Stranded for 11 days in Singapore

This is my second trip to Merlion City with one mission: To apply for the Italian study visa.

I was feeling hopeless at first that I still had to make the trip to Singapore although I did not have the completed documents for my visa application. What was constantly playing on my mind was that I had to stay longer in Singapore until I finally receive the Declaration of Value (DV) from the Italian Consulate in London.

Naturally, I was worrying a lot about having to cancel my return flight, then to purchase a new one, extending my hostel and being stranded in an expensive city is beyond ideal for me. This is a diary of what I did for the 11-day stay and on a budget. But if you want to find out more about getting an Italian study visa you can check out my recent blogpost and do send me a message if you need any help and advice on your application.

My initial plan was to do as little activities as possible to try and reduce the cost of staying in Singapore. I just wanted to go for a daily run around the Gardens by the Bay as it is just 2 km away from my hostel. Life couldn’t be this boring? So I started reading and searching for ‘things to do for free in Singapore’.

I was not disappointed.

When I travel, I love to explore. I want to see the roads less travelled and experience something unique. I didn’t know that this is possible in Singapore. But the more I read, and asked around about it, the more I am seeing the many sides and faces of Singapore beyond what the tourists are here for. I ended up having the greatest time in Singapore and the best of selfies! (lol, the fate of solo-traveling!).

I arrived pretty late but I was rewarded by the beautiful light show at the 40m high artificial waterfall at the indoor rainforest ecosystem called Jewel, Changi Airport Terminal 1. It was so impressive to see how humans can create such a wonder. I spent sometimes to navigate myself at the airport and finally made my way to the main entrance to find my Grab driver.

It was a short ride, around 15-20 mins and I arrived at my hostel behind Arab Street. There wasn’t any check-in as it was 10.30pm so I just collected my key from the postbox just outside of the entrance of the Kampong @ Arab Hostel.

I was still bummed that I couldn’t make it in time to watch my friend’s fight at the One FC! I texted Deep when I arrived and we arranged to meet the following day for breakfast.

I met Deep at his hotel and had a tasty breakfast buffet (thanks Deep!) and got my goodies from the COMBATCH merch! Then shortly past 9am I joined the rest of the Brunei team fighting at One FC enroute to the airport for their return flight to Brunei.

Before I head back to my hostel I got myself the EZ-link travel card (not tourist pass) for SGD 12 but the value inside is SGD 7 only. I used this card for MRT and bus it has definitely saved me a lot! So back to my hostel and I was already thinking about my initial plan of doing a daily run while in Singapore. But I figured it was still rather hot during the day so I took the time to explore the area where I was staying and checked out the Golden Millie Food center, just 10 mins walk away. I wasn’t sure what to order at first as there is so much to choose from. I resorted to a western dish, something I am familiar with and this cost me just SGD 6. Not bad, I thought as the general price for a meal is SGD 10-15.

I also visited the Malay Heritage Museum and it was only a SGD 6 entry fee. I learned some new insights of the Malays in Singapore and especially the importance of the location of this museum and its surrounding. The area, Kampong Glam / Bugis back in the days began with businesses circling around the pilgrimage to Mecca. There was a huge mix of traders of Indians, Arabs, Chinese, Armenian, Turkish etc and most of the migrants have settled in Singapore - even some streets are named after these communities too. One of the striking photos displayed at the museum is the area being totally buzzed with pilgrimages to board a ship and this will take them perhaps 3 months to reach Mecca.

Later in the afternoon when it wasn’t too hot I then decided to scout the 2 km route to the Gardens by the Bay. I really thought Google Map was playing with me because it told me that there is a pedestrian way up the layover bridges! But I don’t mind a path less travelled so I explored and I was rewarded with a perfect selfie spot overlooking the Singapore flyer! Oh, and this is truly the path where it was JUST me. In a small and crowded country with over 5.6 million population, this truly felt like a treasure.

I am so excited to write on this entry: It was a day in the beautiful Sentosa Island! I stayed in Germany for the past 2.5 months and after half a year working in Thailand, I so longed to be at sea again. I have seen photos of Sentosa Island and I started reading more into it. I found a great package of a cable car ride with set lunch or dinner for just SGD 37.20 at Booking.com. Boy, I was in for a treat!

I started the cable car ride from Harbourfront, towards Mt Faber and had a delicious 2-course meal lunch (Soup, Singapore Laksa and coffee) at Arbora restaurant. The view up here is beautiful and I was enjoying my time before I head down to the island. I was happy that the ticket includes the cable car line on the island too so I walked down to the Merlion station, and took the long route towards Siloso.

Alright before I continue further, I seriously need to point out one of the first few sights of the island as my cable car approaches. It was heartbreaking to see it with my own eyes the dolphins in captivity, in tiny swimming pools at the Resort World. I have known of this for a while and photos of people kissing and riding(“swimming” with) the dolphins in Singapore showed up in my social media now and then. I still don’t understand why Singapore needed to do this, despite a gazillion other things that you can do as a tourist. As a scuba diving instructor, I have seen dolphins in the wild - being totally free, with a pod of 100 or more hunting and swimming in the open ocean. I can never erase this image from my mind and I hope you will not too. Cetaceans in captivity is the result of a cruel industry and if you don’t know how they got these dolphins, whales etc you will need to have a better awareness on it. And to never, ever support / buy tickets for establishments as such.

When I arrived at Siloso I made my way to the Fort Siloso (which I found out about when I read ‘things to do in Sentosa for free’) and I started the self-tour with a free pamphlet placed at the bottom of the Skywalk. Again, I had the privilege of being at the site by myself as it was a Thursday and being out at the hot 2pm day isn’t ideal for most people (I love the sun!!). Fort Siloso is one of my favourite places to visit in Singapore simply because it is FREE, full of history and very well routed to follow the self-tour. I didn’t know how fortified this island was as they used to have installed an elaborate underwater mine system.

The british protected Singapore because it was a very important point for trade in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately during the Japanese Occupation during WW2 this fort wasn’t much of a use because the incoming invasion is through the mainland of peninsular Malaysia. It was also my first time seeing images and accounts of the British armies as Prisoners of War (POWs) during the Japanese Occupation. I can’t help but to compare POWs with images of Holocaust victims.

Then, I made my way down to Siloso Beach, Palawan Beach and I crossed the hanging bridge to get to the Southernmost tip of continental asia. I had a great time swimming in the ocean, basking in the sun and buried my toes in the sand. Singapore is a massive hub for maritime port and you literally do not see the horizon, just ships and more ships.

Before I forget, earlier on before the cable car ride to Sentosa, I hopped off the MRT to see Chinatown because the cable car with lunch package started from 12pm. Man, I was thrilled to find a SGD 2 bubble tea! I miss this heavenly drink so much and I walked ahead to see the amazing Buddha Tooth Temple. Easily, I would vote this temple as the best Buddhist temple I have ever visited! It was 5-storey high and each floor has a gallery that you can visit for free and learn a lot about Buddha, Buddhism and appreciate the artistic value of the carving, statues from ancient to modern times, and from different regions and temples. The temple even has a beautiful rooftop garden (Singapore loves gardens) and a big prayer wheel, constantly spun by a monk.

It’s Singapore’s 54th Birthday!

What other free things to do on this special day? ;) Of course I found my way to the Singapore’s National Museum open day. I have been here once but I didn’t mind coming back again because there are a few galleries special to the national day celebration.

My Singaporean friend, Han took the time to spend time for dinner and we explore a bit of Clarke Quay area. It’s a very nice place and I learned that this is where people go for drinks and party. There was also that ‘hamster ball swing’ thing so you can have a few minutes of adrenaline flowing. There were fireworks on the evening of the parade. We tried to get as close as we can to the Padang (Field) but it was impossible - too many people and roads were barricaded. Han also took me to a new shopping mall called Funan, and I met another YSEALI alumni, Cheryl she was managing a great eco-collective shop. You guys should check it out if you needed to buy eco items like menstrual cups, ethical and upcycled products from all around the globe (shop is called The Green Collective SG and their IG is https://www.instagram.com/thegreencollective.sg/?hl=en ) .

I don’t remember much of this day other than a dim sum buffet brunch at Yum Cha Restaurant, Chinatown with Ilja and family. Naturally I got myself the SGD 2 bubble tea again. I realised the prices for souvenirs are fairly cheap in Chinatown, so I was already planning what to get for friends in Germany…

I went to Tiong Bahru to meet a friend named Carli whom I haven’t met in a long time since Thailand a few years ago. She was doing her grocery shopping at the wet market and this already felt like immersing myself into the local lifestyle. Carli took me to a chinese restaurant just across the street from the market and I was beyond happy to have a meal for just SGD 3.50. We explored a little bit of Tiong Bahru and one of the interesting places that she took me to is a bookstore filled with all genres of books authored by Singaporean writers.

In the afternoon I went for an awesome trail in the jungle at Macritchie Reservoir. The 10 km trail highlighted a few things such as the reservoir and the Treetop Walkway. While you are not allowed to swim in the water there are activities such as kayaking and SUP as I can see from the distance. The Treetop Walkway which is 250m long and 25m high hanging bridge and the view overlooking the jungle is so stunning. There are cute monkeys along the trail too! Just keep your bottle and bag snug.

It was an Eid Adha day and I wasn’t sure what I could do for the day. In the afternoon I decided to go to the jungle again - this time it was Bukit Timah. It was rather a quick hike! Being Singapore’s tallest peak at 164m, I took maybe just 20 minutes to climb to the peak using the shortest route (a steep climb though!). I wasn’t expecting this so going down I tried the long way through the jungle, but the trail is not dirt and natural but rather paved or stepped.

There is a small forest exhibition at the entrance to learn more about the forests of Singapore and the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Honestly I was a little disappointed that my trip was rather short so I took a stop at Singapore’s Botanical Garden for a walk and lay in the sun. This is my second time here. I still love it and this time I noticed that they are using the robot lawn-mower! Cool!

I was getting anxious by this time - I didn’t hear anything from the Italian Consulate in London for my document and I need to check-out from my hostel the following day. Not to mention that I need to cancel my return flight back to Germany, and get a new one-way when my visa is finally completed. I made a call to the Italian Consulate in Singapore to press on my situation and thankfully they reassure me that I can come in the next day and they will try to issue my visa without the DV from London. I was thrilled!

The whole morning I was just sorting out extension for my hostel and purchasing a new one-way return flight. Then, my cousin Mnurha sent me a message saying that she and her family are just having lunch at a restaurant nearby. They are from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and were just day-tripping in Singapore. I quickly went to meet them (after 5 years of not seeing each other!) and explored a bit of the city’s attractions while catching up.

We visited the Library @ Orchard which is located inside a mall. This has the be one of those libraries which is so inviting and calming, but also innovative and high-tech as there is no real ‘counter’ to process your books - only machines to scan your code and to deposit your books - nor security guards. This is a perfect place if you are waiting for your shopaholic friends/families splurging at the mall downstairs.

And for dinner, I was able to meet another YSEALI friend, Remus and he took me to a place where I stocked up on indomee (yes, I bought 5 big packets!) and window shopping.

This. Is. It. I had an appointment at the embassy at 2.30pm and I thought I had some time in the morning to check out the ‘Disturbing Narratives’ art installation at the Parkview Square just 5 mins walk from my hostel. This building is like an art creation by itself, with the 1920s Great Gatsby theme. I was awed upon entering and seeing the interior design especially the grand lobby.

“Yay! Things worked out in the end and this is finally over!” I said to myself. I know I will miss the freedom and safety of enjoying Singapore on my own and I took this last chance to go into the jungle once again. I saw in WikiTravel an itinerary of the Southern Ridges 10 km long trail and I was dying to go! This is basically a trail connecting 4 parks namely Kent Ridge Park, Hort Park, Teluk Blangah Park and Mt Faber Park. Pretty exciting right? And along the way there are plenty of awesome photo-op and memorable structures to see.

• Kent Ridge Park: There is a small war museum ‘Reflections at Bukit Chandu’ commemorating the Malay Regiment who fought at the Battle of Pasir Panjang during WW2. Then, there is a 280m long elevated walkway down the hill that eventually connects you to the next park.
   

• Hort Park (Horticultural Park): Upon entering I noticed a number of green houses which are used as a ‘testing ground for an intended huge indoor climate-controlled botanic garden’. Obviously, Singapore is famed for their man-made biomes such as the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Jewel. Nonetheless as I walked further, I saw many smaller gardens with their own little themes such as Bali Garden, Vertical Garden, Malay Garden and many more.
   

• Telok Blangah Hill Park: To get here first there is a big, elaborate bridge called the Alexandra Arch. It is white and shaped like a leaf and if you look uphill you can see a very interesting apartment complex? It is like stacked bricks but in this case it is stacked apartments. Very cool. So this arch connects directly to the Forest Walk (1.3 km long) elevated as high as 18m. This is when I can finally see some of the ocean view! As I continue climbing up and made it to the peak, I saw a Terraced Garden and pink bougainvillea lined up the park. A few minutes walk later I saw a huge Alkaff Mansion built in 1918 by a member of a prominent Arab family, the Alkaffs. There are a few water fountains here to top up my water bottle.
   

• Mount Faber: In the heat of the day I made my way to the famous Henderson Waves. This is also a pedestrian bridge, 36m high and offers you the stunning ocean view on one side and a city view on the other. This bridge is like a worm and apparently it has a light show from 7pm to 2am daily. I couldn’t be about the light show, rather I just wanted to check this bridge off my list. I kept walking and found my way to the top of Mount Faber to see the third, and smallest Merlion at Faber Point. This place has the best view of the whole trail in my opinion. I love gazing at the slowly moving cable car, Sentosa Island and the ocean.

I followed the downhill Marang Trail that leads me to Vivocity shopping mall and I had a nice lunch at the mall’s food court there. I finally had cendol which I have been craving since forever! I would definitely recommend this as a free, must-do when you are in Singapore. Again, being on this trail is a pleasure as the majority of the time it was just me enjoying the jungle all for myself. I brought enough fluid as it was crazy hot and the trail can appear to be longer as some parts of it are not well labelled.

At night, I went to Chinatown to get some gifts and the damage was... SGD 26. I bought 4 boxes of Merlion cookies for SGD 10, a cute bunny bear for SGD 8, 3 small bags costing SGD 2 each and a small bottle of olive oil for SGD 2 (my hair was out of control because of the humidity). This is okay, right?

I checked out early at 6am, dropped my key into the post box and made my way to the airport via MRT. Checked my bag at the early check-in counter and I spent the next two hours laying on a bench at Jewel. I think I fell asleep a couple of times and the soothing music in Jewel is really what I needed at the time.

I survived being stranded in Singapore for 11 days. And I spent SGD 230 in total for food, leisure and shopping. I could have reduced the spending but damn that bubble tea got me every time! Meanwhile, the hostel cost SGD 225 for 10 nights and the flights - it’s a lot. It’s hard to be fair with the flight because I had to cancel the return flight, and got a one-way flight due to unforeseen circumstances. Also, the date and airline choice is totally up to your decision. In my case, I wanted to get out of Singapore the soonest (flying on a Friday so it costs so much more) and best airline (good price including food and luggage). So there you go folks: SGD 455 / EUR 300 for 11-day stay in Singapore.

I was worried about my expenses so I took the precaution of noting down every dime spent. While it is important to enjoy your travel, it is more important to be a smart traveler. Learn about where are the best and cheap places to eat, interesting things to do for free and have a good preparation for the day (i.e. bringing your own bottled drinks, snacks, MRT/bus route) to avoid extra spending. I like to think that I generally have a good self-control, _{apart from the heavenly-sacred-nectar called bubble teas.}

I am so glad that my second-time trip to Singapore has allowed me to explore the off beaten paths. Looking back, how could I have planned to just do a daily run at the Gardens by the Bay? There is so much to see and do in the Merlion City. Thanks for reading and I hope my little diary will help you plan for your trip to Singapore!