Is the muggy weather continuing to fray your nerves or making your sweat-soaked clothing stick to your back the whole day? No doubt you’d rather escape to a more temperate climate these days, but here are some places to enjoy a quick cool-off without having to leave Singapore.
Swensen’s Unlimited
Photo credit: Swensen's
An ice-cold dessert is always welcome when the mercury level rises. And at Swensen’s newest international buffet restaurant, you’ll be able to beat the heat with a whooping array of 48 rotating ice cream flavours, eat-all-you-can of course! There are other hot dishes, seafood and more to feast on but go on and take the challenge – see how many flavours you can try during the 90 minutes allocated for your dining pleasure!
Explore & Play at Changi
Photo credit: Changi Airport
Avoid letting your kids play at the neighbourhood outdoor playground when it gets too hot. Your skin will fry when in contact with the playground surfaces, especially the slides and metal railings, and your little ones could get a heatstroke if they exercise under the sun for too long.
Take them to the Tropical Play Forest at Changi Airport Terminal 3 instead, where they can climb, bounce and swing in air-conditioned comfort. The whimsical jungle gym features a ‘waterfall’ slide that cascades into a bubbling ball pit, swings shaped like coconut trees, trampolines and more. Available till 1 May 2024 with valid play passes.
Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC)
Photo Credit: Museum of Ice Cream
Play & unlimited ice cream? What’s not to like about this ultimate fun combination suitable for both kids and adults? Dive straight into the world-famous sprinkle pool at Museum of Ice Cream, a yummy take on the more commonly seen kids’ ball pit. Then indulge your sweet tooth on the chilliest all-you-can-eat ice cream treats. Sandwiched between two thin wafers, in a cone or served in a museum of ice cream souvenir bowl, you’ll get a choice of 5 different ice cream shapes with nostalgic or unconventional flavours.
Visitors who do not wish to purchase tickets to MOIC but are interested to try their ice cream can check out the pet-friendly Dessert Bar along with a dog run. Ice cream is available from $5 for a single scoop, as well as waffles, pizzas, light bites and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
ParkRoyal Collection Pickering
Photo credit: WOHA on Youtube
Step away from the bustle and heat into a lush tropical sanctuary, without having to leave the Central Business District. The ParkRoyal Collection Pickering cleverly integrates 15,000 square metres of greenery – twice the area of the hotel site – into its striking high-rise architecture, featuring towering indoor green walls, landscaped gardens and spaces reminiscent of hilly rice terraces.
At Singapore’s first hotel-in-a-garden and ‘World’s Leading Green City Hotel’, guests will enjoy views of the sky gardens. Shade trees, palms, shrubs and overhanging creepers provide a cool respite from the direct sun by absorbing heat and offering shade, not to mention, bring nature closer to all even within a high-rise jungle.
Cold Warehouse @ Far East Flora Centre
Photo credit: Fc on Google
Located on the second floor of Far East Flora’s 11-storey mega garden centre at Clementi is a cold room for wholesale cut flowers, fruits and vegetables. Temperatures are set so low that you could get an instant brain freeze even in the hottest of summer and you’ll definitely need to layer up when planning to stay longer in there.
Worthy to note are the giant high-volume, low speed fans installed across the premises to keep shoppers cool in a more sustainably way, with less dependence on air-conditioning.
Upper Pierce Reservoir
Photo credit: NParks
If you don’t want to miss the great big outdoors even in sweltering weathers, try to go somewhere that’ll be the least hot. A study by sustainable development consultancy Arup actually pinpointed Upper Pierce Reservoir as the coolest spot in Singapore. With the park made up of 88% water and 12% vegetation, it is 6.5OC cooler than Singapore’s hottest spots, which are found mainly in the CBD, especially Telok Ayer.
It’s best to visit in the early morning before it gets too sunny. This is also when you’ll have the best chance of spotting a White-bellied Sea Eagle, the largest raptor in Singapore. The nature park is also a habitat for the Long-tailed Macaque, White-throated Kingfisher and other wildlife. Have a picnic at one of the shelters overlooking the water or connect with nature along the park’s 0.3km walking trail.
