Welcome to Singapore! Several days into your Singapore holidays? You may have already covered the city’s top museums and heritage locations, sampled the best local foods, and shopped your way around Orchard Road, the city’s retail heart. (If not, read our guides to exploring Singapore like a local.)

Wondering if you’ve missed out on any of the best places to see in Singapore? If you are a guest at PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Singapore, you can discover street art, cafe culture, and hidden gems, right here in the Bugis district. A new attraction in Bugis is  % Arabica, a Kyoto coffee chain that has finally landed in Singapore. Feel the buzz at 56 Arab Street, right across from PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Singapore!

(Interesting side note: today’s Bugis Street is a family-friendly area for shopping and dining, a stark contrast from its salacious past—during the 1950s to the 1980s, this was said to be where transgender performers and sex workers vied for the attentions of tourists, British sailors, and American GIs in a nightly carnival of debauchery.)

Alternatively, hop on the MRT to see what else the Lion City has to offer. For guests at PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Singapore, Bugis station is just a seven-minute walk away. From here, you can check out attractions along the East-West Line, or take a day to travel on the less-explored Downtown Line (blue)—we’ve got a few ideas on what you can do! 
 

Think you’ve seen it all in the city centre? There’s always a surprise in store: take the train to the nearby Rochor station, just one stop from Bugis station. 

Here, you can admire the striking architecture of LASALLE College of the Arts, where the interconnected glass buildings draw reference from the raw beauty of geological formations. Check if there’s an exhibition or performance you can view. Or grab a bite alongside trendy art students at the campus coffeehouse Lowercase⁠—some of the proceeds will go towards supporting the local arts community, so you’re contributing to a good cause.

Next, make your way to DECK. This unique photography space in Singapore is fashioned from 20 modified shipping containers. The acronym DECK encapsulates the centre’s aspirations: Discovery, Engagement, Community, and Knowledge. Few artists in Singapore can fully live off their passions, but still, they press on—through DECK, the founders hope to give photo artists access to a display gallery as well as a market for their works. DECK also holds a biennial Singapore International Photography Festival.

Craving an authentic local meal? The popular Wing Seong Fatty’s Restaurant is where you can order up Cantonese-style dishes—try the roast meats, sweet and sour pork, and “yam basket.” Top your hearty meal off with the restaurant’s famed almond jelly dessert. 

For a taste of Singapore-style spirituality, head to the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, dedicated to the Chinese goddess of mercy Guan Yin. It’s where some locals go to pray for good fortune, be it in life or love. See if you can locate the qian, or divining sticks, which are placed in a brass container. Here’s how it works: devotees will shake this container till one of the numbered sticks falls out, and they will be given a corresponding divination slip, which should answer at least some of the questions in their hearts. In 1990, this temple was the first in Singapore to provide ‘tourist-friendly’ divination slips with English translations for English-speaking devotees and tourists! 

On your way back to Rochor station, pop in to Sim Lim Square, once hailed as the “tech mecca” of Singapore. The future is uncertain for the mall and some stalwart stores have thrown in the towel, but for tech geeks, it’s still worth a browse—while it remains standing. To avoid getting scammed here, buy only from CaseTrust-accredited shops. 
 

Get directions to Lowercase (from Rochor station)
Get directions to DECK (from Rochor station)
Get directions to Wing Seong Fatty’s Restaurant (from Rochor station)
Get directions to Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple (from Rochor station)
Get directions to Sim Lim Square (from Rochor station)
 

From Rochor station, take a six-minute walk to Jalan Besar station—it’s a much quicker way to get there than by train (nine stops). For home-style bakes, stop at Butter Studio, where everything is created by hand using farm-fresh eggs, seasonal fruits, and local market produce. To pick up a tasteful souvenir, head to Onlewo (“cozy nest” in Chinese), which offers fabric products inspired by slices of life in Singapore. If you’re looking for a late-night meal in the area, famed supper haunt Swee Choon Tim Sum keeps its doors open till 6:00am.

Part of the hipster coffee-sipping set? Take the train to Bendemeer station, around which numerous cafes have sprung up. The best-rated of these is Chye Seng Huat Hardware, which is named for the metal and hardware companies that formerly occupied its space. Even if you don’t know your arabicas from your robustas, this is a good place to get schooled—watch the pros at work or seek advice on coffee products, accessories, and equipment. 

Prefer culture over caffeine? Head to Mary’s Kafe for traditional Eurasian fare; for tea, try the cakes or the pang susi (sweet potato buns with minced meat).

To harness your creative energy, sign up for a workshop with The General Co, where you can learn the art of leathercraft, calligraphy, paper cutting, and more.

Planning an evening visit? Schedule dinner and drinks at Druggists, so named because it leases its space from the Chinese Druggists Association. Druggists is run by the same people behind craft-beer importer The Drinking Partners, self-described as “wanderers, whose attempts to eat and drink across the world… always ended happily in a brewery or bar.”

Get directions to Butter Studio (from Jalan Besar station)
Get directions to Onlewo (from Jalan Besar station)
Get directions to Swee Choon Tim Sum (from Jalan Besar station)
Get directions to Chye Seng Huat Hardware (from Bendemeer station)
Get directions to Mary’s Kafe (from Bendemeer station)
Get directions to The General Co (from Bendemeer station)
Get directions to Druggists (from Bendemeer station)

To enjoy a day close to nature—and away from the city centre—head out to Bedok Reservoir station. Here, you can take the Forest Adventure challenge at Bedok Reservoir Park. 

Depending on the way you feel about heights, it’s either exhilarating fun as you test your sense of balance on a series of tree-top obstacles, or a chance to conquer your fear of heights and push your boundaries. Either way, completing a Forest Adventure course is a rewarding experience, especially if you’re travelling as a family. 

How fit do you need to be to participate in this activity? According to the organisers, you shouldn’t encounter any troubles if you’re able to go on a long walk at a good pace. 

If you are on a budget, and are looking for places to visit in Singapore for free, Bedok Reservoir Park provides the perfect setting for mindful contemplation. Head to the floating deck for the best view of the reservoir, and keep your eyes peeled for birds—swallows playing by the waters, herons wading along the reservoir banks, or kingfishers diving for their lunch. Within the area, the better-rated food options (Refuel Cafe, Burp Kitchen & Bar) are about a 20-minute walk away from Bedok Reservoir station, so pack a sandwich or snacks, especially when travelling with children.

Get directions to Forest Adventure (from Bedok Reservoir station)
Get directions to Refuel Cafe (from Bedok Reservoir station)
Get directions to Burp Kitchen & Bar (from Bedok Reservoir station)

Welcome to Singapore! Enjoy a longer stay at PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Singapore (minimum six nights), where we are always on hand to help. You’ll be conveniently located within the city centre, in a culturally rich spot where tradition meets modernity. View our room offers or send us an enquiry today.

From now till 31 August 2019, save up to 30% at PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Singapore when you make a booking. This offer is applicable for Pan Pacific DISCOVERY members only; non-members can enjoy up to 20% savings. 

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