Friday, July 29, 2016

PoshPlush Travel - Singapore 2016



Hello gorgeous!

Continuing from my last blogpost about sharing my travelling stories, today I would like to write about my family short holiday to Singapore. I already posted about my beauty haul in Singapore last month here and now it’s time to know more about where we went last March. 


It has been 5 years since the last time I visited Singapore. The last time we went there as a family is when Ryu was 7 months old. We spent our 2010 Christmas Eve there. Even though the Christmas decoration was splendid, we decided that we will not coming back to Singapore during high season such as Christmas and New Year again. We just cannot handle the packed and crowded Singapore at those times. Everywhere we go we have to queue, riding MRT, restaurants, and shopping malls. I even have to stand a long queue at the bookstore’s cashier. A bookstore for God’s sake!

This time we travelled there on March and spent 4 days in Merlion City. My hubby had a business meeting there, so I thought that we could tag along. We invited my mother in law too to join us because we wanted to check a specialist for her there. The flight was smooth and now Ryu is older, he is able to entertain himself well with his Ipad and Ultraman action figures. 

Where we stayed

We stayed at Hotel Jen Tanglin at Cuscaden Rd. Its previous name was Traders Hotel but got rebranded on the late 2014 into Hotel Jen. It is the first Traders Hotel that gets rebranded globally by Shangri-La Group, who managed the hotel. They changed it due to changing demands of today's more independently minded travellers; who seek simple pleasures, easy efficiencies and the opportunity to indulge their sense of adventure. That’s why the design of the hotel also transformed into more modern minimalist, apartment style furnishing. You can see the below picture of its interior. I love what they did with it, even though the design is modern but it is still keep the warmth and comfortable vibes that suitable not only for single or young travellers but also for family traveller like us. 


The bedroom is complemented with a bay-window sofa that overlooked the swimming pool area across it. The bathroom doesn’t has a bathtub but the shower runs well and the water temperature is fine. The bed and pillows are comfortable and I personally love the goldfishes drawing above the headboard. Overall we were satisfied and pleased during our stay there. 
 




The hotel is located at the end of Orchard Rd, so it is definitely a walking distance to Orchard. They even provide an hourly shuttle service from the hotel to Orchard Rd that you can enjoy for free. The hotel also has a direct connection to Tanglin Mall next door.  




One interesting thing that I found at the hotel was a ta bao (takeaway) bag at the breakfast buffet table. So you can actually pack some muffins, pastries, or even bacons to go if you don’t have time to sit and eat or maybe for a snack between breakfast and lunch. That is so cute! I wish more hotels could provide ta bao bags too! Sorry for no pictures of the breakfast buffet, I somehow always forgot to take pictures while having breakfast because usually I’m very hungry in the morning hehehe

Where we went

I wouldn’t explain about the shopping malls or Sephora here because you definitely know that the malls are pretty much the same and I did not have the time to explore a lot at Orchard Rd too. Love love loveeee to spend some time at Sephora ION though. My wonderful wonderland I call it. 

Universal Studios Singapore


By the request of Mr Boss aka Mr Ryu, we spared one day to go to Universal Studios Singapore. The last time we went there, Ryu was still a baby, so we did not get a chance to try most of the rides. The crowded USS also made us leave the place early so Ryu will not be too tired and got smushed by the crowd. You might want to buy the ticket in advanced because usually buying the ticket from your local travel agent can save you some money. Usually you will need to show your e-ticket to the ticket counter and they will exchange it with the physical ticket.





We were very excited to try the rides and ready to be amused like children again there. Don’t forget to get the studio’s map nearby the entrance gate to see the list of the rides and their location along with the explanation about the rides (age and height limits). There are 7 zones inside, Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City, Ancient Egypt, Lost World, Far Far Away, and Madagascar. Each zone has their rides and attractions that you can enjoy. If you visited USS on high season or long weekends, I would recommend you to purchase the Express Pass that will allows you to go to a special queue line and save 30-80 minutes time of queing. But the Express Pass can only be used one time per rides. If you finished early at USS, you can spend some time exploring Sentosa World next to USS. 




We spent around 6 hours there, and rode 8 rides in total. Our favourite has to be Transformers Ride. It was so cool!  Unfortunately for young children like Ryu, the 3D effect and the motion during the ride might give them motion sickness. Luckily he did not throw up! He only complained that his tummy feels hurt but immediately fine when we reached the Transformers souvenir shop at the exit hahaha.. My hubby and I did not have the courage to ride the big rollercoaster, I supposed when you’re getting older, there are things that your gut not up to anymore. 

The food sold in the Studio is just okay in my opinion, even though I enjoyed Goldilocks Fried Chicken a lot. If you want more dining options, you can go out from the studio (don’t forget to ask for the stamp that will allow you to come back inside) and select from the various restaurants at Resort World Sentosa.

To know more about what you can experience at Universal Studios Singapore, you can check their website here

Sentosa – Wings Of Time Show

We decided to check on the award winning outdoor night show aka the magical fountain called Wings Of Time at Siloso Beach, Sentosa. There are two shows daily, at 7.40 pm and 8.40 pm (Singapore time), so make sure that you buy the ticket for the right time slot. Arrive early at least 15 minutes before the show starts because the seating isn’t numbered, so, first come first serve. When you buy the ticket, you will get a complimentary of plastic fan and a bag of popcorn that you can exchanged nearby the show entrance. 




We bought the the ticket at the Sentosa Express Station and then ride the Sentosa Express and stop at Beach Station. The show claimed to be an epic experiential fusion of the latest multimedia effects, including 3D projection mapping, state-of-the-art lasers, robotic water fountains and giant water jets, pyrotechnics. The show lasted for around 30-40 minutes and they are not kidding with their claim. The effects are amazing! Especially when the pyrotechnics (fire burst) went up, you could feel the heat on your cheeks! (We sat at the 3rd row from the show area). 


Wings of Time is a story about Shahbaz, a pre-historic bird-like creature, and along with his friends, Rachel and Felix, they travel across beautiful landscapes and the mysteries of time. Their journey brings them through artistic interpretations of the British Industrialisation Revolution, the Silk Road era, Mayan Pyramids, Underwater World and African Savanna. The lasers and the water jets managed to awe us with its colours and movements and my favourite part is the Silk Road Era, the music and the movement of the fountain is really beautiful.

For 18SGD per person, the show is worth to see. But I would only see it once in my lifetime unless one day they have a new story to perform. This show is also suitable for children, from age 3 and older, and adults.

Gardens By The Bay (Marina Bay Sands)

After enjoying fun time at the amusement park, it’s time to unwind ourselves in the middle of plush greenery. Gardens By The Bay is a 101 hectares garden comprises of several area such as the Flower Dome conservatory, Cloud Forest Dome conservatory, Children’s garden, etc. Located at Marina Bay, this beautiful and soothing garden is a must see when you visit Singapore. 



We were amazed by the beautiful and lovely flowers and plants there. Took a lot of pretty pictures too! When you enter the Gardens By The Bay area, you will be greeted with several small outdoor gardens, such as Indian Garden, Chinese Garden, and Malay Garden. Then you will need to choose where you want to go next, the Flower Dome or Cloud Forest. The Flower Dome is filled with beautiful flowers and the best part is that they have cherry blossom trees! Visiting Japan on cherry blossom season is in my bucket list, so at least I got to taste a little bit on how it looks like. They are so lovely! I actually wondered how they take care and groom all of those flowers. In Flower Dome, they keep the temperature to replicate the cool-dry climate of Mediterranean regions like South Africa, California and parts of Spain and Italy. Now that explains how those flowers can bloom beautifully.







The next stop is Cloud Forest. If Flower Dome climate is cool-dry, Cloud Forest has a cool-moist climate where you can find plants from  tropical highlands up to 2,000 metres above sea level. When you enter it, a 35-metre-tall mountain covered in lush vegetation, shrouding the world’s tallest indoor waterfall is the one that you will see. When the sunray comes in and touches the mist of the water, you can see little rainbow.


You can take an elevator to the top of the mountain and stroll around it to experience the cloud forest and its tropical inhabitants. If you are afraid of heights then you might want to consider to go up there because again, its 35-metre tall. I’m quite confident of the safety though, looking at how wonderful they have been in maintaining the garden. The experience is quite ethereal and dreamy because the mist around you. It felt like you really are in a tropical jungle (thank God minus the heat) on early morning or after sundown.  



My son’s favourite part is the Children’s Garden. It has a waterplay area for kids. If you bring your kids here, you better bring your kids’ bathing suit and towel because they will not be able to resist the waterplay temptation. So, I would suggest to visit the garden on the afternoon around 3 or 4 pm. Spend around 2 hours to stroll around the domes, 1 hour at the children’s garden (if you have kids) or enjoy your afternoon tea/coffee or early dinner at the café or restaurants in the garden, and then wait for the light show at the Supertree Grove that starts at 7.45 and 8.45 pm (daily).




The light show is soooo pretty! The light played gracefully along with the music. There are no seats so usually people would just sit on the floor while enjoying the light show. 

What we eat

Ok, I have to admit that I always forget to take a picture of my food because usually we are so hungry and just dig in (that’s why I’m a beauty blogger instead of food blogger). But, I would like to share some of the must have food that you need to try when you go to Singapore. So here are the list:

Balestier Bak Kut Teh ION Orchard Food Opera

Devour the delicious pork ribs and its tasty soup accompanied by yu tiao, salted veggies, and of course rice. This is my husband’s favourite food whenever we go to Singapore. It might not be the most tastiest Bak Kut Teh in Singapore (I personally like Song fa better), but the location is very convenient compared to the other Bak Kut Teh.

picture from thesmartlocal

Hai Di Lao HotPot – Somerset 313

This hotpot restaurant is always packed on lunch and dinner time. We went to the Clarke Quay branch and were told that the waiting time is 90 minutes to get a table. We opted it out that night but went to the Somerset 313 branch for lunch the next day. Thank God that we did not need to wait to get a table because we went there early, around 11.30 am. When we finished eating, we saw a queue already there in front of the restaurant. The restaurant even has some snacks as a complimentary for the customers that are waiting for a table.
The soup is wonderful and the ingredients are all fresh. They have an array of condiments where you can mix your own sauce to complement your hotpot.

picture from hazeldiary
Jumbo Seafood – Clarke Quay
Jumbo Seafood is one of the famous restaurants in Singapore that serves Singapore Chili Crab (and other scrumptious seafood). The price might be a bit hefty but it totally worth it. You will leave the restaurant with an extremely happy tummy.

picture from singaporeair
I love how the country is immaculately clean and tidy. I don’t think you could ever get lost in this country because signs are everywhere and everything is very accessible and easy to find. I would suggest it as a holiday destination for family with young children because of its easy access and convenience (I understand the struggle of bringing young children on holiday). We had fun in Singapore even though we haven’t got a chance to explore the island more. So hopefully we can come back soon and enjoy another family vacation there. See you on the next post!

Cheers,
Stef