by xacco
Have you had enough of S’pore already? Got that ‘been there, done that’ feeling so soon? Feel like there’s nothing new to do this weekend? Or maybe you feel done with the touristy spots? Well, in any case, no city or country is ever out of places to discover; and if you’re looking for new places to explore in Singapore, you have landed at the right place. Also, if you have read my previous article, you will know that I covered the list of a cliché tourist. But now, I think it’s the right time to dig a little deeper and find something that’s not cliché but extremely interesting. Yes yes yes! You’re right! It’s time to find out the hidden gems of Singapore. There are new places still being uncovered by locals and explorers every day and this process of discovering never comes to an end. Frankly, it’s nearly impossible to cover everything because I’m sure there are lots of spots still left to be heard about and visited by myself. So, in this article, I’m going to list the top 10 low key exciting spots that will sweep the floor under your feet. Also, just a reminder, hold on to your cameras cause a good photo ain’t doing any harm.
Pulau Ubin
You might have heard of this place, but you might not be really sure what it is and stuff right? So, here’s the info you need. Pulau Ubin is an island located in the northeastern part of Singapore, so it’s a good day out after a long and deadly week. Want to know what’s better? The admission to this island is free. But just be sure to get some cash with you as the island doesn’t have any ATMs and all other places don’t accept card payments. The adventure starts with the boat ride (super cheap- just $3/person) from Changi Point Ferry Terminal. Getting around Ubin has a few options. To start with you can join the guided tours offered by volunteers to see the island through their eyes and feel the lifestyle. Also, on the other hand, it’s a place to go on a leisurely trip, so you could either just walk around places or rent a bicycle and ride your way using the free maps to get around the island (this is the better option tbh). Don’t hesitate to cycle from Ubin jetty to Chek Jawa. If you’re wondering what it is, good question. Chek Jawa is, in a nutshell, home to a lot of plants and animals which aren’t commonly found anywhere in Singapore. From coastal hill forests to rocky shores to mangroves to coral rubble area; this place is something you would want to explore for sure.
Note: Just keep in mind a few things. It’s nature, what we’re going to explore. So, it’s our responsibility to follow a few basic rules to not disturb the life there. Stay on the designated walkways; maintain a little distance from the animals; please do not feed the animals; and of course, do not litter around.
The Smith Marine Floating Kelong Restaurant
Craving some seafood? Go here. But wait, it gets better! Craving for catching your own fish and enjoying some freshly made dishes? Definitely go here! That’s not the end of it. Read the name once again, it’s a floating restaurant! Now if you’re already on your day out at Pulau Ubin, just hop on to this place located in the middle of the sea right next to Pulau Ubin. But let me warn you, going there would be, I would say, not quite pocket-friendly. The boat costs 100$ for a 2-way ride for 12 pax. Well, if you have that many people, it’s good. But if it’s just two of you, you’ll still have to pay 100$.
Singapore’s Really, Really Free Market (RRFM)
Well, you might be thinking ‘I’m sure there’s an entrance fee’, ‘maybe we have to pay for a few exquisite items’, ‘there must be some loophole’. But nope! This market is really free as the name suggests. The cool part of this market is that anyone who wants to share their skills, or their work can just put up their stall. If you happen to visit and like something, you can just take it from the stall and put it in your bag for free. Leave behind the hassle of cash and credit cards and any sorts of payments, and hop on to this market to experience the love, people share towards each other work, in this market
Bright Hill Temple
Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, also known as Bright hill temple, is the largest Buddhist temple in Singapore. Located in Bishan, the monastery celebrates a lot of festivities, including Vesak Day. It doesn’t feel like just any other temple, it will make you feel as though you were in Taiwan. When I first went there, it was almost like I was there in a well-built, beautified film studio. It has some great spots for photoshoots and it’s so huge that, if you’re really interested in feeling the culture there, you won’t be able to cover the whole place.
Street art at Everton Park
Are you the artistic type? Or even the photography person? This is a must-see for you! Get to Everton Road and walk down the road to explore different artwork by Mr. Yip Yew Chong who spent more than 20 years around that area. It’s his expression of his life in Singapore which shows you an incredible history of S’pore. These are not just any wall paintings, rather they are made in a way which gives you the 3D feels and makes you feel a part of the art. It’s a classic example of nostalgia. Whether or not you are from Singapore, there are going to be things you can relate to in these paintings because these artworks are a great depiction of our childhood.
Henderson Waves
As the name suggests, Henderson waves is a pedestrian bridge shaped in the form of waves. No fancy area, but a classic spot for photography and killer views. If you want to have some privacy and a cute date, this is a green signal as it’s very popular among friends and couples. Stay until 7 pm to see the bridge illuminated with LED lighting which is a stunning scene to the eye. If you’re thinking about how to accommodate visiting this bridge in the best way possible, then here’s the best solution. Go on a 5-km hike from Kent Ridge Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park and finally ending at the Mount Faber Park. The Henderson bridge connects the latter two parks. So in this way, you can complete a hike plus cover the wavy bridge plus please your eyes with appealing views.
MacRitchie Reservoir
Being the oldest reservoir in Singapore, MacRitchie is a host to many activities. The most exciting ones, I would say, are the walking trails and the Tree Top Walk for sure. The walking trails are unguided which means the only way to go around are the signboards located at regular intervals. This 11km nature trail loop is a part of the tropical rainforest of the Natural Reserve. So be prepared to bump into some monkeys, monitor lizards and alligators as well. As a part of this trail, follow the signs to treetop walk to catch a breathtaking view of the flora and fauna living in the reservoir. Additionally, you can also go kayaking in the water of MacRitchie. In case you are really keen on knowing the history of the reservoir and have a detailed tour, you can check out the monthly schedules of the guided tours and hop on with the groups to have an experience of your own.
ION Sky
If you still aren’t satisfied with the views you have got from the Singapore Flyer, MBS, then this is another viewing spot for you to get those eyeshots of enthralling city lights. Located on the 56th floor of ION Orchard shopping mall, it’s at a height of 280 meters from ground level. It’s open daily between 3 pm and 6 pm and the last admission is at 5:30 pm. There are some advanced telescopes that guarantee you the best view of iconic buildings in the day and night light. Hold on, if you happen to spend at least 20$ at the orchard mall, you can visit ION sky for free.
NOX- Dine in the Dark
You might have come across this concept of dining in the dark. As the name suggests you get to, quite literally, dine in the dark. We’re so used to visually seeing the food and judging it before eating that at times we lose the essence of it. But this concept lets you broaden your taste horizons by enjoying the food through its taste alone. It’s a crazy yet unique concept and so are the prices. I would strongly suggest you have a look at the menu online and then visit. If you eat everything in this exquisite menu, then GO; it’s gonna get cray cray!
F.R.I.E.N.D.S Café
Yes, exactly! I’m talking about the Central Perk Café. You might have enjoyed the show and perhaps even binge watched it all over again for the 10th time. So now it’s time for you to experience the café with your friends and click pictures with the props and sets used in the lovely BFF series. Also, fill in your tummy with their really amazing and cutely named dishes. I tried the ‘Phoebe’s Vegetarian Pizza’ and instantly fell in love; with not just the taste, but the presentation of food and even the atmosphere of the café. There’re even the episodes of the series projected on a screen and alongside the food, it just gives you a real chill vibe.
That was a wrap to a few hidden gems in S’pore. There’s still more to be discovered; so STAY TUNED TO US cause when there are new ones, we’ll be the first to update you with the coolest places to visit. If you want to get a little extra information about the most touristy places, do give a read to our previous article accessible from the link below.
https://xacco.co/the-cliche-list-with-a-twist/
That was all for the Cliché list. But guys, bookmark us so you can make the most out of our blogs because what’s next is something I’m sure you’ll enjoy and want to read too.
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Paris is surely famous for all the right reasons. Also this digital era of Instagram and Pinterest makes it much more well known for the picturesque locations that it possesses. Paris is filled with scenic beauties, natural heritage, blessed with art, and adorned with greatest human made masterpieces which are hard to miss.
Ever wondered where you get to see all these beautiful images online when travelers come to visit Paris and your favorite influencer makes you drool over your screens with their aesthetic selection of locations for getting hands down one of the best pictures in the City of Love!
1.Trocadéro at sunrise:
Enjoy stunning views of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro, an expansive complex of museums, sculptures, gardens and fountains. Anchoring the space is the striking Palais de Chaillot, which houses museums dedicated to maritime history, architecture and anthropology.
In front of the Palais de Chaillot are the magnificent Trocadéro Gardens. Built for the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris, the gardens align perfectly with the base of the Eiffel Tower.
Today this beautiful space plays a role in popular seasonal events throughout the year, including a fireworks show each Bastille Day and an annual Christmas Market with an ice skating rink. Complete with beautiful fountains and an array of sculptures, the postcard-worthy views of the Eiffel Tower from Trocadéro Gardens are simply not to be missed.
2. Parc des Buttes Chaumont
The Buttes-Chaumont Park, in the north-east of Paris, is one of the biggest and original green spaces in Paris, measuring 25 hectares. Its construction on quarries explains its impressive steepness and change in levels and heights. Visitors can appreciate stunning views of the city from this hilly setting, especially in the Montmartre district. The layout gives it a particular charm: caves and waterfalls, a suspended bridge, and a high viewpoint. It is brightened up with exotic, indigenous trees and numerous birds (seagulls, moorhens, and mallard ducks) share the area and enjoy the artificial lake. Entertainment for children also takes place in the park and there are break areas where you can get something to eat.
3. Colonnes de Buren
The Colonnes de Buren are officially known as Deux Plateaux. In 1986, the Ministry of Culture commissioned the sculptor Daniel Buren with their creation to adorn the Cour d’Honneur of the Palais-Royal. Deux Plateaux (literally 2 levels) originates in the basement of the courtyard in order to symbolize the link between street-level and underground Paris, both so rich in history.This was a way somehow to link past, present and future.
The 260 striped Colonnes de Buren are made of white Carrara marble from Italy and black marble from the French Pyrénées.These columns are truncated and of different heights, but they all have 8.7 cm wide stripes.
Controversial artwork
The Colonnes de Buren are placed in lines and turn the 3000m² Cour d’Honneur into a huge chessboard! No need to say that they were highly controversial at first, and still are! Many detractors argue that their ugliness ruined the beauty of the Palais-Royal. Indeed, the building is a listed Historical Monument. The columns were therefore installed ‘in a hurry’ and their inauguration skipped!
Ten years later only, water leaks and seepage in the basement, contributed to their degradation and they were falling apart. In 2007 Daniel Buren bitterly complained of the state of ‘extreme disrepair’ in which his columns were.
4.Musée de l’Orangerie
Home to numerous impressionist and post-impressionist painters over the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the Orangerie museum can be found in the ‘jardin des Tuileries’, right next to the place de la Concorde. It displays the famous masterpieces of Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Armedeo Modigliani, as well as Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and many other artists of this period.
From Orangery to Museum
The name is not deceiving, the beautiful ‘musee de l’Orangerie’ is installed in an old orangery, built in 1852 to shelter the acidic citrus fruits from the ‘jardin des Tuileries’ in winter. Like all orangeries, the stone building was built in length, and was constructed in glass on the side of the Seine (to the south) and in bricks on the garden side (to the north) in order to conserve as much heat as possible. Its rather classic and simple decoration fits in perfectly with the area that surrounds it.
Converted throughout the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th into a warehouse, military accommodation, and then a site for diverse demonstrations (sports, musical, and even patriotic), the former orangery finally fell into the hands of the administration des Beaux-arts in 1921. This organisation had big plans for the orangery since they wanted to use it to hold a part of the ‘musee du Luxembourg’ which is now the National Museum of Modern Art.
5. Paris Pantheon
The Panthéon was the first major monument in Paris. It was built before the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower, and was the first building that offered a panoramic view over France’s capital. It is located in the Latin Quarter, very close to the Jardin du Luxembourg.
The Panthéon was built between 1764 and 1790, firstly designed by Jacques Germain Soufflot and later by Jean Baptiste Rondelet. The Panthéon was created with the intention of combining the simplicity of the gothic architecture with the stateliness of the Greek architecture.
History
During the nineteenth century and depending on the political regime, the Panthéon was either used as a religious or as a patriotic building.
In the time of the Third Republic and coinciding with Victor Hugo’s funeral, the Panthéon’s necropolis was used to bury famous French citizens.
Visiting the Panthéon
The visit of this landmark can be divided into two. Firstly, the interior of the mausoleum, where visitors will be rendered speechless by its sheer size and decoration, and secondly the crypt, that contains the tombs of illustrious French citizens such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, Louis Braille, Jean Monnet and Alejandro Dumas.
6. Rue Cremieux
At one time this enchanting little cobbled street, hidden away in the 12th arrondissement, was a “secret place” few people knew about. These days, however, Rue Crémieux is an increasingly sought out haunt for fashion photographers, filmmakers, and people looking for something uniquely suited the color-saturated world of Instagram.
In many respects, this quaint throughway between Rue de Lyon and Rue de Bercy doesn’t really feel like Paris at all and is perhaps more reminiscent of Portobello Road in London’s Notting Hill, or Burano in Venice.
Amid the colorful façades, trompes l’œil paintings, and shuttered windows, are window boxes and terracotta pots filled with lush plants that add to the feeling you have somehow escaped Paris for a moment.
This is a residential street, albeit a very short one, but the homes are not large. In fact, on one side of the street, the building is little more than one room in depth.
7. Square Marcel Bleustein Blanchet
Once called Park Turlure after a former windmill on site, the square is terraced and provides some of the best (and perhaps most unique) views of the Sacré-Coeur. After all, fewer people wander around the back of the basilica, preferring to stop and photograph the ecclesiastical building face on.
But if you were to visit Montmartre, then remaining in the touristic spots would be your first mistake! The area has plenty of hidden gems to explore (not just the Sacré-Coeur and Place du Tertre) and its cobbled lanes are best explored on foot.
In the spring, Square Marcel-Bleustein-Blanchet is filled with blossoming wisteria, while in the summer months, the little park is the perfect place to enjoy a Parisian picnic, as well as a great place to stop and rest in the middle of a Montmartre walking tour.
Come the Autumnal season, the leaves turn golden hues and look magical against the backdrop of a sparkling Sacré-Coeur. So I guess, what I’m trying to say is that the Square is pretty photogenic all year ’round!
8. The Arc de Triomphe terrace
HISTORY OF THE MONUMENT
A unique viewpoint. From the top of the panoramic terrace, your eyes sweep over the whole of Paris.
The revisited Antiquity. Architect Jean-François Chalgrin was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus in a single arch, but went beyond it by exceptional dimensions (about 50 m high, 45 m long and 22 m wide) and abandoning columns.
A key place of major national events. Wanted by Napoleon in 1806, the Arc de Triomphe was inaugurated in 1836 by French king, Louis-Philippe, who dedicated it to the armies of the Revolution and the Empire. The Unknown Soldier was buried at the base of the arch in 1921. The flame of remembrance is rekindled every day at 18:30.
9. Butte Bergeyre
Perched on a little hill, 100m up, to the West of Buttes Chaumont, this micro-arrondissement in the 19e has all the charm of Parisian life without the people. If you’re looking for a place with peace and quiet, then this is it. All in all, there are only around 1200 residents, making this the kind of place that retains its village vibe in the heart of a modern metropolis
Named after Robert Bergeyre, a 19th-century French rugby player who died in 1914, the mount offers amazing views over the city AND one of the last remaining vineyards in the city of lights. It’s the perfect place to get a little bit lost on a lazy afternoon and forget that you’re in one of the busiest capital cities in the world.
10.Pont Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Élysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower. The bridge is widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagant bridge in the city. It has been classified as a French monument historique since 1975.
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