The English name of Singapore is an anglicisation of the native Malay name for the country, Singapura, which was in turn derived from Sanskrit: Simhapura; simha is "lion", pura is "town" or "city", hence the customary reference to the nation as the Lion City.
We visited Singapore back in 2013. We had an incredible time, filled with excitement right from the moment we began packing. The thrill continued through the ride to the airport, the flight, and every adventure we experienced in Singapore—the places we explored, the delicious food we enjoyed, and the shopping we indulged in. The joy lasted all the way until we boarded our flight back home.
The Esplanade and Merlion Park
The Merlion Park is a beautiful park installed with the unique Merlion structure. The Merlion is the national personification of Singapore. This statue of a creature that is half-mermaid (or fish) and half-lion attracts a number of locals and tourists and has become a landmark of Singapore.
Shopping Malls
During certain periods of the day, the main fountain is turned off, so visitors are able to walk around a mini fountain at the center of the fountain’s base for good luck. We too got a chance to touch the waters of this wonderful fountain.
VivoCity is another prominent mall in Singapore, and it is said to be the largest in the country. Packed with countless shopping outlets and eateries, it truly lives up to its name—derived from the word vivacity—by radiating energy and vitality throughout. The mall also offers excellent connectivity: the Sentosa Express station is located within the complex, and just outside you’ll find a bus stop with frequent services to Resorts World Sentosa, making it a lively hub for both shopping and travel.
Resorts World Sentosa
S. E. A. Aquarium
My favorite part of the aquarium was strolling through the tunnels that marked both the beginning and end of our journey. The kids were especially delighted by the tank beneath the glass floor, watching fish swim right under their feet. Another highlight was the touch pool, where they had the exciting chance to gently touch a starfish.
There are just so many massive displays. There were different kinds & sizes of Sting Rays, Jelly Fish, Sharks, Gigantic Crabs and many more that I don't recall the names now. No other place brings you closer to a more diverse collection of marine life than the Open Ocean experience.....it was like watching poetry in motion.
The S.E.A Aquarium is just awesome and definitely an attraction to prioritise on your Sentosa Island visit.
Universal Studios
Each themed zone has its own attractions, shopping, eating establishments and street entertainment around the theme. There are rides, street performances, live shows and movie characters.
Here are the zones we explored at Universal Studios:
Hollywood Zone - Here, you will feel as if you have landed in the center of the entertainment universe. The Walk of Fame which has the famous names of the stars of Hollywood is the replica of the actual one in Hollywood. You can also meet and greet some character you like - Minions or Jerry or Stuart.
Madagascar Zone - We actually watched the movie Madagascar before, so it was an added advantage. Not that you need to be familiar with the movie to enjoy this area. This area is great for the young ones as the attractions are best suited for younger kids. There are two attractions – one takes you on a raft ride to and through Madagascar with the characters from the movie. The other is a big carousel. Both were a hit with us.
Sci-Fi City Zone - This zone has one of the best attractions at Universal Studios Singapore – the Transformers ride. This “ultimate 3D battle” is truly amazing. There is a roller coaster ...which is jaw-dropping gigantic...I think it could be the world's tallest...not for the weak hearts.
New York Zone - This zone looks fabulous and we were lucky enough to arrive right on time to see some great street dancing and a live Sesame Street stage show. You can feel the spirit and energy of America's biggest and grandest city as you stroll along the sidewalks and enjoy all the classic landmarks, the impressive city skylines, neon lights, and facades that set the scenes for big city fun and real-time movie production. We were blown away when an empty sound stage became the setting for a major hurricane about to hit New York City - right before our very eyes.
Ancient Egypt Zone - This zone takes you to the 1930's Egypt, the Golden Age of Egyptian Exploration. Mr. Peter went into the Revenge of the Mummy zone, so he explained his experience to us. It's based on the movie....and here visitors were plagued on all sides by huge fireballs, swarms of scarab beetles and an army of warrior mummies....all in total darkness. It was spooky. We took the Treasure Hunters drive in a little desert jeep through an abandoned Egyptian excavation site.
The Lost World Zone - This is divided into two themed areas: Jurassic Park and WaterWorld, this zone is for fans of the two blockbuster movies. Here we can experience a dense tropical forest where dinosaurs lurk, then witness some death defying stunts and awesome explosions filled with thrills and spills at the sensational 'live' water show.
Far Far Away Zone - Here we can experience the lifestyles of the rich and fairy-taled with the movie stars and talking donkeys. The Shrek 4D Adventure is awesome too.
The Gardens by the Bay
The Gardens by the Bay is a park spanning about a 100 hectares in central Singapore. It is an integral part of a strategy by the Singapore government to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden". The stated aim is to raise the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in the city.
After reading such a wonderful information given on a brochure, we were keen on seeing the various attractions here, that included the Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, Heritage Gardens, Super Tree Groves, Sun Pavilion, OCBC Skyway and many more.
When we first entered the Flower Dome and we were standing in awe of nature. It replicates the cool-dry climate of Mediterranean regions like South Africa, California and parts of Spain and Italy. It is home to a collection of plants from all over the world.
The highlight of the Flower Dome is the flowers in the changing colourful displays of the Flower Field, which reflects different seasons, festivals and themes. I particularly loved the beautiful orchids on display.
The walk through the Sun Pavilion is nothing short of extraordinary. I think we were amidst the world's most dynamic drylands and deserts. It comprised of over 1000 deseet plants in 100 different varieties and species of cacti. We also spotted the amazing Mexican columnar cacti....you know which is usually seen in those olden-day cowboy movies.
The Cloud Forest is basically a massive green house, holding a rainforest scene inside. It replicates the cool moist conditions found in tropical mountain regions found in South-East Asia, Middle- and South America. The first thing you see upon entering is breathtaking – the tall “mountain” with a spectacular waterfall. It gave us the impression of a mysterious world veiled in mist; and the experience here at Cloud Forest is entirely different from the Flower Dome.
There’s nothing quite like taking a scenic stroll along the OCBC Skyway at the Supertree Grove. At a height of 22 metres and surrounded by panoramic views of the Gardens and Marina Bay skyline, this 128-metre-long aerial walkway is an experience not to be missed.
Marina Bay Sands - Skypark Observation Deck
Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. The resort includes a 2,000+ room luxury hotel, a huge convention-exhibition centre, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall, a museum, two large theatres, "celebrity chef" restaurants, two floating Crystal Pavilions, a skating rink, and a casino. The complex is topped by a 340-metre-long SkyPark and a 150 m infinity swimming pool, set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform.
This is one place that we didn't want to miss. You haven’t seen Singapore until you’ve seen it from Sands SkyPark Observation Deck, soaring 57 levels above the heart of the city. We reached during sunset. We could see the Merlion & Esplanade from here. And when it was dark, the city was lit up and looked beautiful.
The panoramic views of the stunning Marina Bay, the world-class cityscape, the architectural wonders of Supertree Grove, and the vibrant colours of Gardens by the Bay were all amazingly marvelous.
After seeing marine life & a lot of flora....it was time to explore the bird & animal kingdom. Wildlife Reserves Singapore is a self-funded organisation based in Singapore which manages the majority of zoos in the country. The organization currently manages the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari, the Jurong Bird Park and the River Safari in Singapore.
The S.E.A Aquarium is just awesome and definitely an attraction to prioritise on your Sentosa Island visit.
Universal Studios
This attraction is truly fantastic—especially for families with kids—as there’s more than enough to keep everyone entertained for an entire day, or even longer. When we visited, the park featured seven distinct themed zones, each offering its own unique experiences – Madagascar, Far Far Away (Shrek theme), The Lost World, Ancient Egypt (including The Mummy), Sci-Fi City (including Transformers) and New York (including Sesame Street) and Hollywood.
Each themed zone has its own attractions, shopping, eating establishments and street entertainment around the theme. There are rides, street performances, live shows and movie characters.
Here are the zones we explored at Universal Studios:
Far Far Away Zone - Here we can experience the lifestyles of the rich and fairy-taled with the movie stars and talking donkeys. The Shrek 4D Adventure is awesome too.
The Gardens by the Bay
The Gardens by the Bay is a park spanning about a 100 hectares in central Singapore. It is an integral part of a strategy by the Singapore government to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden". The stated aim is to raise the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in the city.
After reading such a wonderful information given on a brochure, we were keen on seeing the various attractions here, that included the Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, Heritage Gardens, Super Tree Groves, Sun Pavilion, OCBC Skyway and many more.
The highlight of the Flower Dome is the flowers in the changing colourful displays of the Flower Field, which reflects different seasons, festivals and themes. I particularly loved the beautiful orchids on display.
The Cloud Forest mountain has been densely planted with a mixture of fascinating orchids, delicate ferns and many other colourful plants. One of the interesting plants include The Pitcher Plant with its cup-shaped leaves used to attract, kill and digest insects and small animals that venture within.
Marina Bay Sands - Skypark Observation Deck
Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. The resort includes a 2,000+ room luxury hotel, a huge convention-exhibition centre, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall, a museum, two large theatres, "celebrity chef" restaurants, two floating Crystal Pavilions, a skating rink, and a casino. The complex is topped by a 340-metre-long SkyPark and a 150 m infinity swimming pool, set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform.
This is one place that we didn't want to miss. You haven’t seen Singapore until you’ve seen it from Sands SkyPark Observation Deck, soaring 57 levels above the heart of the city. We reached during sunset. We could see the Merlion & Esplanade from here. And when it was dark, the city was lit up and looked beautiful.
After seeing marine life & a lot of flora....it was time to explore the bird & animal kingdom. Wildlife Reserves Singapore is a self-funded organisation based in Singapore which manages the majority of zoos in the country. The organization currently manages the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari, the Jurong Bird Park and the River Safari in Singapore.
Little India, Chinatown, Clarke Quay, Orchard Road
Little India today is one of Singapore’s most vibrant districts. Fill your tummy with South Indian vegetarian food, North Indian tandoori dishes and local fare like roti prata. And don’t forget to shop. The 24-hour shopping mall Mustafa Centre offers everything from electronics to groceries. Since we visited around the Deepavali festival time, the streets were beautifully decorated. It felt like I was back home.
Chinatown is a bustling mix of old and new, filled with traditional shops and markets as well as cool stores and cafes. If you’re a foodie, you must try out food at Chinatown Food Street. And for shopaholics, Pagoda Street is the place to be. Just by walking along the street is good enough for visitors to experience what the locals do.
Clarke Quay is a historical riverside quay in Singapore. This is such a lively place. There are so many eateries and night clubs at one end and such calm and mesmerising restaurants by the river on the other side. Clarke quay also plays you host to some of the amazing food.
We went to the famous Orchard Road in the evening time. This is a very vibrant & busy pedestrian friendly road. It is a shoppers paradise, it has almost all the brands available....plus some local knick-knacks. Great eating options are a plenty. If not for the shopping or the food, it's just amazing to see the crowd running from one spot to the other.
Singapore Cable Car Ride
Finally we decided to take Singapore cable car ride. The Singapore cable car takes you from Mt Faber or Harbour Front on Singapore across to Sentosa Island. It is quick, easy and has fabulous views and you should really take it at least once.
We hopped on from Harbour Front, so we could see the Singapore harbour as well as the Cruise that was embarked by the sea. The cable car trip was for about 10 minutes, but it is the breath taking view that was so exhilarating from such a height.
Singapore Cable Car Ride
Finally we decided to take Singapore cable car ride. The Singapore cable car takes you from Mt Faber or Harbour Front on Singapore across to Sentosa Island. It is quick, easy and has fabulous views and you should really take it at least once.
Singapore Jurong Bird Park
The shows are super impressive too. During the 'Kings of the Skies' show, a man lobs meat above the audience for kites and eagles to swoop in and catch. And the finale of the 'High Flyers' show involves getting a hundred birds on stage. Pelicans, flamingos, pigeons, parrots, cockatoos, toucans- you name it, it was on stage, flapping around.
Singapore Night Safari
After a long day at the Jurong bird park, we headed next to the Singapore Night Safari. It is the world’s first safari park for nocturnal animals.
There is a 40 minute tram ride that takes you through the seven geographic regions from the Himalayan foothills to the jungles of Southeast Asia. We got to see elephants, tapirs, tigers, giraffes and rhinos....all in their natural habitats. The tram operator also narrated in the journey giving the us and fellow travellers facts about the animals.
Other attractions include the Creatures of the Night Show which showcases the predatory and survival instincts of nocturnal animals like a raccoon, leopard cats, wolf, hyenas and a barn owl, performing tricks. There also was a fire eating performance by the Thumbuakar tribal dancers.
For those who are more adventurous can opt to walk on the walking trails with small flash lights, through the rainforest past all these animals. There are guides available at every juncture, so there is no worry of getting lost.
I highly recommend going to the Singapore Night Safari if you visit Singapore. It’s an incredible experience unlike anything else.
Singapore Zoo
The Singapore Zoo is an “open concept” rainforest zoo. The zoo is set up to simulate a rainforest and the animals live in open air enclosures set up like their home environments. Some animals are even allowed to wander freely around the park. Orangutans have their own open environment with a boardwalk set up for guest to see them at their own level.
We saw lions, cheetahs, giraffes, white tigers, pygmy hippopotamus, chimpanzees, zebras, proboscis monkeys and cute meerkats. The zoo is highly educational with lots of information posted about the animals. A weird fact about the pygmy hippopotamus is that, despite living most of it’s life in the water, it can’t float due to it’s dense body weight. I didn't know this!!!
Another highlight of this zoo was the Elephant show where mahouts and Asian elephants together were performing acrobats and hat tricks, splashing water at the audience, waving its trunks and being mischievous too.....our kids were amazed and it was fun to watch these land giants work & play.
My favourite exhibit in the entire zoo was the white tiger exhibit. Did you know that only one in 10,000 tigers is white and the Singapore Zoo is home to three of them.
They are probably three of the most beautiful animals I’ve ever seen. I absolutely loved this zoo.
Despite the concrete walkways, it did feel like walking through a rainforest.
The animals appeared to be in great shape and they were all in some of the best enclosures I’ve ever seen in any zoo. It’s well worth taking the time to visit the Singapore Zoo.
River Safari
Another attraction in the same area was the River Safari. It is the first of its kind in Asia and features freshwater attractions and river boat rides as its main highlights. River Safari is designed to profile freshwater habitats from iconic rivers of the world such as the Amazon River, Mekong River and River Nile.
In 2016, Mandai Wildlife Reserve unveiled an ambitious vision: Jurong Bird Park, beloved for decades, would spread its wings and relocate to a far larger home at Mandai Lake Road. The move was part of a grand plan to bring together Singapore’s three existing wildlife parks with a brand-new Rainforest Park, weaving them into a vast, integrated haven for nature and wildlife known as the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. In 2021, anticipation grew as the group revealed the name of Jurong Bird Park’s successor—Bird Paradise—a title that promised wonder and discovery. In 2023, it was opened to the public, welcoming visitors into a lush new chapter where vibrant avian life soared once again, this time in a setting designed to be even more immersive and breathtaking.
Singapore Food Diary
When in Singapore, one must try their famous Hainanese Chicken rice. It is a wholesome one pot meal. It is considered as one of the national dishes of Singapore.
Although it’s just a simple combination of boiled chicken, paired with flavorful rice and sauce, this Hainanese influenced dish, ranks as one of the most popular and beloved dishes to eat in Singapore. This is available almost in every food court.
There's a Malaysian food street in the Resorts World Sentosa, next to the S.E.A Aquarium. This is one dining destination not to be missed! It's got a unique old-town ambiance to flavour the experience of indulging in some of Malaysia's finest and famous hawker fare. Some of the authentic dishes that we tried out were the KL Claypot Chicken Rice and Char Kuey Teow(stir fried rice & noodles). 'Twas yumm!!!
When it comes to stir fried noodles in Singapore, one of the ultimate local favorites is char kway teow, a dish of flat wide rice noodles, stir fried with egg, a sauce of dark soy sauce, shrimp paste, a bit of chili, and often some Chinese sausage to finish it off.
A trip to Singapore would be incomplete, if you haven't tasted their speciality - Singapore Chili Crab, from Jumbo Seafood, by the riverside point. Often referred to as one of the national dishes of Singapore, chili crab is one of the most beloved special family dishes in Singapore. Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli based sauce. Despite its name, chilli crab is not a very spicy dish....but it is slightly an expensive dish. If you love seafood, then it's a must try.
We had Kaya Toast for breakfast from Ya Kun. Now, Kaya toast is prepared with kaya (coconut jam), a topping of sugar, coconut milk, eggs and sometimes butter. It is generally served on toast. It is considered a breakfast staple, and remains popular in Singapore. The dish is sometimes dipped into soft-boiled egg with a little dark soy sauce and white pepper. It was definitely different for our pa lattes, but was worth a try.
Laksa
Laksa is one of the ultimate demonstrations of the combination of Chinese and Malay flavors and ingredients all in a single bowl. Noodles, often rice noodles, make up the foundation and starch of a bowl of laksa, followed by a gravy or curry, some pieces of protein, and often some vegetables and herbs.
It seems that just about every country throughout the world has their own version of a crushed or shaved ice dessert, and in Singapore that treat is called an ice kacang. At the bottom of the bowl, a selection of different jellies and red beans are added, followed by light packed shaved ice, which is then covered in a variety of different syrups, and topped with condensed milk and sweet cream corn.
Every journey must eventually draw to a close, and so did ours. Our time in Singapore was truly unforgettable—we cherished every moment and delighted in each experience. From beginning to end, it was a vacation filled with wonder, joy, and memories worth sharing. As we bid farewell, I find myself already anticipating the day I return, eager to revisit the places that captured our hearts, uncover those we missed, and embrace the new adventures that await in such a dynamic and ever-evolving destination.
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