// SINGAPORE
// ESSENTIALS
Singapore SINGAPORE
MacRichie Reservoir Park
Adam Road Hawker Centre
Tekka Centre
SINGAPORE
Maxwell Food Centre
Sentosa Island
Tiong Bahru Market
Fishball Story
Old Airport Road Food Centre
Tai Hwa Eating House
Lau Pa Sat Amoy Street Food Centre
85 Fengshan Market and Food Centre
Singapore Strait
2 miles
When to go : Singapore is perennially hot and humid , making it the ideal year-round destination . Note that most stores close during the first two days of the Lunar New Year ( February 1-15 , 2022 ). Currency : Singapore dollar .
US $ 1 = S $ 1.35 . Language : There are four official
languages in Singapore : English , Mandarin , Malay and Tamil . However , English is most widely spoken . You ’ ll also do well to learn a few words of Singlish ( an English-based creole language ) before visiting a hawker center — for instance , “ dabao ” is commonly used to order a takeaway . Getting around : Singapore is a small
city with an excellent public transport system , so you can easily hop on the MRT ( Mass Rapid Transit ) or take a bus to your destination . Taxis are plentiful as are rideshares ( try Grab or GoJek ).
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Experience the culinary culture of this city with a recommended tour . Itineraries such as Sita Tours ’ five-day Singapore in Style is a great way to see all it has to offer . Departures available throughout 2022 .
half of our dad ’ s regulars , who thought we ‘ looked too young , don ’ t look like they know how to make a decent cup of kopi ’,” she explains . “ There is the preconceived notion that the Singaporean hawker must be old and bent over , because the trade is associated with experience that can only be gained over a few decades .”
Age-related misconceptions notwithstanding , the Covid-19 pandemic has — unsurprisingly — taken its toll on hawkers young and old . Over the past few months , stringent lockdowns and dining restrictions have caused business to plummet by as much as 50 % at several
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Tekka Centre Market in Little India
venues . As a result , some hawkers have had to cut back on their personal expenses to stay afloat , while others have been forced to close their stalls entirely . Recently , the popular Chinatown Food Street shuttered for good after 20 years due to a lack of customers .
Despite these challenges , Ng is optimistic that hawkers will continue being an integral feature of Singapore ’ s culinary landscape . “ In Singapore , we have a strong heritage when it comes to food culture . Of course we will bounce back ,” he declares . “ After all , who can imagine Singapore without any hawker centers ?” image : alamy . MAP ILLUSTRATION : JOHN PLUMER
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