Singapore Travel Guide: Day 3
On our third day in Singapore we hit the famous Orchard Road area to fulfill my shopping inhibitions, and rewarded our urge to buy everything I see with a delicious brunch at the end of the shopping strip.
Brunch:
Probably the restaurant I most anticipated and was excited for on my trip, PS Cafe was all I imagined and even more. I love a good laid-back “brasserie-style” cafe that has chic floor tiles, plants all over, and nice upholstered or classic basketweave chairs. This place was exactly that. The brunch menu offered a variety of classic dishes that you can’t go wrong with, and of course I had to get the parmesan truffle fries which were delightful. If you’re looking for a place to stay and chat there’s a full array of magazines and newspapers, and the post-brunch dessert and coffee were endless. If I moved to Singapore, I’d probably come here every other day.
We opted for the PS Cafe at Palais Renaissance since it was a little bit further away from downtown, which meant a greater chance of being seated. I suggest going to their locations outside of the downtown core and also at off-peak times to better your chance of prompt seating.
When the fries to entree ratio is greater than 2:1, you know you’ve got the meal right ;)
Afternoon:
After a satisfying meal and some window-shopping on Orchard Road, we wandered back to the downtown core and south to Chinatown. If you are still in the mood for some local munchies, the Chinatown Food Street has lots of eateries and stalls with street food and cheap goods. But our primary goal in Chinatown was to visit the awe-inspiring 5-story tall Buddhist temple and museum - the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
The classic red and white temple architecture with lanterns and festive decorations hanging spoke immediately of the buddhist religion and its Chinese influence. You could get a different view of the temple from multiple directions, as the back side of the building is quite different from the front entrance. The entrance to the temple and museum is free, and it is definitely the place to visit if you are interested in Buddhism as this template not only holds its namesake, the Buddha tooth relic, but it also houses the biggest buddhist prayer wheel in the world.
Insider tip: I missed this in fact when I visited the temple but learned about it later - there is a rooftop garden at the temple so make sure you visit on a clear day and enjoy the flowers up top, hidden away from the busy Chinatown streets below.
Dinner:
Of course we couldn’t leave Singapore without hitting the hawkers! It is quite a different experience from any other food market I’ve been to, as the market has “hawkers” or food vendors of a variety of cuisines, showcasing the diversity in the Singaporean population. The food here is also very affordable, so makes a cheap and satisfying way to try out local cuisine without having to empty out your wallet.
Hope you enjoyed my Singapore travel guide, and please leave a comment below if you’ve tried anything while you’re there that you’d recommend, or if you have any questions! Also, all the places I’ve mentioned are documented on this Singapore map along with other recon that were not highlighted in the blog posts should you find it helpful!
P