On a whim, Brett and I decided to take a last-minute trip to Singapore during the Chinese May Day Holiday. After almost 3 years of hearing numerous friends tell us of its greatness, we thought we should see it for ourselves. I am so pleased that we did. It truly is a great little country.
Several airlines offer non-stop flights from Beijing, but Jet Star (a division of Qantas) offered the best red-eye option, and as an additional bonus – they were running an online special for business class fares. It’s no Emirates – but the flights were on time, the service was friendly, and we arrived safely.
We landed in Singapore at 8:30 AM with an entire sunshine filled day ahead of us. So – our natural first stop (while waiting for our noon check-in) was the hotel pool. Beijing hasn’t quite grasped the concept of an outdoor hotel pool – so we are starved for the smell of chlorine, cucumber infused water, and cool hand towels smelling of eucalyptus. A morning of vitamin D (not from a bottle) and lunch al fresco was just what the doctor ordered.
There are many lovely hotel pools in Singapore that offer beautiful views of the city and the bay including classics like The Fullerton, as well as stunning newcomers like the Sands, but after doing a bit of research – the rooms at the Mandarin Oriental pushed me over the edge. Also – The Fullerton Hotel and The Sands are tourist attractions in and of themselves. Fun to visit for a cocktail or afternoon tea, but the crowds could be a bit much at times if you were staying there.
Mandarin Oriental Pool in Singapore
The picture below shows our view of The Sands Hotel from our room. The entire 57th floor is an outdoor observation deck complete with 2 restaurants, a lounge, and a magnificent pool surrounded by palms. The ground floor and basement levels house the casino which now also houses some of our money! While lucky in love…not so lucky at the blackjack table.
The Sands Singapore. The white structure in front, resembling the bottom part of an artichoke is the Art & Science Museum of Singapore. To its immediate right (unfortunately not in this picture) is the floating Louis Vuitton store – that’s right, it is on the water. That soccer field is floating too!
For first time visitors (like us), I strongly suggest staying around the harbor. The views are spectacular and taxis can easily and quickly take you to other parts of the city…like Orchard Street for shopping! That said, you will find plenty to do around the bay – all within walking distance. Or, you can take a water taxi, which is fun.
Morgan & Brett Hutchinson Singapore May 2012
We decided to take a little cruise on the water to see the Singapore sights. It really is a charming city with colorful outdoor cafés lining the banks of the river. Beautiful and intricate foot and motor bridges are found at each turn and old, deep south looking trees with roots the size of humans flank either side. Along our journey we saw many historic buildings and heard the brief history of the city’s development. There are a couple different companies that offer these hour-long trips (around $20USD per person). We chose the Singapore River Cruise Company – but they all appear to be about the same. It was a great, easy way to learn about the city. But be sure to apply sunscreen before setting sail…my pearly white, hadn’t seen the sun in months skin (thanks to BJ’s not so friendly skies) was fried by the end of our short cruise.
Brett on the river cruise boat
This set of bronze sculptures captures the joy of little children, who years before Singapore’s commercialization escaped the heat by leaping into the cool river.
On the river cruise admiring Singapore’s famous MerLion (half-fish, half-lion). Over 1 million tourists come to see her and her cub (which is currently under renovation) every year.
Brett taking in the sights…
While there seems to be an endless amount of things to see and do in Singapore – theater, music, breathtaking golf courses, lush parks filled with colorful blooms, etc. – we opted for a more leisurely stay with loads of pool time and delicious cuisine. In the picture below – we are winding down on our last night with very happy (and VERY full) bellies after having eaten at Cut, Wolfgang’s amazing steak house. Excuse my ignorance - but I had no idea that Guy Savoy, Mario Batali, Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Boulud, and countless other top chefs all have outposts here! Well played Singapore.
Nighttime view of the Singapore Bay from our hotel room
Thank you Singapore for such a rejuvenating long weekend. I am very much looking forward to our return!
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Tags: flights from beijing, Food, life, outdoor observation deck, Singapore, Travel, vacation
