“To travel is to appreciate everything you can see, hear,
touch, taste, smell and feel.”
18th July 2017,
Seated with my family in the world’s 2nd best
airline ranked by the World Airline Awards in 2017, I did feel that Singapore
Airlines, as they say, is definitely “a Great Way to Fly”. From customer
service, comforts, to quality they evidently work hard to maintain the title
they earned, if not grow better. After 5 hours, a scrumptious meal and ample
rest, I arrived at my destination… The land of the Lion City… SINGAPORE.
This country, built yesterday, has more than enough reasons
to attract tourists and definitely make them want to stay there. If you have
ever wondered what the hype about this country is or why you should consider
visiting there, well… here’s a few reasons why…
1. Clean cities
Yes. The country is clean to its peak. With so many regulations in place, the country has succeeded in maintaining sparkling clean streets. Strict regulations such as the chewing gum ban, littering fine, smoking prohibition, and many more have paid off well for the country in preserving a clean environment to its residents and tourists.
2. Gardens and greenery
Limited landscape is no excuse for this island
to stop from growing their flora. Beautiful flowers and so much greenery
growing on either side of the roads is truly a wonderful sight to see. I was
amazed to see the number of vertical gardens they have put up on the highway
pillars. The country is definitely on the right path working towards their
strategy to transform Singapore to a City in a Garden.
3. Comfortable stay
Looking for a place to stay? My vote goes
Hotel Boss. Located in the city center it was a home away from home. True to
their word, Hotel Boss is a perfect combination of comfort and modern
convenience. The incredibly kind, active and supportive staff made our stay
even more comfortable. The hotel also consists of a shopping alley with
restaurants, cafés and even a 24-hour convenience store. Access to MRT and Bus
Transits are located at a walking distance from the hotel, making it easier for
the guests who wish to utilize public transport. Overall, it was a big thumbs
up from all of us!!
4. Safety
I heard that Singapore is one of the safest
countries in the world, but only knew so during my visit. Throughout the stay,
we spent strolling along the streets and busiest theme parks in the country,
and as glad as I am to mention, none of us experienced any catcalling, staring
or any other offensive actions from any stranger. Wherever we went, we were met
with very helpful locals and pleasant vendors instead of deceitful hawkers
trying to scam tourists.
5. Public transport
Sometimes getting to one place from another
in a foreign country, without a tourist guide or someone who knows the
whereabouts can be very challenging. But it is not the case in Singapore. From
MRTs to buses and ample amounts of metered taxis, travelling in Singapore is
way too convenient and less costly. Routes and directions are well displayed in
public areas that we didn’t face any difficulty in travelling within the
country.
6. Discipline and Manner
The manner of the locals makes life easy to
someone who doesn’t know the whereabouts in this country. It was a sight to see
how they wait in line for their turn to grab a taxi, to get on to the MRT and
how they even stick to the right side of the escalator leaving space for the
passengers in a rush to run through. Everything and everyone in Singapore are
so organized that it’s hard for the tourists to not to abide with the norms,
eventually benefitting all.
7. Ride the largest Observation Wheel in Asia
The best way to witness the amazing skyline and the incredible architecture used to build the city, is by taking a
ride in Asia’s largest Giant Observation Wheel. With a panorama view that
captures Marina Bay’s Skyline it consists of 28 capsules that can carry approximately
28 passengers each. With a height of 165 meters it has a rotation time of 30
minutes giving its passengers the most exotic view of the entire island city.
8. Solar powered man made
trees in the 250 acre Gardens by the Bay
Among many attractions and sights to see within
this garden, is the Supertree Grove. This is formed by 12 tree-like vertical
gardens that are 25 to 50 meters tall. These manmade trees that provide shade
during the day, display an enlivening light show at night that leaves its
audience gazing in awe. As if that’s any less impressive, this groove also has
a 128 meter aerial walkway that connects two of these Supertrees at a height of
22 meters above ground-level, giving a spectacular view of the Gardens by the
Bay.
9. Cross the bridge to another
world – Sentosa Island
Located within the Resorts World Sentosa in
Sentosa Island, the Universal Studios is a renowned theme park and a major
tourist attraction in the country. This 49 acres area is packed with theme
lands and amazing rides for all age groups. Learn how a Steven Spielberg movie
is made, meet your favorite characters from The Sesame Street, Far Far Away and
Madagascar or join a battle with the Autobots to protect the AllSpark from the
Decepticons, are just a very few things among many others you can enjoy in this
theme park. It is an enthralling experience for all visitors big and small.
10.The Wings of Time
The most extravagant way to end a day in
Singapore is by the sitting among the audience for the water show – Wings of
Time. This show unravels an epic tale of courage, mystery and magic taking us
across beautiful landscapes and mysteries across time. After spending an entire
day at the Universal Studios all our energy was drained by the time we reached
the Beach Station. The show started at 7.40pm and as soon as it started we
totally forgot how tired we were. I think I am not wrong to say that this is
the most exotic, mesmerizing water show I’ve ever seen in my life. Walking out,
we were a very happy bunch of people that had a lifetime experience and knew
that being there was totally worth it.
11.Shop till you drop!!!
We did spend our last few hours in the city
doing what we love to do the most. SHOPPING!!! An MRT ride and a few stations
later, we got off at the Bugis Station that led us to the Bugis Street Market. Surrounded
by malls, popular with both locals and tourists, this place is well known for
being one of the cheapest destinations to buy souvenirs, accessories, clothes,
house-ware, cosmetics, etc. With over 800 shops in the market, one can easily
spend 3 to 4 hours and yet not see even a quarter of it.
The markets in the country sell a variety
of street food from fried, grilled to baked items and many more. Most stalls
sell Malay, Chinese and Indian foods allowing you to indulge yourself with the
Asian flavors at an affordable price. The hawker centers in the city serve a
variety of food including rice, noodles, seafood, beef and many more.
13.Milo for the Milo lovers
If there’s any form of Milo you can think
of, you’ll find it in Singapore. Yes, from hot Milo drinks to Milo ice creams
and “Milo dinosaur” (a humungous chocolate milkshake topped with a thick layer
of Milo powder), you name it - they have it!!!
14.Sudden showers that won’t
last long
Rain, in Singapore, is said to occur during
anytime throughout the year at the most unexpected hour. But these quick
showers do not last for more than 3 – 5 minutes. So if you plan to stroll on a
random day you can expect to get a little wet along the streets of the city
unless you are prepared for it. But then again, while you wait for it to pass
there is no harm doing a little dance in the rain!
15.Best airport in the world
We reached the Singapore Changi Airport six hours
before our flight thinking it’s going to be a long wait. Oh how wrong we were!!
The airport is massive and packed with entertainment making it hard to feel bored
even if one wants to. There was so much to see. Out of the four terminals, we could
only explore Terminal 2 which consists of a lavish food court that catered a
variety of cuisines, an Enchanted Garden, a Sunflower Garden, an Orchid Garden,
a gaming station, movie theatre, beauty centers, reflexology and many more. We
never realized how fast the time flew while waiting for our flight in this
airport.
Singapore, for me, was a land filled with joy, pleasant people, awesome rollercoaster rides, breathtaking views, scrumptious meals, indulgence in Milo and a memorable holiday well spent. With the limited time we had in Singapore, I believe we could only explore a very few attractions out of the many more the country has to offer giving me more reasons to revisit this island city. I will definitely not think twice to go back.
Singapore, for me, was a land filled with joy, pleasant people, awesome rollercoaster rides, breathtaking views, scrumptious meals, indulgence in Milo and a memorable holiday well spent. With the limited time we had in Singapore, I believe we could only explore a very few attractions out of the many more the country has to offer giving me more reasons to revisit this island city. I will definitely not think twice to go back.
Until then, if you’ve been there before,
let us know more reasons to visit this country, must-see attractions, and tell
us when and why you fell in love with this lion city, by leaving a comment
below.
Have a nice day!!!
Wathsala Perera
Wathsala Perera
