Photo Credit R.A.R. de Bruijn Holding BV on Shutterstock
There are many places in this world that have such fond memories for me. Ladakh is special because my first blog post (in 2005) was about it. London and Oxford are special because I used to go there repeatedly for work. Thailand is special because it is my most visited country on earth till date! Singapore is truly special because it was my first visit abroad way back in 1999. I still remember how wide eyed I was when I boarded my first flight ever on Sri Lankan Airline. It was a Delhi Colombo Singapore flight!
2016 has been a year of revisits for me, it started on just the right note. In January I went back to Ladakh after nearly 11 years. In May 2016 I went back to United Kingdom after a gap of five years. On June 1, 2016 I am flying Sri Lankan Airline again but to Colombo! So you see, 2016 has been a year of revisits of sorts!
Now all that remains is to revisit Singapore, my first international destination and hence so very dear to me. I actually touched Singapore in 2015. I went to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia on a Singapore Airlines/Silk Air FAM. So I transited via Changi Airport. It was a fabulous trip but then it is not the same as revisiting Singapore. I need a holiday in Singapore.
I hardly talk about FAMs that do not materialize but there have been 3 in the recent past which did not and all were about Singapore. They didn’t happen in the end due to various reasons. But I was so close to a trip and then it vanished! I do want to go.
There is so much new there since 1999. It could be almost like visiting another country. I have faint remembrance of Orchid Road and the malls. The Garden by the Bay was not there, Marina Bay Sands was not there, I definitely need another date with Singapore Tourism!
Here are the 5 things I would like to check out on a trip to Singapore!
The Singapore Botanic Gardens
The immediate draw is that Singapore Botanic Gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and I am a big fan of such sites. I love flowers and it would be nice to spend at last half a day there.
The Garden by the Bay
I have been yearning to visit the Garden by the Bay ever since it has opened. From what I read and see it looks like I will need a lot of time to explore the various parts of it like the Sun Pavilion, Flower Dome, Cloud forest etc!
Changi Airport
I know it sounds slightly crazy that I want to spend time at Changi but it is one of coolest airports I have ever been to! I was transiting through it in 2015 and I could only visit the Orchid Garden. I would love to explore the butterfly park and the kinetic rain section too! The airport Wifi speed is such that I got more work done there than some of the hotels I have stayed in! Changi is one airport where I would like to spend more time in transit!
Universal Studios Singapore, Sentosa Island
If I am traveling with my daughter Chhavi, we are surely going to check out Universal Studios! With seven cool zones to explore I am sure we will need a lot of time!
Merlion Park
Photo Credit Iryna Rasko on Shutterstock
I am truly partial to parks! And hence I would like to check out the iconic Merlion of Singapore! We share same year of birth too!
I truly visit I will go back to Singapore, in my year of revisits!
Ready to visit Singapore anytime & everytime!
Love the city & its airport 🙂
For me it has been only the airport recently! Want to go again to the city too!
I, actualy ‘we’ will be there in a few week’s time, may be we will bump into each other there, who knows 😉
No plans at my end!
Have never been to Singapore, we had planned everything last year but due to medical emergency had to cancel the trip ????????
Hope you get to re-visit Singapore this year ????????
Ah I am sure you will go soon!
I love the city. Visited many years ago, though. Hope you will visit Singapore again this year… (fingers crossed for me too 😀 )
Fingers crossed for both of us then!
May Singapore happen to you soon. 🙂
Thank you Divya!
I love SIngy… though I studied there much later, I used to go for weekend shopping trips there 🙂
Happy to know that!
Singapore looks like a cool destination. I visited once, but a long long time ago…
Me too in the long long ago category!
Well said . aapka 2016 ka track record aur chance aise ban rahe hain ki aap fir se singapore pahunch hi jaaoge .
Let us see Yogi let us see!
Let Singapore lift your spirits high
Let us see Easwar if it happens this year!
Singapore is an amazing place to go for a holiday trip.I am planning to go there soon specially for Merlion park. Botanic Gardens of Singapore are also in my wish list.
Good luck!
I think you’ve covered all the relevant points in Singapore 🙂
Hope you make it this year too.
Thank you Kalpana hope it will happen for a lot of us!
Sure, a great Place to visit.. There are only 2 seasons there.. shine or rain! Best wishes for happy travel to this place, Singapore, Mridula!
Thank you Sreedhar ji, I like your weather analysis!
Wow, beautiful pictures. I am also waiting eagerly to visit Singapore. Perfect honeymoon location.
A wonderful post. Hope you get to visit Singapore this year 🙂
Thank you Purba!
I have been to Singapore many times. It’s a heaven for foodies. Love their food courts, especially non-touristy food courts in residential appartment complexes. If you love seafood, you must eat at Samy’s curry restaurant at Dempsey road.
Atul thank you for the tip but I am vegetarian. I do eat eggs!
Hi Mridula,
Thanks for touching upon the “re-visit” theme. The only place I managed to visit abroad is Europe. I traveled like a hard core budget traveler and managed to see 7 cities in 3 countries for a mere 1500 Euros. Whats the catch? The amount included my to and fro ticket from India and a stay in Europe for 23 days. Your article simply instigates in me a sense of nostalgia that wants to revisit Europe. Singapore also adorns my list but like you said “first is first” and always remains closer to the heart.
I hope you fly soon.
Tarun that sounds like quite a feat! I am traveling tomorrow but once I am back I am going to check out your blog!
Thanks Mridula
Please do check out and let me know how you feel. It would be indeed a privilege to hear your views on the same. It is not a blog per say but is my freelance writing portfolio. Also I didn’t record my Europe travels there because when that happened 8 years ago I was not a freelance writer 🙁 . Though I feel I should write down my travelogue someday to the extent my memory aids me. You will find travel articles written by me for my clients besides the other work that I keep doing for my clients from time to time. So do check out.
Happy travelling
Thank you Tarun, will do!
Singapore is an amazing place to go for a holiday trip.I am planning to go there soon specially for Merlion park. Botanic Gardens of Singapore are also in my wish list.
Hope you will go soon!
Here’s hoping that you do go to Singapore this year! Sending you loads of luck for that to happen! 🙂
Thank you so much Chaitali!
Singapore is awesome and accepts tourists so well 🙂 I had been in rains so not much I could do 🙂
Ah Shweta rains can be fun and a spoil sport too!
This has been on my bucket list!! Best wishes for doubling the travels and the inspiration you spread alongside 🙂
Thank you so much Shanx!
Hi Mridula, do revisit Singapore. You can read everything about Singapore on my blog considering I am staying there. Do connect with me if you plan to visit it anytime soon.
Let us see when that happens!
Take us along 🙂
I have to go myself first!