Photography – Travel with KKday

6 Christmas Attractions You Cannot Miss Out In Singapore #forthegram

Christmas is truly the time for laughter and joy, and there is no denying that everyone looks forward to this time of the year. Oh, how time flies and the end of 2017 is nearing. It feels just like last month when we felt like we needed a much-needed getaway, and now we’re either packing our bags for our end-of-year trip or planning for Christmas Eve dinners. However, a question that many Singaporeans face every single year is: where should we go to celebrate Christmas this year?

From the usual Orchard Road light-ups to places you’d never think of, here’s our take on where you can find the best “insta-worthy” spots for Christmas!

Here’s a hint: It’s “bokeh-ful“!

Orchard Central

Stretching all the way from 313 Somerset to Orchard Central, these twinkling, fancy decorations will surely catch your eye from afar! These attractions are here to stay yearly despite being a little off-site of the main Orchard Road pop-ups. Don’t be fooled by the looks of it!

Although Singapore may not have that classic white Christmas, who said that we still can’t embrace our climatised weather and enjoy it all the same?

Forum The Shopping Mall

We’ve got great news! A stone’s away from Ion Orchard, there’s no need to go through the hassle to find this mall. All you got to do is to spot this huge turquoise lit-up Christmas tree from afar and be awed at its blue-ty.

Note: There was supposed to be lit decorations at The Walk of Wonder but it was under maintenance.

Ion Orchard

The Orchard Road light-up, a spectacular street-length light show, stretches for two miles down from Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura but the Christmas decorations right outside Ion are not to be missed! Hop on the train and the hot air balloon, and enjoy the optical illusory experience!

The Great Christmas Village

This year, we welcome Singapore’s very first Europe-inspired Christmas Village! Now this is more than just the usual twinkling lights like every other year! It will be here from 25 November to 25 December 2017, transforming Ngee Ann City into a Singapore Version of Winter Wonderland.

With around 25 Pop-up stores and a Christmas Eve Countdown Concert, there’s something for everybody this Christmas – from Fish & Co (now the hunger pangs strikes) to Tiffany’s for the ladies. For kids, there are 3 amusement rides here for only $5/ride – The Ocean Ride, The London Train, and The Tea Cup! Alternatively, purchasing the Family Pass at $15 for 4 rides is also available!

Changi Mystical Garden

Flying off soon? Not so fast! Catch popular Sanrio characters – Hello Kitty and Friends here at Changi Airport T3 Departure Hall. The Sanrio characters include Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, Cinnamoroll, Gudetama, Little Twin Stars (Kiki and Lala), My Melody and Pompompurin.

Be enchanted by light shows, meet-and-greet sessions, photo-taking opportunities, games and limited edition* prizes up for grabs!

Christmas Wonderland

Making its annual comeback for the third consecutive year, Gardens By the Bay is transformed into a little Christmas Village which includes Santa’s Grotto, one-of-a-kind craft gifts to Skating Under the Stars where you can skate with your fellow buddies! Other festive highlights include a photo-ready carousel, carnival games with attractive prizes to be won, guaranteed to provide you with an unending whale of a time.

Source: @ombre.photography

Be sure to soak up the magnificently dazzling sights and admire the stunning Luminaria light structures.

Things to note: Entrance Fee: $4 online, $6 on-site. Why not save $2?

For this coming Christmas, visiting the Flower Dome will complete your Nordic experience. Visit after dusk to catch the pretty twinkling lights floral display, and if lady luck is on your side, you’ll even get to see Santa Claus! Here’s your chance to take a peak into Santa’s Cabin, post office (where he receives letters from well-behaved children) to his very-own toy workshop.

Source: Gardens By The Bay

With brand new light installations (arguably better than last year), rides, and even a Christmas Eve Countdown Concert, spending Christmas in Singapore isn’t that bad after all! Celebrate this time of the year with your loved ones and I’d bet that it’ll be a holiday to remember!

Remember, Christmas is the Season of Giving and Sharing, so spread the love and share this article!

For more travel experience promotions, follow KKday on Facebook and Instagram.

Photo Credits: @jst.elvin , @ombre.photography

Talents: @gabybybyyy , @trishyfishyyyy

6 Singapore “Insta-Worthy” Locations That Are Perfect For Korea Lovers

Let’s do a quick poll:

Are you one of those who lets your camera rot away in a corner of your room and seldom takes it out of that dusty old rack of yours?

Do you constantly scroll through Instagram, click on the location tags to find out on where your friends took that photo from, then save those places where you plan to visit in future (probably almost never) with your friends and partner?

If your answers above are yes, this is your chance! If you liked last week’s edition – How To Travel To 10 Countries In A Day, we’re BACK FOR MORE! We’ve compiled even better, incredible places for your next do-it-for-the-gram photo adventure!

1. Hanuel Sky Park (하늘공원)

As the most popular park in Seoul, it is best visited during Summer and Autumn due to the blooming of Sunflowers in the Summer, the tall, green-faded-brown grass and redwood trees accompanied by the autumn winds during Autumn.

Once a waste landfill, visitors are greeted with a magnificent view of Seoul and the Han River from a vantage point. With the Bukhansan Mountain in the North, Namsan Mountain and the 63 Building in the East and the Han River in the South, it is definitely one of the must-go places.

Location: Tuas Lalang Field Avenue 5

Nearest MRT: Tuas Link

2. Common Ground (커먼그라운드)

As we all know, this is South Korea’s first pop-up store made up of 200 shipping containers selling only quirky, young designer brands. Mainstream brands cannot be found, thus adding a “hipster-ish” feeling to the atmosphere.

Fun Fact: These containers are blue so as to describe Seoul as a place that is always hustling and bustling with energy.

Source: Korea Tourism Organisation

Location: IKEA, Tampines

Nearest MRT: Tampines/Pasir Ris

3. Love Locks At N Seoul Towel (N서울타워)

Arguably the most romantic place in Korea at N Seoul Tower, much similar to Paris’ Love Locks, Pont des Arts, this is one spot every couple will never fail to visit – attaching love locks as a symbolic testimonial and a declaration of each other’s love. Sitting atop Namsam Mountain, N Seoul Tower marks the highest point in Seoul. However, if you’re looking for spectacular views, Hanuel Sky Park still wins hands down.

Location: The Central

Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay

4. Jumunjin Beach (주문진 해수욕장)

Located in the northern-most part of Gangneung, it is a great place for family vacations and fresh seafood due to the beach’s shallow water and proximity to the nearby harbour.

After the successful airing of the Korean Drama, Goblin, many actually specially visit this location simply for-the-gram and also to re-enact a particular scene of this popular drama. Props rental on-site were available (at a fairly low cost) in order to resemble the casts in that one scene. Aside from that, Jumumjin Beach is well-known for its unusually blue water and beautiful, white and fine sand.

Source: Korea Tourism Organisation

Location: Marina Barrage

Nearest MRT: Bayfront

5. Daepohang Port Light House, Sokcho (대포항 등대)

This bustling port has become one of the most popular tourist spots for those in search of the freshest raw fish restaurants over the recent years. Most importantly, it has a plethora of different fish to choose from! The popularity still continues to grow as this drama became all-time-famous just last year. One of the main highlights would be the red lighthouse in the background.

Source: Korea Tourism Organisation

Location: Labrador Park

Nearest MRT: Labrador Park:

BONUS! Petite France (쁘띠프랑스)

Located near Nami Island, this French cultural village is located in the countryside, consisting of 16 different French-style building.

Location: Clarke Quay

If you want more information about such locations in Singapore, be it to update your social media accounts to make it look like you’re overseas or to have more photo taking adventures, click here.

Do not hesitate to Spread the love and share this article with other fellow Singaporeans too!

For more travel experience promotions, follow KKday on Facebook and Instagram.

How To Travel To 10 Countries In A Day

You’ve seen your friends flood Instagram and Facebook with photos all the way from Europe to the Scandinavian islands, or they could just be traveling in the neighboring countries just outside our little red dot; scrolling through endless posts to see weekend getaways to Johor Bahru and Batam while you’re still stuck here in Singapore, wishing that time could pass and you could travel too. You get it – Any other country except Singapore.

Living in the social media era, traveling is never really complete without posting a couple of photos, isn’t it?

For those who have that burning desire to update your social media platforms without having any new photos because you can’t afford the time or the money, here’s the place! You could travel around Singapore in just a day for 9 Insta-Worthy landmarks!

1. Rosengarten Auf Dem Beutig, Baden-Baden, Germany

Visit the Gardens By the Bay of Germany, where enthusiasts frequent and deem as the secret rose capital of this country.

Fun Fact: Enthusiasts see Baden-Baden as the secret rose capital of Germany.

Germany Experience: Rhine Valley Tour

Location: Japanese Cemetery Park

Nearest MRT: Serangoon

2. Burma Railway, Thanbyuzayat, Myanmar

Also known as The Death Railway connecting the border of Burma (currently known as Myanmar) and Thailand devised by the Japanese Army during the Second World War to transport troops and supplies from Bangkok back to Burma.

Fun Fact: One man died for each wooden sleeper. This was one of the most tragic yet “forgetten wars”.

Myanmar Experience: Half Day Tour of Mingun

Location: Bukit Timah Railway

Nearest MRT: Hillview

3. Hakone, Tokyo, Japan

Famous for their “Floating” Torri, it has been designated as a Geopark by UNESCO for its unique flora and fauna. Hakone has flourished as a favorite spa destination, and still attracts many visitors from all over – there are more tourists than locals.

Fun Fact: There’s a belief that Owakudani, a crater that was created by the last major eruption of Mount Hakone 800 years ago, is known for its healthy eggs that add 7 years to your life.

Japan Experience: Kimono Experience

Location: Japanese Garden

Nearest MRT: Chinese Garden

4. Petite France, Korea

Located near Nami Island, this French cultural village is located in the countryside, consisting of 16 different French-style building.

Fun Fact: Petite France was featured on many dramas and variety shows such as Beethoven Virus, Secret Garden, My Love From The Star.

Korea Experience: Petite France

Location: Clarke Quay

Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay

5. St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia

You can’t visit St Kilda and not take a stroll along the Pier. It would be like going to Vegas and not going into casinos or playing roulette.

Much loved by many visitors and locals, St. Kilda is Melbourne’s seaside playground where it is renowned for its extensive beach activities, stunning sunsets and most importantly, FOOD! My tummy’s grumbling!

Fun Fact: St. Kilda was Melbourne’s ‘red light’ district’ following the Second World War.

Melbourne Experience: Mornington Penninsula Tour

Location: Raffles Marina

Nearest MRT: Tuas Link

6. Zhan Yuan Garden, Nanjing, China

Zhanyuan Garden is the only well preserved Ming-style architectural complex with the longest history in Nanjing City

Fun Fact: The garden was named after a famous Chinese poem in which translates to “one feels like in heaven when looking up (‘zhan’ in Chinese) the beautiful house”

China Experience: Shanghai Disneyland Tickets

Location: Chinese Garden

Nearest MRT: Chinese Garden

7. Kowloon, Hong Kong

Ah, we’ve come to the land of Hypebeast. They even have a street entirely filled with sneakers (yes they do), and it is named “Sneakers Street”.

How do we describe Hong Kong in a sentence? It’s part capitalist, part communist, basically built on a rock and it is well-known in Asia for police-crime related drama serials and movies.

Fun Fact: Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers in the world, surpassing what we thought would be New York City.

Hong Kong Experience: Peak Tram and Fast Track Package

Location: Along the streets of Chinatown

Nearest MRT: Chinatown

8. Milatos Cave, Crete, Greece

If you’re looking for a place that tells tales, this is the one – Rich in history and of sentimental importance for the locals, 3,600 people were slaughtered in this very cave by the Turks during the Revolution times. A White Chapel is then built to commemorate this tragic incident.

Fun Facts: Some of those victims’ remains still lie deep in the cave which is only accessible by ropes and harnesses.

Greece Experience: Tour to Ancient Thera

Location: Sentosa

Nearest MRT: Harbourfront

9. Krabi, Thailand

A less crowded version of Phuket and arguably the most relaxing part of Thailand where it has such magnificent scenery and sunsets, beautiful white beaches that stretch from one end to the other. The best part – it also has almost every water and physical activity you can think of off the top of your head.

Fun Facts: Krabi is possibly Thailand’s oldest history of continued settlement where much of the province consists of several national parks, with over 200 islands off its coast.

Krabi Experience: Krabi 4 Islands Day Tour

Location: Siloso Beach, Sentosa

Nearest MRT: Harbourfront

10. Dragon & Tiger Pagodas

Sick of the city life in Taipei? Take a train ride to the South and find yourself in Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan. Kaohsiung has so much to offer, from fresh local produce and cultural knowledge, we are ready for a new side of this foodie-heaven.

Fun Facts: There is a sign outside the pagodas that tells you to enter through the dragon’s mouth and come out from the tiger’s mouth, it is said to get rid of your bad luck and increase your good luck.