Sizzling Singapore

I’d have been lying if I’d said I didn’t have my doubts about Singapore, a fact that was evident in having never actually been before despite visiting Asia upwards of 30 times. However, with friends now living there it had become impossible to withstand any longer and so it was that my wife Gaby and I found ourselves standing on the doorstep of a city centre condo, being met by Vic’s and Stewart as well as the friendly slobber of their Redsetter Solomon – no doubt he could smell the familiar smells of England on us, or perhaps it was the 12-hour flight.

We only had three days and an itinerary had been planned for us – an unusual experience for me as someone who spends his working days doing just that for a living! Food was high on the agenda and we were with the right people. Having travelled though Asia with the two of them on a number of occasions Stewart and myself were well known for searching out the finest, sometimes weirdest, restaurants and food stalls on a daily basis. However, this time the research had been done in advance - they had been here for seven months and had seemingly eaten everywhere and everything!
Due to our late arrival there was only time for a for a shower and a couple of cold beers before we headed out into the city for our first tasting – we headed to Clark Quay in the very heart of Colonial Singapore and devoured some fine Thai, Cambodian and Laos dishes on the riverside. Despite being a Thursday night the place was buzzing with atmosphere and we were lucky to get a seat at the fantastic Siem Reap. The balmy weather meant the Tiger Beer kept flowing and the carefully chosen selection of dishes was the perfect balance – not four hours after touching down in Singapore and my mind (well perhaps stomach at least ) was taking a tour of Indochina!

The following day Vic’s had work commitments so we joined Stewart for his one day extravaganza tour of the city – we took wrong turns, we found ourselves in dead ends, I certainly spotted him asking locals for directions but it all added to the experience. This was getting off the beaten track in the metropolis that is Singapore and Gaby and I loved it. China Town was certainly a highlight, with is thriving day-time market and ancient shop-houses; we wandered through the colonial quarter, alongside the cricket pitch and amongst the courthouses; we took in Little India with its multitude of tailors and terribly worded signs; and of course we sampled the food. The hawker centres in Singapore have to be amongst the best dining experiences in all Asia – and that means the world in my book. Huge spaces filled with communal seating and sometimes 100’s of different stalls, selling every kind of imaginable cuisine. It’s a truly mind-blowing experience for anyone that loves to sample flavours from around the world. Their great advantage is that you and your friends all sit together whilst eating what each of you wants to eat rather than having to decide on a single restaurant. You find hawker centres throughout the city and in every neighbourhood but Stewart was keen that we sampled a week day city centre serving with all the office workers taking their lunch breaks. It’s a must for any visitor even if you only have a cheese roll or steak and chips! Our tour continued with the highlight undoubtedly being a late afternoon visit to the 70th floor of the Swissotel building near the waterfront. The views across the city are quite incredible and it put into perspective everywhere we had walked that day. The tower blocks stretch as far as the eye can see, however there are large sections of undisturbed jungle and woodlands preserved amongst all this and in the far distance you can even see Peninsular Malaysian. To the south is the Straits of Singapore literally packed in all directions with a mass of cargo ships and oil tankers.

With Vic’s working week over we made the short journey to the East Coast and the world famous seafood restaurants. I had one thing on my mind by this time – chilli crab, one of Singapore’s signature dishes. We opted for Jumbo and I wasn’t to be disappointed as we devoured crab, scallops, seriously chillied frogs legs, Chinese vegetables and some giant shrimps. It’s fair to say that if seafood isn’t your thing then perhaps the East Coast restaurants aren’t for you but let’s face it this is a city with plenty more to offer!
Up till now the weather had been superb and we were relying on more of the same as day two was to be spent on Sentosa, at the very southern tip of the island – We awoke to clear blue skies and duly made our way to the beach. In England I had been warned of poor beaches with oil soaked sands but this could not have been further from the truth – the beaches and man-made lagoons of Palawan and Tanjong were glorious and offered great swimming despite the multitude of boats to be seen offshore. The water was mercifully jet-ski free and clear blue, there were no touts or vendors and the basic facilities were good. Your best bet with any visit to the beach is to take what you need as the restaurants and bars are mostly located on Siloso where the beach is not as good. Alcohol is allowed and there are machines where you can purchase cold water and drinks if you need them. Armed with the days supplies we wanted for nothing until the evening when we made our way to the western point of the island for dinner and drinks at the Bikini Bar, certainly not to be considered a highlight of the dining experiences during our stay but they served a great snack menu and we were able to sit out on the beach until midnight.

Day three was upon us and we had the pick of the city – we considered hitting the legendary shops on Orchard Road but we had been there during our days tour and it seemed a shame to waste our final day in the air-conditioned shopping malls – surprisingly the girls agreed! After our usual late breakfast at their local hawker centre (noting beats a fiery Tom Yum soup in getting you set up for the day!) we ventured into the greener parts of Singapore, walking the dog in his favourite jungle surroundings. We were staying in Bukit Timah where the British had fallen to the Japanese in the 2nd WW . There are several interesting memorial sites in the local parks, marking the events and in memory of the gallant soldiers who had fallen during the conflict.
For our final evening meal we opted for China Town again, as much for the atmosphere as the food itself. There is a huge selection of restaurants to chose from, something for every budget. Still enthralled by the hawker mentality, we choose a street of stalls with communal outdoor seating. Having surrounded ourselves with Chinese and Malay dishes of all description the taste buds were once again overwhelmed!

I return from Singapore with a different and certainly far more educated view on the city. It can be expensive, of that there is no doubt, however this is easy to balance out when you know where to look. We ate meals that would seem pricey in London and we also all ate with change from £5. The diversity of the people and the landscape was a welcome surprise and the ease of getting around also impressed me. I didn’t find the city to be as clinical or as strict as I had expected it to be, I found it to be efficient and well organised.
What I loved most was the multi-cultural element; each day brought back memories of so many places that I have visited over the years of travelling in Asia. For old and new hands a-like, Singapore is quite possibly the perfect stopover.

Interested? Take a look through all our Singapore Information and our Singapore Holiday ideas.