Boy does time fly. With half of the year now gone, it’s time to do possibly to a mini reflection, to ask if you’ve done anything worthy of a #throwback post for your future social media feeds. Oh the troubles of millennials, are we right?
Seriously, though, if you’re looking to create worthy memories you can churn into bar talk, here’s a bucket list of 10 challenges to complete before the year ends.
1. Go On A Solo Bike Trip
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You’ve heard about all the good things about Pulau Ubin. How about taking things up a notch and experiencing them through a solo bike tour? Rental bike shops are aplenty on the island and once you’re good to go, cycle along the dedicated cycling track into the wetlands and see for yourself the beauty of the island.
The off-road track (especially the uphill climb) might get a little tough for the inexperienced cyclists but trust us, the scenery is worth all the effort. A little tip from us: check out the Ubin Cycling Trip for a more thorough guide before embarking on your adventure!
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2. Re-Visit Haw Par Villa
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Whilst Tiger Balm is a great invention, Haw Par Villa, the home of the Aw brothers, isn’t exactly the most youngster-friendly of spots. Remember being scared witless by the countless sculptures situated all around the premise? Or the Ten Courts of Hell that had you promise your parents that you’ll never, ever lie to them again?
Now that you’re all grown-up and brave, take the chance to re-visit the park and see what Haw Par Villa really is about. It may come as a surprise, but hidden behind the sculptures are some very meaningful moral values we can learn from. For the thrill-seekers, get some extra ‘hao pa’ (Chinese translation: scared ) experience by visiting the place during the Hungry Ghost Festival. We dare you.
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Haw Par Villa
Address: 262 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118628
Operating Hours: Daily 9:00am-6:00pm
3. Complete the Southern Ridges Walk
Measuring a good 9km, the Southern Ridges trail consists of four parks spanning across the western half of Singapore. Several parts of the trail are suspended high above the canopy, giving hikers a great view comprising of the contrast between Singapore’s modern buildings and the primaeval greenery around the trail.
The most scenic part of the hike can be found in the section between Hort Park and Mount Faber. The Southern Ridges Walk is pretty accessible, where you can choose to enter from West Coast Park, Kent Ridge Park, Hort Park or Mount Faber Park. Do note that anything with wheels (bicycles, roller skates) are not allowed on most of the trail!
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4. Attend A Trivia Night
Do you know how many Storm Troopers appeared in Empire Strikes Back? Can you name all the members of Backstreet Boys?
Whether you’re a walking Wikipedia or someone who loves quizzes, attend for a trivia night and have some fun with your friends! There are a few bars that host trivia night but our personal favourite will have to be Molly Malone’s Quiz Night, held on Mondays 7.30pm. They usually cover a variety of genres, ranging from movies to fashion.
Got your A game on? Stand a chance to walk away with a bucket of St. Miguel/St. Miguel light. Not available on Mondays? Here’s a list of Trivia Night in Singapore!
Molly Malone’s Quiz Night
Day/Time: Mondays / 7:30pm
Address: 56 Circular Rd, Singapore 049411
Contact number: +65 6536 2029
5. Take Up The Escape Room Challenge
Think you’re the next Sherlock Holmes? Then it’s time to recruit your friends and take on an Escape Room challenge! The game objective is too simple: solve the puzzles and escape from a locked room within a given time. The difficulty levels and themes vary according to the type or rooms you pick.
We’re pretty blessed to have a variety of escape games available here in Singapore- Exit Plan, The Escape Artist, Lockdown, UEscape, Xcape Singapore, Lost, Trapped, and BreakOut. This will be sure to keep you pretty occupied.
6. Beach Hop At Sentosa
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Sentosa is famous for its 3 beaches – Siloso, Palawan, and Tanjong. It’s hard to say which is better than the other so why not experience all three beaches on the same day? We suggest you start your beach hopping with the Siloso Beach, followed by lunch or a picnic at Palawan before relaxing at Tanjong.
Do check out our Beach Guide before if you’re intending on planning a beach day out!
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7. Hunt The Haunted
This is obviously not for the faint-hearted. You’ve probably heard of the Old Changi Hospital, but have you tried exploring the abandoned Neo Tiew Estate at Lim Chu Kang, the forgotten Fort Serapong, Old Seletar Airbase, The Yellow Tower at East Coast Park, and Old Tanglin Camp?
Whilst you’re at it, strap on a camera, film your adventure and make your very own ‘True Singapore Ghost Stories’. But remember, safety is of utmost importance and try to be respectful when visiting these places.
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8. Try All Salted Egg Yolk Dishes
One of the biggest food trend in Singapore this 2016 has got to be having the salted egg yolk in every dish. There is the Xiao Long Bao, Croissants, molten Cheese Tarts, Lava Toast, Donuts, Onion Rings, Ice cream, Prata and also the super addictive someone-stop-us-from-eating-more Salted Egg Yolk Chips.
How many of these have you ticked off from your gourmet list? We’re not sure if Salted Egg Yolk is here to stay but be sure to try everything whilst the fad lasts. Do try to space out your dishes as y’know, high cholesterol.
9. Volunteer For A Cause
Let’s be honest. When was the last time you did something without expecting any returns? (and we’re not talking about mandatory volunteer work that you had to do to earn CIP hours). So take this time to do something good this year and volunteer at one of our many volunteer organisations!
If you’re more of an animal person, check out Action For Singapore Dogs and Cat Welfare Society. All in for gender equality? Sign yourself up at Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). Alternatively, you can also read our Volunteer Guide for a thorough list of organisations where you can contribute to.
10. Bungy Jump
Doesn’t matter if AJ Hackett Sentosa has yet to open but according to their website, this attraction will be opened by late 2016. So what better than to end the year off with a bang, right?
For those who are not too fond of free falling, there is also the Vertical Skywalk (used by Navy Seals, The Army and Hollywood), Skybridge and Giant Swings (swing side by side reaching 120km/hr) to keep your adrenalin going. Do follow their Facebook page for the latest updates.
Did our list get you all fired up? Do tell us how many challenges you managed to tick off the list!
(Header image by AJ Hackett, words by editor)
Also read: It’s Now Or Never – Snag These 8 Best Lifestyle Deals This GSS
