Offering guest a pleasant alternative to the luxury shopping malls and towering cosmopolitan cityscapes synonymous with the Lion City Balestier Road is a thriving holiday Mecca that is far removed from the country’s reputation as a costly vacation hotspot. Ideally located in the heart of Singapore in the urban planning region of Kallang and Novena this popular tourist hub is for backpackers and travellers on the lookout for a bargain. It is fast becoming the straight laced country’s most visited corners as its affordable accommodation, fantastic restaurants and bargain shopping centres provide a stark contrast to the island nation’s image of excesses. Named after the area’s premier American consul Joseph Balestier who served as the U.S’s representative in Singapore during the period between 1837 and 1852 the region evolved in to the tourist heartland it is today after the latter half of the 20th century when areas down the historic road were developed for commercial purposes such as housing shopping centres, hotels and other industrial needs.

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Cultural points of interest in Balestier Road include the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall which is an ancient bungalow constructed in the late 1800’s dubbed Wan Qing Yuan. Serving as the resident villa of Sun Yat Sen, a prominent Chinese revolutionary of the era since 1906 the venue which was restored to its former glory as recently as 2001 and now serves as a grad cultural relic cum museum which displays elements of Chinese culture and history in its architecture and contents. Another highlight is of course the Sasanaramsi Burmese Buddhist Temple which is best known as the only Burmese style Buddhist temple outside of Burma or Myanmar as it is now known. Equally well known for its gold spire the locale also features Buddha sculptures with LED lit halos with the largest statue of the group placed on the third floor of the complex.

Lined with row upon row of old school shop houses the locale is a haven for bargain hunters and discount fans. One of the area’s most coveted retail venues is of course Shaw Plaza where guests can purchase everything available under the sun at reasonable prices. Stores selling interior décor wares and light fixtures are also omnipresent in Balestier for those on the hunt for special items to spruce up their home. A foodie’s paradise Balestier’s restaurants and eateries offer specialties such as Tau Sar Piah, Bak Kut Teh and chicken rice at uneatable rates. Some of the finest cafes in the area include the House of Tau Sar Piah, Founder Bak Kut Teh, Café De Hong Kong, Teo Seng Teochew Porridge and the famed Loong Fatt Eating House & Confectionary.

Travellers in search of a 3 star hotel in Singapore should look no further than the elegant Days Hotel Singapore. Offering guests the best Hotel Deals in Singapore this season. This stylish rest is ideally suited for both holidaymakers and corporate visitors.

Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
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