Singapore has been a fantastic start to our trip - it’s clean, dishes up some great food and is a very safe place to explore. There are some things we were thankful we knew from the start - the laws are very strict here (a gulp of water on public transport can get you a $500 fine) and that it can be very expensive.

Thanks to a close friend who's been a local in this part of the world for around 9 weeks, she’s helped us keep to a small budget without compromising what we wanted to see in Singapore. Here’s a few of her tips:

Buy a Travelcard

It’s reassuring to hear that the public transport in Singapore is regular, reliable and cheap. It can cost you as little as 80c for a long journey around the city. As it’s best to hop on and off trains and buses (taking advantage of that deliciously cool AC as you go), you’ll best need a Travel Card. Our travel cards cost $12 and there was $7 already loaded to get us around the city. You’ll need to top up every couple of days. We got our EZ Link cards from an MRT Station.

Stay Connected with a Local Sim Card

Let’s be honest with ourselves, could we rely on our own sense of direction to get from A - B? Probably, but it would take us a hell of a lot longer than it needed to be. For a worry free day, we bought a local sim card (Singtel) for data to use on the go. We honestly thought that there would be more free WiFi points than there were so this is the best solution if you like using Google Maps to get around.

Grab Authentic Singaporean Food from the Hawker Centres

Wandering around the main touristy parts of Singapore will have it’s costs, so save money on where you dine. Our friend showed us many amazing local pop up/street food places called Hawker Centres. Here you can sample what the locals like to have for dinner and pay around $3 for an evening meal. If you’re concerned about the quality, you’ll soon be taken back with the food that gets served up. There’s even one street food vender in Singapore that’s been awarded a Michelin Star for its food (we actually found this on and it’s in Chinatown)!

If you want a drink, get it at the Airport

Alcohol is extremely expensive in Singapore, so prepare for a monster of a bill if you’re at any of the bars. As we’re staying with a friend at her student flat the odd pre-drink is bound to happen. The airport’s duty free (after you exit Passport Control and Immigration) has lots of cheaper options. You’ll then just need to buy your mixer at a very cheap cost. We bought a 1lr Gordon’s Gin for $16.

Spend the Day on Foot

Before you get sucked into the amazing hotels, the ferry boats to nearby islands or even a cable car ride, make sure to explore Singapore on foot. We discovered so many awesome walks through bustling streets and open parks so close to where we were staying - all of these are free to do! Our favourites have been the Chinese Gardens where we saw hundreds of Bonsai Trees and a couple of fancy Pagodas.


Another great walking route was the Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay. You may think you have to pay up to see these sorts of places as they are in a major tourist location but if you’re happy not to venture inside, there’s no need to pay. Personally we thought we saw enough by simply wandering around!

Turtle and Tortoise Museum at Chinese Gardens

Packing for a 3 months trip isn’t an easy task, especially when you’ve got to plan for a number of different occasions, activities and, not to mention, climates! The most important thing is to travel light. The way to travel light is to incorporate key practical items into a capsule wardrobe. Here you can get the best of both worlds - wear your favourites without compromising comfort or warmth. I’ve been stocking up on some useful travel must buy items over the past few months ready to use when we go. Here are my very useful travel must buys.

A Warm Packaway Coat

We’ve decided to start our trip in the Southern Hemisphere and finish off in the much chillier Northern Hemisphere. Although this works well for our flight plan, it does mean that we need to save precious space in our bags for our winter wardrobe. To not compromise on space and lug around dead weight, I’ve been on the lookout for a super lightweight, pack down winter coat. Now, there’s quite a lot of puffer jackets on the market but I came across an absolute bargain in Decathlon. It’s super lightweight, warm & snuggly but most importantly it packs down into a teeny tiny bag.

Lightweight Trainers

As much as I adore little pretty sandals, my poor (flat) feet just can’t handle spending all day walking without much support. I need to arm myself with a pair of trainers so I can use my feet supports. If anyone knows me, typically you don’t see me in trainers - unless I’m on a fitness spree. So finding a pair of trainers that tick the boring practical box - i.e. I can squeeze in my fuddy-duddy insoles and I can wear trainers for walking (hopefully running) as well as fit in with my general style. After exhausting all my internet searching and getting involved in some serious eBay bidding wars, my lovely work pal let me into a little (probably the worst-kept) secret. Junior trainers go up to to a size 5/ size 5.5 and the best part is that there’s no tax! I got this lovely pair of New Balances from JD for a steal at £35!

Silk Sleeping Bag Liner

We plan to stay in plenty of hostels when we’re away. They’re affordable, filled with interesting people and can quite easily point you in the right direction when it comes to seeing the best sides of the city you’re in. The downside is the sleeping arrangements can be a little of the basic side. To help make a night’s sleep cosy and clean, I’ve been recommended a silk liner. It’s like a super thin sleeping bag that can be the clean layer between you and the chewing gum grey sheets. It’s also great on its own as a duvet when you’re stuck in a campervan in 35-degree heat. Rich bought two from eBay for about £15.

A Big Cotton Scarf

You may be thinking to yourself, how can a scarf be one of the most useful pieces of kit? Well, it can be used for so many different things. It can be a sarong, a headscarf, a towel, a kaftan or even a bag.Take it on the plane, cwtch up to it and then wear it. I’ve chosen a leopard print styled River Island scarf that I was given as a gift a couple years back. I chose this patterned scarf as it’s quite big in size so will be perfect for a beach towel or sarong.

Camera Bits

So many travellers would agree that camera equipment is an absolute must when it comes to documenting a big trip. Technology is leaps and bounds from the little digital camera you used to take with you on a night out. Now you can get a powerful little camera that fits in the palm of your hand. Let’s all admit it, we spend hours on YouTube watching GoPro travel videos and wishing you can create something of a similar level. Now with trusty little gadgets, you’re halfway there. We’ve got our hands on a Gimbal to help make GoPro footage smoother and more professional looking. It’s easy to use and can easily fit in your hand luggage.

There are so many other GoPro kits you can get. We bought a bag of Gopro bits that included a water buoy, chest piece and self-stick. If you’re planning to get the immersive effect, then kits like this can cost less than £20. Pick, pack and experiment for a fraction of the cost.



Now that I’ve got together these key must-buys that will make any around the world trip that little bit easier. Fingers crossed these must-buys do help more than hinder. We shall see as there are only 8 days to go!