Audience: Outdoor

8 Enchanting & Secret Photography Spots You Never Knew Existed

As a dense and developed country full of skyscrapers and shopping malls lining the city, it can be difficult to find the perfect spot for your pre-wedding shoots. Choosing a pre-wedding shoot can be just as hard as deciding where the wedding ceremony will be held. Of course, you can fly elsewhere to popular romantic destinations with gorgeous backdrops and views but why break the bank when Singapore actually has secret photography spots that are not only enchanting, but also romantic.

If your type of pre-wedding photography includes the sea, sand, landscape and the sun in a serene, private spot, here’s our ultimate guide for secret photography spots you never knew existed! These secret photography spots are definitely great for lovers of lush greenery and sandy beaches.

1. Coney Island

Known as one of Singapore’s last unspoilt beaches, Lazarus Island has grown in popularity with young Singaporeans eager for a quiet hideaway far from the crowd. Easy to reach with a 15 minutes boat ride from Marina South Pier, this is the place to get your beach photoshoots. Do note that this place may be a little troublesome as there are no toilets or shelters available on the island.

Location
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3. Upper Seletar Reservoir

Missed Punggol’s ‘Instagram tree’? Fret not, you can find another version nestled at Upper Seletar Reservoir. The vast open spaces, often silhouetted against the backdrop of a pastel-hued sunset and gorgeous body of water make this lesser-known location great for nature-inspired photos.

Another pretty spot to take around Upper Seletar Reservoir is the jetty to the left of the tree along the reservoir.

Location
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4. Upper Pierce Reservoir Park

If you’re a fan of rivers, lakes and oceans, Upper Pierce Reservoir Park makes a wonderful pre-wedding shoot location. With its vast body of water, beautiful forest and serene environment, you’ll feel like you’re in another country. This reservoir is a great location for sunset wedding shoots or a morning sunrise shoot. With its large open spaces allowing room for creativity, get your props ready for a fun shoot.

Location
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5. Tuas Lalang Fields

Unknown to many, this hidden gem in the deserted South-West of Singapore offers a vast vacant field where lalang grows aplenty. The setting is gorgeous for warm, summery photos where you need not worry about pesky onlookers. With such a quiet, private and peaceful location, this is a great spot for a magical and romantic shoot.

Location
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6. Punggol Lalang Field

The best time to visit the lalang fields is definitely during the evening as the setting sun provides a soft touch to images with warmth and nostalgia. Although the lalang fields in Punggol are longer, and the lalangs taller, than the ones in Tuas, they are similar looking, with the exact same type of grass.

Location
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7. Sunset Way Railway Tracks

The abandoned railway track is a popular photo-taking spot for many couples. There is a rugged, nostalgic, vintage feel to the iconic cast iron bridge. Apart from the track, the train station and rusted overarching structures provide a photogenic backdrop. Besides the railway tracks at Sunset Way, there are also alternatives at Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Timah (along Rifle Range Road). Do take extra care when venturing onto any abandoned tracks as you’ll have to climb hilly terrains and walk between the planks on the track. This may be a tedious location to get to, but you’ll get to capture lovely photos.

Location
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8. Changi Boardwalk

Not just the perfect place for plane spotting, Changi Boardwalk is also a lovely spot surrounded by natural beauty. This spot has heaps of natural landscapes for photographers to work with and is also popular for its vast sunset sky. The combination of water, wood, stones and trees evoke a poetic and serene feel.

Location
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With such secret photography spots in Singapore, why settle for indoor studio shoots? Venture out and capture your pre-wedding shots with nature as your backdrop. Tip: do plan your day in advance, scout the area first, schedule your photographer and make-up artist, and prepare your props!

(Header image credit: 5 Spots in SG To Catch The Sunrise Of Your Lifetime!

Going To Singapore Coffee Festival? Here Are The Details You Need To Know

The very first Singapore Coffee Festival (SCF) is finally here at F1 Pit Building!

Set to take place from 10 to 12 June (11am-9pm), this three-day event boasts over 100 exhibitors from the coffee and cafe industry. If you want to learn how to make a decent cup of coffee at home, or want to sample top coffee roasts from around the word, this is your one stop shop!

But what else is happening and where to get tickets? Don’t worry, we’re here to answer your brewing questions.

1.Getting there

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGdnbNODtlh/?tagged=sgcoffeefest

To get to F1 Pit Building, you can take the MRT to Promenade (Exit A – 0.38KM to venue), Nicoll Highway (0.94 KM to venue) or Esplanade (0.98 KM to venue).

Alternatively, you can take the bus (click General: 1-day access, workshops and lab sessions, music stages, SCF tote bag full of goodies ($18)

Grab your tickets now HERE. Do note that you need to bring the printed ticket as a proof of purchase to be exchanged for a spiffy non-transferable wristband at the venue entrance.

Do note that the festival may be a ticketed event BUT drinks, food and certain workshops are chargeable (A cuppa coffee starts from as low as $4). 

3. What to expect?

Look How Far Singapore Has Come! We Compare The Now & Then

Walk down memory lane, and discover Singapore now and then.

Rated the world’s most expensive city, Singapore has grown and become a modern metropolis in just over 50 years. Well, Singapore didn’t start as an economic giant nor with its dense amount of high-rise residential and office buildings. It is amazing how Singapore has grown during a short span of over 50 years.

We bet you didn’t know how some of these places had looked before it was developed!

Bishan Park

Completed in 1988, Bishan Park was one of the biggest parks in Singapore back then. It featured ponds, a lake, a football field, a fragipani gardens, and a “floating amphitheatre”within its 42 hectares of greenery. Paddle boats were available for rent and fishing at the ponds were available in 1990s.

In 2012, the park was renamed Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park after a major revamp. It now has a high-tech safety warning system, and several spots for recreational activities. A great place for families to gather, the park has now become a popular spot for residents to enjoy picnics and partake in activities.

Kallang River

Before its clean up in the early 1980s, Kallang River was crammed with lighters and tongkong – a type of light wooden boat. It even reeked of rotting waste and dirty sewage. During the clean up, pig farms, duck farms, street hawkers, latrines were removed. The whole clean up process took 10 long years.

Today, waterfront condominiums dot the area. This place has also grown to become a residential and lifestyle district. In 2014, the Sports Hub took over the old National Stadium. It now has a 55,000 capacity with a retractable roof, as well as an indoor aquatics arena.

Capitol Theatre

Before re-opening in 2015, the Capitol Theatre had offered a 1,600 seater cinema to patrons in Malaya. Its concave neo-classical facade plastered with movie posters had defined the street of Stamford Road and North Bridge Road. It was the place where many couples had their first dates back in the 60s!

18 years after its last cinema patron in 1998, the historic Capitol Theatre finally re-opened in 2015. Now, the mixed-use complex comprises four buildings – Capitol Theatre, Capitol Building, Stamford House and the new Capitol Piazza. Fun fact: We bet you didn’t know the Capitol Theatre is the biggest single-screen cinema in South-east Asia, with 900 seats available!

The Cathay

Entertaining generations of Singaporeans over 80 years, The Cathay started out as the first air-conditioned theatre in Singapore. At 16 storeys high, it was Singapore’s first “skyscraper” and it remained the city-state’s tallest building until 1954. This building was also used by the British administration and Japanese occupiers.

After the war, it re-opened as a cinema and hotel. Its Chinese restaurant was one of the most popular dining choices in town. However at the end of 1970, the hotel closed due to space constraints. It then became an office space for a period of time. Do you know Singapore’s first arthouse cinema – The Picturehouse was built here in 1987?

The Cathay re-opened in 2006 after a period of closure for an overhaul in 2000. Its 1939 front facade was restored. It is now a vibrant mall with an eclectic mix of entertainment, retail, and food and beverage stalls.

Fullerton Building

Completed in 1928, the Fullerton was Singapore’s largest building. It housed the General Post Office (GPO), a number of government offices, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Singapore Club. This was Singapore’s landmark. Many travellers and ship captains around the world recognised it. During 1928 to 1996, letters, money orders, and parcels were sorted and dispatched in the GPO and the Singapore Club occupied the upper floors. It was the “busiest and best-known building” in Singapore.

By 1960, after the Singapore Club had moved out to make way for government offices, the building housed Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, the Economic Development Board, the Ministry of Finance and a POSBank branch, the bank’s oldest.

In 1997, S$300 million was spent to convert Fullerton Building into a hotel. A two-storey commercial complex – One Fullerton opposite Fullerton Road, was built. The Fullerton Building restoration project took place from 1998 to 2000. Now, the building is gazetted as Singapore’s 71st national monument.

Orchard Road

True to its namesake, Orchard Road was named for the plantations lined with bamboo hedges and shrubbery in the area during the 18th century. Nutmeg plantations and fruit orchards dominated the area. Towards the later part of 1840s, graveyards appeared along the road. That part is now Meritus Mandarin Hotel and Ngee Ann City. In 1900, Orchard Road was still a tree flanked dirt road.

With its S$40 million revamp in 2009, today, Orchard Road is the nation’s top shopping, dining and entertainment hub. With its underground infrastructure connecting malls together, it is an ease to walk along the air conditioned walkways instead of the hustle and bustle on its road level.

Changi Airport

Prior to Changi Airport, the Paya Lebar Airport was bursting at the seams with more than 4 million passenger movements in 1975. With insufficient room for future expansion, a new location had been sought and Changi was selected as it was at the edge of the city.

Singapore Changi Airport was officially opened on 29 December 1981. It was the world’s largest airport at that time and the world’s largest column-free hanger at 20,000 sqm.

We are amazed at the pace of Singapore’s growth over the last 50 over years! In the past 50 years since independence, Singapore has transformed from a struggling city-state into one of the richest nations in the world.

What do you think Singapore will be like another 50 years down the road?

(Image credit by thefullertonheritage and imagetransforms, edited by writer)

Also read: Cycle X Makan – 5 Best Food And Night Cycling Paths In SG