Here is a list of tried-and-tested affordable shared activities that can be done with your partner or friends, during a time where most of us are limited to the local scene.
Here are the activities that I personally have tried during the winter break:
1. Watch a Movie under the Stars
For a weekly movie night (without breaking the bank), find your nearest park bench and bring your laptop along to enjoy a romantic night out watching a movie on online sites like Netflix !
This can definitely help you save up on trips to the cinema – which can take a toll on our savings margin in the long run!
Also, do remember to bring along devices for an Internet hotspot that your laptop can connect to! And make sure that your laptop is fully-charged as there most likely will not be any charging points at the park!
2. Relive Your Childhood Dreams of Seeing Dinosaur Bones at the Lee Kong Chian (LKC) Natural History Museum!
Craving for Night at the Museum adventures and sights? Fret not, the LKC Natural History Museum at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has plenty of taxidermies, fossils (even that of a Whale!) made available for you to see at the price of $8 for students!
3. Cycling to various notable parks with beaches!
I recently cycled to Pasir ris Park via Punggol Park and played chess with my partner at a bench by the sea. It was a really unforgettable moment where we blasted romantic music out from a speaker and felt the coastal wind whip through hair. It was one of those moments where you get to spend good quality time in nature and time seems to stop.
However to really make your trip all the more carefree, do be sure to check the weather forecast the day before the planned outing, or bring along a raincoat per person if you are of the more spontaneous sort!
You can even bring along portable/foldable chairs in case you are afraid that you wouldn’t be able to find a suitable spot to chill by the beach!
Another memorable cycling route will be from Punggol park to Coney Island via the Park Connector Network (PCN) which you will be sure to be greeted by trees that look straight out of national parks you might see in American travel catalogues!
Also if you prefer a longer and more fulfilling route, which transitions from a park, to the Marina barrage, then Gardens By the Bay, and finally, Marina Bay sands – you might want to try cycling from East Coast Park to those locations through the East Coast Park extension which allows one to cycle safely without crossing any roads directly to the locations mentioned respectively.
4. Visit a unisex spa with your friends/S.O.
I recently visited a spa at Paya Lebar called Spa-1 Wellness centre, where my girlfriends and I payed about $40 to enjoy 3 hours of access to various spa facilities such as a Himalayan Salt room, Cassia seed room, Jade room. We got to immerse ourselves in therapeutic hot and cold environments which provided us a fun and relaxing time. The spa package also comes with free-flow vegetarian food which you can order as much as you would like during your time there! I highly recommend trying out their carrot cake omelette.
There are both unisex and single-gender spa facilities so it is a great place to hang out with your lover or besties.
5. A chill day at Siloso Beach
Siloso Beach has the finest and softest, feet-friendly sand compared to all other beaches in Singapore, in my personal opinion. It is also where I feel gives the most insta-worthy beach photos if you are planning to take lots of pictures there for memories.
Just bring along a large picnic mat, extra clothes and towels to change out after, toiletries if you are planning to shower, and your SPF 50 sunscreen and you’re set! Swimsuits are a good touch as well but if you are more comfortable being conservative just wear something that can help you stay cool under the sun.
I personally prefer to go to the beach when it’s sunny for the best view of the glistening sea but you can also head there at around 4pm when the sun is not so glaring.