Chinatown, Kampong Gelam and Little India that showcase these vibrant districts' intriguing histories, sights and cuisines. You'll get a similar perspective by visiting a prominent place of worship, such as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple – an imposing, Tang dynasty-style complex built in 2007 that claims to house the Buddha's left canine tooth. Others are the atmospheric and deity-covered Sri Veeramakaliamman Hindu temple and the arresting gold-domed Sultan Mosque. Entry to all three is free. For live entertainment, the durian-shaped Esplanade theatres next to Marina Bay Sands (MBS) have a year-round program of free performances, and the district's nightly free sound and light shows – Spectra at MBS and Garden Rhapsody in Gardens by the Bay – are unmissable. If you watch the 8pm Spectra show, you'll have time to walk to the 8.45pm performance of Garden Rhapsody. Trail warrior Despite Singapore being the world's third most densely populated country, it's surprisingly easy to escape the urban embrace and discover restorative open spaces. The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is a tranquil oasis with 20 kilometres of trails winding through more than 2000 hectares of native forest. A popular option is the seven-kilometre TreeTop loop, which includes an impressive 250-metre-long suspension bridge from which you may glimpse long-tailed macaques and flying lemurs. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is another gem, offering hiking and biking trails through one of the largest surviving remnants of primary rainforest. It's home to both the city's tallest tree, a 60-metre seraya, and its highest natural peak, the 163-metre-high Bukit Timah Hill. If you do only one hike, make it the 10-kilometre trek from Mount Faber Park to Kent Ridge Park along the Southern Ridges, a network of parks and reserves with captivating city and coastal views. Easily accessible by public transport, the trek has highlights including the city's tallest pedestrian bridge (the undulating Henderson Waves), a treetop boardwalk and several World War II sites. If you're more of a stroller than a hiker, Singapore has free gardens galore, from the stunning 82-hectare UNESCO World Heritage-listed Botanic Gardens, home to more than 300 plant species, a swan-dotted lake and a stunning orchid collection (well worth the $S15/$18 entrance), to Gardens by the Bay, a fusion of futuristic Supertrees with tranquil spaces such as the Kingfisher Wetlands and the Serene Garden. While there's a charge to enter the climate-controlled Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, the rest of the complex is free. Just be warned that any outdoor exertion in Singapore's legendary humidity is going to induce Olympian levels of perspiration, so dress accordingly and carry plenty of water. Art addict While many of Singapore's museums contain impressive art collections (the National Gallery boasts South-East Asia's largest public collection of modern art), it can get expensive to visit them all. Fortunately, the city's streets and laneways are ablaze with murals and sculptures which can all be enjoyed at no cost. You'll find prolific artist Yip Yew Chong's works all over the city, but some of his most evocative murals depict traditional life in Chinatown. Muscat Street is another hotspot, with two ornately carved eight-metre-high granite arches book-ending colourful Omani murals and mosaics, as is Haji Lane in Kampong Gelam, which is decorated with bold artworks by street artists from throughout the world. To discover the city's varied collection of public sculptures, download one of the National Arts Council's self-guided art trails. For kid-friendly phone-based fun, check out the playful augmented reality experiences available at many notable sights via Google Maps (enter 'Singapore' and they'll be marked with a pin). Frugal foodies While you could easily squander a week's wages at any of Singapore's 51 Michelin-starred restaurants, for those on a budget, we have two words for you: hawker centre. You'll find them all over the city – busy, noisy, cavernous food courts lined with compact stalls selling outrageously good food for refreshingly low prices. Feast on Singapore staples such as Hainanese chicken rice, char kway teow and spicy laksas, then return the next day for minced pork noodles, popiah spring rolls and chilli crab. Loading While there are dozens to choose from, you can't go wrong at the Maxwell Food Centre, Chinatown Complex Food Centre or Lau Pa Sat, which has the added benefit of being next to 'Satay Street', a laneway that changes into a nightly food orgy with its sizzling satay stalls. The customary Singapore breakfast of kaya toast with coconut jam and soft-boiled eggs isn't for everyone, but it's a budget-friendly option available from traditional kopitiam coffee shops and most food courts.
Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Singapore is a ‘crazy rich' city, but here's how to do it affordably
While many excellent museums offer insights into Singapore's unique cultural cauldron of Chinese, Malay and Indian influences (standouts include the National Museum and the Peranaken Museum), it's even more compelling to experience it firsthand. Monster Day Tours offers excellent free (aka tip-based) walking tours of Chinatown, Kampong Gelam and Little India that showcase these vibrant districts' intriguing histories, sights and cuisines. You'll get a similar perspective by visiting a prominent place of worship, such as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple – an imposing, Tang dynasty-style complex built in 2007 that claims to house the Buddha's left canine tooth. Others are the atmospheric and deity-covered Sri Veeramakaliamman Hindu temple and the arresting gold-domed Sultan Mosque. Entry to all three is free. For live entertainment, the durian-shaped Esplanade theatres next to Marina Bay Sands (MBS) have a year-round program of free performances, and the district's nightly free sound and light shows – Spectra at MBS and Garden Rhapsody in Gardens by the Bay – are unmissable. If you watch the 8pm Spectra show, you'll have time to walk to the 8.45pm performance of Garden Rhapsody. Trail warrior Despite Singapore being the world's third most densely populated country, it's surprisingly easy to escape the urban embrace and discover restorative open spaces. The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is a tranquil oasis with 20 kilometres of trails winding through more than 2000 hectares of native forest. A popular option is the seven-kilometre TreeTop loop, which includes an impressive 250-metre-long suspension bridge from which you may glimpse long-tailed macaques and flying lemurs. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is another gem, offering hiking and biking trails through one of the largest surviving remnants of primary rainforest. It's home to both the city's tallest tree, a 60-metre seraya, and its highest natural peak, the 163-metre-high Bukit Timah Hill. If you do only one hike, make it the 10-kilometre trek from Mount Faber Park to Kent Ridge Park along the Southern Ridges, a network of parks and reserves with captivating city and coastal views. Easily accessible by public transport, the trek has highlights including the city's tallest pedestrian bridge (the undulating Henderson Waves), a treetop boardwalk and several World War II sites. If you're more of a stroller than a hiker, Singapore has free gardens galore, from the stunning 82-hectare UNESCO World Heritage-listed Botanic Gardens, home to more than 300 plant species, a swan-dotted lake and a stunning orchid collection (well worth the $S15/$18 entrance), to Gardens by the Bay, a fusion of futuristic Supertrees with tranquil spaces such as the Kingfisher Wetlands and the Serene Garden. While there's a charge to enter the climate-controlled Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, the rest of the complex is free. Just be warned that any outdoor exertion in Singapore's legendary humidity is going to induce Olympian levels of perspiration, so dress accordingly and carry plenty of water. Art addict While many of Singapore's museums contain impressive art collections (the National Gallery boasts South-East Asia's largest public collection of modern art), it can get expensive to visit them all. Fortunately, the city's streets and laneways are ablaze with murals and sculptures which can all be enjoyed at no cost. You'll find prolific artist Yip Yew Chong's works all over the city, but some of his most evocative murals depict traditional life in Chinatown. Muscat Street is another hotspot, with two ornately carved eight-metre-high granite arches book-ending colourful Omani murals and mosaics, as is Haji Lane in Kampong Gelam, which is decorated with bold artworks by street artists from throughout the world. To discover the city's varied collection of public sculptures, download one of the National Arts Council's self-guided art trails. For kid-friendly phone-based fun, check out the playful augmented reality experiences available at many notable sights via Google Maps (enter 'Singapore' and they'll be marked with a pin). Frugal foodies While you could easily squander a week's wages at any of Singapore's 51 Michelin-starred restaurants, for those on a budget, we have two words for you: hawker centre. You'll find them all over the city – busy, noisy, cavernous food courts lined with compact stalls selling outrageously good food for refreshingly low prices. Feast on Singapore staples such as Hainanese chicken rice, char kway teow and spicy laksas, then return the next day for minced pork noodles, popiah spring rolls and chilli crab. Loading While there are dozens to choose from, you can't go wrong at the Maxwell Food Centre, Chinatown Complex Food Centre or Lau Pa Sat, which has the added benefit of being next to 'Satay Street', a laneway that changes into a nightly food orgy with its sizzling satay stalls. The customary Singapore breakfast of kaya toast with coconut jam and soft-boiled eggs isn't for everyone, but it's a budget-friendly option available from traditional kopitiam coffee shops and most food courts.
West Australian
19 hours ago
- West Australian
How to travel by rail in China
Few other countries in the world can tout a massive, well-organised and flawless railway connection such as China. Maybe Italy, Japan or India . . . with the difference that China is just bigger. As it's pretty much impossible to self-drive in China without an expensive guided tour or a Chinese driving licence, travellers are forced to choose public transport to move around. Flights are plentiful and inexpensive, but in China, trains literally go everywhere from Beijing to Tibet to the north-western province of Xinjiang and the south. And these days, they're sometimes even faster than flying. This article will give you the basics to understand categories of trains and how to reserve your tickets. After major investments and upgrades, China now has the world's fastest trains — even faster than Japan's. High-speed trains are category G (Gongguan), D (Donghao), and C (Changdao), with respective highest speeds of 350km/h, 250km/h, and 200km/h. Incredible, right? As they are so fast, high-speed trains travel mostly during the day, and only have seating arranged in a few different classes — first, second and business are standard. If seats sell out, it's possible to buy a limited number of standing tickets, which will be converted to a seat once someone gets off the train. The leftovers of China's previous and still very extensive railway network are the slower, regular trains of category Z (Zhengqi), T (Tielu), and K (Kuaisu). If the first two operate at slower speeds, K trains reach up to 120km/h. All these trains still have sleeper options and are meant for long overnight journeys between far-flung parts of the country. Consider also that, in contrast to the more expensive (still cheap by Western standards) high-speed trains, regular trains can be very affordable. For example, a hard sleeper between Dunhuang and Lanzhou, a 1100km journey, may cost you about $50. When you buy a ticket for a slow train, one of your choices is a 'hard seat': what is this? Pretty much the most basic and cheapest category of seating, the hard seat is a simple, non-reclinable padded seat. Not very comfortable on very long journeys, but definitely not as 'hard' as one might expect. Soft seats are the equivalent of a Western-style first-class train — much better for long journeys . . . but why not take a high-speed train for those? The real difference that matters when booking 'hard' or 'soft' is on overnight sleeper journeys. With the increase in high-speed trains, there are fewer and fewer overnight routes. But when travelling long-distance in the north-west, or from faraway metropolises like Shanghai to Lanzhou (pretty much a distance covering half of China), sleeper trains are still in use and preferred by those who want either to save on the cost of flights, or need to carry heavy luggage between places. Like seats, there are two classes of sleepers. Don't be put off by the 'hard sleeper'. This is an absolutely acceptable, comfortable bunk bed and comes equipped with fresh linen, a duvet and a pillow. It's definitely harder than a Western-type bed, but quite comfy by Asian standards — no, you won't be sleeping on wood. These bunks are open (so there won't be compartments with separated sleeping rooms) and arranged in rows of three, facing each other, so six people can sleep in every open compartment. This often means you'll share food, chats and fun with fellow passengers. Soft sleepers are a much better option, with closed, four-bed compartments, but can also be almost double in price, and sell out very quickly. Every sleeper carriage is equipped with boilers for hot water at both ends, and passengers know well how to stock up on instant noodles, coffee, tea and the like. Just be extremely careful, as this water is often scorching hot — close your containers properly to avoid spilling it on the next passenger or even yourself. There are also many train attendants who will keep shuttling trays laden with freshly cooked food and many different types of fruit. Prices are initially steep, but as the Chinese passengers know well, they do decrease in the subsequent hours. Wait for a while before placing your order, as the food is kept warm. Unlike in the past, these days buying tickets for Chinese trains is done online. You can (and must) reserve your tickets up to 15 days in advance, as with such a large population, they do sell out fast, and there's no extra quota for tourists. The best and cheapest is the official China Railway app, called Railway 12306, which is available in English. For it to work, you'll need to register and verify your email and upload a picture of your passport's details page for verification. This is crucial as to board any Chinese train, you must scan your passport at a turnpike, both before boarding and before leaving the arrival station, and that's how you input your details in the system. Unfortunately, at times Railway 12306 doesn't work for reasons unknown — while my wife managed to verify her details, I couldn't. Don't panic: if you travel in a group, and at least one of you manages to verify their details, they can also buy tickets for other passengers. Create a profile with the correct name and passport number, as these will always be checked upon boarding and leaving a station. If it works, you can connect the train reservation app to an Alipay profile — essential to be able to pay in China's almost entirely cashless economy — to which you can now connect foreign credit and debit cards. If Railway 12306 won't work for you, you can rely on trusted third-party train tickets providers, of which is by far the best. It will book train tickets for you for a small operational fee, usually a few extra dollars per ticket. The problem is for very sought-after train routes such as Beijing to Shanghai, which often sell out as soon as a date opens, they may not be able to guarantee your seat or sleeping berth, in which case they'll issue a full refund. This is not very great news for those who have to travel on tight schedules, and the best remains the Railway 12306 app, which is the official app of China railways. Remember, when I first went to live and teach Italian in China in 2007, buying a train ticket was not done with apps and computers. You had to stand in a room packed with 'wannabe-wrestlers' willing to do anything to push you aside and get a ticket before you. Screaming, punching and copious spitting were part of the experience. So thank the technology for these apps, no matter how flawed the paying and set-up system may be. Have faith, be persistent, and you'll manage to score tickets. It's all part of the experience of travelling China by rail — one of the best destinations for train travel in the world.
