Time to catch them all!
Pokemon Go has arrived, and it’s taken Singapore by storm. There are Pokemon waiting for you everywhere, from the park next to your house to the HDB estate beside your office. As we all know by now, PokeStops mean items, and lure module placement means Pokemon aplenty – so finding a one-stop Pokemon catching shop is of utmost importance.
If you’re looking for places where you can wander and catch Pokemon while hatching your eggs (and getting some exercise as well), here are 13 places in Singapore you can explore to your heart’s content.
1. Chinese Garden
Chinese Garden is home to dozens of statues and pavilions, most of which are PokeStop locations. So if you’re taking a stroll through the park, it’s time to go on a collecting spree, because you’ll be picking up Pokeballs, berries, potions, and even eggs while you’re there!
I’ve always thought that the pagoda at Chinese Garden looks very much like the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town from the original games, so who knows, there might be some Gastly lurking around.
2. Resorts World Sentosa
Never mind Universal Studios and Adventure Cove – RWS is home to numerous PokeStops, filled with tons of items, from Pokeballs to Razz Berries. Plus, Sentosa Island itself has many gyms – so it’s worth a trip down to the southernmost part of Singapore for a scenic Pokemon Adventure that’ll put Olivine City to shame.
RWS has come up with a useful guide to all the gyms there, as well as some rare Pokemon they’ve spotted trying to hitch a ride on Battlestar Galactica. There are Ponyta, Rhyhorn… even Squirtles!
Plus, RWS has a special promotion for Pokemon trainers who drop by on their adventure:
As if you needed any more incentive to go on a Pokemon journey, right?
3. Gardens By The Bay
This is just a small section of Gardens By The Bay.
Gardens By The Bay is one of Singapore’s crown jewels, and it’s also an excellent spot to catch Pokemon while having a leisurely stroll or bike ride. As it’s full of various landmarks, like the Barrage and the Supertrees, you’ll be able to stock up on items from PokeStops easily.
Plus, walking through Gardens By The Bay brings you to the swankiest place we’ve got in Singapore – Marina Bay Sands. Who knows, you might find luxury Pokemon like Persian making themselves at home right next to Gucci and Prada.
4. Botanic Gardens
Walking from one end of Botanic Gardens to the other is an exercise that is sure to leave you sore, but that means you’ll easily hatch your 2km eggs going across the park.
Much like Chinese Garden, Botanic Gardens is full of statues and landmarks, which means it’s also full of PokeStops. If you find yourself in dire need of replenishing your supplies, a stroll through the park is more than enough to get you loaded up with all the Pokeballs and potions you need.
With open green spaces and minimal likelihood of getting run over by a truck, you won’t look like too much of a weirdo when you throw yourself across the field in pursuit of a rare creature.
5. Orchard Road
I normally hate going down to Orchard Road, but for Pokemon Go, I’ll make an exception, because Orchard Road has POKESTOPS GALORE. Seriously – just walk down, from Orchard to Dhoby Ghaut, and I guarantee you’ll be swiping PokeStops and throwing Pokeballs almost nonstop.
Plus, we all know about how ION Orchard has unleashed lures and Pokemon on their premises to attract trainers, as well as doling out exciting promotions like free milk tea and $5 vouchers to attract Pokemon trainers.
6. Wildlife Reserves Singapore
Yes, we know you’re looking for Mankey and Rapidash, but why not look at some real-life monkeys and horses while you’re at it? The Zoo, Bird Park, Night Safari, and River Safari, are all home to a pretty insane number of PokeStops. And if you decide to get the ParkHopper pass, you can milk it for all its worth and visit all the parks to be sure you catch them all.
Plus, imagine seeing a Raticate scurrying around Kai Kai and Jia Jia as they lounge in their enclosure at the River Safari – it’d be a pretty hilarious sight.
Check out their Facebook for detailed info on all the Pokestops and gyms in all of WRS’ parks.
7. Changi Airport
We all harbour fantasies of catching a plane and jetting off to a vacation far away, but we’ll make do with catching Pokemon instead. The one perk about catching Pokemon at Changi Airport is that it’s all air-conditioned – no need to sweat buckets while on the hunt for that elusive Jigglypuff!
While you’re there, just be careful and keep an eye out for suitcases and trolleys – you don’t want to end up on the floor after being knocked down by a trolley full of luggage, do you?
8. MRT rides
PokeStops around Ang Mo Kio Station.
For the lazy (or the very resourceful), a train ride is all you need. While this doesn’t really work for lines that travel underground, depending on your phone signal, the North-South Line and East-West Line are great for PokeStop farming.
As your train stops at each station, you can harvest items from nearby Pokestops, and even catch some Pokemon around the area! Most MRT stations are either Pokestops or Gyms, so you’ll bag some Pokemon for sure – all from the comfort of your seat in the MRT.
You do have to be quick though, lest your train pull away from the station as you scramble for those last few Pokeballs.
9. Campuses
These are just some of the PokeStops NUS has to offer.
I was taking a bus through NUS, and pretty much every bus stop has a PokeStop or two within reach for you to seize all the potions and revives as passengers get on and get off. There are also numerous gyms on campus, and the team each gym belongs to changes more often than I change my clothes.
The same applies to most campuses, whether NUS, NTU, SMU, or even the polytechnics. I’ve seen tweets about loads of lures being placed at the PokeStops in SP, so it’s definitely worth checking out. And if you’re an alumnus who hasn’t been back to school in a while, take the time for a trip down memory lane – it’ll be interesting to see what things have changed and what has stayed as the same, while catching more Zubat.
10. VivoCity
This is the rooftop at VivoCity. Oh yeah.
If you’re looking for a place where you can reach several PokeStops without moving, simply head up to the roof of Vivo. There are at least seven PokeStops up on the roof alone, and that’s not counting any of the others in the vicinity.
All you need to do is park yourself in a comfortable corner and let your GPS do the rest. It’s also a popular spot for lures – I spent about an hour there, and caught a frankly ridiculous number of Magikarp. I also caught a Squirtle there, so find a cosy spot and catch ‘em all.
11. Yishun Park
Yishun Park is rife with PokeStops, so take a stroll through the park to replenish your supplies and catch yourself some Caterpie. Plus, there’s a specific spot with four PokeStops in close proximity to each other, and rumour has it that they constantly have lures on them – Pokemon, here I come!
The park is located just behind Yishun SAFRA, and is a 10min walk from the MRT station. It’s a bit of a walk, but hey, take the opportunity to stretch your legs and hatch your eggs. Maybe that 10km egg will hatch into the Dratini we’ve all been wishing for.
12. Hougang
The number of PokeStops in Hougang frankly boggles the mind. The MRT station alone has several, and if you walk around the neighbourhood, there are plenty more – just look at the area around Nativity Church!
The most famous PokeStop in Hougang is the one at Blk 401, where the lures are near-constant and rare Pokemon like Gyarados have been spotted. Recently, however, Pokemon trainers have come under fire for causing a ruckus and leaving a mess behind. If you do want to check out this well-known Pokemon hotspot, please be considerate to the residents (:
Truth be told, any housing estate has the potential to be a Pokemon paradise, especially if there are murals and playgrounds. All you need is for someone to place a lure, and everyone in the area can reap the benefits.
13. Tanjong Pagar
What can stressed office workers do to chill out? Catch some Pokemon, of course! The CBD is rife with PokeStops, so you can merrily make your way down Tanjong Pagar while gleefully swiping at every PokeStop you encounter.
Plus, there are lures in action all the time there, so you’ll be able to both replenish your Pokeball supply and catch more Pokemon while you’re at it. I’ve heard that while there aren’t any rare Pokemon in the area, you’ll be able to catch plenty of the more common ones – excellent for getting candy for evolutions and power-ups.
Explore Singapore!
Aside from catching Pokemon, take the opportunity to explore parts of Singapore you’ve never seen before! Even if it’s just a stroll around your neighbourhood, you’ll see a different side of your lorong.
The more places you visit, the greater your likelihood of catching them all! Plus, all the walking around is great for exercise, and trekking several kilometres to hatch an egg? More #worthit than the 2.4km run we had to do for NAPFA.
So fill up your water bottles, put on your walking shoes, and head out on a Pokemon Adventure! Stay safe, folks, and have fun.