Put aside the fancy lists, sponsored venue shoutouts and high resolution photos you’re used to when it comes to travel recommendations. The average citizen doesn’t spend all of their time at Marina Bay Sands or at the Pavillion, anyway. For the holiday season, Men’s Folio swaps two writers from Malaysia (LingJie, Deputy Editor) and Singapore (Dhani, Contributing Writer) to give their most authentic suggestions on where to go if you’re new to their respective cities. In this list you’ll find: low-res iPhone jpegs, semi-unflattering shots of clothes, people, and sceneries, and earnest reasons why they selected what they selected.

LINGJIE: Hi Dhani! I’m looking to visit SG 25 to 27 July for a cousin’s birthday and would actually love to get some recs from a local on places and experiences for this upcoming trip. Just to give you a vibe, I’m already pretty familiar with the Central area and have been enjoying instances when I venture outside the usual Tanjong Pagar and Clarke Quay hotspots, and I’ve enjoyed the quiet bus rides to places like Clementi to visit friends. I’ve enjoyed discovering places like Slow Boat and Choice Cuts; going for the occasional Pilates class at Ally and bars like Live Twice and Puffy Bois! Back in KL, I love spending my weekends discovering new restaurants with friends (ideally ones that aren’t in a small shophouse) and exploring thrift stores — both curated and non. Hope this gives you a brief idea of my preferences!

DHANI: Hey LingJie! Of course! Based on the places you mentioned, I think you’d really enjoy exploring a bit further east/west this time around! I’ve compiled a list of places for you down below. There’s a little bit of everything here, from the local parks to my favourite cafe picks.

Singapore

Idle Hands, Club Street

Idle Hands is a bar without a menu; they basically make whatever they have in their inventory. So just imagine how that goes. Get creative! When my friends brought me there for the first time, the bar occupied a space no less than a master bedroom. But honestly, that is all you need. As a complete newbie, I asked the bartender for a menu to which he curtly replied, “What do you actually want?” There was about 30 seconds of “uhhh” and “umms” after replying “I don’t know?” before deciding on a Cosmopolitan.

Lazarus Island

To get here, you would have to take a ferry from the terminal at Harbourfront! The first time I went to Lazarus Island, I was pretty amazed by the panoramic view of Marina Bay it offered. My cell service provider actually thought I was in Indonesia. It’s known for its tortoise sanctuary, white beaches and calm currents. I highly recommend that you visit the island. P.S, bring lots of sunscreen x

Golden Mile Tower

Infamous to many, home to few. Whatever reputation Golden Mile Tower has, I love it with all of my heart. It is a strata mall built in the 1970s, around the same time as Far East Shopping Centre. Over the years, the mall has gained a reputation for being a “sleazy haunt”, but that is far from the truth. Among the colourful nightlife, you can find record stores, specialty coffee shops, izakayas, great Thai food and of course, Filmhouse, Singapore’s most famous indie cinema. I have seen many films here, with my most recent watch being Marty Supreme.

Amoy Food Centre

You’ll probably be visiting us at our office here in Tanjong Pagar. Good news — the area’s got plenty of great places to eat. If you’re grabbing yourself lunch (or maybe even bringing us along~), be sure to stop by Rayyan’s Waroeng Upnormal. My go-to order is the Chicken Cutlet Bami Goreng. The chicken’s crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and I can guarantee it’ll lift your spirits instantly, because it definitely does whenever I’m in an bad mood.

Piccolo by Hei Kim, Far East Shopping Centre

This is one of my favourite cafes in Singapore! Their Banoffee Pie is a crowd favourite. It’s located on the second floor of Far East Shopping Centre. I played two entire rounds of Scrabble with my friend, and lost both times. It’s a great cafe for you to chill and mingle around. Try not to come too late though, as the cafe can get pretty busy in the late afternoon.

Isle Eating House, Parklane Shopping Centre

I come here to eat right after a 4-hour gaming session at the internet cafe just across from the eating house. I ordered a Sweet & Sour Fish dish and a cup of iced Milo. I think it was little too sour though. But it was good enough. I recommend.  Parklane Shopping Centre also features great selection of chinese restaurants, and a lovely barbershop too!

DHANI: By the way Lingjie, I’ll be visiting KL around that same time, too! The last time I was in the city, my friends brought me around the bars and eateries at Pasar Seni. There’s this one bar that I really love – I think it’s called Shuang Xi? I loved the cocktails there, and the speakeasy vibe. I feel like I’ve covered most bases in the main city, but I really wanna see what’s good in PJ. Oh, I’d really like to see what the arts scene is like aswell.

LINGJIE: I got you! I have a few picks that I think you’ll really enjoy down below!

Kuala Lumpur

Perdana Botanical Gardens

I really like how expansive it is. Perfect for mornings and early afternoons, some parts of the park feel quite serene. Given how warm KL is, the lush greenery really helps make being outdoors much more bearable. I come here when I want to touch grass. This park holds a special place in my heart. I once got scolded terribly at an old job, and was so bothered by it I took the next the day off. This was where I spent it.

Amcorp Mall PJ

I think this mall is meant to feel like a time capsule. It mainly has vendors and stores selling old knick-knacks, which I believe are frequented by creatives for props and their hobbies. This mall also houses vintage watch stores, which I am hoping to revisit once I save up for a nifty little Cartier watch.

Ilham Gallery

It is a gorgeous building that houses a curation of modern and contemporary art. Located just a stone’s throw from our office, too. I love the fact that it is free to visit. Finish off your visit with a trip to the gift store for Malaysia-themed souvenirs that are less corny, and ice cream at Softē.

Jonnie’s Bodega

Located at JAM PJ (formerly known as Gasket Alley), it is a small, yet substantial store that carries the latest drops from the brand alongside soccer-related paraphernalia and vintage jerseys. The brand has a cult following, beloved for its playful takes on sportswear and lifestyle pieces. Neighbouring stores like Futuremade Studios make the trip down to PJ worth it, too — giving you a taste of Malaysia’s intimate, yet vibrant design scene.

Sin Kiew Yee Shin Kee Beef Noodles

If you find yourself at Central Market or Chinatown, as most tourists do when they visit the city, this tiny corner of a restaurant serves up hot, piping beef noodles with a clear taste. I like the dry-style noodles because the ground beef is really flavourful — I recommend adding in a scoop of the acidic chilli sauce, too. Some people might consider a hot bowl of noodles to be a diabolical choice for hot weather, but not us.

JBR Bundle

There are a few JBR Bundles, but I like this one because it has AC. I have been to other outlets that are housed in a factory-style location during the day and almost passed out from the heat. This is really far out for most tourists, but if you enjoy digging through piles of clothing, JBR has a cacophony of options from Japan and the U.S. This is my hypothesis based on the novelty souvenir tees and hyperspecific designs.

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