CHILL BY THE WATER

➵ You might arguably get a better sunset view from a high rooftop, but there’s something about hanging near the water’s edge that makes everything more laid-back and natural.

There’s something about hanging near the water’s edge that makes everything feel a bit more laid-back and natural. Here’s where you can go to get away from the scenesters.

1. DUSK RESTAURANT & BAR Level 2 Faber Peak, 109 Mount Faber Road The panoramic view is worth the cable-car ride (or the drive, for the less adventurous). The hilltop restaurant is 100m above sea level and directly overlooks Harbourfront and Sentosa. Dusk does have a spacious sheltered area, but choosing it over the alfresco dining area would mean missing out on the view. Bring a friend, or several, as the European menu is all about communal dining with tapas and shared platters. Clink glasses with the nitro-frost signature cocktails stirred up at the 9.6m-long bar. Nitrogen is injected into the cocktails through an aerator, which helps the drinks stay chilled for a longer period of time. Strangely, it feels less humid here than elsewhere in Singapore. 2. BAYSWATER KITCHEN 2 Keppel Bay Vista Keppel Island is Sentosa’s overshadowed little sister. But if you’re tired of Sentosa’s buzz and finery, just a 15-minute walk from Vivocity (across Keppel Bay Bridge) is a quieter marina lined with bobbing yachts. Natural light floods the interior of the nauticalinspired restaurant, with its blue and white decor, fun cartoon murals on the wall, and seafood so fresh that the menu changes daily. There’s even a pingpong table for you to work off the lobster rolls. If you don’t want to be indoors, you can sit alfresco by the bay.

For a family-friendly Sunday, the brunch has fish and chips to satisfy the children, and Pimm’s and wine to satiate the adults. 3. FOC SENTOSA 110 Tanjong Beach Walk FOC’s Sentosa iteration eschews dark walls for breezy open decks and cabanas. The two-storey building on Tanjong Beach features floor-to-ceiling glass walls so diners can look out at raucous beach activity in the day, or enjoy the sunset in the evening. Tapas is on the menu, but with an emphasis on seafood, given the restaurant’s Mediterranean seaside aesthetic. Spanish favourites run the gamut from hot and cold plates to the more substantial barbecued meats and paella dishes.

PICNIC #1 Marsiling Park Goodbye, Woodlands Town Garden with the backward design. Hello, revamped Marsiling Park. Since its 22-month makeover was 5. completed in April this year, the park has been given a new name, new facilities, and a new look that includes better lighting, new boardwalks along the large lake, a fitness corner and a playground.

For the sentimental, some favourites remain – the viewing tower, quaint stone bridge and charming Chinese pavilions that used to appear in many a wedding photo of the older residents.

PICNIC #2 Upper and Lower Seletar Reservoir Park Either power through the water in a kayak, or embrace the #slowlife by casting your line at the fishing jetty. Bring your DSLR or phone battery packs to capture views of the reservoir from the boardwalks.

If you can bestir yourself after eating, shake off the food coma by taking a 10-minute drive to Upper Seletar Reservoir Park. A hotspot for nature trails, it’s also where you can find the viewing tower that’s affectionately named Rocket Ship, thanks to the spaceage architecture that was in vogue in 1969. 8. CONEY ISLAND Punggol Promenade Nature Walk Loads of dining and chilling options along the promenade, most notably the White Restaurant, famous for its white beehoon (and now, also its prawn cereal). After dinner, grab a drink to go and head to Coney Island (aka Serangoon Island) for a walkabout. It’s a bicycle ride away via the bridges that link to Punggol Promenade and Pasir Ris Coast Industrial Park 6, but we say you should just walk the walk.

The island’s five beaches are secluded and au naturel, though you might have to deal with monkeys photobombing your selfies. On the horizon are Pulau Ubin and Johor. 9. THE COASTAL SETTLEMENT 200 Netheravon Road The Coastal Settlement may have “coast” in its name (and rightfully so, given its proximity to the water), but what you actually get is a kitschy homage to nostalgia 6. SEASON LIVE SEAFOOD 59 E Pulau Ubin No air-conditioning, cushioned seats or tablecloths here (frankly, all that’s a bit of an ask if you’re venturing to Ubin), but you do get wonderfully fresh, uncomplicated seafood. The restaurant is at the edge of a jetty, so the seafood is caught straight from the waters before getting the wokfried zi char treatment. The restaurant is just as stripped down as the food (no dinky garnishes, just straightforward Chinese comfort fare), with its foldable tables, plastic chairs and hanging lights. But with its view of the sea, Ubin Jetty and mainland Singapore, it’s a slice of island life in its true, unspoilt form. nestled in lush greenery. Surrounded by trees, with a forest at its back door, this is more getawayisland life than waterfront, and quintessentially hipster with its vintage paraphernalia. Eclectic wooden Chinese panels line a room lit by crystal 7. LITTLE ISLAND BREWING CO #01-01/02, 6 Changi Village Road This microbrewery is so far out (it’s near the Changi Point Ferry Terminal) that you’re almost on your way to Pulau Ubin. And you can definitely taste the sea breeze here. The interior is minimalist, with its steel fermentation tanks, but the alfresco area is lined with rustic wooden benches and kitschy strung-up lights. The crowd comes for the handcrafted beers – brewed in small batches on-site to ensure their quality, and they’re unfiltered and unpasteurised. Wash the slow-cooked meats (like crackling pork knuckle and slick grilled ribs) down with 30 self-pour draft taps. It’s a do-it-yourself system where customers help themselves – drinks are sold by volume, using an EZ-link-like paymentcard system. chandeliers, and vintage scooters are parked in corners. Sit alfresco for balmy resort vibes, or stroll along the nearby Changi Boardwalk, a coastal scenic walk that takes you past a kelong and has a designated section for sunset selfies.