52 Things to do in Singapore before you die

[Carmour]

Some say Singapore is boring. That there isn't anything to do besides shopping, eating, movie watching and um... queuing. Why do people spend hours lining up for tyre manufacturer recommended dim sum, American donuts and black Japanese cats? They must be really bored to give up their time like that. And they shouldn't.

We've done a lot of traveling around the world and Singapore easily ranks among the top in our list of most fun cities in the world. Our unique lives as travel guide authors / journalists / bloggers have given us the opportunity to thoroughly explore and see a side of Singapore that most have not. Which is why we've decided to come up with a bucket list of 52 things to do in Singapore before you die.

- See more at: http://www.thesmartlocal.com/read/52-things-to-do-in-singapore#sthash.l7jfCYEp.dpuf

52 Things to do in Singapore before you die

 

#1 Walk amongst treetops at MacRitchie | Price: Free
Address: Directions here.

Type: Recreation / Fitness / Team Bonding

MacRitchie Reservoir Park is known for two things. For being a beautiful reserve and for being very hard to get to.

Most Singaporeans don't even know of the Tree Top Walk's existence. The Tree Top Walk is a free-standing suspension bridge that connects the two highest points in MacRitchie. It's open from 9am to 5pm daily and will give you a lovely view of the wildlife and different layers of the forest canopy. It also makes for good mosquito feeding sessions. So bring along your insect repellent, water and be sure to check the weather first.

It does take some time getting to and so it's not for everyone. The fastest way to get here is from the carpark at Venus Drive. The distance from the carpark to the Tree Top Walk is about 2.5 km or a 45 mins to 1 hr walk. This makes the total round trip about 4 hours and 7 km long.

I think its a fantastic way to spend a Sunday morning with loved ones or a group of friends. Checking out the natural beauty along the way while engaging in a healthy recreational activity before finally rewarding yourself with that #instaperfect moment.

Read more TSL MacRitchie reviews.

 

#2 Go Stand up Paddling! | Price: $30+ / hour
Address: Varies

Pictures from rachelcharis.com

Type: Recreation / Fitness / Family

The Singapore sea is known for its non-existent waves. The good thing about that is these still waters make us one of the best countries to do Stand Up Paddling (SUP) in. It's an activity suitable for all ages - Rachel here who runs her own SUP business was SUPPING even while she was pregnant! It's a fun activity for family and kids and even dogs. I am not kidding, check out her page! She rents out her SUP boards at $60 for 2 hours.

And for the more macho people reading this and going "meh", you will be happy to know Olympian athletes use SUP for their muscle and balance training. Looking at her pictures makes me wanna go SUPing all over to the Merlion park where I will be like SUP??!? to all the tourists. They won't get the joke, (not their fault, its lame) then there will be an awkward silence before they whip out their phones and start taking pictures.

Another website I found that offers SUP is Mana Mana Beach Club at East Coast Park. They also offer Windsurfing, Kayaking, dinghies and catamarans. I do not know what those last two things are.

 

#3 Visit Farmart Centre | Price: Free
Address: 67 Sungei Tengah Rd S699008

Chloe happily feeding what I think is an African Grey Parrot.

Type: Family / Nature / Educational

Farmart is like the last bastion of hope for the farming community in Singapore. It offers a complete getaway from the city and an insight into a time where life was much simpler. The lives of a simple farming kampong community.

Being located in Kranji, its not exactly easy to get to. But they have a shuttle bus from Lot 1 Shopping Mall along Chua Chu Kang Avenue 4 and if you're driving here are the full directions.

Over here you get to buy farm produce for cheap and also exotic goods like crocodile meat that the farmers sell. Your children will love it for the aquariums, bird shows, prawning sessions and feeding of rabbits and goats. Its a fun educational and interactive experience that your children will thank you for.

The way the farmers behaved left a lasting impression on me. Especially the farmer who handled the birds. He was kind to visitors, offering them the chance to feed his birds and making them perform tricks to entertain the crowd. He treated his birds with love and care and rewarded them accordingly. It just made me feel that when life was much simpler, people were much kinder to each other too. I got this vibe from a lot of the farmers in farmart.

 

#4 Watch a Stand Up Comedy | Price: Adults: $10 | Students $6
Address: 20 Upper Circular Rd, S058416

Type: Night Entertainment

Yes, we have a stand up community right here in Singapore. Happening every Tuesday at Home Club, entrance is a small fee of $10 which even comes with one free drink! That sounds like a great deal to me. You can find out more about them on their facebook page.

It's also notable to mention that Home Club was singled out as one of the best clubs in Singapore by our resident nightlife photographer Malcolm Baey, in his Ultimate Singapore nightlife guide - something people who enjoy clubbing should really check out.

- See more at: http://www.thesmartlocal.com/read/52-things-to-do-in-singapore#sthash.l7jfCYEp.dpuf

 

#5 Chill at Quayside Isle | Price: Free
Address: 31 Ocean Way, Sentosa Cove, S098375

Type: Enclave

Quayside Isle is an ultra rich neighbourhood that looks more like it belongs on a promiscuous American TV show than in Singapore. You have upmarket hip restaurants, an awesome harbour and a jogging track full of golden retrievers. You instantly get this out of Singapore feeling, maybe because everyone here is an expatriate or the girlfriend of one.

The only draw back is how its a pain to get to if you don't drive. So most Singaporeans don't know about it. If you make the trip here, I recommend doing it during W Singapore's pool party so you have access to what I feel is the best swimming pool in Singapore. It's held on the first Sunday of every month.

Admission for that is $35 NETT and it comes with a free drink. You can read more about our W Singapore Staycation, which is hands down one of the best staycation options in Singapore. Here's a short clip that I filmed during our stay at W Singapore which features quite a bit of Quayside Isle at the end.

 

#6 Go on a Singapore Walk | Price: $35-65. Children: $15-30
Address: Varies

Type: Educational

The Singapore Walks offers really unique heritage tour services that even locals will adore. This review by TSL member eny_sayuri explains it best.

"Having not been very satisfied with my first tour to Kampong Glam back in primary school, I wasn't quite expecting much from this tour experience. However, I was soon proven wrong - unlike typical tours which tend to be a mere show-and-tell of facts and figures, this tour unfolded like a story for me and left me having a closer personal connection with the place.

Like a seasoned storyteller, our young and bubbly tour guide brought us into a whole new world, from the start of our journey at Bugis MRT right till the end, reliving the old tales of the Tungkus and experiencing the cultural rituals of the ethnic enclave. It was a side of Singapore I had never experienced before!"

Read more TSL Singapore Walk reviews.

 

#7 Volunteer for something you believe in | Price: Free
Address: Varies

Type: Soul Food

This picture above was taken by our resident family blogger Jensen, with the HanoiKids when he was in Hanoi. They are a unique volunteer service run by students who take visitors around their city. I guess they enjoy meeting more people and they use it as an opportunity to improve their English. The point here is there are actually many fun things you can volunteer for that may be part of your interests. Also, think Karma points!

A unique opportunity in Singapore is reading out stories to kids at the National Library, which may help volunteers wanting to improve their public speaking while at the same time giving back to the community. Those wanting to work with kids can consider Melrose Home or the Children's Society.

For the more traditional volunteering, there is really a never ending list. Animal lovers will take pride in volunteering at the SPCA or Action For Singapore Dogs. Those with a passion for helping the elderly can do so via touch home care that provides nursing and "Meals-on Wheels" to elderly Singaporeans who live alone.

On an ending note, I just want to add that I have the greatest respect for people who volunteer unconditionally. It's a remarkable trait to develop, committing your time to carry out a selfless act without expecting a single thing in return. It will give you a perspective of life you've never had before.

And you may bring this cultivated trait to other areas in your life and your relationships with people. You start doing things because you want to without expecting anything in return. It will be liberating.

 

#8 Go for a high tea jamming session | Price: $48
Address: Mandarin Gallery, #04-14/15 S238867

 

Type: Entertainment / Art / Dating

I came across this video while stalking Tosh's youtube channel. Creepy I know. I'm not even a girl.

It looks like a unique activity to do, spending quality time with someone you care about. You're likely to discover a side of your partner you've never seen before and you get to take your masterpieces home.

For those who aren't going to watch the video, the place is called ARTEASTIQ and its kinda an art studio + tea 3 hour session where you just spend the afternoon chilling out on art and tea and having fun.

Read more TSL Arteastiq reviews.

 

#9 Find your Forest Adventure | Price: $42 - 44
Address: Bedok Reservoir. Directions.

Nicole pictured above: "I felt like a squirrel but with no nut gathering ability."

Type: Fitness / Sport / Bonding

This is one of the most underrated activities in Singapore of all time. You've probably never even heard of it. Forest Adventure is a challenging obstacle course with lots of climbing, zip lines and even an insane "Tarzan Jump" free fall at the very end. Yes, all 5 of us ended up doing it!

They have a brilliantly devised safety system making it the experience very secure. Still, when you're that high up in the tree tops you're going to think twice before launching yourself off the platform over a 200 metre long zip line.

I think this is a fantastic place to have a date or as a bonding session with friends or corporate teams. Our TSL team loved this place to bits and it was one our most memorable team experiences.

Read more TSL Forest Adventure reviews.

 

#10 Go "Surfing Singapore" at Wavehouse | Price: $40 / 1 hour
Address: 36 Siloso Beach Walk, 099007

 

Type: Sport / Thrill

Of all the attractions in Sentosa, Wavehouse has to be the coolest. And I'm always posting this instagram of Nicole because its so damn funny. You can even hear her friend's evil laugh at the end.

Wavehouse is home to a wave simulator that can mimic up to a 10-foot wave when its setting is cranked up to 11. I always see tons of expats enjoying themselves here but not many Singaporeans. I hope this changes because its a ton of fun.

Apart from their wave simulator they also have a pool, restaurant, surf shop and bar making them one of the best hangout places on Sentosa's Siloso beach.

Read more TSL Wavehouse reviews.

 

#11 Cafe Hop at Tiong Bahru | Price: Varies
Address: Yong Siak Street

Type: Enclave / Chillout

Over the last 2 years, Tiong Bahru has suddenly became the place all the cool people go to. Legend has it that it all started with the opening of a quirky bookstore and an artsy cafe - Books Actually and 40 hands coffee. And the rest as they say, was hipster history.

If there is such a thing as a cafe hopping trail, then here's the best place in Singapore to do it. Spend the afternoon finishing a good book or just hanging out with your buddies while exploring some of the best coffee places in Singapore.

We may come up with a more thorough guide to Tiong Bahru in the future, but for now we already have quite a good one with all the popular cafes mapped out. You can take a look at it under our recent Wangz staycation post.

Read more TSL Tiong Bahru reviews.

- See more at: http://www.thesmartlocal.com/read/52-things-to-do-in-singapore#sthash.l7jfCYEp.dpuf

[Count-Bracula]

I may go for the 1st one. and Cafe hop around Tiong Bahru

[Throttle2]

Nice suggestions but plse dont come to Quayside Isle and cramp the place ok?

 

Not unless you are female, young and beautiful...

 

Muayhahahahaah!

[Sosaria]

Many in the list are still very commercialised and contrived activities. Activities that need wide open recreational spaces - NOT parks and NOT crowded with people - are fast dying out...

[Thaiyotakamli]

before u die, last thing to do is to sleep here

 

Lim Chu Kang

[Carmour]

Nice suggestions but plse dont come to Quayside Isle and cramp the place ok?

 

Not unless you are female, young and beautiful...

 

Muayhahahahaah!

 

Don't judge me by my avatar.

 

This is something like how I look in person.

 

 

How? Fits your bill?

Edited December 5, 2013 by Carmour

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Is visiting Geylang one of the 52 things to do ....

[Othello]

how about Changi Village late night ?

[Maxus-MIFA9]

how about Changi Village late night ?

 

At which locations in CV ...

[Maseratigood]

Is visiting Geylang one of the 52 things to do ....

 

 

wah, visiting there 52 times!!!

[Throttle2]

 

Don't judge me by my avatar.

 

This is something like how I look in person.

 

 

How? Fits your bill?

If like that, Porker sure welcome you to his Catamaran and his W Residences when he have parties.

[Carmour]

If like that, Porker sure welcome you to his Catamaran and his W Residences when he have parties.

 

Wow. Thanks cigarman!

 

Do say hi to me during the party. I'm the guy in specs on the right with the big-ass camera.

[Throttle2]

 

Wow. Thanks cigarman!

 

Do say hi to me during the party. I'm the guy in specs on the right with the big-ass camera.

It's Porker, not me.

 

I stay in HDB at Choa Chu Kang far far away from all these.

Never attend such functions in my life before. Probably wont ever.

[Cindytan]

before u die, last thing to do is to sleep here

 

Lim Chu Kang

THIS IS EPIC! where is the scary playground next to this building? must also play there with hantu before you die, you take turn and push each other on the wooden swing

[Rncw]

there are just too many things i wanna do before i die.....why only 52???

[Mustank]

THIS IS EPIC! where is the scary playground next to this building? must also play there with hantu before you die, you take turn and push each other on the wooden swing

 

 

http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/neo-tiew-estate/

[Count-Bracula]

Is visiting Geylang one of the 52 things to do ....

 

Errhh . . it is 50 of the 52 things to do.

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Two things must do during weekends ...........

 

1) watching BPL on Sat & Sun

 

2) Mahjong or Tua Tai Tee