An Ran's World View: Singapore Free and Easy Travel - Singapore, a Country Perfect for Independent Travel!

📍 Singapore · 👁 2624 reads · ❤️ 2 likes

The three-year pandemic kept everyone from going out. Although domestic travel never stopped, we still dared not go abroad internationally. This year, the pandemic finally ended, and we could go abroad. Having not gone out for three years, we didn't dare to go too far. Coupled with limited time, after much consideration, we decided to go to Southeast Asia. However, given that some countries are not very safe, we chose Singapore, a place very suitable for Chinese independent travel, because there are so many people who speak Chinese there. Language is basically not a problem, and Singapore is very safe.

This trip still involved the 'Iron Legs Four' group. I wanted to take my parents out more while they are still young. The flights were round-trip with Air China, transiting in Shanghai. Don't ask me why I didn't fly direct, because the airfare during summer vacation was too expensive. There was about a week's delay due to passport application, and I watched the ticket prices soar—my poor heart! So for summer travel, if your dates are set, it's better to buy tickets early, as the price changes almost daily. For the visa, I used a certain app (某猪). If there are more than 3 people, you can apply for a group visa. Although it's a group visa, we traveled independently but had to enter and exit together. It took about 3-4 days to get approved. There was a promotion, 218 RMB per person.

The rest was mostly booked on Taobao or Ctrip, including hotels. Be sure to book early. This time, the hotel I booked was good. Because I had booked the flights, there was also a discount on the hotel. Hotels in Singapore are very expensive—small rooms but high prices. So for this trip, flights and hotels were the major expenses. If you can control these two, the overall budget can be reduced. For accommodation, I recommend choosing a place near an MRT or bus stop. Although Singapore is not very big, it's hot! In such hot weather, you can't walk far. Of course, if you're wealthy, you can take taxis, but I rarely took them because they're expensive. So this time, I chose a hotel near an MRT and bus stop, making it convenient to go anywhere, and many places were within walking distance. I'll recommend the hotel at the end.

Alright, enough rambling. Let's get to the main topic.

Day 1: Xi'an to Shanghai

Day 2: Shanghai to Singapore, evening at Clarke Quay

Day 3: Singapore River Wonders, Sentosa

Day 4: Singapore Universal Studios, Marina Bay Sands shopping

Day 5: Singapore to Shanghai, Sultan Mosque, Chinatown, Changi Airport

Day 6: Shanghai to Xi'an

The overall itinerary was very slow because of the heat and lack of stamina. I had planned many attractions but didn't visit them all. Although a bit regretful, health is the most important when traveling.

Today is my birthday. I had a nice meal, but the price was really not cheap. It was Shanghai local cuisine. The taste? I think it was just average—mostly sweet. As a northerner, I'm not used to it.

It's summer vacation, and Shanghai is crowded everywhere. We visited Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street and Yu Garden. Nanjing Road was so crowded you could hardly walk through. I took my kid to check out M&M's World, which was even more packed.

Today we left the country. I suggest arriving at the airport early during summer vacation because there are many people. There are also many departing travelers. If you want to go to the duty-free shops, arrive early. Our flight was delayed, so we had more time to browse. But the discounts at the duty-free shops aren't great now—basically 5% off, or 5% more if you spend over 4000. The discounts are better at the end of the month, but I still don't think they're very cheap. Maybe because outbound tourism has recovered, increasing foot traffic, so the discounts aren't as good.

The flight from Shanghai to Singapore took 5 hours. After landing, customs clearance was smooth. Just scan your passport and leave your fingerprint. We were at Terminal 1. Following the crowd, we went downstairs, scanned our passports, and picked up luggage. My hotel was right next to the MRT, so I took the MRT directly—very convenient! We rested a bit at the hotel, then went out to eat. Singapore has no time difference with us.

We walked to Clarke Quay. We originally wanted to eat at Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, but it was too crowded, so we gave up. We went to Fa Chuan Ren Bak Kut Teh instead. The taste, I think, was not as good as Song Fa, and the price was higher. I had Song Fa at the airport on the way back, and it was quite good. I recommend dipping fried dough sticks in the soup—very delicious.

Eating in Singapore is not cheap either. This meal cost about 70 SGD, which is nearly 400 RMB.

In the morning, we went to the basement level 2 of the adjacent mall to have a national breakfast at Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Even early in the morning, there was a long queue.

When it comes to food, it's really a matter of personal taste. In the past, I would travel far just to eat at a certain restaurant, waiting 2-3 hours without complaint. But now that I'm older, I'm not so obsessed with many things. If I happen to come across it, I'll eat; if not, it's okay.

We took the MRT and transferred to River Wonders. After getting off the MRT, turn right, and after seeing the 7-Eleven, turn left to find the shuttle bus to the ecological park. It used to be free, but now it costs 1 SGD per ride. By the way, if you buy a public transport card online, the 5 SGD deposit is non-refundable. Keep it as a souvenir. There's still 5 SGD on it, enough to take the MRT to the hotel. You can top up with cash at MRT stations. Over four days, 20 SGD was enough for us. Don't top up too much; it's hard to refund. Try to top up at MRT stations; topping up at convenience stores charges a 0.6 SGD fee. I suggest topping up when the balance is low, or you'll be stuck without money for the bus and want to cry. I had to walk half an hour to top up, sob sob sob. I didn't see any top-up machines at bus stops; the MRT station is more convenient.

Singapore has three zoos: a daytime zoo, a nighttime zoo, and River Wonders. My child is older (teenager), and there were two elderly people, so we only chose one. This one is a river-themed ecological park with many fish, including giant pandas from China (though we only saw one). There's also a boat ride. I thought it was okay, but my child found it boring. Younger kids might enjoy it. I suggest deciding based on your situation. All three zoos are located together, so plan according to your schedule.

There weren't many people. It took about 2 hours to finish. The boat ride costs 5 SGD, and you can buy tickets on-site. WeChat Pay and Alipay are accepted. I bought the entrance ticket on Ctrip; just scan the code when entering.

After returning at noon, we took a short nap. In the afternoon, we went to Sentosa Island. I had originally planned to stay on the island for two days, but due to time constraints, we chose to stay in the city center the whole time. If you have enough time, you can stay on the island for two days for convenience, since Universal Studios is also on the island. Now it costs 4 SGD to enter the island; it used to be free! Take the bus to VivoCity, then go to the third floor to take the monorail to the island.

One advantage of Singapore is that there is Chinese everywhere, so you basically don't have to worry about not understanding.

I bought Skyline Luge tickets online in advance, which require a reservation. At first, I couldn't get a reservation, but unexpectedly, I managed to book just before leaving. I suggest booking for after 4 PM, as it's not too hot. After finishing, it's almost closing time. Before 4 PM, no reservation is needed, but it's probably crowded. After 4 PM, there are fewer people. There are 4 tracks. I bought a 3-ride ticket, which I felt was enough. My mom was initially afraid to try, but after one round, she found it fun and used up the remaining rides. You can control the speed of the cart yourself. Overall, it was quite fun.

In the evening, we left the island and went to Chinatown for dinner. My child chose Sichuan cuisine. It was surprisingly authentic—recommended.

After dinner, we went to the highly recommended 'Number One Fruit Shop' for durian, also in Chinatown. A Musang King durian cost 30 SGD, not very big, slightly bitter. I heard that durians are cheaper in Geylang, but we didn't have time to go. Some regrets remain.

Behind the hotel, there was a local food court (what we call a 'dai pai dong' or open-air food court). Prices were around 5-7 SGD, which is quite affordable.

Universal Studios opens at 11 AM and closes at 6 PM. We went early to Merlion Park for a stroll.

After that, we headed to Universal Studios. There were many people. We queued at the entrance for half an hour to get in. While waiting, I felt like I was abroad but not really—everywhere I heard Chinese, like being at Beijing Universal. This was my second Universal Studios; the first was in Osaka, Japan. I haven't been to Beijing Universal yet. I heard that during summer vacation, the queue at Beijing Universal is insane, so better to skip it for now.

Singapore's Universal Studios is small, but to finish quickly with less queuing, I bought Express Passes. The Express Pass cost more than the ticket itself. Together, it was nearly 1000 RMB. Still, I recommend buying the Express Pass. We only finished most rides by closing time. Without it, you definitely wouldn't be able to do everything. Tickets can be bought in advance on Taobao. The exchange rate is not favorable recently, so the prices are high.

It would have been better to eat outside, as the food inside is expensive and tastes average. I heard that the food street outside the entrance is cheaper and tasty. You can try that. Before going, download the Universal Studios app to check real-time queue times. Though not very accurate, it gives a reference. I suggest going to less crowded areas first because by noon, even the Express Pass queue is long. We first rode Revenge of the Mummy, which was good—an indoor roller coaster. Not for the faint-hearted. There was no queue when we went.

Next, we went to Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, and we got completely soaked. So bring a raincoat. We were basically dry by the afternoon. Bring a jacket; the indoor air conditioning is very cold. For roller coasters, you need to store your bags. The first time is free, but subsequent storage costs 5 SGD each time, so it's better to have someone hold your bag. At the entrance of the Red and Blue roller coasters, you can store for free for 100 minutes. You cannot bring your phone; they check.

Transformers was similar to Osaka's. The dual-track roller coaster (the red and blue one) was good; I didn't feel dizzy after riding. By the time we finished, it was almost 6 PM. Fearing crowds at the exit, we left around 5:30 PM. There wasn't much to buy at the shopping street outside. We left directly. After leaving the island, we ate at the food court under Marina Bay Sands and enjoyed the night view.

I had planned to buy my first luxury item here, but they didn't have the styles I liked. The ones they had didn't appeal to me, so I gave up. Also, the tax refund here is only 6%. I suggest buying at the airport. The airport has a better selection than here. However, Singapore's duty-free shops don't have much advantage. Some items might be about 1000 RMB cheaper than in China, while others are similar in price but with more stock. Since I had no shopping plans, I didn't arrange Orchard Road.

I wanted to see the light show, but we ran out of time. We only saw it from afar; it seemed average. Marina Bay Sands hotel is behind the mall. From a distance, it looks magnificent—truly a landmark.

Tonight we had a flight. In the morning, it rained heavily. The previous days had been sunny, but now on the day of departure, it poured. However, many places in Singapore have awnings, so you basically don't need an umbrella. We walked from the hotel to Sultan Mosque. There were no worshippers, so we went inside for a visit.

We took the bus to Chinatown's Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, paid our respects, and then across the street was Maxwell Food Centre, which is a 'dai pai dong'. It was very crowded, with many food options, like Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. But Tian Tian had way too many people, so we tried another stall's chicken rice, which was also good.

After dinner, we returned to the hotel, picked up our luggage, and took the green MRT line to the airport. Departure was also convenient—self-service customs clearance. After checking in our luggage, we went to the opposite Jewel Changi Airport to explore. This is not inside the airport, so it's not duty-free. The big waterfall is inside. It's beautiful and worth setting aside time to visit. It's huge inside. If you want to shop, it's best to set aside several hours. There's also dining downstairs. Basically, most Singapore specialties are available at the airport and are duty-free, so you can leave shopping until after departure. But cosmetics are really expensive. I only bought tea, chips, and some ointments. Terminal 1 exit leads to Louis Vuitton, which has a good stock but not the very popular items. Here, you get an 8% tax refund, slightly cheaper than at Marina Bay Sands.

The counter staff were very nice, patiently helping me try things without any impatience. Much better attitude than in China.

After entering the departure area, everything you want to buy is there, all connected.

Postscript:

1. This trip was very leisurely. Many attractions and Orchard Road shopping street were not visited. One reason was the heat, and also because it was hard for the elderly and child to walk far. Actually, everyone can travel according to their needs.

2. Singapore is very suitable for Chinese independent travel. Many people speak Chinese, and dining and hotel stays are convenient.

3. The city is very clean, but management is strict. For example, you can't smoke casually, eat or drink on the MRT, etc. It's best to check the rules before going, or you might face heavy fines. Follow the regulations everywhere.

4. Book flights and hotels in advance if possible. If you have a limited budget, choose a good hotel location. I stayed at Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, which allowed me to walk to many major attractions, saving a lot on transportation.

5. Buy a SIM card online in advance so you can use it as soon as you land. Pre-order a public transport card online and pick it up at the airport for easy MRT travel.

That's about it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

The world is big, and there are many places I haven't been. I hope to take my family to experience the beauty of this world. See you next time!

Travel Log Contents:

1. Day 1: Xi'an - Shanghai

2. Day 2: Shanghai - Singapore, evening at Clarke Quay

3. Day 3: Singapore - River Wonders, Sentosa

4. Day 4: Singapore - Universal Studios, Marina Bay Sands Shopping

5. Day 5: Singapore - Shanghai, Sultan Mosque, Chinatown, Changi Airport

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