Singapore Travel Review

I spent about a week traveling in Singapore. It was my first visit, but the modern city was very convenient and easy to navigate. There were many tourist attractions, and it was easy to move around, making it an excellent travel destination... and there were many Japanese people!

Below is my review of Singapore... or rather, an introduction. Since I only visited the right side of the country, I don't know much about the left side. As always, I'll write about my experiences in a casual and categorized way.

Rating: +2 (Highly recommended!)

• You can enjoy both old and modern scenery
• Easy to move around
• Many diverse restaurants and cafes
• Good safety

With about 5 days, you can visit the main attractions and experience the foreign atmosphere without too much hassle, making it a high-cost-performance travel destination.

Tourist Attractions

Marina Bay Sands

First, I'll introduce Marina Bay Sands, which is as famous as the Merlion. The abbreviation is MBS, which sounds like a TV station.

This boat-shaped building is a complex facility with a hotel as its main attraction. It's a 5-star hotel with a casino and shopping mall, similar to those in Las Vegas.

The rooftop pool is famous, but only hotel guests can use it. The observation deck costs S$23 (free for hotel guests), but honestly, it's not worth it unless you're an observation deck enthusiast. If you want to visit both, consider staying at the hotel.

From the observation deck, you can see the nearby Gardens by the Bay.

The facilities inside are also luxurious, with high-end brands, a casino, and a food court that's not too expensive.

There's also a TWG tea shop, which is a great souvenir.

And there's even an IPPUDO ramen shop.

By the way, the Venetian in Las Vegas, which is also part of the Sands group, has a similar atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the Merlion near Marina Bay Sands was under construction, so I couldn't see it.

Gardens by the Bay

Near Marina Bay Sands is a huge park called Gardens by the Bay, which is also a famous tourist attraction. You can spend a few hours here.

At the entrance, you'll be greeted by a giant Merlion.

Be careful of the otters crossing the road.

There are giant trees you can climb.

At night, the trees are lit up, and there are regular shows.

There are two domes, Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, where you can enjoy a collaboration of natural plants and art. From time to time you'll find statues with an Aztec vibe that add a unique flavor.

There were also special exhibits: some with a Japanese flair,

and others featuring card soldiers, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen—just like Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland...

...or so I thought—turns out it was Aloe in Wonderland.

Street Scenes

The area around Marina Bay Sands is very spacious. You might think that the buildings and roads are small, but they're actually huge. The shopping malls are also large, similar to those in Australia.

Being a resort area, the development feels well planned.

Unfortunately, I don't have photos that convey the vastness—please go and feel it yourself. Here’s some street art:

On the other hand, the atmosphere changes significantly in different areas.

In the Katong district, you can admire Peranakan architecture and find famous Laksa shops—unmissable if you want to savor Singapore.

In a slightly different location, there are even more vividly colored houses.

In Little India, you’ll find buildings packed with countless idols and shops selling beautiful crafts—very photogenic.

Nearby is the massive Mustafa Centre, a supermarket that covers pretty much all groceries. Instant noodles with unusual flavors make for good souvenirs.

When I checked out on the 2F, they kept tossing hippo-shaped candies into my bag—surprisingly tasty for a freebie. I didn’t get any at the 1F register, so try for the 2F.

Sentosa Island

Sentosa Island is a resort island near the city center, accessible by taxi or bus. The entrance fee is around S$2-6, depending on the mode of transportation.

Here, you can find various attractions, including the giant Merlion.

You can even go inside the Merlion. It felt like entering Osaka’s Tower of the Sun. You receive a shiny gold coin in exchange for your ticket and can take a commemorative photo from the mouth.

Beyond the Merlion, there are many fun objects and fountains scattered around. There’s even a walkway reminiscent of Expo ’70 Commemorative Park’s “Solado” aerial path.

It seems you can also swim at the beach. The area is vast, so plan with plenty of time.

Night Safari

The Night Safari is a zoo that's open only at night, with a unique concept. It's like Australia’s Taronga Zoo. Flash photography is strictly prohibited.

Here, you can take a tram tour or walk around the zoo. The tram tour is recommended, as you can see animals up close—like the kind of intensity you’d only otherwise see in Donkey Kong. Since it’s night, animals sometimes don’t show themselves, and I often missed them.

Sometimes there are shows, with a wide variety of performers—from cute ones like fennec foxes and Asian small-clawed otters to strong ones like tigers and large snakes.

Due to technical reasons, my photos came out quite blurry.

The souvenir selection is oddly extensive, and the volume discounts are strong—recommended for trip mementos.

It’s a little far from the city center, but well worth a visit. If you join a JTB tour, you may pay more, but you can sometimes skip lines and save time.

ArtScience Museum

The ArtScience Museum is adjacent to Marina Bay Sands—a lotus-shaped building with a lotus pond in front.

The permanent Future World exhibition (with teamLab) is here. Kids and Instagrammers can play endlessly; if you take your time with activities like coloring and ball play, an hour and a half passes quickly.

Food and Drink

First, Laksa. It’s popular in Singapore and Malaysia, but the style varies by region. The Laksa I had in the Katong district (328 Katong Laksa) didn’t even provide chopsticks—you eat it with a spoon because the noodles are so short. It tasted distinctly “ethnic.” The shellfish inside tasted somewhat raw; if you’re sensitive, skip the shellfish.

Next, the famous cocktail, the Singapore Sling. Its birthplace is the Long Bar in the Raffles hotel. Besides the original cocktail, you can enjoy the chaotic practice of throwing peanut shells onto the floor for free. They also have a non-alcoholic version, and the staff deftly grasped my order before I even finished speaking. Sweet and tasty.

As for trending snacks, there’s IRVINS Salted Egg chips. They only stock what’s made that day, so supply falls short of demand—you’ll see lots of “sold out” signs. The flavor is snacky and high-calorie (it’s egg), and quite addictive; the bags even use warning colors. If you can’t picture it, check the official site—the bird character’s expression is priceless.

Chili crab is exactly what it sounds like—crab soaked in chili sauce. It arrives in the shell with gloves, a cracker, and a crab spoon. In other words, it’s hard work: you get your hands dirty and keep smashing shells to finally eat. One whole crab means lots of sauce. Pour the leftover sauce over rice—it’s excellent.

There were plenty of other foods as well:

Malay cuisine:

Chinese dishes:

New IPPUDO menu items:

Gudetama Café:

“yasai pasokeiki … crispy and tasty … good for killing time” — the food scene was incredibly diverse and never boring.

Drinks, too, are friendly to soft-drinkers: refreshing plum drinks are cheap, and vending machines had unfamiliar lineups. I even found mini cans of Red Bull.

Shopping Malls

The shopping malls in Singapore are huge and clustered (and you walk a lot because each one is big), but each has its own character and is worth touring.

Along the way, there were balloon art displays with a space motif in the corridors, and even a “tired man” statue on display—small touches that made the walk more fun. They really hit you with the sheer scale.

Marina Bay Sands has lots of high-end apparel—similar to the mass-produced luxury stores common in Japan—while neighboring Suntec City is stocked with general goods and supermarkets, making it more comfortable. Suntec City even had a well-equipped arcade. Plays were S$1.5; since the change machine jammed, it’s better to bring coins in advance.

Transportation

The roads in Singapore are wide and well planned, making it easy to move around. Especially the roads from the airport to the city and to the zoo are wide highways and less prone to congestion.

The flip side is that taxi driving can feel rough—lane changes without blinkers are common and speeds can be high. Signals and road markings are clear so it’s generally safe, but it can feel intense.

The MRT also connects major tourist spots, and you can ride easily with a Suica-like card. At the time, they were collaborating with Disney Tsum Tsum, and the shiny cute card was a delight. You can get a refund of the remaining balance at the station counter when you leave, so feel free to charge it without worry.

One distinctive point: escalators are unusually fast. Even people with no mobility issues might get tripped up if careless—feels about 1.5× faster than the “slow” ones. If you’re even a little unsure, hold the handrail firmly or take the stairs.

Language

English is the official language, but as the name Singlish suggests, it has a distinct Singaporean flavor. Even more than that, due to the many immigrants, accents are very strong and quite different from American or Australian English.

My impression was that speaking Chinese was often more effective than speaking good English—but I don’t actually speak Chinese, so take that with a grain of salt.

Tips

Marina Bay Sands has a membership card with strong benefits.

It’s free, so get it early and use it for the observation deck and the ArtScience Museum.

Note: the sign-up method changes occasionally—check the latest before you go.

If you’re lucky, when you enter the casino you may receive an invitation to create an MBS card. With that invitation, you get around S$40 usable at the casino.

Related to the flights section: with a Singapore Airlines boarding stub, you can get various discounts.
It varies by time period; check the details at the link below.

Singapore Airlines “Book the Cook”

Flight

Flying to Singapore is easiest on Singapore Airlines.

There are direct flights from Haneda, Narita, Kansai, and Fukuoka; it takes about seven hours.

Round-trip fares can be found at reasonable prices depending on timing.

Since many flights are codeshares with ANA, you can also book with ANA miles.

In some cases you can even get business class on miles, so if you want to try Singapore Airlines’ service, it’s worth considering.

Between KIX and SIN, the older A380 used to fly. I rode premium economy on it this time.

Scenes from the A380:

More scenes from onboard and the cabin:

Changi Airport is also impressive, with lush gardens and a refined lobby.

Changi Airport highlights:

Hotel

I stayed at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, a Japanese-favorite high-end hotel.

The room was spacious and the view was excellent.

The bathroom had a large window with a great view, but the staff gave a cheeky warning: “They can see you from the other side, so close the curtain when you bathe! Haha.”

Service quality was high overall.

Room service was performed appropriately and used items were replenished. Abusing that, I managed to “farm” water. Of course, you can just ask and they’ll bring it.

Conclusion

Singapore is a country with a unique culture that blends Chinese, Indian, and Malay influences. You can enjoy the modern city, diverse food, and various tourist attractions. The safety is also good, making it a great travel destination.

With about five nights, you can cover the main spots well, so I especially recommend it for a week-long vacation.