Hello my Nomad Traveller friends!
Once in a while I need to have a getaway and explore other places, experience other cultures, and meet different people. I love to travel very much! At a very young age, I was already traveling with the company of my relatives. And every summer is a wanderlust!
To kick off this travel blog, let me start off with SINGAPORE!
Yes! The city of Merlion! The country of Singapore is located at the Southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. This vibrant city composes of multi-cultural people who come together as one. People living in Singapore are called "Singaporeans". There are 4 official languages in Singapore. There's English, Mandarin, Malay & Tamil. You will hear all this 4 official languages in the train stations reminding people of things to do and not to do while on the train or in the stations.
Anyways, enough said about the background and history of Singapore. I'm sure you can all Google that.
So!! When traveling to Singapore bear in mind that YOU ARE NOT IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY, RESPECT THEIR LAWS. Singapore is also known as the "FINE CITY" for their massive fines on things such as "no spitting" "no littering" "no smoking" and so on. So be very careful about the DON'T when visiting Singapore. Other than that everything is fine!
Most travelers will arrive in Singapore via plane. Thus your touchdown will be at Changi International Airport. They have 3 terminals. So depending on which country you are from, your terminals may vary BUT you will all arrive in the same airport.
MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
Upon arrival, you have 3 choices of going to your accommodations.
1. Take a BUS! Public bus 36 will take you to the city. First bus leaves at 6:00am and last bus leaves at midnight.Single fare will cost you SGD 2:00 and estimated travel time will be 1 hour. But this options is not recommendable as, well, it's your first time here! You certainly don't have a clue where to alight! You might end up lost. But if you're looking for a kickoff tour of Singapore, then take the bus!
P.S Please pay exact fare. They do not give change! So just prepare some coins or SGD 2.00 for the bus fare. If you will drop SGD 10.00, then wave goodbye to your change.
Buses are located at basement bus bays at Terminals 1, 2, & 3.
2. MRT. Train services will start at 5:26am (Mon-Sat) & 5:54am (Sun & PH) from Changi MRT Station. Alight at Tanah Merah station which is only 2 stops and take your train westbound to the city. Last train leaving Changi Airport which allows transfer to Westbound at Tanah Merah is at 11:18pm. Don't miss this if you don't want to pay so much for a cab.
This option is the most convenient and economical way to travel. Estimated travel time from Changi Airport to city is 30 min. at SGD 1.63
3. TAXI. There is an abundance of taxi's in Changi Airport Arrival hall. Estimated cost from Changi Airport to City is SGD 20.00 - SGD 38.00 Travel time is approximately 30 min. depending on your hotel's accommodation.
Take note:
SGD 5.00 surcharge applied from 5:00pm to 12:00am (Fri.-Sun.)
SGD 3.00 airport surcharge at all other time.
Midnight surcharge of 50% on total fare from 12:01am to 6:00am daily.
Check this links below for transportation guide:
KNOCK OFF WHERE???
ON A BUDGET MODE
There are lots of hostels around Singapore. Make sure before coming here to book your hostels. Most hostels are located just around the city. I recommend you THE INN CROWD. You can get a dorm bed to sleep for as low as SGD 20.00/night or twin room with 2 single bed for SGD 59.00/night. Please click the link provided.
Stayed here with my bf for 5 days. The rooms were clean. They provide breakfast. It's a hostel so expect different nationalities. You have an option of sleeping in the dorm together with the rest of the travelers or you can take 1 room for yourself. Up to your preference. It is safe. They do provide lockers, computers to use, wifi, kitchen (you can cook your own but please wash the plate after use), books to read if you're bored, and best of all, 7-11 is just beside the hostel! You can buy your own beer or any alcohol, store in their fridge just write on a piece of paper attached to your stuff your name & your check-out date. People wont touch your stuff. Plus they provide FREE TOURS!!! That was just awesome! Though we didn't go for the tour coz I had other plans. But between you and me, it's really fun to stay in a hostel and get to meet people from different walks of life!
THE SULTAN SINGAPORE is located at Kampong Glam and you are just a walk away from the hidden sights of Singapore. Rates range from SGD 160++ onwards.
For those who can slightly afford a more comfortable stay, good for you! Stayed in The Sultan for 1 night with my friends and their staff was just awesome! They were so friendly and helpful. We took The Loft room. It was a huge space. Comfy and so homely. The bed was nice! The place was beautiful. But one thing was that the location was kinda somewhere not so popular so it was pretty much hard for us. We had to take cab to and from the hotel.
PRIMA DONNA MODE
For those upscale and ultra comfort travelers you can go to MARINA BAY SANDS and get to lounge at the hotel's famous Infinity Pool. Rates ranges from SGD 499.00++ onwards. Maybe just check-in here for one night. Make sure to take lots of photos while you're at Skypark!
But honestly, when you travel to other places, you don't really stay in the hotel the entire day! So accommodations wise, go for a comfy bed and that's all you need for a good night's sleep.
A MUST TRY!!!
Let's talk about food. When in Singapore, Chili Crab or Pepper Crab is a must try! Chicken Rice, Laksa, Kway Teow and Prata! I personally LOVE CHEESE PRATA!!! There are other gastronomic food to savour too! McDonalds, KFC's and such are available in your country so please when going to other places try the countrie(s) cuisines.. And don't forget to try the SGD 1.00 ICE CREAM!!! I Love that ice cream! I always order the Sweetcorn flavor! And since you are in Singapore, try their signature cocktail "SINGAPORE SLING". Ask for the bartender in the bar. It's Gin based by the way..
There are a lot places to eat. KOPITIAM in Singapore is everywhere. It's their food court. You can find whatever you want to eat there. From western, to chinese, japanese, thai, vietnamese, filipino and whatever they have to offer. Rates for Kopitiam dinner may vary from SGD 3.00 onwards. Drinks from SGD 1.50 onwards.
Anywhere you stay in Singapore, you'll be sure to find a mall to hang around and eat too. Restaurants and bars too.
For food go and have dinner at MAKANSUTRA GLUTTONS BAY. From there take a stroll and see the beautiful structures of Marina Bay. At night you will see the laser show from Marina Bay Sands. Alternatively you can go to NEWTON HAWKER CENTRE located at Newton Circus. Try JUMBO SEAFOOD's Chili Crab or Pepper Crab or you can go to the Geylang area for some Chili/Pepper Crabs and other chinese cuisines. There's one Chinese stall in Geylang called GEYLANG DIMSUM 126, the dimsums and other stuffs ohhh soooo delicious!
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| The SGD 1.00 ice cream. Choose from cup/wafers/bread. |
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| MORE FOOD |
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JUMBO SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
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| MAKANSUTRA GLUTTONS BAY |
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| NEWTON HAWKER |
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CAFE CARTEL & STARBUCKS
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POP IN.. Places to visit.
Singapore has got not much to offer when it comes to nature so what they did was to develop an island which is now famously called: SENTOSA ISLAND.. For an entrance fee of SGD 3.00 you can tour the entire Sentosa Island and lounge under the sun, do some tanning and water sport activities such as kayaking and the likes. But due to limited space, they do not offer jet ski and parasailing activities. Go to the famed Siloso Beach. If you're here on the second Saturday of December be prepared for a "from dusk to dawn" ZOUK OUT BEACH PARTY held every year at Siloso Beach. It's a one day event by Zouk Club where by they bring the party to the sands together with international dj's, booze and grub.
There are many things that you can do in Sentosa like the Luge ride, the Fort Siloso, Sky Tower, Songs of the Sea, Sentosa 4D max and more.
While at Sentosa, head down to UNIVERSAL STUDIO SINGAPORE for SGD 74.00 you can explore and ride all day long of what USS has to offer.
Visit ADVENTURE COVE for some aquatic adventure SGD 29.00 (non-peak) SGD 33.00 (peak).
Visit S.E.A AQUARIUM the world's largest aquarium accredited by Guiness World Records for SGD 33.00.
Visit NATIONAL MUSEUM SINGAPORE and learn more about Singapore's history.
Pop by JURONG BIRD PARK. They have interesting shows about birds. And you might be able to hold a real life hawk or vulture! It's totally cool! SGD 20.00
Visit SINGAPORE NIGHT SAFARI and be mesmerized with the animals of the wild. Take the night ride and enjoy the show. SGD 35.00
Ride the FLYER and enjoy the sights from 360 degrees ride! SGD 33.00
Enjoy the beautiful GARDEN BY THE BAY and learn more about mother nature. SGD 28.00
Take an all adventure water ride at WILD WILD WET SGD 19.00
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| JURONG BIRD PARK |
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| GARDENS BY THE BAY VIEW |
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| GARDENS BY THE BAY |
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RWS: UNIVERSAL STUDIO SINGAPORE & S.E.A AQUARIUM
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THE NOMADIC WALK..
The Nomadic Walk are the featured places of this city whereby you can take all the pictures you want and be awed by the sights and sounds, and it's all free of charge! Come! Walk with me as we take the path to cashless fun!!
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| CHINATOWN |
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MARINA BAY AREA (Central Business District)
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| CHINATOWN |
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| ARAB ST. |
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| EMERALD HILL |
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| ORCHARD ROAD |
Well, basically, walking is the best way to do some sightseeing. Ofcourse some places are quite far from the city thus MRT or buses are your options. If you can pay extra, take a cab.
Okays. So here's my suggested itinerary.
Day 0. -Arrival Singapore (some flight may arrive past 12am. Check with your booked hotel whether you can check-in early. As for those who will be staying in hostels, they have 24hrs F.O but again do inform them of your arrival time.)
Day 1. -Universal Studio Singapore. (Whole day) It's gonna be a whole day event. The theme park is quite huge. I suggest before you go to USS, fill your tummies first. Of course, USS do sell food and drinks, but can be a tad bit pricey. Bring water as well. All those rides and the heat of the sun is gonna drain you. And may I suggest that if you wanna go to USS, go on weekdays. Less crowd. Less queue for the rides. At the end of the day, you'll be exhausted and you just want to crash down your bed.
Day 2. -S.E.A Aquarium/Adventure Cove. Both is located in the Sentosa Island.. Head to S.E.A Aquarium in the morning. Adventure Cove in the afternoon. You will be dead tired by the end of the day.
Day 3. -Take a walk. Stroll around. My bf & I, we started from Chinatown. Strolled passing through Club Street, Raffles Quay, Boat Quay and finally Marina Bay. It was a long walk! Tired. But the beauty of it was, you get to see the place. Don't worry, you'll definitely stop by for photos most of the time. Rest a while when you reach the Boat Quay area and snap some photos by the Singapore River. Head over to Gluttonsbay Makansutra for lunch or late lunch perhaps. After your Nomadic Walk, if you still have the energy, head down to Orchard. Basically, Orchard is the shopping destination. Everywhere you turn is malls, malls and malls. Take your pick from Tangs, ION, Lucky Plaza, Takashimaya, Somerset 313 and so many more! And while you're at Orchard, head down to Emerald Hill Road and grab some drinks! In the middle of the shopping area, E.H is where you will find over a million dollars worth of colonial property. Once you've had your fill. Go back to your hotel and rest. IF you still have the energy, (then I salute you) head over to Clarke Quay for some nightlife and knock yourself out for one night. Enjoy!
Day 4. - In the morning, head over to Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Flyer. You can also do this at night. The reason is, the view will be different from morning and night. From there, just walk around towards the famed Marina Bay Sands hotel. Of course, take your picture together with this iconic building. The Helix Bridge is fabulous at night time though. In the late afternoon, head down to Singapore Night Safari. Explore. Be careful, when taking photos be sure to disarm your camera flash. Animals are sensitive to flashes. I'm pretty pretty sure you guys will be tired by the end of the night. So head back to your hotel and take a good rest.
Day 5. -Maybe you're tired by this day. So today, maybe you just wanna relax and lounge somewhere peaceful. By this day perhaps you just wanna chill at Sentosa Island. Explore the island if you want. Ride the luge. Live the beach life!
Day 6. -If this is your last day then perhaps you wanna get some last minute shopping done or what. Head down to Bugis. Just remember, DON'T BE LATE FOR YOUR FLIGHT...
**Check with your local money changer or maybe over the bank or check online the rate between SGD and your country's currency.
ESTIMATES
6 Days/5 Nights Singapore
USS ---$74.00
S.E.A ---$33.00
Adventure Cove ---$33.00
Flyer ---$33.00
Night Safari ---$35.00
Gardens by the bay ---$28.00
W.W.Wet ---$19.00
Accommodation ---$120.00 (hostel)
Food ---$200.00 (estimate for 6days. Minus off expensive stuffs like Chili Crab)
Transportation ---$20.00 (mrt/bus rides. Excluding cab rides)
Trinket shopping ---$200.00
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TOTAL ---$795.00 (budget mode)
Ofcourse, I suggest you take SGD 1,000.00 just to be safe. Singapore is kinda expensive.
Singapore is full of Night life! So if you wanna enjoy the night, Head down to Clark Quay. There's loads of bars & clubs there. Wednesdays are ladies night. Take advantage of this day ladies. Entrance is free with 2 free drinks or maybe more upon clubs house rules. For some high end clubbing experience head over to One Altitude, KuDeTa Club, Filter Club, New Asia Bar, Avalon, Pangea and many more. Google if you want.
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| CABLE CAR | KUDETA |
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| LE NOIR | DBL O |
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| ZIRCA | REBEL |
There you go! I hope that this has been helpful to you on your future plans to travel to Singapore. Just click on the links that I've provided for you guys for more information.
Have a safe trip and enjoy!!!
WHERE HAVE YOU TO LATELY?!?!
Much Love..
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