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Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Yahoo
What to do alone in Singapore
Are you an introvert who needs some time alone? Or maybe an extrovert who needs space to recharge. Or perhaps you're between relationships and want to go somewhere on your own that won't feel awkward. You're in luck because there are a surprisingly large number of options for what to do alone in Singapore. From dining alone to exploring the world to getting creative and much more, here is your guide to the best things to do by yourself in Singapore. What to do alone? Why, eat, of course! There are few things more Singaporean than heading down to a tried-and-tested eatery or the latest trending cafe. There are plenty of places in Singapore that cater to the solo diner and some that even cater specifically to a crowd of 1. Super cosy with just 9 seats at the counter, Enishi was made with the solo diner in mind. The open kitchen will provide you with all the entertainment you need as the Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning team goes about its business. It's quiet, intimate and satisfying all at once. 10 Anson Road, International Plaza,#02-85A, Singapore 079903 +65 6220 5680 Sun to Wed: 11am – 3pm & 6pm – 9pm Thu to Sat: 11am – 3pm & 5.30pm – 9pm | | Any hawker centre is the perfect addition to this list of what to do alone in Singapore. Everyone is too busy eating to even notice you, and it's great if you want to people-watch while nursing a drink or savouring a Michelin-recognised plate. Maxwell Food Centre is one of the most famous and popular hawker centres in all of Singapore. Try the dumplings at Tong Xin Ju Special Shanghai Tim Sum with its 40-year legacy, and the super-affordable Yi Jia Chao Zhou Yu Zhou. Check out our list of the best hawker centres in Singapore to find one near you. 1 Kadayanallur Street, Singapore 069184 +65 6224 9395 Daily: 8am – 2am Facebook This is where Singapore shines in terms of what to do alone. Be inspired by artistic beauty, ancient civilisations and ideas from the far side of the world. Read, watch and absorb in the cocoon of your own silence and revel in learning. I have found that going to museums and art exhibits solo makes for the best experiences — I don't have to wait on anybody in the boring sections and no one has to wait on me when I get into reading or inspecting every display. The Asian Civilisations Museum explores Asia's diverse cultural heritage through art, artefacts, and stories that highlight historical connections across China, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Housed in a beautifully restored colonial building, it features immersive exhibitions on trade, religion and craftsmanship. Interactive galleries and rotating special exhibitions make it engaging for solo visitors and families alike. 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555+65 6332 7798Sat to Thu: 10am – 7pmFri: 10am – 9pm | | Spanning 6.4 hectares of conserved lush grounds, Gillman Barracks is a 1936 British colonial military camp transformed into Singapore's premier contemporary art enclave. I could lose myself for days in the 12 (as of Jun 2025) separate art galleries and institutions, both local and international. You will also find a heap of dining options, as well as an evolving roster of talks, exhibitions and live performances. There are several different art galleries across Gillman Barracks. You can find their locations and opening times here. 9 Lock Road, Singapore 108937+65 6570 2283 | | Libraries are another haven for the solo wanderer in Singapore. Neighbourhood editions are usually pretty ordinary and quite similar to each other; the National Library on Victoria Street, however, is huge and spacious, and boasts some of the best views across our little red dot. With a collection of over 600,000 microfilms, manuscripts, rare books and maps as well as books and comics, it truly has something for everyone. 100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064+65 6250 9500Daily: 10am – 9pm | | Best free things to do in Singapore The Projector is the hub of Singapore's indie cinema. The original is located inside the retro-chic Golden Mile Tower. Its 3 distinctive halls — Green Room, Redrum and Blue Room — feature flip‑up seats and plush beanbags, and there is bar access as well as a foyer café-bar with craft beer and artisanal snacks. In late 2023, it opened a second location at Cineleisure Orchard in a hybrid space with Golden Village, adding another 6 screens and a bar with DJ. As both a film-lover and an introvert, the cinema is a wonderful escape — you're in the middle of a crowd but expected to not communicate with anyone — perfect! 6001 Beach Road, Golden Mile Tower, #05-00, Singapore 199589+65 6297 2658 | | Like to be all by your lonesome surrounded by Mother Nature? Reconnect with the earth, breathe in the fresh, clean air, and get the blood pumping in the Great Outdoors. The 250-metre MacRitchie TreeTop Walk is one of the most unique nature experiences you can have in Singapore. For a while, you can imagine yourself perhaps even in the Amazon as you traverse a narrow walkway up to 25 metres above the ground. I was surprised that there is this much dense vegetation in Singapore. Besides the verdant canopy and reservoir views, you also have the chance to spot wildlife such as macaques, uncommon birds and flying lemurs. It is part of a longer trail that's about 2.5 to 4.5 km long and takes about 3 to 5 hours to complete. MacRitchie Reservoir Park, Rifle Range Road, Singapore 588291 +65 6471 878 | | Ok, now we are getting into serious nature… and being rewarded for it with amazing sights and experiences. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is Singapore's first and only protected wetland reserve. Its mangroves, mudflats, ponds and secondary forest cover 130 hectares, and are home to migratory shorebirds, otters, monitor lizards, mudskippers and even estuarine crocodiles! I never knew there were so many exotic creatures native to Singapore! 301 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718925 +65 6794 1406 | | Running is too painful an activity for some so this list includes others that you can enjoy alone, too. Remember, besides the solo enjoyment, there's always the joy of a leaner, fitter body that fits your clothes like it's meant to. The right protein powder can really help. As a lifelong distance runner, I've always loved the solitude of the open road. The hypnotic chhk chhk chhk of your shoes on the bitumen lulls you into a dreamlike state interspersed with moments of lucidity that help you find solutions to all sorts of problems. Here are the best places to go for a solo run in Singapore. Length: About 15 km of scenic seaside and greeneryVibe: Ocean breeze, ample food optionsBest for: Long runs, tempo work, social jogs Tip: Start at Marine Parade, end at Bedok Jetty Length: 10.5 km loop trailVibe: Forested, quiet, hilly — serious runners love itBest for: Trail running, stamina training Tip: Watch out for roots and uneven ground Length: 3–10 km, depending on routeVibe: Waterfront and modern skylineBest for: Tourists who want to explore, and people watching Tip: Include Marina Barrage, Helix Bridge and Bay East Garden Length: 10 km elevated trailVibe: Wooden bridges, canopy walks and undulating terrainBest for: Nature runners, hill intervals Tip: Henderson Waves is stunning at dawn I love swimming. After pounding the tarmac, the impact-free exercise in a pool keeps me fit while my poor knees take a well-deserved break. Fortunately, there are many pools all over Singapore and the cost of entry is just S$1 per adult on weekdays and S$1.30 on weekends. Find a swimming pool close to your home or office at ActiveSG. Solo or not, the grind is a constant in our lives. If you are fortunate enough to enjoy a work-from-home or hybrid work arrangement, or are a digital nomad, here are the best places in Singapore to keep the cash flowing while you enjoy your solitude. Soul Brew in Holiday Inn Little India is easily one of the most popular work cafes in Singapore. Its modern, hotel-lobby vibe of minimalist design and warm lighting is perfect for professionals looking to concentrate but perhaps also people-watch. It is also known for its range of healthy choices juices and brunch dishes to keep you fuelled. Lobby Level, Holiday Inn Singapore, Singapore 217564 +65 6824 8888 Daily: 8am – 9pm | The Ritual Cafe is hidden within a Bukit Timah condo, and it's a serene sanctuary away from Singapore's chaos. A wood-accented minimalist interior with plush seats makes for a comfortable work session, however long. Food-wise, The Ritual Cafe is famous for its wholesome fresh bakes, acai bowls and coffee. It offers excellent vegan and gluten-free options as well. 383 Bukit Timah Road, #01-09B, Singapore 259727 +65 6208 7496 Daily: 8am – 6.30pm | | 101 Best things to do in Singapore – Ideas for tourists & locals [Mar 2025 update] The post What to do alone in Singapore appeared first on
The Independent
18-06-2025
- The Independent
How Singapore forged a world-class food scene over 60 years – from hawker markets to Michelin stars
It's a hot sticky evening in Singapore, and I'm halfway through ordering a serving of nasi goreng at the Maxwell Food Centre when my stomach lurches. Not with hunger, but with the realisation that I've neglected to secure my favourite table by placing the obligatory calling card in its centre – a practice known as choping. Head to any hawker centre – the satay-scented, Unesco-listed food halls where locals queue alongside tourists to feast on delicacies such as chicken fried rice served by Michelin-listed vendors - and you'll notice packets of tissues on empty tables. No, this isn't litter (this is super-clean Singapore, after all), but a polite way of showing other customers that a table has been taken. As a keen choper myself, I've loved watching the ritual's evolution – when in Singapore, I now often see customers substitute a packet of tissues with an iPhone or a laptop (not something I'd recommend doing in many other cities). Further proof of both the practice's cultural significance and the diversity of Singapore's food scene can be found at Labyrinth, a Michelin-starred restaurant which put Singaporean cuisine on the map when it opened in 2014. Founder and head chef LG Han's inspiration is the dishes he ate as a child (my favourite aspect of the decor is his grandmother's pots and pans, arranged artfully on the walls) and the hawker centres he'd hang out in. One of his tasting menu courses, Memories of Newton Food Centre, is served on a circular wooden board designed to resemble hawker centre tables, complete with printed guidance relating to the correct disposal of plates and cutlery. And I'm fairly sure Labyrinth is the only Michelin-starred restaurant I've been to that swaps serviettes for a packet of tissues – in this case, a Labyrinth-branded pack which pays homage to choping. Some 60 years after Singapore was founded, the country's food scene has diversified and evolved – a transformation led partly by chefs such as LG Han and Malcolm Lee, the head chef and owner of Candlenut, the world's first Michelin-starred restaurant specialising in Peranakan cuisine, which is a delicious fusion of Chinese, Malay and Indonesian influences. Yes, Singaporeans still love feasting on black cod miso at the Four Seasons Singapore's Nobu restaurant or upgrading their Insta at Odette, a Michelin-starred restaurant at the National Gallery Singapore, but there's a growing appetite for homegrown ingredients as well as homegrown heroes. Partial to a sugar fix? Head over to Holland Village's 2am Dessert Bar, founded by Singaporean pastry chef Janice Wong. My personal highlights include the matcha basque cheesecake, made with yuzu calamansi gel and black sesame, and shades of green, which comprises a pistachio sponge, pandan ice cream and coconut foam. Every dessert has a wine or cocktail pairing suggestion, which is how I discovered hibiscus gin (more specifically, the 2am Dessert Bar's rosella cocktail) goes exceptionally well with tiramisu. There's also a huge passion for innovation in Singapore. My go-to ice cream spot in Singapore is a concession of Udders, founded by Singaporeans David and Peck Lin, who wanted to create a brand which championed local flavours. And while their French vanilla ice cream ranks as one of my favourites, my first choice will always be the Kueh Salat ice cream, inspired by the glutinous rice desserts beloved by Singaporeans. Last time I stopped by, I bit the bullet and tried their legendary Mao Shan Wang flavour, made with durians with such an infamously pungent odour that the ice cream needs to be stored in its very own freezer. Somehow the durian's notes of caramel and almond (which I've been assured exist, but which I've never been able to detect until now) seem more pronounced. Dare I say it, enjoyable. I've since discovered it pairs rather well with the durian beer produced by Singaporean craft brewers 1925 Brewing Co (which smells strongly of durian but tastes delicious and also goes especially well with nasi lemak). My top tip for Singapore-bound foodies? Don't make the mistake of thinking you need to venture off the beaten path to experience local flavours. If the durian afternoon tea served by the Goodwood Park Hotel near Orchard Road is a step too far for a deep dive into local flavours, consider heading over to the Pan Pacific Singapore, famous for afternoon teas which honour local delicacies. Highlights of their current afternoon tea, served in the beautiful Pacific Emporium, include a Singapore chilli crab bun, a salted egg yolk yam puff and coconut bandung (a condensed milk-based drink). And for definitive proof of Singapore's evolution? It's got to be Geylang, a former red light district which is now home to Singapore's Malay community. Known for the durian sellers who flog their famously stinky wares from street stalls in the shadow of peeling art deco buildings from the 1930s, it's become one of my favourite foodie spots. At its heart is the Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre. Explore Singapore's largest wet market first thing, when locals come here to haggle over still-twitching fish plucked from the South China Sea hours earlier, before heading upstairs to the food court – try the pisang goreng (banana fritters) or asam pedas (a spicy seafood stew). Suddenly, Nobu's black cod miso looks rather plain. British Airways flies direct to Singapore. Flight time is around 13 hours 15 minutes. Where to stay Rooms at the YOTEL Singapore Orchard Road, on the heart of Orchard Road, come with spectacular city views courtesy of floor-to-ceiling windows, and there's a gorgeous rooftop pool, too.
