If you’ve got time to kill in Singapore and are sick
of shopping malls, try a self-guided west-to-east tour of
the island. First, to get to the west, hop on the MRT’s
East-West line heading that direction and ride to the end
of the line at Boon Lay. You will be at the gates of industrial
park hell, so it’s best just to catch bus number 30
at the terminal and head back east. Wait for a double-decker
to get the best views.
It’s two hours to Bedok, the end of the line for bus
30. You’ll first pass through industrial and housing
estates, but keep an eye out for rows of shop houses that
would have been the centers of the outlying kampongs. One
of the best is Pasir Panjang Village, a short stretch of neighborhood
pubs and restaurants more laid back than anything in town.
If you want to drop for a bite or a brew, get off two stops
after Har Par Villa, just past the Mobil station.
Once you get onto the four-lane section of Pasir Panjang Road,
the working parts of the port will start to appear on your
right. You’ll pass Mount Faber on your left; overhead
will be the cable cars to Sentosa Island. The Central Business
District comes up next and you’ll cross the Benjamin
Shearer Bridge over the Singapore River. The bridge will give
you a good view of the Singapore skyline and the harbor. The
squat silver domes (Singaporeans call them “The Durians”
for their spiky appearance) are the Esplanade, Singapore’s
new performing arts center.
To complete the journey to the east, at Bedok terminal, walk
out to New Upper Changi Road and catch bus number 2 (careful
- 2A takes you to the airport). This will take you past the
airport and Changi Prison to Changi Village at the eastern
tip of the island. A fish market and hawker center are just
at the last stop, with Changi Beach Park on the other side
of a pedestrian bridge. At a shop outside the market, rental
bicycles are available to tour the surroundings. You can even
camp out in the park. Permits aren’t needed. Just put
up a tent and unroll a sleeping bag.
When you’re done with your tour, head to Charlie’s
Corner for fish and chips and Singapore’s widest selection
of bottled beer. Charlie’s is behind the fish market
and hawker center from the parking lot and bus stop. Go during
the week to skip the weekend crowds. Charlie’s is open
Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch,
and Tuesday through Sunday from 6:00 pm to midnight for dinner.
Mondays, Charlie goes fishing.
Re-board bus 2 to head back to town. Catch it at the bus stop
out on the road, not in the parking lot. For a change of route,
switch from bus 2 to bus 10 along Upper Changi Road. Ten will
take you right through Katong, one of the neighborhoods that
has retained something of its old character. You’ll
know it by the colonial era shop houses lining both sides
of the street. Jump off 10 at Collyer Quay and cross the street
to be right back at the Raffles Place MRT Interchange.
Note: Late in the evenings, Changi Village takes on a racier
tone with transvestite prostitutes trolling for business along
the main road. It’s Singapore, so it’s still safe,
but some families might feel more comfortable heading home
before 9 pm.
