Singapore II 
鈥淏ored by city life? A tropical paradise!鈥
The island is home to Singapore鈥檚 last villages or 鈥渒ampongs鈥 鈥 even today, there are still villagers living here.
Shelters are scattered throughout the island and provide a good rest stop.
Now a nature park, Ubin Island features an amazing diversity of plants and animals. For nature lovers, I highly recommend one of the best-kept secrets on the island, the sensory trail. The trail is about 1.5 km long and takes about 60 to 90 minutes to complete.
Take a whiff at the aromatic lemon grass and aloe; learn about the fascinating medicinal value of plants; and discover the secrets behind fine cooking at the spices garden. After the trail, your senses will be activated and elevated to a whole new level.
Bicycling is surely the best way to enjoy the natural vegetation and laidback kampong ambience of this quaint island.
Paranakan:
The heritage tour of Singapore is not complete without a visit to the Katong area for a glimpse into the Peranakan culture. The Peranakan people are descendants of early Chinese settlers who married native Malays during the 15th and 16th century on the Malay Archipelago.
Over 700 buildings have been conserved in the Katong area. The pre-war shophouses along Koon Seng Road give off a most authentic Peranakan ambience with the individualistic designs of each house, the cheery pastel colors, painted floral and ethnic ornaments.
Mr. Kui鈥檚 house is probably the oldest and best-kept one in the neighborhood; and most of the furniture in the house are also precious antiques. The set of wooden armed chairs and side tables were imported from Malaysia back when the house was just built in early 20th century. (And just like the house itself, they are still in amazingly good shape.) This round table with marble top, according to its proud owner Mr. Kui, is one of a kind in whole Singapore. (It鈥檚 often used as props for movies.)
Not far from Koon Seng Road, Rumah Bebe鈥檚 shop proudly presents the intricate lifestyle of Nonya, or Peranakan women. Inside this elegant store renovated from a 1928 Peranakan shophouse, you鈥檒l find a wide array of antique embroideries, beadworks, batik-textiles, jewelry and porcelains.
According to Bebe Seet, early Nonya women employed the pretty beads from the west in traditional Chinese embroidery and developed this signature Nonya handicraft. In old times, Nonya girls would spend years to perfect their beading skills and prepare their own dowries. Among others, they had to make 12 pairs of beaded slippers for the wedding.
In Katong, you鈥檒l find many wonderful eating-houses specializing in Peranakan cuisine. And for those who cherish eating venue as much as they do food, the restaurants here will make them really happy. Every piece of decoration is an eye candy, and the venue is impeccably clean, just like any other Peranakan house on the block.
