Tips from our Singapore long weekend trip

With Sesame Street characters at Universal Studios Singapore

Some useful tips for those planning a quick getaway to Singapore.

1.  Buy your Universal Studios Singapore tickets online.  Park tickets at the gate will set you back S$74.  Tickets online cost only S$68, with free S$5 meal voucher and S$5 retail voucher.  Look out for Resorts World Sentosa promotions.  There was a catch with the retail voucher though, you can only use it with purchases above S$35.  We ended up not using it, our small purchases cost less than S$25.

2.  Be early at the Universal Studios.  We were there at 9:30am and the queue was already looong!  We headed straight to the Transformers ride, queued up for about 5 minutes and had a fun first ride!  True enough, when we want to have a second go about 4pm, the line inside was snaking up and down.  The staff at the ride entrance said waiting time could take up to an hour!  As with other theme parks, plan your rides according to what you want to experience first.

3.  If you can afford it, I highly suggest paying extra for the Express Pass.  There are two types - Express Pass (S$30) which you can use once at each participating attraction and Express Pass Unlimited (S$50), which gives unlimited access at each park attraction.  I bought the Express Pass, a paper ticket which the staff at each ride entrance ticks off.  It covered most of the rides I want, sulit!

4. You can bring food and water inside USS, there's no bag check at the entrance.  Of course, don't abuse the park policy by bringing along heavy meals, snacks and bottled drinks should be acceptable.  Water stations are available at the entrance of toilet areas, you can fill up water bottles throughout the day.

5.  Use gothere to navigate your way around Singapore.  I used it a lot to check what MRT station and/or bus number to take from one place to another.  Or whether it made sense to take a taxi, cost  and time wise.  Very convenient!

6.  Buy Park Hopper Specials.  We took the Singapore Zoo + River Safari combo at S$50, a savings of S$8 per adult.  Children (3-12 years) cost S$32, savings of S$5 with the 2-in-1 park combo.

River Safari and Zoo animals

7. At the Gardens by the Bay, we availed the Two Conservatories standard rate of S$28 (adult) and S$15 (children).  Visit the conservatories after lunch when the Singapore heat peaks.  Both Cloud Forest and Flower Dome have very good indoor air conditioning, making it very nice to explore the place.  Photos do not do justice to how gorgeous the flowers and plants are, one has to be there to fully appreciate the gardens.

Inside Cloud Forest

Singapore visit 2014

Last August 31st marked the 57th Merdeka day (Independence day) of Malaysia.

Sarah and I, together with our helper Ann, went for a quick getaway to Singapore.  I've lost count how many times I've been to the Lion City State but the country still offers something new at each visit.  This time, we checked out the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome at the Gardens by the Bay, and the River Safari.   I also had lunch with my former colleagues from Intel Philippines.  It was great catching up with friends, remembering fun times and planning for the get-together next year.

Our itinerary was:
Day 1 (Friday) - after work, took the last flight to Singapore. We reached the hotel at 11pm. 
Day 2 (Saturday) - (A) Merlion Park to enjoy the different tourist views like Esplanade, Marina Bay Sands, business district; (B) Resorts World Sentosa for lunch with Intel friends; (C) Gardens by the Bay's Cloud Forest and Flower Dome; (D) walked to Marina Bay Sands' Shoppes high end mall and watched the free Light and Water Show; (E) Pepper Lunch meal for dinner at the MBS food court
Day 3 (Sunday) - whole day fun at Universal Studios Singapore.  I availed of the Express pass to maximize the day with Sarah, so worth the extra price tag!  Bought the usual stuff from Garrett Popcorn.
Day 4 (Monday) - (A) Jollibee brunch at Lucky Plaza mall; (B) walked along Orchard Road for photo ops; (C) back to back visit to River Safari and Singapore Zoo.

Fun lunch with ex-Intel friends at Resorts World Sentosa's Din Tai Fung.

Sarah's new friend, Sienna with Tito Omeng

Sarah's photos with animals

At Changi airport indoor garden, Candylicious store, Merlion mosaic

Gardens by the Bay's Cloud Forest and Flower Dome

Fun shots with Sesame Street characters and a Minion, at Universal Studios Singapore

USS kiddie rides

Shrek and Fiona's castle, with the Fairy Godmother too!

At the River Safari

Sarah participated at the Singapore Zoo's Animal Friends Show.  She was the first volunteer to go down, excited much!

Trampoline fun at Singapore Zoo.

River Safari, Jurassic Park dinosaur, shells, Supergrove trees