Even though the stigma of using dating apps is probably long gone, they still might not be your thing. Swiping past tons of profiles just to get to one that digs your virtual presence as much you do theirs can be a little trying. Fighting with 10s or 100s of other people to talk to a single individual can be a tough battle.

So we’re back to help the Singapore expat dating scene the old school way.

Get your drink on in Chinatown, as its streets are lined with expat-welcoming bars. Fitted across Ann Siang Hill and Club Street, you’ll find bespoke cocktail bars, gin joints and more. It’s easy to chat someone up with a bar, most people are there to meet other people and you’ve already got something in common – alcohol!

For a quieter evening, you head down to Holland Village, an expat-filled bar town. Boat Quay, which is a little off Clarke Quay is also known for pubs and conversations.

A little more touristy and lively is Clarke Quay, where you can find both pubs and nightclubs to party the night away. Live near the action with Singapore serviced apartments in the Central area.

Quick tips: Bars in Singapore have happy hours most days they’re open. Fridays and Saturdays are the most popular days for drinking, and Wednesdays are known to be ladies night here.

Here’s a quick list of clubs to hit:

CÉ LA VI Club Lounge
1-Altitude
BRIX Singapore
Zouk
Tanjong Beach Club
Baliza
Canvas
The Council
Empire

Clubs are pretty straightforward in Singapore. Conversations usually fall flat here – clubs are much too noisy to flirt your way to someone’s heart. Instead, communicate using the oldest language of them all – body language. Flash a smile and have an open, welcoming posture. The best way to get across your personality, however, is through your dance moves. Dance and genuinely have fun, and that will translate very well to other singles.

Even though Singapore’s a relatively conservative country, you can meet people and make friends during the day if bars and clubs are not your things. Take up fun classes, and you’ll meet people with similar interests and hobbies. Cafes are another place to frequent. Make small talk or even compliment directly, then follow up with actual conversation but avoid being sexual.

Approaching a group might be more intimidating than approaching an individual for, but you might come off as less intimidating if the person you want to talk to is with friends. When doing this, don’t forget to acknowledge everyone in the group, you don’t want a bad first impression from an ignored best friend right from the start.

People at the gym are usually ‘in the zone’ or busy working up a sweat, so bothering strangers at the gym might not be the best idea. Also, you might be tempted to work the workplace, but office romances are usually a bad idea. Tread with caution. People who look like they’re in a rush won’t appreciate being stopped, either.

Take rejection easily, as it happens often and happens to everyone. Some people are already happily taken or they just might not be in the right moment to look for love.

Whether you’ve fished his or her number from a dating app or chatting them up at a bar, having a lively conversation is a great step towards a date, and even on a date. Ask questions, but not too many as you don’t want to come off as an interviewer bombarding questions.

Open-ended questions allow for more depth in the conversation than yes or no ones. Some people are receptive to the pickup lines, the cheesier the better for these people. But there are people who hate them with a passion, so test the waters and know your audience before trying anything risky. Sharing similar interests helps too, especially things you can do together as these potentially leads to… Dates!

So you’ve scored a date. If the generic dinner and movie date is too stale for you, attend a class together, or check out our list of fresh date ideas. For the budding chef, cooking up an intimate dinner in your serviced apartment might be a great first date idea!

Manners – always be polite, and never be late. Dress to impress – but know your date’s tastes. The same blazer or little black dress can impress a date or make them retch. Hygiene is important too, take a shower, shave and check if your nails are clipped.

In the same vein, knowing what they like or dislike can help you properly plan activities to do on dates. Which also why you should check out the 5 languages of love as different people respond to different languages.

We all get nervous sometimes. So we’ve come up with a list of conversation starters and dates savers to get you out of the rut if you’ve run out of things to say/do:

Play 20 questions – Take turns asking questions to find out a little more about each other. Come up with quirky little rules and punishments to make it more interesting. (No Yes or No questions, only questions related to the first question, drink if you pass or skip a question, etc.)

Heads up (iOS and Android) – Charades on your mobile! This or any other game that you together can fill the awkward silence till it becomes a comfortable silence.

Current events – something you can always try to talk about if your date is caught up with the news.

Now, Romeos and Juliets get out there and hopefully you’ll come back with a story to tell your grandkids.