Singapore

Loved Singapore. Lived there for 3 years back in the 60's and also stayed on our way to NZ a few years ago.

We have never been to Raffles but they have a sister hotel in Penang, The Eastern and Oriental which is a similar standard. We had lunch and afternoon tea there several times on our visits to SE Asia over the last 11 years.

We didn't visit many sights in Singapore as we tended to just wander around eating, drinking and sleeping to get over jag lag. But there is the Botanical Gardens which I visited in the 60,s which was was wonderful, even to a kid. Be warned it is baking hot. You need to wear pure cotton, linen or silk Hope you enjoy your stay, just don't try to do to much, save your energy for NZ.

Agree the botanical garden is beautiful full of orchids and other flowers but it is excessively humid so wear very little in a pure fabric.

Raffles is a must . Their afternoon tea is a super treat. Also go into the bar afterwards for a Singapore Sling.

In Sydney it is worth paying to see something at the opera house the view over the harbour at night with all the lights is breathtaking and you can order supper there as well. I saw the ballet. Go on the hop on hop off bus and see all the areas of the city and get of for a walk or a drink and back on as you please.

There’s also a monorail in the sky you can ride and watch what’s going on below you . Sydney is a great city

I spent a four nights or so in Singapore on the way back from Australia quite a few years ago now. Raffles is really lovely and colonial, but we didn't take tea there.

The trip I remember the most was going up to Malacca in Malaysia colonised by the Portuguese, famous for its Christian churches, that was a full day though but really interesting travelling up through Malaysia and seeing all the houses on stilts.

I imagine Singapore has changed since I was there in the early '80s . Hope you have a great time.

We're setting off in the morning to begin a trip to Bali, Australia and finishing off with four nights in Singapore. I emailed Raffles to book us in for afternoon tea - so simple to do if you go on their website too. All took about ten minutes to book and confirm. Have a wonderful holidayLuckylegs

Where are you staying in Sydney ?

Some of my highlights .

The Museum of Contemporary Art is fabulous - free entry too , and a cafe on the roof with views out to the Opera House and Bridge .

www.mca.com.au/

If you enjoy walks - Get a bus to Bondi and do the walk to Coogee . It’s fantastic.
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g255060-d2534313-Reviews-Bondi_to_Coogee_Beach_Coastal_Walk-Sydney_New_South_Wales.html

Get an ice cream from Messina . The Surrey Hills branch is great .

gelatomessina.com/story

Train to The Blue Mountains

Do the Sydney Bridge Climb .

Coincidentally we are going to KL and then Singapore for DS wedding soon, so have been doing lots of research. Local friends say Gardens by the Bay is unmissable. Sadly Afternoon tea at Raffles gets really bad reviews regarding quality of food and price on Trip Advisor, so will be giving that a miss. Does anybody else have ideas?

I stayed at Raffles in 2015. I was rather disappointed with the afternoon tea. The food was nice, but the ambience wasn’t there. It seemed a rather crowded bun fight, geared up to appeal to the tourist trade, which would probably have been me if I hadn’t been fortunate enough to be staying courtesy of a wealthy friend. No better than afternoon tea at any other upmarket place really. Sorry to sound negative, but that’s how it felt.

I was at the Raffles in 1982 on a stopover to Oz and as things may have changed somewhat since then, it was wonderful. I only had 3 nights but it was luxury and I still have a " wash bag " from there which had contained many little goodies at the time. Afternoon tea was a delight.
I'd booked to go to Jurong and the bird park while I was there. It's not too far from Orchard road. Not to be missed if you like things like that, but as I said things will be a lot different now.
The place was very clean too, roads/pavements.

Just get a hop on hop off bus ticket.
The city is quite compact but this will get you everywhere and orientate you.
We didn’t do the botanical gardens but did go to the gardens by the bay. Totally fabulous.

Do try and get to the Botanic Gardens; it was always wonderful and is probably better now than when my son first used to toddle around there in 1968. It has changed out of all recognition since we lived there, and you should be spoilt for choice. If you like aquariums, it has what was, until 2014, the biggest in the world. Enjoy your visit, Lucky.

Thanks for all your replies. I’m making a note of everything. I don’t know whether to book for the afternoon tea or not now!

Gardens by the bay in Singapore is fabulous and well worth a visit. The domes are magnificent and the plants and displays change seasonally.
There is a lovely restaurant on the elevated walk way there but it is rather pricey.
Most of the big name hotels do afternoon tea , but I agree with another grasnetter Raffles is rather overrated and can be very busy.
The zoo in Singapore is wonderful as is the Botanic gardens but can be very humid.
You can also do a hop on and off bus tour too which will show you the different parts of Singapore , the Indian and Arab quarters with the old architecture with quirky restaurants and shops.
Go online and look at the best 20 things to see and the book ahead the ones you fancy doing. It should also tell you the best hotels for afternoon tea and you can book online .
Remember though you may feel quite jet lagged on arrival so pace yourselves.
Have a fabulous trip

There's a great restaurant right on Circular Quay in Sydney called Cafe Sydney. It's housed in the original Customs House and the restaurant is on the top floor (but only about 10 floors!) and has great views over the harbour. Taronga Zoo is also worth a visit

I haven’t been for a while but remember the Malaysian quarter for its great street food and restaurants, the very clean public transport system, the band in our hotel playing “Hotel California” in the dot at 11pm each night (!) the Botanical gardens with monkeys, and the zoo night safari on the little train which I loved. I was over for business the first five days at Suntech City and it was hard work but the three days off afterwards were fabulous. This was back in 96 so much has probably changed!

You can go and wander round Raffles for nothing. We had a Singapore sling in the bar+ peanuts. Will you want to spend the time having afternoon tea when there is so much else to do?
There are a lot of prebooked trips you can do but they are pricey and we found everything was easy.
We did go to a Michelin starred restaurant that was featured in the Times before we left. Can’t remember what it was called, I’ll try and find it.

This is it, a very basic, cheap place to eat. No frills. It was really busy, just queue, I don’t think you can book but I may be wrong.

Singapore - Gardens by the Bay, a river trip, and the cable car over to Sentosa Island. Sentosa is something else, a weird mixture of fact and fiction. We loved it. You don’t have to take the cable car if you don’t have a head for heights!

Oh, and take in a temple or two. It’s worth taking taking taxis, if only for the air conditioning. There’s so much to do there. Loved it.

Barmey - I lived there in he 60s too, for 2 years.
Our youngest was born there.
I agree about the Botanical Gardens, as long as it's as fascinating as it used to be.
Singapore has probably changed a lot since the 60s.

I suggest a stroll around Changi airport, it's as good as any botanical gardens.

There is a new shopping mall called Jewel attached to Changi airport. It is 10 storeys high and is all built around a spectacular waterfall with gardens. There is a light show every half hour. You can easily spend a day in there (over 300 shops and restaurants!)

DD spent a few days in Singapore recently and loved it.
She did a morning bike tour on the first day which enabled her to get her bearings, see the sights and have some insider knowledge. Only her and an Aussie chap with the guide. She did the same in Shanghai in the Spring.
She went to Raffles for a Singapore Sling and enjoyed that.
She loved the Gardens by the Bay and the Botanic Gardens, they are illuminated at night. Free Light Show every evening at the Bay. Changing Airport is amazing, the waterfall is illuminated at night too.
She treated herself to a night at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel while she was there, infinity pool and the view were amazing.
Have a good holiday.

Changi Airport, awful predictive text!

We met a lady in the airport who regularly travelled to NZ stopping off in Singapore to adjust to the time and always stayed two or three days IN the airport. Accommodation, hairdressers, restaurants, gyms and wonderful surroundings!