I am laying over in sunshine island nation of Singapore
to visit its famous Marina Bay, Silver Garden, Fort Canning, the Little India, Chinatown
and some off the beaten path attractions
all free and all under 24 hours with as little money as possible
You are welcome to join me here in Layover in Singapore!
The best way to get around the island is by the Mass Rapid Transit or MRT.
You can get a Tourist Pass right in the Changi Airport
entitle you to unlimited one day, two days or three day ride on the metro, light rail and the buses
Our first stop is Little India
by taking a MRT East West Line towards Tanah Merah direction and get off at the Bugis Station
then transfer on to downtown line to get off at Little India Station
Just a few minutes away is the Little India Arcade
So this is actually the Little India Arcade
it's like a market
you can actually get lot of stuff here
you can get food, clothing to souvenirs
I guess I should start buying my own souvenirs
let's check it out...
it’s a market famous for its cheap electronic gadgets
the place gives you exposure to South Indian culture
So, the rule is same when you come to market like this...
to bargain!
don't be afraid to bargain really hard
that's how you get the best deals
Just a 15 minutes walk near the Arab Street is a the off the beaten path Haji Lane
filled with street arts, trendy bars, quirky shops, local eateries and shisha bars
This is one of the few remaining part of the Singapore untouched by the extensive modernization over the second half of the 20th century
Much of the world has little idea of what Singapore looked like before skyscrapers took over the city-state
So, this is where you can find lots of street arts and murals
Something you don't expect here in Singapore
In the same area, few street away is the Masjid Sultan Mosque
another Singapore’s prominent landmark
it has capacity to accommodate 5,000 worshipers
and has very interesting lease terms
So, this is actually one of the beautiful mosque here in Singapore
it's interesting because this is a extension of a old mosque on this site
built in 1823
and this is also on a 999 year lease
So, it'll be interesting to see what happen after the lease is over
I am sure we won't be here
Next we’ll hop on the MRT and get off at City Hall station to check out the politics of this island nation by paying a visit to its Parliament of Singapore
It’s open during the regular hours to the public
but no admission will be granted to anyone wearing shorts, slippers/ sandals or inappropriate clothing with slogans or symbols
If the politics is not your cup of tea
don’t worry…
there is nature located right nearby.
The Fort Canning Park is just few street away in the central business district
and is over more than 60 metres high
and you can get breathtaking view of city from one end
while surrounded by greens
In olden times
the native Malays nickname it Forbidden Hill
This is due to the belief that ill will be fall upon anyone who entered the hill as it is the place where the five kings of Ancient Singapore were laid to rest
After walking across the street is the location of a historical riverside quay,
within the Singapore River Planning Area
The quay is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River and Boat Quay.
Now, this is actually the Clarke Quay
Now if you are get of in doors
come out and have a fresh breath of air
if it get little too hot, don't you worry
the air condition is just few steps away
inside the mall that is...
This is where you can experience the a scenic boat ride
but I am going to hop on to the Clarke Quay MRT to our next stop, the Chinatown
This is where you can pick up some inexpensive, tasty Chinese food
to fuel up for your next destination...
for me, I pickup some Chinese bun
I can't wait to try it
After fuelling up, it’s time visit the financial center of Singapore
the Raffles Quay
The home to international banks such as RBS, Barclays, and Deutsche Bank,
as well as Thomson Reuters and Ernst & Young
But we’ll be heading toward Clifford Pier
the location of Merlion
Now, behind me is the a very famous landmark of Singapore
The Merlion with water coming out from his mouth
Well, I wish I can tell you more about it
But, tonight I guess we don't have that luck
because its under renovation
This is the most well known marketing icon of Singapore
depicted as a mythical creature with a lion's head and a body of a fish
Now, what you seeing behind me is one of the most luxuries hotel here in Asia
with a really nice roof top pool!
but given the fact we are on budget
we also have limited amount of time
we aren't able to enjoy that this time around
But let’s for a nice walk along bridge on the Esplanade Drive to visit the Theater by the Bay
the underground walkway also contains various art exhibits
Only ten minutes walk is another important landmark the Singapore Flyer,
the most famous giant Ferris wheel in the world
opened in 2008, construction having taken about 2½ years and consist of 28 air-conditioned capsules
From its terminal building, you’ll able to see right across the bay and get glimpse of Tree of Life.
Next we’ll walk across the Bayfront Avenue to Marina Bay Sands for the free speculator Wonder Full Light Show
So, the speculator show you just saw
happens every single night here
and there is no reason for you to miss it
after all it is FREE
Singapore is very hot and humid
but don’t worry!
I am the kind of person who can't stand the heat for too, too hard
so every half hour I always go into somewhere with air conditioning
to just cool off and head back out
this is exactly what happen after the night show by coming in here at the Marina Bay
There is a shopping center here
and I am about to leave here to enjoy rest of the night
If you can't stand the heat
cool out before you get burnt out
great advice by the way
But I am a outdoor person,
so right behind the mall is the Silver Garden,
home to Singapore’s famous Tree of Life
So, this another place where you have no excuse not to check out
its actually FREE
it's call Silver Gardens
It's located right behind Marina Bay
It's about two to four minutes walking distance
and yes that is the luxury hotel that I mention before
if you can't be inside, you can at least look it from here
and you get to look at the beautiful Sky Tree
I think that is what's called
After getting a little experience Singapore
its time to return back to the Changi Airport the same way,
after all the fare is included in the Tourist Pass.
I recommend you get two day pass even if you are staying under 24 hours as each day expired at midnight.
If you happen to arrived early at the airport and got time kill
don’t worry…
Changi Airport has being voted for the best airport in the world since 2013.
You’ll enjoy free high speed internet, indoor gardens and shops.
The best of all, if you aren’t lucky enough to have 24 hours here.
The Airport offers Free Singapore Heritage Tour if you have at least 5.5 hours
or at least 6 hours for City Sights Tour to spare between your connecting flight
With that being said… I’ll wish you all have magnificent time in Singapore
and have a pleasant flight!