Visit Changi Airport
Now this may seem a little odd to anyone who’s not departing on a flight, but many Singaporeans are actually nonplussed about spending their Saturdays at the airports and often, with their families in tow. But why? Changi Airport, having quite correctly branded itself as a destination unto itself, has facilities that outshine many shopping centres and hosts a wide variety of shops as well. After all, if you’re going to spend your time shopping, there’s really no reason not to do it in a place with 24-hour shops, water fountains, great views, mesmerizing art installations, and the tallest airport slide in the world—great for amusing both adults and kids. In the words of a well-known gladiator: Are you not entertained?!
Walk down the Southern Ridges
Connecting five well-known parks in the south of Singapore, is the Southern Ridges trail which extends over 10 kilometres. If you’re a nature lover, a long walk along this trail would allow you to enjoy the scenic beauty and natural greenery at Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill, HortPark, Kent Ridge Park and Labrador Nature Reserve. Hiking along these paths provides some of the best opportunities to feast your eyes upon unparalleled views of the city as well as rare flora and fauna that may not always be spotted in urbanised Singapore. Some of the most notable sights along the way include the Floral Walk, a beautiful walkway that’s lined with flowering plants, and the Henderson Waves pedestrian bridge, an architectural marvel that provides cool shelter, alcove seats and panoramic views.
Engage in the Arts
With museums across the island offering free entry to locals and permanent residents, there’s really no excuse to keep putting off that visit! If you’re keen on learning more about the biggest names in Southeast Asian art, the newest National Gallery of Singapore offers the largest collection of regional art, and one of its more recent tie-ups with Centre Pompidou provides gallery visitors with the chance to admire not just regional works, but masterpieces of Kandinsky, Matisse and Chagall as well. For those whose preferences lie outside of thematically-structured gallery art, the pieces installed at the edgier Substation Gallery, with their mixed influences and interactive natures could be more closely aligned to your interests. The gallery is part of a larger arts unit known generally as the Substation, which houses a theatre, dance studio, and popular live music establishment, Timbre.
Explore new neighbourhoods
When someone stops you to ask for directions, have you ever found yourself poring over their map automatically in order to point them in the right direction? That could be a sign that you’re not as familiar with the city as you might like to think. Though we’re familiarise ourselves with our neighbourhoods, workplaces, and favourite hangouts, it hardly seems worth our while to venture out of our comfort zones to explore new territory in homogenous Singapore. And that’s a shame, because every neighbourhood in Singapore is likely to have a little secret of its own that’s waiting to be discovered. It could be the best fishball noodle store in Singapore that someone mentioned in passing, or an incongruously chic neighbourhood salon that stocks your favourite shampoo label. Or perhaps a sweeping wall covered in graffiti that reminds you with a pang of an old home, or even a crafts shop that sells a surprisingly large range of Halloween decorations. There’s always something around every corner, and a surprise waiting to be uncovered in every new neighbourhood. And even if you’ve been there before? Judging by the fast pace of life in Singapore, it’s not unlikely that everything’s changed—perhaps even twice—since your last visit, so there’s all the more reason to check out these changes before you don’t recognise these places anymore.
Attend a free outdoors concert
As part of their community outreach programme, the Singapore Symphonic Orchestra regularly hosts free concerts at Victoria Concert Hall and at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Those who are keen on listening to more than just birdsong at the gardens will be in for a treat when the SSO is present on the grounds. In the relaxed, casual atmosphere of the park concert, concert attendees are free to sprawl out on the grass and munch on sandwiches, while talented musicians play their hearts out, belting out some of the most well-known pieces to entertain the appreciative crowd. The barrier between classical music and the common man has never been lower than at these events where everyone is encouraged to enjoy good music, food and the company of loved ones.
By Rayne
