If you love food, you will love Singapore. Across this beautiful city you will find what is called Hawker Markets. Collections of Market Stalls offering food. These are so cheap but taste so good, you can still be a budget backpacker and eat to your heart’s content.

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I was only in Singapore for a day, and so I had to try and fit in as much as possible. I had already visited the Marina Bay Sands Observation Deck that morning, as well purchased my tickets at the Gardens by the Bay to return later that evening for the light show.

It was starting to get past lunch and I was feeling hungry. I could see a lot of options for a bite to eat, but I wanted a real taste of Singapore. With such a short time I didn’t want to sit down in a restaurant and lose some of few precious hours I had of daylight. Instead I wanted some authentic Asian street food.

I had been speaking to a taxi driver the night before whilst on the way to the Nocturnal Safari and he was recommending Hawker Centres for me. His personal favourite (and to him this market had the most authentic Singaporean Cuisine) was the Maxwell food centre.

So the next day we grabbed a taxi and were soon standing outside the market entrance. Well sort of, someone (not me) had confidently told the taxi driver the wrong location. So we had a bit of a walk My family had chosen the market we were to which by sheer luck ended up being Maxwell. Inside the market is incredibly busy. With food stalls each offering their own selection of foods and treats to try. 

Bring Cash, or expect to use the nearby ATMs as these Markets are generally cash only. By this stage I hadn’t gotten any foreign currency as I was only in Singapore for a day so I thought I could skate by. Luckily there’s an ATM just by one of the entrances so I wasn’t going to starve. 

Look I have to confess, in the past I have gained a reputation as a bit of a picky eater. But as I’ve grown I’ve got more and more determined to try new food. And my trip to Asia was going to be my biggest test. I had set myself the challenge at every dinner to try one new course. That could be a new mains, new starter or new dessert (although I love chocolate so it was rare that dessert was changed). 

With cash in my pocket I started to look around. The food options are overwhelming and quite frankly I didn’t know where to begin. My family had split up, each member going off and debating over their own choices. It’s hard to go by images either as often the dishes never actually look the photograph. 

So I came up with a plan. I knew I would need a drink to wash it down with, but opted against the coconuts with a straw. Instead reaching for a classic Coca-Cola. I just made the mistake of getting one at the very front of a recently topped up fridge. So I stead of ice cold and refreshing it was warm. So that’s one piece of advice, always try and get your drinks from the back. 

I’m usually quite fussy about my food. But during my trip in Singapore I was determined to keep an open mind. I couldn’t visit here and not try the food. I had been assured that Hawker Markets provide western food too. It seems to be dependent on the market though as I couldn’t find any in the Maxwell Hawker Market. And that’s fine with me, after a long flight to a new continent it can be tempting to reach for something that’s comforting and familiar. But when you only have 48 hours on a destination you need to cast that notion aside. The quickest way for me to embrace a new country’s culture is through my stomach.

My mind made up. I walked straight over to the stall to grab myself a bowl. It was hotter than I expected, but tasted sublime. I’m not used to chopsticks though. And chunks of chicken plopped into the soup splashing my bright white tee shirt. That’s one of my biggest tips for visiting a Hawker Market. Unless you’re a pro with the chopsticks, do not wear white. I’ve been back home a few weeks now and every method I’ve tried to remove the stains has been fruitless. Luckily the Chicken Noodle tasted so good it was worth sacrificing a t-shirt for.

It’s good to have a walk around and check out all the stalls. A lot of them have similar dishes and it’s their own take on them. Cooked ever so slightly different from their neighbour. That can make your decision overwhelming. But when everyone comes back to their table with their own dishes there’s nothing wrong with a bit of sharing. We were all trying each other’s dishes. It’s also really affordable so you can get a few dishes and send your taste buds on a real journey.

When you’re finished show some respect though and clean up after yourself. Not only is it cause for a fine if you don’t, but your visitor to this country and a little respect goes a long way. Singapore is an incredibly clean country, and laws like this are the reason for it.  If you want to learn more about Hawker Food Centres, you can check out Visit Singapore’s official guide here.