Singapore–Malaysia Trip, November–December 2025
An eight-day trip through Singapore, Penang, and Kuala Lumpur in late 2025, focusing on street photography, local food, and urban exploration.
Itinerary Overview
| Day | Date | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | 29–30 Nov | Singapore |
| 3 | 1 Dec | Singapore (solo) |
| 4–5 | 2–3 Dec | Penang |
| 6–8 | 4–6 Dec | Kuala Lumpur |
Singapore
Arrival and First Impressions
Landed at Changi Airport on 29 November. Immigration was smooth. Visited Changi Jewel briefly, skipped the indoor light show, and had an iced cafe mocha before heading to accommodation.
Exploring with Raghav
- Botanic Gardens: Morning walk through the orchid garden.
- Orchard Road: Visited Kinokuniya bookstore — extensive selection from manga to academic titles.
- Funan Mall: Lunch at a vegan restaurant (mock meat burger and fries). Explored electronics stores and discussed cameras.
- Clarke Quay & Civic District: Walked along the river, passed Parliament, Supreme Court, and other colonial architecture.
- Asian Cultural Museum: Strong exhibits on the history of religion in Singapore and Asia.
- Gardens by the Bay & Marina Bay Sands: The Gardens by the Bay light show was underwhelming; the Marina Bay Sands light show was significantly better.
- Helix Bridge & Singapore Flyer: Night views from the Flyer were rewarding. Noted the DNA base pair motifs (ATGC) on the Helix Bridge floor.
Solo Day — Little India and Chinatown
- Started late due to morning rain.
- Little India: Less vibrant than expected.
- A2B Restaurant: Chilli Parotta for lunch — recommended.
- Chinatown (Pagoda exit): Excellent tip from Raghav. Market was crowded but yielded good photographs.
- Gardens by the Bay (afternoon): Cloud Forest was exceptional; missed the Flower Dome due to dinner schedule.
Penang
Arrival
Checked into Landison Hotel on 2 December. Dinner from Plant-A-Seed, a Japanese-inspired vegan restaurant:
- Volcano Noodles: Handmade noodles in spicy tofu sauce with vegetables (level 4 spice).
- Enoki Mushroom Tempura: Lightly battered with tangy dipping sauce.
Exploring Georgetown
Planned visits to Kek Lok Si temple, Armenian Street, Clan Jetties, and Pinang Peranakan Mansion. Everything except the temple is walkable within the same area.
Cafes:
- Shortlisted Ome, The Alley, and Narrow Marrow were closed on Wednesday.
- Your Local Club: Decent cold brew, good atmosphere.
- Utoo Boho: Known for the best espresso in Penang. Strong, flavourful, low acidity, naturally sweet — highly recommended.
- Mimamya: Peach Earl Grey tea; peach flavour overpowering, unremarkable.
Food:
- Sardarji: Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. Comparable to an average Indian dhaba — good but not exceptional given the recognition.
- Kommune: Vegan restaurant with Malaysian-inspired dishes.
- Inchi Kabin: Seasoned deep-fried mushrooms with Worcestershire dip; vegan Nyonya/Peranakan dish.
- Chilled Mee Rebus: Cold handmade scallion noodles in sweet potato and tomato soup with mock meat and water spinach tempura.
- Kefir Soda: Dairy-free probiotic drink, tangy and fizzy.
Snacks:
- Milo Cereal Bar: Chocolate malt bar with crunchy cereal.
- Pandan and Chocolate Layer Cake: Soft sponge with coconut cream.
- Pandan Swiss Roll: Light, fluffy, coconut cream filling.
Kuala Lumpur
Arrival and KLCC Area
Early morning flight from Penang on 4 December. Checked into Perdana KLCC (requested Petronas tower view room). Explored KLCC park and Suria KLCC mall. Targeted sunset shots of the Petronas Towers from the park.
Food Day 1:
- KLIA T2: Croissant and latte at Starbucks; Kaya toast and iced Kopi C kosong at Bungus Kaw Kaw.
- Lunch at SALA (Avenue K KLCC): Southern fried mock chicken burger.
- Dinner at BBQ Nights (Pavilion Bukit Bintang): Northern Indian cuisine.
Full Exploration Day
Planned and visited multiple sites across the city:
| Place | Speciality | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Petronas Towers | Iconic twin skyscrapers | Booked 18:00 (golden hour) and 19:15 (blue light) slots |
| Changkat Tunku Lookout Point | City skyline | Better at sunrise; sunset reserved for Petronas |
| Batu Caves | Cave temple system | Best visited early morning |
| Petaling Street (Chinatown) | Street markets | Good for late morning street photography |
| Bukit Bintang | Urban shopping district | Evening street photography and dinner |
| Kampung Baru | Historic Malay neighbourhood | Afternoon street photography |
| Pasar Seni (Central Market) | Cultural market | Drop-in if time permits |
| Merdeka Square | Colonial architecture | Drop-in if time permits |
Food Day 2:
- Breakfast: Veg spring rolls, fried noodles, pasta, potato wedges, scrambled eggs, coffee, croissant, and Danish pastry. The croissant and Danish were baked fresh at the table and were exceptional.
- Lunch at Wholey Wonder: Tempe Bibimbap and sweet mala cauliflower.
- Dinner at The Hungry Tapir (Malay-inspired vegan):
- Jungle Laksa: Vermicelli noodles with Nyonya coconut sauce and fried tofu stew.
- Sweet Curry Puffs:
- Curry chicken — well-balanced sweet and savoury.
- Char Siew — not a favourite, lacked sweetness.
- Coconut Pandan — favourite; reminiscent of Indian Pooran.
Food Day 3:
- Hotel breakfast: Mini samosas, scrambled eggs, hash browns, croissant, guava juice, apple juice, and traditional Malay dessert Malay Kuih (Pandan cake base and coconut-chocolate tapioca base).
- Lunch at Suria KLCC food court: Small pizza and Milo.
- Airport: Curry puff, ginger soda, and latte.
Photography Notes
Key locations for photography across the trip:
- Singapore: Helix Bridge DNA motifs, Marina Bay Sands at night, Chinatown street scenes, Pagoda exit vantage point.
- Penang: Armenian Street art, Clan Jetties historic waterfront.
- Kuala Lumpur: Petronas Towers at golden hour and blue light, Changkat Tunku at sunrise, Bukit Bintang and Kampung Baru for street photography.
General Observations
- Vegan food was consistently strong across all three cities, with dedicated restaurants offering local flavours rather than generic substitutes.
- Cafe culture in Penang is notable — Utoo Boho stands out for espresso quality.
- Singapore’s public infrastructure and urban planning make navigation effortless; Penang and Kuala Lumpur require more deliberate scheduling.
- The Marina Bay Sands light show surpasses Gardens by the Bay in visual impact.