Reply With QuoteSunset at Tanah Lot (spelling may be wrong), temple in the sea is good on Bali, the rest of my 5 weeks would not be suitable for a 10 year old
Gents,
Mrs P has booked a trip for us and youngest (10yo son) in a couple of months time, lovely....
We have a seven hour stop in Singapore on the way out and I am reading good things about the airport, never thought I would say that. We then have ten days in Bali and then back to Singapore for four days.
Any info/experiences/recommendations/must do's of the airport, Bali and of course Singapore would be greatly appreciated from our well worn travellers.
Many Thanks
Paul
Sunset at Tanah Lot (spelling may be wrong), temple in the sea is good on Bali, the rest of my 5 weeks would not be suitable for a 10 year old
Don't eat the fish in Bali:
http://www.news.com.au/national/brea...-1226797781977
I concur with HoneyFB, we were there in 2010 and will definitely return. The people are friendly and the scenery stunning. We hired a guide and a van for the day to see the volcano, temples, rice fields and volcanic sand beaches.
If you go by tripadvisor recommendations the food isn't cheap, circa £120 for a couple with one drink each but we were happy with this. Alcohol tax on wine/champagne is very high if I recall.
We rented a villa in Seminyak which was amazing, a short walk (2 mins) to the beach and a golf buggy ride to the adjacent W hotel for cocktails to watch the sunset.
Enjoy!
We stayed in Ubud (http://www.kupubarongubud.com/)...well worth a visit, stunning scenery...hills and rice paddys. We also stayed at the Oberoi (http://www.oberoihotels.com/oberoi_bali/) in Seminyak, amazing hotel though I was less of a fan of Seminyak comapred to Ubud. Bali is an amazing place though, enjoy.
Last edited by dougair; 10th January 2014 at 09:07.
Seven hours in Singapore is *almost* enough time to do a short city tour of Singapore. They organise them from the airport and it take a couple of hours. However, you may feel that there isn't quite enough time - depending on your flight times.
It's also *almost* enough time to get some sleep. The Transit Hotel has rooms available by the hour, and we've often booked in for five/six hours kip. Depending on the timetable, this may / may not be a good idea. But it does also give you the opportunity to change / shower if required.
Food / drink options are relatively plentiful and the shopping is second to none (for an airport).
Of course, if you have lounge access, then you can probably just chill there; many have shower facilities, and most will have decent enough entertainment, food, drink and recharging facilities.
We used to transit through Singapore, but now try and spend as much time as possible on the way out; tons to do, the food is good, and it's actually got some really interesting attractions and museums. The zoo is good - the Night Safari looks cool, but we haven't done it yet. The new domes at the Gardens by the Bay are outstanding. Incredible. The one with the cloud jungle of carnivorous plants is amazing. Food-wise, it's hard to go wrong. My favourite cafe is the Tong Ah Eating House; we were taken out for breakfast by a photographer friend, where we enjoyed eggs with black sauce and koya toast. Oh, and some of the best tea I've had in a very long time. The owner, Mr Tang Chew Fue or Wee as he is commonly known, gave us a sample to take home.
Tong Ah Eating House by Noodlefish, on Flickr
I'm sure you'll have fun in Bali; not sure where you're staying, but do try and get out and about - there are some fascinating temples, Ubud is rich in arts / crafts and the scenery around the volcano(es) is stunning...
Last edited by Broussard; 10th March 2014 at 21:27.
Plenty to do in Bali. We hired a jeep and got around very easily for a few days. Ubud, Lovina Tanah Lot etc.
Best bit for me was the Gili islands - great snorkelling and impossible not to relax.
There's not a great deal to do in Singapore airport so get out for a bit if you can. The massage chairs are nice though.
My favourite Hawker centre is Chomp Chomp, in particular their BBQ stingray is excellent.
Marina Bay Sands has great views from the top, I always stay there for at least a night so I can use the pool. There's a massive shopping centre underneath but don't expect to actually buy anything!
There's a Universal Studios on Sentosa Island and the Transformers ride was a particular highlight, there's plenty more on Sentosa as well so worth a visit.
The day safari and night safari at Singapore Zoo are great, make sure you don't catch the eye of the "tribesmen" though or you may be dragged on stage with them.
Jumbos was pretty good for Singapore Chilli Crab.
Can't think of anything else right now, I usually just get taken around by my wife's family as she is Singaporean!
+1 for a couple of days on Gili Trawangan. My daughter works there as dive instructor - definitely a place to relax and very good food!Originally Posted by HoneyFB
The snorkelling is very good there and there are lots of accessible Biorock structures just off the beaches. http://trawangandive.com/about-trawa...indonesia.html
Enjoy!
Just remembered, trekking up Gunung Agung to see sunrise is great too.
I second the domes at gardens by the bay, the one with the water fall is amazing. If you only want a quick view at the top of marina bay sands and don't want to pay the ridiculous price of entry go up to ku de ta bar and kitchen instead. The price of a drink is less than entry to the skypark.
The aquarium at sentosia is crazy and worth a visit.
As for food I personally like the hawker centre on old airport road but it might be a bit too far out of the way so maxwell food centre near chinatown is another excellent place, go to tien tien and try out the chicken rice.
If you want something that is air conditioned paradise dynasty on the top floor of ION shopping centre is pretty good and they have excellent xiao long bao in 7 different flavours.
The food court in the basement is also amazing, there is also a huge IMAX next door (although I prefer GV max screen at VIVO city for its Dolby atmos sound system).
If you want to go upmarket there is a very good dim sum place in the st regis hotel but i prefer the dim sum places in Gaylang where you just point at pictures in a book as I don't speak any mandarin.
Another good place to sample a lot of what singapore has to offer food wise is the buffet at the buffet at the straits kitchen at the hyatt on orchid road.
I went to the cinema in Singapore with one of my wife's cousins. The air con made it absolutely freezing, be sure to take a jumper if you do decide to go!
The air conditioning is immense but you can hire a blanket at most places. Then again it's a welcome change from the heat outside.
Cheers gents for taking the time to comment.
@HoneyFB - We are staying at The Laguna, Nusa Dua Peninsula. Anyone been near here??
Some excellent bits on Singapore chaps and little son is so excited for Universal as he can just remember Orlando 5 years ago.
Ta
Paul
Make sure you book tickets for Universal as they usually set out in advance during busy periods.
There is a Dinosaur exhibition on at the art science museum in Marina Bay that your son might enjoy.
Well just over three weeks and we are off.
Anything else that gents can add/suggest it would be much appreciated.
Ta
Paul
Hello Pitch3110
Don't know how I missed this all along.
During your transit, you might want to take the (free) city tour or, I hear that there is a lot to do in the airport terminal, movies, playground for the kids etc.
When you finally arrive for your holiday, I suggest, like a couple of others, to visit the Zoo. Its getting a bit too commercialised now, it was much better in the older days. Catch the Primate Show and look up when you walk; at some places, you will see the monkeys and orang utans on the tree-tops, these are the free-ranging guys. There is a Childrens Zoo, you can pet and feed the animals, and don't forget to bring a swim-suit for the little one, there is a water playground, perfect to cool down during this hot weather period. You might want to time your visit to the Zoo so you can stay on for the Night Safari. Take the Tram Ride then walk the different trials. Don't worry about mosquitos, it should be cool. As someone said, don't make eye-contact with the Tribal Actor at the entrance, unless you want to be part of the show
If you visit the island of Sentosa, I suppose almost all tourists will, I recommend that you visit the Underwater World. Here is the link http://www.underwaterworld.com.sg/ You MUST feed the stingrays at the pool near the entrance, there are a few feeding hours daily, just pay, I think $3 for a small bowl of squid and the rays will come up to you. I'm sure you and your family will find it unforgettable. you might bet a bit wet when they splase.
Although this is a bit older, I recommend visiting this rather than the SEA Aquarium near the Universal Studios, this is newer, but it's like a show, if you know what I mean.
When you are in the city, there are the small local chain coffee shops, which have been mentioned somewhere above; have a coffee or tea, with the kaya-butter toast (kaya would probably be like jam, but its local, made with coconut milk) and the soft bolied eggs with the black sauce. The food is great, its everywhere, from modern fusion to local. Depending on your taste buds, I'm sure you will find something to satisfy.
There is this Duck Tour, that goes around the city & into the water. It uses the WWII DUKW amphibious vehicle. The fun part for the kids, well, I liked it too, is when the vehicle makes the transition from the beach into the water. A bit hot & noisy, but great fun.
If you are in to history, you might want to take a (long) ride to Changi to visit the Changi Prison Museum. http://www.changimuseum.sg/ Its something to remember about the WW II. It will bring back memories, if you have had relatives who fought in the war here. There are photos, etc of the suffering of the prisoners. It does get crowded occasionally when groups of pensioners from the ANZAC Forces visit, but if you have the time, its worth a visit.
Its been very hot and dry these few weeks, and the pesky hazy from all the forest clearing (from neighbouring countries) is spoiling the air.
Shopping is great, remember to approach the Customs Counter on your way out at the Airport to get GST refunds. There are some shopping places which you might want to stay away from.
I'm sure you will enjoy yourself.
Will you be looking for watches?
Last edited by TopCat; 13th March 2014 at 01:31.
I'm looking forward to hearing how you get on there. Where are you staying in Bali?
I'm counting down the days but still in three figures at the moment
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...-advice-needed
Still I've picked up quite a few good suggestions from this thread and mine.
@TopCat - thanks for all this info it is really useful and I have passed onto the boss for further info on some of your mentioned.
@ChrisH - will indeed keep you posted. We are also staying in Nusa Dua at the Luguna so will certainly give you a heads up on where we eat and visit.
As ever TZ is just a great hive of info and never disappoints.
Thanks to all once again
Paul
Feel free to PM if you have any other questions, don't forget the swim suit for the little one if visiting the Zoo & really must feed the stingrays at the Underwater World.
The haze is back though...so now it's hot, dry and hazy...worse possible combination.....
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