Escape Singapore
For many travellers, Singapore is a stopover on the way to somewhere else. But there are many good reasons to take a holiday there. And the good news is that it is not that expensive
Holidaying with the family in Singapore makes you wonder why anyone goes to Bali.
Admittedly it doesn’t have the surf beaches of Bali, but Singapore is exceptionally safe and clean with first-class infrastructure and a zillion things to see and do.
And though the local dollar doesn’t stretch quite as far as the Indonesian rupiah, the city state’s reputation as a more expensive holiday option, particularly for families, is undeserved.
I did the sums and worked out that, accommodation aside, our family of four averaged A$200 a day over five days: $20 on breakfast, about $30 on lunch and $60 on dinner plus activities of $60-$80. EATING OUT Singapore is foodie heaven, thanks to its Chinese, Malay and Indian population. Every cuisine is covered in the city state, often within one or two blocks. And eating on the cheap does not mean compromising on quality or variety. It’s not hard to find places doing great food for a song.
For starters, a traditional Singapore breakfast of toast with kaya — a sweet, coconut-based jam — served with soft boiled eggs, soy sauce and a cup of coffee costs a mere $5.
Similarly an Indian brunch of roti prata — essentially fried bread filled with cheese, meat or fruit and dipped in mouth-watering curry sauce — is only $4 a serve, and incredibly satisfying. A substantial meal for four, for less than $20.
Food stalls at places such as East Coast Lagoon Village sell 70-cents-apiece satay sticks and $4 carrot cake. A vegetable omelet; along with rice and noodle dishes, stir-fries, curries and seafood dishes are under $10 each.
Then there’s Chinatown or Little India where a famished family of four can eat well for under $50, drinks included.
Having said that, like most Asian countries, wine is expensive but the beer is relatively cheap, as are soft drinks and Milo, a Singapore favourite.
Choices are plentiful from pizza to pork floss, takeaway to a la carte, and most menus feature pictures of the meals to make selection easy.
TRANSPORT
Visitors can spend almost nothing doing a lot in Singapore. With public art everywhere, incredible gardens and jaw-dropping architecture, simply walking around is a thrill, especially around Marina Bay.
The heat and humidity can be fairly taxing so public transport is the next best option to walking in terms of efficiency and economy. From Changi Airport to Chinatown, a trip on the MRT or Mass Rapid Transit rail system is $1.75 an adult. Shorter trips of around 6km are as little as 15 cents, and because it’s Singapore, the trains and buses are scrupulously clean, albeit fairly crowded. The train is a great option for visiting Chinatown, the Botanic Gardens, Clarke Quay, Marina Bay, Orchard Road and Little India, with frequent services and easy to navigate stations.
Visitors can also get to Sentosa Island by catching a train to HarbourFront station, then jumping on the Sentosa Express for $4 a person, or taking a stroll along the boardwalk.
Taxis are more expensive, charging an average 55 cents a kilometre on top of a $3.50 hail or start fare.
Bicycles are an ideal way to get around and two-wheelers can be hired at several places around the city. Prices range from as little as $3 an hour to $40 for a day, including helmet, lock and lights.
ACCOMMODATION
Singapore hotels are among some of the priciest in South-East Asia but with breakfast included and top notch facilities, the average daily rate of $280 a night (STR data) seems like not such a bad deal. Contacting the hotel direct could also garner an even better rate — competition is fierce among Singapore accommodation houses due to significant supply growth. The city state has some of the world’s most remarkable hotels — Marina Bay Sands being the standout; along with the historic Raffles Hotel and Fullerton Bay. We stayed at the Parkroyal on Pickering, which I’m told looks like a lush green forest from the air thanks to its abundant balcony gardens.
Standards are high — even for a five-star hotel. The rooms were compact but designed to maximise storage space, and the in-room brewed coffee was good. The fifth floor pool and gym area hadd men’s and women’s bathrooms with their own steam rooms, and cute bottle shaped cabanas which were free for pool guests to use on a first-come, first-served basis.
ATTRACTIONS
There is an almost endless array of affordable attractions in Singapore, starting from Changi Airport. Travellers with some spare time on their hands and not a lot of cash in their wallets can explore the cactuses, sunflower and orchid gardens, or wander through the wondrous butterfly enclosure. A free movie theatre operates around the clock and travellers can play for nix on an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 at a games arcade. Out of the airport, it’s possible to spend as little or as much as the budget allows getting a feel for Singapore.
One activity that is worth doing even for the $60 a person price, is a two-hour evening bicycle tour of Marina Bay. At night Singapore is magical with its remarkable buildings illuminated to incredible effect. Tour guide Alfie Ajis maintained an entertaining commentary as we pedalled an easy 15km around the bay, stopping to check out a group of playful otters, to admire the space-age international sports stadium and to peer in the misty windows of the Cloud Dome. We learn waterfront real estate in Singapore is no cheaper than Sydney with a single-bedroom unit starting at $1 million. And the ultimate status symbol is not a Jaguar or Lamborghini but a lawnmower — few people are wealthy enough to afford a house with a garden.
We return to the Cloud and Flower domes a couple of nights later — at a two-for-one price
of $28 for adults and $15 for children. The Cloud Dome boasts the world’s highest indoor waterfall at 35m and a staggering array of flora, including a rather creepy collection of flesheating plants. The Flower Dome is a different atmosphere with low humidity and cool temperatures conducive to growing plants from semi-arid parts of the world. Almost every flower imaginable fills the dome with dazzling colour, grouped into regions for the Mediterranean, South America, California and Australia. For nature lovers, several hours could be passed in the two domes before the evening Garden Rhapsody — a laser light show of truly Singaporean proportions.
Other free attractions include the immaculate Royal Botanic Gardens, and the Tree Top Walk in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve — which is a great activity after a carb-heavy brunch of roti prata. Reaching the 250m suspension bridge requires some exertion over a 2.5km walk but it is worth the effort. Birds, lizards and monkeys add interest along the way.
Holidaying families can also find great value in the four parks for the price of two deal for $69, available for Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Safari.
Heading a bit further up the price scale is Adventure Cove water park from $29 a day for adults and the Mega Adventure Park with its adrenaline-pumping ropes course, rock wall and exhilarating zip line over Sentosa. A ride on the MegaZip costs $45 — for about 30 seconds of fun, but combine it with the ropes course and it’s $65 for both.