Best desserts to try in Singapore

Desserts in Singapore are a melting pot of diverse influences, just like the island’s people. They come together in a colourful smorgasbord of food that is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. From icy cool dishes to jellies and cakes, here are delicious local desserts you’ve got to try when travelling to the sunny island.

Bubur Pulut Hitam

Simmering sweet black glutinous rice is topped with a whirl of coconut milk to make this scrumptious local favourite. It’s quite a simple recipe but the result is delicious! It’s so easy you can even make it at home. Pulut hitam is a popular dessert in Malaysia, with variations in other Southeast Asian countries too. In Singapore, you can find it at many dessert stalls and if you’re lucky, served with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream on top.

Tau Suan

Tau Suan is a dessert made with split mung beans and topped with crispy dough fritters (youtiao). The soup base is boiled with sugar and pandan leaves then thickened with potato flour to create this tasty hot dish. I prefer tau suan when the beans have some bite to them and the more youtiao the merrier. It’s a humble old-school treat!

Ah Balling

Ah Balling, also called tang yuan, are soft and slightly chewy glutinous rice balls stuffed with mouthwatering ingredients like peanut, red bean or sesame paste. They are served in a sweet broth which is often infused with ginger, although peanut soup is also very popular. Ah Balling is a Chinese dessert that was traditionally served during the Winter Solstice and Chinese New Year to symbolise togetherness. Today you can enjoy this dish all year round.

Tissue Prata

Not your average prata, tissue prata is a delicious pyramid of crispy paper-thin prata coated with sugar on its underside. It’s not exactly for the health conscious as it’s usually glazed with a generous amount of butter that drips to the base and is sometimes topped with whirls of chocolate syrup. Yes, you will probably consume a thousand calories in one sitting. And yes, it tastes good.

Chendol (Cendol)

Shaved ice is soaked in creamy coconut milk, drizzled with gula melaka, topped with chendol (soft pandan-flavoured jelly) and red bean to create this indulgent cold treat. Though the dish originates from Singapore’s neighbours, it is still very much a staple sweet on the island. I love how the rich flavours of coconut, palm sugar and the toppings blend perfectly together.

Nonya Kueh

Kueh are a variety of small desserts that come in many different forms, using various ingredients. Coconut milk, gula melaka, pandan and tapioca are essentials that are commonly used in most types of kueh. Our Southeast Asian neighbours will be very familiar with these delectables since they are found all over the region, especially in Malaysia and Indonesia. From the colourful layers of Kueh Lapis to the oozing gula melaka of Ondeh Ondeh, there are so many irresistible kueh to choose from.

Ice Kachang (Ice Kacang)

This list would not be complete without what might be the mother of all Singapore desserts, Ice Kachang. I’m not sure who came up with the idea of red beans, jelly, chendol and attap chee (palm seed) hidden under a mountain of shaved ice, then soaked in the rainbow and doused with evaporated milk, but I’m glad they did. A hit of Ice Kachang is sublime in the hot and humid weather! At many stalls, you can also add extra toppings like sweet corn, mango, durian or chopped peanuts.

See more: 6 food centres to visit in Singapore

Source: Internet

The interesting experiences you should try in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Mekong Delta or Nine Dragon river delta is where Mekong river approaches and empties into the sea through hundreds of distributaries. This region covers about 39,000 square kilometres and is considered as “biological treasure trove” with over one thousand species. Mekong Delta with beautiful sights and unique lifestyle has become one of the most visited tourist destination in Southern Vietnam.

Take a trip on a small boats

The best way to explore the beauty and uniqueness of Mekong Delta is by a boat cruise on waterways. Remember that Mekong River includes a complex system of channels. From the boat, it is quite surprising to feast your eyes on stunning sights of green or yellow rice paddies, lush orchards, lines of coconut trees and quiet stilt houses. While immersing in a scenic boat trip through this immense delta, you will not only discover the bustling colors of floating markets, but also experience the traditional lifestyle around the Mekong River as well as take a close glimpse at rural Vietnam.

An impressive exclusive river cruise on waterways of the Mekong Delta in Southern Vietnam will definitely treat yourself to something novel and exceptional.

Experience floating market

Talking about Mekong Delta tour, we cannot miss its famous floating markets and the most well-known one is Cai Rang floating market, which is situated 5 kilometers from Can Tho city.
This is another face of Mekong Delta, different from the surprisingly tranquility of its rural villages, it is a busy and crowded market on the water. The picture of Cai Rang floating market is as vivid and colorful as the life of Mekong Delta residents.

Observing the market, you will see the characteristic of the generous and easy-going people who earn their living on the river. Wooden boats are full of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables. The sellers hang their product samples on a long stick in front of the boat as a sign to inform to buyers what they sell. This is a very special experience that you could not find anywhere else in the world.

Visit and taste fresh fruits in local garden

Mekong Delta wins an award, not only for rice paddies but also for tropical fruits. Thanks to the pleasant climate and favorable natural conditions, fruit seasons seem to be all year round, making it the ideal destination for both domestic and foreigner visitors. And stopping by one of fruit gardens has become the favorable type for many tourists. There is nothing greater than listening to what the host of the garden tells, picking and enjoying ripe fruits by your hands.

Some of the famous fruit orchards in Mekong Delta include Cai Be Orchard (Tien Giang), Phong Dien and My Khanh Orchard (Can Tho), Cai Mon Orchard (Ben Tre), etc. Further, it is also a good chance to broaden your knowledge by knowing the specialties of each area.

See more: Explore the taste of Mekong Delta cuisine in Vietnam

Feed and catch fish at a fish farm

If you would like to enjoy best fish in Vietnam, you should come to Mekong Delta. This region is a good natural environment for many kinds of freshwater fishes. It is a best place to grow fish so that there are many fish farms in Mekong Delta which are worth a visit. There you can feed the fish with the farmer’s help. They eat natural foods such as vegetables, and banana trees and artificial foods.

You can also catch fishes and cook delicious dishes from fresh ingredients. You can use bucket to catch small fishes in the ponds but it’s not easy with big fish such as elephant ear fish and basa fish, etc. Sometimes it needs a fishing rod made of bamboo to catch snakehead fish, carp and catfish. It is not like that you go fishing in a lake or the ocean. Sweet and Sour Soup with Fish and Vegetables is one of the most popular and flavorful home-cooked dishes in Mekong Delta.

Listen to Southern folk songs 

After a long trip of roaming around Mekong River by boats, tasting fruits, catching fish and visiting floating markets, you will be then inspired and calmed by traditional Southern folk songs and performance. Also called "Đờn Ca Tài Tử" in Vietnamese, the Southern folk songs are one special kind of musical art, reflecting the lifestyle of Southerners who live and earn their bread on the land and along the Mekong River.

Through the songs, the locals want to express all of their inner feelings and emotions, generosity, industriousness, and courage of their own. That is why this performance has become popular to any domestic and international locals. You will be quickly cooled down and recharged after wallowing in the soothing sound of the music, in addition to drinking fruit refreshments and tea of the area.

Source Internet

Enjoy hot springs in Japan

Natural hot springs (onsen) are numerous and highly popular across Japan. Every region of the country has its share of hot springs and resort towns, which come with them.

There are many types of hot springs, distinguished by the minerals dissolved in the water. Different minerals provide different health benefits, and all hot springs are supposed to have a relaxing effect on your body and mind. Hot spring baths come in many varieties, indoors and outdoors, gender separated and mixed, developed and undeveloped. Many hot spring baths belong to a ryokan, while others are public bath houses. An overnight stay at a hot spring ryokan is a highly recommended experience to any visitor of Japan.

Hakone Onsen

Hakone has been one of Japan's most popular hot spring resorts for centuries. Nowadays, more than a dozen springs provide hot spring water to the many bath houses and ryokan in the Hakone region.

See more: Hakone, a peaceful place in Japan

Manza Onsen

Manza Onsen is a hot spring resort town located 1800 meters above sea level, high up on the slopes of Mount Shirane at the northwestern edge of Gunma Prefecture. Its highly acidic waters are obtained from Mount Shirane and are among the most sulfuric in all of Japan. They are known to provide various health benefits through improving metabolism and blood circulation.

Kusatsu Onsen

Kusatsu Onsen (hot springs) is one of Japan’s most popular hot spring resorts. Yubatake is known for the quality of its hot spring water which flows from one of the country’s three major springs. Another popular attraction is ‘Yumomi’ – a traditional way of cooling down hot spring water by using large wooden paddles. A yumomi performance for tourists is held daily in the Netsu No Yu bathhouse next to the yubatake (admission 500 yen).

Yufuin Onsen

Yufuin is a lovely onsen town located in a small valley surrounded by mountains and is easily accessible on an express train or bus operating from Fukuoka city. For many years, Yufuin has been ranked one of the best onsen destinations in Japan. Its main street is lined with cafes, souvenir shops and small museums. When you arrive at Yufuin, a rotenburo (open air bath) is an absolute must. The town offers scenic views – as soon as you arrive at Yufuin you are bound to experience the town’s unique atmosphere and ambience.

Source Internet