Singapore was our chosen destination for a week long vacation and with some help from our cousin based there, my husband & I arranged our trip on our own, rather than a travel agent.
Day 1: Little India
We boarded Tiger Airways from Bangalore & reached Changi Airport in 4.5 hrs. One striking feature of this country is that it is extremely tourist friendly, we never felt lost from the moment we stepped at the airport, although we were faced with new stuff like automated ticket vendor machines, metro train etc.
There are maps, instructions, signages everywhere making it a smooth ride and a happy stay for a tourist. Sg is a beautiful city, so spic and span that you don’t feel like spoiling its cleanliness. From the airport we took the Airport Bus to "MRT Terminal 2", bought our EZ Link travel cards for S$15 per head and boarded the train to Little India.
We checked into Hotel 81 at Dickson Rd and slept for a while, rather tired after the travel. In the evening we strolled around Little India, which is the focal point of Singapore's Indian community. It felt like walking in the streets of Chennai - an ethnic neighbourhood with Indian cultural elements, temples, south Indian restaurants, Tamil songs, the scent of spices and jasmine garlands, followed by the treasure trove of brassware, wood carvings and colourful silk saris.
Day 2: Jurong Bird Park, Bugis Junction
We took the MRT to Boon Lay & a bus from there to Jurong bird Park. We saw two spectacular bird shows - "Birds n buddies" & "Birds of Prey", where you can watch flamingos, macaws and cockatoos and even hawks. The park also houses the world’s largest walk-in aviary - the Waterfall Aviary, the world's largest collection of Southeast Asian Hornbills and South American Toucans. It also has the world's second largest penguin exhibit.
We then stepped into Bugis Junction, a modern complex with lots of little shops selling everything from electronic items to clothes, knick-knacks and accessories.
Day 3: Sentoa Island
Sentoa is home to many exciting attractions & we took the "Sentosa Choice Package" [S$39 per head]. From Harbour Front, we boarded the Sentosa Express train to Imbiah lookout. Our Sentosa Choice Package included: 1. The Tiger Sky Tower: The revolving ride at a height of 110 metres offered a scenic and breathtaking panoramic view of the island.
Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom: Numerous colourful butterflies, Rhino Beetles, Giant Spiders and Scorpions.
4D Cine Magix: an interactive movie experience with 4-dimensional digital effects.
Merlion Walk: A 120-metre-long Gaudi-inspired mosaic walkway to enter Mouth and head galleries of Merlion.
Inside the gallery you get to watch a brief animated video of the mythological story behind Singapore. "The story begins with a young prince named Parameswara, who was one of the grandsons of Alexander the Great.
Prince Parameswara had many famous treasures, but the most famous of them all was a jeweled crown that was said to be part of the treasures of Solomon. The prince was returning home from a voyage at sea one day when he noticed a new, unfamiliar island in the distance. Upon his return, he decided to return to the island for colonization.
As soon as the ship left it's home port, it encountered the most violent storm that any of the veteran sailors had ever encountered. All were sure of certain doom, but the prince calmly walked to the front of the ship and hurled his famous crown into the see as a gift to the gods. The see was instantly calm, allowing the group smooth sailing to the island they were destined for.
When the men arrived at the island, they were greeted at the beach by a fierce lion. As Parameswara reached for his blade, he unintentionally locked eyes with the lion. Each instantly gained a mutual understanding of the other, and the lion disappeared into the jungle, never to be seen again.
As the men rejoiced at the prince's heroism and bravery, he proclaimed that the new civilization they would build would be named after the brave beast that guards it's shores. The city was named Singapura, which is Sanskrit for "Lion City". Throughout the centuries, the lion remained the official symbol of Singapore, representing strength and courage. In the last century, the symbol was morphed into the Merlion, also depicting the city's strong relationship with the sea."
& 5. Cable car ride
We then spent some time at Palawan Beach where a suspension bridge links up with the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia and it is also Continental Asia's closest point to the Equator. It began to rain heavily in the evening & so we headed back to the hotel soon.
Day 4: Singapore Zoo, Merlion Park, Singapore River Cruise
We took the MRT to Ang Mo Kio and then a bus to the zoo. The zoo is awesome, the animals look healthy and happy, maintained in their natural instincts and behaviours through activities which help deepen our understanding towards them and even participate in the wonders of their ways! We saw 2 shows: "Rainforest fights back" & "Elephants at work and play".
In the evening, we headed to Merlion Park that stands guard over the mouth of the Singapore River, where the river empties into the sea. This Merlion is approximately 15 feet tall and sprays a fountain of water from it's mouth into the sea. Located 28 metres behind the Merlion is the Merlion Cub.
We hopped into the Singapore river cruise across Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Marina Bay. The entire city is delightfully lit up in the night, varied dining and entertainment choices are clustered on the quays along the river. The glittering skyline looked majestic with the Singapore Flyer, esplanade dominating the view.
Day 5: Sentosa Island
We took the Sentosa admission pass (S$2) from harbourfront and headed to Underwater world followed by Dolphin Lagoon. We then spent some time at Tanjong beach and Siloso point before falling under the spell of the nightly extravaganza set in the sea "Songs of the Sea", a mesmerizing show with a live cast and dramatic effects pyrotechnics, water jets, brilliant lasers, special computer imaging, bursts of fire, captivating music and stunning flame bursts. It's a one-of-a-kind entertainment that's not to be missed. Conveyance in Sentosa is fantastic with beach trams and buses for moving around.
Day 6: China town, Fountain of Wealth- Suntech City
We strolled around China Town shopping for souvenirs and other small gifts to carry back home and later headed to watch the laser show at "Fountain Of Wealth", Suntec City
Day 7: Vivo City
We took the MRT to Harbour Front & spent some time at Vivo City - Singapore's Biggest Mall. The National Geographic store at the mall is worth a visit for its collection of exquisite photographs. We then headed to Changi Airport & back home with happy memories :) Singapore is an ethnic mix of Chinese, Indians and Malays, all peace loving and disciplined people. It looks like a city in a garden - clean, green, well planned and beautiful. Singapore teaches a 'way of Living'.
