A bock-by-block review of Cuba Street
From the bucket fountain to the rainbow crossing, Cuba Street is home to culture and controversy. While it's not that long – just 925m – each block offers a different flavour. Here's what to explore and expect on each one.
Webb Street to Karo Drive
This is the crunchy end of Cuba Street. If it were a person, it'd be your aunt with the flowy pants who smells like incense and loves yoga. Case in point: this is where you'll find The Nut Store, a brick-and-mortar retail store that only sells bags of gourmet nuts and magazines about growing nuts. Somehow it has been running for well over a decade. Across the road, you'll find Good Housekeeping, a sustainable homewares store. I've never bought anything there, but I like it because it smells nice.
It's always worth stopping in at Thistle Hall, a community gallery with a constantly rotating display of art exhibitions and classes. They offer yoga, knitting and dance classes and are also home to a guitar society. The last time I visited, two Irish Mammies tried to feed me pumpkin soup, which I think was some form of performance art.
Karo Drive to Abel Smith Street
As you cross Karo Drive, you enter Cuba Street's chillout zone, a peaceful respite past the roar of State Highway 1 traffic, but before the busier high-foot-traffic areas.
At Te Whare Manaaki o Toda, a community space associated with the Buddhist centre, you'll find a contemporary art gallery with displays usually themed around Zen and inner peace. Over the road, Heyday Beer is one of the best spots in town to sip a cold one and relax on a sunny day.
If you're not in a rush, take your time perusing the Mary Potter Hospice Shop. Cuba Street is famous for its op shops. Mary Potter is the cheapest and has the widest selection. It's a classic charity shop with classic charity shop prices, racks of clothes, books, knick-knacks and assorted things. It's the kind of place where it's easy to lose track of time.
Abel Smith Street to Vivian Street
The third block of Cuba Street is a foodie's dream with a fantastic range of eateries from cheap street food spots to gourmet restaurants. If there's one cuisine you have to try on any visit to Wellington, it's Malaysian. Wellington has one of the strongest Malaysian food scenes outside the Asian continent. And that's not just a personal reckon. To learn more about how Wellington became a cornucopia of Malaysian food, read this story by Preyanka Gothanayagi. On this block, you'll find Satay Malaysia which topped The Spinoff's ranking of Wellington's roti canai combos. My favourite Malaysian spot for a sit-down dinner or small BYO is Rasa Malaysia (get the Murtabak).
If you're not in the mood for Malaysian food, consider Wellington Seamarket for the freshest fish and chips in the city, Nolita for creamy vegan pasta, El Matador for tapas and steak, Ombra for classic Italian – or for a bougie dinner on the corporate card, check out Logan Brown or Liberty.
Vivian Street to Ghuznee Street
On the corner of Vivian Street there are two benches dedicated to icons of Wellington's Takatāpui Rainbow community, Chrissy Witoko and Carmen Rupe, who owned businesses and performed in clubs in this area when it was Wellington's red light district.
It's a good idea to take a seat and rest your legs here, because there's plenty of exploring to do on this block. This is where you'll find the best range of second hand clothing stores: Frutti, Huha, Daddy Vintage, Tangent, Perfect Circle, Ziggurat, Hunters & Collectors, Comrades, and my personal favourite, Spacesuit.
Music lovers can take their time picking through the boxes at Slow Boat Records and explore Flying Nun Record Store for the latest releases from great Kiwi bands. In the evening, make sure to catch a gig at San Fran – even better if it's someone you've never heard of before.
You'll need some fuel for further thrifting, so make sure to check out Fred's, the sandwich hotspot that always seems to have lines out the door. Get caffeinated at Midnight Espresso, or wet your whistle at the Cuba Street Tavern.
Ghuznee Street to Dixon Street
When you think of Cuba Street, this is probably the bit that comes to mind. The main show. The pedestrian mall. My favourite thing to do on this block is to simply spend time on the street. Sit in the sun, watch the crowds go by, applaud a street performer, avoid the people handing out religious pamphlets, and weep at the majestic glory of the bucket fountain.
The popularity of the pedestrian mall means some of the weirder shops have been priced out by chain stores, but there are plenty of interesting independent retailers. Check out Graphic for comic books and graphic novels, Wellington Apothecary for oils, candles and skincare, and Abstract Design for an eclectic selection of wall art and hanging decorations.
Cuba Mall is an increasingly popular nightlife destination, particularly among punters who prefer a lively chat rather than a raging boogie down Courtenay Place. JJ Murphy & Co and Hotel Bristol are longstanding favourites for a classic pint and some pool. Loosies Superette, with its downstairs Saloon Bar, is a popular new hotspot. The Spinoff's food columnist Nick Iles described The Ram as his ' dream pub ' and in-the-know locals flock to Dee's Place, a tucked-away whiskey bar with no sign on the door.
Left Bank
A tributary tucked off to the side of Cuba Mall, Left Bank is a wondrous secret world which The Spinoff ranked as Wellington's best laneway. Gritty but artsy, private but distinctly urban, Left Bank is my favourite part of Cuba Street.
The real star of Left Bank is Pegasus Books, which topped yet another Spinoff ranking; Wellington's best second-hand book stores. Pegasus Books is a work of mystery and mayhem, with an enormous trove of literature that spills out onto the street, shelves stacked so high that you need ladders to access half the books on offer, and a maze of a layout that seems to go on forever like a Tardis made of wood and paper. I stop in at Pegasus Books every time I'm in the area and end up buying something about 50% of the time.
While you're exploring Left Bank, it's also worth checking out The Oatery, a cafe specialising in porridge and muesli. Cuba Street Social is possibly the coolest barbershop in Wellington, and I am absolutely obsessed with the Ethiopian cuisine at Mother of Coffee.
Dixon Street to Manners Street
At Dixon Street, you'll find Wellington's rainbow crossing, installed in 2018 as a symbol of support to the city's queer community – the green pedestrian crossing signal depicts Carmen Rupe strutting her stuff. Adjacent to the crossing is the aluminium sculpture Umbrella by Peter Kundycki. First installed on lower Cuba Street in 1990 and moved to this spot in 1997, it is a colourful reference to the city's high rainfall that has taken on greater meaning to the queer community as a symbol of shelter and protection.
This block is pretty short and the real action here is on Dixon Street, which has experienced a hospo resurgence thanks to a new boardwalk and parklets (on-street carparks that have been converted to outdoor seating with grass and trees). Swimsuit Coffee has a strong claim to the highly contested title of Wellington's best coffee spot.
Manners Street to Wakefield Street
The standout businesses of Lower Cuba Street are not on the street itself but underground. Ivy Bar & Cabaret is a fun and fabulous queer bar where you can catch a drag show, a comedy gig, or dance the night away. Next door is R Bar, a fascinating underground rum bar that feels like a secret pirate lair, complete with skeletons, buried treasure and sea shanties.
As you reach the end of Cuba Street, there's an important but unmarked historical site. On the left side of the street, near the Philanthropist's Stone sculpture, you'll find Bond Street. Down this laneway was the original meeting house of the Dorian Society, New Zealand's first homosexual organisation. Primarily a social club, it later formed a legal subcommittee that laid the groundwork for homosexual law reform in New Zealand.
It's a site that speaks to everything that makes Cuba Street special. This is a street that stands at the forefront of change, embraces differences, and encourages people to stand out.
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NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Kuala Lumpur magic: Family explores Batu Caves and city highlights
My wife Aimee was holding our 6-year-old daughter Riley's hand, and the four of us joined the throngs of tourists and faithful who make the pilgrimage here on any given day. At the top of those steps – the equivalent of scaling a 10-12-storey building – you're rewarded with the marvel of nature and mankind. The jagged, jungle-draped limestone of Batu Caves formed about 400 million years ago and the main chamber leaves you in little doubt as to why humans have long chosen it for awe-inspiring mass worship. We avoided the vendors selling snacks and souvenirs that can make you a target for the monkeys, and instead just craned our necks at the enormity of the place. Batu caves. Photo / Supplied A secondary lot of stairs passes another temple and takes you to an opening where shafts of sunlight and drips of water come through. Everything is vast and the right kind of overwhelming and never did we expect to turn around and find the grandparents had also made it to the top. But according to my father-in-law, once they started on those stairs, they figured they just had to keep going. They will only come to Batu Caves once in their life. Indeed, they may only get to Malaysia once in their life, so the time was now. Tim and Austin Roxborogh, Batu Caves. Photo / Supplied This whole Malaysian trip was about a homecoming for me and showing our children and their grandparents the place that still defines me and a place I love with an almost evangelical passion. Not yet a Malaysia convert? Allow me! Forty-two years since my parents relocated me and my three sisters to the steamy, exotic metropolis that is Kuala Lumpur (greater population now close to nine million), and 35 years since we returned to New Zealand, I was back. Only this time, with my wife, our children and the grandparents in tow. Aimee has loved Malaysia since our honeymoon in 2017, where we spent three weeks seeing everything from the orangutans, elephants and proboscis monkeys in the spectacular jungles of Malaysian Borneo, to the snorkelling and diving paradise of Tioman Island, to the culture, history and natural beauty of Penang and Langkawi. And of course, Kuala Lumpur. Most trips to Malaysia invariably begin and end in KL, but don't for second dismiss it as a mere transit or springboard. Jalan Alor. Photo / Supplied I wanted to wow the kids and ease the grandparents in, given this was their first Asia trip. The controlled chaos of KL-must-sees like Jalan Alor (one of Southeast Asia's most-photographed street food destinations) and Chinatown could wait a couple of days, first up? Well, first up, we didn't even leave the hotel. KL knows how to do hotels and for not much more than the price of a small-town New Zealand motel, you can find yourself in a marble 'n' chandelier masterpiece the likes of which you'd never dared dream you could afford. I'd done my research, and in a city where you really can't go wrong, one place stood apart when looking for something family-friendly. Renaissance Pool. Photo / Supplied The Renaissance has 406 rooms across one of two 1996-built high-rises and we found ourselves on level 27 with – quite frankly – insanely great views of the 421m KL Tower and the surrounding urban green lung of Bukit Nanas. We also found ourselves in a gigantic family suite where Riley and Austin's bedroom had an outer-space theme complete with a rocket ship for bedtime stories. Speaking of which, the room comes not just with storybooks for the kids, but with toys and bean bags and even Fluffy & Friends toiletries in case you forgot the toothbrushes. Other family suites have a jungle or safari theme, but thankfully, it's confined to the kids' room. And so outside of that hall-of-fame-worthy outer-space room is a large kitchen and living area befitting a more traditional upper 5-star property, and then a separate bedroom for the parents of a similarly conservative yet sumptuous standard. Was the whole thing squeal-worthy? Oh yes. It might've been late at night after a long flight with delirium setting in, but when the kids first saw their rocket ship bedroom, they squealed and ran and laughed and expressed pure unconstrained joy. The adults weren't too many notches below them either. Riley climbing at Renaissance. Photo / Supplied The next morning, we deliberately blocked out any activities beyond the hotel so we could explore what the Renaissance is really about: one of the most striking hotel swimming pools I've seen anywhere in the world. As in Olympic-large, but with curves as well as corners, a float-up bar and multiple waterslides. There's even a specific children's splash zone with additional slides and a dumping bucket; essentially, a luxury central city hotel but with its own not-so-mini waterpark. Renaissance Pool. Photo / Supplied Add to that a 1200sq m Paradise Trail and adventure zone where there's a full dry-land playground in case you want a break from your togs, but also a series of climbing walls and even a Jack & the Beanstalk climbing stalk. Riley adores climbing and waterslides in equal measure and the Renaissance was as if it had been designed with her specifically in mind: even down to the chocolate sauce-draped waffles and the mountains of watermelon at the breakfast buffet. Renaissance Pool. Photo / Supplied Eventually, we did leave the hotel. The 452m Petronas Towers are just a 10-minute walk away and while the former tallest buildings in the world (1996-2004) have slipped to 21st place, few skyscrapers are as stunning. The fact that they're surrounded by a multilevel mall almost as photogenic – not to mention the beautiful KLCC park – makes them worth the hype. In terms of hype though, it's the under-the-radar KL Forest Eco Park that really jumps out. A series of raised canopy walkways that showcase the wonders of Malaysia's rainforests – widely regarded as the single most biodiverse on Planet Earth – this 10ha slice of jungle lies directly across the road from the Renaissance. KL Forest Eco Park walk. Photo / Supplied It was here as my children ran across the swing bridges and my wife and her parents gazed at the wilds of an equatorial jungle right in the heart of massive city that my love of Kuala Lumpur crystalised. It's everything. It's the best of nature's designs and the best of man's designs. It's my old family church – St Andrews – poking through the forest leaves, as well as all the surrounding temples and mosques that quietly taught me as a child that multiculturalism works and different races can coexist in close proximity. It's malls and alleyways. It's old and new. It's my home. And I'm so thrilled my family have seen it. Details For more about Malaysia Airlines and its new A330neo aircraft, visit The journalist travelled courtesy of Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines.
The Spinoff
6 days ago
- The Spinoff
A bock-by-block review of Cuba Street
Take a walk down Wellington's most colourful street with The Spinoff's Wellington editor Joel MacManus. From the bucket fountain to the rainbow crossing, Cuba Street is home to culture and controversy. While it's not that long – just 925m – each block offers a different flavour. Here's what to explore and expect on each one. Webb Street to Karo Drive This is the crunchy end of Cuba Street. If it were a person, it'd be your aunt with the flowy pants who smells like incense and loves yoga. Case in point: this is where you'll find The Nut Store, a brick-and-mortar retail store that only sells bags of gourmet nuts and magazines about growing nuts. Somehow it has been running for well over a decade. Across the road, you'll find Good Housekeeping, a sustainable homewares store. I've never bought anything there, but I like it because it smells nice. It's always worth stopping in at Thistle Hall, a community gallery with a constantly rotating display of art exhibitions and classes. They offer yoga, knitting and dance classes and are also home to a guitar society. The last time I visited, two Irish Mammies tried to feed me pumpkin soup, which I think was some form of performance art. Karo Drive to Abel Smith Street As you cross Karo Drive, you enter Cuba Street's chillout zone, a peaceful respite past the roar of State Highway 1 traffic, but before the busier high-foot-traffic areas. At Te Whare Manaaki o Toda, a community space associated with the Buddhist centre, you'll find a contemporary art gallery with displays usually themed around Zen and inner peace. Over the road, Heyday Beer is one of the best spots in town to sip a cold one and relax on a sunny day. If you're not in a rush, take your time perusing the Mary Potter Hospice Shop. Cuba Street is famous for its op shops. Mary Potter is the cheapest and has the widest selection. It's a classic charity shop with classic charity shop prices, racks of clothes, books, knick-knacks and assorted things. It's the kind of place where it's easy to lose track of time. Abel Smith Street to Vivian Street The third block of Cuba Street is a foodie's dream with a fantastic range of eateries from cheap street food spots to gourmet restaurants. If there's one cuisine you have to try on any visit to Wellington, it's Malaysian. Wellington has one of the strongest Malaysian food scenes outside the Asian continent. And that's not just a personal reckon. To learn more about how Wellington became a cornucopia of Malaysian food, read this story by Preyanka Gothanayagi. On this block, you'll find Satay Malaysia which topped The Spinoff's ranking of Wellington's roti canai combos. My favourite Malaysian spot for a sit-down dinner or small BYO is Rasa Malaysia (get the Murtabak). If you're not in the mood for Malaysian food, consider Wellington Seamarket for the freshest fish and chips in the city, Nolita for creamy vegan pasta, El Matador for tapas and steak, Ombra for classic Italian – or for a bougie dinner on the corporate card, check out Logan Brown or Liberty. Vivian Street to Ghuznee Street On the corner of Vivian Street there are two benches dedicated to icons of Wellington's Takatāpui Rainbow community, Chrissy Witoko and Carmen Rupe, who owned businesses and performed in clubs in this area when it was Wellington's red light district. It's a good idea to take a seat and rest your legs here, because there's plenty of exploring to do on this block. This is where you'll find the best range of second hand clothing stores: Frutti, Huha, Daddy Vintage, Tangent, Perfect Circle, Ziggurat, Hunters & Collectors, Comrades, and my personal favourite, Spacesuit. Music lovers can take their time picking through the boxes at Slow Boat Records and explore Flying Nun Record Store for the latest releases from great Kiwi bands. In the evening, make sure to catch a gig at San Fran – even better if it's someone you've never heard of before. You'll need some fuel for further thrifting, so make sure to check out Fred's, the sandwich hotspot that always seems to have lines out the door. Get caffeinated at Midnight Espresso, or wet your whistle at the Cuba Street Tavern. Ghuznee Street to Dixon Street When you think of Cuba Street, this is probably the bit that comes to mind. The main show. The pedestrian mall. My favourite thing to do on this block is to simply spend time on the street. Sit in the sun, watch the crowds go by, applaud a street performer, avoid the people handing out religious pamphlets, and weep at the majestic glory of the bucket fountain. The popularity of the pedestrian mall means some of the weirder shops have been priced out by chain stores, but there are plenty of interesting independent retailers. Check out Graphic for comic books and graphic novels, Wellington Apothecary for oils, candles and skincare, and Abstract Design for an eclectic selection of wall art and hanging decorations. Cuba Mall is an increasingly popular nightlife destination, particularly among punters who prefer a lively chat rather than a raging boogie down Courtenay Place. JJ Murphy & Co and Hotel Bristol are longstanding favourites for a classic pint and some pool. Loosies Superette, with its downstairs Saloon Bar, is a popular new hotspot. The Spinoff's food columnist Nick Iles described The Ram as his ' dream pub ' and in-the-know locals flock to Dee's Place, a tucked-away whiskey bar with no sign on the door. Left Bank A tributary tucked off to the side of Cuba Mall, Left Bank is a wondrous secret world which The Spinoff ranked as Wellington's best laneway. Gritty but artsy, private but distinctly urban, Left Bank is my favourite part of Cuba Street. The real star of Left Bank is Pegasus Books, which topped yet another Spinoff ranking; Wellington's best second-hand book stores. Pegasus Books is a work of mystery and mayhem, with an enormous trove of literature that spills out onto the street, shelves stacked so high that you need ladders to access half the books on offer, and a maze of a layout that seems to go on forever like a Tardis made of wood and paper. I stop in at Pegasus Books every time I'm in the area and end up buying something about 50% of the time. While you're exploring Left Bank, it's also worth checking out The Oatery, a cafe specialising in porridge and muesli. Cuba Street Social is possibly the coolest barbershop in Wellington, and I am absolutely obsessed with the Ethiopian cuisine at Mother of Coffee. Dixon Street to Manners Street At Dixon Street, you'll find Wellington's rainbow crossing, installed in 2018 as a symbol of support to the city's queer community – the green pedestrian crossing signal depicts Carmen Rupe strutting her stuff. Adjacent to the crossing is the aluminium sculpture Umbrella by Peter Kundycki. First installed on lower Cuba Street in 1990 and moved to this spot in 1997, it is a colourful reference to the city's high rainfall that has taken on greater meaning to the queer community as a symbol of shelter and protection. This block is pretty short and the real action here is on Dixon Street, which has experienced a hospo resurgence thanks to a new boardwalk and parklets (on-street carparks that have been converted to outdoor seating with grass and trees). Swimsuit Coffee has a strong claim to the highly contested title of Wellington's best coffee spot. Manners Street to Wakefield Street The standout businesses of Lower Cuba Street are not on the street itself but underground. Ivy Bar & Cabaret is a fun and fabulous queer bar where you can catch a drag show, a comedy gig, or dance the night away. Next door is R Bar, a fascinating underground rum bar that feels like a secret pirate lair, complete with skeletons, buried treasure and sea shanties. As you reach the end of Cuba Street, there's an important but unmarked historical site. On the left side of the street, near the Philanthropist's Stone sculpture, you'll find Bond Street. Down this laneway was the original meeting house of the Dorian Society, New Zealand's first homosexual organisation. Primarily a social club, it later formed a legal subcommittee that laid the groundwork for homosexual law reform in New Zealand. It's a site that speaks to everything that makes Cuba Street special. This is a street that stands at the forefront of change, embraces differences, and encourages people to stand out.
NZ Herald
27-07-2025
- NZ Herald
Eight of the cheapest Asian city break destinations
Ipoh, Malaysia Unlike Malaysia's capital, Ipoh, a pocket-sized city in northwestern Malaysia, remains wonderfully affordable – double rooms in many of its quaint boutique hotels cost under $53 a night, and guided tours of the limestone caves surrounding the city start at around $33. We grilled Janice Young, co-founder of Explore Ipoh, about her favourite admission-free spots. 'Han Chin Pet Soo is a small heritage museum run by volunteers, and the Kong Fook Ngam cave temple has a massive tunnel system,' says Janice, who recommends fuelling up on her favourite snack. 'Ipoh is famous for taufu fa – a cheap, simple dessert comprising a block of tofu in sweet syrup,' she says. In Ipoh, a heritage museum is run entirely by local volunteers. Photo / Unsplash Bangkok, Thailand Despite being Thailand's capital, Bangkok can be surprisingly cheap. We're huge fans of both its BTS Skytrain and MRT railway networks (fares start from around $0.71), and its river taxis offer great value, too – single fares on the Chao Phraya Express Boat start from $0.81. And while the city has numerous observatories from which to take in the view, they often charge hefty fees. Suzy at Co Van Kessel, which offers guided cycling tours of Chinatown, suggests an alternative approach. 'Head to the top floor of the ICONSIAM mall for stunning views over Chao Phraya River,' she says. 'It's free, and a great spot for photos, especially at sunset.' As for Suzy's go-to snack for travellers on a budget? 'Try khanom buang – crispy pancakes. These delicious little treats, often made with shredded coconut, cost just a few baht.' Want a big city adventure on a shoestring? These Asian destinations have you covered. Photo / Unsplash Hoi An, Vietnam Cheaper and less crowded than Ho Chi Minh, canal-streaked Hoi An, on Vietnam's south-central coastline, is a Unesco-listed gem with a rich history and a beautifully preserved old town. Nothing beats a stroll along its cobbled laneways, illuminated by Chinese lanterns and lined with ancient buildings that date back to its heyday as a trading port. Food, accommodation and souvenirs here are incredibly cheap, and one of the best spots for retail therapy is the Nguyen Hoang Street night market, where you can feast on local snacks such as banh xoai (mango cake) and stock up on souvenirs – we recommend the beautiful ceramic teapots. Hoi An. Photo / Unsplash Busan, South Korea This coastal city might not be on many travellers' radars – unlike Seoul – but that's precisely the reason it's so much cheaper. It's another place where public transport deserves a shout-out – a one-day pass for its fantastic metro system costs just $7. It's also packed with historic sites, many of which are free to visit. 'Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is one of Korea's few seaside temples, with serene Buddhist architecture and sweeping views of the East Sea,' says tour guide Dylan Kim from 'It's free to enter and it's especially picturesque at sunrise. Then there's Gamcheon Culture Village, a colourful hillside village famous for its murals and quaint alleyways. It's a great spot for photography.' Hanoi, Vietnam Full disclosure – as Vietnam's capital city, there are plenty of opportunities to splash the cash here, but sticking to a budget here is surprisingly easy. One reason is its size – this is one of Asia's most walkable capitals, much smaller and easier to navigate than Ho Chi Minh, and with a logical layout and numerous landmarks which make it easy to find your bearings. Two of our favourite areas include the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. 'Hoan Kiem Lake is a lively yet peaceful area in the heart of the city,' says Chloe from Hanoi Local Tours. 'There are lots of free local performances, and it's a great spot for people-watching. In the Old Quarter, you'll find dozens of food stalls serving food, which is delicious, authentic and incredibly affordable. Hanoi in Vietnam. Photo / Frida Aguilar Estrada on Unsplash Jakarta, Indonesia One of the main reasons Jakarta makes the cut is its wonderfully cheap public transport. 'Hop on the MRT or on a TransJakarta bus – these buses are clean, cool, and ridiculously cheap,' says Wibi Hananto, a manager at our favourite boutique crash-pad, 25hours Hotel The Oddbird. 'They'll take you across the city without eating into your satay fund. There's simply no need to splurge on rideshares when Jakarta's public transport is this easy.' Its markets are another reason Jakarta is a hit with budget travellers. 'Blok M Square and Santa Modern Market are where the good stuff's at,' says Wibi. 'Think vintage finds and street food, and stalls that double as great Instagram backdrops.' As for the go-to snack? Kerak Telor – an old-school favourite made with sticky rice, egg, coconut, and a sprinkle of crispy shallots. Singapore. Photo / Unsplash Singapore Finally, a wildcard entry, but one we feel is justified. Yes, Singapore is, in many ways, one of Asia's most expensive urban destinations, although it can also be much more affordable than many realise. Take its super cheap hawker centres, home to Michelin guide-listed street food vendors, or its great bike share scheme, Hello Ride. Single journeys on these sky-blue bikes start from $0.64. As for where to head for some free fun? Peck Lin, co-founder of Singaporean ice cream brand Udders, has some advice. 'Top on my list would be the Singapore Botanic Gardens,' says Peck. 'It's an admission-free, Unesco-listed oasis in downtown Singapore, metres from Orchard Rd. I also love the waterfront Esplanade area for the free performances, especially during weekends.' Finally, if you love sport, prepare to be shocked by the cost of tickets for the Singapore GP, in October. A three-day grandstand pass for the event starts from $678, and to put that into perspective, a three-day general entry ticket for Silverstone starts at $846.
