For Night Owls Only
Are you and your friends night owls but not exactly party animals? Here’s a list of fun things you can do together after the sun goes down.
By Saw Su Hui
SEE
Stargaze at the Science Centre Observatory (SCOB)
Watch the stars together at the Science Centre Observatory (SCOB) for free! The SCOB is open every Friday night from January to mid-November (except public holidays) from 7.45pm to 10pm, and yes, it costs nothing to enter the observatory. Throughout the year, you’ll be able to see at least one of the four brightest planets: Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.
Into astrology? Try spotting your star signs; they are normally visible in the night sky six to eight months after the horoscope date.
If the group wants to geek out, you can attend astronomy talks at the Science Centre: there is usually a basic astronomy talk every second Friday of the month.
Watch a marvellous light and water show at Marina Bay Sands
Spectra is Marina Bay Sands’ new (and free – yay!) light and water show held daily at 8pm and 9pm. It’s an outdoor extravaganza displayed over the water at Event Plaza, lasting 25 minutes and shown as a four-part story featuring a series of choreographed fountains and mist effects in perfect sync with an orchestral soundtrack. Arrive at the Event Plaza (along the first floor of The Shoppes at MBS) early to get good seats before the throngs of locals and tourists descend here.
EAT
Indulge at OverEasy
Heavily inspired by the classic American diners of the 1960s and 1970s, OverEasy offers comfort food such as waffles, mac and cheese, and baby back ribs. There are two outlets in Singapore, and both close late, around 1am, so this is the perfect late-night dinner (or supper) destination. Don’t miss popular dishes such as the Truffle Burger, which comes with a wagyu beef patty, Swiss cheese, mushrooms, and truffle mayo, and be sure to order their decadent Oreo milkshake.
Wondering which outlet to hit up? The one along Fullerton Road offers a magnificent 360 view of the bay area, while the restaurant at Orchard wins points for being centrally located.
Kick back at Cuscaden Patio Café and Pub
Cuscaden is a homely, no-frills bar that sits within Ming Arcade along Orchard Road. While affordable beer is the major USP here (prices start from as low as $5.90 for a mug), the absolute must-have are the delectable chicken wings – crispy skin, seasoning that’s on-point, and juicy meat… mmm. The wait can be rather long as this is an extremely popular order, but trust us when we say it’s worth the wait. Cuscadan is closed on Sundays but is open till about 1am from Monday to Saturday.
PLAY
Try cosmic bowling at K Bowling Club
Neon lights and heavy beats – that’s what you get when you go cosmic bowling at K Bowling Club. The place is open till about 4am on most days and prices are pretty wallet-friendly, starting from $12 per game. If cosmic bowling is not your thing, K Bowling Club also has facilities for other fun stuff, including dart machines, karaoke booths, and an arcade.
DO
Prawn at ORTO
One of the largest prawning facilities in Singapore, ORTO has 10 different ponds for you to snag your own prawns, with prices starting from $20 per hour. It’s open 24 hours daily and even features electric grills – which you can fire up and use at no extra cost – to grill the prawns you and your friends catch. Want more than just grilled prawns? Head to the food outlets in the vicinity. Generally, most open late, with a couple of bars and bistros serving customers till 3am.
Hunt for the weird and the wonderful at Mustafa
Mustafa is one of the biggest shopping destinations in Singapore, and the best part – it’s open 24/7. From vinyl records to electronics and fashion accessories, products here are priced quite low, making this a perfect place for budget shopping. If you and your friends are huge foodies and love grocery shopping, look out for interesting items such as candy-flavoured milkshakes and bottled kaya with unique flavours such as calamansi and sea salt caramel.
Explore Don Don Donki at Orchard Central
Also open 24/7, discount Japanese supermarket Don Don Donki at Orchard Central stocks made- and designed-in-Japan products including cosmetics, novelty costumes and special snacks and drinks you might not be able to find elsewhere in Singapore, like salty squid-flavoured sodas and cod cheese sticks. While you’re here, don’t forget to check out the wide selection of cup noodles.
Pro tip: Look through the items in the metal bins – whatever is in there tends to be heavily discounted.
Go night cycling
The North Eastern Riverine Loop is good for friends looking for a night cycling route that’s long but not tough to complete. It’s about 26km and would take you two to three hours to complete. You’ll cycle from Punggol Park through the heartlands of Buangkok and Sengkang, passing sites such as Punggol Waterfront and Punggol Promenade Riverside Walk – the latter is lit up at night and absolutely gorgeous so you might want to take your camera along for this ride.
Hike after dark
Enjoy the cool of the night with a night hike. Pandan Reservoir is a good option as the place is normally too hot during the day as there’s hardly any shade. The circumference of the reservoir is about 6 to 7km, so it should take about an hour to complete your walk. To round off your hike, head to nearby Jurong Fishery Port at about 1am to experience the hustle and bustle of the wholesale fishery port during peak hour. You will need to exchange your passport or IC (no driving licence or other ID) for a security pass at the port, so remember to bring either one along.
Another alternative activity is to combine exercise and food in one date and go for a fun food hike from Geylang to Marina Barrage. The entire walk from Geylang to Marina Barrage (via the National Stadium and Gardens by the Bay) covers about 6 to 7km, which will take about two hours, not counting eating time, so plan accordingly. Here are some great places to chow down along the route: 126 Dim Sum, Eminent Frog Porridge, Yong He Eating House, Golden Mile Food Centre, and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles.