Singapore Vlog: Arab Street, Newton Food Centre & Conrad

After a quick trip to Malaysia, we flew back into Changi and checked into the Conrad Singapore Marina Bay for two final nights in the city. First night agenda: settle in, eat too much, and explore a neighborhood we had not been to yet.

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Checking In: Conrad Singapore Marina Bay

We booked an Executive Floor room and ended up on the 31st floor, which puts you right down the hall from the Executive Lounge. Extremely convenient, especially when you are coming off a travel day and just want to collapse near snacks.

The room is compact but well laid out with a solid view over Suntec City mall. The hotel was actively prepping for the upcoming F1 race while we were there, so prices were about to spike significantly. Good timing on our end.

Welcome amenities: Booking through Amex FHR meant we were genuinely spoiled at check-in. A plate of chocolates, the classic Conrad rubber duck for the bathtub, and Singapore Curry Leaf Cookies. I was not sure what to expect from a curry-flavored cookie, but it landed in a really interesting spot: savory, fresh, and just barely sweet. Genuinely good.

We also managed to take home a Conrad plush bear. Apparently they do not hand these out by default anymore, so we were very excited about this one.

For the full hotel breakdown, see the Conrad Singapore Marina Bay Review.

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Dim Sum at Golden Peony

We used our hotel experience credit at Golden Peony, the on-site Cantonese restaurant. We ordered a platter with scallop and prawn dumplings, barbecue pork, and a duck liver sausage.

The scallop and prawn dim sum was the standout: incredibly crispy exterior with a juicy filling that had a very strong, clean seafood flavor. The barbecue pork was well prepared in a way that a lot of hotel Chinese restaurants do not quite get right. Both are worth ordering.

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Arab Street

Late afternoon, we headed over to Arab Street for the first time. The streets are vibrant and the Sultan Mosque sitting at the end of the road makes the whole area look stunning in photos.

A few things to know:

We arrived around 4:00 PM on a Saturday, which is full peak hour. It was crowded and very hot. If you want calmer streets and cleaner photos, go in the morning.

There are plenty of small souvenir shops along the street. I picked up a delicate reusable grocery bag for $12.90 SGD, which was a solid find.

On the coffee: We stopped at the % Arabica coffee shop because the reviews are strong. We paid $9.40 SGD (over $7 USD) for a single cup. Honestly, skip it. The coffee was fine but nowhere near worth the price. You can find better and cheaper nearby.

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Dinner: Newton Food Centre

Newton Food Centre is a massive open-air hawker centre. Famous, busy, and worth going to at least once.

Three tips before you go:

Sit in the center. It is an open-air market and the center tables catch significantly more breeze than the edges. This matters when Singapore is at full humidity.

Chope your table. This is a Singapore cultural norm: before you go order food, you leave a packet of tissues or an umbrella on your table to claim it. Do not skip this step or you will lose your spot.

The drink vendors will come to you. Vendors often approach your table to take a drink order and lock in your seating. You are expected to order drinks from them. You do not have to order food from the menus they hand you.

The food: Most stalls at Newton are selling the same two things: Chili Crab and BBQ chicken wings. Chili Crab was running $50 to $55 SGD per crab on the night we went. We saved our crab dinner for a proper seafood restaurant the next day.

Instead, we ordered a large portion of BBQ chicken wings and drumsticks plus a plate of Chai Tow Kway (fried radish cake). The Chai Tow Kway was a touch wetter than others we have had elsewhere, but the flavor was excellent. The BBQ wings were perfectly charred with heavy marinade all the way through.

Newton is great if you want hawker-style seafood and wings in a classic outdoor setting. The variety is narrower than other hawker centres or the food courts we found in Malaysia, but the experience is worth it once.

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Back at the Conrad

We came back exhausted and very full. Turndown service left us complimentary Bacha Coffee, specifically the Marrakesh Morning blend, to take home. Bacha is a premium coffee brand worth seeking out if you have not had it before. A nice final touch before packing up and moving to our last hotel of the trip: The Ritz-Carlton Millenia.