Singapore

Gloomendoom

Who are you flying with? Singapore Airlines give a book of discount vouchers for a good variety of attractions. They also have a hop on hop off bus that does a circuit of the popular destinations. Free if you have a SIA boarding pass or discount card.

Only ever used a taxi once. The train/underground is cheap, fast and goes virtually everywhere you might want to go.

Beer is expensive. Usually, VAT and a sevice charge is added to the advertised price. I think I was paying $18 a pint in city centre bars and about a third of that in food courts.

slinga

PompeyPete wrote: »

If I went to Kranji, I'd have to visit the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery...

https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2004200/kranji-war-cemetery/

...which is no doubt lovingly maintained.

It is.


I've been a couple of times. Some one on one of the War forums wanted a photograph of one of the graves.



Akchewlee great views from there over to Johor Bahru as the cemetery is on a hill.


If you take the MRT from say City Hall out towards Tuas then you get above ground just after Tiong Bahru iirc. Then you are above ground at tree top level and can see how the locals live, food courts, HDB multi story blocks and single story terraced houses.


Get off the MRT at Clementi then down the stairs to the bus station and take a No7 bus back into town. About 12 minute intervals. I live 32 stories above the bus station/mall/7th story car park. Make sure you get on a double decker and take the seat at the front upstairs. On the way back into town you get a good view of the houses/bungalows/condos the ex pats and rich locals live in.
The bus goes the full length of Orchard Rd so you can get off where ever you want or go as far as Raffles Place shopping center.

Total cost there and back may be £2-50, probably less and might take 1.5 hrs.

DUKE

I'm flying Qatar, it was the cheapest & best flights I could find & I've been studying form for the past month now. Although at one point Lufthansa were cheapest, & the shortest. Plus I've always fancied flying Qatar, actually I think it was Qantas now I come to think of it, must keep remembering who I'm flying with.

I'll be there for 10 nights.

Very disappointed about the expensive alcohol, I did know it, but hoped someone somewhere could tell me different.

Thanks for all the info, made notes …. I love to mingle in the local neighbourhoods, so much more interesting.

PompeyPete

Duke. Qatar are very good, in the air and on the ground. Stay away from the Duty Free at Doha, it'll seriously damage your wealth.

How long have you got between flights in Doha?

slinga

If you want to see what Singapore was like 40 years ago then take the 170 bus from town or you can get on it and a few others outside Kranji MRT.


Those buses will take you across the Causeway and through Customs both sides and into Johor Barhu.
Just wander around and you'll see the old five foot ways and shophouses as they used to be in Singapore.
Some good local food as well if you are adventurous enough because some of the coffee shops might look dubious but the food can be great.


Of course, if you haven't tried them already, you must eat Durians.
Difficult to find where they are sold in the centre of Singapore, you might find them more easily in JB.
Depending on species they might cost about S$10 per kilo at the moment.
Don't be put off by the smell they really are nice and creamy tasting.
My missus goes ga ga over them and I'm not far off.


Joo Chiat Rd if you want to try Peranakan cuisine. It's a mixture of Malay and Chinese, takes hours to cook and prepare properly but is really good.
Peranakan restaurants will have proper Peranakan crockery and furniture and are worth visiting. I think there's a Peranakan museum as well where all the Baba and Nonya culture can be see. Well worth it. There are Peranakan restaurant in the city centre but I haven't tried those.

DUKE

PompeyPete wrote: »

Duke. Qatar are very good, in the air and on the ground. Stay away from the Duty Free at Doha, it'll seriously damage your wealth.

How long have you got between flights in Doha?

Thanks Pete, I thought they would be.

I wont be going anywhere near Duty Free, anywhere, as they ain't cheap these days.


I've got 1.45 on the way there, & 2 hours on the return. That's another thing, I just wont tolerate any longer than a few hours stopover any more. It's not as bad as Dubai is it? I can't tolerate Dubai any longer either.

DUKE

slinga wrote: »

If you want to see what Singapore was like 40 years ago then take the 170 bus from town or you can get on it and a few others outside Kranji MRT.


Those buses will take you across the Causeway and through Customs both sides and into Johor Barhu.
Just wander around and you'll see the old five foot ways and shophouses as they used to be in Singapore.
Some good local food as well if you are adventurous enough because some of the coffee shops might look dubious but the food can be great.


Of course, if you haven't tried them already, you must eat Durians.
Difficult to find where they are sold in the centre of Singapore, you might find them more easily in JB.
Depending on species they might cost about S$10 per kilo at the moment.
Don't be put off by the smell they really are nice and creamy tasting.
My missus goes ga ga over them and I'm not far off.


Joo Chiat Rd if you want to try Peranakan cuisine. It's a mixture of Malay and Chinese, takes hours to cook and prepare properly but is really good.
Peranakan restaurants will have proper Peranakan crockery and furniture and are worth visiting. I think there's a Peranakan museum as well where all the Baba and Nonya culture can be see. Well worth it. There are Peranakan restaurant in the city centre but I haven't tried those.

Thanks Slinga, all sounds very interesting! I'll definitely try some of that food, any new experience is good for me.

I tried Durian in Malaysia, we had a great driver by the name of James Chee who introduced us to them, haha! Yes, I liked them, in moderation.

Any more tips will be greatly appreciated.

slinga

If you want to buy Duty Free then buy in Singapore. You can buy easily when arriving and it's as cheap as anywhere else I've seen.
Don't buy wine though.
If you buy spirits then you get three cans of Tiger either free or very cheap, can't remember which.


(if you've already been to Malaysia then you can cut out JB. Malacca is a World Heritage site and we visit quite often. As much to get out of the pressure cooker as to see Malacca but it is great to walk around the small streets near Jonkers and chat to shop 'owners'. Lots of excellent museums as well. You'd really need a night there as the coach will take 4 hours ish but is cheap . If you go try and book the Putri Hotel which is not decorated like an international hotel chain.)

PompeyPete

DUKE wrote: »

Thanks Pete, I thought they would be.

I wont be going anywhere near Duty Free, anywhere, as they ain't cheap these days.

I've got 1.45 on the way there, & 2 hours on the return. That's another thing, I just wont tolerate any longer than a few hours stopover any more. It's not as bad as Dubai is it? I can't tolerate Dubai any longer either.

I don't think there's many airports like Dubai. Sometimes I think the airport is an afterthought, with the shopping malls taking priority. I definitely wouldn't turn up with any booze inside me, I wouldn't be able to cope with all the flashing lights.


If your connecting flight at Doha is classed as a 'Short Transfer', then when you check in at your UK Airport you should be given an easy to recognise coloured envelope. When you get into the Arrivals Terminal at Doha, just wave the envelope in the air, and someone from Qatar ground staff will ping you and point you in the right direction. There's plenty of illuminated departure boards as well.

zagfles

PompeyPete wrote: »

I don't think there's many airports like Dubai. Sometimes I think the airport is an afterthought, with the shopping malls taking priority. I definitely wouldn't turn up with any booze inside me, I wouldn't be able to cope with all the flashing lights.

And that's different from other airports how? Most UK airports seem to force you to walk through their duty free shop to get to the gates.