Singapore stop-over

Sentosa Island is interesting - museum of the Japanese occupation. A cable car ride back to the main island gives a bird's eye view of the port. I had a dreadful cold when I was there and just took coach trips around the city, but was sorry to have missed out on the orchid gardens and on a Singapore sling at Raffles! A strange, but rewarding trip was to the night zoo where we were able to see nocturnal animals in a well designed habitat - including a huge and beautiful tiger. Some people were a bit scared of the bats!

I went to school in Singapore for a couple of years in the early sixties, so have a very soft spot for the place! Went back about 30 years ago and it had changed beyond recognition. I did make a point of having a lovely Singapore Sling at Raffles, though anno, too young first time round! Not much use to you GadaboutGran as too long ago, but it is a wonderful place and there is so much to do for a couple of days, I'm sure you will enjoy it enormously

Many years ago I stayed in Singapore for a few days on my way back from Australia, I do remember going on a day excursion to mainland Malaysia to a place called Malacca, which was an interesting town from a bygone era when it was one of Portugal's colonies. I enjoyed the journey there, particularly seeing all the houses on stilts which I had never seen before. Although I do remember several hoardings with the hangman's noose along the road on our trip with the statement that drug traffickers received a mandatory death sentence, my companion was so spooked he kept turning out the contents of our rucksack and repacking it again.

We stayed I in The Old Post Office Hotel and in the centre of everything. Even an evening drink there and the whole world seems to pass by. There is a Victorian market building with dozens of food stalls. BYOB there.the gardens are wonderful,again with restaurants but a picnic there would be good.the main shopping street is good for shopaholics tho' not my cup of tea. Worth buying a two day bus pass to travel around. If we had stayed longer I would have chosen to go into the jungly bit. There is also colourful China town and Indian food stalls. I loved it. Cautious note,a Singapore Sling was about£20 each I think. Atmospheric but overrated and the young show offs were the sons and daughters of very nouveau riche,their manners left a lot to be desired

BAnanas We had two days in Malacca as part of a fly-drive holiday in 1975! It was lovely, with lots of old Dutch colonial houses and I can still remember sitting on the beach eating nasi goreng and the sort of coconut-y smell of the place.
Singapore was very strict in those days - at a time when all the men we knew had shoulder length hair, DH included, they had to cut their hair before travelling to Singapore, or immigration officials would do it for them!

Went a few years back. What stands out? Hindu temple - leave your shoes off at the door and admire lurid painted goddesses eating babies etc
Other indian/arab areas where they sold fabrics and roti - (kind of cross between a stuffed omelette and stuffed pancake) . There was a teeny bit of Chinese deco architecture left (consult guide book) and the orchids in the botanical gardens.

The airport in Singapore is stunning - didn't have long enough to explore more.

Yes I forgot about the Changi Airport, it is truly stunning, in fact I think it's one of the best I have ever been to, when I was there it had an enormous fish tank with baby sharks in it, just like Seaworld! GadaboutGran look no further than the airport for your 2 and a half days!

Great tips. Thanks everyone. The night zoo sounds a good idea if we're jetlagged & can't sleep! I like the sound of Malacca & Sentosa Island. Is it best to use taxis or buses?

Hi GadaboutGran, I went to Singapore in the early '80s, so am probably not as up to date as others who may have been there more recently. I do remember we went on an organised coach trip to Malacca, if I remember rightly it took a good few hours. I'm sure for shorter trips taxis would be good though. I do remember that it was the most humid place I had ever been to and having arrived there from Western Australia, where it's a very dry heat, I found it quite overwhelming at times. The hotels, buses and taxis were all air conditioned and I often felt quite cold in them and then stepping out into the humidity was sometimes not a great contrast. Nevertheless, there are lots of interesting things to see, loads of different cuisines to sample, great shopping and it is very safe so I'm sure you will have a great time.

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Bus to kuala Lumpur
http://www.busonlineticket.com

The Singapore flyer is great fun. Bit like the London eye and then a visit to the new garden, can't remember their name but near the flyer. It's like a large Eden project but better.
Most hotels do trips to the jewellery warehouses, very dangerous.
Another fun trip is by rickshaw around the old town.

Ooh, I want to go again. Only had 24 hours there on a stopover about 10 years ago, but we booked a trip to Sentosa Island as soon as we got there (booked at hotel reception, they picked us up from there). Probably more expensive, but not something we would do frequently. Also ate a nasi goreng and had a Tiger beer at a restaurant along the Victoria River in the evening. (DH was there often many years ago when in the Forces, and he had to have a Tiger beer!). Wandered along the riverbank, saw a whole lot of Singaporeans doing line dancing on a concrete dance floor by the river - surreal!

Take light, loose clothing!

Unfortunately Qantas don't use Singapore as their hub any more, so don't stop there en route to Australia.

Oh yes, had a Singapore sling at Raffles because it was my birthday, but probably wouldn't bother doing that again.
And the airport is the best I've been to, plenty to see and do on our (very long) wait between flights.

Like you, LearnerGran, we lived there for 2 years in the 60s, but all the hotspots of those days seem to have gone now. Even Bugis Street I believe .
There will be many others now.
We used to enjoy the Zoo, (but beware of the cheeky monkeys,) and the Botanical Gardens. Well worth visiting if they're still there.

My OH were there last year and five years before that. We hardly recognised anything it's all being built on all the time. They have even moved the Merlion.

My son tells me that the amount of building that has gone on there in the last 10 years is truly astounding - fuelled by catering for Chinese tourists.
I loved the orchids and the botanical gardens. Check out the Hindu temple with all its brightly coloured gods - be prepared to leave your shoes at the door
I seem to remember an interesting area with arabian influence where they sold a lot of fabrics, and also a kind of paratha thing - cross between a chapatti and a spanish omelette. Cooked to order.

I loved the orchid gardens too. DH regrets not having a suit made. Memorable meals at the hawkers market and at an eaterie called Marché in a mall on Orchard road.

my dh had some shirt made, but they never did fit very well

Eat and buy at the huge indoor market. Lovely cheap food ate on long tables and bought presents like purses and glasses cases in decorated silk material for a tiny amount of money?i went in 2007 on the way to Australia. Afternoon tea at Raffles hotel is fabulous and then a Singapore Sling in their bar. They also have a museum to look at lovely gardens and a good quality gift shop. Do go to the Orchid gardens very humid but well worth a visit. Buy lovely shawls etc from the street vendors and cameras etc are a cheaper buy if you are interested. Lovely people good service.

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