Quick Singapore Getaway: 3 Days in the Lion City

Also fondly referred to as “The Little Red Dot,” Singapore is a small city-state situated at the southern tip of the Malaysian Peninsula and is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Currently celebrating its bicentennial (or the 200th year when Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in the island), the Republic of Singapore has since become a financial powerhouse in the region (rivalling that of Hong Kong) and is ranked the most competitive economy in the world despite its small size.

Day 1

Jewel (Changi Airport)

Upon landing in Singapore, you will quickly notice the lavish Changi Airport. The airport in itself is a tourist attraction in the city and rightly so since it is consistently named as the world’s best airport. Of particular interest here is the newly opened Jewel, functions as both a mall and an airport terminal. Front and centre is the main attraction, the Rain Vortex, where you can get that insta-worthy shot at various vantage points along the Canopy Walk. You will feel like you’re in a futuristic utopia, especially every time the monorail goes by. There is a fee though to enter the Canopy Walk, but well worth it if your goal is getting some good photos. Other attractions include the hedge maze, slides, and topiaries. Personally, unless you have kids, going around the Canopy Walk is enough to make most of the scenery.

Before you leave Jewel though, make sure you check out the newest addition to the burger wars in Singapore, Shake Shack, located at the second floor. To avoid long queues, you may want to get in line early morning on weekends before it opens around 10am or go during the weekdays at office hours.

Chinatown

Before calling it a day, a nice place to visit would be Chinatown. Here you can see various shophouses selling souvenirs, bargain items, and of course food. Singapore is known also as a foodie’s heaven, with restaurants serving delicious local and international dishes across the island. So it’s not unusual to find great places to eat, especially here in Chinatown where you can get authentic Chinese food. You may want to try bak kut teh (a kind of pork rib broth) at Songfa restaurant in Chinatown Point, a mall near the Chinatown MRT station. Tastes awesome!

Day 2

Merlion Statue

Probably the most famous of all Singaporean icons, the Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and body of a fish. Interestingly, the Merlion was invented by the Singapore Tourism Board back in the 60’s to be its logo and to serve as the country’s official mascot. Apparently, it proved to be a success as the Merlion in Marina Bay sees droves of tourists everyday wanting to take their picture with that “drinking-the-water-spewing-from-the-statues’-mouth”  pose, reminiscent of the cheesy photos of people “pushing” the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But hey, to each their own. No shame in checking the Merlion out, especially if you’re a first timer in this Fine City.

Marina Bay Sands

When you first step into Marina Bay, you will definitely not miss the massive structure overlooking the waters. The Marina Bay Sands, though a private and luxury hotel, has also become a national landmark in its own right. The view of the building becomes extra special at night with the lights sparkling and reflecting onto the water. Tourists will find it relaxing to stroll along the boardwalk, just take in the views, and take snapshots of the city skyline.

Gardens By the Bay

Another architectural marvel are the Supertrees at the Gardens by the Bay. Located near to MBS, Gardens by the Bay, which showcases a sprawling compound of parks, greenhouses and restaurants is best visited at night when the out-of-this-world trees are lit in various colours and dance to a symphony of music. The light show has a schedule every night, so best to research this beforehand so you won’t miss the spectacle.

Day 3

Haji Lane and Arab Street

Aside from its reputation for being an International hub in the Asia Pacific region, Singapore prides itself in being a multicultural society. True enough, you can see the three major ethnic groups thriving and peacefully co-existing: Chinese, Malays, and Indians. If you go around the city, you will notice all of these groups are represented and have their own established community, open for all races. Apart from the security and the efficient transportation system, this peaceful co-existence of different races in this tiny island is what impresses me the most.

Thus, it goes without saying that it is common to see mosques around each neighborhood in Singapore even in business districts. One famous mosque is the Masjid Sultan in Arab street which is just located downtown. You can also have lunch in the various restaurants nearby, which serve mostly mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Very near Arab street is Haji Lane, which is lined with hip cafes and boutiques. This place is also famous for those wanting some instagram shots featuring vibrant street art. Being a tourist spot though, be prepared that food prices here could be really expensive even for normal fare dishes.

Botanical Gardens

Last, but definitely not least in our list is the Botanical Gardens. This massive park is Singapore’s sole UNESCO world heritage site and is a very popular site for pre-wedding shoots for both local and foreign couples. A great place to jog, have picnics, or just to breathe in that fresh air, the Botanical Gardens is the ideal venue to unwind and relax before going back to the real world.

We have just scratched the surface of what the Little Red Dot can offer to the world in terms of attractions. Hope to cover more in future posts.