German woman says Singapore is ‘so empty’ during Deepavali long weekend, calls it best time to visit
A German woman living in Singapore has shared why she thinks long weekends are the best time to visit the country.
In a video posted on 8 Nov, Julia, who goes by the username @pineapple_pear on TikTok, said bars, restaurants and malls were unusually empty during the Deepavali long weekend.
Source: @pineapple_pear on TikTok
She suggested that many Singaporeans had travelled overseas, leaving the city quieter than usual.
“The best season to visit Singapore is on a long weekend. You know why? Everyone is away,” the 21-year-old said.
The video was captioned: “Where is everyone this weekend?”
Speaking to MS News, Julia said she has been living in Singapore since 2023. She moved here to study and now works here.
German woman says bars & restaurants were almost empty
“I did a lot over the long weekend,” Julia told MS News.
Aside from catching a ballet over the Deepavali long weekend, she also went bar-hopping.
Both bars she visited were almost empty, while the restaurant where she had dinner was less busy than usual.
She also noticed that the MRT felt “a lot emptier than normal”.
Source: @pineapple_pear on TikTok
Julia admitted she was surprised by how quiet Singapore was, though she noted it was “in a positive way”.
She has noticed similar lulls over other long weekends, calling Chinese New Year the quietest of all.
Singapore is usually crowded, particularly on weekends and in shopping malls, she said.
“It’s nice to have a bit more space to breathe.”
Singaporeans travel overseas during long weekends
Julia believes Singaporeans are keen to travel during long weekends because overseas trips can be relatively affordable.
“Travel is cheap from Singapore. S$300 can get you a few days in Bali or Phuket,” she said.
She added that people often use their annual leave around long weekends to turn them into short holidays.
“Very Singaporean to be efficient even with vacation planning,” Julia quipped.
She also pointed out that Singapore is close to many holiday destinations.
Julia compared this with her friends from Germany, who have to take a 15-hour flight to enjoy a similar experience in Bangkok.
Netizens say they head to Johor Bahru during long weekends
Several TikTok users also shared their observations in the comments.
Some commenters suggested that many Singaporeans had crossed the Causeway, joking that the crowds had likely moved to Johor Bahru malls like Mid Valley and KSL instead.
Source: TikTok
Others said they enjoyed long weekends because the roads and public transport were less crowded.
Source: TikTok
One commenter said they particularly looked forward to December and Chinese New Year, when many people return to their hometowns.
Another joked that Julia had discovered the “cheat” for enjoying Singapore without the usual crowds.
Source: TikTok
Julia recommends visiting Singapore during long weekends
Despite the quieter atmosphere, Julia said she enjoys Singapore in any season.
She recommends tourists visit during a long weekend, as they may find it easier to get around.
“On a long weekend you can get a seat on the MRT and the queues for local food are shorter,” she said.
For her, the quieter period offers a different way to experience Singapore, with more room to explore without the usual crowds.
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Indian tourist shares positive ‘cultural shocks’ she experienced in S’pore, faces criticism online
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Featured image adapted from pineapple_pear on TikTok and from MS News.
