I’ve lived in Singapore for almost 9 years now, and although when I first moved here I didn’t really expect to stay this long, I now am proud to call it home. Everyone hears that Singapore is clean, modern, safe, and has lots of good food, but I thought it would be fun to share this list of lesser-known things that make me love living here.
1. The Nature
This first item may come as a surprise since Singapore is a giant city on a small island with very few natural resources. And while it is true you can’t drive for days through the wilderness, what Singapore has done with what’s available is amazing. There are fantastic parks and trails spread across the island, and you are never too far from somewhere you can go and breathe in some fresh air and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. I’ve been lucky enough to live near one of the biggest parks, Bukit Timah Hill for the past 3 years, and I love walking through the jungle as much as possible. After walking 10 minutes you feel like you could easily be on a sparsely populated island without any people for miles.
2. Ease of walking
Singapore is known for its convenient public transport, which is truly amazing. But it is also fantastic that as they have built up the infrastructure they have kept it safe and easy for pedestrians to get around the city. There are sheltered walkways almost everywhere, so you can stay dry in the frequent tropical storms, and overhead bridges mean that crossing roadways is safer and keeps traffic moving. The sidewalks are also in great shape without holes and broken pavement or tree roots sticking out which are common in other big cities. Another great feature is the underground connectors in busy areas like Orchard and City Hall, you can walk for several blocks and come out in a different mall without ever going above ground.
3. Heartland neighborhoods
For all the modern skyscrapers and cool architecture (like MBS and Esplanade) in the CBD, you can really get to know Singapore and the locals in the “suburbs” what they call they the Heartlands here. From the small coffeeshops with uncles sipping their kopi, laundry hanging on poles, cats and chickens wandering around, small mom-and-pop stores where neighborhood kids go to buy Milo and Pokka tea after school, to the aunties pushing their small carts full of groceries from the wet market; this is the closest I’ll ever get to the old “kampongs” and how Singaporeans grew up in the 70’s and 80’s. If you live downtown and only venture out to go to Pulau Ubin or the Zoo, you’ll be missing a lot of the “real” Singapore.
4. Preserved buildings
I love the shophouse aesthetic and the fact that Sinagpore has kept this style of building throughout the city. Originally these were built as shops where the family could run their business on the ground floor, and have their living quarters above. But now there are many that are fully for commercial use with things like gyms, restaurants and bars, preschools, hairdressers and all kinds of other businesses on the upper floors. There are plenty of cities around the world with preserved architecture and monuments, but what I really like is that these buildings are still being used and are part of the living fabric of the city, not just closed off to look at.
5. Local’s dedication to fitness
One of the first things I noticed after moving to Singapore was how busy the streets and parks are in the evenings with people jogging, walking, cycling and other forms of exercise. All the parks have gym equipment built in that is mostly for older people to do simple exercises, but you’ll see plenty of young people using the equipment for pushups, pullups, and ab workouts as well. There are also a very high number of gyms per capita here compared to what I was used to, and the gyms are usually super nice with showers, towel service and all kinds of other amenities. There is also a huge range of price points to fit everyone’s budget, from the almost free government-sponsored gyms to high-end personal training boutiques that cost a couple of hundred dollars per session. You can really see how much Singaporeans care about fitness when you walk around, with almost everyone looking healthy and fit.
6. Singaporean pride
This is a bit of a funny one coming from an American. But I feel that Singaporean pride is very different than the nationalism of some other countries. And Singaporeans certainly deserve to be proud of the country’s success and what they have built in the last 60 or so years. I think the pride here is less toxic than in other countries because there are no delusions of world domination or racial/cultural superiority. Singapore has been pragmatic and made with the guidance of its leaders, especially Lee Kwan Yew, has made a place for itself in the global order where they are punching far above their weight. Sure there are some issues with xenophobia like in all countries, but for the most part the Singaporeans I’ve seen have a healthy pride for their country, and rightly so.
7. Friendliness
Some people may disagree with me on this point. Singapore is not known for being a friendly country like Thailand, and it is a common trope that people don’t talk to each other in elevators or on the street like in some Western countries. However, I have found people to be more friendly than expected, and also happy to help if you ask. I grew up in Washington State, which is known for the “Seattle Freeze”, where people are friendly to your face, but don’t ever really let you into a deep friendship. I don’t feel there is any of that here, and although it can sometimes be difficult because Singaporeans have so many friends from different phases and areas of their lives. I have made lots of great friendships, and when people say they want to hang out, they actually follow through with it!
8. Worldliness of locals
This is a huge contrast from growing up in the US where many people don’t even have their passports, or if they do have only gone to Mexico. Singaporeans are extremely well-traveled and knowledgeable about the world in general. I have lots of friends who have done really cool trips like hiking in the Alps or Hindu Kush, road-tripping around Australia, or visiting many of the American national parks. That’s in addition to the standard sightseeing, eating and shopping trips to nearby locales like Thailand, Korea, and Japan. This makes a big difference in everyday life, the kinds of conversations you have with friends, and makes for a more well-rounded and open-minded society.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of surprising things I love about living in Singapore! Of course, all the things Singapore is well-known for are amazing too, especially the food. But it is small things like these that have made me settle down here and look forward to raising my daughter in this amazing country.