Singapore

On our first visit to Singapore, we were impressed by how green the country/city was in spite of its dense population and small landmass (about the size of Ottawa/Gatineau).  On this most recent visit, we set out to explore the city’s abundant green spaces in more depth.

It was evident everywhere we went that protecting and promoting the environment was a high priority for the government, city planners, and the average citizen. The city’s cleanliness is noteworthy; we saw only a few pieces of litter on the street during our entire stay.  

Whether meandering through some of the historic neighbourhoods like Chinatown or Little India, or shopping along the famous Orchard Street, we admired the copious green spaces, especially the verdant vertical walls and rooftop terraces that were so commonplace in Singapore.   In fact, Signapore is renowned worldwide for its greenspaces, and has a vision to be a “City in a Garden”. It hopes to achieve this by rejuvenating urban parks and landscapes, establishing world class gardens, enriching biodiversity in urban spaces, and engaging and inspiring communities to co-create a greener Singapore.   

The city is a testament to innovative urban planners and forward thinking government officials who have influenced and transformed the cityscape.   In spite of its intense industrialization and rapid urbanization, Singapore boasts abundant biodiversity. The city is teeming with wildlife.  It has more than 3000 species of orchids, 80 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 110 reptiles and amphibian species and 600 freshwater fish species.  Clearly, the government’s vision and model for a “City in a Garden” has helped to safeguard its vegetation and diverse wildlife.

Gardens by the Bay is the 250 acre nature park we visited during our first weekend in Singapore.  We described it in a previous post – click here if you missed it.

The Singapore Botanic Garden is the world’s only tropical garden with UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.  It is a 15-acre rainforest and beautiful orchid garden with more than 3,000 species and hybrids.   We saw a few massive monitor lizards slinking around the grounds, along with a few chickens and roosters to boot.  We later learned that monitor lizards are about as common as squirrels, making their home in most residential gardens. The Botanic Garden was a highlight of our last visit to Singapore, and it was well worth a return visit, as we had the opportunity to explore other areas of the park that we missed the first time.

MacRitchie Reservoir Park is a 49-acre oasis in the middle of the city, popular with runners, kayakers, and bird-watchers. The park’s 11-kilometer trail loops through a serene tropical rainforest, with a detour along the way to the spectacular TreeTop Walk, an 820-foot suspension bridge.  While doing the 11 km loop, we saw a massive 4 foot monitor lizard for the first time, and many wild Macaque monkeys.

At first glance, Jurong Bird Park seemed more geared to families with young children and we thought it was a bit cheesy and touristy. But as we explored the park, we were impressed by the walk-in aviaries.  For instance the 4.9 acre Waterfall Aviary boasts one of the world’s tallest man-made, indoor waterfalls; the aviary itself is the second largest in the world.  It houses some 1,500 free-flying birds from 80 African species. A suspension bridge overlooks the waterfall offering a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape and some of the more reticent birds in action. Much to our surprise, we ended up spending the whole day at the Bird park!

We fell in love with Singapore the first time we visited, and we weren’t disappointed when we returned. If it wasn’t for the unrelenting humidity, we even think we could live here, at least for a short-term work contract. Singapore is a modern, clean, innovative city that has so much to offer. It appealed to our love of nature and challenged our foodie inhibitions. Be forewarned though, Singapore isn’t easy on the pocketbook, in fact, it reigns as the world’s most expensive city for the fifth year in a row, based on a report by The Economist.

Thinking of visiting? Here are some travel tips based on our recent visit.

Where we stayed:

1. Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Marina Bay

• Great location to explore Marina Bay
• Close to MRT
• Access to rooftop infinity pool and observation deck
• Beautiful view
• Comfortable and spacious room
• TIP: Pay a little extra for a high room with a harbour/garden view. Definitely worth it.

2. Furama City Centre Hotel, Chinatown

• Close to 2 MRT stops, Buses right outside the door
• Walking distance to Chinatown and Craig’s Quay
• Comfortable bed 
• Friendly and helpful staff 
• Affordable (Mid range price)
• Very clean
• Tired, shabby décor but it is undergoing renovation (October 2019) inside and out so hopefully it will look more updated soon.
• TIP: Splurge for the concierge lounge – free alcoholic drinks and snacks from 6-8 pm; free non-alcoholic drinks all day including delicious cappuccinos; free buffet breakfast that offers wide variety of food. We picked an executive suite which was far too big for two people, but it was on the top floor with a beautiful city view.

Getting around:

• Grab is the equivalent of Uber in North America and is super easy to use as long as you have internet (download the app before you go)
• Public Transit (MRT and buses)
  • Easy to navigate
  • Fast and reliable
  • Very economical; prices based on distance (ranged from 0.72 – $1.50)
• TIP: Bus 166 stops right in front of Furama City Centre Hotel and will take you to Little India, and the MacRitchie Reservoir Park.
• TIP: We used Grab ($16 SGD) to get to the Jurong Bird Park because public transit seemed too complicated. But we took public transport back to Chinatown: Bus 194 stops right in front of the park. Take the bus to the bus station at the end of the line, and transfer to the East West Line at the Boon Lay MRT station (just a few minute walk from the bus station). You won’t get lost as there are plenty of signs to help you navigate from the bus station to the MRT station.
• TIP: Use pubic transit to visit the Night Safari or the Zoo. Navigate to the Khatibi MRT Station. From there, just outside the MRT station (look for the sign) you can catch a zoo shuttle that will take you directly to the park entrance ($1 SGD).

Where we ate:

• Hawker Food Centres
  • Maxwell Food Centre (Chinatown)
  • Chinatown Food Market
  • Lau Pa Sat Food Centre (business district)
  • Food is tasty and cheap
• Michelin rated restaurants
  • There are plenty of these throughout the city; we went to one on a whim and enjoyed our meal, but really didn’t know what all the fuss was about.
• TIP: Alcohol is very expensive in Singapore (and Bali) as there are lots of taxes on booze. The best deal we found was at the airport, on the way to Bali. We found 1L of Smirnoff Vodka for $18 SGD. Glad we picked up a couple of bottles to enjoy our own homemade cocktails on the beach in Bali.

What we did:

• Gardens by the Bay including Flower Dome and Cloud Forest
• Botanic Garden
• MacRitchie Reservoir Park
• Jurong Bird Park
• Wandered through neighbourhoods
  • Chinatown
  • Little India
  • Orchard Street
  • Haji Lane / Arab neighbourhood
• TIP: On our way to Haji Lane, we discovered a gem of a free museum/art gallery on the 3rd floor of what turned out to be the most expensive office building in Singapore – Parkview Square. It is worth a visit if only to admire the stunning architecture and to wander through the lobby that is designed in the Art Deco style and features a 15m-high ceiling with hand-crafted details. The bar in the lobby of the building has a unique 3-storey gin tower housing over a thousand gins.

• TIP: Don’t waste your time or money on the Night Safari – we did not like this at all. The animals looked distressed, visibility was low, it was very noisy and touristy.
• TIP: Singapore is known for its many rules which are often displayed on signs with accompanying penalties. Pay attention as some of the rules are pretty strange (e.g. no chewing gum) and penalties can be stiff.
• TIP: We didn’t bother to get a SIM card for our phones while in Singapore. We found wifi readily available in most restaurants and hotels.
• TIP: Download the google map for Singapore (do this before you go as it is a sizeable download) so that you have offline access to it.

The diversity of Singapore’s foodie scene is astonishing where old school hawker markets are as common as five-star, Michelin rated restaurants.  While Chris and I are pretty adventurous travellers, I must admit we don’t have very adventurous taste buds.  We tend to stick with what we know, and I for one, am quite happy to eat the same thing over and over again.  Needless to say, this presents a few challenges while on the road, especially in countries where English is not commonly spoken and restaurant menus become an intriguing puzzle.  When we are off the tourist track, the likelihood of finding food that we recognize is even further reduced.  

Somehow we managed to feed ourselves during our last trip around the world (and I even gained a few pounds), but I do remember many times woefully dreaming of a having a simple bowl of cereal or some toast and butter – comfort food at its best.  During our last trip, we could have been spokespersons for Snickers bars and single packs of Oreo cookies as these were our go to travel snacks, readily available everywhere we went, and tasting consistently the same as the ones back home. By contrast, we quickly learned that chips, crackers and other snack foods may have looked the same on the outside, but they sure didn’t taste anything like what we were used to.  

This time around, we have challenged ourselves to get out of our food comfort zone and be a little more daring – within reason of course.  For starters, while in Singapore, we focused on eating where the locals eat – the hawker centres.  We learned that most Singaporeans don’t cook at home.  Quite understandable given that the majority live in very modest apartments, and the cost of food is very high, as compared to the cost of food at the local food stands.  Unfortunately, the food in those food stands is not very healthy (too much salt and sugar) and consequently, there has been an increase in nutrition related illnesses. I noticed quite a few billboards related to the rise in diabetes, admonishing the public to eat more nutritious food.

Just an aside, and not to get too distracted, we learned a lot about the Singapore real estate market while standing in line at one of the food stalls, chatting with a local one day. I found this really interesting and hopefully you will too. Singaporeans are very friendly and very inquisitive about our life in Canada (how cold is it? was a common question), and all were more than happy to talk about their life in Singapore too. So, after making his recommendations to us for food, and explaining what some of the dishes were, we went on to talk about more important topics like where do Singaporeans live, how much do apartments cost, and do single family homes even exist, as we had only seen high-rises. He explained that 80% of Singaporeans live in government housing. These apartments cost about $300,000 SGD ($287,000 CAD), and can be mortgaged over 20 years. And, this includes a parking space. This makes them very affordable for the average family. By contrast, private condominiums cost upwards of a million SGD, and the average price for a coveted landed bungalow is about $13,000,000 SGD. Yes, that is 13 MILLION DOLLARS! Land is at a premium, so even a parking space for a private condo will run you about $900,000 extra! He marvelled that Canadians had so much space and the average family could live in a single family home and actually own their own land. Something that we take for granted in Canada was way beyond the grasp of the average Singaporean.

Back to our food conquest. We did some research and boldly ventured into a few hawker centers.  Equipped with the names of some dishes that were highly recommended on various travel blogs, here is a photo summary of some of the dishes we tried. 

Of course, we couldn’t try everything, and let’s face it, there were some things that we just aren’t ready for.  Maybe one day we’ll be brave enough to try some of the following (but I’m pretty sure some of these will never touch our lips!).

Adjacent to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Gardens by the Bay is an oasis of lush greenery that has won multiple accolades since it first opened in 2009.  Spanning over 100 hectares, it is a nature lover’s paradise comprising man-made super trees, a flower dome, cloud forest and many kilometers of walking paths through immaculate gardens of Jurassic proportions. This place is amazing and a must see for anyone visiting Singapore.  We are embarrassed to admit that during our last visit, we completely overlooked this area. We didn’t even know it existed. Epic fail on our part!  We certainly made up for it this time, exploring every nook and cranny of the park during our first weekend in Singapore. By the way, if you want to read about our first visit to Singapore, click here.

The super trees are huge steel structures against which vertical gardens have taken hold.  This is but another example of Singapore’s commitment to weave nature throughout the ever-expanding metropolis.  In fact, green spaces such as vertical gardens, green roofs, and verdant walls are everywhere in Singapore.  Here’s an interesting article from National Geographic that describes how Singapore is striving to be the worlds’ greenest city.

Each night, an impressively choreographed (and free) light and music show brings in the crowds.  Not only did we watch the show from the base of the super trees multiple times, but we had front row seats from the comfort of our hotel room balcony too.  

The Flower Dome is a gigantic glass greenhouse that is by far the biggest and most impressive conservatory we have ever seen.  The plethora of exotic plants in the themed gardens offer a unique backdrop to hundreds of sculptures from around the world.  The building itself is a work of art; its curvaceous glass walls and soaring ceiling offer abundant views of the harbor and surrounding gardens.  And of course, our iconic hotel was never far away. As if this wasn’t enough, the Dome is delightfully air conditioned and let me tell you, with temperatures in the high 30’s with humidity and the “sweat index” permanently set to “very uncomfortable” on the Weather Channel, any chance to get out of the heat is most welcomed.  While the Rhododendron Display was a special exhibit and seemed to attract the crowds, with the colourful, showy displays, I was particularly drawn to the succulent and cacti gardens, and the clever use of driftwood in their arrangements. Needless to say, I am infinitely inspired for next year’s gardening season.

Right next door, the Cloud Forest is another contemporary greenhouse that boasts the world’s largest indoor waterfall, flowing over a 35-meter man-made mountain covered in lush tropical vegetation.  Visitors follow a winding path through densely planted orchids, ferns, bromeliads, and carnivorous pitcher plants to the base of the cloud walk platform, reached by elevator six stories above.  Once at the top, you follow a path that seems to float through the cloud forest until you descend into a secret garden – simply stunning. 

Each night, directly in front of the hotel, there is a light and water spectacle that makes the Bellagio Water Show in Las Vegas look like a drinking fountain.  Spectra dazzles with dancing lasers, water jets and futuristic art projections on mists of water, focused around a 12-metre glass prism that forms the heartbeat of the show. We watched the free 15-minute program multiple times from the steps of the Event Plaza on the first floor of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.  This was by far the best vantage point to see the show.  However, one night, we wandered over to the other side of the bay facing the hotel and caught the late performance.  While you miss the art projections and some of the finer details of the water fountains, you see a completely different perspective where a kaleidoscope of colours is beautifully choreographed against the surrounding buildings (Marina Bay Sands Hotel, The Shoppes at Marina Bay and the Art Science Centre).   

Here is a video of the whole show. It is almost 15 minutes long so be forewarned. It was captured from iPhone so not the best quality but it will at least give you an idea of this amazing show.

While we are not keen shoppers, we felt a trip to The Shoppes at Marina Bay was in order just to be sure we didn’t miss anything this time around.  This shopping plaza is packed with high-end designer labels such as Versace, Louis Vuitton, and Mont Blanc to name a few.  We were reminded of the shops along the Champs Elysees in Paris, where we observed tourists purchasing Louis Vuitton handbags for a mere 40,000 euros!  Needless to say, this was window-shopping territory for us.  The magnificent architecture of the mall was equal to the neighbouring attractions and that in itself made the visit worthwhile.  The mall offered some interesting attractions like the indoor canal complete with sampan boats, that circled the Rain Oculus – essentially a huge outdoor basin above that periodically released tons of water down a drain that spiraled into the canal below.  We were having a coffee beside the canal watching the tourists on the little boats in the canal, when suddenly the plug was pulled and water descended into the canal right before our eyes.  It was pretty cool, I must admit – the water show that is, not the cheesy boats on the canal.

After living in a bubble all weekend, venturing only as far as the neighbouring gardens and attractions, it was time to experience the real Singapore.  On Monday, we packed our bags and headed off to a budget friendly hotel in the heart of Chinatown where we planned to stay for the rest of the week.

After 36 hours of travel including two long, overnight flights (Montreal to Doha – 12 hours; Doha to Singapore– 8 hours), we arrived in Singapore on Friday morning feeling well rested.  

Somewhere along the way we lost half a day of our lives, as we are now 12 hours ahead of Ottawa time.  At least the time difference made for easy math when figuring out when to call home.

Getting to our hotel was a breeze using the MRT, a world-class transit system that sets the bar for light rail travel.  I must admit I was tempted to stick my arm in the doorway to see if that simple act would bring down the whole line as it did recently in Ottawa.  But Chris reminded me that there was probably a stiff penalty for such shenanigans, or worse, it could land me in jail.  After all, this is the city/country where chewing gum in public or eating or drinking on the MRT carries a $500 fine, and littering will cost you a hefty $3000 and 3 months jail time.  So I kept my arms to myself and enjoyed the ride to our hotel.

This would be the first of many rides on the MRT and bus system. We marvelled at how easy it was to navigate, how spotlessly clean the stations and trains were, and how orderly people were boarding and leaving the trains. For example, at the entrance of each door, red lines on the floor marked where onboarding passengers should stand to allow those who were disembarking to easily exit down the middle. Everyone followed this system effortlessly and it made for a very efficient and effective experience. As if these weren’t enough reasons to use the public transport system, it was dirt cheap too. Fares were based on distance travelled, so we paid about $0.72 for the shortest trips (about 4-5 stops) to $1.75 for the longest trip (about 45 minutes from airport to hotel).

The iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel resembles a boat perched 57 stories above three large towers. It is best known for its roof top infinity pool overlooking the city. The last time we were in Singapore, we admired this hotel from a distance, marveling at its architecture and promising ourselves if we ever came back, we would stay at least one night at this luxury property.  This is bucket list stuff.  And so we splurged and stayed for 3 nights, celebrating our 17^thwedding anniversary in high style.  

This hotel did not disappoint.  From our spacious and luxurious suite on the 45^thfloor overlooking the harbor and gardens, to swimming in and lounging around the famous 146-meter infinity pool, it was an indulgent (and super ridiculously expensive) weekend. To give you an idea of the scale of this place, there are over 2500 rooms in the hotel. The SkyPark spans the length of the rooftop and includes multiple restaurants, the pool (restricted to hotel guests only), and an observatory deck open to the public. It is longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower!  (Thank you Wikipedia).

We started and ended each day at the pool, surrounded by a largely Chinese clientele (we later learned this was the beginning of a Chinese school holiday). At times it felt like we had stepped into a new world – the world depicted in “Crazy Rich Asians”; a world of incessant “selfie” madness, designer fashions, and carefree spending.  Quite an eye opener for how the other half lives!

In between lounging by the pool, we explored the neighbouring gardens and attractions throughout the weekend.  It was a wonderful weekend and a memorable way to reflect on and to celebrate 17 years of marriage, and 21 years together overall.