City of Singapore

In my previous post called '"Visit Singapore", I had described the many ways you can travel from the airport to the city. Refer to the link below:  

 https://www.travelwithravi.com/p/visit-singapore.html,

Now it's time to explore the City.  Singapore could be described as a large botanical garden with people living in it. You can see evidence of this theme all throughout the city. Highways and overpasses have carefully tended tropical plantings with vibrant colors. The city being in the tropics receives a lot of rainfall throughout the year, which helps to keep the city green. 

Hotels and transportation

There are many hotels throughout the city, and you can easily find one that fits your taste and budget. All  major hotel chains have at least one property in Singapore. I recommend choosing a hotel that is close to one of the Singapore MRT stations. This makes it easier to get around.  Here is the link to the MRT. https://mrtmapsingapore.com/. which will help in that decision. It also has a lot of information on the different types of passes. The MRT covers almost all areas of Singapore. The MRT is cheap, reliable, clean and always on time. A combination of the subway and taxi is the best way to see all parts of this city at a reasonable cost. If you have time and are in a mood to explore you can catch one of the double decker buses and take a ride. 

Things to do 

 Orchard Road or Orchard is a major tourist attraction in Singapore. It is an upscale shopping area with large malls and  high end stores. Its malls boast the full works- from opulent brands to high fashion. You can also find bargain basement stores that sell cheap electronics. There are also expensive restaurants and fast-food places so you have quite a large choice, in case you are hungry. In my opinion the best time to visit Orchard is at night when the temperatures are bearable, and the road is lit up like a Christmas tree. Singapore is always hot and humid, and the sun can be strong during the daytime. The road has large sidewalks, so the large crowds do not cause overcrowding. To cool off you can always pop into the mall or stores.

If you fancy women's accessories with a Disney theme , its available on Orchard !

The diversity of religions and language of Singapore is striking. The country is multiracial and multicultural. The people are of Chinese, Malay, and  Indian origin. Though English is the predominant language the other  languages spoken are Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. People of many religions coexist peacefully.

Buddhist temple

A visit to the Buddhist temple especially during the time of prayers is special and rewarding. 

Chinatown

Follow this up with a walk around Chinatown. There are plenty of small restaurant' s that serve up Chinese dishes from all regions of China.This is a fun place during the Chinese New Year.

Another place to see is Little India. This place is a colorful historical district with temples, saree shops, lots of restaurants serving South and North Indian cuisine. The famous Roti Prata is Singapore's famous Indian dish and I urge everyone to try it. Another cult favorite in little India is the famous store called Musatfa Centre. You can buy anything here from a bicycle to Home theater at reasonable prices. For more information check out the following link:https://www.mustafa.com.sg/AboutUs.aspx. 

Singaporean Cuisine is like no other since it brings the best of four cultures. You can enjoy Chinese, Indonesian, Malayan, Indian and western cuisine at any location. But in order to taste the most delicious preparations you have visit the "Hawker Stalls"at the famed Hawker Centres. There are many around the city and each claims to be the best. These open air  hawker centres serve thousands of patrons every day and the most noticeable aspect is that  they are extremely clean. For seafood lovers, Singapore is heaven on earth. Chilli crab, black pepper crab,  Barbequed sambal Stingray, Chilli Lobster and prawns are  few of the extremely popular dishes.

You can pick your fresh crab

There are many places which sell Black pepper crab but I recommend you try out  Long Beach Seafood. 

 https://longbeachseafood.com.sg/home/. Make reservations as the place fills up very quickly during the evening hours

Black Pepper crab 

Here is my order. Can not wait to crack it open for the delicious crabmeat

A very satisfying meal! Fried Choy Sum with garlic goes well with the crab.

There are many attractions to see in Singapore, but the most popular are the Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. The opulent Marina Bay Sands is a hotel and mall. It has a large infinity pool on the roof top for guests staying at the hotel. Adjacent to the pool is a large observation deck which offers a panoramic view of the entire city and harbor. 

The atrium of the hotel is huge and awe inspiring. My desire to visit this place came from watching a video documenting the construction process which I am sure you would enjoy too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHXnbeS0oCo

A view of the infinity pool. A perfect place to cool off during Singapore's hot and humid afternoons. The observation deck is adjacent to the pool. 

View of downtown.  Singapore is the leading financial hub in Asia. Many buildings in the downtown area are  adorned with the logos of the worlds largest banking establishments. 

The lotus shaped Art and Science museum is directly behind the hotel  and is surrounded by a large lotus pond. 

Views of the Singapore Big Eye, modelled after the London Big eye and the panoramic view of the port showing ships lined up for transshipment.

The view below from the observation deck is of the second most popular attraction in Singapore called "Gardens by the Bay". This attraction deserves its own dedicated page as there is so much to see and do. So... stay tuned for my post on Gardens by the Bay 

Gardens by the Bay