Singapore

DUKE

slinga wrote: »

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.)

Unfortunately I don't drink spirits, perhaps I should start, again, did too much of that in my youth I just like a lunch time beer, & a red wine in the evening, I only usually drink on holiday. MrD has the occasional cider. We're staying near Changi beach, I know it's outta the way but I want some peace in between.

DUKE

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.


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.

I must admit I always have a pint at the airport, no matter what the time. MrD says you can't drink alcohol at 5am, but I can as I'm on holiday! Then I'll have red wine on the plane, washed down with equal measures of water.

It's comforting to know about the coloured envelope, er is Doha big then Pete?

slinga

DUKE wrote: »

Unfortunately I don't drink spirits, perhaps I should start, again, did too much of that in my youth I just like a lunch time beer, & a red wine in the evening, I only usually drink on holiday. MrD has the occasional cider. We're staying near Changi beach, I know it's outta the way but I want some peace in between.

You might be surprised at how lively the Changi Beach area is.


Apart from any noise from planes, close to the end of a runway, Changi at the weekend has a lot of 'tourists', fishing, boat trips to Pulau Ubin which you might well enjoy and boat trips over to Pengaran in Malaysia.
Changi Village has a goodish Hawker center and Changi Yacht Club is close by.


Not easy to get anywhere in town though from Changi Beach if you haven't a car. Taxi or a trip to the airport for the MRT or the MRT at Tampines.


Unless you have any specific questions I'll bow out now as many people enjoy the act of exploring new places etc without being told too much.

PompeyPete

DUKE wrote: »

I must admit I always have a pint at the airport, no matter what the time. MrD says you can't drink alcohol at 5am, but I can as I'm on holiday! Then I'll have red wine on the plane, washed down with equal measures of water.

It's comforting to know about the coloured envelope, er is Doha big then Pete?

It's only big if you allow it to be. Find out where you Boarding Gate is first, then if you want to wander off and see how big it is then at least you should know how to retrace your steps to the Boarding Gate

PompeyPete

zagfles wrote: »

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.

Yeah, I have noticed.

But in the big scheme of things, at UK airports you're 'herded' through an easy to follow Retail channel once you've cleared Security to reaching the main Departure Area. Whereas Dubai can be mega confusing, bright lights and shops everywhere, and signs leading of in all directions, not to mention you might have to jump on a train to get to your connecting departure gate, getting the train in the wrong direction is also a possibility.

If you've got too 'pop' in your system then who knows where you might end up. Last time we flew into Dubai at silly o'clock in the morning our flight was ahead of time, only to end up in a 'stack' for almost an hour, and a subsequent rush to get to our onward Departure Gate.

Our onward flight to BKK left the Gate on time, and we spent the next 2 hours stop, start taxiing around before taking off.

Ballard

I had a connecting flight in Doha once. I can’t remember where I was going but we had about 75 minutes there and had to get a bus down a motorway to another terminal. Made it easily though.

In Singapore I would recommend the botanic gardens. I’m not into horticulture but it was a gorgeous oasis of peace in what can be a rather hectic city.

PompeyPete

Ballard wrote: »

I had a connecting flight in Doha once. I can’t remember where I was going but we had about 75 minutes there and had to get a bus down a motorway to another terminal. Made it easily though.

Had a drop-off and pick-up stop in 1988 at Dubai with Singapore Airlines. No Airbridge, walked off the aircraft and into the Terminal Duty Free, and back again.....how times have changed.:)

Ballard wrote: »

In Singapore I would recommend the botanic gardens. I’m not into horticulture but it was a gorgeous oasis of peace in what can be a rather hectic city.

I'll second that one.

knightstyle

Don't be afraid walking around the different communities, we stayed a week and walked many miles exploring the back streets, there is little crime and everyone was friendly. found gambling dens in underground car parks, people burning wads of prayer money, were invited into a slaughter house had great conversations in a junk shop where we were Christians, the owner was a Muslim and his friend was a Sikh, many cups of sweet mint tea while we put the world to rights.
Do go to the local market Sungei road on Google maps shows it in full swing.

DUKE

slinga wrote: »

You might be surprised at how lively the Changi Beach area is.


Apart from any noise from planes, close to the end of a runway, Changi at the weekend has a lot of 'tourists', fishing, boat trips to Pulau Ubin which you might well enjoy and boat trips over to Pengaran in Malaysia.
Changi Village has a goodish Hawker center and Changi Yacht Club is close by.


Not easy to get anywhere in town though from Changi Beach if you haven't a car. Taxi or a trip to the airport for the MRT or the MRT at Tampines.


Unless you have any specific questions I'll bow out now as many people enjoy the act of exploring new places etc without being told too much.

Lively? :eek: Ah well I can do very lively, but I do need my beauty sleep, & plenty of it.

I was aware of the airport, & how far it is into town. I'm quite happy to use public transport, & use the grab app ... It's just that on my last holiday to HK I wanted to book a beach resort but after talking to people on TA I decided against it. However, I did do a boat trip to the place where I was going to stay, & as happy as I was with the hotels that I'd booked, I did still sort of regret not staying there for a few days.

Thanks ever so much for your valuable input Slinga.

DUKE

Ballard wrote: »

I had a connecting flight in Doha once. I can’t remember where I was going but we had about 75 minutes there and had to get a bus down a motorway to another terminal. Made it easily though.

In Singapore I would recommend the botanic gardens. I’m not into horticulture but it was a gorgeous oasis of peace in what can be a rather hectic city.

Thanks Ballard, that's on my list.