Singapore

After spending six days in Beijing and experiencing the exciting culture there it was time for our second stop on our journey; Singapore. I had really been looking forward to visit this place, but I didn’t know what to expect. After spending nearly a week in a city where no one really understood you I was excited to see how the people of Singapore would welcome us and I was very pleasantly surprised.

After a long taxi queue at the airport Johanne and I found ourselves on our way to our hotel. When booking this holiday we took the cheapest hotels we could find on all our destinations so when the taxi driver brought us to the Atrium Holiday Inn Hotel I was sure it was the wrong hotel. It was like a dream come true; the hotel was gorgeous, the staff was friendly and the rooms were big and almost quite luxurious. Even though this was the beginning of our seven week holiday we needed this treat and little did I know that the days I spent in Singapore would give me an adventure I’m longing to go back to.

Singapore has a lot to offer for everyone. The Singapore Flyer is the world’s biggest observation wheel, taking you 165 meters over the ground. There really is no better way to see this magnificent city. We woke up early so that we would be there when it opened and we ended up having a car entirely for ourselves.

The climate in Singapore is very warm with high humidity so Johanne and I always made sure we had water with us before leaving the hotel. May and June are the hottest months and we were there in the beginning of June. As we did a lot of walking we got to see quite a lot of this amazing place. The National Museum of Singapore was one of our first stops and we learned a lot of the history to this country here. We were also walking along the Singapore River, where we found many restaurants and cafes that we wanted to try out during our stay.

Raffles Hotel is Singapore’s most elegant hotel with several restaurants and bars and it is located right in the central of Singapore. Being backpackers and not bringing our finest clothes we decided not to try and have a look inside, but it looked very elegant from where we were standing. The Sultan Mosque was not far away from Raffles Hotel, a beautiful mosque in a lovely little neighbourhood with cute little shops.

Singapore Botanic Gardens is a must when visiting Singapore and entrance is free. It is a huge garden surrounded with beautiful flowers and waterfalls where the atmosphere is calming and relaxing. They are famous for their orchid garden, with over 1000 different kinds of beautiful orchids.

Sentosa Island is a playground for children in all ages with beautiful sand beaches and several attractions. A free shuttle bus from our hotel took us to this amazing place and we thought we had entered heaven. Universal Studios, spa, Underwater World, Jewel Cable Car ride, MegaZip Adventure Park and Tiger Sky Tower are only a few of the many attractions on this playground. You will also find the southern most point of continental Asia on this island.

I would without a doubt recommend Singapore to everyone. It is the perfect place to spend your holiday. I feel like Johanne and I have discovered a hidden pearl and I would love to go back someday. It is perfect for families, friends and couples. It really was a romantic and fun place where the shopping possibilities were endless and the food was cheap and tasty. If you’re wondering where to spend your holiday this summer, then I suggest you check out Singapore. You won’t regret it.