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  Today Online 10 Aug 07
Nowhere to go? Here are some fun places in Singapore — for below $25

"I regret asking for a long National Day weekend," my friend remarked. "Flights are fully booked so I'm condemned to staying put in Singapore. There's nothing to do. Even if you can find something, it's so expensive."

Oh no, not the old Singapore-is-dull comment again.

Just yesterday, a taxi driver joked: "Singapore has happening places. They're called Johor Baru and Batam."

Every time I tell people I'm not working, they inevitably comment: "Don't you get bored?" Frankly, no.

The island may only be about 700sq km but there's always something to do.

All it takes is a little imagination. I love planning little expeditions. And, seeing that my income is practically non-existent, all my trips cost less than $25 per person.

In honour of the little red dot's birthday this week, here's a list of Budget Tai Tai Weekenders for the financially-challenged.

Go green at Sembawang Park

Take along a kite or fishing rod for a fun day at this 15ha park with a jetty, a charming old pier and lots of open spaces. Despite having one of Singapore's last natural beaches, the place is less crowded than East Coast Park so you won't keep tripping over people. The highlight of the trip is a meal at Beaulieu House. The former British admiral's home looks impressive but the prices here there are comparable to any coffee-shop's. On the way home, take a detour to ogle the black-and-white bungalows along Queen's Avenue.

Shop at China square flea market

This is my favourite Sunday activity. I usually lure my husband here with the promise of a cheap breakfast at Ricciotti, along Nankin Row. There are actually two flea markets — an air-conditioned one at China Square Central and an open-air one at Far East Square. Both are great for antiques, jewellery, clothes and all things kitsch. If you're all shopped out, re-energise with a Milo Dinosaur at Mr Teh Tarik Cartel at Far East Square then visit the Fuk Tak Chi museum where admission is free. The glass-cased displays are a bit dusty but the diorama has good details of life on the Singapore shoreline in the 1800s.

Get creative at Bencoolen Street

Or should it be BenCOOLen? This place is seriously hip now. If you're the creative type, you can get raw materials for baking a cake, painting or even assembling your own sound system on this one street. Start at Sim Lim Tower (this usually keeps my gadget-crazy hubby happy), move on to Phoon Huat for every imaginable baking ingredient and have a nostalgic lunch at Fong Seng Nasi Lemak (a branch of the famous eatery near the National University of Singapore). If you're feeling arty, pop into the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts galleries or take a short walk to Sculpture Square on Middle Road. Entry is free.

Chill out at Changi Village

You can do this only on Saturdays as some of the shops will not be open on Sundays. Go in the morning for a full-on session of charity shopping at the Salvation Army Family Thrift Store. When hunger strikes, cross the road to Jacob's Café, famous for its chatty staff and flavourful Hainanese mutton stew. Then go for a stroll down the Changi Boardwalk for a breath of fresh sea breeze. If you're feeling sick of city life, Pulau Ubin is just a $2 bumboat ride away. Catch a ride from the Changi Point Ferry Terminal behind the bus terminal.

Books galore at Bras Basah Road

If you're a bookworm, then this is the trip for you. Start at the National Library. The fiction collection in the basement is impressive but to make it a real event, take the glass lift to the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library on the 11th floor, where the view is amazing. If you've already borrowed to your limit, pop over to Evernew bookshop on the corner of Bras Basah Complex, where almost all the books are $1 each. If you're looking for more obscure reading, head to Bookpoint on the third floor. On Saturdays, settle in for a long read at Miss Clarity Café on Purvis Street.

Catch a movie at Chinatown

No, not the well-known People's Park area but the Outram Park MRT end. Begin with a bowl of springy Sarawak kolo mee at Jia Xiang along New Bridge Road. Then check out the cheap clothes at one of the largest This Fashion shops in Singapore. For the finale, go for an "art" movie at the Yangtze in Pearl's Centre. Choose a seat somewhere in the middle if you don't want to be disturbed by experienced uncles walking in just before the sexy scenes start and leaving when the clothes come on again.

Tabitha Wang will be exploring Punggol over this National Day weekend, just to find out if it's really as boring as everyone says it is.
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