Singapore - A stop-over only destination?

Beautiful, stunning, ultra-clean Singapore, a small island in Asia with a population of 5.8 million and one of the world's greenest cities, often overlooked as a destination worthy of spending any time in, often viewed as a quick touch-down/refuel en route to Australia. Due to previous roles, I have had the pleasure of spending a fair amount of time in Singapore and really getting to know the island. Although small, Singapore offers so much to see/do, and I advise spending 4-5 nights to really immerse yourself. In this blog I will tell you some interesting facts and recommend from personal experience all the must-sees whilst visiting. DID YOU KNOW - Singapore's name comes from the Sanskrit name 'Singapura' which means Lion City. The Merlion, which is the country's national symbol has been inspired by the city's name. - Singapore is an island country in South East Asia, although it is not just one island, 63 islands belong to this city state and are dotted around the coast line. - Singapore has 4 main languages; Malay, English, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil. - Singapore is one of the smallest countries in the world with a total land area of only 682.7 square Kilometres. The USA is 15,000 times bigger! - Chewing gum is prohibited in Singapore. You are not allowed to bring gum into the country, and you may be fined if caught. - Singaporeans love to eat rice and noodle dishes, and especially love to eat out in food courts known as Hawker Centres which can be found all over the country. - Singapore currency = Singapore Dollar. 1 SGD is approx. £0.58 - A flight from London - Heathrow takes just under 13 hours. SINGAPORE ATTRACTIONS MARINA BAY Singapore's famous Marina Bay is the go-to place to see the most spectacular things to do. The beautiful Marina Bay Sands is the vocal point of the area, with lots of attractions around it including the science museum, casino and shopping/night life areas. An absolute must visit is the bay for 8pm when the exhilarating light show takes place. This light show illuminates the water as well as several recognizable landmarks. After this I would highly recommend taking a trip up to the top sands for incredible views of the city. GARDENS BY THE BAY A huge, colourful, futuristic nature park in the bay area of Singapore. It consists of three waterfront gardens - Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. It’s also home to the famous SuperTree structures known as 'Supertree Grove' which offers an impressive skywalk over the gardens. I recommend visiting this area at night when the trees are lit up. One of the trees also has a small restaurant and open top bar offering incredible views over the bay and a backdrop of the Marina Bay Sands hotel. RAFFLES HOTEL The world-famous Raffles hotel is a must see whilst visiting Singapore. This luxurious colonial-style hotel dates back to 1887 and is one of the most important and most recognised landmarks of the country. It features 103 rooms, 18 restaurants and bars and an arcade with boutique shops and stores. Most notable is the beautiful courtyard in the middle of the hotel and the famous long bar - notable for the original Singapore Sling and boxes of monkey nuts found on the sides which guests are encouraged to discard the shells on the floor - possibly the only place in Singapore where littering is highly encouraged! SINGAPORE ZOO I must be honest, I am not a huge fan of zoos. I very rarely go to them as I would much prefer to see animals in the wild. However, after reading many reviews on the zoo in Singapore, I decided to check it out and have to say, I was not disappointed! It is possibly the only zoo I have been too where the animals are roaming freely and with lots of space, not behind bars or cages. Obviously, there is enough distance between the general public and the animals, but it is separated by lakes which the animals bathe in. Even the monkeys swing above guests’ heads as you walk around the park! The zoo is set in a rainforest environment and has been operating for over 40 years. The zoo also offers night safaris, which is the world’s first nocturnal zoo and one of the most popular attractions in Singapore. I unfortunately ran out of time so was not able to do this attraction, however I have been told it is worth doing and not to be missed. SENTOSA Sentosa is a purpose-built island just off the tip of Southern Singapore. It is a collection of beaches, shopping outlets, restaurants, bars and theme parks including Universal Studios. The island can be reached by road, but the most popular and adventurous way is the 12-minute cable car which starts at VIVO City and offers outstanding panoramic views. I am not a fan of cable cars but decided to be brave and ventured on, the views were definitely worth it! I highly recommend Sentosa if you are looking for an afternoon to relax away from the hustle and bustle of city life. CHINA TOWN/LITTLE INDIA China Town and Little India are both iconic Singapore attractions in their own right. Both are great areas for shopping (possibly the cheapest shopping districts in Singapore) and authentic Chinese and Indian restaurants. Both areas are home to temples and are easily within walking distance to each other. A great place to explore for a morning or afternoon with a few hours spare. ORCHARD ROAD The world-famous Orchard Road - a shopping district in Singapore comparable to London's Oxford street. Both sides of the boulevard are full of shopping malls home to everything from designer to boutique. Orchard Road is definitely a shopper’s paradise and you could easily spend a whole day here if you are not clock watching. BOTANIC GARDENS Over 150 years old, these gardens are at the fringe of Orchard Road and are the only tropical gardens to be honoured as a UNESCO world heritage site. Singapore is a busy city with something always going on, so these gardens offer the perfect opportunity to unwind and take a step back from the chaos of city life. We visited these gardens the morning of our flight home and I am so glad we did. Although the most visited gardens in the world, they offer a true oasis of tranquillity and they brought me a sense of calm ready for our long journey back. I hope this blog has given you an insight into Singapore, all it has to offer and hopefully has changed views on Singapore as just a stopover!