TRAVEL
4 FREE THINGS TO DO IN
SINGAPORE
I
by: Satu Susanna Rommi
f you are travelling in South-East Asia on a budget, you might
be tempted to skip Singapore altogether. Singapore is relatively
expensive for the visitor, at least when compared to other SouthEast Asian cities. But some of Singapore’s tourist attractions are free,
and the city’s different ethnic quarters are great places for independent
walking tours.
Explore Singapore’s Botanic Gardens
Singapore’s Botanic Gardens are
a peaceful haven inside the busy
city and conveniently located a
short walk from Orchard Road’s
shopping mecca. The pride of the
gardens is the National Orchid
Garden with its countless varieties
of Singapore’s national flower.
The Orchid Garden charges
an entrance fee but the rest of
the Botanic Gardens are free to
explore.
Try the Rainforest Walk
through the small but lush tropical
rainforest, or check out the exotic
plants in the Ginger Garden. T’ai
chi is practiced on the lawns in
the mornings and as you make
your way around the park you can
feed birds by the ponds or enjoy a
picnic on the lawn. Entrance to the
large gardens is through Tanglin
Gate, Burkill Gate, Nassim Gate
or Cluny Park Gate, or from the
Bukit Timah side.
Independent Walking
Tour 3: Clarke Quay
and Boat Quay
Independent Walking Tour: Chinatown
Around Clarke Quay and Boat
Quay, along the Singapore River,
former warehouses have been
converted into trendy buildings
that contain shops and boutiques,
restaurants, cafés and bars. This
historical quay area is interesting
to walk around and even if you are
not going to shop, browsing in the
small stores can be fun.
Singapore’s Chinatown is a former Chinese living quarter that has been
restored and developed into a popular tourist destination with lots of
street markets, good shopping, great Chine