Free Activities when you stay @ Betel Box
The Betel Box Hostel Singapore organises free guided walks for its residential guests on a weekly basis to introduce backpackers to the side of Singapore beyond what is explained and documented in guidebooks. We like to call these activities "guided experiences" since words cannot explain fully certain experiences like hospitality, friendliness, taste, smells and emotions. We do not aim to duplicate what is detailed in guidebooks but simply to supplement them.
Your guides are your hosts at the hostel and they are Singapore Tourism Board licensed Tourist Guides.
Our famous weekly foodwalks is on Thursday evenings and the popular pub crawls on Wednesday evenings. Other scheduled walks include the Nature Walk, Cycling and "Student Life in the City". Additional walks and visits are organised during the week depending on the various activities and festivals happening at the community and grassroots level.
- Katong/ Joo Chiat Food Walk
- Changing Faces of a River Pub Crawl
- City by the Water Cycling
- Nature Walk
- Student Life in the City
Tony's Famous Foodwalk
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The Tony's Famous Foodwalk is a free guided activity that is provided by Betel Box Hostel primarily for its guests. (It’s the food in Katong that is famous, Tony's just a glutton). The foodwalk is not just about food but rather it’s a social anthropological study of how Singaporeans live. We focus mainly on the Katong district which consist of sub-communities of Geylang Serai, Joo Chiat, Tanjong Katong and Marine Parade.
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Our district has the highest concentration of "Best of Singapore Foods" awarded by independent food critics on websites, magazines, food clubs, critics and TV/ Radio programmes. Further, the Katong district is well represented by various enthnic communities of Singapore including Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan and Eurasians. Finally, the district has a fair cross-section of architectural features from ornate 19th century shophouses and colonial bungalows, to HDB Estates and residential homes.
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Here's how it works
- Walks normally last at least 3 hours but have been known to last 12 hours
- We will do at least 3 food stops but depending how hungry the group gets we might do more than 5 (a "food stop" is a street)
- The costs of the food is split evenly between all during the foodwalk. The cheapest foodwalk was S$3.60 and the most expensive was S$35.80 (which included a couple of beers along the way)
- The record currently stands at 36 individual dishes consumed in a single food walk (averaged to about S$25 per person).
- Vegans, Vegetarians, Hindus, Muslims and all other dietary concerns are catered for and would not diminish the foodwalk experience
- There is no fixed route but the objective is to experience as much foods (preferably dishes that you would not normally find back home) and see how Singaporeans actually live (homes, places of worship and entertainment areas)
- This is also a good opportunity to meet your fellow travelers and let us do the work of showing you around
Here are some pictures captured over 180+ foodwalks since we started the hostel.
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Tony's Footnote:
At this time 30 Aug 2005, we are now on our 80th Foodwalk. Tonight, I found to my surprise an entry posted by Darren from the FIRST ever Betel Box Foodwalk on 6 Dec 2003 ! Back then, it wasn't called a foodwalk, its just "dinner" with guest number 3, 4 and 5. There were only the 4 of us- Peter, Heleen and Darren. Man, I get goosebumps just remembering those days! Peter and Heleen came back to us a year after on way back to Holland. Darren, back to the ratrace?
References
- More pictures in our Gallery- Foods, Living at Betel Box
- Museting's Lessons from Backpackers
- Channel 8 Ta4 Tong1 Xiao3 Chi1 TV Variety Show
- Makansutra's walking tour of Joo Chiat and Katong
- Singapore's First Internet Best Food Directory- Haig Road, Geylang Serai, Katong, East Coast Parkway, Joo Chiat, Marine Parade,
- Can.com.sg- Foods to try in Joo Chiat
- Makantime- very long list of good finds but abit out dated and you have to manually search by street names
- Singapore Food and Entertainment Guide
- Rediscover
the East- Katong & Joo Chiat
"The Not Quite A Pub Crawl" Pub Crawl
More Aptly called "The Not Quite A Pub Crawl" Pub Crawl
Why "Not Quite"; because we do things a little different here at Betel Box. We take moonlit boat rides and learn history with a bottle of rum ( they really should have let us do that in school), we walk down back alleys of rich colonial history, we sing loudly (and badly) and dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free. Ok so that last bit was Bob Dylan not us...but all the same so it goes..
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The night starts of with cheap beers and introductions at the hostel; u'll have new friends by the time we get to the rum. Then its off to Clarke Quay- the clubbing center of Singapore, but, since we're not quite like everyone else; we start off in the river. Yes, there will be a boat. ..to take us on a cruise along the banks as I tell you about tales a time before ours; of fishing villages, coolies and trading settlements.
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The picturesque night skyline, cool breeze and copious amounts of alcohol then brings us to a bit of a walk in an area that used to be designated for the Government. You will learn about the history and quirks of Victorian buildings that have been restored and adapted to modern uses.
Our stroll through the city at night then brings us to the top of the world!!!...well almost (it was the tallest hotel in the world in the 1990s). The views from the hotel top bar are exquisite and when I say hotel top, I really do mean TOP; its on the 72 nd floor.
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From there, well its all quite a blur really, with just faint recollections of too much fun and pictures to prove. haha. Kidding. Though, we are not liable for any memory loss.
History Covered, Learning Done, Pictures Taken, River Cruised, City Seen..... Its time to party baby... this is where the bad singing and revelry starts.
More rum ensues.... (or drink of choice)
References
- Read more about venues in Night Life in Singapore
City by the Water Cycling
The history of Singapore is closely tied to our waterways. Singapore has evolved from a third world country to a first world one within two decades. Much of the urban development is architected and planned to allow for sustained growth for commerce and the communities.
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The cycling activity gives an alternative perspective of how these changes have impacted the communities and how new developments will bring about regeneration of certain districts.
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The City by the Water Cycling will take about 7 hours to complete, travelling in a loop for 43 km at cruising speed at about 20 km/h. Our all terrain bicycles have 21 speeds and the frame is made from aluminium. The activity include stops for food & drink and LOTS of photo taking opportunities.
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Key hightlights include;
- How Singapore uses reclaimed land from the sea
- East Coast Park- the most popular park in Singapore
- Learn about Water Conservation during visit to Waterways Watch Society
- Learn about Singapore latest and largest reservoir right by the City during visit to Marina Barrage
- Leisure activities available by the water such as Cable Ski, Wakeboarding, Stunt Kites, sandcastles exhibitions etc
- Adapting old architecture for modern use
- Changing lifestyles & trades along the river
- Kallang Basin project & the Integrated Resort
References
- Read more about Singapore Nature & Conservation
Nature Walk
Singapore is more than just a "Garden City". In fact, over 50% of our land is designated as parks & reserves. In a space smaller than Greater London, Sydney or New York City, there is a delicate balance to preserve nature but yet maintain an urban space to cope with the growth of the population.
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We visit several reserves and parks on our Nature Walks; such as Pulau Ubin, Bukit Timah Hill, Central Reserves, Labrador Park and Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserves. Each district has its merits which is intertwined with Singapore's social history.
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Our Nature Walks tend to last for about 6 hours and where possible we will utilise public transport and bicycles. Visits normally will tie in with a meal or even a picnic.
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References
- Read More on Singapore Nature
- Read more Stories from your Nature Guide