Singaporeans praise tourist who spent US$100/day for “showing the world that it doesn’t cost thousands”

SINGAPORE: Canadian travel vlogger Aline Macleod has won praise from Singaporeans after she showed how she kept expenses down during her latest trip to Singapore.

Ms Macleod is a self-avowed fan of the Little Red Dot, as her second visit has proven. Admitting that the city is very expensive, she said admires the friendliness of the locals as well as the city’s safety and cleanliness.

While Ms Macleod said outright that she feels that Singapore’s priciness is justified, she shared in a recent video how she was able to be economical in her latest trip despite doing touristy things, adding that she made the video because the most common question that she gets asked about Singapore is, “How much does it cost?”

The vlogger started out with saying that accommodations would probably be most travelers’ biggest expense, especially for those who don’t normally stay in hostels. She booked a room Wink at McCallum Street, which cost US$ 32 to 33 (S$43), but added that budget-conscious travelers should try booking hotels or hostels on the outskirts of the central area.

However, the vlogger warned that hotels there would cost at least US$120 a night.

She headed to Lau Pa Sat hawker center, where she ordered a Kaya Toast set for breakfast for S$2.80 at Kopi Kiosk.

“No way you could get this kind of food in Canada or the US for that kind of price,” she noted, adding, “You couldn’t start the day in a much more budget-friendly way, definitely a must-try.”

Unlike other travelers who’ve complained about the lack of things to do in Singapore, Ms Macleod talked about the many interesting neighborhoods to visit and said she enjoyed exploring the hiking trails and treetop adventure at MacRitchie Reservoir, praising the many green spaces the city has.

She also visited Orchard Road, noting en route reasonable the price of public transport is. Her MRT ride from Shenton Way to Orchard Road only cost her S$1.20, and adding that there was “no reason to even take a taxi.”

For lunch, she went to the food court at 313 Somerset, where she had Korean food—bibimbap, soup, and kimchi. Along with a canned green tea, this cost her S$10.

The afternoon was the time for her touristy activities, with a stop at ArtScience Museum where she visited the Future World Exhibit (S$30), and then a stop at the Observation Deck at Marina Bay Sands for her time slot, which she knew was “a bit” pricey at S$36, but said was worth it for the view.

“This is super cool,” she said, adding she had not expected to be so impressed by the open-air deck.

From there, as night fell, she headed to Gardens by the Bay to watch the free Supertree Show. As it was 8:30 by the time it ended, she went to the MBS food court for dinner, spending S$11.90 for chicken rice.

Tallying up her total for the day, it was S$136.20, which is around US$100, which she said was reasonable for a city like Singapore.

YouTube users from Singapore thanked Ms Macleod for showing that people who visit don’t have to break the bank to do so.

“Finally, a Western traveler that doesn’t purposely go to all the expensive restaurants and do only expensive attractions and exclaim ‘omg Singapore is soooo expensive,’” wrote another. /TISG

Read also: Another traveller lists Singapore at the bottom among 40 countries he’s visited because it’s small, hot and expensive

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