Singapore - Off Beat Attractions
Apart from the usual tourist attractions there are some unusually interesting things that you can do in Singapore.
Visit Haw Par Villa....where Chinese folk tales were brought to life by the Aw Boon brothers, inventors of the 'Tiger Balm'.
The Aw brothers had special Tiger Cars
Embark on a journey through The Ten Courts of Hell, a Chinese Mythology Theme Park.....the biggest highlight of the Haw Par Villa............where punishments one has to undergo for each sin committed during his life time are graphically depicted.
The two friendly guardians of hell, Ox-head and Horse-face, greet visitors at the entrance of the Ten Courts of Hell.
In the first court of Hell the good are distinguished from the bad....the virtuous are led to Paradise and the evil doers are sent to repent before the mirror of retribution and subsequently taken to a court of Hell for punishment.
Each court has a different punishment according to the sins committed. For eg drug addicts are taken to the third court of hell, tied to a red hot copper pillar and grilled. Rumour mongers are taken to the seventh court of hell where their tongues are pulled out.....etc etc...
After serving their sentences, prisoners are brought to the Pavilion of forgetfulness where an old lady, Meng Po, hands them a cup of magic tea which when drunk make them forget their past lives.
They will then go through the ‘Wheel of Reincarnation’ – Samsara. Depending on the prisoner’s past life, they would be reborn either as a human or an animal. Some would be reborn into a life of ease and comfort while others into sorrow and suffering.
The Eight Immortals
A popular Chinese tale of eight immortals.... each carries a different tool to fight evil.....the graphic
depiction of the battle between the Eight Immortals and the forces of the Dragon King of the East Sea.......
A lady breastfeeding a grandma while children look on...Not able to decipher...
There's much more to see....
Entry is free. Park closes by 7. PM but the ten Courts of Hell closes by 6PM.
Haw Par Villa is next to the Haw Par MRT which makes it easily accessible. A visit to this place where one can learn more of Chinese Mythology is highly recommended.
Be sure you have at least one hour on hand so that you are able to go round the park and see everything.
The East Coast Park
The beach at East Coast Park is a nice place where people can sit back and relax. Popular attractions in the area include Big Splash playground, Lilliput golf course, a hawker centre.....etc.
Cycling is another popular activity ..... You can either bring your own cycle or hire one.....family bikes are also available...we hired a family bike....it was fun riding through the scenic Coast line which stretches to around 15 kms.
We had fun at the beach watching planes appear out of the horizon, preparing for landing.....
watching the sun set...
Watching people flying kites.....
We enjoyed building sand castles with our grand daughter..........its a lovely place to unwind.....
Little India
Yes you can get to taste a piece of India here with the temples, the restaurants serving Indian food, Jewellery shops....etc etc...
ISKCON
At ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Conciousness) Centre in Little India .... Attended Arathi and had Prasadam....
The Gokul Vegetarian Restaurant on Upper Dickson Road off Serangoon Road in Little India where food is cooked without onions and garlic....delicious food...must try their mock Mysore Mutton Curry, the Singapore Chicken Clay Pot Rice...they serve Singaporean signature dishes in veggie fashion....healthier and tastier....
Cafe Salivation on Race Course Road, very close to Ferrar Park MRT, Western vegetarian restaurant .....no onion no garlic food is available....not a bad place....
Other veg restaurants around include Kailash Parbat, MTR, Ananda Bhavan, Komalas, Murugan Idli Shop etc etc.
Premaas Cuisine is famous for its Kerala style Fish Curry Meals we were told.
The Tekka Centre...a vibrant and colourful wet market at Serangoon Road where you get fresh produce at competitive rates.....
The Tekka Centre also houses a food court and a shopping area...
Opposite the Tekka Centre is the The Little India Arcade.... yet another shopping place for Indian Spices, clothing, jewellery, souvenirs etc...
The 24 hour shopping mall Mustafa Centre, at Syed Alwi Road, Off Serangoon Road, where you get all kinds of Indian Stuff... Indian style clothes, shoes, jewellery, fruits, vegetables....you name it .....they have it....at discounted prices....
Tan Teng Niah's residence, 37 Kerabu Road is just a minutes walk from Little India MRT. Built in 1900 by a Chinese businessman Tan Teng Niah (said to be one of the non Indians who prospered in Little India) for his wife, this is supposed to be the most colourful building in Singapore. It is now leased out for commercial purposes.
Another shopping mall - The Verge - in Little India....
The place is a bit crowded with tourists wanting to get a taste of India.
Little India has a lot of beautiful Temples details of which I've covered in my earlier post.
China Town
Rows of colourful little outdoor shops at Pagoda Street, Sago Street.....etc....selling souvenirs, gifts, clothing, jewellery....need to bargain
Enjoy local food at the food courts....Maxwell food court is a popular place....
The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and the Mariamman Temple are two beautiful Temples in China Town and I have included them in my earlier post:
Temple Hopping
Taste a slice of Singapore's history at the China Town Heritage Centre.....
The Arab Quarters
Take a stroll through the Arab Street, and experience it's distinct Middle Eastern ambience.....taste Arab food in the many eateries along the streets.....
rows of shops selling Persian Carpets, clothing, camel skin products, prayer mats, jewellery.....etc..
The Sultan's Mosque at Muscat Street
Haji Lane
Haji Lane next to Arab Street is a colourful alley with fashion boutiques and Middle Eastern cafes......
take a break at the selfie coffee shop and enjoy dense coffee with your photo etched on a layer of thick froth on top ......
Bali Lane
An alley with traditional shops, trendy boutiques, nice little cafes....
Botanical Gardens.
A lovely place to unwind.....need at least an hour to go round...
It's free entry to Botanical Gardens but entry to Orchid Garden is by payment...
The swan lake at the Botanical Gardens...
Gardens by the Bay
Visit the two cool conservatories at the Gardens by the Bay supposed to be the World's largest columnless greenhouses ....
Cloud Forest
A mountain veiled in mist and covered with lush green forest within an enclosed compound.....the Cloud Forest houses the world's highest indoor waterfall.....
Flower Dome
A glass greenhouse ....... Be awed by the beauty of the flowers in this world of everlasting spring....
See my post on "Singapore By Night" for the Light and Sound Show "Garden Rhapsody" at Gardens by the Bay.Singapore at Night
The Marina Bay Sands Hotel.....3 Towers connected by a roof terrace the Sands Skypark with the world's longest elevated swimming pool...
The Artscience Museum located next to MBS...in the form of a lotus flower.....visit the museum and enjoy a fantastic fusion of art and science....
Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands...with shops, restaurants, boutiques etc.....A canal runs through the length of the Shoppes
Don't miss the "Wonderful light and sound show" a 13 minutes laser and water show at MBS after sunset.
Esplanade Theatre....Singapore's premier arts centre.....resembling the fruit "Durian" ("a fruit which tastes like heaven and smells like hell")...
The Science Centre
Human Body Experience at the Science Centre was worth the experience....
Climb through the mouth and walk through the inside of a human body....meet the brain, the lungs, the heart......glide through the digestive system....it was a whole lot of fun...
An additional fee of S$15/- applies for entry to HBX
National Museum of Singapore
If you have time for only one Museum then do visit the National Museum of Singapore on Stamford Road..... Learn the history of Singapore.
It's a vibrant place where Singapore's history comes to life.
Entry fee is S$ 10/- which includes admission to the main galleries on levels 1 and 2 . Additional fee applies for entry to special exhibitions that are held often.
National Art Gallery
A nice place for art lovers....the former City Hall and the Supreme Court have now been converted into the art gallery. ....with the ambience of the former court room being retained....
Raffles Hotel...
The most famous hotel in Singapore....and an elegant landmark.
Visit The Long Bar to sip the Singapore Sling and have fun eating peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor...this is the only place where littering is allowed in Singapore.....
enjoy tea tasting... A cup of tea with cake....
Ministry of Culture....
Looks marvelous at Night
Lau PA Sat
The hawker centre with its distinct architecture and awesome food.....it's worth a visit.....usually crowded during lunch time due to its location and proximity of the offices around...
There are Indian Pure Veg stalls.....
The Raffles Quay..... Lau PA Sat on the right....
The Red Dot Museum...for design lovers....
Chijmes
A former chapel on Victoria Street which now houses restaurants and shops
Annalakshmi Vegetarian Restaurant at Amoy Street
Eat as much as you like and pay what you want..... Good Indian Food.....
A row of peranaken houses next to Annalaksmi
Tanglin Mall
Funan Digital Mall
Understanding the Singaporean English accent is a bit difficult....I started loving the "lah" suffix after each sentence.
Singapore has a lot of lovely food courts where food is much cheaper. It's a great experience walking through the shops......difficult to choose what to eat......there's plenty of variety...
Owning a car in Singapore costs a fortune. Public transport system is good. Taxis are freely accessible. Anywhere and everywhere you find taxi stands and people queing up for their turn to board.
Chewing gum is prohibited by law. If you have an addiction for chewing gum ... Be careful... Singaporeans strictly abide by their laws.
Weather in Singapore is hot and humid through out the year they say. I was prepared for it and had taken precautions. But compared to this year's scorching heat and humidity in South India, I felt Singapore was much better.
There's so much to explore in the little streets of Singapore.....an amalgamation of new and old...
Don't think twice...go ahead and book your tickets .... Visit this little red dot on the world map and have a wonderful life experience.
Apart from the usual tourist attractions there are some unusually interesting things that you can do in Singapore.
Visit Haw Par Villa....where Chinese folk tales were brought to life by the Aw Boon brothers, inventors of the 'Tiger Balm'.
The Aw brothers had special Tiger Cars
Embark on a journey through The Ten Courts of Hell, a Chinese Mythology Theme Park.....the biggest highlight of the Haw Par Villa............where punishments one has to undergo for each sin committed during his life time are graphically depicted.
The two friendly guardians of hell, Ox-head and Horse-face, greet visitors at the entrance of the Ten Courts of Hell.
In the first court of Hell the good are distinguished from the bad....the virtuous are led to Paradise and the evil doers are sent to repent before the mirror of retribution and subsequently taken to a court of Hell for punishment.
Each court has a different punishment according to the sins committed. For eg drug addicts are taken to the third court of hell, tied to a red hot copper pillar and grilled. Rumour mongers are taken to the seventh court of hell where their tongues are pulled out.....etc etc...
After serving their sentences, prisoners are brought to the Pavilion of forgetfulness where an old lady, Meng Po, hands them a cup of magic tea which when drunk make them forget their past lives.
They will then go through the ‘Wheel of Reincarnation’ – Samsara. Depending on the prisoner’s past life, they would be reborn either as a human or an animal. Some would be reborn into a life of ease and comfort while others into sorrow and suffering.
The Eight Immortals
A popular Chinese tale of eight immortals.... each carries a different tool to fight evil.....the graphic
depiction of the battle between the Eight Immortals and the forces of the Dragon King of the East Sea.......
A lady breastfeeding a grandma while children look on...Not able to decipher...
There's much more to see....
Entry is free. Park closes by 7. PM but the ten Courts of Hell closes by 6PM.
Haw Par Villa is next to the Haw Par MRT which makes it easily accessible. A visit to this place where one can learn more of Chinese Mythology is highly recommended.
Be sure you have at least one hour on hand so that you are able to go round the park and see everything.
The East Coast Park
The beach at East Coast Park is a nice place where people can sit back and relax. Popular attractions in the area include Big Splash playground, Lilliput golf course, a hawker centre.....etc.
Cycling is another popular activity ..... You can either bring your own cycle or hire one.....family bikes are also available...we hired a family bike....it was fun riding through the scenic Coast line which stretches to around 15 kms.
We had fun at the beach watching planes appear out of the horizon, preparing for landing.....
watching the sun set...
Watching people flying kites.....
Little India
Yes you can get to taste a piece of India here with the temples, the restaurants serving Indian food, Jewellery shops....etc etc...
ISKCON
At ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Conciousness) Centre in Little India .... Attended Arathi and had Prasadam....
The Gokul Vegetarian Restaurant on Upper Dickson Road off Serangoon Road in Little India where food is cooked without onions and garlic....delicious food...must try their mock Mysore Mutton Curry, the Singapore Chicken Clay Pot Rice...they serve Singaporean signature dishes in veggie fashion....healthier and tastier....
Cafe Salivation on Race Course Road, very close to Ferrar Park MRT, Western vegetarian restaurant .....no onion no garlic food is available....not a bad place....
Other veg restaurants around include Kailash Parbat, MTR, Ananda Bhavan, Komalas, Murugan Idli Shop etc etc.
Premaas Cuisine is famous for its Kerala style Fish Curry Meals we were told.
The Tekka Centre...a vibrant and colourful wet market at Serangoon Road where you get fresh produce at competitive rates.....
The Tekka Centre also houses a food court and a shopping area...
Opposite the Tekka Centre is the The Little India Arcade.... yet another shopping place for Indian Spices, clothing, jewellery, souvenirs etc...
The 24 hour shopping mall Mustafa Centre, at Syed Alwi Road, Off Serangoon Road, where you get all kinds of Indian Stuff... Indian style clothes, shoes, jewellery, fruits, vegetables....you name it .....they have it....at discounted prices....
Tan Teng Niah's residence, 37 Kerabu Road is just a minutes walk from Little India MRT. Built in 1900 by a Chinese businessman Tan Teng Niah (said to be one of the non Indians who prospered in Little India) for his wife, this is supposed to be the most colourful building in Singapore. It is now leased out for commercial purposes.
Another shopping mall - The Verge - in Little India....
The place is a bit crowded with tourists wanting to get a taste of India.
Little India has a lot of beautiful Temples details of which I've covered in my earlier post.
China Town
Rows of colourful little outdoor shops at Pagoda Street, Sago Street.....etc....selling souvenirs, gifts, clothing, jewellery....need to bargain
The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and the Mariamman Temple are two beautiful Temples in China Town and I have included them in my earlier post:
Temple Hopping
Taste a slice of Singapore's history at the China Town Heritage Centre.....
The Arab Quarters
Take a stroll through the Arab Street, and experience it's distinct Middle Eastern ambience.....taste Arab food in the many eateries along the streets.....
rows of shops selling Persian Carpets, clothing, camel skin products, prayer mats, jewellery.....etc..
The Sultan's Mosque at Muscat Street
Haji Lane
Haji Lane next to Arab Street is a colourful alley with fashion boutiques and Middle Eastern cafes......
take a break at the selfie coffee shop and enjoy dense coffee with your photo etched on a layer of thick froth on top ......
Bali Lane
An alley with traditional shops, trendy boutiques, nice little cafes....
Botanical Gardens.
A lovely place to unwind.....need at least an hour to go round...
It's free entry to Botanical Gardens but entry to Orchid Garden is by payment...
The swan lake at the Botanical Gardens...
Gardens by the Bay
Visit the two cool conservatories at the Gardens by the Bay supposed to be the World's largest columnless greenhouses ....
Cloud Forest
A mountain veiled in mist and covered with lush green forest within an enclosed compound.....the Cloud Forest houses the world's highest indoor waterfall.....
Flower Dome
A glass greenhouse ....... Be awed by the beauty of the flowers in this world of everlasting spring....
See my post on "Singapore By Night" for the Light and Sound Show "Garden Rhapsody" at Gardens by the Bay.Singapore at Night
The Marina Bay Sands Hotel.....3 Towers connected by a roof terrace the Sands Skypark with the world's longest elevated swimming pool...
The Artscience Museum located next to MBS...in the form of a lotus flower.....visit the museum and enjoy a fantastic fusion of art and science....
Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands...with shops, restaurants, boutiques etc.....A canal runs through the length of the Shoppes
Don't miss the "Wonderful light and sound show" a 13 minutes laser and water show at MBS after sunset.
Esplanade Theatre....Singapore's premier arts centre.....resembling the fruit "Durian" ("a fruit which tastes like heaven and smells like hell")...
The Science Centre
Human Body Experience at the Science Centre was worth the experience....
Climb through the mouth and walk through the inside of a human body....meet the brain, the lungs, the heart......glide through the digestive system....it was a whole lot of fun...
An additional fee of S$15/- applies for entry to HBX
National Museum of Singapore
If you have time for only one Museum then do visit the National Museum of Singapore on Stamford Road..... Learn the history of Singapore.
It's a vibrant place where Singapore's history comes to life.
Entry fee is S$ 10/- which includes admission to the main galleries on levels 1 and 2 . Additional fee applies for entry to special exhibitions that are held often.
National Art Gallery
A nice place for art lovers....the former City Hall and the Supreme Court have now been converted into the art gallery. ....with the ambience of the former court room being retained....
Raffles Hotel...
The most famous hotel in Singapore....and an elegant landmark.
Visit The Long Bar to sip the Singapore Sling and have fun eating peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor...this is the only place where littering is allowed in Singapore.....
enjoy tea tasting... A cup of tea with cake....
Ministry of Culture....
Looks marvelous at Night
Lau PA Sat
The hawker centre with its distinct architecture and awesome food.....it's worth a visit.....usually crowded during lunch time due to its location and proximity of the offices around...
There are Indian Pure Veg stalls.....
The Raffles Quay..... Lau PA Sat on the right....
The Red Dot Museum...for design lovers....
Chijmes
A former chapel on Victoria Street which now houses restaurants and shops
Annalakshmi Vegetarian Restaurant at Amoy Street
Eat as much as you like and pay what you want..... Good Indian Food.....
A row of peranaken houses next to Annalaksmi
Tanglin Mall
Funan Digital Mall
Understanding the Singaporean English accent is a bit difficult....I started loving the "lah" suffix after each sentence.
Singapore has a lot of lovely food courts where food is much cheaper. It's a great experience walking through the shops......difficult to choose what to eat......there's plenty of variety...
Owning a car in Singapore costs a fortune. Public transport system is good. Taxis are freely accessible. Anywhere and everywhere you find taxi stands and people queing up for their turn to board.
Chewing gum is prohibited by law. If you have an addiction for chewing gum ... Be careful... Singaporeans strictly abide by their laws.
Weather in Singapore is hot and humid through out the year they say. I was prepared for it and had taken precautions. But compared to this year's scorching heat and humidity in South India, I felt Singapore was much better.
There's so much to explore in the little streets of Singapore.....an amalgamation of new and old...
Don't think twice...go ahead and book your tickets .... Visit this little red dot on the world map and have a wonderful life experience.
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