Hope your all doing well and keeping safe. I am really missing writing travel content at the moment, and of course with things being the way they are at the moment the prospect of travelling seems to be bleak to say the least. We actually had a trip to Bali booked for May and that was unfortunately cancelled, however we both knew that it was going to happen and we of course knew there were bigger issues going on in the world as well as the country we live in so we didn't dwell on it too much, but of course we were both really gutted. Thankfully we got our money back and we both said holidays can be re-booked so it just means we'd be having a little travel break.
One place I am very familiar with is Singapore, as my dad lives over there with his wife and my little brother and he has lived there for the past 10 years nearly and I am lucky enough to have visited so many times! We was actually meant to stop there for a couple of days on our way to Bali and on our way back, I tend to always do this if visiting a country around Singapore, as I can visit my dad and I am just in love with the country so I always have to squeeze in a visit if I can.
So I thought I would do a quick little post on my top ten things to do in Singapore, as I thought it may help anyone who's planning a trip over there at some point in the future and I personally love reading travel content like this as it gives me inspiration on where to travel to next. So without any further or do, lets get into it!
Top 10 Things To Do in Singapore
Gardens By The Bay
Gardens By The Bay is possibly one of my favourite places to visit in Singapore hands down, its just absolutely stunning both during the day and night, but especially during the night time when its all lit up and looking pretty. It is based just behind Marina Bay Sands Hotel and is split up into three main bays, the main one being Bay South which consists of the very famous array of super trees, an incredible flower dome, where you can walk among an amazing array of flowers, trees and plants. There is also a Cloud Forest, where they have an insane indoor waterfall and you are able to basically walk in the clouds as its made up of high view points and bridges and its just an incredible experience! There are so many different attractions within Gardens by the Bay, so this could easily take up a day or two to explore it to a full extent!
But my favourite time to visit is in the evening, especially on Super Tree grove, as the famous super trees are all lit up and it is honestly breathtaking, and you are able to walk between the trees and take in the views of Singapore at night but you can also do this during the day. Plus, every evening they put on this spectacular light show and that is one thing I would insist on including in your trip plan! Another thing I love to do in the evening around here is to visit SuperTree by IndoChine rooftop bar, and it is basically a bar on top of one of the trees and you can get an incredible view of Singapore all lit up and with a cold beer in hand its just perfect! Also you can get some great shots for the gram up there!
Price wise they tend to do quite good bundles, so you can visit near enough all the attractions for around $45 which I don't feel is that bad seeing as it is pretty much a full day out! Or if you choose to do one or two attractions your looking at around $20-$30, but definitely look out for deals and offers as its always good to save a little here and there on your travels! But also check websites such as Trivago and Expedia on their "things to do" page and they tend to do offers and bundles on there too, so shop around beforehand for the best option for you.
TOP TIP - Best way to get around Singapore and get to certain attractions and destinations is taking the MRT. It is essentially Singapore's underground, but its amazing compared to our Manchester Metrolink, its so clean, quick and efficient. And its really cheap given Singapores reputation of being quite a pricey location. Be sure to buy either a tourist pass rather than a single ticket as it works out a lot better. For me I used my dad's MRT card and topped it up with around £10 and it lasted me nearly two weeks! But I'm not sure if you can get one as a tourist.
A definite must do is visiting the Sky Bar at the top of Marina Bay Sands, you can get views for days here and its an opportunity to experience Marina Bay if your not staying there because it is hella expensive to stay there! But you basically pay $25-$30 and this gives you entry to the Sky Bar and a drinks voucher, now this may seem a little pricey but one thing you need to know is drinking is not a cheap thing in Singapore, unless you visit the Hocker Centres but I'll get to that later! But back to the Sky Bar, it may seem a little pricey but I think its worth it, its a lovely place to have a relaxed drink and admire the incredible views of Singapore.
I personally prefer to go during the day as you can really admire the views and its not as busy, but both times are amazing and its definitely something I would recommend. There is also a restaurant up there but I personally have never been, but they are literally next to each other so thought I'd include the restaurant for any foodies reading this!
Singapore Zoo
Singapore Zoo is by far my favourite zoo I have visited, the reason being is that its so different from others I have visited both in the UK and other countries. It is extremely open and enhances the natural beauty where the zoo is located and it sounds really silly but it doesn't feel like a proper zoo. The animals have a lot of space and the way the areas are structured is that animals and visitors are separated mainly through rivers and little ditches (if thats what you call them - haha). Anyway, there isn't hardly any visible caging or fencing and you can really admire the animals that are taken care of there.
They also have amazing opportunities to learn about the animals and how they are rescued and taken care of, there was an amazing talk about how certain reptiles were rescued from the black market and it was just so horrifying and what ever your views may be on zoos, you know that the animals are taken care of fully. There is also opportunities to feed certain animals but in a structured way that doesn't effect or frighten the animals. I have fed a giraffe before and it was an amazing experience to have that opportunity to interact with the animals in a safe environment.
The zoo also does an array of theme days and events, but one event in particular that I believe is a permanent one now is Rainforest Lumina. This is an event that happens in the evening and its more a visual experience, you don't see any animals but they have interactive lights and visuals and shows and its a lovely little thing to do if you have the time one evening. It's something I definitely haven't done before but it was a lovely experience and a great idea to incorporate into a zoo.
Another must do to really experience Singapore is to have a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar at Raffles! That was certainly a mouthful! A Singapore Sling is the national drink and is very famous and was actually founded at Raffles, hence the urgency to try it here rather than any other bar. It is a delicious cocktail, and what makes going for this cocktail unique is that you are encouraged to scatter peanut shells all over the floor while drinking and socialising, there is literally peanut shells everywhere! This is also a great opportunity to visit Raffles Hotel which is a stunning building and you are able to stay here to of course, it is just more on the pricier side! But wether you stay there or pop in for a Singapore Sling, its definitely worth a visit.
TOP TIP - After grabbing a Singapore Sling Cocktail, if your thinking of somewhere to grab some great food and a bit of a cheaper beer find a Hocker Centre close to you! They serve incredible local cuisine at an amazing price and the beer is a lot cheaper and its a great way to support the locals rather than large chain restaurants. So definitely give it a try as there is so many all over Singapore.
China Town
One of the last times I visited Singapore was during the Chinese New Year celebrations, and its a very much celebrated holiday throughout all of Singapore but especially in China Town. This is an amazing place to visit to learn about Singapore's Chinese culture and history, wether that be through visiting the many shops, museums or trying the delicious food offered here. And like I said, when I last visited here it was around Chinese New Year, so the atmosphere especially within the China Town are was amazing, with all the decorations and celebrations. Theres cute boutiques and stalls where you can have a nosy and see all the gorgeous jewellery, pottery, clothing etc that is sold there.
You must also visit some of the beautiful temples located here, including The Buddha Tooth Relic temple which is a four storey temple with so much detail its just stunning. And also the Sri Mariammmam Temple which is the oldest shrine in Singapore, and there are many tours you can go on in these areas to learn more about the heritage and history of these beautiful temples and buildings and the whole area in general!
Sentosa
Sentosa is a massive resort located on a little island just off main land Singapore, and when thinking of writing about this, I could dedicate a whole blog post to just this resort on suggesting what things to do and see. So if that is something you would like please leave a comment below, but for now I thought I'd chat about the top three things I love on Sentosa!
First up, I have to talk about Universal Studios. They have a Universal Park on Sentosa and its one of the main attractions on there. I have been to the Orlando park and compared to this one, the Singapore one is slightly smaller, you could still spend a full day here but there isn't as many attractions as the Orlando one. But its still such a fabulous place, they have areas dedicated to Madagascar, Shrek, Jurassic Park, The Mummy, Sesame Street and a few others. And its a great thing to do if you haven't experienced a Universal Theme Park yet, as they're awesome! Tickets are a little pricey though, so like I suggested before I'd look online on their official website, or on Trivago / Expedia and compare prices before buying at the gate or even grab an offer.
Next is Sislo Beach, which is a great place to go for a nice stroll, sit and enjoy some cocktails on the beach, and they have a few activities to do along there too. This includes zip-wiring, bungee jumping, wave houses etc. My favourite place to visit is The Wave House, where you can surf on a wave simulator and its just a lot of fun, but extremely difficult, I was not elegant what so ever. But you can also grab food and drinks here and theres a billabong shop too! Its just a really chilled setting on the beach and I love going here.
Another place I think is great to visit is the aquarium, as its a beautiful one and it holds one of the largest aquarium tanks in the world. Its a really nice place to visit to get out of the heat and learn about all the animals that are taken care of there, plus its not to expensive!
TOP TIP - When visiting Sentosa there are so many attractions to visit and paying to go to each seperatley will become a lot more expensive. I have two options to reduce costs on your visit! Make sure you check the Sentosa help desks or a place where tickets are sold generally as they normally do bundles where you can choose a select number of attractions for a discounted price. Or I normally look on Expedia, as they do Singapore City Pass or a Visitors Pass and you pay a certain amount for access to a number of attractions not only in Sentosa but across Singapore. But make sure you have a nosy before going on offers for things to do.
Clarke Quay
Clarke Quay is a lovely place to visit for a chilled stroll along the river, for drinks or delicious food. It is a hub for socialising and there are many bars and pubs and spots to sit by the riverside and have a drink, but just to warn you, drinking in Singapore is hella expensive!! So make sure you save up some beer funds before your Singapore trip.
A couple of my favourite bars/pubs are Penny Black, which is a take on a Victorian London pub and its simply just that home away from home, theres seating to sit along the river and admire the gorgeous views, or you can sit inside and catch some of the English football that is shown. But bare in mind the 8 hour difference, we've stayed up until 1am for a kick off before now! A bar called Crazy Elephant is a great place to grab a drink as its really quirky and unique but they have great live music on and its just a fab atmosphere. And then for a third and final one I'd say The Pump Room, a bit more nightclub vibes and more upbeat so suggest going here towards the end of your night, but a great spot!
Clarke Quay is also the place to hop on a river cruise, this takes you round some of the top tourist spots in Singapore and takes you past Marina Bay, the Merlion etc. A lovely thing to do to take in some of the sights in one go!
Marina Bay Sands
This hotel is one of the biggest landmarks of Singapore so if you don't visit here then I don't know what to say - haha! But no, in all seriousness its a gorgeous place to visit even if your staying in the hotel that towers it. You have an array of shops from designer brands such as Louis Vuitton and Hermes to Zara and Bath and Bodyworks so theres something for everyone, and along with this you have the theatre where you can catch one of the many amazing shows that they have on there, restaurants etc.
The building is huge but absolutely stunning and it just has such a luxurious vibe throughout which I find in most places throughout Singapore. It's crazy because in the shopping centre in Marina Bay they have a literal river through the centre and you can hope on a boat and ride through the shopping centres. And then when you go outside to the river front, in the evening you can catch the Spectra water show, its an array of projections and water features and its a lovely short show to catch after mooching in a few of the shops in the centre.
You can definitely make an afternoon out of here, even a full day, as you have the rooftop bar here which I mentioned earlier and then you have Gardens By The Bay directly behind Marina Bay so you could definitely spend a full day in this small part of Singapore.
This hotel is one of the biggest landmarks of Singapore so if you don't visit here then I don't know what to say - haha! But no, in all seriousness its a gorgeous place to visit even if your staying in the hotel that towers it. You have an array of shops from designer brands such as Louis Vuitton and Hermes to Zara and Bath and Bodyworks so theres something for everyone, and along with this you have the theatre where you can catch one of the many amazing shows that they have on there, restaurants etc.
The building is huge but absolutely stunning and it just has such a luxurious vibe throughout which I find in most places throughout Singapore. It's crazy because in the shopping centre in Marina Bay they have a literal river through the centre and you can hope on a boat and ride through the shopping centres. And then when you go outside to the river front, in the evening you can catch the Spectra water show, its an array of projections and water features and its a lovely short show to catch after mooching in a few of the shops in the centre.
You can definitely make an afternoon out of here, even a full day, as you have the rooftop bar here which I mentioned earlier and then you have Gardens By The Bay directly behind Marina Bay so you could definitely spend a full day in this small part of Singapore.
Orchard Road
Singapore has so many places to shop, eat and drink and Orchard Road is probably one of my favourites and most definitely one of the biggest places to do this! They have an array of different shops, malls to suit any preference, along with so many different restaurants with all different cuisines so it really is a place for everyone. But I find Singapore shopping malls so confusing, like I literally get lost every time as especially on Orchard they all join together underground and theres so many floors and shops and its insane! But great!
A couple of my favourite shopping malls is the ION Orchard, its absolutely huge and has such an array of shops to go into. Ngee Ann City is also a favourite, more so because they have an open space on the bottom floor and they host market stalls, events for certain holidays such as Chinese New Year, fayres etc, and I really enjoy this aspect every time I visit.
Haji Lane
Singapore has so many places to shop, eat and drink and Orchard Road is probably one of my favourites and most definitely one of the biggest places to do this! They have an array of different shops, malls to suit any preference, along with so many different restaurants with all different cuisines so it really is a place for everyone. But I find Singapore shopping malls so confusing, like I literally get lost every time as especially on Orchard they all join together underground and theres so many floors and shops and its insane! But great!
A couple of my favourite shopping malls is the ION Orchard, its absolutely huge and has such an array of shops to go into. Ngee Ann City is also a favourite, more so because they have an open space on the bottom floor and they host market stalls, events for certain holidays such as Chinese New Year, fayres etc, and I really enjoy this aspect every time I visit.
Haji Lane
And finally we are at the last one, in all honesty I could go on and on talking about Singapore and what great things you can do there as I absolutely love it there. But I thought I'd put in a nice chilled place to visit for my last one which is Haji Lane, and this place is a quirky place filled with beautiful street art that makes it feel like your walking through a rainbow. There is so many cute Instagram photo opportunities so if your all about brightening up the Instagram feed then this is a definitely a spot for you. But aside from the beautiful artwork there is so many cute and unique boutiques, cool bars and cafes and I'd say this an extremely chilled place to spend a sunny afternoon!
And that concludes this post, I really hope you enjoyed it and it gave a bit of travel inspiration or helped with any ideas on things to do for a future Singapore trip.
Thanks for reading and ill see you on the next one!
2 comments:
Thanks for sharing your top 10 things, most of these places I did not manage when I went 6 years ago. I did go to the Botanical Gardens to see the Orchids which were lovely :)
Nic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes
That's really cool that you Dad lives in Singapore so you can visit so much! I'd love to go to Singapore but I'd be a little nervous about the heat. But it looks absolutely beautiful. I'd love to go for the Formula 1 Grand Prix as that's one of my favourites on the calendar and then make a proper holiday of it and explore more of Singapore!
Jenny
http://www.jennyinneverland.com
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