My trip to Singapore

You may have read my last blog about my recent trip to Asia on Mariner of the Seas.
This time I will tell you more about Singapore and the hotels we visited.
On arrival into Singapore we were met by our tour guide and taken to the Shangri-La hotel.
This hotel is just stunning and although it is in the centre of a busy city it feels more like a resort hotel. It would be worth staying here for more than the overnight stay included in the cruise line package. The location is great as it is within walking distance (10 minutes ) of the main shopping area of Orchard Road but still very peaceful and quiet with a beautiful swimming pool.
They also offer a shuttle bus to Orchard Road and Marina Bay.
They have the Tower Wing which is more for business travellers, Garden Wing which has more of a resort feel and the luxurious Valley Wing which would be an excellent choice for people booking suites on board ship.
We stayed in the Garden Wing. The room was huge with the comfiest bed I have ever slept in.

They had lots of Christmas decorations so had a very festive feel to it.

Breakfast was amazing with the biggest choice and variety of food I have ever seen in a buffet restaurant.
We had a couple of hours to rest then we were meeting for a tour of Singapore which started with Chinatown. This really surprised me as I had imagined Singapore to be very Westernised and built up which it is in many places but Chinatown was very authentic with lots of street markets and food markets. I loved it here and would have liked to have had more time to browse the markets and take it all in. We visited a temple which was huge and very busy but was really interesting to see this side to their culture.

We then went on to visit Kampong Glam including Arab Street and Hajl Lane. This is a great opportunity to sample the Malay hospitality. There are many shops, bars and restaurants in this area although the shopping is better in Chinatown.
It was a very busy day because next we were taken to Gardens by the Bay in the new Marina Bay area. I have to say this was a disappointment to me and I would say there are far more interesting places and things to do in Singapore especially if you are only here for a short period of time. The flowers and plants were not very exotic and many were wilting or even dead so I think the building itself is more impressive than what there is to see inside.
We then had some free time so as we were feeling a little tired after our 14 hour flight and a full day of sightseeing we decided to sample a few of the local bars around Orchard Road. It was a lovely place to sit and have a few drinks and get to know everyone while watching the world go by. The drinks prices are very expensive ranging from about £8.00 for a glass of wine up to around £15.00 depending where you go. You don’t get carried away with these prices !!
We then met up again with our guide and did a site inspection of the Jen Orchard Gateway hotel.
I have never used this hotel before so was interested to see what it had to offer. The hotel is in the Orchard Gateway shopping centre so you can’t get any closer .The rooms were very nice although not as spacious as Shangri-La but more than adequate for a short stay. The views were great and the main attraction for me was the rooftop pool with an infinity pool. The views of Singapore were stunning and there were lots of comfy chairs and cushions to relax on at the end of a busy day.
We had dinner in their restaurant which was a lovely buffet with many choices of Asian and International cuisine. I would definitely stay in this hotel if I was to return.
The following day we boarded our ship but returned to Singapore at the end of our cruise. This time we stayed at the Rasa Sentosa which is also part of Shangri-La. This hotel is on a small beach and is much more of a resort hotel and great for families. There is a kids club and splash area of the pool for kids. The views were not as good as expected as there were so many cargo boats sitting just off shore and the water looked very polluted just off the shore line so there is only a small swimming area. Most people stayed around the pool.

We went off again with our guide to do a hands on cooking course. Usually it is a longer class and you get to make a 3 course meal but as we were limited for time we made a desert which wasn’t to my taste but was fun to have a go. They will email you the recipe of what you have made so you can cook it at home for your friends and family.

Next was the highlight of the tour for me which was a river cruise on a traditional bumboat. We sat outside at the back and took in the views of Singapore. This leaves from Clarke Quay and is only a short cruise but well worth doing. We often include this in our Singapore packages for our guests.

We had a stroll around Clarke Quay which has ultra stylish bars and nightclubs but drinks prices are even higher here with members of group being charged £70 for 3 beers and 3 shots so be warned.
The following day we were on our way home with a meal on the way to the airport at East Coast Park. This is a really cool restaurant on the beach on Sentosa Island. There is an outdoor pool with lots of double and single loungers, cocktail bar, volleyball etc and people of all ages hanging out.
It reminded me of something you find in Ibiza.
Really great place but a shame we were on our way home.
I didn’t go to Singapore with high expectations but that has all changed. There is a good mix of old and new so there is something for everyone. The people here are what makes it special. They are polite and courteous and I am told it is one of the safest places in the world to live. The punishment for crime is so severe that there never is any crime. Apparently you could leave your purse, phone, camera etc on a bar and go back later and it would still be there. People feel safe and it is common for women to walk home in the early hours on their own and for children to have the freedom to play outdoors. There are many different nationalities of different religions all living together who all respect each other .There are not many places like that in the world today.
On my next blog I will talk about Malaysia.