Singapore is Ready to Welcome Back Travelers

By Karanveer Singh

The lockdown has put the travel enthusiasts in a tight spot. All the travel plans for the year have gone out of the window.

As the curve has started to flatten out and the vaccine is in sight, it appears all is not lost yet. Some countries have resumed flights, although it is not yet advisable to take the first flight out.

But the way the life of an average human has been shaken by the pandemic, the mental trauma of financial strain has taken a toll on all of us. It makes taking a break all the more important. As the fear of the Covid-19 starts to fade away, one can look at the brighter side of the picture.

The dirt-cheap flight tickets and five-star hotels available at the price of three-star motels is a good enough incentive to go international even for the budget travelers.

Singapore’s Safety

One such place that you can explore in these times is Singapore. A country that can vouch for safety and hygiene. The flights have been resumed recently and it will return to normalcy. I visited the country just before the lockdown and it was a treat for my tired eyes.

They call it a fine city as you get fined for everything — smoking in a non-smoking zone, chewing gum is banned and the city goes to sleep quite early. Apart from all these minor flaws, it was a wonderful experience.

For so long as you are ready to soak yourself into the cosmopolitan world, the city has much to offer. From Universal Studios for the adventurous souls to the sea aquarium to see the calm sharks ready to take a selfie with you. I took the trip with a bunch of friends.

Changi: a Spectacular Airport

The sightseeing starts from the moment you land at the airport. Changi airport is rated as one of the world’s best airports for years.

You can have access to a swimming pool, jacuzzi, and world-class cinema at the airport itself, all without paying a single penny.

It has the biggest slide in any airport. It has a butterfly garden with more than a thousand butterflies in all the hues and colors possible. If that is not enough it has an iconic waterfall and a water lily garden.

The list of Changi’s amenities is endless, and you can spend an entire day there and not get bored for a minute.

As our flight landed late in the evening, there was no rush to reach the hotel and we explored the airport that had duty free shops which can put the biggest malls in the world to shame.

Getting to the City

As you move out after collecting your luggage, you can board a cab to the hotel. If you are light on luggage, you can go for a bus or a metro. the views from the airport to the hotel are mesmerizing, no matter which hotel you stay in.

Most of the good ones with city views are located around Marina bay sands, the place where the iconic Merlion – the face of the city is situated throwing a splash of water to welcome you.

Tropical Weather all Year

The weather in Singapore is warm and tropical, so keep the woolens at home. You may want to carry an umbrella; it may drizzle in the evening a bit. The city has a perfect skyline, skyscrapers, and gorgeous beaches.

The city comes alive in the evening with beautiful sound and light shows, water fountains dancing to the tunes of beautiful music playing at the Marina Bay.

All the buildings, flyovers, theme parks light up and enchant you to the beauty this city has to offer.

The next day as we wake up late and sipped on the warm coffee with some French toast as we made plans for where to head for our first day in Singapore.

The unanimous decision was Universal Studios. Since it requires an entire day to itself, it is better to get that ticked off from your must-visit places.

Get the Express Ticket

It does not matter whether one like rides or not, there is a lot for everyone to keep them entertained. If you are short on time, get the express ticket to avoid queues.

You will enjoy the different themes in the park– Egyptian, Disney, Jurassic Park.

Do not skip the Transformers and the Revenge of the Mummies ride. It will challenge your nerves and takes you to the world of fantasy quite literally with all the 3D technology.

For the brave-hearted, there is always the roller coaster that will get you to feel the thunder. No matter whether you like adventure or not, your trip to the country would be incomplete without coming to this part of the city.

Wasting $70?

So, if you find the idea of wasting $70 on adventure rides a lot, you can visit the sea aquarium in the vicinity. It is a huge aquarium well-curated with hundreds of different species of sharks, oysters, lobsters, and other aquatic animals.

It takes almost 3- 4 hours to take a complete tour. It has wall to wall glasses and the ambiance is bliss. Keep some time to sit there and enjoy the serenity and be with nature. It is relaxing and peaceful.

A lot of groups split up at the entry gate and meet up at the end of the day. There are a lot of fine dining and other food outlets to satisfy your taste buds.

The first day came to an end and we were tired beyond words. We did the aquarium the next day and finished that part of the town which is on the outskirts.

Singapore’s MBS District

The next stop was the famous Marina Bay Sand district. Get clicked on the famous three-legged ship holding the iconic structure. The Merlion is also in the same compound.

In the evening, take a stroll at the bridge and enjoy the cityscape and enjoy the light and music fountain dance which is free. If you are on a budget, you must visit the food courts there. There are mouth-watering and extremely clean and hygienic.

Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is another iconic structure we finished the last day before leaving for the airport although those artificial trees were there in most pictures taken from the deck of MBS hotel.

You can go to the top for a small fee without staying in the hotel. It gives breathtaking views of the city from the 57th floor of the towering hotel.

Little India and the Buddha Temple

The last days of the trip were kept for Haji Lane, Little India, Arab street, Buddha Temple, and some shopping in malls and creating memories of a lifetime.

You can complete Singapore in 3 days if you are in a hurry. Normally people do Singapore and Malaysia on a week’s trip. I was in no hurry and we took our trip. In the times of corona, you can do a 4-5-day trip to the country in less than $500 excluding flights.

The airfares are competitive, and one can plan to visit around October and book the tickets now to get great deals on flights and hotels.

No Underbelly in Singapore

It is a small yet well-organized country. perhaps one of few, which does not have an underbelly. the laws are strict, and I can vouch for it:  I forgot my bag with a laptop and my passport in it at a shop in Chinatown and went to McDonald’s and forgot about it.

Forty-five minutes later, I remembered and ran to fetch it back. what were the chances it could have been there? To my surprise it was…

Karanveer Singh is a 28-year-old, literature graduate from the University of Delhi. He is a final year MBA student at present and a traveler for life.