Whether you love it or hate it the Singapore Grand Prix is about to take over our streets once again. Here are some ideas to keep you in the action or out of the action as the mood takes you (and don’t worry, most of them involve food in some way 
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Avoid the Grand Prix
The number one rule is to get out of the city! You can hear the cars revving their engines from miles away. But if you haven’t made plans yet then you’re probably too late. If you are stuck here for the Singapore Grand Prix and you’re really not into the idea of ear shattering F1 cars screaming around town then here are a few suggestions to get you away from the action:
Visit the Farms at Kranji
If you have a car it’s easy to head up to the area around Neo Tiew Road and stop in at some of the farms that are open to the public for sales or indeed to eat some of their wonderful produce. If you don’t have a car you can get the MRT to Kranji and catch the community bus. You can find more information here. I recommend a visit to Bollywood Veggies at 100 New Tiew Road. Aside from selling super fresh produce they also cook some great curries and the setting is tranquil and lush.
Cable Car to Sentosa
To avoid the traffic snarls around town, head to Sentosa on the cable car. I recently took this ride for the first time when visitors were staying and we all loved it. The ride starts at Mount Faber and although it’s not cheap ($33 for a return, with no single option available), it’s definitely worth it. The view is great, the access to Sentosa is perfect, you land smack bang in the middle of Imbiah Lookout and the best part is that you can take the Luge down to Palawan Beach. If you haven’t done this before, it’s fun for everyone, littlies get to ride with an adult and the older kids will all have a hoot.
You pull up opposite Coastes where you can scoot in for a few drinks and a bite to eat whilst the kids play in the sand. Then it’s onto the chairlift back up to Imbiah and back on the cable car to Mount Faber. It’s a great day out and the kids will love it too.
Swim or Kayak at Pasir Ris
Pasir Ris is one of my favourite outdoor locations in Singapore. Most people have been to the East Coast which is undoubtedly a good day out for cycling or wandering along whilst being in the vicinity of good food. For something a little more local though head to Pasir Ris Park. You’ll need to bring your own food, either a picnic or you can book one of the BBQ pits (click for nparks link), that are available for hire (note that if you hire a BBQ pit you need to bring your own grill). You can hire kayaks, bikes or just swim in the water. The view is out to Pulau Ubin, as opposed to the view from the East Coast where you look out at hundreds of tankers, so you feel a little more away from the big city. It’s a wonderful afternoon out and you won’t hear any racing cars You can hire kayaks by the water near car park F.
Visit Pulau Ubin
It’s one of my favourite day trips from Singapore to make you feel like you’re really in another world. Get yourself to the Changi Point Ferry Terminal at Changi Village and take a bumboat ride out to the island. The boats leave often and although they look a bit rickety it’s a fun ride. Once you arrive you can rent a bicycle and cycle your way as little or as much as you’d like. If you’re really keen you can even go mountain bike riding there. You can also leave your bikes at various points and do the boardwalk through Chek Jawa Wetlands where you’ll walk through mangroves and shores where, depending on the tides, you’ll see thousands of fiddler crabs running along in the sand, mudskippers and maybe even some wild boars running around. And finally, when all that is done, take your bike back to the shop and sit down to enjoy a local lunch at one of the village stalls.
Walk the Southern Ridges
One of my favourite walks in Singapore for the mix of city views and greenery is the Southern Ridges. You can start the walk from either Mount Faber or Kent Ridge (or indeed somewhere in between). We normally begin at Mount Faber and make our way to Pasir Panjang or Kent Ridge. Along the way you could stop at Hort Park for lunch in an idyllic setting of Vineyard. Although the food or service is not fantastic, the setting really is lovely so you can at least stop in for a drink and snack to keep you going for the next bit of the walk.
Embrace the Grand Prix
If you’ve got tickets of any description then you’re off to a good start. The Zone 4 walkabout tickets are some of the cheapest (and the ones our group have) but you’ll still have access to great areas. You can still get tickets for some race areas, check here for details.
Eating at the Event
I was genuinely impressed with the food and beverage options available at the Grand Prix two years ago. We had some food from the temporary stalls one evening, I remember the nachos were good and there were Asian and other western choices as well. Although it’s more expensive than you might like it’s not entirely ridiculous given where you are and at least the quality is good.
The other great spot to eat if you have Zone 4 tickets is at the Esplanade Theatres complex. I’m a little hesitant to mention this because when we were there last time we managed to snag a table at one of the restaurants on two separate evenings. Aside from Makanasutra Gluttons Bay where you’ll find hawker style food, there are also restaurants; Indian, Japanese, Thai and of course the famous No Signboard Seafood. None of them will be the eating experience of a lifetime but to be able to sit down and eat decent food amongst the crowds has a lot going for it.
Eating Around the Grand Prix
City Hall is a great spot to eat if you want to be near the action but not quite in it. It’s great for transport because you can get the MRT there directly and not have to fight the crowds. And if you don’t want to leave the complex there are several great choices within City Hall. I noticed that Shahi Maharani is offering a 15% discount. This is a restaurant I mentioned on my 5 Great Indian Restaurants for Visitors post a while back. Also in City Hall you have Din Tai Fung, Tiong Bahru Bakery and plenty of other good options.
Robertson Quay is only a short walk from the track but is largely out of the main craziness. There’ll be lots happening in this part of the river but it will also be less mayhem than Clarke Quay and Boat Quay. You can also still hear the cars from here so you won’t feel totally out of it. Boomarang will show the main race on Sunday night if you don’t have a ticket and there are countless options for eating, from the new Super Loco to tried and true favourites like Bella Pizza. You can find them all in my Neighbourhood Guide to Robertson Quay.
Chinatown and Arab Street are also good options if you want to be in hearing distance but out of the main crowds. There are great places to eat on the new Chinatown Food Street and near Arab Street you could try Beirut Grill, Piedra Negra, Cicheti or Crostini.
Backing up with a Sunday Brunch
You might balk at the idea of this but on our first Grand Prix weekend in Singapore someone booked a Sunday Prosecco brunch at Garibaldi.
I say you might balk because if you’re out watching the live music until after midnight, and probably enjoying too many drinks whilst you do, then backing up for a brunch the next day is a little scary. The thought of the concept about one hour before was not pleasant, however it was just what we needed to rev our own engines and keep going into the night for the final race day. Many brunch venues have put their prices up this year but you can still get some good ones. The Westin are keeping their normal price of $148++ for the Sunday Brunch Beats, as are The Fullerton Bay at $148++, and both are very near the action (and both are good, although not as good as Mezza9 but location is important this weekend). Further afield there is Garibaldi where you can enjoy their Prosecco brunch for $108++ (offered Saturday and Sunday). For more options with or without the free flow option you can check out my Ultimate Guide to Brunch in Singapore.
Hopefully these ideas will help enthuse you for the coming weekend, no matter whether you plan to embrace or avoid the Grand Prix. I am definitely in the ‘embracing’ camp. We went to our first Grand Prix in 2012 and it’s where I truly fell in love with Singapore. Those pretty lights and the thrill of fast cars create a wonderful energy in the air. This year I’m super excited because my sister and her family will be joining us for the weekend. Bring on the brilliant Singapore F1 night race!!
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