Flights from Bali to Portugal are extremely expensive (especially if you book them at the last minute like I did), so I highly recommend flying from Bali to Singapore and then from Singapore to Portugal (although I flew back to Rome and it was even cheaper). In addition to saving a lot of money, you will also get to know a fascinating city, known not only for its wealth but also for its outstanding environmental responsibility. You won’t see a single piece of paper or cigarette butt on the ground. It is very organized, public transport works perfectly and there are signs everywhere. It is a very intuitive city, which connects the development of technology with nature and the importance of its maintenance and care.
Flights from Bali to Portugal are extremely expensive (especially if you book them at the last minute like I did), so I highly recommend flying from Bali to Singapore and then from Singapore to Portugal (although I flew back to Rome and it was even cheaper). In addition to saving a lot of money, you will also get to know a fascinating city, known not only for its wealth but also for its outstanding environmental responsibility. You won’t see a single piece of paper or cigarette butt on the ground. It is very organized, public transport works perfectly and there are signs everywhere. It is a very intuitive city, which connects the development of technology with nature and the importance of its maintenance and care.
You can easily go by metro. Singapore airport is a world of its own, but it is very easy to get to. You just need to go to Tanah Merah and follow the signs to Gardens By the Bay, which is the most central station and closest to everything. Tickets can be paid using Apple Pay or Contactless (directly at the gates) and cost around €1.50.
From Gardens By the Bay, everything is very close and you can easily walk. The only place that requires you to take the metro is Chinatown and Little India, but the process is very simple: take the metro from Bayfront station to Chinatown station and then either walk 45 minutes to Little India, or take the metro again.
1. Changi Airport: Singapore's main airport and one of the most important in Asia. It's truly a work of art. The interior is so beautiful, that it is almost unreal. The amount and diversity of plants and trees, the impressive waterfall and the whole atmosphere it creates... it's overwhelming. To get to the centre of the airport, which has most of the attractions, you have to go to “Jewel”. I arrived at Terminal 4, so to get to Jewel I had to take a shuttle to Terminal 2 (which runs every 15 minutes and is free). You can see the waterfall from any part of the centre and on any floor, or you can take the Sky Train to see it up close (but very quickly).
All the terminals are huge, so if you are the person who always arrives at the last minute, be careful here. As soon as I left my gate, I had to walk for literally 25 minutes.
2. Gardens By the Bay: the most emblematic and inspiring garden I've ever been to. Imagination and nature come together in the middle of a modern and vibrant city, creating the feeling of being in a tropical forest. Its famous Supertrees look like something out of a science fiction film. They are absolutely beautiful, and work with an ecological system that captures solar energy and stores rainwater. There is a trail in this garden that you can do, and I highly recommend going to the Cloud Forest, a magnificent recreation of a mountain ecosystem with an interior waterfall.
Seeing the Supertrees is free, but if you want to climb up to the observatory, you have to pay €10. The Cloud Forest costs €17. There are some packages that combine all the attractions in the Garden, which are definitely worth it if you want to visit everything. What I really recommend is coming back at night to watch the completely magical light show. It creates an incredible atmosphere, with hundreds of people lying on the ground to watch the show (there is no entrance fee);
3. Marina Bay: a marina surrounded by skyscrapers and luxury brand buildings. Its architecture is unparalleled and there are two stores that you can't miss: Louis Vuitton (his only floating boutique in the world) and Apple Store (which has a completely surreal floating sphere);
4. Marina Bay Sands: a 5-star hotel with 3 towers and an outdoor park at the top that connects the 3 towers. It has a casino and a shopping centre inside, that has a small river with wooden boats and small bridges that remind us of Venice;
5. Art Science Museum: an unforgettable artistic experience, with original immersive, bright and virtual exhibitions. Although I didn't have time to go there, it was highly recommended to me. It is open from Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 7pm and Friday and Saturday from 10am to 9pm. Entry costs €21 and if you don't have the chance to go inside, it is worth seeing the outside;
6. Chinatown: of all the Chinatowns I've been to, this was the one that surprised me the most. It's a mix of ancient temples, traditional restaurants and shops full of souvenirs, with very pretty and typically laid-out streets. The energy is contagious, so just hang out and enjoy it.
- Changi Airport (the interior is so beautiful that it's almost unreal);
- Gardens by the Bay (the most iconic and inspiring garden I've ever been to. You have to go to the Cloud Forest and come back again at night to the Gardens, to watch the light show);
- Marina Bay (a marina surrounded by huge buildings and luxury brands);
- Marina Bay Sands (a 5-star hotel with 3 towers, a casino and a shopping mall inside with a small river);
- Art Science Museum (an unforgettable artistic experience, with original immersive, bright and virtual exhibitions);
- Chinatown (a combination of ancient temples with typical restaurants and shops full of souvenirs, with very beautiful and typically laid-out streets).