So today I decided to do my homework and actually update myself with all the new things in Singapore. [And boy, a lot of things have changed during the 8 years of my stay in Singapore.] Okay, so I decided to check out Singapore Visitors Centre on my way to Plaza Singapura (a shopping centre right above Dhoby Ghaut MRT station) this evening. Btw, this is one of the place you may want to visit once you get to Singapore. The visitors centre has tonnes of brochures on what’s happening around in Singapore, which places you may want to visits, and (this one is important!) free maps, lots of different kind of free maps! The best thing is that there is one visitors centre right at Changi Airport, in all three terminals, open from 6am to 2am. So remember to pick up those brochures if you’re coming via air travel.
Brochures!
Okay, back to this evening. So I tried to act a little like a tourist when I was at the visitors centre (at Orchard) and grabbed almost all of the relevant brochures that they have. I noticed that there were quite a few good ones, some I have not even visited before. My favourite brochures were (as always) the walking tours brochures. [I really love walking tours, where you got to enjoy the architectures and cultures of the place, eat good food, and, if you're lucky and happen to have a tour guide with you (maybe some local friends who are familiar with the place or hired tour guides), you'll get the local insights and some history of the place.] There were also brochures on museums, night life, historic places, and shopping and food guides, among others.
One of the best things about the visitors centre was the service. Having lived in Singapore for 8 years and interned in California for 7 months last year, I found that some establishments in Singapore (commercial and otherwise) lack hospitality[, especially with some restaurants (maybe because restaurants are entitled to 10% service charge, so waiters don't really need to work extremely hard to get that extra tip from customers)]. The guides in the centre was very helpful. When one of the guides saw me overloaded with tonnes of brochure, he approached me with a plastic bag and offered to put the brochures in the bag. We ended up chatting about this blog. He let me know that I should come for another visit in June or July to pick up latest brochures about events happening in end of July and August. You don’t really get this level of service in many other establishments (even commercial ones).
I also noticed that the centre has two electronic massaging machines and a water dispenser for visitors. Very thoughtful.
Singapore Visitors Centre @ Orchard
Overall, this visitors centre is pretty cool and deserving of at least a short visit in the midst of your shopping spree at Orchard Road. The centre is pretty obvious; you’ll definitely spot it when you’re walking along Orchard. Drop by to chat with the guides and they might be able to provide you with something new to visit that you didn’t think of earlier. For me, I will be able to write even more posts now that I have these tonnes of brochures with me. (: Wait for it!
Acknowledgment: The photo of the brochures is taken by yours truly, while the centre’s photo is taken by zephyr too under Creative Commons.