Building a website for backpackers

This article was first published on Lianhe Zaobao (P.14) on 21 May 2015. The following is a direct translation of the article.

Their shared passion for backpacking led Shaun Lee and Daniel Ong to create a website for backpackers showcasing Singapore’s food, budget tips and accommodation to encourage more backpackers to visit Singapore.

Daniel Ong (Entrepreneur, 25, right) and Shaun Lee (Marketing Programme Specialist, 25) went on an impromptu backpacking trip to Vietnam together three years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Their passion for backpacking eventually spurred them on to start the website Backpack Singapore (backpack.sg), an online guide offering tips for backpackers visiting the country.

“We created the website to provide foreign backpackers with a convenient platform where we introduce different aspects of Singapore and welcome them to visit,” said Ong.

“You meet new people and make friends from all around the world during your backpacking trips. Often, they’ll ask us about Singapore’s culture and what it’s like here,” said Lee. “Many of them have the misconception that Singapore’s high cost of living makes it an expensive destination for backpackers,” Lee added.

While agreeing that Singapore is indeed more expensive compared to neighbouring countries, Lee pointed out, “A night at a hostel in Vietnam will cost you only $6 while the cheapest for a similar room in Singapore will cost you at least $20. However, it doesn’t mean that there are no budget accommodations or places to visit here. That’s where we hope to plug the knowledge gap through the information on our website.”

Often, Ong and Lee will host the friends they’ve met on their backpacking trips when they visit Singapore. They shared that the cheap and delicious local food, like Chilli Crab and Sambal Stingray, are the most unforgettable for their friends from overseas.

For the convenience of visiting backpackers, they have plans, in the near future, to add new information on their website such as the ranking of local hostels according to their specialties and surrounding facilities or attractions.

“Collecting information for the website is a constant and time-consuming process, but with the help of one another and our shared passion for backpacking, we can continue to keep this going,” said Ong.