10 Things You Should Know When Planning a Trip to Singapore





Merlion Park at Nightfall -- At the Esplanade
With the Esplanade Theater (aka Durian) at the rear left. This is near the Makansutra Gluttons Bay

  

Planning a trip to the Red Dot?

First, decide whether you will travel on Splurge or Steal (ie, budget) mode. It will make a big difference in terms of how much you need to shell out. In an ideal world, travelling is a reward for life's hard work so why not splurge and enjoy the moment right?

But in case you plan to travel on budget with Singapore as your destination, here are a few tips and information for first time travellers.

1. Book with a Budget Airline. Try Jetstar Airlines. They have the lowest fares and as a bonus, you still alight at Changi International Airport rather than land in the budget airlines' terminal. I booked a travel to home once and it was okay (I am generally low maintenance). Meals are not included in the fare but in case you get hungry, they sell basic meals on-board like cup noodles, coffee, nuts, chips etc. They have go-lite fares in case you are not planning to bring your entire house. Be prepared to travel close to midnight though. If you are travelling with kids, better to have some contingencies to shake the boredom off. Some families bring extra pillows for the young ones. I usually bring a book. Or ruminate for my next blog.

2. Travel-lite. You can dress casually in Singapore so there is no need to dress ala Vogue unless you are invited to cut the ribbon for an opening night Gala. Bring one sweater for the plane ride because it can get chilly. When touring around SG, bring a pair of comfy walking shoes or sneakers, hat and shades. Even at an unusual time of the year, it drizzles in Singapore.

3. Getting Around. Transportation is convenient. There are specific taxi cab stations and a trip would normally range from $6-12/trip max for nearby destinations for a family of 4-5 pax. Airport to Central/City is about $22-27. You can also travel via MRT. You can buy MRT cards for $12 and just add on (top up) value as needed. Bring those free maps that you can find at the airport as they will come handy.

4. Singapore is a gastronomic melting pot so be sure to enjoy the wide variety of cuisine that it has to offer. Meals for a family of 4 can range between $50-150. This depends on the food choice, quantity and location of course. If you are on budget, you can try Hawkers Food Center (see my blog on Makansutra Gluttons Bay) and spend much less for an equally sumptuous food fare. If you desire airconditioning, you can try Food Villages-- every Mall in Singapore has one and spend around $40-50 for a family of 4-5 pax. The Food Republic in Somerset 313 and in the malls along Orchard such as Takashimaya, Ion Orchard's Food Opera are splendid and spacious. Of course, you may want to treat the family to something special while in Singapore too.  You can check out hungrygowhere.com.  Be sure to try local Asian fares like Chili Crab, Laksa, Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice, Cereal Prawn, Bak-Kut-Teh, Carrot Cake (which is not a cake) and Satay. For kids, Chicken Rice is a safe bet. My top faves are the Chili Crab and Fried Buns in Jumbo, Chicken Satay, BBQ Wings, Hokkien Prawn Mee, Char Kway Teoh and Cereal Prawn.

5. Be sure to bring water bottles when you travel. Walking is inevitable so you may want to hydrate often. We always travel with a backpack-full of must-haves (water, map, wet ones, towels, hats, some snacks, MRT cards and folding umbrella). If the hotel comes with complimentary bottled water, bring them along and save at least $1.50 per bottle.



 6. Identify the major attractions you want to visit so you can plan around it. If you intend to see the triad of Jurong Bird Park-Night Safari-Singapore Zoo, better get the Park Saver deal. Aside from tickets, prepare to shell out for food, souvenirs and transportation. They have free transportation in key pick-up areas too.  Frankly, I was only interested on the Bird Park. The Universal Studio Singapore at Sentosa is also a popular tourist destination and you can easily spend 2 days to make the trip worthwhile. The Sentosa Island itself is an attraction of its own and you can also stay within the same area for Hotel Accomodations. We havent been there so can't tell you much today. Will update blog by end-April. This is also near Vivocity whose claim to fame is being the biggest Mall in SG. You can also try riding the Singapore Flyer ($30 for a 30-minute ride), stroll around and watch a play at the Esplanade or get a high at the Zip Line. Can also catch the Lion King Musical at Marina Bay Sands Theater (limited time) or the Singapore F1 racing in September. Landmark spots are Merlion, the new Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Raffles Monument.

7. For those who love nightlife, popular places are Clarke Quay, Robertson Quay, Chjimes and the Club Street (as in street-full of Clubs) as far as I can tell. Apart from that, can't tell you much. Sorry, wrong person to ask. Will refer you to friend Pepe.

8. Where to Stay? You can check out travel and tour packages where airfare and hotel accomodations are already covered. Hotels are still the most convenient place when travelling with family. No need to worry about breakfast (check), there are amenities to enjoy (like pool, gym-check) and these are located at convenient areas of the city (check). Serviced apartments are also a good choice for a minimum stay of one week and you need to book these in advance as well. They also serve breakfast and have the standard amenities. But it can also be quite expensive. There are budget Hostels but be sure to check out the location because these are generally located away from the "city", may have less than desirable accomodations and conditions (common bathrooms, no AC) and well, might be smack into the red-light district. These are usually frequented by back-packers or transients. As much as possible, target to stay within City/Central.

9. And oh... for digital and techie freaks, I would say Funan DigitaLife Mall is the go-to area. It is recommended to bring someone who knows the place and can help you around. Especially for haggling.

The Singapore Flyer

10. Singapore is a shopping haven for those those who adore international brands because you can find the latest designs here. Orchard Road is of course THE place to be. But if you are lucky, you will be able to chance upon great bargain finds too! I realized that Esprit, Gap, Zara and Mango are actually relatively reasonably priced branded stores here. You will surely not be able to resist the temptation to convert SGD to PHP and the price can be daunting so let me give you a perspective-- if you chance upon a $12 shirt in Mango or Esprit, or $50 denim pants in Mango, that's a great deal already. I once bought a $10 khaki pants in Giordano! By the way, keep your receipts so you can claim GST refund at the airport! For home stuff, IKEA at Alexandra Road is a joy to explore.

Even if you dont intend to shop, it is still a joy to stroll along the Orchard road. When I was new in SG and had nothing to do on a weekend, I walked endlessly along Christmassy Orchard road with my outdated iPod shuffle, watching people, taking in and enjoying the sights and sounds of this vibrant cosmopolitan city.

So, what are you waiting for? See you in Singapore!