Getting Around Singapore and Food to Eat

Guest Post By: Junior studying Business Administration at the Foster School of Business, Peter Zachariah. This Fall, Peter studied abroad with the Foster Exchange Program with the National University of Singapore.

With an extensive public transportation system, getting around Singapore is a breeze. The subway in Singapore, also known as the Mass Rapid Transport system, “MRT,” covers pretty much every square inch of Singapore. Rides on average cost about $.75 USD each way. The dorms I stayed in were the Prince George’s Park Residences, which was only a 15-minute walk from the closest station: Kent Ridge MRT station. Also, because the MRT stations are air-conditioned, all of them essentially hosts a mall. I loved the fact that in a 15-minute walk, I would be in an MRT station that could take me anywhere in Singapore and a mall that has amazing food courts, pharmacies, and supermarkets.

With friends, to get out of our dorms, we would often go to Little India or Chinatown for dinner. Little India and Chinatown were about 10 stops and one transfer by the MRT, usually around 30 minutes. The food there was amazing and there was a lot of variety. Perhaps Singapore’s most famous dish is “Chicken Rice,” a healthy and simple option. Chicken Rice sounds exactly like its name. It consists of Hainanese chicken over rice with vinegar and cucumbers on the side. There is even a Chicken Rice stall that has earned a Michelin star! The cheapest, most local options are outdoor food courts, called Hawker Centers. One of the most famous Hawker Centers is the Maxwell center, about a 10-minute walk from the Chinatown MRT station. There, you can get Chicken Rice, Satay, which is essentially skewers, and durian-flavored desserts. Durian is an extremely strong flavored fruit, and some love it and some hate it. Personally, I don’t like it too much, but some friends really enjoyed. Looking back, the MRT makes Singapore very accessible, and the food is something to rave about.