My journey through Singapore - a travel guide for the Lion city.

Day 1

Bangalore airport:

It took us around 45 minutes to reach Bangalore airport from our home in Hennur, via an eco-friendly Blusmart cab. I was excited to embark on this trip to Singapore with my family. The moment I stepped into Bangalore airport, it was wow and indeed worth being called one of the best in the world. I had only once been there before, during my layover flight to Goa, but I couldn't see the entirety of the airport then. And with the recent revamps in Terminal 2, it is nothing short of stunning. They literally grow 1000s of species of plants and trees inside the airport, with an amazing architecture and design. First you might think it's artificial, but once you see closer and examine how they're growing the plants in large lamps, filled with sand and maintaining them like a magnanimous garden, you'll understand it is definitely a jewel in the crown of the Garden city. I explored the beauty of the airport a bit more, such a blend of modern and traditional, nature and technology. I started taking photos and videos with my new Dji Action 4 pocket camera, exploring its various settings. We then boarded the AirIndia-Vistara flight at around midnight; It was a good seat, I always prefer them to the Indigo ones. I had a decent sleep during the 4 hour journey and due the the time difference of 2.5 hrs between India and Singapore, we landed on to a bright sunny day in Singapore at around 8:15 a.m. and we were welcomed with the view of its beautiful coastline. 

IMG: Bangalore airport

Singapore airport:

After arriving at the airport, we started doing the formalities. It was one of the smoothest immigration process ever. I think since the visa application process was already elaborate, they don't check much in the immigration. It was all automated and we just had to show our id documents along with the arrival card in a scanner, no questions asked. From the airport itself I could feel the amount of discipline and organization that the Singaporeans have. Next we headed to check out the things that make Changi airport the best airport in the world. Initially we were in Terminal 2 and saw the Waterfalls that was portrayed in a big electronic tv, embedded to a wall, which would create the illumination that it is falling above our head. Afterwards we headed to Terminal 1 via a skytrain, which was a cute little train that runs across the terminals free of cost. We finally reached to the Jewel mall, in the adjacent building and went to witness the iconic Rain vortex waterfalls. It was a huge indoor waterfall, which seemed to emerge from the sky (roof) and fell like a cylindrical vortex. And the tons of greenery at different levels surrounding the falls, along with the skytrain that passes through the middle of it all, added to the beauty and elegance. I went up each level and enjoyed the the view along with the forest aroma and spent a good 1.5 hrs there. Of course there are so much more to explore in the Changi airport, hence I was tempted to do so. After asking for directions, we just walked to Terminal 3 again and saw some interactive big fan. It was kind of blunt and hard to understand, so kind of a bummer. There were other children parks, but I skipped them and headed to catch the skytrain back to Terminal 1, which went through the Jewel waterfalls and made it worth the walks. It was a huge airport, so finding directions was a challenge, but we managed to go to the Cab pickup point in the basement of Terminal 1.

                                    

IMG: Changi airport

Hotel V, Bencoolen:

We were greeted by our travel agent driver, from Grand Royal Tours, and started our journey in the white Toyota van. Seems like Singapore is a Garden country, evident with the long line of plants throughout our way to the hotel. Apart from that, the cleanliness of the roads, strict adherence the traffic rules, etc. was apparent. We checked in to our Hotel V in Bencoolen street and were awestruck as we entered our room, not in amazement but in dismay. The room was less than half the size of my bedroom in India and apparently it is a 4 star hotel with high cost, which is the case with most hotels there. We managed to settle in and had a short nap, before heading out to Little India for our lunch. Little india was full of traditional Indian buildings and hotels and it was surprising even there, people were following the traffic signals to walk and cross the roads 😉. The area we stayed was at the city centre, and it was amazing to be in the midst of a good number of skyscrapers and shopping malls. 

Some Indian restaurants we tried:

1. Komala vilas

2. Anandha bhavan

3. Kailash parbath

4. Annapurna

5. Madras Woodlands

Some cab services:

1. Grab

2. Gojek

Some mobile networks:

1. Starhub

2. Singtel

Gardens by the bay :

In the evening, we headed to Gardens by the Bay, which is filled with stunning attractions, but the first thing that caught our eye was the massive, spiked Supertrees — artificial giant trees beautifully lit and decorated across the grounds. We began with the Cloud Forest, a massive glass greenhouse that houses over 7,000 species of plants and trees from around the world. The place is structured at multiple levels, simulating various altitudes — cooler temperatures as you ascend, with fog, mist, and lighting effects adding to the realism. Each section is informative, making it a paradise for botanical lovers. Singapore impresses with its accessibility with elevators and facilities for the elderly are available almost everywhere. The dome also featured endangered and extinct plant species, reminding us of the impact of deforestation and climate change. After about 1.5 hours exploring, we stepped out to browse nearby shops; like most tourist spots in Singapore, the stores were tempting but pricey. I just picked up a small souvenir or two. Next, we entered the Flower Dome, a must-visit for floral enthusiasts. It features thousands of flowers arranged by global region. My favorite was the Japanese-themed garden with soft pink and white blooms. It instantly reminded me of the Tamil song “Pookale Satru Oivu Edungal”, and yes, I struck some matching poses for the camera 😄. We ended the evening at the Supertree Grove, where the 7:45 PM Garden Rhapsody free light show began. About five towering trees lit up and danced in sync with Bohemian Rhapsody, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle. I laid down on the lawn, looked up, and captured it all on my action camera. It was really a mesmerizing performance, something way more grandeur than the light shows I have ever witnessed. 

IMG: Gardens by the bay

Day 2

Merilion park and Giant Flyer:

Our day 2 began with a city tour, first covering the iconic Merilion Park, which has the famous statue of Lion face-with fish body. I felt it symbolized the name of the city - Singapore which means the place of Lion. And may be the fish signifies the importance of maritime and sea there, with most of Singapore's trade happening through the ports and oceans. Or may be the blend of characteristics of the 2 creatures: Boldness and Innocence. This is also well-known for being a scenic photo spot. The view from there was spectacular, with the Marina Bay Sands hotel in the background, along with the second largest Giant wheel in the world: Singapore flyer. The Marina bay sands is a marvel of engineering, with a huge curved boat structure on its top and it is a dream hotel to stay for many due to it prime luxury and premium cost. After this, our next stop was the Singapore flyer. Before entering it, there was a big display of Singapore's history and grandeur through its interactive technologies, placed at various booths, with big tv screens. My favourite booth was the one where you stand before a mirror screen and it puts on you some Chinese costumes as per your preference and then you can do a dance. Most of the booths were guided by an animated character, which would be enjoyed by both adults and children alike. Next we headed to get on the flyer. On seeing the huge structure close up, I started to have some adrenaline rush. But the cabins looked well designed, with seats and air conditioner and the pace of the flyer is almost unnoticeable. Seems it takes almost 40 minutes to complete a round. As we boarded with couple of other people, I sat down and my heartbeat increased further on seeing the giant centre rod of the wheel moving infront of me, lol. But i just stayed with that emotion and it went away and i started enjoying the ride. As we progressed towards the top, the view was getting spectacular and we could get a bird's eye view of the city and even the coastline and the sea along with its ports and ships. We were regretting that we're not having plans to go atop the Marina bays hotel, but this was indeed a fair compromise for that. We were almost on the same level of many skyscrapers and could get a toy-like view of the roads, bridges and a good amount of greenery. After the ride ended, we got down and headed in our cab to see few other parts of the city, just by window-viewing.

IMG: Merilion park

Mandai zoo - Night safari:

In the evening we headed for the Mandai zoo, which is a bit far from our hotel. It mainly consists of 3 parts: Night safari, River wonders and the Main zoo. Tonight was the time for Night safari. Before that we had planned for a Nocturnal animal show, for which we had to book free tickets at a given time online. It reminded me of the Indian railways thatkal system, which was also on a FCFS basis and they did it may be because they want to restrict it to the people who really make extra efforts to watch the show. After booking and waiting for a bit, the show started with an introduction of some nocturnal birds like owl. The trainers and narrators there seemed to be experts with these animals, at the same time being kind and composed with them. There was a display of the 270 degrees head twist of the owl which was amusing to watch. And then came the ottor, capybara, fox, porcupine, which showcased their unique features, with the porcupine being my favourite. It ended with an AV show about the state of these animals throughout the world and how the Mandai zoo was making efforts to conserve them along with the environment and it was indeed a commendable effort. After the show ended, we went on to board the night safari tram. They took us to some patches of the forests in darkness and showed the animals one-by-one. This include the pelicans, stork, elephants, lions, tigers, deers, buffaloes, most of which I had seen in rural indian streets 😛. The only fascinating thing was, there appeared to be not much separation or caging between us and the animals; may be those were not visible in the dark or they're confident these animals won't cross their pits and attack us at night, not sure. After a good 2 hours in the Zoo, we finally headed back to the Hotel and i was chilling besides the swimming pool, while Singapore poured down its favourite rains.

Day 3

National museum: 

Our third day started with the National museum of Singapore. On its entrance, it was designed in a traditional colonial style. After depositing our bags there, we signed up for the free guided tour of the museum. Before it began, I filled up time by looking at the initial exhibits, displaying some animated maps, ancient people interactions and some old movies where you had to listen to the audio by keeping one end of a telephone in your ears. It seemed like try-hard entertainment and I left it in the middle to join the guided tour which was done by a Chinese woman, who said she was a volunteer from the university. She really had a good english accent and passion towards history and loved what she was doing. She started with the Singapore's history, before the conflict with Malaysia, the style of people's life, impact of the colonization, struggles through the war, post war development and industrialization, till the present day Singapore. One thing significant was how Singapore became an amalgamation of Malays, Chinese, Indians, but still was able to maintain unity in its diversity. May be being such a small country with a small economy helped it do it, but still the quality and the pace at which it has done it is beyond appreciable and because of which it is now of the most developed countries in the world. I opine that it was also due to some sacrifices made by their leaders after World war 2, by compromising on their ego and partnering with their ex foes and taking some tough decisions for benefits in the long term. The artefacts I liked the most were the tankers used in WW2, an Indian rickshaw used in the city and some other weapons used in the war. After spending around 2.5 hours in the museum, we headed to the Mandai zoo again, to finish off the remaining 2 parts of it. 

Mandai zoo - River wonder and Main zoo:

We began our day at River Wonders, part of the Singapore Zoo complex. Right at the entrance, we saw large, beautifully designed aquariums housing a variety of fish: from moustached giants to stingrays and snake-like swimmers — all set in massive tanks that felt like natural river habitats. As we walked in, we came across pelicans, monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees, most of which we’ve seen in Indian zoos. But what stood out was a serene river, bordered by dense forest and crossed by a wooden bridge — the perfect scenic spot for some nature shots and calm vibes. Next up was the River Wonder Show. We booked tickets last minute and arrived early, spending time chatting and playing with kids nearby. The show featured birds flying over the audience, a crowned crane, talking parrots, snakes, pelicans, and even a mongoose: all native to Southeast Asia. The hosts were fantastic, involving volunteers and delivering an entertaining, educational performance. Next we rushed to get a glimpse of the most sought-after animal in the zoo, the Panda. We all know they are creatures who just prefer to eat and sleep for long times, with a low level of IQ, but gathering a huge fan following thanks to their impeccable cuteness. At first, we were disappointed since the enclosure only had keepers stacking bamboos. After 10 minutes, came out the king of this jungle,  a panda bear, groggy from a nap, who waddled straight to his food. With his classic black-and-white look, he settled into various lazy poses while munching away. It was adorable and oddly inspiring: do what you love and be happy, not fearing others' judgements. I also spotted another panda across the glass; likely the spouse of this panda. I had heard they were a family here, including the mom, dad and kid. I kept watching them for hours on, as the pandas displayed their love for eating in various postures, mainly while lying down. Quite reluctantly I left and headed next to the Sea Lion Show, which reminded me of one I’d seen in Thailand. The sea lion was full of personality: hoop-jumping, ball-bouncing, even applauding itself. Truly one of the most engaging animal performances I’ve watched. Finally, we took the tram safari through the main zoo — but it turned out to be just a transport ride with stops. We didn’t get off at any, opting instead to shop for souvenirs and call it a day. Back at the hotel, it rained again — classic Singapore; and I ended the day by the pool, vibing to my favorite Desi tracks.

IMG: Mandai zoo

Day 4

Sentosa island: Harry potter Visions of Magic

On Day 4, we headed to Sentosa Island, which is packed with attractions you can book à la carte. First stop: Harry Potter – Visions of Magic. The structure looked like Hogwarts, setting the vibe perfectly. First we were presented with a wand and it had like a button and when we wave while pressing it, pointing at some QR code like stickers on the wall, a light glows at the tip of the wand and the surrounding place on the wall reacts based on it functionality: a stunning use of interactive technology. As expected in Singapore, we ran into the classic “Free photo” scam — a snap taken, then a steep price quoted. No thanks.  Next, we stepped into the famous Knight Bus (as seen in Prisoner of Azkaban) with flickering lights and shaky effects. After we got down, we waved our wands to light blue fire in fireplaces and activate street lamps, then wandered into the Room of Secrets, filled with magical artefacts; the magic mirror was a highlight. The best part? The Chamber of Secrets. From the opening of snake-carved gate to Salazar Slytherin’s sculpture, it was a jaw-dropping replica. We even got to spell out the anagram “I am Lord Voldemort” from “Tom Marvolo Riddle” using the wand. Apart form this, we could also see the iconic Red Telephone booth and some scenes from the final part running in the walls of a room there. Me, being a harry potter fan, thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a spectacle for children and adults alike.

IMG: Harry Potter Visions of magic. 

SEA Aquarium:

After that magical detour, we walked to the SEA Aquarium. Along the way, we spotted cable cars and monorails cruising above us. The aquarium welcomed us with a glass dome tunnel full of fish swimming overhead. One quirky fish with a moustached face caught our attention — it looked like it was blowing kisses! Inside, we watched divers clean the tanks, explored a massive cylindrical aquarium, and admired a school of synchronized blue fishes. But the showstopper was the jellyfish gallery — colorful, glowing, and eerily elegant. The red jellyfish was my favorite. Next was the huge ocean tank, one of the biggest in the world, with the hundreds of species of sea animals. The fish that stole the show here again was the Sting ray fish, with its whole family going around the circumference.  There was enough space there to sit and wonder at the amazement of the ocean life, giving the act of star gazing a run for its money. We wrapped up at the shark tunnel, where fierce, sleek hunters glided by: nature’s true “tigers of the sea.” We exited the aquarium, with the golden touch of the ocean life, contemplating about how a bigger world it is than the land, a peaceful, serene (to some extent), warless world. 

Cable car and mount Faber:

We were tired and hungry, a good symptom during travel, and the joy you get when you fill your gut and head on to the next destination is unparalleled. In Sentosa, there are various stations, so from the station we were in, we had to board a bus, which keeps making circles around Sentosa throughout the day. It was a good ride around the island, seeing various resorts, greenery and sea view. Next we headed to the cable car ride. It also had good closed cabins, not as big as the Flyer though; initially it started to be a slow chill ride. But as it proceeded, it went on an inclined rope and it was starting to get scary. But as usual, I stayed with that emotion and just started enjoying the amazing views around: city on the one side and the sea on the other. The highlight was the cruise ship standing below the path and it was a modern miracle to see. There was an in-between stop, atop a big skyscraper, but we didn't get down at it. It stopped for a few moments and then headed straight to its last stop: Mount Faber. It was a small hills and we got down there. It was well maintained and the view of the hills and city from there was serene; not as beautiful a hill as Ooty/kodaikanal though. We were much more comfortable during the return journey; indeed adventure is an act enjoyed more regularly as a habit. As we got down, we took the next bus to our final show of the day, "Wings of time" and it was near the beach. Since it was a so-called beach, I was tempted to go and enjoy the sea and its waves. But it was quite a disappointing endeavour, as the beach was very tiny and had almost no waves. We could only see big ships at a distance and they were likely the ones blocking the waves there. It seemed clean though and people were taking bath there, within an area that was marked with a rope. 

Wings of Time:

We then entered the arena of Wings of Time show; it was in an open space with a theatre like arrangement and a huge hologram screen , with the sea at its backdrop. It started with a hologram movie, of a girl and a boy exploring in a forest and a phoenix bird of fire, take them on a travel through time. It was accompanied by so many sound effects, laser lights and the best of all, fancy fireworks and fires erupting as shots around the display. It ended in around 45 minutes and it was yet another display of the technological advancement in Singapore's tourism. 

MRTS:

We headed back to the hotel and while I was chilling by the pool, I had the sudden urge to go explore the Singapore metro train, after couple of failed attempts before. It was a little late in the night, but I still went for it. The Bencoolen MRTS station was just near our hotel, so it was a quick walk, but the train arrival platform was so deep, had to climb down atleast 6 floors of escalators (apparently I later read it was the deepest metro station in Singapore at around 45m depth). I enquired to some people there about the ticketing system and finally some friendly railway officers clarified that there is no concept of tickets here: we either have a purchase a metro pass or just tap our atm card. I first tried my Niyo card, but it was declined, but then the ICICI card came to the rescue and with just a simple tap, I was able to enter the metro station with ease. The driverless metro train arrived and it had a small crowd since it was late in the night , around 10 pm, but people were walking freely without fear, highlighting the safety and security in Singapore. I travelled for around 6 stops and got out in the metro station; i just had to tap my card again at the exit door. As I went outside to the new area, it was quite deserted, except for some traffic on the road, but i could realize some uniformity in the areas all around Singapore. After few minutes, i rushed back to the station and got the return train and arrived back at Bencoolen. It was a good 1 hour, exploring the MRTS system, and I went to the room and had a sound sleep. I always love the MRTS metro trains in any city; they are a good cost saver and get us out from the frenzy of the traffic; just that we have to walk a lot more, but would still be a good exercise. 

Day 5

Universal Studios:

IMG: Universal studio

Our morning began with a trip back to Sentosa Island, this time to explore the iconic Universal Studios Singapore, one of only four such theme parks in the world. We stopped for photos at the famous rotating Universal Globe, then joined the long entry queue (a good sign of what was to come!).The first themed zone was Hollywood — styled like vintage 80s America, full of retro buildings, shops, and even a live disco stage with energetic performers. I danced along with the crowd and captured some fun moments. Nearby, a lineup of vintage cars: police cruisers, old Benzes, and Porsches, made for great photo ops. Then we heard it: the screams of brave souls on the park’s most intense duelling roller coasters, whipping through loops and near-misses. I had read enough to know: not for me. 😅 Next, we joined a live show: Steven Spielberg’s “How to Make a Movie”. While waiting in line, I was doing my meditation (perhaps amusing onlookers as the "yogi from India"). As we entered the show, we could see it recreated a dramatic New York storm scene using lightning, fire, and splashing water, a spectacular behind-the-scenes look at moviemaking. After this, we moved on to my favorite zone: Ancient Egypt — grand statues, mystical vibes, and the Transformers ride, which we dared to try. After walking through themed mission rooms, we strapped into a motion-simulated 7D experience with VR glasses. Racing through explosions and chase scenes, it was thrilling and immersive; we left feeling like action heroes who saved the world. After taking some other rides, later we wandered toward the majestic Disney-style castle, soaking in its grandeur. From there, we could see water rides splashing through artificial rivers. Finally, I reached my happy place: Despicable Me World. Statues and characters of my favourite villain Gru, the minions, and the gang were everywhere; even an ATM labeled “Bank of Evil” and I gave my best villain pose there. And just like that, our tour of the universal studios wrapped up and it felt like walking through movie sets, childhood fantasies, and adrenaline-pumped adventures, all rolled into one unforgettable Universal experience.

IMG: Despicable Me

Scentopia:

Scentopia is our final destination in Sentosa: it was promoted so much by our tour operator and they even gave us a complimentary ticket. It is actually about taking survey of our personalities and suggesting us some possible ingredients to mix and prepare a scent. The process was very well explained and the assistants helped us throughout the making, but when I asked about the scientific research regarding the link between personalities and scent types, they didn't know much. The flavours were mainly categorized masculine and feminine and regardless of gender, we can choose any of them. The scent I made came out quite strong and they offered a small bottle of it free of charge. I also learnt, smelling coffee releases us from the heaviness caused by the scent fragrance in our nose. As we left there, on the way, I explored some resorts by the sea, but they were all looking like poor man's Goa 😛. Then we left for our hotel, concluding the main places slated to visit in our itinerary of Singapore. 

As I returned to the Hotel, I started with my work for the day, since i had planned to work for the last 2 days of the trip. This is one of the things I love about my job, ability to work remotely from any part of the world. And I've gotten used to taking workations since covid started, it has its pros and cons, but I love the positives in it. Over dinner and next day's breakfast, I met a couple of my school friends who work in Singapore. We were  catching up and I got to know more about life in Singapore: how the cost of living is too high there, discrimination of non-citizens in terms of healthcare, education, etc. This made me feel like Singapore just wants foreigners to come for tour or work there for few years and leave, without leaving any scope for settling down in a long term with a PR/citizenship. Still I totally enjoyed there as a tourist and it was also good to socialize with some Australian, European, Chinese tourists and residents there.

Day 6

Shopping and return:

The last day morning was all about shopping and packing, so we made quick stops at Mustafa centre and Bugis street. Orchard road and Chinatown were other shopping hotspots we didn't go to. Mustafa centre had everything, from chocolates to tshirts, from toys to gold, from electronics to household items, you name it. My friend had warned me, just because things are cheaper there, doesn't mean they will be of the finest original quality, so I was cautious about what I was buying. But as an Indian, it was weird not being able to negotiate for buying, since they had a fixed price and discounts 😂. Back at the hotel, I  checked our final packing and did the checkout formalities. Meanwhile we ordered lunch meals in Grab and had it in the hotel lobby, before heading to the airport bidding goodbye to the city.  We didn't plan to see much in the airport, since I was busy working and I had already seen most hotspots in Changi airport during arrival. The checkin formalities were quite simple at the airport and we headed to our Gate. Surprisingly there was no security check before the Gate and only during the time of boarding we had the security check; it did minimize the hapsy-turvy of having passengers from all gates in a single checkpoint and the securities there were also very courteous and patient. We eventually boarded our Indigo flight, which was little delayed and as the captain warned, it turned out to be quite a bumpy ride with lots of turbulences and seat belts sign on most of the time. As we left the shores and skies of Singapore, it was another "parting is such sweet sorrow" moment, and we landed in Bangalore at night, with sweet memories from the trip. 😇