Sundays are important to so many of us for different reasons, but I think one thing we can all agree on is that it should be a day of fun and exploring. For me, an average Sunday in Melbourne includes brunch with friends, going to some sort of exhibition, heading to a bar in the late arvo, and finishing off with a movie. But when you’re on vacation, technically there is no day of rest. You have to be out and about to make the most of your time in that city. So, if you only had one Sunday in Singapore, I have planned the perfect way for you to spend it.
Breakfast! The most important meal of the day. Without a doubt my favourite western style cafe in Singapore is Wild Honey at Scott’s Square. My friends and I dined there too many times to remember and considering it had been five years since I visited, I had to go back to our favourite place. You wouldn’t believe it but their menu has not changed! I messaged my friends straight away and I didn’t even have to think about what to order. It always has and always will be the Caribbean; waffles, mango, banana, toasted coconut, a bit of custard and passionfruit sauce. It honestly doesn’t get any better than that.
One of my favourite areas to explore for cool clothing boutiques, home ware stores, knick knacks and hooka bars is Haji Lane. This Melbourne style laneway is filled with colour, people, street art and sudden bursts of laughter keeping this off the beaten track a hot spot you must visit. You could spend a good amount of time here frolicking through the boutiques and finding something unique to commemorate your trip to Singapore, and while there are plenty of mainstream pockets to do a bit of retail therapy, nothing beats Haji Lane.
After you’ve worked off breakfast and built up a new found appetite, the lunchtime bell rings, and this new cafe was one of the best finds during my time in Singapore. The Open Farm Community‘s vision is to bring urban farming to the forefront, and strengthen people’s understanding and respect for food. The interior design and architecture of this space is unlike anything I’ve seen before in Singapore, but it is very reminiscent of Melbourne’s cafe scene. And the food! Don’t even get me started. This is a great space to bring young kids too as they have a lot of outdoor play areas for exploration and education. Take them for a walk through the veggie garden and see which vegetables they can name. I even struggled to name some of them! This is paddock to plate at its best and I’ll be going back here every time I visit Singapore.
During my two years of living in Singapore, Gardens by the Bay was under construction and it just finished after I left so this was an absolute must on my agenda. Having spent a good three hours there and not even seeing it all, this has to be on your travel agenda as well. It is one of the most exquisite and incredible ways to explore plant life from all around the world. There are plant and flower species I’ve never seen or heard of before, and again, what a way to get educated in a way that is majestic and so out of this world. The key attractions to see are the Flower Dome, the Cloud Forest, and the Skyway and Supertree Grove. It is a full sensory kind of experience as you walk through each space and I kid you not, words and pictures do not do it justice. This is a greenhouse adventure of epic proportions and the first of its kind in the world. Hot tip though, bring a cardigan or jumper as it does get rather chilly inside the domes.
For tickets and more info, head here.
In a city of lights like Singapore, a rooftop bar is an essential way to unwind at the end of a busy day. Lantern Rooftop Bar at the Fullerton Bay Hotel has to be the number one location to show off this city in its true glory. With panoramic views of Marina Bay, an infinity pool, stylish design elements and a tasty cocktail menu, there is no doubt in my mind this is the best place to be come sunset. As chill house music sets the tones to the gorgeous warm tones in the sky, you can’t help but feel nothing short of lucky to be in that moment. With views of Spectra: A Light and Water Show too, it is the perfect way to round out that Sunday cocktail hour.
As if you haven’t eaten enough already, I can assure you there is still room for dinner; or at least, you want to make room for this. Chilli Crab is one of Singapore’s most famous dishes and to be in this city and not try it is quite frankly a sin! Now, you could go to a nice restaurant and try it there but nothing, and I repeat nothing, beats it fresh from the tank at a local food centre. Right around the corner from Holland Village is Ming Kitchen Seafood Restaurant where you will find some of the most authentic Chilli and Black Pepper Crab. While I enjoyed both I have to say the Black Pepper Crab was my favourite. It was juicy, packed a little bit of punch to it and was just all round delicious. Local is always best and this recent trip certainly opened up my confidence to eat more local. I’m a foodie at heart and this was A+.
Yes, I know, this is a jam-packed Sunday in Singapore but you have to make the most of it. I’m not one of those travellers who likes to go back to their accommodation in between parts of the day; I want to be exploring and immersing myself in the city and culture of that place. Singapore has and always will hold a very special place in my heart, and if I can share that with you in even the smallest of ways, then that’s all that matters! Happy travels my friend.
For more information visit: visitsingapore.com.au
The author visited Singapore as a guest of the Singapore Tourism Board. While in Singapore she stayed at the Rendezvous Hotel and travelled from Melbourne with Qantas.
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