Vacation in Singapore: Impressions and Places Visited

Last year, we started our travels with a vacation in Singapore. Although Japan was initially on our list, we made a spontaneous decision and changed our destination, a choice we had actually been looking forward to for a few years. We had wanted to visit for a long time, especially since one of my best friends has been living there for over 10 years (Hi Miha! 👋).

Also known as the Lion City, Singapore completely exceeded our expectations. Even though we stayed for 7 days (6 nights), we tried to check off all the sights on our list, which were definitely not few.

We were so glad we decided to book two different accommodations in completely distinct areas, which allowed us to truly experience the city’s vibe:

• The first part of our trip: We spent it in the metropolitan center on Orchard Road, surrounded by designer shopping malls and ultra-crowded pedestrian areas with a continuous flow of people, no matter the time or day.
• The second part of our trip: We moved to the Marina Bay area. Of course, we couldn’t miss the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel, the ultimate emblem of the city. Here, we felt like we were in a luxury resort, almost in a completely different country, far away from the hustle and bustle of downtown.

Weather in Singapore at the end of February

The period we spent there (at the end of February) was absolutely perfect for us. Being a transition period between seasons, it wasn’t overly hot, and we also managed to escape the rain (it only rained once during our stay, for about 20 minutes).

Plus, we caught the very end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. The themed decorations were still beautifully adorning the streets, but the extreme crowds had already cleared out, so we could truly enjoy the atmosphere. We even witnessed a traditional Chinese dinner where they tossed salad in the air (the Lo Hei ritual) – it was super fun! 😁

Things we did in Singapore:

Hiking at MacRitchie Reservoir

I really wanted to go on a hike in nature, as I am absolutely fascinated by tropical vegetation.

Before we started the hike, we stopped at a local market for breakfast. It was our very first contact with the local food, and I was a bit nervous but also extremely excited about the experience. It wasn’t a touristy area at all, just locals enjoying their coffee and eating out, which apparently they do every single day 🙂. We were able to fully enjoy this experience thanks to Miha’s local friend, Ming, who treated us to a traditional breakfast. We had fresh eggs served with hot water on the side so we could cook them ourselves to our liking, toast with butter and kaya (their traditional coconut jam), coffee, and a bunch of other rice and vegetable-based dishes. Everything was so yummy! 😋 (What I found really funny and interesting was that they didn’t have salt on the table; they used soy sauce instead of salt.)

After a great breakfast, we headed towards the starting point of the trails leading to the MacRitchie Reservoir. We filled up our water bottles (there are free water refill stations all over the city, free of charge) and hit the trail. The scenery was stunning, with lush vegetation and absolute cleanliness everywhere.

Botanic Gardens

Our next stop after the hike was the Botanic Gardens, where we enjoyed a relaxing stroll along the pathways filled with lush greenery and roosters 🐓.

At the end of the day, we had dinner at a Chinese restaurant, Paradise Dynasty, where we ordered several dishes, and all of them were delicious. Unfortunately (or fortunately 😅) we didn’t have any room left for dessert.

Sentosa Island: Aquarium and Madame Tussauds

Before heading out to Sentosa, I made a quick stop at the pastry shop of the famous Cedric Grolet. By pure chance, while I was in Singapore, I saw an Instagram post about their grand opening. I looked up the location and, luckily, it was just 150m away from our hotel. I showed up at the door first thing in the morning right when they opened, giving them my best puppy eyes 🥺 because I didn’t have a reservation, nor did I have time to make one (the shop was going to be closed for the following two days). The lady who welcomed me was lovely and invited me to meet the location’s pastry chef, who presented all the products in a very professional and impressive way. My first impulse was to buy everything in the display cases, but I realized I would leave a small fortune there, so I limited myself to a croissant, which is my absolute favorite pastry wherever I go, and a mango cake for *le husband. They wrapped them up beautifully, and I headed back to the hotel feeling so happy, ready to tell *le husband about the success of the day 😂.

As fate would have it, I finally got to try the famous croissant, and it was love at first bite 😁.

We reached Sentosa by metro, which was very easy and fast. It was a bit crowded, but since it was Sunday, that was to be expected. Many locals “escape” to Sentosa Island on weekends to go to the beach or to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the city.

S.E.A. Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world, home to over 1,000 marine species from all over the globe. The centerpiece of the aquarium is the Open Ocean Habitat, which features a massive tank with a panoramic glass viewing panel where you can sit back, relax, and watch the various species of fish swim by.

We then had some fun at the Madame Tussauds museum, where we messed around and took photos alongside the celebrities.

On our way back, I absolutely insisted on taking the cable car instead of the metro. It seemed like a cool idea, except that once we were inside, I suddenly remembered my fear of heights 😂 and spent the entire ride panicked and stressed until the very first stop. I didn’t even pull out my phone to take a single photo, that’s how terrified I was. It wasn’t just the height, which was around 70 meters, but the cabin was also swaying quite a bit because of the wind. Ming was telling us about an incident from a couple of years ago when, due to some technical issues, some cabins stopped along the route, and those people had to wait for several hours to be rescued. I barely even breathed during the entire ride to HarbourFront station.

Only after we got off and I felt the solid ground beneath my feet did I manage to take two photos: one of the cheerful cable cars (they were all decorated with different cartoon characters) and one from the ground, just to show the considerable distance 😁.

The Zoo

We started our day with a traditional breakfast at a restaurant located right inside the zoo. I really wanted to try the famous Durian fruit, and the only possible way for me to do so was at a restaurant or market that sold it. All over the public transport (metro, taxis) and in hotels, there were strict “no durian” signs with very heavy fines if you broke the rule.

To my surprise, they had a durian dessert at the restaurant there, and of course, I ordered it. I was asked twice if I knew what it was and if I was sure I wanted it, and I replied yes. How bad could it be? I knew that when it comes to durian, people fall into two categories: those who love it and those who absolutely hate it. I had a 50-50 chance.

The conclusion: I am firmly in the camp of those who absolutely hate it 😂.

Aside from the fact that the dish looked quite impressive (and yes, red beans are considered a dessert in many Asian countries, I quickly looked past that), the smell was indescribable. I instantly started wrinkling my nose, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see all the staff nudging each other, waiting to see my reaction when, or if, I would take a bite. I tasted a little bit, thinking that maybe the flavor would save the smell, but no. A taste of onion with ammonia combined with the smell of garbage from a chute 🤢 – that’s pretty much how I would describe durian.

Before arriving in Singapore, I had read that their zoo is one of the most beautiful in the world and the absolute best in Asia, so I didn’t hesitate for a second when adding it to our bucket list. What I loved most was the feeling of being right there among the animals and observing them in their natural habitat. This is all thanks to their clever containment systems (such as hidden moats, water barriers, and rock formations), completely free of the bars and cages found in other zoos I’ve visited.

Art Science Museum

While we were waiting to check in at Marina Bay Sands, we headed to the museum next door (the one shaped like a lotus flower), which was already on our bucket list anyway. *Le husband is passionate about physics and astronomy, while I love everything shiny and colorful 😀 so it turned out to be a really nice activity for both of us.

Marina Bay Sands & Gardens by the Bay

The last part of our holiday was spent in the Marina Bay area, where our main goals were relaxing by the pool on the 57th floor, exploring the restaurants in the area, and, of course, visiting Gardens by the Bay with its Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.

The complex itself was spectacular right from the entrance; it felt like stepping into a small airport. There was a continuous flow of people arriving and just as many leaving. With luxury shops, fine dining restaurants, and impressive architecture, Marina Bay Sands is more than just a hotel, it is a destination in its own right.

From our room, we had a view of Gardens by the Bay, which was absolutely spectacular both by day and by night.

At the pool, we were lucky enough to catch a gorgeous sunset, which was quite rare during that period since it was pretty cloudy almost every day.

In the evening, we strolled through Gardens by the Bay, and everywhere you looked, the scenery was straight out of a wallpaper.

On our last day there, we visited the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. The Flower Dome is the largest greenhouse in the world and is divided into themed gardens featuring plant and tree species from 5 continents: Europe, Africa, Australia, South and North America, and Asia.

Cloud Forest is another greenhouse, but this one features plant species that grow in tropical mountain regions. The biggest attraction is Cloud Mountain, which is a fake mountain with a spectacular waterfall. We walked around the mountain along suspended walkways, from where we could see the entire greenhouse.

Singapore Vacation: Takeaways

What we loved:

1. We paid with a card everywhere; there was absolutely no need to withdraw cash.
2. In restaurants, ordering and payment were done online, meaning very little interaction with the staff, which is a total dream for an introvert 😅.
3. We felt safe everywhere; people would leave their personal belongings (phones, cards) unattended without any worry of them being stolen.

What we didn’t like:

1. Everyone was glued to their phones; they were literally walking down the street like robots, guided only by the screen in front of their eyes.
2. It is sooooo expensiiiiive 😂.

Where we stayed:

For the first part of our holiday, in the Orchard area, we chose Hilton Singapore Orchard. Even though the hotel had a swimming pool and a spa center, our pace was so fast-pressed that we didn’t even have time to go and see what they looked like.

On the other hand, for the second part of the trip, we moved to the famous Marina Bay Sands, where things changed completely, and we fully enjoyed their iconic rooftop pool.