As part of our university’s orientation, we were provided with a tour of Singapore. We took the MRT to go all the different places. MRT is the most convenient option when travelling in Singapore. It is fast, well-connected and affordable. We were provided with the Singapore tourist pass for the MRT today. The pass costs $10 for one day, $26 for two consecutive days, $30 for three consecutive days. I would only suggest buying the tourist pass if you actually plan to cover various destinations in one day and if the destinations are further apart. The travelling cost is not a lot if you only plan to cover 2-3 destinations in the same area per day as you can walk. In this case, I would suggest getting the EZ-Link Card. I got the EZ-Link from the airport for $10 with $5 credit already provided and I keep on topping the card whenever I run low.
Our first stop was at the City Hall. City Hall is one of Singapore’s monumental buildings. We looked at the building from outside and then, just walked around the area a lot. There is a police station in the area. The station is quite unusual as it is not your typical police station. The station was colorful and pretty which is opposite to how police stations usually look like. There are also different statues of the important people in Singapore as you walk around the area. We saw a statue of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. He is responsible for the modernization of Singapore. We also saw a statue of a Palembhang Prince, Sang Nila. The name Singapura, the Lion City was derived through him. After that, we walked beside the Singapore River towards the Cavangh Bridge. You would also be able to see the Fullerton Hotel Building there. Fullerton Hotel is one of the best and most expensive hotels in Singapore. There was a cute and small ice cream stall. I tried the Durian ice cream from there! Durian is Singapore’s national fruit so it is a must try. I heard that Durian is a hit or miss kind of fruit. Some people love it while others hate it. As for me, I loved the ice cream. It was sweet but also savory. It tasted really good so hopefully I will like the taste of the actual fruit too.
Then we walked towards the Victoria Theatre. The architecture of the theatre was really pretty. After this, we were provided with a lunch. The lunch consisted of chicken rice, tofu, veggies and fruits. Chicken rice or in fact, any kind of rice is also a must try in Singapore. In addition, the fruits are also really sweet so definitely indulge on some fruits!
Our next stop was the Esplanade Theatres. The unique feature about the theatres is their architecture. They are made in the shape of two durians! There was also an artwork inside called “Insignificant Meaningful”. The art symbolized the syncretism of Asian countries and culture. The art was really beautiful. We got out of the theatres and were greeted by a breathtaking view of Marina Bay Sands. The view was beautiful. You could also spot the Merlion, symbol of Singapore. We didn’t walk up to it due to lack of time but got a pretty good view.
Our last stop of the day was the Chinatown. The Chinatown was busy but also uniquely cultural.There were all different kinds of shops and stalls. There were stalls with traditional dresses, food stalls, souvenir shops and much more. Everything was really cheap so this is a really good place to buy if you are looking for cheap souvenirs. There is also a temple. The temple looked beautiful so make sure to check it out! We were unable to visit again due to time constraint. However, I am definitely going to Chinatown again to visit the temple and buy souvenirs!
Chinatown Esplanade Theatres Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles
