If you're looking to sign up for Revolut and you don't have a code, you can use mine - jiayanwvf5 OR use this link - Revolut referral link - to sign up for a new account.

Recently Revolut Metal got an upgrade and, besides its original cashback perks, now also includes both classpass and wework subscriptions, besides other stuff like nordVPN - I might consider getting back on the bandwagon just for those subscriptions. As long as you use Classpass regularly and benefit from some cashback from Metal, it's pretty much a no brainer to use Revolut too, and potentially sign up for Metal.

I've been using classpass on and off and it's been great for me to sample classes from different fitness studios around town.

This is my referral link for up to 20 free credits, which is enough to book 2-3 classes, or more at the cheap end. Classes are usually around 10 credits each, but if you're lucky, I've seen cheap classes that are only 3 credits each, too.

ClassPass | Book Fitness Classes & Salon Appointments

Try the best fitness classes, gyms, wellness and beauty venues with one app. In-studio, outdoor and digital options available in over 2,500 cities worldwide.

Book Fitness Classes & Salon Appointments

What I like about classpass is that you can try out different things - as someone who thrives on variety, this helps me sample different sports and learn new things every week. It's nice when I am just shopping around for different places to go to.

I also like that I can bring my classpass subscription to other countries - it's a great option for me to make new friends elsewhere too when I have the time.

Customer service is also pretty responsive and has helped when I was sorting out subscription issues and letting credits roll over. And I like that I can donate unused credits when I need to.

I've recently signed up for Chocolate Finance, which promises 4.2% pa. I've been interested for a long time but did not manage to sign up in the last round.

I don't quite like that they are app-only, but otherwise, it's been a smooth process to move money in and also out. The login mechanism is an SMS otp, which is a bit slow but also means you don't have to remember any passwords.

Referral link here, or use the code o6g4xind:

‎Chocolate Finance

‎Chocolate Finance is a new place for your spare cash where you can enjoy 4.2% p.a. return on your first S$20k and a target 3.5% p.a. on any amount thereafter. No lock-ins, no hoops to jump through. We take no fees and make no money until we deliver the target return. See your returns in the app ever…

App StoreChocolate Pte. Ltd.

Are you looking to take a loan from GXS? I've tried looking for a code online but could not find any. If you sign up with this code, you can get a $20 GrabGifts voucher.

Terms and conditions:

1. Sign up using referral code
2. Draw a loan of at least S$1,000 within 30 days
3. Hold the loan without early repayments for at least 25 days

Enjoy!

To learn more about GXS loans, you can check it out here:

GXS FlexiLoan | Now from 0% interest with Balance Transfer

GXS FlexiLoan is a personal loan with low interest, flexible repayments & no fees. Plus, save on interest when you repay early. Sign up and win a dream prize! T&Cs apply.

Now from 0% interest with Balance Transfer

And I gotta say - GXS's loan process is the smoothest one out of all banks, and I've managed to get the lowest rates with them compared to all the banks out there.

I recently spent some time in Donsol, Philippines to catch sight of the whale sharks and hang out in nature. Information on this place is a bit difficult to find, so I thought I'd create a guide for people who want to visit.

Getting to Donsol

Taking the bus from Manila

This is the cheapest way to do it, but it'll take about 12 hours. The bus only leaves once per day at around 11am-12pm. I decided to fly instead, since it's the fastest way.

Taking a flight

The nearest airport is Legaspi airport, or Bicol international airport. Once arrived, you can choose to explore around the city first, or head straight to Donsol via a bus or jeepney. Once you alight at the airport, there will be many people jostling for your attention - the prices are actually decent for the trip you take (~100 php to the city at Legaspi / Daraga). Getting off at Legaspi has a higher chance of catching a ride out of Donsol, but Daraga is technically a bit nearer.

Getting a van to Donsol from Legaspi City

There are two ways to do this - first is by jeepney, while the second is by air-con van. The first way is cheaper by about ~20-30 PHP, but takes a while longer (2 hours compared to 1 hour). Also, my jeepney broke down on the way.

I took a jeepney into Donsol but a van back out of Donsol, and would recommend the van if you have a strong stomach and want a more comfortable ride with air conditioning. I got a bit motion sick on the van.

The vans have a shorter availability period, but you can just try your luck and enquire at the airport about whether any of them are going to Donsol.

Main tourist activities

Legaspi landmarks

There's the Cagsawa Ruins (also the start point for ATV), Daraga church, Bicol university, and Puro boulevard. There are also several smaller national parks around which could be cool to explore too.

Riding the ATV around Legaspi

This is the closest you can get to the volcano since it is still active. The deal is around 1850 PHP per hour usually, I managed to get a deal for 1100 PHP by going directly to the operator via a recommendation by my tuk tuk driver. I think it was these guys.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dtkCSUeDZWhzz8nB9

Diving in Donsol

There is only one dive center in Donsol, but I didn't go since it took up a lot of time. The dive is more advanced with stronger currents, and the sightings rate of mantas and whale sharks does not seem to be very high.

Snorkeling in Donsol

Whale shark season is between January to May, though the peak is March-April. The chances of seeing a shark is pretty high then - I only spotted them once during my trip out to sea, but others saw them 5 times in one trip. Each trip is about 3 hours long.

I pre-booked a tour at the only dive center in Donsol, which cost 1850 and requires sending a deposit (I avoided fees by using Revolut, but you can use GCash via Wise, too).

Another way you can do it is to wait by the area near the dive center and join a group spontaneously. If you talk to the boatmen, you can often get a better deal. Another traveller I met paid 1133 php total for the same trip, and an extra 300 php for renting the snorkeling equipment, saving ~400 php.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

Google Maps

Tips for spotting whale sharks

You'd need to be ready to jump right away - there are many people chasing after the whale shark in each boat, and they swim pretty quickly. So be ready and jump in once your boat captain gives the signal to do it.

San Rafael falls

This is a small waterfall nearby. It is 300 PHP per person for a trike there and back, plus a hike in and out (30mins one way). If you have more time, you can consider Tuba falls (~1 hour hike one way), which looks nicer on the picture than San Rafael, but is harder to get to.

Firefly tour

There is also a tour available to see fireflies for 3000 PHP per boat. If you get 6 people to share with you, that's 500 PHP per person. It's much cheaper to just go there and wait for somebody instead of arranging a tour at 1200 PHP per person, especially if you are going during peak season. There are two places to do it, one is nearer to the city while the other is further out. I did the one nearer to the city because once you're out in the river, the light pollution becomes negligible. I also had clear skies so the stars were amazing, too. It was really nice because you could get quite close to the fireflies (for the one in the city at least) - they don't fly around you but the tour guide lets you chill nearby for as long as you like.

Hang out with locals

I met a tourist who has been in the Philippines for a couple of months, and he managed to hang out with the locals and enjoy food together with the locals' family. Some of the experiences were pretty insane (to me at least!) - he had to step over beaches and cross a flood to reach the house where there was lots of delicious food waiting.

Food

For food, I usually wandered around and just walked into whatever that looks interesting. If you prefer a more local experience, try to go to where you see more locals hanging out. You can try things like Bicol express and laing, which are paste-like dishes that taste amazing. There are few local options for strict vegetarians, but there are spots that cater to tourists which can offer those.

Lodging

I stayed at Touristlink Homestay, which was a bit out of the way from the town center (~10mins walk) but was beautiful. The host, Liezel, was great too, and very warm.

Sample itinerary

Day 1 - land in Legaspi City, ask a local to bring you around the city and catch the sights (~400 PHP, about 2 hours). If time permits, go for the ATV tour. Head out to Donsol by 4pm.

Day 1 evening - view fireflies if weather allows.

Day 2 morning - see whale sharks.

Day 2 afternoon - San Rafael/Tuba falls.

Day 3 morning - buffer to see whale sharks if day 2's luck is not good.

Day 3 evening - walk around the town at night. The night sky is amazing, particularly at Donsol Bay, and you can watch people catch crabs out during low tide. Bring a torchlight/your phone.

Day 4 whole day - visit Manta Bowl (the dive site).

Day 5 morning - ATV tour/Legaspi city tour as desired.

Recently I got interested to explore some side businesses to supplement my income. Some criteria I had were that the stall could be mostly outsourced and I would need to do minimal administrative work to keep it going. I'd like it to eventually be mostly passive, even if that means lower profits from me. I've put down some notes here on my experience with starting an F&B business.

How this came about

I was browsing on Carousell and saw someone selling their hawker business. He gave some details on the numbers and they looked really good, so I was interested to learn more. In the end, I decided to set up a new stall instead, and will pay him a consultancy fee to help me with the setup. I'm currently in the process of setting up the stall, and will update this post with more learnings as the stall progresses.

Steps to starting a stall

1. Find a hawker centre you are interested to start in. I decided to start in a school.
2. Decide on the cuisine you want to sell. This can be based on experience, or in my case, based on need. The canteen required a certain type of cuisine to fill a gap in its offerings, and I was willing to adapt.
3. Get a tenancy agreement. You can sign as yourself and do not need a company/sole proprietorship for it.
4. Apply for the relevant permits with Singapore Food Authority, and pass the relevant food safety courses.
5. Set up the stall.
6. (optional) Hire employees. I'm going to hire them as self-employed for now since I can't really hire without a sole proprietorship, and the work is seasonal (no/little work in school holidays).
7. Start selling.
8. Keep proper accounts to make your life easy when you file your taxes next year.

Cost benefit analysis

The more I thought about it, the more I realised it may make sense, especially if you run the stall yourself without external help.

Benefits of an F&B business

1. You can use your suppliers to shave off costs on your own take-home groceries.
2. It's a 'necessary' business - you are not really creating supply that enables excessive consumerism.
3. Startup costs aren't as high compared to other brick-and-mortar type stalls.
4. Hawker stalls specifically can be quite profitable if you do it right. You can get >100% return on investment in the very best case.
5. Have an alternative to simply having a day job.

Benefits specific to a school

1. Concentrated footfall. The students are basically "trapped" and don't have options nearby. Therefore you don't really have to do much marketing.
2. The crowd is predictable and can be optimised for.
3. The rental for the stall is lower.
4. It is not as subject to economic fluctuations - people will always need to eat. And students attend school regardless of economic conditions (having studied through the 2008 financial crisis and observing my peers)
5. School canteens only operate on Mondays to Fridays until the afternoon, and there are plenty of school holidays and public holidays where there is no foot traffic. This is a benefit as someone who is looking to do this as a side hustle.

The second part on the school benefits is really what sold me on the stall. I wouldn't have to think as much about marketing and audience at all, which simplifies the business somewhat. Also, it is likely that I will be able to generate at least one sale on my first day of opening.

Costs

1. I may need to physically be at the food stall, which makes me unable to be a digital nomad especially if I have to fill in roles for my staff. The commute takes me about an hour one way, which isn't ideal.
2. I will spend a considerable amount of time setting up.
3. Revenue can be uncertain.
4. Revenue isn't maxed out (compared to a stall outside) and staff may not want to work only 8 months out of the year.
5. It takes away time from me upskilling in other work that may be more useful in the long run.

Actual numbers

Fixed costs

There were some fixed costs incurred at the start of the stall. These includes items like licensing fees, getting the food hygiene certification, stamp duty for the tenancy agreement, and other miscellaneous fees. These amount to perhaps $1500.

Besides that, there's also the capital cost. I'm thinking of running a simple concept with secondhand equipment, and pay a consultancy fee of $5,000. This should not cost more than $15,000 total.

Recurring costs

At the particular stall I was looking at, rental (all in all) should cost around 1800 a month. Food ingredients should only be 30% of the cost price. After some consideration, I decided to purchase pre-cooked meat to sell, and only cooking sides and carbohydrates in-house. This would increase my recurring costs, but reduce effort for employees and reduce fixed costs in buying equipment to cook the meat.

Revenue and Profits

As such, if I price each plate of food at about $4 (market rate at the school), I would only need to sell 650 plates a month to break even on rent. That's a rate of 33 plates per day. Make it 44 plates, to account for not making any money during the holidays. On the high end, one could sell about 150-200 plates of food per day. If we assume a rate of 120 plates per day, I should be able to get back my initial investments ~4 months of running this stall, which is a 200% return on investment. (Assuming no sales during the school holidays)

Revenue and Profits - with employees

However, the numbers change if I include employees at around $2200 per month total. In the worst case scenario, it may take me up to a year - or even two years - to break even. Even so, it is still roughly a 50% return on investment, which is decent. I expect it to be better in the years after these initial years, since I'd have paid most of the capital expenses already.

Also, if I hire employees and the business is doing well, my personal hourly rate will be higher than if I don't hire at all. And if the stall does really well, I could explore profit sharing with my employees, too.

Without a consultancy fee

If I had the experience and time to set up this stall from scratch without external help, my costs would reduce too, and it'll make it even more worthwhile for me. But in my case, given that I would rather have something more passive, I'd happily pay the startup fee.

Overcoming fear

There were a couple of doubts I had when I started this stall. These are the main ones, and I also outlined how I overcame them. It's a process of seeing if there are statistics to back up my numbers, and also a backup plan for each fear.

What if I make a loss?

I'll limit my startup costs to be as low as possible so that the loss is not going to be too great. I'll also cut staff and run the stall myself.

What if manpower falls through?

I've tested this by posting a job listing on Carousell to see if anyone was willing to work at the rate and hours I wanted to hire at, and so far the response has been decent. I'll also hire at least 2 people at the start so that they can cover for each other. If both of them aren't available to work on a certain day, I will run the stall myself or grab some friends.

Can I still manage this with another job?

I'll never know if I never try. I have plenty of superfluous commitments I can cut down on to make time for the stall that won't interfere with my job either. Besides, I will pay someone to help me with the stall if I cannot manage it time-wise.

What if it's not worth my effort?

I think it's a fun story to tell. I enjoy exploring something completely different and outside my comfort zone. Even if I don't make money from this, I will pick up important skills on how to manage employees and also a business in general.

I don't have intuition for food.

I naturally do not really enjoy eating, and thus don't really have a sense of what's "tasty" or not "tasty". But this can be an advantage - I will not be attached to any particular recipes and can be more objective in determining whether certain menu items will work or not (based on data).

It goes against my values to sell meat.

I really dislike it when people praise meat for being tasty, as if it were normal to indulge in meat without thinking about the animal that provided it. As a compromise, I'm going to sell a vegan version of my main dishes at a slightly cheaper price to encourage people to consider plant-based options instead.

This is not the most impactful thing I can do.

Counterfactually, the hawker that would have taken my place would almost definitely not have offered vegan options. I'm also hoping this experience will give me skills in the future, such as operations and management skills. Hopefully, it can also create a new stream of income so that I can afford to take more risks with my time, instead of optimising it for money.

People might judge me.

Business is business. If the numbers make sense, I can outsource most of the work, and I can make a profit, then why not? I'm surprised not more people are thinking about this, though there is some luck involved in meeting the right people to do this together with.

Thinking of doing the same?

You can reach out to me to learn more about my experience, and I can link you up to the resources I used for doing this.

I've enjoyed using FWD insurance services for term life insurance and travel insurance. It was easy to claim travel insurance benefits; luckily, I've had not had to claim any for term life insurance. They offer a "renewable term" insurance which I've not found anywhere else. This means premiums are low for me now, and slowly increase as I get older. If I invest the difference, it would have been cheaper than buying a fixed term insurance.

The process is quick, easy and relatively painless, and I like their transparent pricing. What's more, you get an extra discount on top of their online offers if you use my link.

This is my FWD insurance referral link:

https://www.fwd.com.sg/ref/f7ce17604c0c0f3

This is how the program works:

https://www.fwd.com.sg/referrals

Milk & Honey is an upcoming grocery chain that is trying to redefine how much you pay for groceries. It seems interesting since it's basically a group-buying scheme on a larger scale, with a smaller markup than other supermarkets right now. You can use my link to get extra $20 in grocery credits which is pretty good. Click below or https://upvir.al/ref/65be88414d59fM/:

I Just Gotten $500 Grocery Credits Free 🥳

Milk & Honey is giving away $500 in FREE grocery credits. I think you will be interested. Check it out here!

WINK+ is a rewards system for using Singapore's public transport system. You can use my code M1Q436 to get a referral.

I've been seeing these pink QR codes everywhere, but have not fully immersed myself in the system yet because it requires downloading yet another app. I created an account for the recent lucky draw in partnership with Samsung. We'll see if it does any good.

You can check it out here: https://www.winkwink.sg/

So you've taken a loan out on your NTUC Income life policy, but you now want to repay it. You could do a one-time payment or monthly GIRO arrangement; I will explain both step by step. It was really frustrating to try to look for these instructions, as they weren't very clear online. You can also use the second method to pay any credit card or loans that are in the billing organisation list of your bank.

GIRO monthly repayment

1. Log in to Income at https://me.income.com.sg/
2. Click on "Payment -> Apply for Loan Payment"

3. Follow the steps here to apply for a loan repayment. If you have an option to choose here, you should see something similar to the below. Click "Select Policy" to proceed. The "total loan amount" includes the interest you will have to pay, and it will be updated daily. Your account will only be deducted to the maximum owed, so you will not overpay the loan. The deduction will be the same as other GIRO transactions, on the 6th or 18th of every month.

One-time payment

1. Check how much you owe Income at https://me.income.com.sg/ following the same steps as above. If you already have an existing arrangement, click "Amend policy loan arrangement".
2. Check if your preferred bank supports "Income Insurance Limited" as a billing organisation. The list for DBS is here, expand "Insurance Companies":

Personal Banking | Payment and Transfers | Bill Payment | Bill Payment Corporations | DBS Singapore

Find the list of participating Billing Organisations (BOs) and what the bill reference number is when applying for GIRO via iBanking!

DBS logo

3. Follow the steps inside your app to pay the sum, quoting your loan repayment number that's on the offer. DBS has some instructions here; choose the Bill Payment (One-Time) option for better instructions. For internet banking, if you've never paid "Income Insurance Limited" before, click "Select Billing Organisation not in my pre-arranged list".

Make Bill Payment | DBS Singapore

You can make bill payments easily to more than 150 Billing Organisations using digibank.

DBS Singapore

4. I used mobile banking, under "More -> Other Services -> Bill Payment"

5. Find "Income Insurance Limited" under "One-Time Payment", and fill in the Policy Repayment Number under "Enter Reference no.". You can copy and paste this from the email they would have sent you when the loan is approved.

7. Check that all details are correct before you pay. You may need to increase your bill limit. To do so, click "change limit".

8. Take a screenshot the confirmation and send it to your Income insurance agent for verification and checking at the office.

Being able to take out a loan on your life insurance policy is pretty handy. However, there was no how-to guide to do it, so I decided to make my own.

The current interest rate is 5.25% p.a. compounded yearly at the end of the year. It's a bit high but it's borrowing against your own money, so the approval is pretty fast, generally within 3 working days, sometimes even within the same day (if it is below 50k). It also isn't really counted as an official "debt" and won't impact your credit score. Here's how to use this method if you so wish to.

1. Login to income at https://www.income.com.sg/
2. Navigate to the life insurance page

3. Click "View Details"

4. Click "apply for policy loan"

5. Verify the information is correct

6. You may need to upload your NRIC - files need to be in jpg and smaller than 1MB each. If it's too big, just take a screenshot and the size will become smaller.

7. Check the policy loan details - "loan available" is the maximum loan you can take, while "loan interest rate" is how they calculate interest. The interest adds up daily, which means you can also repay it each day. You can even just loan it for one day if you like. "Loan amount" refers to the total amount you want to loan. The interest calculation is as follows:
   1. (number of days loaned)/(days in the year) * 0.0525 * (loan amount)
   2. The number of days start when you receive the money. So it should be the same date as the policy letter you will get.

8. Click "proceed" at the bottom after filling in how much you want to loan.

9. Check through the details. At the bottom, there are some terms and conditions. Notably, if the amount you owe exceeds the cash value of the insurance, you will forfeit your policy. So be careful.

10. You may be asked for an otp. Fill this in and you should be able to receive the loan.

Here are some one-day itineraries that could be interesting for day trips for people. Combine several of them to cover many parts of Singapore. I'd recommend going according to the order listed, but it doesn't really matter too much.

Routes within Singapore

Singapore is roughly broken down into six areas: the east, northeast/north, heartlands (central area to the right of the reservoir), downtown, south, northwest, and west. You could explore each area over different days.

Free guided tours

If you have a short layover from 5.5 hours to 24 hours, the airport offers free tours that could suit your needs. Check them out below.

Free Singapore Tour | Singapore Changi Airport

If you have at least 5.5 hours to spare till your connecting flight, join a free 2.5-hour guided Singapore tour.

Singapore Changi Airport

Independent touring

I've put in some places you could visit and a suggested itinerary/whirlwind tour. I've tried including places that are more local rather than touristy. If you're short on time however, you could jump straight to the downtown tours.

East tour

Pulau Ubin

Get up bright and early to catch a boat to Pulau Ubin and explore the nature there.

Ubin · Singapore

★★★★★ · Eiland

Ubin · Singapore

Changi Boardwalk

Finish off the day after returning with a boardwalk.

Changi Boardwalk · Changi Broadwalk Walk, Singapore

★★★★☆ · Wandelroutes

Changi Boardwalk · Changi Broadwalk Walk, Singapore

Lunch - Changi Village Hawker Centre

As for food, grab a breakfast/lunch here at Changi Village Hawker Centre. It's a popular spot for locals and my parents used to have trouble looking for a parking spot.

Changi Village Hawker Centre · 2 Changi Village Rd, Singapore 500002

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

Changi Village Hawker Centre · 2 Changi Village Rd, Singapore 500002

SUTD

Singapore University of Technology and Design is one of Singapore's newest public universities. If you like touring universities, you can check it out. They have interesting architecture.

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) · 8 Somapah Rd, Singapore 487372

★★★★★ · Universiteit

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) · 8 Somapah Rd, Singapore 487372

NEWater reclamation plant

There is an exhibit on Singapore's technology ome exhibits Book a free guided tour here. (Alternatively, you could also go to Marina Barrage where they have another water-related exhibition, but it is on the dam structure with some history.)

NEWater Visitor Centre · 20 Koh Sek Lim Rd, Singapore 486593

★★★★★ · Bezoekerscentrum

NEWater Visitor Centre · 20 Koh Sek Lim Rd, Singapore 486593

Dinner - East coast park

After finishing up at SUTD and the NEWater reclamation plant, you can continue along the coast down to East Coast Park and enjoy the beach. You can cycle and roller skate there too. As for food, you can head down to East Coast Lagoon Food Village to try some of the eats there. Before it renovated, I used to go there a lot with my family.

East Coast Lagoon Food Village · 1220 ECP, Singapore 468960

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

East Coast Lagoon Food Village · 1220 ECP, Singapore 468960

Bonus: Changi Airport

Before you leave / right when you enter Singapore, you can check out the airport's mall, they have an indoor waterfall plus nice restaurants. I also have fond memories of the staff canteen here.

Jewel Changi Airport · Singapore

★★★★★ · Winkelcentrum

Jewel Changi Airport · Singapore

Terminal 1 Staff Canteen - Orchis Food Court · Singapore

★★★★☆ · Foodcourt

Terminal 1 Staff Canteen - Orchis Food Court · Singapore

There's also a scenic bike path that goes around behind the airport if you are interested in cycling.

North/Northeast Tour

Coney Island

It's a nice little island you can visit in the northeast or cycle in. It used to have Singapore's last wild cow before it died.

Coney Island · Singapore

★★★★☆ · Wandelroutes

Coney Island · Singapore

Punggol Waterway Park

This is another nice walkway you can walk down on, it's a recently renovated walkway.

Punggol Waterway Park · Sentul Cres, Singapore 821313

★★★★★ · Park

Punggol Waterway Park · Sentul Cres, Singapore 821313

Lunch - Waterway Point

Stop at waterway point to enjoy the air conditioning and grab a bite to eat.

Waterway Point · 83 Punggol Central, Singapore 828761

★★★★☆ · Winkelcentrum

Waterway Point · 83 Punggol Central, Singapore 828761

Sembawang Park

Check out another park in the north, and admire Malaysia from afar.

Sembawang Park · Sembawang Rd, Singapore

★★★★☆ · Park

Sembawang Park · Sembawang Rd, Singapore

Holy Tree Sri Balasubramaniar Temple

Check out a nearby temple if you like.

Holy Tree Sri Balasubramaniar Temple · 10 Yishun Industrial Park A, Singapore 768772

★★★★★ · Hindoeïstische tempel

Holy Tree Sri Balasubramaniar Temple · 10 Yishun Industrial Park A, Singapore 768772

Sembawang Hot Springs

Singapore has a hot spring here, and you can rest your legs after a long day.

Sembawang Hot Spring Park · Along, Gambas Ave, Singapore 756952

★★★★☆ · Park

Sembawang Hot Spring Park · Along, Gambas Ave, Singapore 756952

Dinner - Chong Pang Market and Food Centre

Head down to another famous hawker centre to enjoy some local fare at decent prices.

Chong Pang Market & Food Centre · 105 Yishun Ring Rd, Singapore 760105

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

Chong Pang Market & Food Centre · 105 Yishun Ring Rd, Singapore 760105

Heartlands tour

MacRitchie Treetop Walk

This is probably Singapore's wildest hike, that still has a paved path in most sections, that is fairly accessible. Start from the MacRitche Treetop Walk Trailhead at the east side of the reservoir. MacRitchie is fairly big; you could continue to explore it for longer if you so wish, and even walk all the way to down to Beauty World Centre on the other side of the reservoir. If you do choose to walk to the other side of the park, bring some snacks because it will take the better half of the day. Let's call the full route Route 1, and the route where you walk back to the entrance Route 2.

TreeTop Walk · 601 Island Club Rd, Singapore 578775

★★★★★ · Brug

TreeTop Walk · 601 Island Club Rd, Singapore 578775

Route 1 (cross to west side): Former Ford Factory

If you do choose to walk to the other side of the park, you could visit this world war 2 museum.

Former Ford Factory · 351 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 588192

★★★★★ · Oorlogsmuseum

Former Ford Factory · 351 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 588192

Route 1: Dinner - the Rail Mall

If you cross to the west side of the park, grab a bite at the Rail Mall.

The Rail Mall · Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #380 Fuyong Estate, Singapore 678040

★★★★☆ · Winkelcentrum

The Rail Mall · Upper Bukit Timah Rd, #380 Fuyong Estate, Singapore 678040

Route 2 (go back to the east side): Lunch - Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery

This is a big buddhist temple that could be a point of interest. You can buy lunch from their cafe until 1230pm (weekdays) or 2pm (weekends)

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery · 88 Bright Hill Rd, Singapore 574117

★★★★★ · Boeddhistische tempel

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery · 88 Bright Hill Rd, Singapore 574117

Route 2: Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park

This is another park frequented by locals, modelled after floodplains to contain the river inside it.

Activity Lawn · 609 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569973 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569973

★★★★★ · Park

Activity Lawn · 609 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569973 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569973

Downtown tour

Botanic Gardens

A UNESCO world heritage site, it retains some colonial architecture from the British. It also has an orchid park area where you can enter for S$1 (barring inflation).

Botanische tuin van Singapore · 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569

★★★★★ · Botanische tuin

Botanische tuin van Singapore · 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569

Orchard Road

If you are interested to shop, you can come here to shop for all the big brands. You can walk from Orchard MRT to Dhoby Ghaut MRT and the stretch is full of stores you can look into and explore.

ION Orchard · 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801

★★★★★ · Winkelcentrum

ION Orchard · 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801

Lunch - Plaza Singapura

A local mall with many different food options and a food court at the very top.

Plaza Singapura · 68 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238839

★★★★☆ · Winkelcentrum

Plaza Singapura · 68 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238839

National Museum of Singapore

Spend the afternoon checking out the museum. There are also many other museums here; you could spend several days just walking around the museums.

National Museum of Singapore · 93 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178897

★★★★★ · Nationaal Museum

National Museum of Singapore · 93 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178897

If you do not wish to shop or do not wish to go to a museum, you can replace it with Fort Canning Park; it was a British fort back in World War II.

Fort Canning Park · Singapore

★★★★★ · Park

Fort Canning Park · Singapore

Dinner - Lau Pa Sat

Grab some dinner at one of the most famous hawker centres in Singapore.

Lau Pa Sat · 18 Raffles Quay, Singapore 048582

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

Lau Pa Sat · 18 Raffles Quay, Singapore 048582

Marina Bay

It's beautiful when lit up at night, you can do the loop around the bay.

The Promontory@Marina Bay · 11 Marina Blvd, Singapore 018940

★★★★★ · Evenementenlocatie

The Promontory@Marina Bay · 11 Marina Blvd, Singapore 018940

Downtown tour part 2

Marina Barrage

Nearer to the coast, we have a dam that helps to control the sea levels and water between Singapore and the sea. They have a cool exhibit on how the dam works and also its history.

Marina Barrage · 8 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018951

★★★★★ · Picknickplaats

Marina Barrage · 8 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018951

Gardens by the Bay

It's a renovated area with interesting architecture and plants to check out. A popular tourist spot.

Gardens by the Bay · 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953

★★★★★ · Tuin

Gardens by the Bay · 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953

ArtScience Museum

This is a new museum with interesting exhibits combining art and science.

ArtScience Museum · 6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974

★★★★★ · Museum

ArtScience Museum · 6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974

Esplanade

Dubbed the "Durian", it's where Singapore hosts different concerts. Interesting on the outside but nothing much inside if you aren't watching a concert.

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay · 1 Esplanade Dr, Singapore 038981

★★★★★ · Theater

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay · 1 Esplanade Dr, Singapore 038981

Lunch - Albert Centre

Grab a bite at a hawker centre in Bugis.

Albert Centre · 270 Queen St, Singapore 180270

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

Albert Centre · 270 Queen St, Singapore 180270

Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple

This Buddhist temple is interesting beacuse it's right next to a Hindu temple as well. You should check out both while you're on this road.

Kwan Im Thong Hood Chotempel · 178 Waterloo St, Singapore 187964

★★★★★ · Boeddhistische tempel

Kwan Im Thong Hood Chotempel · 178 Waterloo St, Singapore 187964

Sultan Mosque

After that, you can make your way down to the Sultan Mosque and Malay Heritage Centre, where you can learn more about Malay history and culture.

Sultanmoskee · 3 Muscat St, Singapore 198833

★★★★★ · Moskee

Sultanmoskee · 3 Muscat St, Singapore 198833

Mustafa Centre

You can check out Little India, the area surrounding Mustafa Centre. Mustafa Centre is also an interesting place to shop too.

Mustafa Centre · 145 Syed Alwi Rd, Mustafa Centre, Singapore 207704

★★★★☆ · Warenhuis

Mustafa Centre · 145 Syed Alwi Rd, Mustafa Centre, Singapore 207704

Dinner - City Square Mall / Indian restaurants nearby

There's a mall called City Square Mall nearby, or standalone restaurants around the area on the first floor of the shophouses. You can pick any - I'm not sure of the food courts nearby.

Downtown tour part 3

The downtown area has a lot of nice spots so there's a part 3. But basically it's a bunch of museums and notable places I didn't mention above that you could mix and match:

• Museums: National Gallery, Asian Civilisations Museum
• Points of interest: Cathedral of the Good Sheperd
• Food: Haji Lane (at night), CHIJMES
• Shopping: Bugis Street, Arab Street
• Schools: Singapore Management University, but you will likely pass by the buildings while exploring the area around Bugis.
• Notable buildings where you can take the lift up and look around: Pinnacle@Duxton (a nice-looking public housing project but you need to pay to get to the top with the view), SkyTerrace@Dawson (a nice-looking public housing project with free views from the top), various hotels inside Tanjong Pagar

South tour

Lee Kong Chian National History Museum

A nice little museum that's not as full of tourists as the other more popular ones.

Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Singapore · 2 Conservatory Dr, Singapore 117377

★★★★★ · Natuurhistorisch museum

Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, Singapore · 2 Conservatory Dr, Singapore 117377

National University of Singapore (NUS)

You can check out the rest of NUS while you're at the museum.

Nationale Universiteit van Singapore · 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119077

★★★★★ · Universiteit

Nationale Universiteit van Singapore · 21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119077

West Coast Park

This park is not as nice as East Coast Park, but a nice place to do people watching.

West Coast Park · W Coast Ferry Rd, Singapore 126978

★★★★☆ · Park

West Coast Park · W Coast Ferry Rd, Singapore 126978

Haw Par Villa

An exhibit on Buddhist hell, to warn children about the perils of sinning. Pretty interesting to me. It was created by some rich locals here.

Haw Par Villa · 262 Pasir Panjang Rd, Singapore 118628

★★★★☆ · Themapark

Haw Par Villa · 262 Pasir Panjang Rd, Singapore 118628

Lunch - Pasir Panjang Food Centre

A quaint little hawker centre along the highway with decent prices.

Pasir Panjang Food Centre · 121 Pasir Panjang Rd, Singapore 118543

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

Pasir Panjang Food Centre · 121 Pasir Panjang Rd, Singapore 118543

Option 1 - Southern Ridges

I like this lookout where you can see the sea. The sunset from here is really amazing, too. You can enter from any point on Google Maps, even from HortPark. You can walk from here all the way down to VivoCity. It's possible to do both this and Labrador Nature Reserve together, but I'd recommend this instead of Labrador Nature Reserve if you can only pick one.

Mount Faber Lookout Point · Mount Faber Lp., Singapore

★★★★★ · Panoramisch uitzicht

Mount Faber Lookout Point · Mount Faber Lp., Singapore

Option 2 - Labrador Nature Reserve

A small park with some historic buildings and a small hill you can walk up.

Nature Reserve Viewpoint · Singapore

★★★★☆ · Observatieplatform

Nature Reserve Viewpoint · Singapore

Sentosa

You can walk from VivoCity down to Sentosa and enjoy the beaches, or take a train. This can be a full day thing too if you like to explore more.

Palawan Beach · Singapore

★★★★★ · Strand

Palawan Beach · Singapore

Dinner - Seah Im Food Centre

Ignore Vivo City if you want local food that's cheaper - check out Seah Im Food Centre instead, on your way back from Sentosa/Southern Ridges.

Seah Im Food Centre · 2 Seah Im Rd, Singapore 099114

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

Seah Im Food Centre · 2 Seah Im Rd, Singapore 099114

Northwest

There are mainly several large parks here that will take a lot of time to explore.

Bukit Timah Railway Station

You can check out this old railway station that was turned into a park. The old trains and the controllers are still around.

Bukit Timah Railway Station · #1 Railway Station, Singapore 599938

★★★★★ · Historisch herkenningspunt

Bukit Timah Railway Station · #1 Railway Station, Singapore 599938

Kranji War Memorial

We have the graves of notable people here, such as Yusof Bin Ishak who was Singapore's first president. It is also a tribute to the people who served and died in World War II.

State Cemetery - Kranji War Memorial · 9 Woodlands Rd, Singapore 738656

★★★★★ · Begraafplaats

State Cemetery - Kranji War Memorial · 9 Woodlands Rd, Singapore 738656

Lunch - Lot One

A shopping mall that locals frequent. There aren't much choices for food here; you could explore around to see if there are any restaurants you like. Alternatively, buy some snacks so that you can move on to the next part of the itinerary.

Lot One · 21 Choa Chu Kang Ave 4, Singapore 689812

★★★★☆ · Winkelcentrum

Lot One · 21 Choa Chu Kang Ave 4, Singapore 689812

Option 1 - Singapore Zoo, River Safari, Night Safari, Bird Paradise

We have a cluster of zoos and animal exhibits here, you can check them out with a zoo pass. The restaurants are nice but a bit expensive, so you could consider bringing your own snacks or food while you rest.

Singapore Zoo · 80 Mandai Lake Rd, Singapore 729826

★★★★★ · Dierentuin

Singapore Zoo · 80 Mandai Lake Rd, Singapore 729826

Option 2 - Kranji Marshes

Alternatively, you can opt to check out the nature here. You should probably pack snacks as well.

Kranji Marshes · 11 Neo Tiew Lane 2, Singapore 718814

★★★★☆ · Natuurreservaat

Kranji Marshes · 11 Neo Tiew Lane 2, Singapore 718814

Dinner - Senja Hawker Centre

Another highly-rated hawker centre in the area.

Senja Hawker Centre · 2 Senja Cl, Singapore 677632

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

Senja Hawker Centre · 2 Senja Cl, Singapore 677632

West

Choa Chu Kang Cemetery

This is an interesting cemetery where people used to be allowed to bury their dead and set up bigger memorials.

Choa Chu Kang Cemetery · Chinese Cemetry Path 17, Singapore

★★★★★ · Begraafplaats

Choa Chu Kang Cemetery · Chinese Cemetry Path 17, Singapore

Little Guilin

A small little park with a nice lake and a large rock.

Little Guilin · Bukit Batok East Ave 5, Singapore

★★★★☆ · Steengroeve

Little Guilin · Bukit Batok East Ave 5, Singapore

Science Centre

A place where there are exhibits on science that could be fun for kids. There is also Snow City nearby where you can experience snow in Singapore.

Science Centre Singapore · 15 Science Centre Rd, Singapore 609081

★★★★☆ · Wetenschapsmuseum

Science Centre Singapore · 15 Science Centre Rd, Singapore 609081

Jurong Lake Gardens

A larger garden with Chinese- and Japanese-themed parks and nice lakes.

Jurong Lake Gardens · Yuan Ching Rd, Singapore

★★★★★ · Park

Jurong Lake Gardens · Yuan Ching Rd, Singapore

Lunch - Taman Jurong Food Centre

A hawker centre near the gardens.

Taman Jurong Food Centre · 3 Yung Sheng Rd, Singapore 618499

★★★★☆ · Eetmarkt

Taman Jurong Food Centre · 3 Yung Sheng Rd, Singapore 618499

Discovery Centre

Similar to the science centre, there are exhibits on Singapore's history, with a focus on the military and World War II.

Singapore Discovery Centre · 510 Upper Jurong Rd, Singapore 638365

★★★★★ · Museum

Singapore Discovery Centre · 510 Upper Jurong Rd, Singapore 638365

Nanyang Technological University

There's some interesting architecture here and a small museum on the school's history. Notable architecture includes Yunnan Gardens and The Hive.

Chinese Heritage Centre · 46 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639817

★★★★☆ · Erfgoedmuseum

Chinese Heritage Centre · 46 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639817

Tuas Lamp Post

If you like, you can consider going all the way to the farthest end of Singapore where we have factories and manufacturing and check out Singapore's industrial areas. I recommend cycling if you were to do this, it's a 11 kilometer walk to the end and I'm not sure if there are public transport options here.

Tuas Lamp Post 1 · Tuas S Blvd, Singapore

★★★★☆ · Cultureel monument

Tuas Lamp Post 1 · Tuas S Blvd, Singapore

Nearby islands

Southern Islands

You could go to the smaller southern islands beyond Sentosa via a yacht tour or ferry. A trip like this could be interesting for the right people. You can typically easily buy a ticket directly at Marina South Pier, but it could be worth it to buy it in advance. You could also book a tour via Klook.

Marina South Pier · 31 Marina Coastal Dr, Singapore 018988

★★★★☆ · Veerdienst

Marina South Pier · 31 Marina Coastal Dr, Singapore 018988

Semakau Island

This is where Singapore stores incinerated waste, it's our offshore landfill. However, it's hard to visit - you have to go as a part of a school or an organisation. There are occasional public tours on eventbrite or similar platforms that you can book, such as this one below.

Semakau

Tour of Singapore’s last landfill

Eventbrite

Other things to do

There are a few things I didn't mention above, but you could simply click around and explore what looks interesting to you on any Maps application you have. Most reservoirs are accessible by the public and you can have a nice walk there, too. We also have many other universities I didn't mention here, such as the Singapore University of Social Sciences, our many different Polytechnics, and many private universities. Technically, you could also take the elevator up in public housing, since the corridors are open to the public, and check out the view from the top floor.

Go to Malaysia/Indonesia

If you are bored of Singapore, it's a quick trip out to Johor Bahru (by land) or to Batam (by boat).

Johor Bahru

You can go via the Woodlands checkpoint to nearby places for food, escape room, massage and the works. Once in Malaysia, you can just take a Grab to wherever you need to be, or figure out the local bus system. There are also buses that take you there directly from different places in Singapore. Tasixi is a traditional dimsum place where they come to you with plates of dimsum.

Batam

Here, people like to buy the kueh lapis (layered butter cake) back. It is famous for the seafood as well. I also enjoy tempeh so if given the chance, I would buy it from here too.

Online Ferry Booking - BATAMFAST.COM

Ferry booking for Singapore, Batam, and Malaysia. Departures from Harbourfront, Tanah Merah, Batam Center, Sekupang, Nongsapura, Harbourbay, Desaru Coast, Tanjung Pengelih, and Pasir Gudang.

BATAMFAST.COM

Resources

Wikitravel's resources on Singapore is pretty well fleshed out. Read it. Seriously.

For a quick glance at ideas, Klook has some itineraries you could follow. (I get a commission on this link).

This wikipedia page has a good summary of Singapore's cuisine for things you may wish to try out.

Singaporean cuisine - Wikipedia

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.Contributors to Wikimedia projects

I find myself repeating certain advice to different people, so I'm creating a summary post here for anyone who needs it.

What do you want out of work?

Depending on your goals, you may not need a "job" to reach them.

• To earn money?
• To learn something?
• To not be bored?
• To make an impact?

There are plenty of ways to reach the above goals without a job. Though of course, jobs are the most convenient way to do so. If you know what you want out of work, you'll find it easy to narrow down and focus on the things you truly want. Also give a think about which of your goals should be the priority so that you can shortlist them later on.

Job-hunting process

The job hunting process is a bit like a sales pipeline/other pipelines, where you have several options all progressing at different stages.

Where to find jobs

There are many job boards out there. You can try the usual suspects, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, or JobStreet, etc. a quick search for job boards will give you all the details you need.

Resume/LinkedIn

Some people have had luck with the "Spray and Pray" method, which is to just apply to as many jobs as possible. This could be useful especially if you have already narrowed down to jobs that are well-suited for your skills.

To improve your resume, here are some quick tips:

• Have a master resume copy with all of your experiences, then delete as necessary for the role
• For each point on what you've done, focus on the action taken plus the result, with as many numbers as possible. Eg organised a conference for 400 people, rated best conference of the year

Networking

I've gotten some side gigs from people by simply asking for them. I asked another friend who was self-employed if he had any spare work I could take on, and he gave me a few projects which were fun.

Interviewing

1. Don't be scared!
2. Figure out what the process is like, and practice it. This could mean going to many different interviews until they feel like just another day for you, or practicing with a friend.
3. Treat it as a two-way street. Your employer should be honoured to have you work for them.

Negotiating

Always negotiate your job terms and conditions. This doesn't have to be only pay, but other perks like working from home, having a home office setup bonus, or extra vacation days. In the resources section below, Ask A Manager has articles on how to negotiate well.

The first 90 days

On the first day of the job, make a plan for what you want to achieve in the first 90 days on the job (which is usually the trial or probation period). This can help you set the tone for the rest of the work and create a good impression on your colleagues. Ideally, your manager will do this with you, but if not, you can do it yourself. Some examples:

• Get to know X number of colleagues, or have 1-on-1s with a few people you will be working with
• Deliver Y result
• Learn all of the processes and read all the documentation available

Ditch the job

Because who says you need a job when there are other options out there? These days, I'm increasingly thinking that traditional jobs limit your options compared to starting your own business. Especially if nothing out there feels like a good fit for what you want to achieve in life.

Start something yourself

This is a little bit different from getting a job, because you have way more control - but also responsibility - over every aspect of your organisation. There seems like two main routes you could go down.

Run a small business

I'd say this is less risky. Find something easy to start without a lot of capital, such as dropshipping, a cleaning service, house-sitting service, running a website, creating media and so on. Gig economy type work (uber, deliveroo etc) falls in this category as well, though the company you're working with always takes a cut. If you do open your own company however, with good word of mouth, it could be a great way to achieve the goals you want with work.

Create a startup

Get funding from an investor or some sort of fund, and then take off. It doesn't have to be a for-profit startup; it can also be a charity. Anything is possible once you have the financials down. This could be a good route if you have an excellent idea that requires a lot of funding to start, because it is resource heavy.

Generate passive income

I've written extensively about ways to generate passive income here:

Passive Income - adventgineering

adventgineering

Resources

I've also listed some work-related sites that I find myself recommending a lot. What's conspicuously missing is how to polish a resume; these days, I think an AI tool can help you, but I've never needed to use one of those.

Work norms and work situations, resume and interview advice:

Ask a Manager

Not sure what the hell your manager is thinking, how to ask for a raise, whether you might be in danger of getting fired, or more? Ask your workplace questions here.

Ask a ManagerAsk a Manager

Tech jobs in selected countries:

https://nodeflair.com/

Using networking to get a job:

How To Get A Job Without Applying Online - Cultivated Culture

Learn how to land a job you love without applying online. This guide breaks down the system that got me offers at Microsoft, Google, & more.

Cultivated CultureAustin Belcak

EA-focused/impact-aligned job boards:

Opportunities — Effective Altruism Singapore

Effective Altruism Singapore

Below is a collection of some tips I've learned to plan big, complex trips.

Itinerary

• Not planning at all doesn't seem ideal - planning roughly 2 weeks/1 month ahead would be the best. Tours can be booked latest 1 day in advance, but some of them can be seasonal so ideally you should check first.
• Weather forecast is important, try to plan indoor activities during days where it may rain.
• For long trips, there will often be a few days where you may not have the energy to do anything and just sleep or work. I think it's worth the trade-off to do that.
• What to see and do - getting advice from locals is the best, and also this is where AI can help you plan the trip. You can also get AI to plan a long trip covering the countries you like. Day tours can be a good option too if you do not have a car.
• At least 2 nights per country is ideal, especially if you are coming in from the airport since there is extra travel and wait time.
• I was happy to give up eating good meals for extra time travelling, and some days I only eat one or two because of time constraints, and live off of protein bars, breads and supplements. So think about what you could give up if you want to travel quickly.

Logistics

• Leaving the city - if you plan to go to far flung places or small towns, it's often good to budget an entire day just being on the road.
• If you want to optimise for flexibility, maybe something like eurail or interrail would be useful.
• The sweet spot for couchsurfing is to ask about 1 week or so before arrival. You could try 1-2 days before, but it is hard for hosts to plan around that.
• For plane tickets, try to buy them at least a month in advance, or 1-2 weeks at most. It gets expensive after that.
• Carrying a simple backpack saves a lot of time instead of having a luggage. Try to pack as light as you can.
• Expect delays especially on trains and planes, so try not to have connections close together.

Specific SIM card tips (for Singapore-based people)

I've been eyeing Zero1 - it seems promising wtih many packages that are pretty cheap. And, their normal plan for local sim card looks good too.