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SINGAPORE: Nightlife in Singapore has changed. Late nights out at Boat Quay and packed dance floors may no longer be what defines unwinding for many people.
The night crowd begins to thin earlier, things are a bit more subdued, and fewer people seem keen on heading out just to party. But that does not mean the island goes quiet.
Along coastlines and in the heartlands, there are plenty of night activities for those in search of something beyond a club or cocktail bar.
Some people are gathering in more intimate settings and some of them even in an empty field, OLI 968 deejay Ravi Guna discovers in the On The Red Dot series, Walk on the WOW Side.
WATCH: Exploring Singapore’s coastal waters at night (22:30)
Here are seven ways to experience Singapore differently after the sun goes down:
In northeastern Singapore, Pasir Ris Park comes alive at dusk when the tide recedes far enough. A few days each month, education enrichment group Young Nautilus conducts guided intertidal walks along the shore.
Participants can spot creatures ranging from seahorses to sea stars in tide pools and seagrass patches. They also learn interesting facts along the way; for example, horseshoe crabs have remained largely unchanged since the age of dinosaurs.
More of Singapore’s biodiversity can be discovered around Pasir Ris after dark. Kayak operator Fever.sg runs tours in coastal waters, with LED strip lights fitted to each pedal kayak to illuminate the surface without disturbing wildlife.
The glow can attract fish, including needlefish that occasionally leap into the boats. Paddling past mangroves and coastal installations, kayakers may even spot clusters of Asian green mussels clinging to floating barrels or monitor lizards resting among the trees.
Kayakers on a night tour in Singapore’s coastal waters.
For a good seafood deal, there is the Jurong Fishery Port. It houses Singapore’s only seafood wholesale market, with 130 stalls and measuring 10,000 square metres.
It operates 24 hours a day, but the busiest period begins after midnight, when fresh stock arrives from across the globe, as far as the Arctic and Antarctica. Cod steak, salmon fillet and live prawns are among the nightly hauls.
Buyers typically purchase in bulk, in which case prices are 10 to 25 per cent cheaper than in supermarkets, said Lian Huat Seafood administrative executive Lek Keng Hang. Some stallholders, including Lian Huat, also livestream their products for online customers.
Buyers can even take their purchase to a cookshack at the port and have it cooked on the spot.
Ravi with his “purchase”, which he earned after a livestream challenge with Max Kee (right) of Lian Huat Seafood.
Collecting a 1.2kg crab worth S$45.60, Ravi was charged S$14 to turn it into a sizzling plate of black pepper crab — a 2am supper straight from market to table.
For a chill night out, how about a trivia session? Glorious Trivia Nights, founded by Cayenne Chin in 2017, is now a fixture at several pubs across the island, including The Autobus at Raffles Place.
The concept can be traced back to British pubs, where quizzes were used to draw midweek crowds.
Sessions are typically themed and ticketed. They may focus on pop culture, current affairs and history or take a page from the American game show, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?
The winning team in the night’s trivia quiz.
Chin tailors the questions for a more Asian audience by, for example, weaving in regional geography.
“I do see a shift because when I first started, (there were) a lot more expats,” she said. “Now it’s 50 per cent expats, 50 per cent Singaporeans.”
Participants come to these events to challenge themselves and compete for prizes, with the questions often sparking lively conversation at each table.
If dancing is your thing, then Sentosa Sensoryscape’s Glow Garden may be just the thing. It transforms into a free K-pop Random Play Dance party every third Saturday of the month, typically from 8.30pm to 10.30pm.
The format first emerged in various cities about a year before the pandemic. Songs are played at random, and participants who know the choreography rush to the middle to dance; those on the sidelines wait for a song they recognise.
WATCH: The Singapore night scene you never knew (22:20)
Dancers can range from children to middle-aged people. “They don’t know each other. It’s really random,” said Sentosa Development Corporation events and programming executive Clara Wern, a K-pop fan herself. “They’ll just come over here to dance together as a community.”
It is the only place where large groups can gather to dance without additional permits.
Initiated as part of Sentosa’s night programme, and organised in collaboration with Seoul Searching SG, the event has seen attendances grow from about 50 dancers to as many as 600 people watching and performing.
A different kind of community has formed at Ark Bloc, billed as Singapore’s largest open-air gym and one of the few equipped for strongman training.
Ark Bloc used to be a futsal court.
The strongman sport is centred on lifting, carrying or pulling unconventional heavy objects such as tyres and trucks. The first World’s Strongest Man competition was held in the United States in 1977, with Singapore hosting its first event in 2005.
Ark Bloc’s open-air setup in Punggol was intentional as chalk, an “essential tool” for strength sports, is often restricted in indoor gyms, said manager Amirul Mukminin. As it is cooler at night, many of its members prefer training then.
Athletes here flip 200kg tyres, do the Farmer’s Walk with up to 200kg in each hand and attempt the Hercules Hold, whereby they must hold two hinged pillars positioned apart, using chains with handles.
Ark Bloc’s rig for this is the only one of its kind in Singapore, said Amirul.
Ravi attempting the Hercules Hold, using the rig built by Ark Bloc.
Without a formal governing body, the local strongman community relies on sharing their experience. Members also go overseas together for competitions.
Besides these competitors, Ark Bloc also caters for those interested in powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, bouldering, CrossFit and Hyrox workouts — a veritable hub for fitness enthusiasts.
Some kite enthusiasts, meanwhile, are lighting up the night sky. Instead of using string and wind — and roasting under the sun — they are operating radio-controlled LED kites that shimmer and swoop in the cool of the evening.
The hobby has been around since 2002, with LED kite displays featuring at events like the National Day Parade 2007. The group gathers about once a month, turning a field in Upper Thomson Road into a venue for a light show.
LED kites in the form of manta rays taking to the skies.
A basic LED kite set costs about S$380, while more advanced models can go for as much as S$700, said Darren Suan from the LED Kite Sky Dancers.
As the kites are powered by a propeller and work by remote control, drone regulations apply.
Finally, if you feel peckish, On The Red Dot viewers have some suggestions beyond the usual supper choices.
You will find, for example, one of Singapore’s most diverse selections of snacks at the 24-hour, six-storey shopping complex, Mustafa Centre, in Little India.
Its aisles are packed with regional treats, such as seblak ramen with keropok — an Indonesian instant noodle known for its spicy broth — roasted flavoured makhana (lotus seeds) from India and freeze-dried durian sticky rice from Thailand.
WATCH: I try your supper suggestions across Singapore — Mustafa, Thai kway chap, rosti (22:47)
In Tampines, home-based business Hippopotato offers rosti for pickup until 11pm. Rosti is a Swiss dish of grated potatoes pan-fried until golden, like a pancake.
Founder James Wong learnt his craft at Swiss chain restaurant Marche Movenpick and now serves both classic and locally inspired versions such as salted egg chicken rosti.
In Serangoon, Joji’s Diner operates 24/7, serving American diner staples such as chicken and waffles for those craving breakfast fare at unconventional hours.
Over in Kovan, Yaowarat Thai Kway Chap serves Thai-style kway chap, which features a lighter, clear and peppery broth with curled rice noodles, unlike the local soy-based version with slightly thicker noodles.
A bowl of Yaowarat Thai Kway Chap’s signature dish.
Diners often liken the broth to bak kut teh soup, a peppery pork rib soup popular in Singapore and Malaysia.
Co-founder Angie Ng, who spent six years in Thailand and learnt the recipe from her Thai relatives, keeps the eatery open until 3am daily.
“I found this Thai kway chap familiar but (also) so much different. … I wanted to share this very unique flavour in Singapore,” she said. “This soup is simple, warm, and it’s a comfort food. … It’s very suitable for everyone.”
Watch the On The Red Dot series Walk On The WOW Side here. The programme airs on Channel 5 every Friday at 9.30pm.
Source: CNA/dp
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FAST
SINGAPORE: Nightlife in Singapore has changed. Late nights out at Boat Quay and packed dance floors may no longer be what defines unwinding for many people.
The night crowd begins to thin earlier, things are a bit more subdued, and fewer people seem keen on heading out just to party. But that does not mean the island goes quiet.
Along coastlines and in the heartlands, there are plenty of night activities for those in search of something beyond a club or cocktail bar.
Some people are gathering in more intimate settings and some of them even in an empty field, OLI 968 deejay Ravi Guna discovers in the On The Red Dot series, Walk on the WOW Side.
WATCH: Exploring Singapore’s coastal waters at night (22:30)
Here are seven ways to experience Singapore differently after the sun goes down:
1. SPOT WILDLIFE ON FOOT OR BY KAYAK
In northeastern Singapore, Pasir Ris Park comes alive at dusk when the tide recedes far enough. A few days each month, education enrichment group Young Nautilus conducts guided intertidal walks along the shore.
Participants can spot creatures ranging from seahorses to sea stars in tide pools and seagrass patches. They also learn interesting facts along the way; for example, horseshoe crabs have remained largely unchanged since the age of dinosaurs.
More of Singapore’s biodiversity can be discovered around Pasir Ris after dark. Kayak operator Fever.sg runs tours in coastal waters, with LED strip lights fitted to each pedal kayak to illuminate the surface without disturbing wildlife.
The glow can attract fish, including needlefish that occasionally leap into the boats. Paddling past mangroves and coastal installations, kayakers may even spot clusters of Asian green mussels clinging to floating barrels or monitor lizards resting among the trees.
Kayakers on a night tour in Singapore’s coastal waters.
2. HUNT FOR CHEAP, FRESH SEAFOOD
For a good seafood deal, there is the Jurong Fishery Port. It houses Singapore’s only seafood wholesale market, with 130 stalls and measuring 10,000 square metres.
It operates 24 hours a day, but the busiest period begins after midnight, when fresh stock arrives from across the globe, as far as the Arctic and Antarctica. Cod steak, salmon fillet and live prawns are among the nightly hauls.
Buyers typically purchase in bulk, in which case prices are 10 to 25 per cent cheaper than in supermarkets, said Lian Huat Seafood administrative executive Lek Keng Hang. Some stallholders, including Lian Huat, also livestream their products for online customers.
Buyers can even take their purchase to a cookshack at the port and have it cooked on the spot.
Ravi with his “purchase”, which he earned after a livestream challenge with Max Kee (right) of Lian Huat Seafood.
Collecting a 1.2kg crab worth S$45.60, Ravi was charged S$14 to turn it into a sizzling plate of black pepper crab — a 2am supper straight from market to table.
3. JOIN A PUB TRIVIA GAME
For a chill night out, how about a trivia session? Glorious Trivia Nights, founded by Cayenne Chin in 2017, is now a fixture at several pubs across the island, including The Autobus at Raffles Place.
The concept can be traced back to British pubs, where quizzes were used to draw midweek crowds.
Sessions are typically themed and ticketed. They may focus on pop culture, current affairs and history or take a page from the American game show, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?
The winning team in the night’s trivia quiz.
Chin tailors the questions for a more Asian audience by, for example, weaving in regional geography.
“I do see a shift because when I first started, (there were) a lot more expats,” she said. “Now it’s 50 per cent expats, 50 per cent Singaporeans.”
Participants come to these events to challenge themselves and compete for prizes, with the questions often sparking lively conversation at each table.
4. DANCE TO K-POP OUTDOORS
If dancing is your thing, then Sentosa Sensoryscape’s Glow Garden may be just the thing. It transforms into a free K-pop Random Play Dance party every third Saturday of the month, typically from 8.30pm to 10.30pm.
The format first emerged in various cities about a year before the pandemic. Songs are played at random, and participants who know the choreography rush to the middle to dance; those on the sidelines wait for a song they recognise.
WATCH: The Singapore night scene you never knew (22:20)
Dancers can range from children to middle-aged people. “They don’t know each other. It’s really random,” said Sentosa Development Corporation events and programming executive Clara Wern, a K-pop fan herself. “They’ll just come over here to dance together as a community.”
It is the only place where large groups can gather to dance without additional permits.
Initiated as part of Sentosa’s night programme, and organised in collaboration with Seoul Searching SG, the event has seen attendances grow from about 50 dancers to as many as 600 people watching and performing.
5. TRAIN LIKE A STRONGMAN
A different kind of community has formed at Ark Bloc, billed as Singapore’s largest open-air gym and one of the few equipped for strongman training.
Ark Bloc used to be a futsal court.
The strongman sport is centred on lifting, carrying or pulling unconventional heavy objects such as tyres and trucks. The first World’s Strongest Man competition was held in the United States in 1977, with Singapore hosting its first event in 2005.
Ark Bloc’s open-air setup in Punggol was intentional as chalk, an “essential tool” for strength sports, is often restricted in indoor gyms, said manager Amirul Mukminin. As it is cooler at night, many of its members prefer training then.
Athletes here flip 200kg tyres, do the Farmer’s Walk with up to 200kg in each hand and attempt the Hercules Hold, whereby they must hold two hinged pillars positioned apart, using chains with handles.
Ark Bloc’s rig for this is the only one of its kind in Singapore, said Amirul.
Ravi attempting the Hercules Hold, using the rig built by Ark Bloc.
Without a formal governing body, the local strongman community relies on sharing their experience. Members also go overseas together for competitions.
Besides these competitors, Ark Bloc also caters for those interested in powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, bouldering, CrossFit and Hyrox workouts — a veritable hub for fitness enthusiasts.
6. FLY A KITE AND LIGHT UP THE SKY
Some kite enthusiasts, meanwhile, are lighting up the night sky. Instead of using string and wind — and roasting under the sun — they are operating radio-controlled LED kites that shimmer and swoop in the cool of the evening.
The hobby has been around since 2002, with LED kite displays featuring at events like the National Day Parade 2007. The group gathers about once a month, turning a field in Upper Thomson Road into a venue for a light show.
LED kites in the form of manta rays taking to the skies.
A basic LED kite set costs about S$380, while more advanced models can go for as much as S$700, said Darren Suan from the LED Kite Sky Dancers.
As the kites are powered by a propeller and work by remote control, drone regulations apply.
7. HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF SUPPER
Finally, if you feel peckish, On The Red Dot viewers have some suggestions beyond the usual supper choices.
You will find, for example, one of Singapore’s most diverse selections of snacks at the 24-hour, six-storey shopping complex, Mustafa Centre, in Little India.
Its aisles are packed with regional treats, such as seblak ramen with keropok — an Indonesian instant noodle known for its spicy broth — roasted flavoured makhana (lotus seeds) from India and freeze-dried durian sticky rice from Thailand.
WATCH: I try your supper suggestions across Singapore — Mustafa, Thai kway chap, rosti (22:47)
In Tampines, home-based business Hippopotato offers rosti for pickup until 11pm. Rosti is a Swiss dish of grated potatoes pan-fried until golden, like a pancake.
Founder James Wong learnt his craft at Swiss chain restaurant Marche Movenpick and now serves both classic and locally inspired versions such as salted egg chicken rosti.
In Serangoon, Joji’s Diner operates 24/7, serving American diner staples such as chicken and waffles for those craving breakfast fare at unconventional hours.
Over in Kovan, Yaowarat Thai Kway Chap serves Thai-style kway chap, which features a lighter, clear and peppery broth with curled rice noodles, unlike the local soy-based version with slightly thicker noodles.
A bowl of Yaowarat Thai Kway Chap’s signature dish.
Diners often liken the broth to bak kut teh soup, a peppery pork rib soup popular in Singapore and Malaysia.
Co-founder Angie Ng, who spent six years in Thailand and learnt the recipe from her Thai relatives, keeps the eatery open until 3am daily.
“I found this Thai kway chap familiar but (also) so much different. … I wanted to share this very unique flavour in Singapore,” she said. “This soup is simple, warm, and it’s a comfort food. … It’s very suitable for everyone.”
Watch the On The Red Dot series Walk On The WOW Side here. The programme airs on Channel 5 every Friday at 9.30pm.
Source: CNA/dp
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