A layover to remember in the City of the Future-Singapore

Did you know the flight to Singapore from the U.S. (specifically, NY) is the longest in the world by distance!? Getting to this Island is not easy but once arriving, this place will steal your heart like it did for us during our long layover here (in both directions)! We spent about 6 total days here as we made our way to Bali sandwiched in between, 2 days on the way to Bali and 4 days after Bali on our way back to California.

My husband had always wanted to show me around in Singapore as he spent 7 years of his young adulthood in this vibrant city! Once landing, I immediately saw what captured his heart here- incredible modern infrastructure, cleanliness and efficiency, delicious culinary delights, a great education system, vibrant arts and culture, and shopping and entertainment like no other! Singapore is a unique place and after visiting, I can understand why its citizens never want to leave.

We didn't have a set itinerary for this trip and mainly wanted to roam around, take in the city, visit some old friends, and see popular places on the Island, while hearing lots of stories from my husband about his 7 years of experiences in the city as we walked around! As beautiful as it was, it was also very hot in May so if you do go around this time, be prepared for the heat and humidity! And also some very unpredictable rain outbursts!

The Cityscape

I was awestruck when I saw the Singapore skyline and its beautiful infrastructure. The city is known for its efficient urban planning and well designed cityscape.

The infamous MBS(Marina Bay Sands) hotel, where crazily enough I almost got struck by lightning while hanging out at the Sands Skypark, the 1.2 hectare rooftop 200 meters above the ground level home to a beautiful garden, an infinity swimming pool, observation deck, and restaurants! It was a cloudy afternoon and while there, we heard lightning. A few moments after that, my husband pointed out that the hairs on my head were standing up and immediately I knew that I may be at risk to get struck by lightning! Thankfully, we immediately ran inside into the observation deck to breathe a sigh of relief. Seconds later, we saw lightning striking above us as we looked out standing at the top of MBS.

Visiting local favorites+ food courts

We loved walking along the Singapore River in an area by the name of clarke quay, a historical quay that is known for its nightlife and restaurants! We got lunch in this area followed by a romantic boat ride in the river with views of Singapore all around us.

I still remember our breakfasts at Toast Box, a popular cafe chain known for the incredibly delicious Kaya toast and Nanyang-style coffee and tea (a special blend of beans, roasted with margarine, and served with sweetened condensed milk on the side). I especially loved drinking Teh Tarik, which is prepared similarly with the addition of evaporated milk! so creamy! Make sure not to miss Toast Box!

Singapore's china town is also a really popular place to walk around- it was so fun to hear vendors passionately selling their products, admiring the vibrant china town vibes, smelling the hundreds of food stalls, and people watching as they went about their daily routine!

Singapore is also really famous for its food courts, where many locals eat on a daily basis for their three meals a day. A famous dish- roti prata was my favorite alongside a cup of Teh Tarik. I could literally have this every day- so delicious!

One of many food courts pictured below! Cafeteria Style, with lots of locals enjoying delicious meals during their lunch break from work or school or with their families and friends. It was fascinating to me that this is a completely casual and normal day to day activity for citizens year round to eat in food courts on a daily basis instead of cook at home!

Shopping

Singapore is also a premier shopping destination filled with shopping malls, high end shops, local markets, duty free, electronics, and more! We walked around Orchard road, a popular hub for luxury brands and high end boutique stores and visited Little India where we enjoyed shopping for electronics at the Mustafa Centre, a one stop multi-level shopping center that is open 24 hours, 365 days a year!

Gardens by the Bay & Night Safari

Gardens by the Bay-what an epic place! Singapore is seriously so cool. This plant sanctuary is a place for nature lovers. With a commitment to sustainability, the features in this nature heaven emphasizes practices like harvesting rainwater, using energy efficient technology, and recycled materials all around. It was really cool to see climate differences and the infinite variety of flora and fauna all in one place representing different parts of the world.

Another special attraction- Mandai Night Safari! We went on this nocturnal adventure on one of our nights- it was wild to take a tram ride and walk on trails at night observing wild nocturnal animals in their natural habitat. no photos because it was too dark, but it was incredible to see tigers, lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, tapirs, hyenas, and more as we observed around.

Sentosa Island

We didn't have too much time to explore but we took a cable car to Sentosa Island, a resort Island famous for its manmade attractions like water parks, theme parks, golf courses, beaches, and more! I definitely want to go back to visit Universal Studios Singapore!

Nightlife and Night Photography

Nightlife is huge in Singapore! Lots of clubs, bars, and entertainment districts which are open until very late. I observed that residents of this city work hard but also party hard! We also admired the night cityscape and practiced night photography during one of Singapore's many popular and captivating light shows!

Our Stay

Four Points by Sheraton

Our stay at Sheraton was simply put-comfortable, convenient, and overall pleasant with no complaints! I even had the chance to work out in their rooftop gym and enjoy time in their pool surrounded by Singapore's killer views.

Singapore will always hold a special place in my heart because the person I love and married grew up here partially. I will always be thankful for this Island in a way for leading him to me and of course, I can't forget about the multitude of things this place has to offer and look forward to going back one day to explore more!