Although we are in Singapore for only 3 days there is so much to say about it. First and foremost we really like it here and you probably can’t compare it with any other city on the planet. It’s very clean, modern, high-tech, filled with greenery and there’s just so much to see! And you actually don’t have to go to any specific place since strolling on the streets and riverside of Singapore is already a great experience. During the 3 days we’ve been here we have walked for about 20 km and rode with a bike for roughly another 45 km. So we’ve had quite long and exhausting days starting from 11 AM and ending about 9-10 PM. At first we mostly opted for walking but since biking is really popular here and there are 3 main bike rental companies with thousands and thousands of bikes around the city we just couldn’t miss the opportunity. That and the fact that our legs were beginning to hurt :). Riding a bike is inexpensive but sometimes it takes some time to search for a proper bike with everything working and high enough saddle (since in case most of the bikes the highest setting is still very low). There are no such biking roads as in Copenhagen for example but in most of the places you can co-exist with all the pedestrians quite well. Only in some areas where the pathways are really narrow zig-zaging between all the people can be a real hustle. But all in all it’s ok and everyone is used with all the bicycles moving around :).
Singapore is beautiful both during the daytime and nighttime but I’d say that only when the sun sets the real beauty of the majestic skyline begins to show. Most of the buildings are being lighted and of course there are the great landmarks as Marina Bay Sands, Singapore flyer and ArtScience museum that make it one of the most extraordinary city views.
Of course you have to take under consideration that Singapore’s prices can’t really be compared with other countries in SE Asia or in a matter of fact in anywhere in the world. Currently for the fourth year in a row Singapore is the most expensive city in the world and it has been in top 10 for a very long time. I will give a more detailed overview in my budget post later on. But be prepared to pay a bit more even if you don’t plan to visit many sightseeing places in the city. While saying that there is still a lot you can do in this city for free. For example one place that you really cannot miss (!) is Gardens by The Bay. It’s a huge park consisting of many different areas most popular of which is the Supertree Grove which is a masterpiece also during the day but when the evening comes all the trees light up and offer quite a sight. Furthermore every evening at 7:45 and 8:45 PM there’s a special 15 minutes music and light show that you must see at least once. If you don’t have much time at least visit this place 🙂
Secondly I’d recommend to walk or ride a bike on the riverbanks of downtown Singapore from Clarke Quay to Marina Bay. There are many places to sit and enjoy the magnificent view. Thirdly if you’re into greenery then The Southern Ridges, Henderson Waves and Mount Faber Park are perfect places to take a small hike through the jungle in the middle of the city. Local Chinatown shouldn’t be missed and Buddha Tooth Relic temple is also one of the most beautiful temples we’ve seen here in SE Asia. We also visited the National Museum of Singapore (entrance fee 15 S$ per person) with it’s great and extremely interesting exhibitions. If you have some more time and resources 🙂 then these places are also very highly recommended:
- Singapore flyer – 165m high ferris wheel with 360 degree views (33 S$)
- Marina Sands observation deck – a great view from the top of 8 billion S$ building (23S$)
- Flower Dome and Cloud forest at Gardens by The Bay (28S$)
In addition in Singapore there’s a whole separate entertainment island called Sentosa which is full of different theme parks and activities. For example Universal Studios Singapore, Adventure Cove waterpark, Madame Tussauds and much more. There are even 3 beaches with supposedly an appropriate water for swimming. Although there are constantly about one thousand (!) cargo ships near Singapore. After every 2 minutes a new ship arrives at Singapore making it the world’s second-busiest port.
In conclusion I can say that Singapore is a place that I’d recommend to see at least once in your life. Although the island is really small (720 square km) they have managed to build a great city with majestic landmarks, buzzling trade, clean environment, abundance of greenery, architectural masterpieces, safe streets and much more! I’m glad we decided to come here 🙂
