Friday, November 30, 2018

3D/3N in Singapore minus the Theme Park (Day 1 ~ China Town)

For my birthday, my Ex and I got a chance to do another out of country gallivanting (without the kids).  I have always wanted to go to Singapore minus the theme park commotion ~ Singapore was perfect for a short vacation; And since this is our 4th (or is it 5th) time there, this visit is more relaxed and carefree.

We took an early flight via Singapore Airlines and arrived at Changi Airport before noon time. 


  • For SGD we exchanged a few USD at the airport and the rest we exchanged at Mustafa. Rates at the airport was surprisingly good (the best rates we have seen though was at Mustafa Shopping Center, which was slightly higher by a few centavos).
  • We bought EZ Link and local sim cards, before taking a taxi to Amara Hotel near Chinatown.   Our taxi ride to Chinatown costs about SGD25.  
Our chosen hotel for our Singapore excursion is Amara Hotel (I will write a separate post about Amara).  It is located at Tanjong Pagar Road. Location is within walking distance form Chinatown.  Nearest MRT is Tanjong Pagar Station (about 300meters) and Chinatown Station (1 km away, about 7-9 minutes walk along scenic charming the Tanjong Pagar Road). 








Day 1 ~ Chinatown 



First stop ~
Singapore Gallery is a perfect way to start ones tour of the city.  It showcases a miniature 3D version of the Singapore on a 1:400 scale.  It was fun looking at the miniature buildings and identifying the streets and landmarks. 





About 3 minutes away is the next item in our agenda ~ Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is a remarkable four-story temple. Be sure to visit all the floors.  We took the elevator to the top floor then walked our way down.  It is really a magnificent temple.  









Then came the China Heritage Center ~ it is a good place to rediscover the life of Singapore's early pioneers and the stories of people who made Chinatown their home.  










Hours (not so sure how long we've been there) at the Chinatown Heritage Center worked up our appetite.  Just across the Center the Chinatown Seafood Restaurant. Food there is really very good and perfect night cap to our Chinatown tour.




Walked back to the hotel with a cup of special Singaporean ice cream on my hand.  It was a nice take-out as we check out Chinatown's many shops.





Look who bid us on our way out of Chinatown... 
"The Buddha of Wealth (Laughing Golden Buddha)”.


TIPS:
  • Bring water and stay hydrated.
  • Spend at least half a day at Chinatown, but if you really want to appreciate this part of Singapore at least a day should be in order.
  • I did not do much shopping here, except for lucky charm bracelets which I gave my husband.
  • For shopping I really recommend going to Mustafa.  They have everything there.  But if it is too far out Chinatown shopping will do. 
  • We were not able to check out the nearby Maxwell Hawker place, but were back on our last night before leaving for Manila.

Follow our Day 2 as we explore Marina Bay Sands,




7 comments:

  1. We've been to SG a few times na rin but we haven't been to Chinatown pa. Ang liit na country pero ang dami talaga pwede puntahan. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True Sis Michi, there are so many fun things to do in Singapore, in Sentosa alone you could like already spend 2-3 days na.

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  2. Yung sa pagkain talaga ko nakatingin! Masarap din cguro mag-shopping ng kung anek-anek jan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sir Neri Ann, I really did not go shopping here at Chinatown. I find the prices a bit too touristy. I recommend Mustafa if you want to save on pasalubong. Get the chocolate coated almonds ~ yummy, I should have bought more.

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  3. Naku kailan kaya kami makapunta sa Singapore. How much kaya will we need for this kind of tour? :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Veni, cost depends on your itinerary and where to want to stay. It was a bit more expensive in this area, but there are other more affordable hotels/hostels in Singapore. For this trip we did not spent a lot on the tours, since they were DIY and entrance to most of the places we have visited are free.

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  4. I've always been told that there's always so much to see in SG even without going to the commercial theme parks. It's mas matipid nga daw in the long run, if you know where to go and what to spend on.

    ReplyDelete

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