You wouldn’t know how short your trip is until you wake up on your last day and realize that you will be going home soon.
Yours truly
Actually, this thought hasn’t occurred to me when I woke up on our last day in Singapore. In fact, my mind was preoccupied with the want to sleep more since I still felt tired from our very long itinerary yesterday. But since we have no choice, I forced myself out of bed to prepare for our first destination of the day.
Table of Contents
- A Piece of Nature in the Heart of the City
- The Two Sides of Orchard Road
- A More Realistic Side of Singapore
- General Thoughts
A Piece of Nature in the Heart of the City
As the only inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site in the country, we ensured to drop by at Singapore Botanic Gardens to experience and see it ourselves. Reaching this place was easy since there are nearby MRT stations in the area where we got off at its namesake stop via the Blue Line which is seated very close to the entrance along Bukit Timah Road. Entry to the park is also free of charge and welcomes all visitors.
The first thing that we did upon entering was to check out the place’s map located near the gate to plan our route. Apparently, this nature park sits on an 82-hectare area and is composed of numerous stops offering an array of sights and experiences. Not long after this, we found our feet taking us to a gazebo up on a mini hill where we briefly took refuge from the noontime heat.
Returning to our route, I found my attention caught by the beautiful scenery of the place’s Bougainvilleas and Bamboo Collection that came in groups and created a peaceful rustling sound when a breeze comes in.
We also found ourselves captivated by a nearby body of water known as the Eco Lake surrounded by a refreshing sight of greenery. The view here also piqued my interest as it resembles a scene similar to a picturesque oil painting added by the idyllic charm of the people lounging underneath the nearby trees. We made a quick tour around the lake and found that there’s also a traversing bridge on the other side of it that offers a more forest vibe view.
We also passed by Jacob Balla’s Children’s Garden and tried to enter but were prevented since we found out that the place is only limited to kids. Hence, we made our way back to our route to continue our exploration, passing by at Ethnobotany Garden and Foliage Garden. Along the way, we also spotted a monitor lizard casually crossing the path in front of us and into the nearby bush.
Despite the almost similar scenery that both offer, Foliage Garden made a more remarkable impact on me as there was a resting spot in the middle of the area that provided a tranquil atmosphere and an immersive feeling as if one is deep within the forest. In addition, both gardens also come with informational signboards depicting the name and some interesting facts about the plants found within the area.
We got out to Cluny Park Way upon leaving Foliage Garden and were welcomed by the line of more towering old trees that shield the way from the scorching heat of the sun. It was also here that I realized that the whole park is also a popular jogging spot with several people dressed in workout clothes running and walking around the place. Not long after this, we stumbled upon another body of water called Symphony Lake.
Contrary to the previous one, the view in this place resembles a jungle lake and also has fish and turtles living in its waters. There’s also a gazebo in the area that serves as a viewing deck and resting spot for weary visitors while offering a relaxing sight of its green surroundings.
We didn’t plan of dropping by the famous National Orchid Garden since we found its entrance fee a bit expensive but we still followed the route going to it in navigating the remaining parts of the park. Hence, we also spotted the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage along the way fronted by a handful of lily pods that created a picturesque scene.
It was also during this moment when we saw for the second time (and closer) a monitor lizard crossing the road behind us and into the nearby swamp. Personally, I’d never been afraid of such reptiles until I saw this one’s massive size and its long-slitted tongue similar to that of a snake’s. Aside from this one, otters are also usually found casually crossing the paths although we didn’t get a glimpse of any of it during our visit.
We were welcomed by the small square of Orchid Plaza upon reaching the entrance to National Orchid Garden where a multi-timezone clock tower adorned with numerous flowers stands at the center. Beside this is the pathway going to the attraction itself and several resting spots on the other sides. There are also nearby restaurants found in the area that cater to hungry visitors.
After a few minutes of rest, we continued our journey, this time going to the park’s exit until our eyes were drawn to another large body of water called Swan Lake. As its name implies, actual swans are found in the area although limited in the count. Nonetheless, I found this experience memorable as it was the first time that I saw this magical creature in real life and realized how majestic and beautiful they are. Apart from this, the greenish lake is also home to several big fishes in the area where an island of trees located at the center tower them.
The gazebo found on its opposite side is also noteworthy because, aside from providing refuge, it was constructed in a distinct style similar to Regency Era ones. It was also here where we briefly rested our feet before finally proceeding to the exit at Tanglin Gate to make our way to our next destination.
The Two Sides of Orchard Road
Getting accustomed to how public buses work, we took one to get to Orchard Road and got off at the stop in front of Lucky Plaza which is one of the popular places in the area.
As one might assume, this retail complex is filled with various Chinese merchants offering an array of affordable products and services to visitors. Nonetheless, the place is well-known for its money changers that provide good exchange rates, especially for the Philippine peso.
I actually bought a few more dollars here since I was running out of cash but, personally, I couldn’t prove if the claim that the place provides good exchange rates is true since I didn’t ask around due to lack of time and just went to one money changer. The amount that I got also didn’t differ that much from that of the airport but I think that there are actually good ones that provide better rates if one will further explore the area.
Since it was getting late, we immediately looked for a place to have lunch and eventually found ourselves at the mall’s basement level where a small food court lined with a handful of stalls can be found. Unlike in The Shoppes, this dining spot is fuss-free, less glamorous, and filled by more locals coming in and out of the place.
For my last lunch in Singapore, I finally had a serving of chicken rice from one of the stores that I paired with a glass of lemon iced tea bought from another. As expected, the meat of the dish was as tender as it can be with its taste intensified by the chili and soy sauce mixture dippings that come with it. However, I didn’t find its inner parts that satiable, composed of a tangy taste of half-cooked chicken blood.
After attending to our grumbling stomachs call, we then found ourselves entering a nearby grocery store called Value Dollar whose cheaper-than-usual prices of branded chocolates at its façade caught our attention. Eventually, it was the place where we bought most of the souvenirs that we brought home to take advantage of its low-priced items. I also found this store interesting as some of its personnel and customers were Filipinos talking to each other in Tagalog making me feel like I am in the Philippines again for a quick minute.
After our quick souvenir haul, we headed to our next destination at Takashimaya Shopping Centre where we needed to pass through the area’s underpass to reach it. A few minutes later, we found ourselves entering another retail complex that was glitzier and filled with more high-end shops.
Noted to be the largest branch in the country, Kinokinuya is located at the topmost level of the place where it is home to several thousands of books from all genres including their famous Japanese manga collection. I could say that my friend and I had a good time exploring the entire store as I think we spent around two hours searching for the book that we want to take home. Eventually, I bought a French version of The Stranger by Albert Camus which I know we don’t have back in the Philippines.
I didn’t realize how tempting it was to give in to retail therapy in Orchard Road until we found ourselves further discovering its offerings as we make our way to our last destination for this trip. Fortunately, we managed to survive the temptation upon reaching in front of library@orchard at Orchardgateway without having an additional shopping bag in our hands.
Conveniently located inside a shopping mall, I was impressed by the concept of this social-media popular public library that seems to really live by the philosophy of making learning and education accessible to all. Similar to the country’s National Library, entrance to this place does not require any proof of membership.
Personally, this fact amused me a lot that when we saw the place’s famous curved shelves, I didn’t find myself as amazed as expected and realized instead how this area seemed to be curated to make it Instagram-worthy. Nonetheless, I still had a good time here especially when we found the spot on its second level that boasts reading areas facing a view of the city.
A More Realistic Side of Singapore
In the past few days, Singapore has impressed me with all of its glitzy and modern offerings which made me wonder if this is how the locals really lived. Luckily, I also have relatives who are citizens in the country who I met during my last night and who showed to me the answer to this question as we made our way to their home located in Sengkang.
Apparently, the country isn’t all about the glamor or the modern futuristic appeal. It also has a side that shows that it isn’t that different from its neighboring countries especially when I got to experience the crowded and chaotic Friday rush hour at the LRT which was very different from the main city’s MRT. Gone are the ex-pats and locals wearing sparkly and expensive-looking dresses or suits and here were the people in the usual t-shirt and jeans combination sighing after finishing another week of work.
This observation amused me both in a positive and negative way in the sense that I got a glimpse of what ‘normal’ life looks like in Singapore while realizing the divide between the rich and the middle and lower classes in the country which is not very far from the scenario back home.
Nonetheless, I have to say that I was very amazed at the LRT as it was the first time that I encountered and experienced riding in a single train coach. In addition, the train stations on this line don’t have full barriers along their platform which I found a bit dangerous after days of taking the MRT.
Housing is also a bit different compared to what I’ve grown used to in Manila as my relatives live in this very tall residential building with the space between the next one serving as the playground of the children in the area. The lack of any surrounding wall or partition around the vicinity also amused me which was very far from the gated condominiums with matching security personnel back home. And despite its residential location, the surrounding was clean and free from any litter.
I had a sumptuous dinner slash catch-up with my relatives in their home which ended after a couple of hours when it started getting late. I thought that I was going to go back to the main city on my own until my uncle and aunt decided to accompany me and even showed me other places as we made our way back to my hotel while riding the bus. And when I said my final goodbyes to them at the door in front of the hotel, I thought of how heartwarming it was to end an overseas trip with a few family members around.
General Thoughts
After seeing Singapore, I was surprised by the fact that I liked the country more than I was expecting. As a Southeast Asian neighbor, it has both that sense of familiarity and foreign appeal to me which made it easier to mingle with locals while exploring the city. Most people are also kind and approachable if you need help and its public transport system is very convenient and reliable. Food serving is also big so you won’t feel bad for every dollar spent.
Will I be back? Yes, so I can visit the other places that I missed during my first trip and discover more about this diverse country.
If you also find this post useful, you can support me in creating more travel and hiking guides in the future! Just tap on my Ko-fi or Buy Me a Coffee profile to get started or share this post with your friends or socials for free!
Like this blog post? Check out my experience in the other parts of Singapore in the links below! 😄
Any thoughts?