Singapore’s Lesser-Known Neighborhoods and Their Hidden Gems

Singapore is a tourists’ paradise, a lovely, clean, and safe city with extremely efficient public transport and several places of tourist interest. There are many hidden gems in lesser-known neighborhoods like Tiang Bahru and Dempsey Hill, which are very interesting and waiting to be explored.

We bring you some of the Singapore Tourist Attractions in its lesser-known neighborhoods you can consider visiting on your next trip to Singapore:

Tiang Bahru

Tiang Bahru is the oldest hipster neighborhood of the city, which offers tourists everything from historic to modern. You will enjoy this place where shopping for souvenirs, gourmet food, stylish cafes, art galleries, or book centers are in plenty. You also have the colorful Tiang Bahru market for shopping and dining.

China Town

This bustling neighborhood is the place to visit for unique shopping and exotic food. You have Smith Street for food, Maxwell Road for street hawkers, and Chinatown Heritage Center to know more about China’s heritage and culture.

Little India

Little India is the heart of India in Singapore. This is a place where you can gorge on a variety of dishes, shop to your heart’s content, and visit the oldest temple in Singapore of Sri Veeramakaliamman. For shopping, you can visit Mustafa and Tekka Center hawker markets.

Dempsey Hill

Dempsey Hill is one of the lesser-known neighborhoods in Singapore where you can relax, go on walking trails, have delicious food, and shop for unique souvenirs. This is a vast acreage of natural greenery just opposite the Singapore Botanical Garden.

Parkview Museum

The Parkview Museum is a stunning architecture of 1500 square meter space to promote local art. It has a growing collection of famous local and international artworks.

Dakota Crescent 

Dakota Crescent is a government mass housing project undertaken in the 1950s to overcome severe housing shortages. It has a unique architecture with lots of open spaces, an attractive streetscape, and iconic buildings. There were about 32,000 flats, and the massive estate is now being redeveloped to suit present-day requirements. Only about 15 blocks are remaining now.

Commuting without a private car in Singapore

The most appealing aspect of the city is its public transport and the way the government controls the car population. The best way to commute even to its lesser-known neighborhoods is by Mass Rapid Transit, MRT, the rail network connecting the whole city. You also have an extensive bus route network to move around. There are still around 250 trishaws on tourist routes, which you can use to explore the city. Go for a pre-paid EZ-Link card, which allows unlimited public transport travel for 1-3 days.

Try www.redbus.sg for intercity travel and travel within Southeast Asia. redBus has its presence in 800 bus routes in Singapore and Malaysia combined. To ensure a comfortable journey by road, you can book online bus tickets to commute.

Best Time to Visit

Singapore offers something to you all year round. If you make it in January and February, you get the most celebrated Chinese New year festival to enjoy. From April to July, you have the Great Singapore Sale to shop until you drop. You can enjoy the spectacular fireworks and parade on August 9th during the National day celebrations.

The busiest season is between November and December when the Deepavali festival, Christmas, and New Year celebrations reverberate throughout Singapore.

Cuisine and Food Choices 

One of the things Singaporeans take pride in is their local food. Singapore offers a variety of food choices, even in the lesser-known neighborhoods, from street hawker food to Michelin star restaurants and sophisticated high-end hotels. For hawker food, you have the Old Airport Hawker Center to get variety. Other favorite hawker zones are Tiang Bahru, Newton, Amoy Street, Maxwell, and Golden Mile.
Nasi Lemak, Char Kway Teow, Chili Crab, and Chicken Rice are some of the most popular local dishes in Singapore.
Smith Marine Floating Kelong Restaurant is the place for all parties and business conferences. Ideally located between Changi Point and Pualu Ubin, it is known for its mouthwatering seafood delicacies.

Shopping and Souvenirs

The best shopping spot in the city is Orchard Road, a 2.2 km stretch of pure shopping bliss! Other areas are Little India, Marina Bay Sands, Chinatown, Haji Lane, Clarke Quay, and Sentosa Harbourfront. Marina Bay Sands has the most extensive collection of brands under one roof. Vivo City, the largest mall in Singapore, leaves you spoilt for choices with its variety of shops.

Some shopping centers like VivoCity, Marina Bay, and Orchard Street offer special privileges for tourists. So, remember to carry your passport with Visa to claim them.

Scenic Spots for Photography

This stunning city offers numerous locations to take amazing photographs. Some of the best places for snapping great pictures are Marina Bay Sands, Chinatown, Arab Quarter, Singapore Flyer, Hawker Hall, Sentosa, and Supertree Grove Gardens by the Bay.

Singapore is a popular and attractive destination for tourists as it has something for everyone. To plan a spectacular holiday, partner with redBus. Rely on redBus to plan your visit in advance and get smart savings on bus tickets, hotel reservations, and sightseeing tours. Make your Singapore trip a visit to cherish!