One-Year Anniversary Trip to Singapore with My Meibao

It's almost the first anniversary of knowing my beloved baby. To celebrate, we planned a trip abroad, targeting Southeast Asia, and considering safety, we finally chose Singapore. Once decided, we started preparing in full swing. Meibao as the opening picture!

1. Booking flights. Booked 3 weeks in advance on Ctrip. Round-trip tickets with Scoot, great value for money.

2. Booking hotel. Also on Ctrip, chose Citadines Connect City Centre Singapore near Dhoby Ghaut MRT station (more on the hotel later).

3. WiFi. Checked some guides – some buy portable WiFi, some buy local SIM cards upon arrival, some use international roaming on their own phones. Considering we might need to receive calls from China in Singapore, changing to a local SIM was inconvenient, and international roaming was too expensive, so we decided to rent a portable WiFi. Easy to order on Taobao, arrived two days before departure, and returned it at the airport self-service kiosk.

4. Entry preparation. Singapore is now visa-free, but you still need to fill in information. Download the ICA app in advance; you can fill in personal details three days before entry.

5. Cash. Although many places in Singapore accept Mastercard, Visa, Alipay, and even UnionPay, there are still places where electronic payment is inconvenient, so we exchanged Singapore dollars at the bank in advance. The exchange rate was 5.4, definitely better than swiping cards locally.

6. Partial ticket booking. Tickets for Universal Studios and the Duck Tour were booked in advance on Ctrip. Note: After buying Duck Tour tickets, you need to call to reserve a specific time. Unexpectedly, summer vacation was so tight; originally planned to go on the day of arrival, but when I tried to reserve a week in advance, it was already fully booked. We could only reserve the 11:00 Duck Tour on the third day after arrival.

7. App downloads. In addition to the ICA app needed for entry, we also downloaded Amap, Universal SG (to check queue times at Universal Studios), and the Marina Bay Sands app (to get perks, more on that later).

Everything was ready, and off we went with my baby!

With my baby and luggage, we headed straight to the airport, feeling very excited – after all, traveling with my beloved baby. Arrived at the airport three hours early, checked in, went through customs, got to the gate, and took off smoothly.

A 4+ hour flight, the plane was full of fellow countrymen, but I couldn't sleep. Maybe the engine was too loud; wearing earplugs didn't help much.

After landing on schedule, we first went through immigration, very convenient – scanned passport and fingerprints. After picking up checked luggage, we bought two Net cards, 50 SGD total, each with 20 SGD credit for swiping.

Singapore's MRT is very convenient. We took the MRT to Dhoby Ghaut station, and it was only 200 meters to the hotel. Travel was really convenient. Checked in at the hotel; when we got to the room, we found it was really small. This hotel, costing over a thousand SGD a night, was about the same as an Orange Hotel in China. Exaggerating a bit, it was hard to even turn around.

First, had lunch with my baby at the nearby 313@Somerset mall. A bit tired from the journey, we went back to the room to shower and rest. Slept until around 4 PM, felt somewhat recovered, took the MRT to Orchard Road for a stroll, had dinner at ION, and wandered around Ngee Ann City. No other plans on the first day, so we returned to the hotel to rest.

Today was Universal Studios day, the highlight of the trip to SG. USS operating hours 10:00-20:00. We had booked tickets in advance and saved the QR code in our phone album. Off we go!

Left around 9 AM, took the MRT to HarbourFront, exited from VivoCity B2. Considering we'd be inside for several hours, we first filled our stomachs at Ya Kun on B2, known as Singapore's national breakfast. Ordered two sets. The kaya jam was really good; my baby was very satisfied and said she wanted to have Ya Kun breakfast again.

There are several ways to get from VivoCity to USS on Sentosa Island, such as walking, bus, or the Sentosa Express monorail. To avoid getting too tired, we went straight to the third floor. There were already quite a few people. Bought two monorail tickets (4 SGD each), took the monorail one stop, walked 300 meters to the big globe. Taking photos was a must. Then we scanned the QR code to enter the park, convenient and fast.

Kept an eye on the queue times on the Universal SG app. First went to Transformers, then Puss in Boots, Shrek 4-D, and Dragon's Flight. The wait times were not long. Then we saw that Revenge of the Mummy had very few people, so we headed straight there. This indoor roller coaster was really thrilling. After coming out, my baby absolutely refused to go on the Battlestar Galactica roller coaster, haha. By then, Transformers had fewer people, so we rode it again. Then we went to the Steven Spielberg soundstage, ate and rested at a restaurant, and queued for the 18:15 Water World show. If you sit in the front rows, you'll definitely get wet, so be careful! After the show, we saw that Jurassic Park had only a 20-minute wait. Since we had brought our own ponchos, we had to use them. We jogged over and finished Jurassic Park smoothly.

After finishing USS, we were a bit tired, so we returned to the hotel. Still took the monorail to VivoCity, had Bak Kut Teh and char siew rice at the food republic on the third floor. We ordered one bowl of soup-style Bak Kut Teh and one dry-style; I felt the dry-style was tastier. That ended the day's USS itinerary.

It was time for the Duck Tour reservation. We booked the Duck Tour at Marina Square (CityTour). I heard that sitting in the back row, the engine noise would be loud, so we wanted to get there early to sit in the front. We left at 9:30 AM by MRT to Marina Square. Arrived at the queue point outside 7-Eleven at 10:30 AM, and there were already quite a few people in line. There were two Duck Tour boats departing at the same time; we were second in line for one of them. The Duck Tour was very punctual, arrived at the boarding point at 10:55 AM, and we got on smoothly and sat in the front row.

At first, it drove on the road, then entered the water after 10 minutes. The moment it entered the water was a bit thrilling. Along the way, we saw many iconic buildings, such as Marina Bay Sands, Merlion, etc. The guide was of Chinese descent, so communication was smooth. The one-hour Duck Tour passed quickly.

After getting off, we had lunch directly at Han's in Marina Square. My baby ordered a breakfast set, and I ordered a beef stew set. Honestly, the taste was really good. After lunch, we headed to Marina Bay Sands. Today we also planned to visit the Sands SkyPark Observation Deck on the 56th floor and Gardens by the Bay.

Key point for getting perks at Marina Bay Sands: Step 1: Download the Marina Bay Sands App and register as a member. Step 2: Go to the Concierge at Marina Bay Sands. There is one on B1 after coming out of the MRT elevator, and also one on B2. Step 3: Show the concierge your Marina Bay Sands membership and your Alipay membership level (if you are Alipay Diamond member, no spending proof is needed; if you are Alipay Platinum member, you need to show your spending receipt at Marina Bay Sands). Step 4: The staff will upgrade your Marina Bay Sands membership to Premium, and will guide you on how to claim six free tickets daily, including two for the SkyPark Observation Deck (the most valuable), two for the Light & Water Show, and two for the Sampan Boat rides.

After claiming the free tickets, we still needed to reserve a time slot. Once confirmed, a QR code would be sent to the email we provided. I booked the SkyPark Observation Deck for 5 PM that day.

We wandered around the mall until around 4 PM, and took a Sampan Boat ride in between. Then we headed to the Marina Bay Sands hotel across from the mall. You can exit the mall on the first floor and cross the road, or go underground from B2. The entrance to the observation deck is underground at Hotel Tower 3. You need to go out of Tower 3's entrance and turn left. But when we arrived, unfortunately it was raining, and the observation deck was temporarily closed. The Indian lady at the entrance said we could come back the same time tomorrow, but we had plans for tomorrow. I asked if it might open later; she said if it opens, they would notify the hotel front desk. So I went to the Marina Bay Sands hotel front desk to get their phone number, and then we continued shopping. Around 6 PM, I called and was told it was already open. What a pleasant surprise! We hurried over, went down to B1 at Hotel Tower 3, took the elevator to the 56th floor. The elevators in Singapore are really fast – reached the 56th floor in no time. The panoramic view from the top was breathtaking. The Singapore River was dotted with boats, very beautiful; Gardens by the Bay, museums, etc., were all visible below.

After visiting the SkyPark, it was quite late. My baby wanted to shop more at Marina Bay Sands, so we postponed Gardens by the Bay to the next day.

Today's main tasks were Gardens by the Bay and Jumbo Seafood. Let's go!

Had Ya Kun breakfast near Dhoby Ghaut, since my baby likes it, we must eat it a few times.

Same MRT route as yesterday, arrived at Marina Bay Sands, followed the signs for 5 minutes and reached the entrance of Gardens by the Bay. Tickets were booked a day in advance. Saw a shuttle bus, my baby didn't want to walk, so we took it. 3 SGD per person, easily arrived at Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. Scanned QR code to enter as usual. The temperatures in Flower Dome and Cloud Forest are quite low, so it's recommended to bring a jacket. Arriving at such a beautiful place, taking photos was a must. They say taking photos for your girlfriend/wife is a lifelong challenge for men. Although my skills are poor, I have perseverance. I rely on quantity – take many and there will be some good ones. Clicked away.

After finishing Gardens by the Bay, we wandered around Marina Bay Sands a bit more, then it was almost time for the seafood feast!

Took the MRT to Clarke Quay, walked 500 meters to the Jumbo Seafood River Walk outlet. It's best to reserve a few days in advance at Jumbo Seafood because business is very good. We booked for 17:00, arrived and went straight in. Dining time was 1.5 hours. We ordered the most classic Chili Crab, as well as Cereal Prawns, Razor Clams, Scallops with Mushroom, and Small Buns. We ordered Luo Han Guo juice and Iced Lemon Tea. Food came quickly. My baby kept saying it was delicious. We ate like a storm. Spent about 2000 RMB. Since we had exchanged many SGD, we paid in cash.

After dinner, we visited the Old Hill Street Police Station nearby. There was a long queue at Song Fa Bak Kut Teh next door; the waiting board showed a 30-minute wait... that was a bit speechless. We headed straight to Orchard Road to continue shopping.

Last day of the trip. Woke up naturally in the morning, packed luggage, took the MRT to Changi Airport.

Arrived at the airport early. First went for tax refund. The self-service machines were very convenient. You can get about 6.4% tax refund, provided that each single purchase is over 100 SGD. Then we did self check-in and checked in the heavy luggage first, also very convenient and quick. After these two things, we headed to the last attraction in Singapore – Jewel Changi Airport. Jewel is located between Terminals 1, 2, and 3. We followed the signs from T2 and arrived at Jewel. A spectacular man-made waterfall. Strangely, there was a fitness exercise area right next to the waterfall. Eye-opening.

After seeing the waterfall, the Singapore trip was basically over. We had a hearty meal at Paradise Hong Kong Cafe, and then waited for the return boarding.

Summary: Basically satisfied with my itinerary planning. Traveling with the person you love is truly a joyful thing. However, the prices in Singapore are really a bit expensive, basically twice that of China. Back home, back to work, looking forward to the next trip!