Wandering through Singapore: A Dream at 20

The entry for the Travel Experience Sharing Contest in 2018: Free Discovery - Your Way by Vu Trinh Bao Ngoc recounts a memorable journey, mixing fandom with exploration in the Lion City of Singapore.

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I had a short but amazing time in Singapore. Without the opportunity to meet my Idol, I might have never set foot in the Lion City in my lifetime. Thanks to them, I got to discover the wonders of this small yet incredibly modern country.

Firstly, let's talk about language, shall we? In Singapore, the primary languages spoken are English, Bahasa (Malay), Mandarin Chinese, and Tamil.

So you don't need to worry when you're in Singapore because English is widely spoken everywhere, even if it sounds a bit challenging. Even if you find yourself in places where English isn't common, rest assured because most people here can manage a few English sentences to help you out. So, language barriers shouldn't be a major concern for you.

Secondly, regarding money matters, Singaporeans use the Singapore dollar for transactions.

1 Singapore Dollar = 17,000 Vietnamese Dong.

Before heading out, I exchanged currency at Hung Long along Mac Thi Buoi Street. (Honestly, there's nothing special about it; I chose it because my friend exchanged money here before. So, I just followed their lead). Additionally, you can also exchange money at the airport or in Singapore.

When in Singapore, I downloaded the Get4x Cash Exchange Rates app to check the exchange rates. If you plan to exchange money at the airport or in Singapore, it's best to check the rates beforehand because some places may offer lower rates compared to exchanging in Vietnam.

Thirdly, accommodation.

I opted for a dorm-style hostel on Jin Besar Street in the Kallang district, an area not overly crowded with tourists, so it wouldn't be too noisy if you prefer a quieter atmosphere.

I chose to stay in a hostel simply because I wanted to save money, and my main purpose was to attend the concert, so I was out all day. Therefore, I wasn't too picky about accommodation. However, if you have more financial flexibility and want a beautiful view to enjoy in Singapore, you can opt for larger hotels. Nearby, there's the Intercontinental and V Hotel.

Fourthly, let's talk about transportation, shall we?

The main modes of transportation for me during the 3 days here were mainly the MRT, buses, and walking.

The subway lines in Singapore include:

However, you'll mainly use the DT and EW lines to get around downtown and to popular tourist spots. Additionally, note that you'll need to take the NS line to Universal Studios.

I suggest planning the places you want to visit first, then finding the train stations and lines to take before starting your journey. This will save you time and prevent you from getting lost or boarding the wrong train.

But if you have plenty of time and enjoy exploring, well, whatever works for you, as long as you're having fun!

Next up, dining in Singapore.

Due to its multicultural nature, Singapore offers a wide variety of cuisines for you to enjoy. Chinese cuisine is the easiest to adapt to for us. After that, you can try Indian or Malay dishes. Personally, I haven't had the chance to try Malay cuisine yet, so I still feel a bit regretful.

Food and drinks in Singapore are quite pricey, but on the flip side, both the quality and quantity can make your stomach burst. Especially Indian food, but if you're not accustomed to the taste, you might find it overwhelming because Indian dishes often contain herbs or cinnamon flavors.

I'm the type who loves to eat, so I don't complain much about food, although everything I eat here is so abundant that I can only finish half. The high starch content in Singaporean dishes often makes my face swell when I wake up.

Next up, Internet access.

Most tourist attractions in Singapore offer convenient Wi-Fi access, but it wouldn't hurt to get yourself a speedy 4G SIM card for uploading photos, navigating, and more.

I bought a 7-day SIM card from Klook for 200k. After payment, you'll receive an E-voucher containing details of authorized SIM card exchange stores and a QR code to scan. You can exchange the SIM card at Klook's authorized stores. At Changi Airport, you can get it at Cheers, for example, at B2 (basement 2) of Terminal 2. Alternatively, you can buy a SIM card right after immigration; there are plenty of Starhub SIM card booths, priced around 300k per SIM.

It's a good idea to buy a universal adapter for charging your devices because in Singapore, they use 3-pin sockets. You can buy one at electronics stores, or if you forget like I did, you can get one in Singapore.

Do you think I've missed anything else?

Weather in Singapore, compared to Saigon, it's about the same, hot and humid. But in Singapore, the air feels cleaner and less stifling than in Saigon. So you can step out without feeling like your face is covered in dust, but you might feel your skin burning if you stay out in the sun too long.

Those are my initial observations from my recent trip to Singapore.

Now, time to talk about my trip, huh? I guess it might sound boring because I hardly visited the must-see tourist spots in Singapore.

Oh well, let's just boldly spill it out anyway.

I arrived in Singapore at noon, local time, and it took me nearly an hour to find a place to exchange my SIM card and pick up my concert tickets. Changi Airport is so vast that I felt like I was lost in a maze, I couldn't even find the customs to go through immigration procedures.

Being a solo traveler, I felt a bit nervous about not being allowed entry. There are some reasons why Vietnamese women might have difficulty entering Singapore, you know. But luckily, I wasn't questioned much and it only took about a minute to complete the immigration process.

As long as you have all the necessary travel documents, printed itinerary, hotel booking information, and round-trip flight tickets, and answer truthfully to the customs officers, I don't think there will be any issues with immigration anymore.

After completing immigration procedures, I searched for the Klook SIM card exchange counter and found my way to the MRT station. If you exit from Terminal 2, the MRT station is about a 10-minute walk away following the signs.

Right at Changi station, you can buy single trip tickets or purchase a card to tap in and out like in the movies. If you opt for the card, there are self-service card vending machines at each station, very convenient, and you can pay with a Visa card.

You can purchase the EZlink card at any MRT station for $10 for one day, $16 for 2 days, and $20 for 3 days, plus a $10 card deposit. You'll get that $10 back when you return the card at the end of your trip. The EZlink card can also be used for bus rides. If you're hesitant because you don't know the routes or MRT lines well, okay, you can take a taxi, but taxis are quite expensive and don't give you the same sense of adventure as the MRT or bus.

Then, move back to the city center via the green EW line, but when you reach the Expo station, you'll have to get off the train and switch to the opposite platform to continue your journey.

I'm staying in the Kallang area, near the Jalan Besar station on the blue DT line, so when changing trains, I switched to the DT line.

The hostel I'm staying at is called 7 Wonders, and my room is called the Niagara Falls room. The staff here are very friendly, the rooms are a bit small but quite clean and comfortable.

After checking in and rearranging my belongings, it was already past 3 PM, so I decided to go out and find something to eat. Unfortunately, most of the shops were already closed at that time.

Just a quick note, eateries in Singapore typically open around 11 AM and close around 3 PM before reopening at 6 PM, ideal for late-night cravings. However, you can also find places open all day or serving breakfast.

After scouring the streets for food to no avail, I headed to Haji Lane, a place a friend insisted I visit.

My impression was that it wasn't much different from Hoi An's Old Town in Quang Nam province. Colorful shops selling clothes, paintings, souvenirs. At the end of the street, there are bars and restaurants. I did capture a video, but in the chaos of the following day, I accidentally deleted it.

After a stroll down Haji Lane, I was really feeling hungry and thirsty. So when I found a 7/11 store, I went in and bought a bottle of water and a pack of Teok. And let me tell you, the water at 7/11 is ridiculously expensive.

But I forgot that Teok needs to be heated, so I had to wander around to find a place to eat. Eventually, I stumbled upon an Indian restaurant and opted for chicken rice as my first meal of the day and also my first meal in Singapore.

After replenishing myself with a hefty plate of rice and a cup of black tea, I officially embarked on my Singapore exploration journey via the MRT.

I found the nearby Besar station on the DT Line leading to Marina Bay. But the issue was I needed to change to a Garden by the Bay ticket first, so I took another line to the Red Dot Design Museum. I explored some interesting exhibits and took a stroll, catching sight of the lion, symbol of Singapore.

I also visited the ArtScience Museum, which was stunning inside and out.

After 6 PM, I hurried back towards Garden by the Bay, about a 15-minute walk. During that time, I noticed some bicycles lying around. After some inquiry, I learned I could use them to save time and energy.

I toured Garden by the Bay, Cloud Forest with its nature conservation messages, and enjoyed music beneath the giant trees. Tickets for the ArtScience Museum, Garden by the Bay, etc., can be conveniently purchased in advance on Klook with frequent discounts and the added perk of skipping the ticket lines.

It was past 9 PM by then, so I caught the train back to find something to eat.

That evening, I planned to have Chinese food, but the restaurant seemed quite popular, so I had to draw a number and wait in line. Feeling it was too late to stand there and wait, I decided to visit an Indian restaurant instead and ended up having Hong Kong noodles.

After finishing my meal, it was around 10:30 PM, and I discovered a 24-hour supermarket nearby. Out of curiosity, I stepped inside for a bit. The result? I didn't leave until midnight.

It was midnight, and surprisingly, I didn't feel scared as the streets were still bustling with people and tourists. I even saw some office workers just finishing work and starting their dinner.

The night before, I was determined to wake up early and explore Singapore before heading to the concert venue. But how could I wake up early when I only started my skincare routine at 2 AM? 😅

So, it was around 9 AM when I finally stepped out of the hotel. I took the DT line and had breakfast at Bedok market in the Bedok area before heading to the concert venue. Bedok is probably far from the city center, so there aren't many tourists, and therefore, English is not widely spoken there.

When I entered a restaurant in Bedok, they spoke to me in Mandarin, and oh boy, I didn't understand a thing. After a round of Mandarin conversations, the owner realized I didn't understand, so he switched to English. Here, I had a delicious bowl of noodles.

After finishing breakfast, it was around 10:30 AM, so I hurriedly ran to Max Pavilion to join the queue. When I arrived, there was already a very long line, and I waited for about an hour and a half for my turn. By then, it was past 12 PM and the weather was hot, so I decided to head to the building opposite to escape the heat, thinking it might be a shopping mall.

But as it turned out, it was a university campus, the Singapore University of Technology & Design. From the outside, it looked pretty normal, but stepping inside, I was amazed by its artistic beauty. The campus has multiple areas and a stunning courtyard with an ancient Chinese-style gate. I even stepped into a lecture hall, and let me tell you, it was huge. Since it was the weekend, there were only a few students studying or some groups of students practicing cheers. SUTD is beautiful and modern, trust me, you won't be able to refuse admission to such a place.

Since it was announced that we would queue up for the concert at 3 PM, I wandered around SUTD until just past 2:30. But when I returned, I still had to sit idly in a corner waiting, and it wasn't until after 4 PM that the staff guided us inside. After going through all the queue numbering procedures, by nearly 6 PM, we had settled in front of the stage.

At 6:15 PM, the concert officially began. I don't want to go into too much detail about the overwhelming feeling of watching a concert in a travel article, so I'll just put a cute picture here and continue.

The concert ended around 9 PM, and I headed back to the hotel. Since it was still early, I decided to queue up for Dimsum. Luckily, because I was alone, a staff member prioritized me to enter first. Here, they gave me a piece of paper with a list of dishes and a menu with pictures for me to choose from. After selecting the dishes and marking them on the list, I just handed it to the staff and waited for the food to arrive.

My second day in Singapore ended in a memorable way like that.

Today I woke up early, packed my things, and checked out of the room. I stored my luggage and continued to explore the places that were on my list.

I moved on to Chinatown, as usual, still on the DT line.

Chinatown was bustling and crowded with countless eateries and malls side by side, unlike where I'm from.

I visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, then wandered around the Chinatown food area, and tried to find Potato Head. Aww, still regretting not being able to try it. I spent over 2 hours exploring Chinatown.

I wanted to go to Changi Museum, but considering the time, I decided to head back to retrieve my luggage and head straight to the airport.

We took off at 4 AM, so after completing the check-in procedures, I wandered around the duty-free area to buy some snacks before boarding the flight back to Vietnam. Ending my first-ever concert journey.

Flight ticket: $2,700 (could be cheaper if you know when to wait or buy early)

Hotel expenses: $600 (because I had a 25% discount code)

Transportation: $20 SGD (≈ 340k VND)

Food, shopping, and services: $150 SGD (≈ 2,600k VND)

Concert ticket: $4,800

Total expenses: $11,000

If only traveling and exploring, combining both Singapore and Malaysia, I think you'll spend around $12-13k, leaving you with some spare cash to buy tons of souvenirs.

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