Singapore
Singapore
In 2017 a few of my best friends and I took an unforgettable trip to Southeast Asia, touring through Malaysia, China and Indonesia. Our first stop on the trip was in Singapore.
Remember that book Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan? Well before they turned that into a major box office movie, we went to check out this city this was all based on. What was detailed in those pages, had truth to it. Singapore is rich. It’s wealth goes back centuries. In fact, one in 34 people in Singapore are millionaires which makes it the sixth most millionaire-dense country in the world.
The city amazed me. It was tropical, yet urban. Traditional, while still feeling ultra modern. There was so much beauty to see and culture and history to learn about. It’s impeccably clean, safe, and the people are kind. Like a scene out of a futuristic (or post-apocalyptic) movie the city seems to be filled with so much greenery.
But what I remember most about Singapore is that you could feel the buzzing energy, and that heat from being on the equator from the second you step off the plane. But don’t worry, the city is sparkling with so many crystal blue rooftop pools to cool down in when the humidity becomes too much!
It was one of my favorite parts of that Asia trip, and still one of the coolest metropolitan cities I’ve ever been to.
Traveling To Singapore
Singapore is on the other side of the world, and quite a distance to get to from New York City. While it’s far, there are some direct flights offered through Singapore Airlines that take 18 hours and 30 minutes.
It’s can be a common layover for trips through Asia. But as much as people rave about the insane Changi Airport, I promise it’s worth extending your stay and spending a few days before traveling on to your destination. But first be sure to check out that insane waterfall flowing through the atriums glass ceiling at the worlds most beautiful airport
It’s a very international city, which can make it easier to travel to than some other remote destinations in this area. And English is a common language which makes it easier to navigate.
I spent 3 days in Singapore, and even though I covered a lot of ground I know there is much more to explore on my next visit.
In this post, I’ll share all about my experience there! Where I stayed, where I dined, and all the things I did while I was there exploring Singapore.
Marina Bay Sands
When many people think of Singapore, I believe an image of this modern hotel towering over the water comes to mind. This is a must-visit destination.
Marina Bay Sands was built as a luxury hotel in 2010, but it has become a landmark of the country itself. The design is one of a kind, and visitors from all over the world come to see Marina Bay Sands because of it. It is a massive 55 story structure of three individual towers, connected by what looks like a floating surfboard above them.
This is where you can find the most famous and recognizable infinity swimming pool in the world.
Marina Bay Sands feels like a city in the year 3000. Everything you could need access to within one giant structure. But being so big it’s easy to get lost! At least we did… There is a mall, tons of restaurants and bars, a museum, a four story casino, theaters, and over 2500 hotel rooms and more.
This was the first stop we made in Singapore. We arrived to the hotel and walked through the massive lobby and the grounds below. Then we grabbed drinks on the roof at Cé La Vi Skybar to take in the view of the infinity pool and city below it.
Skypark on the rooftop includes 3 acres with swimming pools, gardens, and jogging paths. There are multiple rooftop restaurants to choose from, but we really enjoyed our fine dining experience at the rooftop restaurant on the 57th floor, Cé La Vi. It was so special, and the best way to kick off our experience in Singapore!
There is so much to explore here, you could spend an entire day. Or better yet stay at the resort!
Gardens By The Bay
I can’t express enough how much I enjoyed my experience visiting Gardens by the Bay. It was a massive and beautiful park full of so many different exhibits and museums. It was different than anything I’ve seen before.
The park is comprised of the Supertree Observatory and the OCBC skyway, the Cloud Forest, and the Flower Dome. These all require purchasing tickets in advance and carving out time to visit each attraction, so plan in advance!
Because we were limited on time we focused on visiting the Cloud Forest. It was amazing! Once you step into the warm and tropical environment it feels like you have been transported to a rainforest far away. First, you’ll notice its massive indoor waterfall, pouring down from a mountain of greenery. It’s covered in some of the world’s most exotic plant species, which you can observe by walking through a winding aerial pathway into the sky of the massive glass dome it’s housed within.
It was fascinating.
While we didn’t have time to do the skyway suspension at the Supertree I would definitely add that to your list! We spent a lot of time walking around it so it wasn’t a priority for us, but I bet it’s an amazing photo opp for day or nighttime when its illuminated!
Helix Bridge
Be sure to take a stroll through The Helix. It’s a very cool pedestrian walking bridge with a modern design close to Marina Bay Sands.
It’s definitely a tourist destination, and common photo spot especially at night where it glows in changing colored lights.
Touring the Temples
There are some beautiful temples throughout the city that will remind you of the country’s ancient history and origins. These sacred sites for worship are common throughout Southeast Asia.
Thian Hock Keng in Chinatown is the oldest Chinese temple in Singapore, built in 1821. It was made to honor the goddess of the sea! It was one of my favorites that we visited.
Another temple we explored was The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, the biggest in Chinatown!
Fountain of Wealth
This is a fun tourist site, and worth paying a visit, since its said to bring prosperity and wealth! Walk around 3 times for good luck.
We enjoyed watching the fountain show, and there is even a light show in the evening! You’ll find this at the Suntec City Mall. We stopped in to grab a boba tea and use the restrooms before we continued exploring.
The Colorful Neighborhoods & Orchard Road
To see the wealth of Singapore look no further than Orchard Road, where the rich go to play. Not only can you find some of the cities old baroque homes, and luxury hotels, but it’s also a huge shopping district with high end stores.
Smack dab in this very urban oasis is a neighborhood called Emerald Hill that seems to have remained untouched by modernization. Located close to street is Centrepoint Mall along Orchard Road, you’ll find a charming little neighborhood of old homes
I loved seeing how unique and colorful these houses are. Other neighborhoods like Katong and Joo Chiat are also full of Peranakan influence and culture.
Visit Koon Seng Road to see the most colorful homes in Singapore. The Chinese believe this brings good luck!
Raffles Hotel
There is nothing more classy than Raffles.
Formerly a private beach home, the building became a hotel in the 1880’s. In the 1900’s many international celebrities stayed at the Raffles Hotel including Queen Elizabeth, Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, and Ava Gardner.
Raffles Hotel is also famous as the birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail. You can have one here, right where it was created at Long Bar.
We enjoyed an amazing brunch at the Tiffin Room on a rainy morning. I’d recommend this both because of the delicious breakfast and getting the chance to explore the hotel itself. Book in advance!
More of Singapore’s Top Attractions
Art and Science Museum - You’ll spot this uniquely designed structure from any point around the bay. With rotating exhibits you never know what type of installations may be in town when you’re visiting! It would’ve been cool to see, but tickets were sold out. If you love museums then be sure to also explore the National Gallery for more traditional Asian art.
Singapore F1 Grandstand - One of our taxi drivers told us that the road we were taking back to our hotel was actually a part of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix. Though I’ve been following F1 the last few years, at the time I didn’t know the course was outside of a raceway and on the actual city streets! The Grandstand for the start and finish is right by the bay. It was cool to see!
Best Activities
Singapore Flyer - The second tallest ferris wheel in the world. Each of the 28 capsules is MASSIVE and fit almost 30 people. You can even book a fine dining experience while on the flyer!
Take a ride on the Singapore River Cruise - Take a traditional bumboat down the river and see the city from the sea. Boats depart from Clarke Quay Landing throughout the day.
Enjoy a fancy High Tea - Tea is an important part of the culture and daily routine in many Asian countries. There are several great places to experience a traditional high tea in Singapore, such as the Grand Lobby at Raffles for a luxury, MO Bar at Mandarin Oriental if you want to have some champagne too, and Skai for the best views while you sip.
Have a few drinks down on Club Street (and Ann Siang) - You can find this super fun area up the hill from Clarke Quay, but I liked these bars much better! You have to check out Le Bon Funk and Merci Marcel. We loved grabbing some beers from bars and enjoying them on the street and making friends!
One 15 Marina Yacht Charter - Looking to see more of Singapore by water? I can’t imagine a better way than on your own private yacht charter. Head to One 15 marina to pick up a gorgeous boat for the day! Another great option is Yachtly
Explore Little India! This is a fun area to walk around with a different kind of food, shops, with cultural influences and religious structures that are unique to this neighborhood.
Another great option is to take a day trip to a nearby island! There are a few really beautiful ones to choose from like Rawa, Sibu, Batam which is just a short 45 minute boat ride!
Clarke Quay
Clarke Quay is a restored area of warehouses along the Singapore river was formerly a center of trade in the 1800’s, and is now the center of the cities nightlife! This is a great place to explore the cities funnest neighborhood, full of bars and restaurants.
We walked around and bar hopping and checking out the scene around here. Though we were tired, I was glad we checked it out and would definitely recommend going here either for a whole night out, or at least after dinner for something to do!
Be sure to check our Haidilai Hot pot and Little Saigon or Ippudo for ramen if you’re hungry! And stop by the RedTail Bar, Capital and Zouk if you want to stay out and dance until the morning light.
Where To Stay
Speaking of great hotels… the gals and I stayed in a top notch luxury hotel as well! And we absolutely loved our stay at the Mandarin Oriental. The only tradeoff is that we squeezed all 4 of us into one king size bed for 2 nights (LOL).
The hotel wasn’t in a neighborhood with a lot going on, but it was a quick ten minute walk to the shops at Marina Bay where we spent a lot of time. Plus, the beautiful rooftop pool had gorgeous views of the Singapore skyline and the bay. So location was 10 out of 10!
It also had a few great restaurants so if you stay here on a layover and land late you could grab a convenient, yet delicious meal. We spent an afternoon in the sun sipping drinks poolside and snacking on some lunch.
Aside from Raffles and Marina Bay Sands being iconic hotel options, there are so many great hotels to choose from in Singapore. Here is what I would recommend!
Hotels with great location & amenities - check out these amazing pools!
The coolest stays in Singapore
Eat your way through a Hawker Center
Singapore has amazing food and restaurants. Delicious noodles, seafood, satay skewers, dumplings, rice cakes…. you name it! There are such great flavor in their traditional dishes. And many different influences of food across Singapore, with a range of cuisines.
You could be there for a whole week and still not make it to all the Hawker Centers, there are so many around Singapore to try out. You can’t go wrong at any of them along as you attempt to sample and try as many different dishes as possible!
Chinatown Food Complex and Street Market - Loved this place! For tons of shopping and food options
Lau Pa Sat - One of the most unique structures in Singapore as far as Hawker Centers go
Newton Centre - Where they dined in Crazy Rich Asians, full of unique and specialty food
Maxwell Food Centre - Indoor nearby Buddha Tooth Relic
Great Restaurants in Singapore
Singapore is known for great food, and there are a ton of amazing options to choose from when dining here.
Liao Fan Hawker Chan - Cheapest Michelin star restaurant in the world! Known for its famous Soya sauce chicken and rice
Neon Pigeon - Amazing meal! Described as Izakaya meets urban, but I loved the asian fusion menu and great cocktails
And here are some bars to add to your list!
Odette - Fine dining
Koma - Great Japanese
Corner House - French-Asian in the Botanic Gardens (outskirts of the city)
Burnt Ends - Great Australian BBQ with a Michelin Star
Bar Cichetti - Italian food with great wine and pasta
Atlas - for fine dining, one of the worlds best bars, and a classy high tea
Birds of Feather - Redefined Sichuan flavors
Bochinche - Spanish food!
So there you have it!
Singapore is an amazing destination, and if you’re only getting a short time to visit on your way to let’s say the Maldives, then I would make this your layover spot. Because Singapore features all of the best parts of visiting Asia - the culture, the architecture, the food, the fun, and the history.
It’s clear from this post that I have a lot of love for this city, and I hope my stories and pictures inspired you to explore traveling there yourself!
Xx Gab
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