the little red dot

December 29, 2024

We spent four days in Singapore, which is sometimes referred to by its nickname the little red dot. I found it to be a clean, safe city that lacks spontaneity, but is an efficient marvel.

gardens by the bay #

We visited Gardens by the Bay, the cornerstone of Singapore’s tourism industry, which is a must-see if you’re visiting the city.

Black and White GBTB — The metal branches of the trees.

GBTB Flowers — Flower foliage climbing up the trellis.

GBTB 2 — Just to give you an idea of how large these structures are.

cloud forest #

Nearby is Cloud Forest which is a large enclosed greenhouse. It was much cooler inside so it was a welcome reprieve from the heat of outside.

Medinilla Magnifica — A Medinilla magnifica.

Cloud Forest 1 — Cloud Forest's central structure.

Cloud Forest 2 — One of the many viewpoints.

Jade at Cloud Forest — Jade's entry for i-D magazine.

Sadly we had to make the choice between Cloud Forest or another area of the park called Flower Dome as the entrance fees for both were exorbitant.

Pretty Houses — Some of the more impressive houses in the city centre.

Pretty Shopfronts — Pastel colours galore.

Pretty Shopfronts 2 — I quite liked this buildings trimming.

singapore zoo #

We spent one of our days visiting the Singapore Zoo, supposedly one of the best in the world. Already warmed up by the aviary back in Indonesia, we opted not to visit their bird sanctuary, and just see the classic zoo fare: giraffes, lions, tigers, you get it.

Black Hornbill — A majestic black-casqued hornbill.

Giraffes — They told me to capture their best side.

Mother Baboon — An overworked mother baboon.

Baboon — Not sure what to do with themselves.

chinatown complex food centre #

Sausage Stand — A Chinese sausage stand.

Hawker Chan's main dish, perfectly fine but apparently a far cry from its heyday.

joo chiat road #

One of the highlights was Joo Chiat Road, on which we were staying. The street is known for it’s Peranakan shophouses, which blend Malaysian, Chinese and European architectural styles. Walking through the streets, you can see various buildings with cracked tiling, carved shutters and bright popping colours of mango yellow and bright pink.

Joo Chiat Windowsills — Beautiful windowsills.

Joo Chiat Building — A cream yellow apartment complex.

Singapore Colourful Houses — Quaint pastel houses.

Jade Walking Through Joo Chiat — Walking down Joo Chiat road.

christmas time #

We wound up timing Singapore so we’d be there for Christmas.

Christmas Lights — One of the many Christmas trees on Orchard Road.

singapore changi airport #

One of the funny things about Singapore is that their airport is one of their main attractions. We saw the Rain Vortex fountain, which is an impressive circular waterfall that centrepins the shopping complex.

Singapore Airport — The famed Rain Vortex.

Would I go back? Sure, for a layover. But give me Jakarta’s chaos any day.