By: Michelle Varinata
Basking in the warm California sun and surrounded by date palm trees, you feel like you never want to leave sunny Los Angeles. While you are fully immersed in the comfort zone of Los Angeles’ sunny weather for the past 365 days, perhaps it’s time to make the most of your summer vacation by going on an adventure!
Have you ever thought about getting outside of California? Look no further than going to a family vacation in Singapore. If you are wondering why you should go to Singapore, it is one of South East Asia’s most famous cosmopolitan cities, and it’s where I grew up. Believe me, nothing beats going back home. Known as “the little red dot,” Singapore is a cosmopolitan city where people of all walks and stripes intermingle. Like L.A., Singapore is just as sunny; however, the rain (yay!) is known to cover the entire street like a carpet. But don’t let that deter you from enjoying your vacation.
If you want to enjoy your time in the city, do what the locals do. While you are in Singapore, it’s best to try out local cuisine at hawker stalls, which are kind of like open-air food courts. With wallet-friendly prices, you should try some duck fried rice, roti prata (Indian flat bread), Hokkien mee or murtabak/martabak (stuffed egg pancake). Then, go for some almond custard (my favorite), kaya toast, or grass jelly for dessert. If you are desperate for some juice, you won’t be able to find the nearest cold-pressed juicer nearby you, but you can go for some sugarcane juice to keep you cool. Just $2 a pop, sugarcane juice cools you down instantly without ever having to break the bank. But if you want some boba, head down to Koi to get the BEST boba in the country. Even better, each boba is less than $5. Despite how expensive the city is, trying out street fare is nothing like you’ll find in L.A.
Another thing you should do is to sightsee some cultural landmarks. While everyone wants to get a picture of the Merlion, I suggest that you try out the Pacita Abad bridge near the Asian Civilizations Museum instead. Painted by Filipina artist Pacita Abad, the bridge’s trippy designs on a rainbow color scheme are sure to make your inner artist proud. Try walking through it – you will never forget these patterns in your sleep. Another landmark you should sightsee is the Marina Bay Sands. While it is hard to get an aerial view of the Marina Bay Sands, I suggest that you go to the 57th floor of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel at Sky 57 (the hotel’s restaurant) and get a picture from the balcony, where you can see the entire Marina. Last but not least, head over to the Botanical Gardens to embrace Mother Nature! Like a hike at Runyon Canyon, walking/jogging through the Botanical Gardens is a calorie-buster workout in a sensory-pleasing garden for all the fitness freaks. But if you’re not a fitness freak, try smelling orchids and look out for the Vanda Miss Joaquim, the national flower. Only will you ever find such orchids over there.
If you are the kind who appreciates art, look no further than the art museums. As one of South East Asia’s growing art markets, Singapore’s art museums are filled with burgeoning talented artists. If you’ve taken a contemporary art history class, head out to the Singapore Art Museum and SAM 8Q, which are two of the best art museums in town and my favorites. Once you enter there, there are some life-changing exhibitions that will make you open your eyes to the way you see art.
For all you shopaholics out there, Singapore is one of those places to check out every rack! From May to July, there is a HUGE blowout sale hosted by every retailer and every mall islandwide where prices for clothes to accessories drop as low as 50% or more. If you want to score some things from the sales rack, be sure to stop in there early before everyone else gets it. Another place to check out shopping is The Editor’s Market. Like Nasty Gal meets Shopbop, The Editor’s Market is a well-curated shopping trove where you can bag some extra hot steals if you buy 2-6 pieces of clothes to shoes. Say if you bought 6 pieces of clothes, the price for one item will drop as low as $20! If you are into spanking cool accessories, hit up What Women Want. Tucked away inside the Mandarin Gallery Shops, What Women Want stocks brands like Quay to little-known jewelry brand Mi Manera, which makes the coolest full-finger rings. The moment you get back to L.A., you will absolutely miss shopping there.
Speaking of a real summertime adventure fun, Singapore’s vibrant nightlife scene is not be forgotten! If you want to hit up the bar, head over to Cook and Brew. The beer selection is well-curated, and you won’t find a single Bud Light by the counter. When you go there, ask for some strawberry cider.
This summer, be sure to fly out to Singapore and check out the wonders of the city!
Image found here.