Sightseeing in Singapore through the haze

Singapore has always been known as the clean and green garden city, but sometimes when the wind blows in a particular direction while the forest fires blaze over nearby Indonesian islands, this little country gets blanketed in an uncharacteristic  haze that shrouds the skies in greyness and persistent smokiness.

SGhaze or just ‘The Haze’ isn’t something you can plan for – but if you are a visitor to Singapore with the misfortune of encountering hazy conditions, here are some suggestions on how to make the best of your rather hazy time here.

What is the haze? #SGHAZE

Once you leave the comfort of air-conditioning, it perpetually smells like something is burning, my throat is awfully scratchy and my eyes smart from the air. The weather seems extra warm and dreary, and people around me hurry from place to place to get out of the open, hacking as they go – it is not a pleasant time at all.

Maybe people might think Singaporeans are being whiny, our citizens floundering from a little bit of haze and smoke, but we’ve always been proud of our high standards of cleanliness and the haze just wreaks havoc on all our lives. Now I’ve been to cities like Taipei and Hanoi where the air in the city doesn’t feel so clean, where I don’t feel like taking too deep breaths, and the stuff I blow out of my nose is blacker than what I’m used to.

Indoor Attractions in Singapore

Avoid being outdoors for too long or too much strenuous outdoor activity, especially when the PSI goes anywhere above 100. While lots of Singapore attractions tend to be outdoors, most of the buildings in Singapore are already air-conditioned because of our year-round tropical heat, so you can hide from the haze by hopping from building to building. Just remember to stay hydrated and moisturized because air-conditioning is drying!

Anything that involves checking out our cityscape or view is a bit of a lost cause at this point, but other stuff you can check out:

Popular attractions

Gardens by the Bay is a godsend as you can enjoy our garden greenery without the worry of haze in the comfort of the enclosed greenhouse environments of the Flower and Cloud Forest Domes.

The S.E.A. Aquarium at Resorts World will also provide a nice 1-2 hour respite from the haze, or catch a performance at the Esplanade.

I would still recommend checking out our historical and cultural areas like Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam, but suggest keeping an eye on the PSI and mixing that up with time spent indoors instead to mitigate the effects of the haze.

Cultural Institutions

Our local Museums are often overlooked in favour of the bigger attractions like the Singapore Zoo and bumboats along the Singapore River, but are definitely worth a visit – check out the full list here. I would recommend the National Museum as well as the Singapore Art Museum.

The Art Science Museum at Marina Bay Sands usually has popular international exhibitions showing, or check out this list of quirky small museums in Singapore.

Food Spots

Foodwise, our outdoor hawker centres may not be the most inviting now as they can get smoky and stuffy, but Singaporeans will brave the weather for good food, by hook or by crook, so don’t be surprised if those long lines don’t subside – al fresco dining at cafes and restaurants though are likely to see less people.

Singapore is also home to a whole host of shopping malls, and the good news is that many shopping malls nowadays have food courts that host branches of these famous food stalls – it’s not the most ideal for an ‘authentic’ experience, but I rather be able to breathe. Here’s a list you can consider, but besides hawker food we have a whole host of other cafes, restaurants and eateries that will still give you a taste of Singapore.

Wear a mask

The N95 mask gained popularity in Singapore during the SARS outbreak some years back, so it’s an easily available option that won’t draw too many weird looks these days for those who need to be out and about in the open air for long periods of time. Singapore doesn’t have as prevalent a mask-wearing culture as places like Taiwan and China, so while you put on your fashionable leopard-print or Hello Kitty masks for your own health, don’t be surprised if you get the odd look from people around you. But who cares, it’s more important that you can breathe!

If masks are not your thing, make do with a thin scarf or hankie that you can cover your nose and mouth with if it really starts to get choking.

Hop on a plane

It might be a little extreme, but perhaps it’s the right time to scoot off some place else with open skies and fresh air while you wait for the Indonesian government to sort this mess out. Sumatra and even  neighbouring Malaysia is out, and you’ll probably want to avoid major Asian cities like Beijing, New Delhi and even Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia according to this Slate article, which apparently rank among some of the most air-polluted places in the world.

Consider instead countries that have strict rules or generally lower air pollution like Scandinavia or Australia and New Zealand, or just staying out of the city or industrial areas where you are likely to get more polluted air.

Anyone have tips on places to go in Singapore while avoiding the haze? Share them here.