[Guite]

I am thinking of a family trip to Singapore later this year. There are lots of things which would interest us grown ups. My worry rather is will there be enough sight and activity to hold my six year old son's interest? Based on past experience it had to be activity based: he could be watching or doing it himself. He is not much of a nature / animal lover: on our last trip to Thailand he was just so and so at Safari Park tour and Ocean World aquarium but thoroughly enjoyed the animal shows at Safari World and playing on the beach.

In that context Sentosa may not interest him much, and neither the aquarium. Will there be anything of interest for kids at Universal Studios?

So what can we plan for him? Lets say two days grown up oriented and two days for him: what should be our itinerary?

[rtandon]

Originally Posted by Guite

In that context Sentosa may not interest him much, and neither the aquarium. Will there be anything of interest for kids at Universal Studios?

So what can we plan for him? Lets say two days grown up oriented and two days for him: what should be our itinerary?

The rides at Universal should interest him. Also, if you can take a day tour to Legoland in Johor(Malaysia) then that should definitely be interesting for him.

[callvvijay]

Reviving an old thread as am planning to do a family trip to SG (and probably KL too). Need some help and advise from the experienced folks out here.

Am thinking to do a 1-week (6/7-day) trip around the last week of April/first week of May. Since we have a 2-year old kiddo, I do not wish to go via a holiday package as, keeping up time per the itinerary would become a bit difficult. Secondly, its also my wish to do things on my own.

Here are my questions:

1. KL dilemma As I had already mentioned, we are planning this vacation with a toddler and we would prefer not to put him into a tiresome schedule. Will it be okay to cover both SG and KL in this 6/7-day trip? Please note, this 6/7 day would be excluding the days of travel (Chennai-SG/KL and back)

2. Visa: From what I read thru' in SG immigration site, it looks like there is no way that the visa can be obtained all by myself and I will have to go via their trusted partners. Am I right here in my understanding?
Again, from what I read in our forum, looks like these trusted partners charge more than what is prescribed. Any references here?

3. Food We are merciless-plant killers (I mean, pure vegetarians). How are the options in both SG and KL? Especially, availability of rice for kid.

4. Stay Looking out for some decent budget hotels. Have been checking sites like tripadvisor.com and booking.com. Recommendations welcome.

That's it for now.

TIA!

[shivshanker]

Originally Posted by callvvijay

1. KL dilemma As I had already mentioned, we are planning this vacation with a toddler and we would prefer not to put him into a tiresome schedule. Will it be okay to cover both SG and KL in this 6/7-day trip? Please note, this 6/7 day would be excluding the days of travel (Chennai-SG/KL and back)

2. Visa: From what I read thru' in SG immigration site, it looks like there is no way that the visa can be obtained all by myself and I will have to go via their trusted partners. Am I right here in my understanding?
Again, from what I read in our forum, looks like these trusted partners charge more than what is prescribed. Any references here?

3. Food We are merciless-plant killers (I mean, pure vegetarians). How are the options in both SG and KL? Especially, availability of rice for kid.

4. Stay Looking out for some decent budget hotels. Have been checking sites like tripadvisor.com and booking.com. Recommendations welcome.

That's it for now.

TIA!

1. for the toddler, take the stroller with you, this is mandatory else you will have to carry the child yourself all around and that will tire you more.

The schedule will be tiresome, as with Singapore itself, you can do the Zoo, night Safari, the Studios, Sentosa island, River cruise etc. If I may suggest, do Legoland in Johor, for which you will require a Malaysia VISA and come back.

KL as such is another concrete jungle with the only attractions such as Petronas towers and downtown KL with all the massage parlors.

Langakawai can be another restful destination, but for that you will need atleast 3 days to enjoy the island. MAS does fly from Johor to Langakawi.

2. On the VISA front be very careful, Malaysia VISA scams are popular, please go through only authorized visa centers. Also once in KL be very careful of your handbags, bag snatching and mugging in lonely areas is very common.

3. Little India in Singapore you will find plentiful Indian places to eat and shop and temples too, KL you will find MAMAK joints and Indian Banana leafs, you can get veggie food there. for a list all you need to do is ASK.

4. KL has some decent options not very expensive, but Singapore can be a rip off, unless you are going through a travel agent or have booked early, there are pretty decent places on Serangoon road, (little India) do plan accordingly at-least you will save time and money travelling to Little India every day

[NPV]

Originally Posted by callvvijay

1. KL dilemma As I had already mentioned, we are planning this vacation with a toddler and we would prefer not to put him into a tiresome schedule. Will it be okay to cover both SG and KL in this 6/7-day trip? Please note, this 6/7 day would be excluding the days of travel (Chennai-SG/KL and back)

2. Visa: From what I read thru' in SG immigration site, it looks like there is no way that the visa can be obtained all by myself and I will have to go via their trusted partners. Am I right here in my understanding?
Again, from what I read in our forum, looks like these trusted partners charge more than what is prescribed. Any references here?

3. Food We are merciless-plant killers (I mean, pure vegetarians). How are the options in both SG and KL? Especially, availability of rice for kid.

4. Stay Looking out for some decent budget hotels. Have been checking sites like tripadvisor.com and booking.com. Recommendations welcome.

1. My sincere suggestion for all first time visitors is to NOT club Singapore and Malaysia. In your case you have a 2 year old toddler, please don't stress the child out. It will also be quite warm and humid so again not a good idea.
Instead, use the 5-7 days to just explore Singapore at a leisure pace

2. Visa - Though I don't know if it's the only way, it is not very expensive to go with a travel agent for the visa, it is an e-Visa and should not take more than 3-4 days if you have the paperwork completed.

3. Indian vegetarian food is easily available in several places in Singapore, Little India area is full of such restaurants, Ananda Bhavan, Saravana Bhavan, Komala Vilas, Komalas, etc to name a few.

4. Given the proximity of indian restaurants, you may want to look at hotels in the Little India area, near Serangoon Road and thereabouts. Hotels are available in all kinds of budgets, do look around on the internet. You may get good deals on the hotel website directly or try hotels.com or other similar sites.

[ashlil]

1. My suggestion would be to drop KL plan. If you still want to, you can take a flight from SG (some flights are available for SGD 22 all inclusive). But, it might be too hectic for you.

2. If you know a Singapore PR (permanent resident) or citizen, you can ask them to apply for a visa for you. They can do so online. Take less than 1 working day to obtain a tourist visa. If you don't know any, then the only way is through agent.

3. Indian food is available in every nook and corner of Singapore. If you are in Little India, you are not likely to miss India, at least food wise.

4. Take a hotel closer to Serangoon road.

[callvvijay]

Thank you everyone for your insights!

All 3 of you have a few things in common - and foremost among them is to drop KL. I had initially planned for a SG-only visit and then was told by a couple of people that SG can be covered out easily in 3-4 days and KL would be doable for me. And that made me think about including KL in my itinerary.
But yes, with a toddler, as I already mentioned, I do not want him to be overworked too.

Thanks again!

Will keep adding to those list of questions if and when something comes up.

Cheers!

[callvvijay]

Here I'm again with some more questions and need your expert advice and suggestions please.

Firstly, I have 8 full days (excluding the days of travel) and need your help in deciding on an itinerary. We are 4 adults (me, my better half and my parents) + my junior.
Though I had planned against visiting Malaysia, looks like I would have to plan for a short visit (1 or max 2 days) - as a close relative is inviting us over.

Cross-quoting from another thread here:

Originally Posted by CRV2010

I see that hotel charges are way too high in SG, any hotel recommendations if you have stayed there recently?

Originally Posted by MX6

Here's my response again in bold.
Try PG accomodation. I'm giving you a sample link below.
expatriates.com - Singapore - Rooms Available - sengkang rivervale pkaza , $580 master room for rent for couple/2lady , sms agt 96338870
(please note that this is a suggestion and not a recommendation).

You can try mailing those people like in this ad and find out whether they are ok with your 1 week stay there. Ofcourse, it's too early to ask now. So you may keep a hotel reservation done and hunt around for PG acco where you get a bedroom for yourself. Indian hosts are better as you won't have issues with smell from a chinese kitchen.

Just like what CRV2010 had posted in his post in 2010, I too see the hotel accommodations are quite costly in SG. Any hotel/PG recommendations would be very much helpful. On the same note, when I look out for PGs, google gives a ton-load of links. Any pointers on genuine links would also be great.

As of now, we have thought about covering the following places in a relaxed pace
SG (6 days for sure; might be 7 or even all 8 days)
- Sentosa
- Zoo
- Jurong Bird Park
- Singapore Flyer
- Li'l India
- Night Safari (tentative - with a kid who has a habit of going to bed at 10pm, its going to be difficult)
- Shopping
KL (covering these would be time-dependent)
- Petronas
- Batu Caves

1) Is there any other must-see places?
2) Which of these can be clubbed in a day? I think Flyer should not take more than couple of hours. So, we should essentially be able to cover something else as well.
3) Must-see places in Sentosa. And is there any place which ought to be covered at a particular time frame to enjoy its beauty?

And more importantly, is there any BHPian offering a PG in SG?


Thanks!

[AnishKarande]

1) Is there any other must-see places?
2) Which of these can be clubbed in a day? I think Flyer should not take more than couple of hours. So, we should essentially be able to cover something else as well

Hi callvvijay,

If not for all your questions, i can certainly guide/advise you on the above two questions which you have posted.

A must visit when in singapore is the top floor viewing deck of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino. As i was staying at the said hotel i had access to the swimming pool and the viewing deck as part of my stay. I understand that for a nominal feel you can take the elevator right to the top and enjoy the view with your family. In all aspects its worth it especially if you can reach a little before sunset !
Another exciting thing you may find in the same hotel is a service to rent-a-supercar for a limited time and a drive it on a limited part of the f1 circuit at marina bay. I believe they have a gallardo and a f430. I missed out due to downpour on the said day but im sure its well worth the money !
The Hotel also has a massive shopping mall/food court and an impressive promenade beyond it !

Another thing which would be a great experience for the family is to take a ferry/boat ride on the quey and go for a stroll on 'Clark Quey' thereafter ! great place with great vibes !

You may club the singapore flyer with the river cruise/Clark Quey !

Regards,

[rm_arjuna]

We are also visiting Singapore & Malaysia next month (15-24).couple of pointers
a) since you are travelling with small kid advisable to take stroller.
B) park royal on Kitchner rd / Ibis is very good vfm accommodation if you could stretch your budget.
C) sentosa ,Singapore flyer,marina bay would be crowded during weekends, so you could plan accordingly .
d) 5-6 days is enough to cover most attractions in Singapore at a leisurely pace.
E) have applied for visa yesterday,cost 6k per person for Malaysia + Singapore ,thru Akbar travels chennai.
F) since you have family members in kl , you could book return tickets thru train cost around
54 myR or you cud get flight ticket for about 60S$ per ticket if booked early.
P.s. these pointers are based on info from my friends staying in Singapore & KL . we have also made our schedule accordingly.

[callvvijay]

Guys, need some last-minute info as I'm travelling to SG next weekend.

- Is it mandatory to have a travel insurance while visiting SG/Malaysia? Any recommendations on any insurance providers?
About forex:
- Should I be getting SGD/MYR directly here itself? Or, a two-step process of INR to USD here and USD to SGD/MYR in Singapore/Malaysia?
- Is it possible to convert INR to SGD/MYR directly in those respective countries?

Thanks!

[callvvijay]

Guys,

Here is my rough itinerary. Since I'm going with a 2-year kiddo, I would prefer to be back home for an afternoon rest - though it might not be possible on all the 8 days of my trip. We are going to stay at Eunos (right opposite to the MRT).

Day 0 (Saturday) - Reaching Singapore by around 7pm. Rest
Day 1 (Sunday) - Sentosa - SEA Aquarium, Madame Tussauds, Underwater World
Day 2 (Monday) - Jurong Bird Park + Flight to KL at 1930hrs
Day 3 (Tuesday) - Batu Caves + Petronas Towers (Planning to get the tickets for Petronas towers early in the morning)
Day 4 (Wednesday) - No big plans as such. Hire a cab - visit Putrajaya/Cyberjaya on the way back to airport. Flight back to Singapore at 1730hrs.
Day 5 (Thursday) - Singapore Zoo + River Safari + Singapore Flyer + Marina Bay Sands
Day 6 (Friday) - Sentosa again - Universal Studios Singapore, Merlion. Marina Bay Sands (if not possible on Day 5)
Day 7 (Saturday) - Gardens by the Bay + Shopping + Rest
Day 8 (Sunday) - Shopping + Rest + Relatives visit.
Day 9 (Monday) - Bye Bye Singapore + Be at office by 3pm

Your inputs/suggestions welcome here.
- Does my plan look very hectic?
- I'm not sure of any must-see place in Kuala Lumpur.
- Universal Studios - is it worth spending 70SGD when we are planning with a kid? I'm being told that it has many rides which we might not be able to go with the kid.
- I have scheduled Sentosa on Sunday (Day1) and Gardens by the Bay on Saturday (Day7). I don't have an option but to visit places over the weekends too though it might be crowded. Only thing is to select places which will be comparatively less crowded. In that way, are these options good?
- Lastly, my day 0 (Saturday) is tomorrow. Quick replies would be highly appreciated.

Cheers!

[msdivy]

Last Christmas, we did Malaysia & Singapore trip with my 7 year daughter. Some suggestions.
1) There is a 2 day pass covering Sentosa & Universal studios. This is cheaper but you have to do it on back to back days. Try to visit these on weekday when crowds are less. Yes some rides are not for kids but then you can take single person queues, which is faster.
2) Bird park, night safari, zoo is cheaper in a combo pass.
3) Gardens by the Bay, Skypark, flyer, Merlion is best done together. There is laser show in the evenings in front of Marina Bay Sands hotel. I think it is only public holidays. So try these on Sunday.
4) In KL taxi would be best. Though you can try monorail or metro. In Singapore again taxi is faster but you can try MRT. Tourists can get MRT & buss pass on producing passports. You have to top-up and can get balance amount as refund when you leave Singapore. Kids below 7 travel free.

Originally Posted by callvvijay

Your inputs/suggestions welcome here.
- Does my plan look very hectic?
- I'm not sure of any must-see place in Kuala Lumpur.
- Universal Studios - is it worth spending 70SGD when we are planning with a kid? I'm being told that it has many rides which we might not be able to go with the kid.
- I have scheduled Sentosa on Sunday (Day1) and Gardens by the Bay on Saturday (Day7). I don't have an option but to visit places over the weekends too though it might be crowded. Only thing is to select places which will be comparatively less crowded. In that way, are these options good?
- Lastly, my day 0 (Saturday) is tomorrow. Quick replies would be highly appreciated.

Cheers!

Plan looks fine. Universal studios is big attraction in Singapore . You can book all tickets online but you have to exchange the bookings for actually tickets at the counter in all these places.

This is what we did:
Day 1: Land in KL in the morning, transfer to Genting Highland (stay)
Day 2: In Genting Highland
Day 3: In KL, visit KL Sentral mall, KLCC mall, Petronas
Day 4: Fly to S'pore. Visit Orchard street in the evening, just for walk (Sunday, with light lighting it was good)
Day 5: Universal studios
Day 6: Sentosa
Day 7: Skypark, laser show @ Marina Bay sands, River ride to Merlion (dropped flyer since Skypark offered higher view).
Day 8: Plan was to visit zoo, birds and safari. Felt it would be hectic. Visited Haw Paw Villa + rest spent in visiting malls.
Day 9: Early flight back.

My friend living there suggested Science city. But we couldn't do it. So science city, safari, birds have to wait till next time. Malayasia is big. We decided to do only Genting Highland this time.

We stayed in airbnb accommodation, both in KL and S'pore.

Originally Posted by callvvijay

Guys, need some last-minute info as I'm travelling to SG next weekend.

- Is it mandatory to have a travel insurance while visiting SG/Malaysia? Any recommendations on any insurance providers?
About forex:
- Should I be getting SGD/MYR directly here itself? Or, a two-step process of INR to USD here and USD to SGD/MYR in Singapore/Malaysia?
- Is it possible to convert INR to SGD/MYR directly in those respective countries?

Thanks!

Travel insurance is not mandatory. But a must. Will be useful when thing go wrong. I did it with Reliance.
Forex: I didn't scout around. I got better rate for rupee in Malaysia, than in India. Try KL Sentral. Even in the Sentral mall rate is good. In Singapore, Mustafa is open 24 hours. But not much value for rupee. You can carry USD.

PS: Sorry for late advice. I had not seen this thread.

[vnabhi]

A quick question on Genting Highlands in Malaysia:

We are reaching KLIA2 from Langkawi around noon and our hotel in Bukit Bintang around 2 pm on 22nd. Our return flight to India is at 930 pm on 23rd July.
We plan to visit Petronas Towers and the Menara Tower in the evening of 22nd itself.
On 23rd I was thinking of visiting Merdeka Square, Chinatown, Times Square Mall, etc and complete shopping. And then leave by cab to KLIA2 around 5 pm so as to reach by 630 pm (3 hours in advance for the return flight). But now my family has been brain-washed to skip the KL tour and visit Genting Islands instead. Do you think it is possible to visit Genting on 23rd and still return to the hotel by 430 pm, and then take a cab to KLIA2?

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

But now my family has been brain-washed to skip the KL tour and visit Genting Islands instead. Do you think it is possible to visit Genting on 23rd and still return to the hotel by 430 pm, and then take a cab to KLIA2?

Genting Islands is a giant mall with hotels - all connected. There are some rides and a snow city. Just like a mall, you can walk around for 3 hours and see all. But if you want see all, visits shops, casinos, or just hang around, dine, go on rides, it will take 2 days. Shops there close at 2AM.