| M Nathoo |
25 September 2004 |
Stayed at Peninsula Excelsior Hotel - Singapore, Singapore.
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I would recommend the Singapore Hop on Hop off bus . I paid S$6 for a day pass as compared to the next cheapest similar service that would have costed me S$13.
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| S Carney |
17 September 2004 |
Stayed at Raffles The Plaza - Singapore, Singapore.
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Singapore is a great holiday location. Very clean and safe.
Take the MRT and public transport everywhere. Very cheap (S$1-2) and aircon'd.
Taxis generally cheap (S$5) except at 6pm for business close and 10pm for shopping close where traffic jams are common. Note be careful of taxi drivers trying to put on a short distance surcharge.
We paid $12 to get from changi to the airport and then another tried charging $7 to get from terminal A to terminal B.
Chinatown is great for the hustle and bustle and cheap eats. Plenty of sights to see and places to bargain.
Head to Clarke Quay for the satay club and some cheap shopping.
Boat Quay is average, overpriced and people trying to con you into their shops.
Stay clear of the taylor/electronic shop at the start of Boat Quay. Theyll try and rip you off wildly. $900 for a suit but because your special you can have it for $450. Head towards Orchard road and you can get better for $200.
Sentosa is a must. It is very commercial and costly but is Singapores version of Disneyland. Great free watershow at the end of the night (8pm). Stay for this and then get the cablecar back to the harbourside MRT and see the city lights.
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| N Madhvani |
17 September 2004 |
Stayed at Plaza Parkroyal Hotel - Singapore, Singapore.
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Singapore's public transport infrastructure is fantastic - get an EZ-Link stored value smartcard from the MRT station when you arrive and you can use this on the MRT, buses and even in McDonalds! It's much easier than searching for cash, and is cheaper too. There is a bus (route 27 I think) that goes from outside the hotel to Dhoby Ghaut MRT - this is a useful one, since that MRT station is on the East-West and North-East lines.
For a great selection of restaurants, head down to the Fountain of Wealth area in the Suntec City Mall (near City Hall MRT). We were particularly impressed with a set menu at SGD 19.90 per head from one of the restaurants there. You'll also find things like Pizza Hut, McDonalds and KFC in that area.
If you plan to do the Night Safari, I'd advise getting there earlier (about 6pm) and having an all-you-can-eat buffet meal at the Safari Restaurant. It's about SGD 21.00 per head and the food was delicious - included a good selection of desserts and ice cream too, plus tea/coffee.
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| S Carney |
16 September 2004 |
Stayed at Nirwana Resort Hotel - Bintan Island (Indonesia), Singapore.
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We spent a day heading doing a loop around the island. Tikora Beach is beautiful on the weekdays with no crowds and locals very friendly. Also stopped at many fishing villages along the way to wander around and talk to the locals.
From Tanjung Pinang head over to Senggarang for a look at the old temples.
Be careful heading over to Penyengat. Locals aren't very nice to westerners at the moment (we arrived just after the jakarta Aust embassy bombing). A shame as it is a beautiful area with some very old royal remains if you like history. The island is muslim so dress to their standards to minimise the awkwardness (cover as much skin as possible is the quick solution).
If you're not travelling back to singapore get the taxi to Batu66 and then get local transport (taxi or bus) to where you want to be.
The taxi to Tanjung Uban is S$32 while the public transport was equivalent to $2. It takes a little longer but you definately see and experience more.
When we had exceptional service we found it best to ask if it would offend to offer a tip and the reason. Most would accept and it made it clear it wasn't a bribe or charity.
Try to learn some indonesian as this makes life a lot easier (at least take a phrase book along).
Remember basic personal security as wages are low and unemployment high so, as in every country there is the opportunist trying to pickpocket etc. Let common sense prevail.
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| S Cameron |
14 September 2004 |
Stayed at Rendezvous Singapore, Hotel - Singapore, Singapore.
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Clarke Quay was hugely disappointing being under total renovation. Don't miss Happy Hour at Raffles ( SG $10 a drink ) from 5 - 8pm. Don't miss OG for general department store shopping ( esp Shoes ). Give Lucky Plaza / Tanglin shops a miss as they are now very dated. Great food hall at top of Raffles City ( far and away best we came across ). Take MRT and give taxis a miss.
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| J Wadsworth |
12 September 2004 |
Stayed at Orchard Parade Hotel - Singapore, Singapore.
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Singapore was hot and humid but worth going to - went to Orchard Road, Chinatown, Little India, Bugis Village and Sentosa by train MRT system (underground)and by bus. Prefered the bus system as you can see things - all trains and buses are airconditioned and very clean. Did lots of shopping - be warned when buying CD's to read the small print as they are re-recorded by others! Gold is great to buy in Little India, and duty free was marginally cheaper at Singapore.
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| J Jenkins |
11 August 2004 |
Stayed at Banyu Biru Villas - Bintan Island (Indonesia), Singapore.
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The villas (Banyu Biru) are within easy walking distance of the main hotel (Nirwana) which has restaurants and another beautiful pool. A short distance further you can reach Mana Mana beach from where you can organise watersports. All are in the same complex, so you can sign for meals and activities. (No cash needed). From Nirwana - shuttle buses are arranged to various restaurants -including a seafood one on stilts which has great food and is spectacular at sunset as it is built over the sea. You can also take a regular shuttle bus to a nearby shopping village to pick up souvenirs.
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| S Ruzidah |
08 August 2004 |
Stayed at Panorama Regency Hotel - Batam Island (Indonesia), Singapore.
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We took the hotel's Limo and the driver was a nice person. We went to Waterfront (40min drive) where there are a lot of water sport activities like water-ski, banana-boat ride, para sailing and also boat rides to surrounding islands. We can also look at the beautiful sunset while eating at the restaurant or simply by taking a ride on a boat. We can also fly a plane at the Flying Club. We also went to the newly opened DC Mall where a lot of discounts were provided. There are also other shopping malls that offer fantastic discounts. We went to the famous restaurant which provides sumptuous seafood dishes at a very low price.
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| D Shales |
06 July 2004 |
Stayed at Holiday Inn Park View, Singapore - Singapore, Singapore.
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Having lived in Singapore 7 years, there are too many places to list here. I always walked or, for longer distances, bus. You don't see much from a taxi or on the MRT! Visitors should check out the Singapore Visitors Centre, about 5 minutes' walk from the hotel on Orchard Road (next to HMV).
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| M Brown |
24 June 2004 |
Stayed at New 7th Storey Hotel - Singapore, Singapore.
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Fort Canning is a wonderful walk with information boards about the history of Singapore - not greatly mentioned in the guides. The ez-link card for buses and MRT (metro) (available for purchase at all MRT stations from a machine) is excellent value and saves a lot of money. Do remember to tap it on the machine when entering the bus/station and on exiting to ensure you don't pay too much for your fare. Not tapping as you leave means a maximum fare is paid!!
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Traveller's Tales: Getting around in Singapore
