Measuring Singapore on Foot in 5 Days

Travel Dates: January 8, 2020

Actual Expenses: 6500 RMB per person

Departure Point: Shanghai

People often say Singapore is very small, but looking at the map, it doesn’t seem that way. The reason is that attractions are relatively concentrated and the travel range is small. Most Singapore tour group products on the market combine Singapore and Malaysia. The so-called deep dive semi-independent travel products are essentially just a combination of 'flight + hotel + airport transfer + one-day Universal Studios ticket + one-day city tour + one free day.' None of these were what I wanted. If you really want to enjoy Singapore and savor the trip, you need to spare several more days. So after booking the round-trip 5-day flight, I immediately regretted not booking an extra day, especially since the outbreak later struck and I had no idea when I could travel abroad again.

If you want to skip to visa info, scroll to the bottom.

We arrived at Changi Airport T4 close to 10 PM. The corridor wasn't long, and soon we saw the immigration counter. Surprisingly, there were no people!

[Reminder] Make sure to fill in your accommodation address (hotel address) on the arrival card!

We could have cleared customs quickly, but my companion went to the restroom and ended up at the very end of the line (there were about 6 people per row). She also hadn't filled in the hotel address, so we had to re-queue. To make things worse, at 10 PM the immigration officers changed shifts (they even changed equipment, which I still don't understand), and fingerprints were required. This delayed us at least 20 minutes. Finally, as soon as we walked out, the baggage carousel was right there. We grabbed our luggage and headed straight for the shuttle bus to T2, following the crowd to the MRT. It was much faster than expected. The last train was around 11:30 PM.

The MRT green line from the airport into the city is Y-shaped. The train goes to the junction 'Tanah Merah' station and then turns back to the airport (2 stops). At that point, you must get off and cross to the opposite platform to board a train heading in the other direction. All passengers get off. We were busy figuring out the WiFi on the train and almost missed our stop, but a kind Chinese young man reminded us. Every MRT station has Chinese names, making them easy to recognize. Grab an MRT map—you'll use it a lot in the coming days.

Let me talk about the transport card. You buy it at the counter. It costs 12 SGD: 7 SGD for fares and 5 SGD deposit. You need at least 3 SGD balance to enter an MRT station. If the balance is low, top up at the machine (Chinese language available). When leaving, go to a special counter to refund the remaining balance (the deposit is non-refundable). They return the card to you, but you can't reload it. When taking the bus with this card, tap on and off. For consecutive transfers, later buses might be free.

Finally, a word on taxis. We once hailed a blue taxi with a huge trunk that could fit three 24-inch suitcases. For 3-4 people with luggage, taking the subway might save money but wastes a lot of time.

We woke up already at the hotel on Sentosa. After filling our stomachs, we headed to Universal Studios. Many hotels offer shuttle buses, and the three free island loop lines also pass many hotels. Keep the hotel service sheet handy, and don't forget to carry the complimentary monorail pass from the hotel. Although the park opens at 10 AM, you should line up early—entering the park requires queuing, and there are many people.

[Reminder] Go to the service counter to get a Chinese map. Many people got English maps, and we didn't even get one, which made us miss many wonderful things and reduced our efficiency.

I won't go into detail about Universal Studios. I suggest doing your homework in advance: which rides are scary, which are boring, and which are suitable for kids. Here are a few tips: definitely use the single rider line; Revenge of the Mummy is a terrifying indoor roller coaster; buy a rain poncho from the vending machine before the rafting ride; if Transformers has a line stretching out to the outermost switchback area, expect at least 1.5 hours; bring an empty lightweight water bottle—there are drinking fountains everywhere.

After the park closed at 6 PM, we went to the Malaysian Food Street at the entrance. We ordered beef nasi lemak (9 SGD) and an iced milk tea (3.5 SGD) which was very tasty. Local drinks are served without straws. After dinner, we headed toward the beach (in the direction of S.E.A. Aquarium) to see the Crane Dance at 7:45 PM. There's a big machine in the water—it's free, lasts 15 minutes. We heard it's beautiful, but we took the wrong direction and missed it.

We woke up early for a leisurely garden breakfast, then went to S.E.A. Aquarium. To be honest, as someone who loves marine animals and has visited many aquariums, I was a bit disappointed. There were some species I hadn't seen before, but overall the variety was limited. It's very small—finished in an hour. There's a pier at the entrance for photos; if interested, you can take a boat, but it's expensive.

After the aquarium, we transferred to the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia. Looking at the map, it's not really the southernmost, but you can see Indonesia from there. It wasn't as attractive as imagined—go if you have time, skip if not.

We foolishly took two transfers, only to realize after returning that the walk from the hotel wasn't far!

We went back to the hotel, packed up, and took the hotel shuttle out of the island. You could also take the monorail or cable car, but we didn't want to bother with luggage. Then we took the MRT to the city. As soon as we exited the station, we saw Song Fa. We sat down and devoured two big bowls of large pork ribs, several bowls of soup. The four of us only spent 58.4 SGD—great value.

Singapore is very hot. January is already their coolest month, but it still felt like the rainy season: sticky after sweating, and it rained almost every afternoon—sometimes heavy, sometimes light. As we were about to finish eating, a heavy rain started but stopped soon. We went to the hotel, dropped off our luggage, and set out again.

First stop: Chinatown. Approaching Chinese New Year, the area looked like a Chinese New Year market. Even China's own festive atmosphere isn't as strong. We arrived a bit late; after visiting the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, we hurried away without having a cup of traditional Nanyang coffee. Fridge magnets here cost only 2 SGD—pick one to take home.

Second stop: Gardens by the Bay. After exiting the MRT, we walked a long way to the gardens. The Flower Dome wasn't much to see; the Cloud Forest was okay, but we walked a lot inside. This day was exhausting. But the light show at the end was dreamlike—totally worth it.

The original plan was to have Singapore's national breakfast at Ya Kun, then visit the Night Safari in the morning (?) and the Botanic Gardens in the afternoon, eat Chili Crab at Jumbo, and see the Old Hill Street Police Station. But the daytime zoo was so fun that we stayed until we had to rush out for dinner.

[Reminder] Remember to reserve a table on Jumbo's official website in advance. This time we noticed a 10% price increase.

Jumbo's Riverside outlet is opposite the Police Station, which looks colorful with lights at night.

After leaving the Police Station, the sky grew darker, and we found that Clarke Quay was quite lively with many restaurants and bars.

Last day: city highlights tour.

We started from the hotel lobby. We showed the taxi driver the English name of our destination, but he didn't understand. Then we mimed water spraying from the mouth, and he instantly got it. But when we got close, it wasn't beautiful at all. There's a Starbucks by the river—we sat down and enjoyed a drink, very pleasant.

That day we finally got to take the bus. Tap on and off when boarding and alighting. First ride costs, transfers are free. Buses aren't frequent; if you're unlucky, you'll wait a long time.

Third stop: colorful Haji Lane.

Fourth stop: Sultan Mosque.

There are many beautiful handicrafts and saris at the entrance.

Zamzam was very busy. We even ran into acquaintances in the shop. The owner specially prepared an oversized beef pie for us—delicious. The longan drink was also good.

Little India was not fun at all—full of Indian men. There was a wet market that felt very authentic, but it was too hot to browse small shops.

The famous Kelong Laksa? (Sungai Road Laksa) didn't suit my taste.

End of the trip. We packed up and headed back to Changi Airport to see the famous Jewel. From the MRT, you can walk from T2—still within Singapore. Unfortunately, the waterfall was under maintenance and not running. Location as shown in the photo.

We tried Lady M and Shake Shack.

Compared to the cake, I was more amazed by the burger. Even with my mediocre phone and skills, the photo made it look delicious, and it really was. Since we ate cake, we had no room for the cheese fries. Before ordering, you can ask for a Chinese menu. If you don't order drinks, free water is available. Highly recommended!

Next up: shopping.

I bought everything at the airport because it's 7% tax-free, which is much cheaper than in the city.

Bengawan Solo's pandan cake—soft, fluffy, lightly sweet, and fragrant. Both Bengawan Solo and Bread Talk sell it. If you can't say the brand, just say 'green cake,' staff will understand.

Also available: salted egg fish skin, Bee Cheng Hiang, Twinings tea, Charles & Keith, etc. For girls, I highly recommend Pazzion shoes—very comfortable.

3. Regarding Visa

1. Singapore visa application is relatively simple. You have to apply through a travel agency. Just submit the required documents; the success rate is fairly high. Make sure to provide everything fully—don't miss any document, or you may be rejected.

2. Processing is fast. It takes about 1-2 working days from the official submission by the agency. Download and print the visa; you'll need to show it both when leaving and entering. Usually, it's valid for 15 days. I heard the policy has relaxed—my companions and friends who traveled around the same time all received 2-year multiple-entry visas.

3. If your visa is rejected, you can appeal to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority. Write an appeal letter in English and send it to the official email. After a few working days, the officer will reply. If the rejection was due to missing documents, just supplement them. If it was because you didn't meet requirements, it's not recommended to appeal.

This is my first time sharing a trip in such a travelogue style—a bit wordy. Feel free to leave questions in the comments.