After a long hiatus from reviewing, I finally had the opportunity to visit Tokyo in late 2017. The inspiration for my Singapore trip actually stemmed from a Nok Scoot flight promotion I stumbled upon. The roundtrip flight from Hat Yai cost less than 4,000 baht. Every time a promotion pops up, it vanishes before my eyes! It's not like the song "Prasat Sai" where you ask your friends if they're interested and they end up bailing. This time, I had some savings, so I booked the flight immediately! Then came the search for accommodation. As we all know, Singapore is a city where even drinking water is expensive, and accommodation is no exception. So, for this trip, I decided to stay in a hostel near Chinatown. And that's how my solo adventure in Singapore began!

Based on my research and reviews from various sources, including Pantip and Youtube, I noticed that there were many beautiful photos taken at Gardens by the Bay. Since my concept was to avoid crowded places and focus on taking photos, I decided to bring two film cameras: a Nikon FM2 and a Fuji Cardia Travel mini Dual-p [PANORAMA]. I also brought 10 rolls of film. I packed everything in one bag and was ready to explore Singapore.

One mistake I made was visiting Singapore during the rainy season. However, I was told that it rains frequently in Singapore anyway. More importantly, the weather was extremely hot. I recommend bringing a raincoat or umbrella at all times. Also, don't forget that water is expensive here, so bring a water bottle to save money. I departed from Hat Yai on Saturday, May 12, 2018, and planned to return on May 14, 2018. I had a packed itinerary with many destinations. Let's go!


To my father, Aree Chumnaraksa, who has always been a source of good inspiration for me.
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Day 1 [Henderson Waves, Chinatown, Clarke Quay, Singapore River, Marina Bay, Helix Bridge]

I departed from Hat Yai on NokScoot flight TR635, which departed Hat Yai at 2:30 PM Thai time and arrived in Singapore at 5:10 PM, one hour ahead of Thai time. My initial itinerary was to head to Gardens by the Bay, but upon arrival at the airport, the image of the Henderson Waves wooden bridge with its beautiful sky came to mind, so I changed my plans immediately. First, I should mention that I am one of those people who do not like to find a SIM card in the country I am visiting. I chose to buy a SIM card from a company that allows roaming in foreign countries. When we got off the plane, there was no problem finding a SIM card. Upon arrival, I immediately went to find an ez.link. After getting off the plane, the main obstacle was Singapore immigration, which is said to be very difficult. I was only asked two questions: where I was staying and what my occupation was. In the end, I passed through without any problems. I then followed the signs for "Train to City" and took the MRT to HarbourFront station, VivoCity exit. From there, I walked to the bus stop in front of the mall, on the main road. I then took bus number 145 for about 15 minutes to bus stop B14051. When I got off the bus, I could see the bridge right in front of me. I then crossed the road to the opposite side, where there were stairs leading up the hill in front of the bus stop I used for the return trip. I walked up a little further (some might say not a little) and was greeted by the stunning view of the bridge as shown in the picture.

A photograph taken at the bus stop, looking up at the cable car.

This set of photos, I must say, was taken with only Kodak 200 film in the roll, and without a tripod, so the images are a bit crumpled. However, they still have a certain charm. I spent almost an hour at Henderson Waves before taking bus number 145 back down to HarbourFront MRT station, as planned. My next stop was Clarke Quay, with a detour to my accommodation in Chinatown. I stayed at Wink Capsule Hostel, and after getting off at Chinatown MRT station, I came across a beautiful market. I dropped off my belongings at the hostel and then went out to eat at Chinatown Street Food, where I had some delicious chicken rice.

Next, we headed to Clarke Quay. To get there, simply take the train to Clarke Quay Station and exit through Gate G. Since it was a Saturday, there were many people out drinking. We originally planned to have a drink there, but after seeing the prices, we decided to pass. We did, however, capture some photos of the atmosphere for you to enjoy.

We have arrived at Merlion.

Day 1: Clarke Quay to Marina Bay

After enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of Clarke Quay, I decided to walk along the Singapore River towards Merlion, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. The path offered stunning views of the river and eventually led me to Marina Bay.

Day 2: Fort Canning Park, NTU, and Beyond

Eager to explore Fort Canning Park, I woke up early and left my accommodation at 6:30 am. The sky was still dark, and the weather forecast predicted rain. I quickly captured the morning ambiance of Chinatown before heading to the park.

After exiting the Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, walk towards the left-hand side public park. Continue walking straight through the park until you reach the Penang Road bus stop. Cross the street and walk left for approximately 100 meters. You will then encounter a tunnel leading to Fort Canning Park, a popular photo spot.

I didn't spend much time here because it was getting dark and the rain was approaching. So I decided to go to Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to hunt for the Art Design and Media Library (ADM) building and the "dim sum" building, which the university calls the "honeycomb" building. To get there, I took the MRT to Boon Lay station and then bus 179, which dropped me off right in front of the ADM building. As soon as I got off the bus, it started to rain. Here are some blurry pictures I took in the rain.

After that, we continued walking to the Dim Sum building, which was a long walk from the ADM building, taking about 15 minutes. The route might be confusing, so it's best to walk back towards the bus stop and then pass through the Student Services Center building. Keep walking straight, and you will be forced to turn right to reach the road below. The Dim Sum building will be right in front of you. When I arrived at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the sky was overcast due to rain, making the light appear dim.

We then took bus 179 back to the original MRT station to head to Maxwell Food Centre for the Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, a must-try dish according to many. Before heading to Maxwell Food Centre, I must say that after the rain stopped, the sticky feeling made me not want to go anywhere. We continued our journey by taking the MRT to Chinatown for the chicken rice. Upon arriving at Maxwell Market, the sight that greeted me was a queue. You can join the queue directly, as it's definitely the queue for the chicken rice. I waited in line for no more than 30 minutes before digging in. Half a chicken with two plates of rice for one person (give me a break, haha! I initially thought I wouldn't eat more). It was delicious!

In my opinion, the special thing about Hainanese chicken rice is probably the firm texture of the chicken, but I didn't find it that impressive.
The last two pictures are courtesy of The Nation.

After conquering the chicken rice, I had the opportunity to stop by the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, which is not far from Maxwell. I also stopped by to take pictures of the area and went inside the temple to capture the strong faith. Wow, I'm talking, I'm also taking pictures to share with you.

Before we continue to Little India, take the MRT to Little India to capture the vibrant colors of the flowers and the beautiful buildings in the Little India area. Exit E and walk onto Buffalo Road. Turn onto Serangoon Road and you will find the pedestrian street and shops along the side streets on both sides of Serangoon Road. Take some pictures and share them with us.

I walked around Little India for about 45 minutes because we had to continue to Haji Lane, the hipster street. The best way to get there is to take the MRT to Bugis Station. Two lines pass through the station: the blue Downtown Line and the green East West Line. Take exit B and walk towards Raffles Hospital. At the intersection, turn right and walk onto Ophir Road. At the first intersection with North Bridge Road, cross the street to the left and walk straight ahead. You will see Haji Lane on the right-hand side. It was incredibly hot when I arrived, so I captured some of the atmosphere before reaching Haji Lane.

Haji Lane is another interesting area if you have time. The shops are very unique and each one has its own distinct character. However, this time I was in a hurry to capture the beautiful atmosphere, so I didn't spend much time there. I will share the atmosphere with you. >> I will edit the photos again on the 3rd >> before boarding the plane. The day I visited was Sunday, and there were a lot of people.

I must admit that I took a lot of photos here, because I really like the atmosphere of Haji Lane.
It's a small alley, but it's always crowded. So on the third day, I had to come back again to capture it in the morning.
I managed to get some good shots, but unfortunately, I didn't stay here long because I had to go to
Marina Barrage

After that, we headed to Marina Barrage and then to Garden by the Bay. From there, we went to Marina Bay Station, Exit B. We crossed the road and took bus number 400. It didn't take long (and I emphasize "not long" because there wasn't much traffic and the bus driver was speeding) to reach Marina Barrage. Let me tell you, my legs were killing me. Anyway, here are some photos of Marina Barrage.

I arrived at Marina Barrage before sunset, around 5:45 PM. It was extremely hot. If you plan to visit, I recommend coming later in the evening. Check the sunset time and arrive about 30 minutes beforehand. Marina Barrage is an excellent spot to enjoy the city's atmosphere. We then waited at Garden by the Bay for the light show. However, when I arrived, I was very sweaty and wanted to find a place to cool down. Garden by the Bay is truly beautiful and futuristic. We spent a considerable amount of time there.

After that, I decided to change my clothes because I was very sweaty. I returned to the hotel by taking the MRT back to Chinatown to take a shower. I arrived at the hotel around 9 pm, took care of some business, and then stopped by Chinatown for dinner. Afterwards, I went to Orchard Road to take some pictures of the beautiful streets. I took the MRT to Orchard Road station, but by the time I arrived, all the shops were already closed. So I just walked around and took some pictures of the atmosphere.

I finished the second day at Mustafa Centre to buy souvenirs. To be honest, it was tiring not being able to take any pictures. Haha. More importantly, I arrived at Mustafa at 11:00 am, so I had less than an hour to explore the mall because the train stopped running at midnight. Here are some beautiful pictures from the second day.

Day 3 [Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Haji Lane]

The past two days have been really tiring. I've walked almost 30 kilometers. As I mentioned before, I wasn't satisfied with the pictures I took at Haji Lane yesterday because there were too many people. It seemed like I would get more pictures of people than buildings. Before starting the third day, before boarding the plane, I left the hotel at the same time as usual, which is 7:00 am. I started by taking pictures of the atmosphere around the accommodation to show you. Then I went to have breakfast at Ya Kun Kaya Toast, the original Singaporean breakfast restaurant, where they say the coconut jam toast is delicious.

After taking photos, I checked the time. It was 7:30 AM, so I walked to Ya Kun Kaya Toast. For those traveling by MRT, take the Chinatown station (DT19, NE4) and exit E. Walk past Chinatown Point mall and continue straight on Upper Cross Street for about 400 meters. Turn left onto China Street and walk straight for a while. Ya Kun Kaya Toast will be on your right, in a yellow building. The atmosphere is as shown in the picture. I want to mention that the menu at the restaurant is also in Thai. Don't miss it!

After finishing my meal, I continued on to Haji Lane before checking out to head to the airport. I flew back to Hat Yai on NokScoot flight TR634 at 1:30 PM Singapore time. Here are some pictures of the atmosphere. I should mention that when I left Chinatown, it wasn't raining yet. However, when I arrived at Bugis MRT Station, it was raining heavily. So I didn't get any pictures, but I did manage to take some sneaky shots from behind buildings because I had to hurry back to check out.

I arrived at the airport before 11 am, thinking of capturing the atmosphere of the airplanes (I've loved them since I was a child). My solo trip to Singapore ended. I think getting lost while walking, taking the wrong bus, and taking the wrong train is part of the charm. This time, I took the wrong bus a lot. Sometimes I was surprised where it would take me, but I got to see the atmosphere on the bus. This is its charm. This time, I brought my film camera and GoPro. Many people think that film photography in this era can be done with a press and an image editing program. For me, it's different. If it were digital, I might have pressed almost a thousand or two thousand pictures. But with film, we have to take our time and concentrate. Singapore is another very clean city. Everything is quite expensive. Prepare a small water bottle; it will save you a lot of money.

Day 2 at Maxwell Food Centre was truly memorable. I was having lunch alone when an elderly lady who was clearing plates came up to me and asked if I was by myself. We started chatting, and she was surprised to learn that I spoke English so well. It was a perfect way to end the trip. If I have the chance, I'd love to come back during the winter. Unfortunately, that's not possible right now. This time, our trip was really short, and I tried to see as much as possible. I'll share more about my next adventure soon.

You can read my previous work by following the links below:

  • Backpack [Exploring Hong Kong Island… Dragging My Feet to Capture Unique Photos] 4 Days 3 Nights
    • https://th.readme.me/p/7537
  • Chic Again!! Penang as Usual, Plus Ipoh [Malaysia] Wide Angle Lenses
    • https://th.readme.me/p/5352
  • Chic at Riverside Resort l Satun is More Than Just the Sea l
    • https://th.readme.me/p/3561
  • Exploring Penang - Cameron Highland, Malaysia Another Must-Visit Place!!!
    • https://th.readme.me/p/3161
  • Trip by train Hatyai - Padang Besar
    • https://en.readme.me/p/2830
  • Review of The ZeaFood Bar @Hatyai
    • https://th.readme.me/p/2810
  • Invading!! Khao Nam Khang, Exploring the Tunnels of a World War II Base [Songkhla]
    • https://th.readme.me/p/2657
  • [CR]ll This New Year in Kuala Lumpur ll City of Trains and Chic Corners [Malaysia]
    • https://th.readme.me/p/1832
  • ll Countdown at Kuala Lumpur ll a city of train and chick corners ll
    • https://en.readme.me/p/1843
  • [CR] Chic Train Ride from Hat Yai to Padang Besar [Malaysia]
    • https://th.readme.me/p/1739
  • [CR] Dragging My High School Friends to Ao Nang, Krabi with an Unforgettable Sunset Tour lol
    • https://th.readme.me/p/2686

Thank you all.

#singapore#singapore#singapore#backpack
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