Have you heard the good news? Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower has announced 2016’s public holidays.
The news outlets reported that there will be six long weekends in 2016. But if your workplaces gives you off-in-lieu for Saturday public holidays (not all companies do), you actually have eight long weekends (nine if you take leave on 8 August, Monday).
I really love weekend travels. Even though this means that my trip is short, I don’t want to use my work leave. I’m a hoarder even when it comes to annual leave.
If you are planning to go for more weekend travels in 2016, I recommend these locations to go for their yummy yummy food.
Ipoh, Malaysia
I would visit Ipoh again and again for its food. It might not be as famous as Penang for its local food but that little town serves really good chicken.
How to reach Ipoh from Singapore:
Long-distance bus (7 to 8 hours)
Several bus companies run Singapore – Ipoh routes.
Train (6 + 2 hours + waiting time)
You can take the night train from Singapore/Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur. From KL, there is high-speed train to Ipoh, but the price isn’t budget friendly.
Airplane (1 hour 35 minutes)
Firefly and Tigerair has flights between Singapore and Ipoh. Remember to research on the timing.
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Pronounced as “Jogjakarta”, the town on the Java Island is home to gorgeous historical sites such as Borobudur and Prambanan. But the food is fantastic too.
I was deceived by nasi gudeg the first time I ate it. I thought the dish had a surprisingly generous serving of beef boiled so soft that I don’t have to chew it like a cow. Later found out that the “beef” is actually young jackfruit. I was disappointed but it’s still a very tasty dish.
I also had the best mie while in Yogyakarta. It was in a noodle shop inside the main shopping mall. The noodles were springy and seasoned lightly with soy sauce.
How to reach Yogyakarta from Singapore:
Airplane (2 hours 15 minutes)
AirAsia flies to Yogyakarta at a rather good timing. But the flight back leaves in the morning which is annoying.
If you find the flight timing for Yogyakarta terrible, your second best choice is Jakarta since it is the capital. There you can drink all the avocado juice you like.
Bangkok, Thailand
I went to Bangkok for my birthday in April, spending a three-day weekend there. I ate normal stuff like pad thai, I didn’t eat enough food. I still haven’t tried Mango Sticky Rice.
How to reach Bangkok from Singapore:
Airplane (2 hours 25 minutes)
Loads of budget airlines fly from Singapore to Bangkok. Pick those with good departure and return timings so you can maximize your trip.
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
When I was in university staying in the dorm, my Vietnamese neighbors would cook with fish sauce. The potent smell wasn’t to my taste so I avoided Vietnamese food.
Then I went to Vietnam and I discovered that fish sauce is kind of like durian–stinky when you smell it but delicious when you taste it. I also discovered many other deliciousness that doesn’t involve fish sauce.
Vietnamese Pho
How to reach Ho Chi Minh from Singapore:
Airplane: (2 hours 5 minutes)
Loads of budget airlines fly from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh. As usual, pick those with good departure and return timings so you can maximize your trip.
Shanghai, China
I would travel to Shanghai for just a weekend so I can eat the food. In fact, I’m doing it at the end of May.
My tongue still longs for the taste of shengjianbao: dumplings fried on one side ’til crispy. Take a bit and the soup flows out so you have to slurp it up fast. After two slurps, you can eat the meat along with the crunchy part.
The home-cooked style restaurants in Shanghai are fantastic too. The soups come in porcelain basins and the servings are gigantic. I loved Grandma’s Place (a chain restaurant) when I was in Shanghai.
How to reach Shanghai from Singapore:
Airplane (5 hours 25 minutes direct)
Choosing a plane with a good timing is critical. I am taking Malaysian Airlines so I will reach Shanghai early at 7:30am on my first day and leave at 2pm-ish on my last day.
Another good alternative is Taiwan if you don’t want to fly that far to Shanghai.
Check out all the Weekend Travels posts:
- Welcome to Weekend Traveller series: Pros & cons of weekend travel
- Where to go for Weekend Travel? [Weekend Traveller series: Part 2]
- Choosing transportation for Weekend Travel [Weekend Traveller series: Part 3]
- Travel planning for weekend trips [Weekend Traveller series part 4]
- How to make your own travel guide for a weekend trip [Weekend Traveller series part 5]
- How to pack for a weekend trip [Weekend Traveller series part 6]
- How to use Foursquare to plan a day’s travel
- Why a weekend trip is the best time to start solo travelling [Weekend Traveller series part 8]
YQtravelling 
Great list… The food in Shanghai looks delish btw!
Thank you, Citra~ Since you’re living in Singapore, do you have a favorite food spot to recommend to visitors?
I have a lot… Here are some of our favourite food spots: Brazil Churrascarria on 6th ave for Brazilian food, Mayim in West Mall for Chinese fusion food, Ayam Penyet Ria in Lucky Plaza for Indonesian… we also love going to hawker centres, we usually go to Bukit Timah market hawker centre… Holland Village food court has the best black pepper hor fun… What else? Oh, Al-Azhar (Bukit Timah) for Indian food…
Hi YQ, do you stiLL remember which shopping maLL in Yogya where Mie Nusantara is Located? I asked aLL my friends who Live in the city and none of them know about the pLace! :(
It’s inside Mall Malioboro, at a corner of an upperfloor. I hope they haven’t closed down because I’m going to Jogja in September and I really want to eat there. ToT