Want to have more enjoyable couple time with your better half without burning a hole in your pocket? Here are nine creative, and cost-effective date ideas that you can explore. Having fun doesn’t have to be expensive!
1. Venture off the beaten track
Forget the usual crowded haunts like Orchard Road and Sentosa. Instead, there are many off-the-radar places in Singapore that will make for a fun-filled day out. For instance, take a trip down to Kampong Buangkok, the last surviving village in Singapore. The rustic vibe of the area will make you feel like you’ve been transported back in time! Alternatively, plan a visit to Sembawang Hot Springs, where you and your date can enjoy a free footbath using natural spring water, which supposedly boasts curative properties.
2. Have Sunday brunch…at home
1. Venture off the beaten track
Forget the usual crowded haunts like Orchard Road and Sentosa. Instead, there are many off-the-radar places in Singapore that will make for a fun-filled day out. For instance, take a trip down to Kampong Buangkok, the last surviving village in Singapore. The rustic vibe of the area will make you feel like you’ve been transported back in time! Alternatively, plan a visit to Sembawang Hot Springs, where you and your date can enjoy a free footbath using natural spring water, which supposedly boasts curative properties.
2. Have Sunday brunch…at home
Instead of paying for two at a café, why not whip up your own brunch at a home instead? Preparing your own Eggs Benedict or big breakfast set will probably only cost you around half the amount eating out; plus, you won’t have to worry about measly portions or long waiting times. You and your date will also have plenty of fun cooking up a storm in the kitchen!
3. Embark on a hawker food trail
If you are a self-confessed walking disaster in the kitchen, consider a hawker food trail across the island. It’s entirely possible to cover more than five hawker centres in a day! Tip: Order single portions for each dish and share. Local delights are big on taste, but easy on the pocket.
4. Volunteer for a good cause
Volunteering is free of charge, but the positive impact you make on the lives of others is priceless. Find out more from SG Cares on volunteering opportunities. Besides doing a good deed, you might be pleasantly surprised to see how kind and tender your other half can be.
5. Get your heart pumping
Get hearts pumping at a Trampoline park! Katapult Trampoline Park is hidden just behind Khatib MRT station, in ORTO (previously known as Bottle Tree Park). Jump to your heart's content and attempt 2 different levels of free-fall. Perfect if your date is the spontaneous sort! The price per person starts at $15/hour. You can even explore The Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum, dinner or even prawning, all within ORTO!
6. Visit the Jewel of Singapore
There are so many things to do at Jewel Changi Airport, from shopping to the variety of food choices and attractions! Not to mention, attraction price tickets start at $4.50 per person at Canopy Park, pretty affordable if you ask me.
7. Go back to nature
Singapore might be a concrete jungle, but there is no shortage of nature spots where both of you can go. Some ideas you can explore include hiking around MacRitchie Reservoir and making a pit stop at the TreeTop Walk, a 250m-long freestanding suspension bridge – there, you’ll get to enjoy panoramic views of the nature reserve. Alternatively, hop on a boat to Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, where you can appreciate Singapore’s biodiversity – NParks conducts free guided tours of the islands. Of course, there’s also the perennial favourite Pulau Ubin, which is perfect for romantic cycling outings.
8. Do a public transport date
Hop on an unfamiliar public bus…to nowhere in particular. Ride from one terminal to another, switch buses halfway, or alight whenever you feel like it – it’s a great way of discovering unknown neighbourhoods you’d ordinarily never venture out to. You and your date might even find new eateries, stores or parks to add to your favourites list!
9. Train for a marathon
This is one pastime that will occupy your date nights for months on end. You and your other half will also get to bond and keep fit at the same time! Completing a marathon is no easy feat, and will require lots of patience, encouragement and perseverance from you and your significant other – it’s a sure way of bringing both of you closer.
