The common cry among locales is that there is nothing to do in Singapore. I beg to differ. You don't even need to dig deep or go far. These are not just buyers. paradise or playground tourist attractions. If you just look around the corner, there is an eclectic mix of sights and sounds that present Singapore.
Our journey begins shortly before midnight. When most people get ready for bed, the whole industry comes to life in several wholesale markets throughout the island.
There are two fishing ports at the western and northern ends of Singapore in Eurong and Senoko, which come to life with optional auctions between 2:00 and 4:00. Between them, they process about 250 tons of fish per day. Although it is not open to the public, anyone who has a valid ID can participate in the auction. Unlike the famous Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, where everything is streamlined and clean, this is your traditional fish market with organized chaos of fish scattered across the floor. A good pair of waterproof shoes and a high tolerance for fish flavors are recommended.
If you do not have a nose for fish, then in Pasir Panjana, located in the southern part of Singapore, there is an overgrown 15.4 hectares of vegetable and fruit wholesale centers. Open 24 hours and works all year round (except for the 1st day of the Lunar New Year), this is the main distribution center of Singapore for a wide range of exotic and fresh imported fruits and vegetables. As in the case of fishing, the busiest period is from 2 to 4 hours when auctions are held. There are also many wholesale stores that stay open until late in the evening, where you can sell organic and dried foods.
Nevertheless, despite the most interesting wholesale market, it is located right in the middle of the island in Toa Paiok, one of the oldest public residential complexes in Singapore. Toa Payoh literally means “big swamp” in the local Chinese dialect Hokkien, as it was once an intense squatter district. Immediately after midnight, trucks from fresh greenery arrive from neighboring Malaysia. The open-air street market along the Toa Payoh East is almost underground in the dim light, as many food sellers and restaurants shop at wholesale prices.
Feeling wet after precancerous wholesale adventures? Toa Payoh is also an ideal place for breakfast in the center. No more than a market and food center, located in 127 Toa Payoh Lorong 1, which was built in the 1970s. On the ground floor there is a wet market, where goods from wholesale markets fall into the shopping baskets of everyday housewives. At the second level - one of the best local nutrition centers. When it comes to food, Singaporeans will travel any distance. Therefore, it is not surprising that people are close by and far away to enjoy the best local delicacies that this food center has to offer. Fried carrot cake. Traditional Teochew cheese buns. Fish soup. Fried shrimp noodles. Just to name a few.
From Toa Payoo, we head north to Lim Chu Kan - the last remnant of agriculture in Singapore. Back in the 60s, there were many vegetable, fruit, poultry and pig farms in this large rural area. Today, the shortage of agricultural land in Singapore has seen them modernized using science and technology. Here you can visit the frog farm, numerous fish and vegetable farms and even goat dairy products. Also located in Lim Zhu Kahn is the newly expanded Sunny Bulo Nature Reserve. The first ASEAN Heritage Park in Singapore functions as an important educational, research and recreational park to promote recognition of the beauty and diversity of wildlife.
Instead of visiting poultry farms in the north, why not have lunch at a former poultry farm. Tucked away in the corner of Clementi, between the army camp and the university campus, is the Power House of the Union Farm. Chicken wrapped paper is a popular dish in these places. However, few people know that it was invented by the Farm Union back in the 50s, when they were in fact still returning chickens. Best of all, this is one of the few places in downtown Singapore to enjoy food in a kampung setting (traditional village).
Singapore is not just a city of glass skyscrapers. There are many natural parks worth visiting. One of the best routes for active travels will take you across the Southern Ranges, which consist of 9 kilometers of flora from the West Coast to Harborfronn (about 2 hours). For those who are less enduring, there is an even more acceptable version for the stomach. Starting from the Hortpark, you can cross the Alexandrinsky Arch through the Forest Walk near the Helok Blanga Hill Park. From there, there are magnificent 36-meter, 274-meter Henderson waves that lead you to Mount Faber. On Mount Faber, you can enjoy a well-deserved butterfly and a scenic trip on a circular journey through the first rope. The hotel offers panoramic views of Singapore’s increasingly dynamic business district and the island resort of Sentosa.
In the end, this is Singapore, so you need to test your new Wall Street. - the financial district of Marina Bay. Getting its inspiration from London's Canary Wharf and Shanghai in Pudong’s financial district, this is an unobstructed expansion of the existing business district to consolidate Singapore’s position as a major business and financial center in Asia. It is based on the Marina Bay Financial Center (MBFC), a mixed use consulting bureau and residential towers, as well as shopping areas. While visitors to Wall Street pose with their famous bull, the MBFC has its own pair of water buffaloes, symbolizing the industriousness of Asian culture. These buffaloes have come a long way from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in the UK, where they stand for more than two decades.
If the charm of shopping is too big to resist, then head to Ion Orchard, one of the newest shopping centers along Singapore’s main shopping street, Orchard Road. There, there, go to your Ion Sky observatory on the 56th floor. It offers stunning 360o views of Singapore, whether it is raining or shining, day or night. And, most importantly, it's free.
Around the corner from the posh shopping mall is one of the best secrets. For more than ten years, in the Cuscaden Patio bar you will find the cheapest beer and the best chicken wings that you can find in Singapore. The perfect answer from hectic shopping will surely be plenty. And for the adventurous, there is also the notorious alternative experience Orchard, located across the road to Orchard Towers. A commercial and office building during the day turns into 4 floors of bars and pubs offering exotic entertainment.
If you use the alternative, you can head to the central eastern region of Geilang. The combination of traditional shops, enclaves of foreign workers, nightclubs and a regulated red light district provides an experience that you cannot find in the rest of the island. Geylang is not only the oldest profession in the world. It is also popular among places as a haven for food, where you can find all kinds of street food from all nationalities until late at night in cafes and restaurants of the shop.
As this 24-hour kaleidoscope comes to an end, our journey ends at Singapore’s only 24-hour department store located in Little India’s Mustafa Center. This is the heart and soul of this area and is not just popular with the Indian community. Prices are reasonable and you can not find anything here. It is also home to the only 24-hour pharmacy on the island.
There is no doubt that Singapore is experiencing much more experience. But, as you can see, in these 24 hours of real Singapore there is already something to see, do and get lost.
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