Our first stop on our dual destination holiday was Singapore. We’ve visited Thailand and Malaysia already so I was pretty excited about visiting Singapore. I’d heard lots of good things! Our holiday was made up of 2 nights in Singapore, and 8 nights in Bali.
Due to the time difference, we were pretty pooped when we got to Singapore! We left London at 11am and arrived at Singapore 8am local time so we pretty much lost a whole night. It was Arjun’s longest flight to date! I managed to get quite a bit of sleep on the plane but the others were less fortunate (it definitely wasn’t my snoring keeping them up! Haha!).
We stayed at the Sentosa Golf and Spa Resort by Sofitel. The hotel is set on beautiful grounds and there are many peacocks wandering adding an additional splash of colour. We were welcomed in our room by one on the balcony!
The rooms were clean but not overly spacious like we’re used to with a baby. We were fortunate to get interconnecting rooms with my sisters which meant Arjun had a little more freedom to run around. It also meant the passage way to our rooms could be used to store his buggy and bag. I especially liked the bathrooms which came with a big shower and bath tub.
The hotel is located on the beach but we didn’t get the chance to visit the beach. As we were only in Singapore for two nights, we didn’t get to make the most of the hotels facilities which was a shame. The pool looked gorgeous – it’s a shame we didn’t get to use it but our plan was to make the most of exploring Singapore in the few days we had there and to relax once we arrived in Bali.
Arjun had fun exploring the open corridors of the hotel!
The breakfast selection was great, they had continental, Indian, Asian to name a few and they had a great selection of fresh juices which Arjun really enjoyed. I was pretty excited to see him eating like his old-self on the first morning. However it was short lived! He was back to his shrunk appetite soon after.
I was really impressed by the hotels attention to detail where it came to Arjun. Not only did they provide a cot, baby bath and also baby cups but at breakfast they also bought out a plastic plate and cutlery for him. I’ve not seen that before so was really pleased by it.
Be wary when arranging a taxi here, the prices from the hotel are extortionate! A local blue taxi is much cheaper. Our airport transfer was $150 but a local taxi was $55.
Things to do in Sentosa:
Viva Shopping Centre: we popped by here on our first night as somewhere to visit for dinner. It’s like a regular shopping centre with lots of high street shops and local eateries.
Universal Studios: It was super easy to get to Universal Studios from our hotel. We took the complementary shuttle bus to Viva Shopping Centre and then took the Sentosa Express from there straight to Universal Studios (it’s one stop!).
Initially my mum and I weren’t going to go to Universal Studios, we were instead going to go shopping. At the last minute we had a change of heart and decided to join the rest of the family and we were so glad we did! We had such a blast! The last time I visited universal Studios was in America about 10 years ago. I’m always so impressed by the level of effort it must take to build a place like this. The detail in the figurines, rides and set ups must be immense and it really pays off given how much awe you see on those around you as they wander through different lands. You can’t deny that there is a buzz and excitement in the air and it definitely made me feel like a big kid again!
Arjun was fascinated by what was going on around him. There was a lot to absorb, the huge real life characters, the hugest dinosaurs he’s ever seen, different backdrops and scenes bursting with colour and excitement, it was a bit of sensory overload! He loved seeing the huge dinosaurs at Jurassic Park Land and his favourite thing was playing in the water fountains beneath them! I didn’t mind as it was a pretty hot day and he needed cooling off! He also loved Shrek World and playing with the toys in the Shrek shop.
He even got to meet a baby dinasaur called Diana!
As we went on a Tuesday, there were pretty much no queues for any of the rides so we got to see most things. I’m not an adrenaline junkie, infact I really dislike rollercoasters so I skipped a few of them! I did however go on the Enchanted Airways (from Shrek) ride (I kept my eyes shut the whole time!) and my favourite ride was the Transformers simulator ride which felt crazy real even though we were pretty much in the same spot! Amazing what camera tricks and a simulator can do to you!
We took Arjun on the merry-go-round and on the Madagascar ride but he clearly wasn’t impressed! He’d probably enjoy the Madagascar ride when he’s a little taller so he can properly see what’s going on around him. He wasn’t allowed to sit on our lap so his view was probably the security bar infront of him with the tip of the boat as the backdrop for most of the ride!
Arjun got lots of attention here with lots of people wanting to take a snap with him! He embraced it with lots of smiles and waves (as he does!).
We had lunch at the Diner and I was especially excited as they had a veggie burger option there. It was delicious! I’d also recommend the cheesy fries.
We had a really great family day out at Universal Studios. The park is small enough to get around in a day provided there are no queues. There are lots of places to eat and lots of food carts to keep you hydrated and fuelled!
There are also lots of eateries just outside Universal Studios – famous places like Chillis and The Hard Rock Café.
Silat Road Gurdwara: When we are abroad, we always try and locate a Gurdwara. My parents go to the Gurdwara daily here in the UK so for them, a huge chunk of their life is missing when they are away from home. We visited the Silat Road Gurdwara which was 5 minutes away from the hotel. It was really calm and tranquil. There was a really nice atmosphere as the people doing seva (free community work) were chanting simran at the same time. Arjun really enjoyed the langar but insisted on feeding himself – there was more rice on the chair than in his mouth!
Arab Street: My mum and I couldn’t resist! We decided to get in a spot of shopping before our plane took off for Bali. We’re suckers for fabric and had been told Arab Street was the place to go. It cost us $12 to get to Arab Street from the hotel which wasn’t bad given it was about a 25 minute ride. All the shops on Arab Street pretty much sell textiles and fabric. There was lots and lots of it! However it wasn’t necessarily cheaper. We both bought a sari, some loose fabric and I also purchased a new top. It was ok but I’m glad we didn’t miss out on Universal Studios for it as we were done within an hour!
All in all, we really enjoyed our short trip to Singapore. I hope to visit again! x
