A budget traveler's guide to surviving SINGAPORE

Singapore is probably Southeast Asia’s cleanest and most disciplined country. Everything is timed and measured, and the feeling of security you get when you walk through even its unknown alleyways is different from when you venture out on your own in any other place this part of the planet.

Since it’s a small country (Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is bigger) with an obvious bias toward anything Western, it’s very easy to find your way with just a metro ticket and a tattered map. So you wanna visit Singapore? Get those backpacks ready as we say a big “Hello le!” to this wonderful city-state.

1. Pay attention. Do you remember the saying, “When in Rome, do what the Romans do”? It never gets any true-r than that when you’re in Singapore. If ever you’ve read that bit on a tourist being jailed for chewing gum or vandalizing, then you better pay attention and follow the rules. After all, it never hurts to wait for the pedestrian light to give the go signal, especially when you do your shopping along the famous Orchard Road, or to throw your trash in the proper containers.

2. Hear. Singaporeans speak Singlish, their own kind of English. The accent is a cross between Chinese, Malay and English, so people not accustomed to hearing other varieties of the language must be more patient in trying to understand what the locals are trying to say. To their credit, Singaporeans are very hospitable and would be more than willing to repeat what they have said if only to make you understand.

3. Get lost. In a country so orderly, getting lost seems to be a difficult task… which makes getting lost even more interesting! Try exploring places with minimal help from your city map: the small streets in Little India with its vast array of restaurants that serve curry and shops that sell spices, the quaint alleyways in Chinatown lined with souvenir shops, Chinese items and watering holes, and the bazaars in the Arab Quarters with their exotic perfumes, handicrafts and fabrics. Enter the numerous Buddhist and Hindu temples, and Moslem mosques that pepper the city. It’s an experience you will never forget.

4. Chomp. Since many cultures converge in this country, the place boasts of a wide array of cuisine to suit your palate. For adventure lovers, a plate of curry might make your day. You can also go for the honeyed chicken biryani that is served in the Arab Quarters, or some noodles and seafood in Chinatown. You can also go to Clark Quay where international restaurants abound, or simply opt for a McDonald’s or Burger King in one of the city’s many shopping malls.

5. Cruise. Singapore used to be a fishing village before Ruffles arrived in the country, so it’s no wonder that a river cuts across its central business district. Go for a 30-minute cruise for S$15 (if I remember it correctly). The best time to do so is at night when the skyscrapers are all lit up. The boat would even take you to the Merlion, Singapore’s most recognizable symbol, with a lavish hotel as its background, and the Esplanade, Singapore’s answer to the Sydney Opera.

Marlon’s Singapore Route (1-2): It’s a small city which can be explored easily, even without an itinerary. If you want to go to Sentosa, the country’s famed leisure resort, it’s best to reserve one whole day for that. During the summer months, the period from 1 to 4 PM is very hot, so you might want to squeeze in your visit to the shopping malls around that time to avoid the heat.

Marlon’s Budget Tip: Ask your hotel or hostel if they have any SG card to spare. It’s the transportation card you acquire at S$7 that allows you to travel throughout the island. The money serves as your deposit and will be returned to you once you surrender the card. To avoid the hassle of returning it to the metro office, some hostels have cards ready for their guests, which the guests would have to load themselves and return to the hostels when they check out.

Curry-ed away

Talk about Asian food and most people the world over would probably think spices and curries. But since I'm from the Philippines, where food is notoriously sweet than those of its Asian neighbors (Read: sweet spaghetti, sweet meat stews...), I confess that I'm still in the process of thoroughly appreciating typical Asian flavors. Here's a few of my food trips in Southeast Asia.

Malaysia. I ate this in Kuala Lumpur with my good friend Annissa (her treat, btw). It's curried beef with sauteed vegetables and fried oysters. The curry is very mild and palatable, although the resto also sells the regular Malay curry that for Filipino standards is infernal. The veggies and the oysters (I'm addicted to oysters!) cleaned our tastebuds and provided a good combination of salty and bland aftertaste in between the curry.

Singapore. In Little India, my high school classmate Jenny (who now works in Singapore) and I went to this curry restaurant that serves typical Indian dishes with typical Indian bread and typical Indian drink (I mean, Coke). Since I am not familiar with any of the dishes, I just asked for the least spicy. So they gave us curried lamb. The coriander gave a nice touch to the meat but the food was simply too hot for our palates. To add insult to injury, the customers seated next to us and having their snacks kept on pouring curry sauce on their plates as if there's a sugar-coated meal in the menu.

Thailand. What's a trip to Bangkok without sampling the famous Tom Yum soup? It's a tamarind-based soup with seafoods and vegetables, and flavored with a variety of spices (lemon grass, galangal, onions, chilies). I was with my college friends here and we asked for the mildest. Still and all, we ended up teary-eyed and snotty-nosed after a few slurps. The broth was refreshing but after counting to five, we began feeling the intensity of the dish. Yum.

IN PHOTOS: Singapore

Singapore is different from its Southeast Asian neighbors for having many things that are typically Western. Still and all, Singaporean charm is best felt in its many multicultural enclaves all throughout the city that show that this small country is indeed a slice of Asia.

HOSTEL REVIEW: Superb Hub @ Bugis City, Singapore

OVERALL RATING: 5/5
DATE OF VISIT: February 8 to 9, 2009

PLUSES: The sharp difference in terms of prices of everything in Singapore can be noted when you're crossing over from Malaysia or Indonesia (and I'm thinking in Philippine pesos here). That said, you get your money's worth in this hostel. The hosts (mother-and-son tandem Sim and Ronnie) are so courteous and helpful. There's air conditioning *and* electric fan in the rooms to help combat the sweltering Singaporean heat; water in the toilets and shower room is abundant 24/7. The minute details of giving you bottled water upon your arrival and lending you the ez-link card (the transportation card in Singapore which otherwise you would have to buy for SG$7) are an added bonus. The location is fantastic. It's in the Arab area of the city filled with bazaars, thrift shops, Middle Eastern restaurants and a 7-11. The Raffles Hospital and the nearest MRT station are about a minute away walking. Strongly recommended, especially if you're backpacking.

MINUSES: There's no elevator here, a problem Ronnie resolves by helping guests with their luggages. Since land is a precious commodity in Singapore, each room (I stayed in Room N) is maximized by integrating the bed with the cabinet and the table. You have to climb up to reach your bed and go down to get things from the table. The setup is sturdy although you could sometimes feel the floors shaking because of people trying to get down their bedposts.

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