SINGAPORE
Cultural and culinary riches
Been there, done that or so it can go with stopovers, especially en route to Europe. But some cities that have become major airline hubs are masters at luring travellers back for repeat visits.
Singapore is one of these. Last year, 17.4 million tourists visited the island, a 6 per cent increase on 2016. Presumably a high proportion of these are first-time visitors who will find more than enough to entertain themselves for several days.
But what if you have been before, maybe just a few years ago… is it worth stopping again?
I transit through Singapore several times a year, usually staying only for a few hours or, at most, overnight.
But in January I spent three nights there, partly to give my teenage nephew Oliver an introduction to Asia.
And yes, I know that there are people out there who will sniffily remark that clean, even sanitised, orderly and prosperous Singapore is not a true taste of Asia. But for many people it’s a gentle first step into the continent’s cultural, historical and culinary riches.
So, what’s new in Singapore since I last visited it like a tourist?
Supertree Grove at the Gardens by the Bay
It was Oliver’s job to plan our three-day itinerary and on his list was to visit the Supertree Grove at the Gardens by the Bay.
Even if you’re in Singapore for only one day, these 18 lofty artificial trees close to the Marina Bay are hard to miss, the tallest towers 50 metres above the gardens.
The trees are gardens themselves, covered in thousands of orchids, bromeliads and other species. Three of the largest are connected by an aerial walkway 22 metres above the ground. Which of course, was where Oliver wanted to be for the nightly Sound and Light show.
While entry to the gardens and the show (if viewed at ground level) is free, there is a charge for the walkway.
We skipped the elevator queue and walked up the stairs that spiralled around one of the trees. As music pumped out around us, the trees cascaded with colours – beyond them the Singapore Flyer (big wheel) sparkled among the illuminated high-rises.
I don’t like sheer drops and nearly chickened out from tackling the walkway but who wants to be the faint-hearted aunty?
■ Oliver’s verdict: Cool; mine: Spectacular.
River Safari
Next up was River Safari – the newest addition to the Singapore Zoo and Night Zoo complex. We had one special aim here – to see our first giant pandas. I’d read that Kai Kai (the male panda) and Jia Jia his mate (so far however, the pair have not been successful in producing a cub) were so popular with visitors the queues could be enormous and the viewing time short.
So, I was surprised to find I was entirely on my own watching Kai Kai munching his way steadfastly through a pile of bamboo. I was, I admit, thrilled… Oliver a little underwhelmed but we both enjoyed the Amazon River boat ride, which took us close to a jaguar. What did entrance both of us was the huge pool filled with weirdly beautiful West India manatee that could be viewed from above and below water-level ■ Joint verdict: Worth the train and taxi ride to get there no matter if it’s pandas, weird fish or manatees that float your boat.
Hop-on hop-off bus
We did a circle of Singapore on the double-decker buses, stopping off at Little India for lassi and samosas and in Chinatown, where Oliver shopped up large for his family and friends back home before we retreated from the humidity to eat Mongolian dumplings.
A good way to give Oliver a snapshot of Singapore’s cultural diversity.
■ Verdict: The bus ticket was not good value for money; learn to master the underground system and get to where you want to be quicker and more cheaply.
A big day out on Sentosa
We crossed to Singapore’s resort island by cable car with its great panorama of the harbour.
Once I’d prised my fingernails out of the bench seats (the cable car is a very high above the water) we set off downhill, rather bizarrely by escalator.
We decided against Movieworld (I was relieved to find that Oliver was not keen on dangling upside down from a roller coaster) but instead opted for the Sea Aquarium.
Until recently, this aquarium featured the largest viewing panel in the world at 36 metres long and 8.3m high (an aquarium in China now has a larger one).
To walk into the tiered seating in front of this is to be genuinely awestruck.
Sharks, rays, fish of all sizes drifted past us as we sat on the floor and ate candy floss that was glowing in the dark, thanks to it being spun on to a glowstick.
We had planned to spend about an hour in the aquarium; instead we staggered into the daylight after more than two – we both loved the tiny jewel-coloured tropical fish, shuddered at the size of the plentiful moray eels and were entranced by the way the jellyfish exhibit was illuminated. ■ Verdict: Oliver: Awesome and confirmed his view that swimming in the ocean is to be avoided; Me: The best aquarium, I’ve visited.
Luge
After a lunch stop (Mcdonald’s – travel with a teenage boy meant this is inevitable at some point and, to be fair, Oliver had eaten Chinese, Thai and Mongolian with enthusiasm at every other meal) we headed for the luge.
Part of the New Zealand Skyline Luge group, the Sentosa luge offers a combination of rides – we opted for a three-ride luge and chairlift package.
After choosing our helmet we jumped on the chairlift to access the start of the luge.
This proved to be more exciting than we intended when Oliver’s ticket blew out of his hand and fluttered into the jungle below to join stray Jandals and helmets that already littered the undergrowth. However, the staff dealt with this smilingly and we were on our way.
For the uninitiated, the luges are rather like sleds on wheels and were easy to control as you shot down the curved paths.
By my third run I’d got my confidence and almost caught Oliver before the last bend (really, I nearly did). What would make the luge experience better is a separate run for the more experienced or reckless – as a 50-mumble woman I felt a bit reluctant to cut off small girls and large older ladies pottering down the run at a snail’s pace. But I did – aunt honour was at stake.
We might have been tempted to buy another three-run pass but Oliver wanted a swim. Reminder: even if you don’t intend to swim at Sentosa, take your togs; the water’s warm and the beach is clean.
■ Overall verdict: Oliver and I need to go back. We have to brave the rollercoaster, time a go on the bungy swing for dinner (my ‘‘only’’ reason for not doing it this time was we’d just eaten); try out more street food and spend a day at the waterpark. Singapore’s still a great place for a stopover and a fun place for a family holiday.
❚ The author travelled on her own dime.