5 shopping malls to visit in Chinatown, Singapore

Singapore's Chinatown is the original Singapore, cleaned up for the tourists. Gone are the street vendors and the petty crime of yesteryear, with gleaming renovated shophouses and malls standing in their stead. Within these boundaries, you'll find the following interesting shopping stops.

Chinatown Street Market

Chinatown's street market, centered around Trengganu and Smith Streets (location on Google Maps), is the first shopping sight travelers see, being located right across from the MRT station exits.

The narrow streets of Smith Street, Trengganu Street, Temple Street, Sago Lane and Pagoda Street offer Singapore's best street shopping experience, centered on what used to be the island's opium district.

The Street Market was first introduced in 2004 as an attempt to recreate (and clean up) the old-school street hawkers of Chinatown, minus the street trash and the cheats. About 140 stalls line the streets, offering great deals on gray-market electronics, traditional crafts, fashion rip-offs, and antiques of questionable provenance.

Great hawker food can be sampled on Smith Street, known alternatively as “Chinatown Food Street”. The hawkers along this al fresco space serve up Singapore's most famous foods, from laksa to roast duck to char kway teow to Hainanese chicken rice.

Stalls start selling by 10am and close for the day at 10pm. Avoid visiting during high noon, and come instead at dusk as the street lights and stall illumination turn the Street Market into a magical sight.

People's Park Centre

People's Park Complex (1 Park Road, official site, location on Google Maps) presents an interesting mix of stores selling traditional Chinese goods and cheap modern items - clocks, electronics, jewelry, and textiles jostle alongside religious icons, Chinese herbs, and traditional Chinese food.

For many locals, People's Park is a repository for old Singapore nostalgia through stores selling old photos and Chinatown memorabilia. Travel agents and massage parlors also call People's Park Complex home.

There are a fair number of cellphone and cellphone-related stores in the complex, though those stalls have a reputation for dishonest service, going by its dubious distinction of “most complained-about shopping center”.

China Square Central

Singaporeans hankering for the good old days converge on China Square Central (18 Cross St., official site, location on Google Maps), whose most popular attractions draw on an appetite for nostalgia.

On Sundays (9am to 6pm), the China Square Central Flea Market sets up shop in the main atrium, hawking kitsch and retro goodies in excess – comic books, retro appliances like rotary telephones and grandfather clocks; antiques; and toys – all taking up two floors of the mall.

Chinatown Point

Chinatown Point (133 New Bridge Road, official site, location on Google Maps). You won't miss this towering structure on New Bridge Road, and the 220-plus shops within its five floors of retail space.

Of particular interest is the four-level Podium B within the store, a series of shops known collectively as the Singapore Handicraft Centre selling a wide range of handicrafts, including (but not limited to) porcelain, bronze artifacts, wood carvings, paintings, antique furniture, Chinese musical instruments, and traditional embroidery.

Other bargains within the building include watches, cosmetics, shoes, and cosmetics. Speaking of cosmetics, Chinatown Point also houses a number of good-value beauty salons.

Colonial houses on Ann Siang Road, Singapore

This is the last remaining hill in Chinatown; two other hills had been leveled, their mass used to reclaim the sea in the 1890s. Lately, Ann Siang Hill has found a second lease on life as a home for boutique shopping brands – Ann Siang Road and Club Street, in particular, are lined with cute entrepreneurial shops selling quirky but high-quality apparel and accessories.

The decades-old shophouses along Ann Siang Hill now carry retail brands banking on the strong retro vibe of the neighborhood, from noted haberdashery Aston Blake to Aster by Kyra’s Peranakan-inspired ceramics. Stay till after dark, and flit between the bars that come to life at night.

See more: 6 must-try restaurants in Chinatown, Singapore

Source: Internet

Take a trip to Yokohama, Japan

Yokohama is Japan’s second largest city and is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture. Yokohama is such a great place and if you have an extra day of time after traveling around the major cities and places in Japan, squeeze in a day trip to Yokohama.

There are many different attractions in Yokohama, including one of the world's largest Chinatown, stylish shopping malls, a Ferris wheel and park along the sea, and more.

1. Yokohama Chinatown

Japan's largest Chinatown is located in central Yokohama. A large number of Chinese stores and restaurants can be found in the narrow and colorful streets of Chinatown. Various events and festivals such as Chinese New Year around the beginning of February are also held at Chinatown.

The main attraction of the Yokohama Chinatown, however, is the cuisine offered at its many restaurants and food stands. Popular favorites include steamed buns (Manju), ramen noodles and a wide array of other Chinese dishes, many of which have been Japanized to a certain degree.

Read more: The most famous Chinatowns in Asia

2. Yamashita Park

Here is a public park that stretches about 750 meters along Yokohama's waterfront. The park is about a hundred meters wide and consists mostly of open green space.

One of the park's main features is a wide path that runs along the water. It is usually quite busy, with many people enjoying the view of the bay and the ships passing by. At the park's southern end, the path leads into the Rinkosen promenade, which passes by the Osanbashi Pier and leads to Minato Mirai. The walk is a pleasant way to travel between the areas.

3. Cup Noodles Museum

A fun and interactive museum in Yokohama's Minato Mirai District that shows the history of instant ramen noodles using a combination of whimsical exhibits and hands-on workshops. It was opened by the Nissin Food company, whose founder invented instant ramen noodles in 1958 as a fast and convenient food.

The museum shows a short film introducing the history of instant noodles, together with unconventional exhibits such as a replica of the shed where instant noodles were invented and a visual timeline of instant noodle products from around the world. Moreover, there are also several activities at the museum including the popular My Cupnoodles Factory workshop where you can create your own original cup noodle by mixing and matching a variety of soup flavors and toppings.

4. Yokohama Landmark Tower Sky Garden

The second tallest building in Japan from where you can enjoy the incredible night view that has been selected as one of the Top 100 city views. The Sky Garden is located on the 69th floor. Other floors of the building function as offices, hotel, shopping mall, and a multi-purpose hall.

5. Sankeien Garden

Sankeien is a spacious Japanese style garden in southern Yokohama which exhibits a number of historic buildings from across Japan. There is a pond, small rivers, flowers and wonderful scrolling trails that make you think you are in Kyoto rather than Yokohama.

6. Ramen Museum

The Shinyokohama Raumen Museum is a unique museum about ramen, a very popular Japanese noodle dish which was originally introduced from China. In a gallery on the first floor, the Ramen Museum presents the history of ramen noodles in Japan, including the big success of instant ramen. It displays the variety of noodles, soups, toppings, and bowls used across Japan, and shows how the noodles are made.

On the two basement floors, visitors can explore a 1:1 replica of some streets and houses of Shitamachi, the old town of Tokyo, of around the year 1958, when the popularity of ramen was rapidly increasing. For visitors who wish to try multiple ramen dishes, every store offers "mini ramen", a small portion of the featured dish.

Source Internet

Top best restaurants in Mandalay, Myanmar

Most travelers stop in Mandalay for at least two days and it is possible to discover some great food in the non-tourist restaurants. Below are the best restaurants you should try.

Lashio Lay

Although Mandalay’s Burmese population is largely made up of Bamar people, the city’s proximity to the rural Shan State has contributed immensely to the local cuisine. One of the most popular restaurants in the city, Lashio Lay is also the best place for authentic Shan fare. Freshly cooked dishes are displayed at the till, from which you can select the dishes you wish to try. Delicacies include shan tohu (chickpea-flour tofu fritters), wet tha chin (minced pork in rice) and papaya salad, with an emphasis throughout on sesame, peanut and garlic flavours.

Aye Myit Tar

Brightly lit, this simple but historic thick-walled colonial-era merchant's building houses central Mandalay's most popular upmarket curry eatery. There is a big range of chicken, fish and pork curries; all come with sides, soup and rice. Alternatively, boost your meal by choosing from the salad and vegetable dishes on the menu.

DOSE Mandalay

Since opening in October last year, DOSE has become a real game changer for Mandalay’s nightlife. Whether you are craving wine, beer, great tunes or steaks, DOSE Mandalay has it all. Of course, the cocktails are enough to tempt most inside, but with its amazing offers and mouth-watering food, do not miss out if you are visiting.

Ko’s Kitchen

For much of their history, the countries now known as Myanmar and Thailand were composed of small warring states with constantly shifting boundaries. Lanna, the northern Thai kingdom centered on culinary haven Chiang Mai, was under Burmese control until 1775. There remains a significant Thai minority in Mandalay, and Ko’s Kitchen serves the most elegant Thai food in town.

Located just west of the incredible reconstructed Mandalay Palace, it is housed in a pleasant art deco building and features a glass-walled kitchen that you can watch as you wait.

Green Elephant

This is basically Burmese cuisine for tour groups, although individuals can usually get a slightly adapted version with six or so dishes on request. The food is good, so if you are nervous about trying Burmese outside on the street, this is a solid bet, but otherwise it is local cuisine with significantly marked-up prices.

Super 81

With southern Chinese immigrants accounting for over a third of the city’s population, it is no surprise that many of Mandalay’s best eateries specialize in Cantonese and Yunnan food. Super 81 stands out in a crowded field, serving up a huge variety of dishes; there are a dozen variations of steamed duck alone, along with excellent squid and sea bass, all served in generous portions. Its labyrinthine layout only adds to the charm, with a sprawling network of rooms, terraces and roof gardens hidden behind an unassuming shop front.

Read more: Mandalay, a cultural and religious hub in Myanmar

Source Internet