Start your day by stepping back in time to learn more about Singapore’s early years with Tribe Tours, which prides itself on building strong bonds with local community and maintaining respect for local craft to deliver guided experiences with heart. Try their Disappearing Tradestour, which immerses you in traditional trades that are past their heydays but still carried on by passionate craftsmen thrilled to share their skill. 

The tour takes you to a local coffee roasting factory, a traditional bakery that has been turning out fragrant, fluffy loaves for decades, and a workshop where intricate paper houses are painstakingly created as an offering for the dead as part of Chinese customs. Every stop is a step into living history, and an opportunity to connect with ordinary folks who were part of Singapore’s crucial post-independence years. 

For lunch, drop by Breakthrough Café for dim sum, which are tasty, Cantonese-style small bites. Located along a row of food shops on the ground floor of People’s Park Centre in Chinatown, the service is friendly, the food is satisfying and the mission warms the heart: the eatery offers former drug offenders employment, allowing them to hone their skills to make a fresh start.  

After filling your stomach, take a leisurely stroll along Eu Tong Sen Street and soak in historic sights like buildings such as People’s Park Complex, the former Majestic Hotel and Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore's oldest Hindu Temple. For a glimpse of what goes on in a typical market, take a small detour to Chinatown Market and get up close to the action at the various stalls selling fresh produce, meats and fish. 

Next, take shelter from the afternoon heat at The Social Space on Kreta Ayer Street. Comprising a café with healthy vegetarian options, a retail space and a nail salon, the multi-concept store is chic and cheery, with a carefully-curated selection of high-quality, fair-trade products that don’t harm the environment or support a social cause. Many are made in Southeast Asia and make for perfect souvenirs. You can also treat yourself to a manicure by The Nail Social, which trains and employers underprivileged women to help improve their livelihoods.

Continue with the retail therapy by hopping on the train to Somerset station (along the North-South Line on the MRT, the city's metro system ), which will take you to Design Orchard, the latest addition to the stretch of glitzy malls in the heart of Orchard Road. Home to 61 home-grown brands, you can find locally-designed clothes, accessories, home furnishing and even food souvenirs here. There’s also an amphitheatre at the rooftop, perfect for chilling and people-watching after your retail therapy session.

If you passed on getting a manicure earlier, consider a massage at My Foot Reflexology in Midpoint Orchard just beside Design Orchard. Its ordinary shopfront belies its heartfelt mission: it employs the visually-impaired as therapists, and the service is deft and seamless. 

Have a laid-back dinner at Crossings Cafe, tucked away in the Catholic Centre on Waterloo Street, which serves well-priced comfort food blending local and western flavours, such as chilli crab pasta. The social enterprise employs people from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them get a stronger footing in life, and also donates its proceeds to charity. 

Public transport in Singapore is efficient and affordable, but cycling allows you to breezily explore the back lanes of each district, while keeping you carbon footprint small. 

Let’s Go Bike Singapore’s Historical Singapore Bike Tour takes you along the Singapore River, across Marina Bay, the Civic District and the main cultural districts like Chinatown and Kampong Glam. You guide will share stories of Singapore’s early development as you retrace the steps of migrant communities in search of a better life. The tour starts and ends at the bike shop located at Crawford Lane, accessible on foot from Lavender MRT station.

If cycling is not your thing, sleep in a little before making your way to the National Gallery Singapore and browse the world’s largest public collection of modern Southeast Asian art. Housed in the former City Hall and former Supreme Court, the museum’s classic-meets-modern architecture, stunning interior and unique environmentally-friendly features draw just as much attention as its exhibitions.

Public transport in Singapore is efficient and affordable, but cycling allows you to breezily explore the back lanes of each district, while keeping you carbon footprint small. 

Let’s Go Bike Singapore’s Historical Singapore Bike Tour takes you along the Singapore River, across Marina Bay, the Civic District and the main cultural districts like Chinatown and Kampong Glam. You guide will share stories of Singapore’s early development as you retrace the steps of migrant communities in search of a better life. The tour starts and ends at the bike shop located at Crawford Lane, accessible on foot from Lavender MRT station.

If cycling is not your thing, sleep in a little before making your way to the National Gallery Singapore and browse the world’s largest public collection of modern Southeast Asian art. Housed in the former City Hall and former Supreme Court, the museum’s classic-meets-modern architecture, stunning interior and unique environmentally-friendly features draw just as much attention as its exhibitions.

For lunch, hit up Mahota Commune, not far from Little India and the Jalan Besar Conservation Area. The space consists of a farm-to-table restaurant, a bakery, a retail space and even a clinic. Enjoy wholesome pastas, salads or sharing platters made from seasonal organic produce responsibly sourced from farms around the region.  

An alternative within the city centre is The Caffeine Experience, which has outlets at Tanjong Pagar and on Orchard Road, making it a convenient stop for a light lunch and a great cup of coffee. Believing that everyone deserves a good meal and a second chance, the café hires former drug offenders to give them a means to regain their confidence and make a living. Note that the Tanjong Pagar outlet closes at 2pm on Saturdays and is closed on Sundays. 

Cool off in the afternoon at Gardens by the Bay, a sprawling park comprising three waterfront gardens on 101ha of reclaimed land. Its futuristic Supertrees and cooled Conservatories are an impressive sight, as are its sustainability principles that ensure efficient use of energy and water, such as burning the bio-waste collected to generate energy for its needs.  

For a small fee, audio tours are conducted daily where visitors are taken on a scenic and informative 25-minute ride around the Gardens. Or opt for the Auto Rider, an air-conditioned self-driving vehicle with live commentary on board. The park is a 15-minute walk from Bayfront MRT Station on the Circle or Downtown Line.

After a day exploring the island, reward yourself with dinner at Scaled by Ah Hua Kelong, on Haji Lane in the Kampong Glam area, a farm-to-table restaurant serving fish and shellfish from its own Singaporean kelong farm (traditional wooden platforms built over water). Dishes like curry mussels, grouper served with sweet potato noodles, and chilli crab risotto offer a fresh take on classic Southeast Asian flavours. It shares a space with local favourite Bar Stories, which can mix up bespoke cocktails to complement your food (and mood). 

For those who don’t mind travelling a little further, take a taxi to Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh in Bedok in the eastern part of Singapore. Bak kut teh is pork ribs served in a rich, peppery or herbal broth, and Soon Huat also serves up a lightly-spiced “dry” version in a claypot, as well as other local dishes. The restaurant was founded by an ex-offender who offers those who have served time a new lease of life through employment. 

Most people would not think of spending their Sunday mornings at a cemetery, but Bukit Brown Cemetery’s tranquil surroundings, varied history and famous graves possess an unusual appeal. Guided tours are available on scheduled weekends by a.t.Bukit Brown (All Things Bukit Brown), a volunteer group dedicated to keeping alive the history of Bukit Brown, which is under threat from development. There are also self-guided tour routes by the Singapore Heritage Society should you prefer to explore at your own pace.

If traipsing through jungle paths isn’t an option for you, consider visiting Henderson Waves, Singapore’s highest pedestrian bridge for your dose of lush urban greenery. A taxi can drop you near one end of the bridge, which has wide, flat paths. The bridge is part of the Southern Ridges, a 10-km long trail that connects parks along the southern part of the island.

After a morning outdoors, head to Food for Thought at the National Museum of Singapore for a hearty brunch. The social enterprise also allows you to give back, by sponsoring S$10 (US$7.20) food bundles for the underprivileged through Food Bank Singapore, or donating S$2 (US$1.40) to a well-building project in Asia. 

History and craft meet at the traditional pottery kilns that have survived urbanisation in Boon Lay, at the western end of Singapore. Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle is home to Singapore’s oldest surviving wood-fired “dragon” kiln, so named for its distinctive, snaking structure. The friendly, family-run business has been flying the flag for traditional pottery in Singapore for decades from its rustic premises, and runs  regular workshops for the public.

Alternatively, you can also visit Center Pottery in the historic Joo Chiat district, which also offers regular classes and sells more contemporary, handmade pieces by resident potters. Promoting the therapeutic benefits of working with clay for mental health, the social enterprise also conducts weekly classes at a home for the intellectually disabled.

Urban jungles like Singapore can feel isolating at times. Enter One Kind House for a pleasant reprieve and a chance to interact with locals and fellow travellers over an intimate, home-cooked dinner. The meal is prepared by the resident chef and head of the household — affectionately known as Mummy Soh — and served in her family home in Joo Chiat. One Kind House, which aims to keep local culture and community alive, also offers cooking classes. 

If you are early, take a walk around Joo Chiat and Katong, once the enclave of the Peranakans, Straits-born people of Chinese and Malay or Indonesian descent, who over centuries developed a rich craft and cuisine heavily influenced by their multicultural heritage. The neighbourhood is identified by the colourful, intricate shophouse facades that line the narrow streets. 

A grittier alternative is Geylang Adventures, which takes you on a guided tour of Geylang, Singapore’s red-light district. Its guides offer a thought-provoking commentary that mixes cultural interest with pertinent local social and policy issues, giving you a nuanced view of life in Singapore rarely seen by tourists — and a chance to enjoy mouthwatering  food along the way. Founded as an initiative to support the marginalised migrant worker community in Singapore, it runs projects such as giving free haircuts for migrant workers and the poor on weekends.

It now also offers a tour in the neighbourhood of Dakota, which lets you take in the quaint charms of one of Singapore's oldest housing estates, while learning about how redevelopment plans affected the elderly who called it home. 

After you’ve checked in, make your way to Sadashiv Nagar’s JustBe – Bangalore’s first plant-based whole food restaurant. Located off a busy street and housed within a gated compound, the environs quickly transport you to a serene world. It offers a range of non-refined, non-processed yet diverse options —  the beetroot-based Pink Falafel Sandwich and the Pink Papaya Smoothie make for a refreshing lunch, while the millet and whole wheat pizzas are highly recommended. Stocked with board games, books and designated spaces for sound healing, meditation and yoga, JustBe is an endearing haunt, whether you’re travelling solo or with company.

Fuelled up, you can head over to Bangalore Palace at the heart of the city. It is said that King Chamaraja was so awestruck by Windsor Castle that he had the Tudor-style palace built in 1887. The ballroom, the durbar (assembly hall) and the many paintings that adorn the walls of the palace are the notable highlights. Do enquire about the audio guide before initiating your tour.

Hop into an auto rickshaw and head south to channel your inner creative genius while supporting the regional art scene at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. The visual arts complex has 18 galleries devoted to paintings, photography and folk art. It also offers a space for artists and artisans to showcase and sell their work, and hosts frequent flea markets, making it a worthy stop any given day of the week. 

If you fancy a snack, the canteen (run by the Kamat chain of hotels) does not disappoint: fluffy idlis (rice flour cakes) and buttery masala dosas (thin pancakes filled with spiced potatoes), which also happen to be vegan, await.

Beat the traffic by taking the Metro from Mantri Square Sampige Road station and get to Mahatma Gandhi Road station. Bangalore’s M.G. Road is one among the city’s most bustling areas, with its markets, commercial avenues and finest of eateries.

Consider stopping at the Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium. Established and run by the government of Karnataka state, this is the place to sate your itch for handmade and handcrafted local arts and crafts such as wood carvings, metal crafts and lacquerware. The initiative sees artisans in the state supported with training and market connections, as well as raw materials at subsidised rates.

The road also runs past Cubbon Park, one of the city’s green lungs spread over 300 acres, and home to over 6,000 trees, for a breather. And under a kilometre away on St Mark’s Road is Koshy’s where one can spend a couple of hours over food and drinks while being transported to a bygone era. A family-owned establishment run by its third generation, Koshy’s began as a bakery in 1940 and has hosted visitors including dignitaries like the late Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the Queen of England. Do try their potato smileys!

Early birds, don’t miss Bangalore’s Krishna Rajendra Market, better known as KR Market, which can be reached via the Metro (stop at Chickpet). Renowned for its huge flower market, this wholesale market is a visual treat for the discerning traveller who enjoys observing a city’s underbelly. It’s best to trust your feet guide to you through the order in the clamour – so wear comfortable footwear and don’t forget your camera. KR Market sits on a site that was once the battleground for the Anglo-Mysore wars. 

Recover from the sensory overload and reward the body with breakfast at MTR — short for Mavalli Tiffin Rooms — just south of KR Market. 

A 1920s establishment, MTR is that quintessential Udipi restaurant for those seeking authentic experiences in the city, a haunt for locals and tourists alike. The simple setting belies the lively atmosphere and sheer delightfulness of the food: try the rava idli, an MTR invention of steamed semolina cakes, or bisibele bhath, a rice dish with tamarind, lentils and vegetables. MTR is also a good lunch option if you skip it in favour of seeing the sights first. 

Next, stroll through the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens known not just for its collection of the rarest plants and trees but also its avian residents. Lalbagh was spearheaded by Hyder Ali and completed by his son Tipu Sultan. The glass-house dating from 1889 is unmissable.

Next, check out Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace. Built entirely from teak wood, stone and mortar in 1791, its ceilings and the walls bear remnants of floral motifs, painstakingly detailed. Reflecting Indo-Islamic architecture, the rooms on the ground floor of the palace have been converted into a mini-museum offering insights into the life of Tipu Sultan. A sign-board in Farsi at the entrance reads: “Abode of happiness and envy of heaven”.

A mere stone’s throw away (450m) is the Bangalore Fort, also known as Tipu’s Fort. Its construction as a mud fort is believed to have begun around the 1530s by Kempe Gowda I, (considered the founder of modern day Bangalore). Later, Haider Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan,  is believed to have replaced it with a stone one in 1761. Only a part of the fort remains intact. Entry is free.

In the afternoon, indulge in some retail therapy. Walk towards KR Market Metro station and head to South End Circle to get to DESI, short for Developing Ecologically Sustainable Industry. An urban marketplace for handmade and handcrafted rural products, DESI was set up so that the weavers of Charaka, a handloom cooperative working with rural artisans in the district of Shimoga, would have a space to sell their handcrafted wares.

Converted from an old house, the DESI flagship store itself is a lovely space — the red oxidised floor is a beautiful highlight — and it carries a range of eco-friendly wares, like clothing, scarves and quilts produced without chemicals. 

Next, make your way back to the South End Circle metro stop and head further south to the Rashtreeya Vidyalaya Road stop. There, you’ll find a haven for all things local, sustainable and healthy — Go Native. Also housed in a space converted from a former residence, the restaurant and store offers delectable delights and an array of products sourced from over 50 local organisations.

Its retail area offers apparel, household decor, handmade soaps and oils as well as upcycled and handcrafted furniture. All are created with organisations who offer environmentally-conscious alternatives to products consumed on a daily basis. 

The restaurant on the upper floor opens out to the balcony area nestled in the canopy of trees, providing a peaceful spot  to wind down for the day with dinner, with local dishes created from locally-grown, pesticide-free produce, and presented with a modern twist. If you go in the afternoon, it's also a great spot for enjoying a book or chatting with friends. 

If you’ve picked up an appreciation for the clean living and farm-to-table dining wave that’s sweeping Bangalore, Ragi Kana is a good place to delve deeper. 

Held weekly in a school in south Bangalore, Ragi Kana sees local cooperatives come together to hold workshops and talks, amidst a market in which you can buy their wares.

The year-old volunteer-driven initiative is aimed at reducing the rural-urban divide through dialogue, and talks range in topic from sustainability to civic issues. Workshops include cooking, block printing, theatre, gourd art and weaving. The initiative is spearheaded by Mr Prasanna, who also started Charaka and DESI.

Make your way back to the city and get to Koramangala to round up your stay with a unique lunch experience at Echoes.

Warm and earthy in vibe, Echoes is also warm-hearted: it hires people with speech and hearing impairment, to provide a dignified livelihood to those with disabilities. It has two outlets, one in New Delhi and one in Bangalore, and it hires its staff through local NGO partners. 

The tables at Echoes have cue cards and patrons order by writing down the number assigned to each dish. Every table has a lamp to be flicked to catch the attention of servers, who rely on visual cues. And as for the menu, the Classic Butter Chicken Thali, the Tandoori Momos and the Ferrero Rocher Shake should not be missed. 

Check into your hotel, ideally located somewhere in Georgetown, where you’ll be close to most of the historical hotspots and heritage landmarks. Of the many stylish boutique hotels that grace Penang’s atmospheric streets, our favourite is Ren i Tang, a former derelict 19th century Chinese medical hall restored into an intimate boutique hotel by a pair of sustainability-minded friends, Eu Yeok Siew and Low Teng Lei.

Ren i Tang’s romantic history echoes through its wooden louvre windows, narrow staircases, soaring ceilings and dark wood furniture. Little touches provide a window into the building’s past: the original airwell, a traditional basket pulley system to transport your luggage, and a museum that displays relics that were rescued and cleaned by the owners. Thanks to its prime location in Little India, the hotel has shops selling Indian snacks and saris at its doorstep, which means you’ll never be bored or hungry. 

Curious how Penang got its start in heritage conservation? Hail a Grab and get your answer at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Blue Mansion, the magnificent former home of a Hakka magnate and the earliest example of heritage conservation in Penang. Rescued by concerned conservationists from imminent development that would have resulted in its certain demolition, its sensitive restoration led to being awarded as a UNESCO Heritage building, and more importantly, kick-started public awareness about the value in heritage conservation. Trivia: You may recognize the courtyard as the location for the pivotal mahjong scene in hit movie Crazy Rich Asians.

By now, the temperature would have cooled. Hop on a trishaw and head for the port to catch the sunset. It’s a fun way to see the city without breaking a sweat, plus you’ll support a fading industry – reportedly less than 80 of these vehicles survive in Penang.

As you go past the Straits of Malacca, admire the impressive Penang bridge. Stop at the Clan Jetties, a waterfront village of houses on stilts belonging to various Chinese clans, many of them over a century old. Similar jetties were demolished by property developers, but the remaining ones have survived thanks to interest from tourists. The Chew Jetty is the most tourist-friendly with the longest walkway, pop-up stalls and a floating temple. But note that the jetties are still homes, so respect the residents’ privacy. 

Dinner is just a short walk across the road to Weld Quay Village Coffee Shop, a culinary institution famous for cheap and tasty seafood. Save room for dessert; scoot over to China House, whose legendary cake spread features up to an eye-popping 50 varieties at any time. Spread over three shophouses, the space also doubles up as a creative hub, with regular poetry slams, author talks, and art exhibitions. Check out Art Lane, its latest initiative a few doors away — the entire interior of a building has been turned into a canvas for budding artists.

At a compact 2.5 sq km, and packed with narrow, bustling streets littered with picturesque shopfronts, George Town is perfect for exploring on foot.

An easier option for your feet is Linkbike, a bike-sharing programme which lets you get around with ease while keeping your carbon footprint light. See all the stations on this map. 

Head for Armenian Street, where a staggering number of historic buildings, stately temples, galleries and shophouses congregate. A must-see is Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, noted for its remarkable architecture and opulent temple, and Sun Yat Sen’s former Penang base.  

The tourism boom has had its downsides: long-time residents who can no longer afford the rising rents have been driven out, chipping away the social character that made George Town unique. Take the time to appreciate some of the remaining traditional crafts that make up Penang’s heritage — look out for old shops where graying artisans make signboards, handmade shoes, anchors and rattan furniture. 

Next to Kuan Yin temple, 91-year-old Lee Beng Chuan takes pride in teaching visitors the art of making joss sticks. In Little India, Kedai Songkok OSM Mohd Shariff is the only place left in Penang to find handmade songkoks, which are Muslim headgear.

Penang’s famed street art is unmissable as you wander through George Town. The colourful murals had their beginnings in 2009, through Marking George Town, a government-run competition that saw 52 steel rod sculptures depicting local customs and heritage installed on various historic streets. In 2012, Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic was commissioned by the George Town Festival to do a series of public paintings – and the rest is history. Ask your hotel for a street art map to see them all. 

If you’re in the mood for something quirky, visit one of the many offbeat museums that have sprung up in Penang. If you only have time for one, head for Wonderfood Museum, which celebrates Penang’s food culture with hyper-realistic replicas of Malaysian dishes. Gimmicky but fun, you'll have a ball posing with massive models of cendol, laksa, curry mee, char kuey teow, and ais kacang. There’s also an educational side that shows how some dining choices can harm the environment – such as a wedding banquet table scattered with models of bloodied sharks to highlight the cruel process of producing shark’s fin soup.

Feel like shopping instead? Consider Jonathan Yun’s exquisite sculptural Peranakan jewellery, or 41 Living Story, a souvenir shop that carries products made by Stepping Stone Work Centre, an organisation that employs people with special needs. Book-lovers will love Gerakbudaya, an independent bookshop with an excellent selection of titles by South East Asian authors. 

You can’t claim to have visited Penang without eating at Joo Hooi Café, Penang’s most popular kopitiam for Chinese street food classics. While queuing for your laksa/cendol/char kuay teow/ lobak, look up at KOMTAR, the island’s tallest landmark  — and interestingly, the only building visible from any point in George Town.

Longing for somewhere less crowded? Make your way to Hin Bus Depot. Its founders turned an abandoned a 60,000 sq ft old bus depot into an open-air arts hub where cafes, artist studios, and an art gallery co-exist with the original coffee shop, hardware shop and motorcycle repair shop. Check their calendar for exhibitions and pop-up markets.  The in-house vegan café, Wholey Wonder, is opened by a couple who wanted to debunk the misconception that vegan food is boring – think scrumptious chickpea-crust pizza and almond-and-date-based “Snickers”.  

Penang is not all food, murals and architecture porn. Just 20 minutes’ drive from George Town is Penang Hill, a former colonial hill station turned recreational hub. Pro tip: once you get off the funicular that stops at the main recreational area, avoid the crowds and head straight to The Habitat, an eco-tourism attraction on the fringe of a 130 million-year-old forest reserve.

Opened in 2017, The Habitat offers fun experiences designed to promote awareness of and preserve rainforest biodiversity. There’s a well-crafted 1.6-km nature trail that serves as an outdoor classroom of indigenous flora and fauna; a vertigo-inducing tree-top walk that requires you to brave a lot of stairs, but rewards you with thrilling 360-degree views all the way to Langkawi island; a canopy walk that puts you so close to the giant trees, you can almost touch them. Those seeking a rush can jump on the 700m zipline that whizzes you across the valley into the rainforest and back again.

You can’t come to nasi kandar country without eating this iconic Indian-Muslim rice and curry dish at least once. Crowd favourites Hameediyah and Line Clear are always good bets. Make sure you ask for “nasi banjir” i.e. drown your rice with gravy.

Spend the day exploring Penang’s idyllic southwest known as Balik Pulau, literally “back of the island”. A world away from George Town, the landscape is dotted with paddy fields, fruit orchards and fishing villages. The area is best explored by hiring a taxi for the day, as the roads there are winding and ride-hailing can be spotty. 

First, have a lie-in and enjoy breakfast at Ren I Tang. As a way of working with the community, the hotel buys vegetarian food from the neighbourhood coffee shops.   

Many of the orchards in Balik Pulau offer farm tours, but these can be very popular, so book ahead. Our vote goes to Green Acres Orchard and Ecolodge, where you can sample one of Penang’s most famous exports: durian.  Run by a passionate couple who hope to encourage more young people to take up farming, the 16-acre farm offers you the chance to explore its over 450 matured durian and fruit trees, and spice plants, all cultivated sustainably. Enchanted by its idyllic setting? You can book a stay in one of their three beautiful eco-lodges (among them a treehouse!) that were built using materials reassembled from old kampong houses.

Have a late lunch of assam laksa, reputedly the island’s best, at Kim Laksa in the town centre. 

On your way out, do some ethical shopping at Stepping Stone Work Centre, an arts-and-crafts centre that provides on-the-job training for adults with special needs. You can buy stunning bags and pouches, eclectic totes, table runners, soaps and artworks that are repurposed from recycled materials. Look out for workshops to pick up from craft skills of your own; conversely, ask about becoming a live-in artist-in-residence to guide the staff. 

If you’re in the mood, head northward to Tropical Spice Garden, an award-winning eco-destination with over 500 varieties of exotic fauna and flora. It’s a good spot to sign up for a local cooking course, during which spices from the surrounding garden are used. 

For dinner, head to Andrew’s Kampung, in Batu Ferringhi, once rated Penang’s No 1 restaurant in Penang by Tripadvisor, for a quintessential Malaysian dinner.

It’s been a super productive weekend. You’ve earned the right to drop off your bags and relax your feet at Lost Paradise Resort, an eclectic seafront resort that supports an inclusive school for students with special needs and a free clinic for children. As you take comfort in the knowledge that your money is going to a good cause, it’s probably dawning on you by now that people – and their good intentions — are at the heart of this island’s charm.