Singapore has long been on my radar to visit. When Singapore Airlines had a recent sale on Premium Economy seats, Jess convinced Alex and me to make a trip. You can read about how I survived Premium Economy here. Did Singapore on points and miles live up to the hype that I had about it in my mind? Read on…

 

Andaz Singapore

All of us agreed that we wanted to stay at the Andaz Singapore. Standard rooms are available for 25K Hyatt points/night as it is a Category 6 hotel. We could have fit the three of us in a standard room, but we decided to use a Suite Upgrade Award for an Andaz Suite so we’d have a bit more space. This suite had a king bed, a large living area that closed off (I slept there), a full bathroom, and a huge closet. You can read my complete review of this hotel here.

 

 

Transportation in Singapore

Uber is unavailable in Singapore, so we used Grab (which is similar) or a taxi.  Our taxi from the airport took about 15 minutes and cost us $24. We went back and forth to Gardens by the Bay (usually with Grab) for $8-$12. We went there for marketing photos, to view the nightly light show, to tour the Gardens, and to eat at nearby restaurant Spago (at the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel).

 

Day One in Singapore

We were lucky to get right into a room since our flight arrived at 5:45 a.m. After a quick breakfast, we rested and headed to the rooftop pool. There, we read, relaxed, and ordered lunch.

 

 

Later, we walked around the Kampong Glam area of Singapore, which was very close to the Andaz. Many of the buildings have colorful murals, and it was a cute area with restaurants and shops. It felt good to get out in the open air as we felt the effects of a 17-hour flight and jet lag. It was very warm and humid, and I was glad I had bought a fan on Amazon, which helped me greatly to survive the weather!

 

 

Because we had a late lunch, we ordered room service and called it an early night. By 8:00 pm, we were all out!

 

Day Two in Singapore

We wanted to get some business pictures in Singapore, so we woke up early and were at Gardens by the Bay to meet our photographer at 7:30 a.m. Thank heavens we beat the heat for these pictures. Gardens by the Bay is spectacular, and we enjoyed the experience with our photographer, Gan from Flytographer. (You can book a photographer for $25 off with our link for any pictures you want as you travel.)

 

 

We returned to the Andaz for their fantastic Globalist breakfast, and then met Jane, our tour guide (and comedienne). It cost us $480 SGD ($352 USD) dollars for a four-hour private tour of Singapore. We did the Heritage Tour, and Jane provided transportation to and from the Andaz as well as along the different stops for the tour.

It was very interesting, and by the end, we felt like we had been to India, China, and Malaysia. We had toured all those neighborhoods, including Hindu and Buddhist temples, and passed by the Sultan Mosque. Jane brought Singapore’s history, food, and culture to life, and as an added bonus she was hysterical!

 

 

 

 

 

We headed to Suntec City later that evening (walkable from the hotel).  Suntec City combines a shopping mall, office buildings, and a convention center. There are multiple restaurants there, and we ate at an inexpensive Italian restaurant. We then called a Grab and returned to Gardens by the Bay for their nightly light show. Each month has a different theme, and the light show is held at 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm (15-minute shows). The theme when we were there was Opera in the Gardens.  It was phenomenal and FREE!

 

Day Three in Singapore

After another delicious breakfast, it was off to Gardens by the Bay to really explore it. Hint: Going early helps you miss both the heat and the crowds. We arrived at about 8:00 am, and walking around and enjoying the gardens at that time was perfect. We spent around $70 total to enjoy the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. An added bonus: both are air-conditioned! And they are gorgeous displays of flowers and trees.

 

 

 

We then headed to Parkview Square across the street from the Andaz. It is an elaborate, Gotham City-looking building that houses the most beautiful bar and restaurant, Atlas. We enjoyed cocktails (Jess), mocktails (me), and lunch. It is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen and worth visiting.

 

 

We finished the night off at Spago, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant at the top of Marina Bay Sands (of Crazy Rich Asians fame). Originally, we thought about staying at Marina Bay Sands but heard that the rooms don’t match the high price of $700-$800/night there, so we stayed at the Andaz. We were also pretty underwhelmed with the food at Spago.

After dinner we watched Spectra—A Light and Water Show. This nightly show is also free and takes place at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza. Shows are 15 minutes long and take place at 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm every night with an additional 10:00 pm show on Friday and Saturday. 

 

Other Things to Do in Singapore

• Mangrove Kayaking
• Singapore Flyer Ferris Wheel
• Universal Studios Singapore
• Singapore Zoo
• National Gallery
• Singapore Night Safari
• 50 Other Ideas

 

Bottom Line

We were told that Singapore is a great entry-level city for travel in Asia. This seems true as English is widely spoken, every cuisine is available, and it is multi-diverse with many Asian cultures. We found it interesting and highly recommend Singapore on points and miles. It is the perfect 2-3 night stopover before heading on to the Maldives, Bali, Thailand, or many other Asian cities.

 

 

 

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