Singapore

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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 .

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

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.

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

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.