#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Singapore Forum >  >  Singapore Trip

## ShrewedPunter

WTF is this sorcery?? A clean, safe, modern, beautiful, pristine city in SE Asia..

As usual some pics from my trip with missus to Singapore.

Very very very very very nice place. It was a joy to walk around, take the MRT or catch a bus. Expensive i guess .. but there are some exceptions.

The buses and MRT are cheap. Grab cars are about the same as taking a UK taxi I guess however theres a chance youll get picked up in a brand new Merc  :Very Happy: 

Cheap and tasty Indian/Chinese/Malay food available in the food court style places.

Emilates stopover


Small hotel loom in the centre £60 a night



Out n about

















Noodle Brunch



Marina Bay Sands


Dinner at some funny place 





Supertree Grove & light show







Singapore Sling & view from ce la vie




Universal Studios

























no. before you ask .. they're not real dinosaurs





Clark Quay is a nice place for dinner and drinks

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## cyrille

My first resting place in Asia...for a year in ‘88.

Said I wouldn’t return but now I’m quite curious to see how it’s changed. 

Fine pics as usual, sp. You really captured the plasticity.  :Very Happy:

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## ShrewedPunter

Loads of nice cafes in Singapore.. 



Gardens by the bay & cloud forest

not many pics. I was bored haha 



















Hotpot

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## Jack meoff

Nice pics spunter, cheers

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## nidhogg

Nice photos punty.  Big fan of Singapore myself.

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## Chittychangchang

10/10  Punty!
Teakdoors Alan Wicker!
Great pics, cheers for taking the time to share.

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## Loy Toy

No candid pictures from inside the 4 floors of Orchard Tower but still a great thread Punter.  :Smile:

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## cyrille

> Big fan of Singapore myself.


A not working there thing. .like Chiang Rai.. :Wink:

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## nidhogg

> A ‘not working there’ thing. .like Chiang Rai..


15 years working there has left me with fond memories - and a very healthy CPF account....?

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## aging one

Maybe if you work. For me Singapore has done the right thing, but other than Changi there is not much there for me. :Smile:

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## cyrille

But LC knows where the hookers are there.


So there's that.

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## Jack meoff

> But LC knows where the hookers are there.


Knowledgeable bloke

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## tomcat

...for all the cleanliness, efficiency, excellent restaurants and artificial Dubai-type attractions that Singapore has to offer, I prefer Hong Kong, existing as it does in the shadow of the giant dragon and yet still a vibrant fascinating urban environment...smug Singaporeans remind me of US Asians living in a gated California suburb, aware that at any moment _the other_ could breach the walls and render the citizenry refugees...

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## ShrewedPunter

Chinese garden & turtle museum

This place is a quiet gem and a 30 minute mrt ride away.

hardly any one there 

















Food in China town mall 



Indian



Mrt



I tried to hunt down a nice pie but it was hopeless.. my last resort was Starbucks :/

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## tomcat

^...that food court is where SD had the turtle soup (fresh!) and I nearly starved to death...RIP Anthony Bourdain, but I don't need to visit it again...

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## Neo

Nice pics Punty... but Singapore looks a bit tame.

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## Mandaloopy

Very nice pics, always put visiting Singapore off due to false preconceived ideas about the place. It's back in the list

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## tomcat

> always put visiting Singapore off due to false preconceived ideas about the place


...don't be too hasty...

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## Neo

I preferred Puntys threads when he was a monger.. but at least the photos are in focus now  :Smile:

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## Dasher

Sing is good for 2 or 3 days then it's boring.

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## DJ Pat

> I preferred Puntys threads when he was a monger.. but at least the photos are in focus now


Give him time. Those days will return
Nice pics but HK's got miles more character

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## tomcat

> Nice pics but HK's got miles more character


...yep...

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## nidhogg

> ...yep...


Singapore has bags of charatacter, but you need to know where to go.  Buckwheat chapatis on a sunday morning at desker road, the best duck rice in the world at South Buona Vista, Newton circus chili crab and fresh bao, Samis for fish head curry.  Singapore is food.  The best in the world.  Bar none.

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## tomcat

...if Singapore's "character" needs to be hunted down, no thanks: the weather doesn't allow for treasure hunts...if it's not found on Clark's Quay, the hell with it...

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## DJ Pat

Anyone speak Singlish?

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## tomcat

> Anyone speak Singlish?


...have a drink at the Telephone Bar on Silom soi 4...it's the second language there...it's almost as if there are no gay bars in Singapore...are there?

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## nidhogg

> ...if Singapore's "character" needs to be hunted down, no thanks: the weather doesn't allow for treasure hunts...if it's not found on Clark's Quay, the hell with it...


Clarke Quay??


 :rofl: 

Congratulations tomcat.  You just posted the equivalent of "if it is not Sukhamvit, it is not Thailand".....

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## nidhogg

> Anyone speak Singlish?


Fluently.  Why?

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## cyrille

Umm....food is not all that's needed for a place to have 'bags of character', is it?

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## nidhogg

> Umm....food is not all that's needed for a place to have 'bags of character', is it?


Well, Singapore *is* food.

But each of those places has its own ambiance.  Its where the Singaporeans are.......

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## tomcat

> You just posted the equivalent of "if it is not Sukhamvit, it is not Thailand".....


...possibly, but we had only 2 nights on the island...and no time to search for the no doubt wonderful eateries you mentioned...

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## ShrewedPunter

Nice place.. nothing to get to overly excited about.

last pics

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## slimboyfat

Nice thread and pics.
Surprised you made it to Chinese Garden - and the Live Turtle Museum. 
I live across the road from Chinese Garden MRT station.

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## Attilla the Hen

> Singapore has bags of charatacter, but you need to know where to go.  Buckwheat chapatis on a sunday morning at desker road, the best duck rice in the world at South Buona Vista, Newton circus chili crab and fresh bao, Samis for fish head curry.  Singapore is food.  The best in the world.  Bar none.


Sorry, disagree. Best and original chili crab was at Ponggal point decades ago. They then moved and morphed into Longbeach on ECP.

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## nidhogg

> Sorry, disagree. Best and original chili crab was at Ponggal point decades ago. They then moved and morphed into Longbeach on ECP.


No worries - Longbeach is good also, but to be fair, I prefer the ambience at Newton (in the event of not being able to go back in time 20 or 30 years!)

Still, arguing about where is the best (of any food) is a well honoured Singaporean pastime.

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## Airportwo

> Sorry, disagree. Best and original chili crab was at Ponggal point decades ago. They then moved and morphed into Longbeach on ECP.


Now there is somewhere I had forgotten about, Ponggal - we used to water ski there and off course eat Chilli crab.
My first port of call in Singapore is usually Muddy Murphys, now back at Claymore Road with views over the 4 floors! 
Surprised last time was there to find Jasons had closed down, also Harry's bar Claymore now gone, remember when they took over from Dennys! Jasons had been there forever!

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## nidhogg

To be fair, I think my first seafood dinner in Singapore was at Ponggal - that would be back in about 1985.

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## norfolkc

Was based there for many years go to know the place had some great times there made some very good friends there loved the place a lot hidden to get to know once you do it's good

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## headhunter

having not had a holliday [me/wife] since 2006 and no up to date details in my passport,which doesnt allow me to do my 90days report online,i am contemplating going to singapore 3-4days.
so all you guys in the know,as i cant get around like i used to,this would suite me fine.
nice hotel somewhere near where i can gouge on some great food.
universal studio's orlando would bring back memories.
as the wife loves her garden,some nice one would keep her happy.
thats just about it,one negative i dont like traveling too far,eg.airport-hotel.had a bad experiance in bkk.ln a limo when the driver fell asleep and run into the back of a truck.
so thanks for any info you can give me. the time would be early dec.or jan.feb.

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## Dillinger

^ start your own thread

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## headhunter

> ^ start your own thread


I didn't ask you. :Sorry1:

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## cyrille

> as the wife loves her garden,some nice one would keep her happy.


The Botanical gardens are really good.

Among the best in Asia.

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## headhunter

> The Botanical gardens are really good.
> 
> Among the best in Asia.


thanks for that C. she is a orchid freak.

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## cyrille

She's in for a treat then.

https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Attra...=7&ff=80233383

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## Luigi

> ^ start your own thread





> I didn't ask you.


 :smiley laughing:

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## nidhogg

> The Botanical gardens are really good.
> 
> Among the best in Asia.


Yup.  And there are the Chinese and Japanese gardens (I think on this thread they only visited the Chinese one).

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## Dillinger

> And there are the Chinese and Japanese gardens (I think on this thread they only visited the Chinese one)


When was the last time you were in Singapore Nid?
He went to the Gardens by the Bay.

That's part of them below on the right built on reclaimed land, although not the best pic..



I did go inside and spent a weekend taking macro photos of thousands of orchids. 
That Headhunter can go fuck himself though :Smile:

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## headhunter

fuck himself?how do you manage that. :kma: i might be a wanker,so come on willy dilly TELL ME HOW. :cmn: to fuck myself.sorry about the language I am just learning how to be a good member.

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## Luigi

Go Hunter!


Go Hunter!

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## katie23

@headhunter - your wife might like to visit Jurong Bird park. The Gardens by the bay, Marina Bay Sands, Art Science Museum (even if you don't enter, it has interesting architecture) and the rest of that reclaimed area - all nice for a stroll & photos. 

As for places to stay, lots of choices - low, mid or high end. I'm a budget traveler and I stayed in a cheap hotel in the Geylang area. It's near an MRT station & lots of convenience stores & cheap restos. It also had a red-light zone, so that was interesting - don't know if that's a plus or minus for you. Lol. Public transport in SG is easy-peasy. 

Re: Dilly, don't mind him. He may seem tough but he's actually a fluffy tabby cat.  :Very Happy: . Just don't post your face pics here or you'll get photoshopped by Dill the photoshop meister.  :Wink:

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## nidhogg

> When was the last time you were in Singapore Nid?
> He went to the Gardens by the Bay.


LOL.  OK - not lived there for nearly 20 years - and only occasional short business trips there since.

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## Dillinger

> dilly TELL ME HOW


I can't unsee that now you've had me google it.

The guy looked like Luigi too :Smile:

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## headhunter

> I can't unsee that now you've had me google it.
> 
> The guy looked like Luigi too


got the food hunting sorted,the date's,the flights,now its what hotel maybe 3-4nights around 4-5k a night  [package deal] flights incl.not fussy about breakfast as past experiance's are  STAY CLEAR OF BUFFETS.as long as I got coffee in the mornings its eat outside.

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## Dillinger

^ I stayed at Yotel, which was about 5k a night.

Tiny rooms but a funky comfy  electric bed and bathroom blinds, good breakfast, pool and right next to Orchard Road, which is where those gardens thst Cyrille mentioned are. Some nice bars for hunting head :Smile:  and restaurants there too. Its very close to the metro also for access to airport and wherever

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## Dillinger

As for flights, look at Scoot, they fly from Swampy, a Singapore budget airline that look like they use Air Asia's old planes :Smile:

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## headhunter

> As for flights, look at Scoot, they fly from Swampy, a Singapore budget airline that look like they use Air Asia's old planes


thanks D I have narrowed it down to 3nights at MERCURE BUGIS MIDDLE RD.FLIGHTS DMBKK.TUES-FRI.EXPEDIA quote 537aus.dol. around 13,000bht.x2 is that about right.

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## cyrille

Scoot/AirAsia/Jetstar is about 4K baht return

18K for a hotel for three nights seems a lot.

Depends how flash it is, of course.

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## cyrille

Just checked...Mercure Bugis St. lowest price for a double on Agoda is 15,000 baht for three nights.

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## Dillinger

I'd do it all yourself HH..

On booking.com that hotel is less than 4k a night for the dates you want- early December,Jan or Feb.

So less than 12,000 baht  for your hotel. You just have to find flights that are cheaper than 7,000 baht each return to beat Expedia.
Look on Scoot and Air Asia websites and mobile apps and you will easily do that.

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## Dillinger

The Carlton Hotel is only 0.3km away from that Mercure and 4k more expensive over the 3 nights.

If  you book yourself rather than Expedia you would be able to  stay  there in Jack Meoff style luxury

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## SKkin

> but a funky comfy electric bed


Is it just me...or is that bed built for the vertically challenged? Seems very short. Maybe it's just the angles...

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## Dillinger

Thats in the upright position :Smile:

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## happynz

^^ I reckon it's a foldable sort of rack. The room is so small that when the bed is in the down position one can't open or close the door.

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## SKkin

> Thats in the upright position


How often does that happen?  :Smile: 


We savages don't have these things...

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## SKkin

> I reckon it's a foldable sort of rack.


Foldable racks...mind blown.

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## tomcat

> Foldable racks...mind blown


...hospitals are full of both...

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## SKkin

> ...hospitals are full of both...


Since I'm such a health nut, I'm not often in close proximity to hospitals.

 ::chitown::

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## tomcat

...how about blown minds then?...

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## headhunter

> I'd do it all yourself HH..
> 
> On booking.com that hotel is less than 4k a night for the dates you want- early December,Jan or Feb.
> 
> So less than 12,000 baht  for your hotel. You just have to find flights that are cheaper than 7,000 baht each return to beat Expedia.
> Look on Scoot and Air Asia websites and mobile apps and you will easily do that.


thanks D and everyone,in over 35yrs.of holidays I have never had a problem booking,me and mrs.headhunter found it so easy to book anywhere,but all I have found so far is prices quoted in either aus.dols.or sng.dols.then there is 7% & 10% tax to add.
I did find flights from dmkk.singapore air 9.45am.4,000bht.that suits us fine,so can we book the hotel direct,if so that is also fine.
as I cant get about like I used to,advice on TD. says get a HOP-ON-OFF TKT. china town & little india I will look no further for food.

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## headhunter

another sight ACCOR HOTELS.COM 3NIGHTS AT THE MERCURE BUGIS 10,800BHT.same dates available so booking flights should be no problem :rofl: thats a big saving on the quote from expedia.that should pay for transfers and bus tkts.

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## Switch



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## tomcat

...I hope you didn't spill your drink...

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## headhunter

> another sight ACCOR HOTELS.COM 3NIGHTS AT THE MERCURE BUGIS 10,800BHT.same dates available so booking flights should be no problemthats a big saving on the quote from expedia.that should pay for transfers and bus tkts.


seems my brain doesn't work like it used to,cant find where I got the cost of the flights from,its a bit more than I thought I saw.
did find a quote for ROYAL PLAZA ON SCOTTS RD.about 13,000bht.so I will have to look at agoda.or get my influential person to do the honours.

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## katie23

^check out Air Asia, Jetstar and Tiger airlines for flights, sometimes they have promos. Good luck & have fun!  :Smile:

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## Bogon

Heads up if anyone is interested.

Just got an email from Jetstar Asia.

Starting tomorrow at 8am they have a Return for Free sale.

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## cyrille

Also 'scoot' as dil mentioned.

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## headhunter

> ^check out Air Asia, Jetstar and Tiger airlines for flights, sometimes they have promos. Good luck & have fun!


thanks for the reply,as we have to travel from korat to don muang it was a pain trying to get flights with times to suit.
so so far the best are,singapore air dep.9.45am ariv.11.15am.1hr.in front of thai.
                                  scoot leave sing.9.30am.ariv.bkk.10.55am. 6,800bht.
so the 3nights at the royal plaza on scotts plus flights just over 20,500.might be some taxes to add.

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## Airportwo

> so the 3nights at the royal plaza on scotts plus flights just over 20,500.might be some taxes to add


I stayed for a month at Royal Plaza a couple of years back, hotel & location is good, though atmosphere a little dour as Halal and no alcohol, owned by the Sultan of Brunei.
Best Mee Goreng in the world at the coffee shop! (also the most expensive!)

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