Sick of clubbing? I-S rounds up
other happening after dark activities that you can indulge in—from
alternative sporting activities to cooler-than-thou KTV-ing to
partaking in a little night game or two. By Andrea
Lin, Zaki Jufri, Shahirah Mohamed
Ansari and Walter Sim
Break Out a
Sweat
Night exercising is not for everyone, but we can’t resist sweating
it out amid soaking in the moonlight and the balmy evening breeze.
Here are some sweat-inducing activities for all you night creatures
who are simply rearing to go.
All Caged Up
Aspire to be the next Ronaldo but have two left feet? Hone your
inner soccer superstar atThe Cage (38
Jln. Benaan Kapal, 6344-9345), a complex of six indoor street
soccer courts that stays open at all hours of the day, before you
graduate to a full-sized field. Practice your signature moves under
the shroud of night, away from the condescending eyes of more
experienced players. Better yet, tackle embarrassment by taking
comfort in numbers: Round up a group of like-minded greenhorns and
flounder along as a team. For $90 per hour, not only will you get a
heart-pumping cardio workout running after stray balls; the
amateurish antics of your mates on the FIFA- and UEFA-endorsed
artificial turf are sure to keep you in stitches all night.
Go Full
Circle
Imagine the cool wind on your face as you zoom down the road, the
sights passing you by and relatively no one else in sight. Night
cycling is fast becoming one of Singapore’s favourite new pastimes
for insomniacs looking for a dose of nocturnal adventure. For those
without a bike, Terra
Outdoors (#01-3509, 57 Geylang Bahru, 9773-9539)
organizes group night cycling trips to various parts of Singapore.
The distances of the routes can be as short as 20km and as long as
120km, and they’re able to plan routes according to your needs.
Rates are $20 per person exclusive of $12 bike rental.
The Night
Cyclist
We talk to Chow Suet Ling of Terra Outdoors and regular night
cyclist about the thrill of peddling in the dark.
Why
night-cycling?
Because most people have no time to do so in the day. Cooler
weather and lesser traffic are plus points too. It’s not dangerous
as long as you take the necessary precautions such as being visible
(like wearing bright/reflective jerseys and using back blinkers)
and of course, following traffic rules.
What’s the thrill?
Singapore roads are generally well-lit at night. It’s a great
opportunity to see a different side of Singapore when most people
are in bed. It’s like exploring the secret nightlife of Singapore.
And since your sense of sight is reduced, other senses come into
play and you become more aware of the sounds and smell—even the air
is different, and you even get to experience the mist
sometimes.
Where are some of the best places to cycle to at
night?
Changi Coastal Road for good food, Yishun dam for the good scenery
and Lim Chu Kang for the good company of the undead kind
(laughs).
Walker in
the Dark
If your idea of hiking is ambling around Orchard Road togging
shopping bags during the Great Singapore Sale, then hiking at night
should be a breeze, literally. Those with a sense of adventure and
mystery—eager to pound the mud-caked trails in blackness and
shadows—should check out the many hiking trails and nature walks
like the picturesque 9km long Southern Ridges trail which starts at
Mt. Faber Park and will take you through Telok Blangah Hill Park
and Kent Ridge Park, before ending at West Coast Park. Here, you
can catch a glimpse of natural Singapore by night when the island
transforms into a sea of twinkling white lights and swirling red
tail lights. Night-hikers also shouldn’t miss the amazing Henderson
Waves with its striking undulating wave feature which lights up
daily from 7pm-2am.
Leisurely
Pursuits
Creatures of the night are no longer hard–pressed for choice when
it comes to late night entertainment. From fishing, snooker,
reverse bungy rides to wholesome board games and singing your
hearts out, there’s never a dull moment after the clock strikes
12.
Fishy
Business
There is a certain lure to prawning. It’s not simply patience that
is cultivated, but also the endless monosyllabic chit-chat with
strangers (who become your friends) that keep us sleepless and
coming back. Punggol
Prawning (Marina Country Club, 600 Punggol 17th Ave.,
6310-1012, open 24 hours) provides free BBQ pit services as well as
bait and rod so you can barbeque your catch on the spot. It is
almost like chillin’ at your nearby coffee shop over a late night
Tiger, except with hand-caught food in your stomachs. Rates start
at $14 per hour. Those who live up north, check
out Bottle Tree
Park (81 Lor. Chencharu Yishun, 6759-5771). Other
than prawns, the park carries a wide array of fishes for you to
fish all night long. Rods and baits are provided. Open Sun-Thu,
9-2am, Fri-Sat, 9-3am. Rates start at $14.50 per hour.
Hitting the
Right Notes
If you’ve been living under a rock all this while, Singapore is
abound with karaoke lounges and pubs. So sing your heart out at
cool, upmarket KTVs like Yue (#01-03
Blk. C Clarke Quay, River Valley Rd., 6305-6767)
and Mono (3/F,
St. James Power Station, 3 Sentosa Gateway, 6270-7676), which are a
hit with the trendier set. Seductively clad in red velvety hues,
Yue, located within Lunar—Asian Fusion Bar in Clarke Quay, is a
welcome respite from the cacophony of bars around the area and
those looking for a change of tune. Its resplendent rooms are
decked out in snug armchairs and intimate lighting, and the biggest
of these rooms—CJ8 which can pack in 40 people—even boasts a piano
and a pool table. Room charges are $300-500 for the smallest ones
to $1,500-2,000 for CJ8, St. James’ Mono, on the other hand is all
monochromatic chic and exudes a rather Rocky Horror Picture
Show kind of vibe—just perfect to whip out those skinny
jeans to do your Gene Simmons impersonation. You have to spend a
minimum of $200 (for four persons)-400 (for 10 persons) on weekends
if you want to channel your inner Madonna.
Up to
Speed
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s thrill-seekers chasing a
late-night adrenaline fix at the G-MAX Ultimate
Bungy and GX-5 Xtreme
Swing rides (3E River Valley Rd., 6338-1146. Open
Sun-Thu, till 1am, Fri-Sat, till 2am). Those of you who’ve had your
bar-hopping nights at Clarke Quay punctuated by piercing screams
would have seen the pods filled with people hurtling into the air
at mind-blowing speeds of up to 200km per hour. For a full five
minutes ($45 each ride; $60 for both rides), the gravity-defying
G-MAX will catapult you skyward, while the GX-5 slices through the
sultry Singapore night like a giant pendulum, affording you an
aerial view of the neon-lit Clarke Quay area—that is, if you can
keep your eyes open.
Gamer’s
Paradise
Unleash your latent competitive spirit at Settler’s
Cafe (39 North Canal Rd., 6535-0435. Open Fri-Sat,
till 1:30am), which offers a veritable smorgasbord of games, from
classics like Scrabble and Monopoly, to
newer and quirkier games like Elixir and Cranium.Whether
you’re a group of two ($9 per table per hour) or more ($15 per
table per hour for three to six guests; $2.50 per hour per
additional guest), bond over Taboo andPictionary,
or inject a healthy dose of rivalry into your friendship by
challenging your pals to an intense game of Jenga or Cluedo.
Settler’s Cafe also offers a good array of finger food like chicken
wings, calamari and sandwiches if you aren’t up for full meals but
need an extra spurt of energy to be crowned the
definitive Twister champion.
Night
Games
Need a late-night dosage of Counterstrike,
Dota or Left 4 Dead? Duke
it out with your friends (or even a couple of strangers) in an epic
battle to rule supreme at the following outlets that open till
late. I.R.C (#B1-02
Peninsula Plaza, 111 North Bridge Rd., 6339-9202. Open daily 24
hours) stands out, making it suitable for night owls aching for a
quick RPG fix. With 73 terminals and from $2 an hour, you’re in for
a cheap thrill. Or book a chamber at Cathay
E2Max (9/F, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Rd.,
6235-9249. Open Sun-Thu noon-midnight; Fri-Sat and eve of public
holidays, noon-3am) for a little more privacy.
Hook, Line
and Snooker
Flex your wits and prowess in a titanic clash between solids and
stripes in a game that has grown exponentially popular among
youths. SuperCue Marina
Square (#03-200 Marina Square, 6 Raffles Blvd.,
6334-1000. Open Sun-Thu 10am-1am; Fri-Sat and eve of public
holidays, 10am-3am) has 27 pool tables and six billiard tables for
those who prefer the more traditional snooker. Or head down to the
cheaper 24-table Park Lane
outlet (B1, Park Lane Shopping Mall, 35 Selegie Rd.,
6339-6286. Open daily 10am-2am). Enjoy some good, clean fun while
relishing the sounds of the sharp crack of resin balls against each
other.
Far
Out
A little out of the norm, sexy and sometimes spooky, try these
far-out activities for a change to `spice up your nightlife.
Get
Spooked
Are you a film buff who thinks horror movie characters are plain
dumb? Or are you curious about the afterlife or what exists in the
parallel dimensions beyond the fringes of this world? Then these
”ghost-busting” tours—led by Asia Paranormal
Investigators(www.api.sg)
and Singapore Paranormal
Investigators (www.spi.com.sg)—are just what you need. Get real,
down and dirty beyond the comfort of popcorn and experience the
visceral thrills and horrors of the unknown. Who knows, you might
even run into Casper or a Pontianak!
The Ghost
Buster
I-S chats up a
paranormal investigator Charles Goh, who’s been in the thick of the
ghost-busting action.
What do you
perceive as paranormal?
Anything that exists as a subject of fringe science (UFOs, ghosts,
even Chinese mediums). The paranormal will sooner or later become
normal as people become more accepting of it.
Should
horror movie buffs hop on these tours, or are scares better at the
cinemas?
In real life, the scares are mental. The fear is not of ghosts but
more of dark places. Be careful what you wish for.
Why should people leave their spanking clubbing attire at home and
join an API tour?
API tours are also led by a licensed Singapore Tourism Board tour
guide, and are featured on Uniquely Singapore. Come on board and
get the chance to learn more about the mysteries behind Singapore.
These are aspects that people may pass by many times yet remain
oblivious about them. Something always lies to be discovered.
Boys and
(Some) Girls Nights
OK, so we mentioned that there wouldn’t be any clubbing in this
story, but this one is something that’s definitely not in your
books when it comes to nightlife. Zirca’s (Blk. C,
Clarke Quay, 3 River Valley Rd., 6333-4168) Superstar
Sunday (Every Sun, from 10pm. $18 includes one drink)
parties are certainly sizzling at the moment for its flamboyant and
testosterone laced acts and sexy music provided by the “King of
Sundays” himself, DJ George Leong. Of course, the party is not only
for the boys, everyone wanting to have some fun on a Sunday night
are welcomed here. Another hot favourite is the
celebrated Taboo (65/67
Neil Rd., 6225-6256). Our favourite theme party here is the
infamous Handbag
Nite (every second Sat of month) where there will be
campy drag queen performances and DJ Alan on the decks dishing out
Top 40s and house anthems.
The
Tower
This mall certainly needs no introduction. By day, it’s just an
unassuming shopping centre with stores hawking electronic gadgets,
suits and massages. But after 9pm,Orchard
Towers (400 Orchard Rd.) is a hive of activity. With
bars sporting names likeNaughty
Girl (#02-46, 6732-5925), Bongo
Bar (#03-04/45, 6738-8545) and our personal
favourite Top
5 (#04-35/36, 6733-4666), all touting interesting
forms of entertainment like go-go dancers and cabaret type
acts—this is a must for adventure seekers of a different kind
(nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Most places here are open till 6am with
some till 8am on weekends.
Village
People
A little off the beaten track on the eastern tip of Singapore lies
the sleepy Changi Village.
This is a perennial favourite with Pulau Ubin day trippers,
fishermen, sun-bathers and foodies coming for its nasi lemak,
grilled seafood and nasi ayam penyet but when the witching hour
beckons, the enclave attracts a different kind of crowd—night owls
and “thrill seekers” would throng its infamous carpark (Lor.
Bekukong) to catch glimpses of its “ladies of the night” who ply
their trade here, usually after midnight—turning the car park into
a veritable drive-through of sorts. Hey, no harm just having a
little look-see.
After Dark
Bites
Singapore’s favourite pastime—eating—does not end at dinner. For
night owls who want the munchies at two in the morning, there are a
good number of restaurants, kopitiams and food courts that will
ease those late night hunger pangs, thankfully.
Food
Junction
The cornucopia of food available at Simpang
Bedok can be credited for much of its appeal—the
conglomeration of Malay, Indian, Chinese, Western and even Middle
Eastern fare on the menus whets every appetite. Staying open till
late (usually till 5am) or all night, Simpang, as it is
affectionately known, is popular with ravenous clubbers seeking to
recharge after burning up serious calories on the dance floor and
soccer fans, with eyes transfixed to the flat-screen TVs, hoping to
raucously cheer on their beloved teams in the wee hours of the
morning without waking the neighbours. Among the popular joints
here are Spize The
Supperclub/Mediterranean Grill (336 Bedok Rd.,
6445-3211. Open 2pm-4:30am), New Hawa
Restaurant (340 Bedok Rd., 6446-2724. Open 24
hours), Tang Tea
House (357 Bedok Rd., 6445- 9100. Open 6am-4am)
and Mahamoodiya
Restaurant ( 335 Bedok Rd., 6446-5176, Open 24
hours)
The Supper
Clubber
Alam Mark Chan, a Simpang regular, visits the food enclave weekly
to catch up and watch matches with teammates from his amateur
soccer team, FMFC. They can often be found seated at the
distinctive orange and yellow tables of Spize The
Supperclub/Mediterranean Grill which serves roti
prata, mee goreng pattaya, roti john, satay and even barbeque ribs
till 4:30am on weekends.
Why do you
come to Simpang Bedok?
For the range of food that’s available and the places here open
till late. It’s also convenient because my friends and I live
nearby.
How late do
you usually stay?
We usually hang around here till about 1 or 2am; later when there
are football matches and that’s when it gets really exciting here.
It can get quite raucous on match days.
What do you
do here besides eat?
Catch up with friends, people-watch and watch TV. There’s a saying
that if you’re not out clubbing, Simpang (Bedok) is the place to
be. I think most people here are mostly clubbers taking a break
from clubbing.
What is
special about Simpang?
I think it encompasses Singaporean culture. I would bring my
overseas friends to eat here.
Late Night Posh Nosh
If you’re tired of the usual supper options, there are a number of
restaurants here that open their kitchens till the wee hours,
serving up very much what’s on the menu if you prefer something
swankier than the usual local fare. Indulge in some hearty dishes
like rack of lamb and chilli crab linguini at Insomnia (#01-23/23
CHIJMES, 30 Victoria St., 6338-6883. Last order 4:30am on
weekends). Chow down on beef tenderloin grilled with blue cheese
and cashew nut toppings or pan fried dory fish with sauteed spinach
and tomato fondue topping at the expansive Oosh (22
Dempsey Rd., 6475-0002) till 1am on weekdays and 2am on weekends.
Just perfect for a late night rendezvous.OverEasy Bar &
Diner (#01-06 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Rd.,
64230-701. Open till 3:30am on weekends), with its alfresco area
overlooking Marina Bay, serves up yummy breakfast/brunch-inspired
fare and yummy burgers. It also doubles up as a mini club with DJs
KFC or Has on the decks if you’re in the mood for some dancing.
Night
Owl
Wide-eyed at 2am? Slumberland eluding you? Lucky for you, Singapore
doesn’t discriminate against the nocturnal. Here are some ways to
wait out the effect of your 10th coffee of the day without leaving
your neighborhood:
Rent a
DVD
Found in numerous neighborhoods across Singapore, Play!
entertainment kiosks dispense a wide variety of DVDs and Blu-ray
discs 24-hours a day, for as low as $3.50 for a rental period of
five days. Membership is free, so register online atwww.play.com.sg before heading out to make your
film selection at the kiosk. If counting sheep doesn’t summon the
Sandman, a yawn-inducing romantic comedy or box-office flop should
do the trick.
Toa Payoh Hub, 460 Lor. 6 Toa Payoh; Tampines Mall, 4 Tampines
Central 5; Sengkang MRT, 5 Sengkang Sq.
Stock up on
Snacks
To transform a sleepless night into an authentic movie night, we
can always count on the reliability of our neighborhood 7-11 to
stock up on essentials like popcorn, chips and ice-cream. If you’re
feeling particularly energetic and in the mood to whip up a meal,
you can get supplies from supermarkets like Shop N Save, which stay
open through the night. Admittedly, late-night binging and
sugar-loading doesn’t do our bodies any favor, but a movie without
snacks is like sleeping without pillows—not nearly half as
enjoyable. #01-01 Bedok Market Place, 348 Bedok Rd., 6243-5748;
#01-167/169/171, Blk. 491 Jurong West Ave. 1, 6564-5171.
Order
In
Keep midnight hunger pangs at bay by ordering in a meal. With
24-hour islandwide delivery services, McDonalds serves up its
signature french fries, burgers and even sundaes right to your
doorstep. If your tastebuds are better suited to roti prata, nasi
goreng, or even fish and chips, Spize delivers an impressive array
of local and western fare to the central and eastern areas of
Singapore till 4am and 3am respectively on Fridays and
Saturdays.
McDelivery, 6777-3777; $3 delivery charge; no minimum order. Spize
The Supperclub/Mediterranean Grill, 6445-3211; $5 delivery charge,
waived for orders above $50; $20 minimum order.