Travel Dates: Oct. 21st through Oct 25th, 2022
Trip Overview
Over the Diwali Holiday, we spent an extended four-day weekend in Singapore. We had an action-packed itinerary to get through everything we wanted in our limited time. We felt four days was perfect, but it felt rushed at times, so a 5-day trip would allow you to comfortably feel like you got to experience all Singapore has to offer.
Where to Stay
Singapore is an expensive city, so finding affordable lodging can be challenging. We spent three nights in a Hostel to keep it cheap and save up money for our final night at Marina Bay Sands, one of the more expensive accommodations in Singapore.
The hostel we chose was the Galaxy Pods Capsule Hotel in Boat Quay. This hostel was one of the cheapest lodging options available and included cool space pods that became our bedroom for three nights. The pod is just big enough to fit a mattress so it got cozy. The room we were in had a total of 30 people with both single of double pod size options. Outside of the noise the other tourists made throughout the night and early morning, the hostel was all we needed it to be. Secure lockers gave us peace of mind for valuables. Ever pod is also key code activated, so other valuables remained in our pod.
As expected, the Marina Bay Sands was a more memorable experience. Every room contained a private balcony, and luckily our room faced the Gardens by the Bay, so we watched the evening light show from our balcony.
The added amenities at this hotel are what made it special. The highlight is the rooftop infinity pool, spanning all three towers, overlooking the city. We went to the pool for sunset, and fought the crowd to get a lounge chair by the pool. Ordering Champagne poolside was a little splurge to enjoy this modern marvel with a drink in our hand.
The hotel contains three restaurants on the rooftop, and multiple restaurants/bars on the ground floor. Make sure to call in advance to make a reservation anywhere you want to go within the hotel. We got a last-minute reservation at the Spago Bar & Lounge, located on the top of the middle tower (More on that below).
For those who enjoy shopping, the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is connected via an underground tunnel allowing easy access to the best brands in the world. The Casino is accessible from the hotel and is connected to the mall. We couldn’t find a non-smoking area, and the minimum bets were all $25 USD, so we decided not to participate in the gambling.
Before our checkout the following morning, we enjoyed the gym and spa. We took advantage of the jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna.
We felt the benefit of staying at the Marina Bay Sands was the ease of accessibility to all activities inside or nearby. Without even leaving the hotel, we were occupied with activities. Just outside the hotel are the ArtScience Museum, many more restaurants near the mall, the Spectra Light and Water Show every evening, and the Metro station.
How to Get Around
We primarily took two modes of transportation when we weren’t walking, Metro and Grab Cabs.
The Metro system is cheap and convenient, as one would expect. Our hostel for the first three days of our trip was not near a metro station, so we didn’t realize the benefits until the last two days of our trip. Once we realized how convenient the metro system was, we took it for the remainder of our trip (Even to get to the airport). You only need a credit card to swipe and scan the entrance and exit gates at the Metro, making it hassle-free.
Grab also worked well. Every time we called a cab from the app, there was someone pulling up within 2 minutes. This response time was very convenient when we found ourselves outside the metro areas.
Because the city is so small, we chose to walk a lot during this trip. We found that every time we were walking anywhere, we would stumble upon another cool attraction. This led to more impromptu and fun stops that we never would have known about otherwise.
What to Do
Botanical Gardens
We arrived by 7:45 am to beat the rush and get good lighting for photography. Because the Botanical Gardens are free to enter, there were still a lot of locals running or walking around the beautiful garden grounds. At this hour it was so calm and quiet that our mindless wandering around the gardens was relaxing. The entire garden is massive and would require at least one full day to see everything. By 8:30 am, we entered the Orchid Park just as it opened, which had an entrance fee of 15 SGD, and spent another 1.5 hours inside this area. After seeing a Climate Change exhibit within the larger garden grounds, we left by around 11 am.
Long Bar at Raffles Hotel
Located on the second floor of the Raffles Hotel, the Long Bar is where the Singapore Sling cocktail was invented. When we arrived, around 4 pm on a Saturday, we had to wait about 30 minutes for seats to open up. Because the Singapore Sling is a gin-based drink and we don’t prefer gin, we were hesitant to order it, but the drink was delicious. We asked for a spot at the bar so we could watch the bartender make all the drinks. They get so many orders for the Singapore Sling they are required to mass produce them in impressive fashion. They also give every table a bag of peanuts and encourage everyone to throw their peanut shells on the floor.
Marina Walk/Merlion
The Marina is a beautiful area with views of the surrounding skyscrapers, the Merlion (Official mascot of Singapore), and the Marina Bay Sands skyline, which includes the Light and Water Show, Apple store, and ArtScience Museum. The well-paved walking path around the entire Marina makes it very accessible. There are food stalls and restaurants all around and more activities in front of the Marina Bay Sands, including a Miniature Golf course. We found ourselves walking around this area at sunset every night.
Sentosa Island
This island off the southern coast of Singapore felt like a tourist’s dream island. A free trolley system takes you around most of the island, making it very accessible. There are a variety of activities, including the S.E.A Aquarium, Waterpark, Beaches, Universal Studios, Indoor Skydiving, Cable Car to get to the main city, and Luge (and this is just what we saw). We were able to spend an entire day here. We arrived at the S.E.A Aquarium after they opened at 10 am. We spent about 1 hour here before taking the trolley to the Tanjong Beach Club, which was recommended by a local. We had a delicious lunch with drinks (Mai Tai and Pina Colada) and received free shots from the GM, who shared his experience living in Singapore (Originally from Italy).
At 3 pm, we decided to go to Universal Studios, which was pushing our limits since they closed at 6 pm. With only three hours in the park we managed to do all the best roller coasters. We started with 4D transformers since it was closest to the entrance. We chose the single rider line, which was the best cheat code. We didn’t have to wait for a single ride. We walked right up, and they let us both on together. The acutal line wait time was 40 minutes….
We then knocked out the Cylon and the Human, which are the flagship Battlestar Galactica themed roller coasters. Cylon was the far superior ride, and we chose to take the front row seats for both.
With our remaining time, we did the Mummy-themed indoor roller coaster and a few other smaller rides. The three-hour time limit was rushed, but we were able to do all the main rides just in time. If you are going here without kids and frequent theme parks with roller coasters, you may be disappointed with the selection of high-end rides.
Gardens by the Bay
This nature park houses the Supertrees, the Flower Dome, the Cloud Forest, and many other features/activities.
The Supertree Grove has a free evening light show called Garden Rhapsody at 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm. There is also an elevated walkway called the skyway, along with an observatory to get an aerial view of the surrounding area.
The two domes (Cloud Forest and Flower Dome) may have been our favorite attractions in the city. These are not free (28 SGD for both), but well worth the cost. They open at 9 am, so we walked into the Cloud Forest right at 9 am to beat the rush. We felt this dome was the best since it provided a truly unique experience. This dome simulates the cool and moist conditions you would typically find in higher elevations in the mountains. When you enter the dome, you immediately see the main attraction, a 7-story waterfall. After wandering around the outside of this large structure on the ground level, you take the elevator to the top floor. From here, you slowly make your way down each level through winding skywalks weaving in and out of the dense vegetation. The secret garden on the way out was the perfect cap to a surreal and comfortably cool experience contained within the hot and humid city of Singapore.
The Flower Dome, the world’s largest greenhouse, contained a variety of flowers from all over the world. The Spanish Serenade of Sunflowers was the theme when we went, so there were Sunflowers everywhere.
Boat Quay Bar Crawl
Our hostel was in the Boat Quay area (Pronounced “Key”). On our way home one night, we stopped at a bar on the river to get a few drinks and watch Premiere League Football. We never would have seen the city from this perspective had we not been walking on the bank of the river. This whole area is lined with bars and restaurants and was very happening.
ArtScience Museum
Just outside the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, the ArtScience Museum is hard to miss with its unique architecture. We enjoy both Art and Science, so we had to check out this museum.
During our visit, there were three exhibits: “Mental, Colors of Well Being”, “Future World Where Art meets Science”, and “We are Connected”. We enjoyed all three and would recommend each one, although these will not remain at this museum forever.
Shopping
If you want to go shopping, it won’t be hard to find a mall. If you don’t like shopping, that’s too bad because you will end up shopping at some point on your trip to Singapore. There are malls everywhere.
Haji Lane
There is a trendy and hipster vibe coming from Haji Lane with unique street art, niche small businesses, and bars. This doesn’t mean we didn’t love this area. We bought a board game made by a Singapore Designer, had a beer on the patio of Black Sheep & co bar, and snapped photos of the street art.
Jewel at Changi Airport
This nature-infused shopping and entertainment complex is the home of the world’s largest indoor waterfall, the Rain Vortex. This complex is connected to the airport, so it gets an insane amount of visitors. We stopped by to get photos on our way out of the country but would have preferred to spend more time here upon arrival when we weren’t in such a rush to catch a flight.
Where to Eat
The food in Singapore was not only up there with the best we have ever had, but the sheer quality of the diverse cuisines was incredible. We tried to balance the costs by eating at hawkers and fancier restaurants.
DOC
Our first meal of the trip was at DOC, an Italian restaurant in the South Beach area. The pizza here was sensational and easily the top 3 pizzas we have ever had. We didn’t even read the reviews before going in, we just wanted lunch and lucked into an incredible meal.
Hawker Centers
Throughout Singapore, you will hear the term “Hawker”. These centers are outdoor food courts that house a variety of food stalls with community seating. You can choose where you want to order from dozens of options. These are crazy popular because the food is good quality and more affordable than other restaurant alternatives.
Lau Pa Sat Market is a popular Hawker recommended by multiple locals, including a Michelin-star chef. This Hawker is famous for the Satay options. On Friday night, the line was about 40 minutes long. Going at off hours is probably more manageable if you are on a tight schedule.
Chinatown Complex in Chinatown is another Hawker inside a massive multi-story building. Within this complex is Hawker Chan, which received a Michelin star for their Singapore style Chicken rice and has become very popular. So popular that Hawker Chan opened up an actual restaurant just outside the Chinatown Complex to accommodate more tourists. We chose to eat at the restaurant and ordered a variety of great dishes.
Another Hawker in Chinatown was the Hong Lim Complex. We ate at Tai Wha Pork Noodle and Ji Ji Noodle House. Both of these places were stellar, serving a few noodle-based dishes. For the cheap cost compared to all other restaurants in general, this is a must for the quality of food.
Open Farm Community
We went here for brunch after the Botanical Gardens because it was within walking distance from the gardens. We arrived at 11 am just as they opened and got the last table because we didn’t book a reservation (Tip: Make a reservation). They pride themselves in using locally grown produce, most of which was at their farm or garden just outside the restaurant, and serving vegan options. This environmentally friendly spot pushing urban farming seemed to fit in well with the culture of Singapore.
Superloco
This authentic Mexican restaurant at the Marina seemed to be the only place around 9 pm on Sunday. We absolutely love Mexican food, and we were not disappointed. They had Tamales on special and Allison said it tasted like home, high praise! I ordered a few tacos to balance out the margaritas and was not disappointed. What made this place unique, was the provided QR code to their website showing a calculation for the carbon footprint of each dish. We used this feature to help us decide what to order and reflect more about how our daily food intake adds to our footprint.
Spago Lounge and Bar
On the rooftop of the middle tower at Marina Bay Sands, the Spago Lounge and Bar was the only place we could get a reservation a week before our trip, given the popularity of all the rooftop restaurants at Marina Bay Sands. If you are not staying at the hotel, having dinner at one of the three restaurants on the rooftop is your best chance to see the rooftop infinity pool and the view of the city from one of the highest accessible vantage points. Even from our seats at dinner, we saw the 8:45 pm light show at the Gardens by the Bay.
Although we only had access to the Bar and Lounge, our Spago experience was wonderful. We ordered at least six small plates and one massive cocktail to share. The final bill was expensive, but cheaper than eating at the restaurant, so we felt it was a perfect option.