Singapore Trip Sans Bieber and DOTA 2

We are a traveling family of 6. Traveling with family always needs a lot of preparation, consideration, and, most of all, budget.

The Justin Bieber concert and the DOTA 2 The International were two reasons for our trip. After our daughter bought the concert tickets, we booked our airline tickets and accommodation months ahead. We booked direct at YMCA One Orchard for our accommodation, 1 room for 4 and 1 room for 2.

Three weeks before the concert date, Bieber postponed his world tour, including the one in Singapore. We could also not secure tickets for the DOTA 2 The International even though we queued online for 2 hours and had a friend help us queue online too. Finding out minutes after the queue ended that most of the tickets were bought by scalpers and sold on Carousell at exorbitant prices. Our son did not want to fork out 3x the actual cost of the ticket. So, there, the two reasons for our Singapore trip went puff like smoke.


On the day of our trip (Monday), Korean Air overshot its landing on the runway of Mactan Airport, which moved our flight. However, our flight schedule changed from Monday to Tuesday until Wednesday, when we all trooped to the airport, hoping for the best. Our planned 6-day trip turned out to be a 4-day one.

Travel tips aside from the usual travel requirements

1. 1. Get travel insurance with Covid Coverage. It was useful. We filed for an insurance claim due to the flight delay (the Korean Air plane is still on the side of the runway, though, as of this writing).
   2. Book your accommodations direct. We were also thankful that we booked our accommodations direct. We coordinated with YMCA about what happened and the change in our arrival details. They were kind enough to understand our situation and charged us for our rooms when we arrived.
   3. Familiarize yourself with the train map of your destination
   4. Download Google Maps for your destination.
   5. Download the language needed for Google Translate.

We all agreed to make the most of our trip and explore Singapore with a revised and shortened itinerary. However, there will no more be a concert for our daughter to watch or a DOTA 2 for our son.


Upon arriving and having our USDs exchanged for SGDs, the first on our list was to have dinner. The perfect food place for us is always at B2 Kopi Tiam T3. It is always on our must-eat list whenever we arrive—the warm Kaya toast paired with the hot Teh Tarik, the iced dessert with fruit toppings. Aside from the Kaya toast, Kopi Tiam has a lot of food options for everyone, which is perfect for a family with varied tastebuds.

After dinner, we head off to get local SIM cards at the Travelex Counter at Terminal 3 Arrival Hall. We also bought train cards and loaded them through the machine.

There are so many places to go to depending on the age of your companions. Going around Singapore can involve a lot of walking.

We have a chill DIY itinerary—our means of transportation, the MRT.

Arrival

1. 1.Exchange USD for SGD at the ForEx counter before leaving the arrival area.
   2. Change terminals, use the free Skytrain to move between terminals. Walk to B2 T3 for Kopi Tiam.
   3. Travelex Counter T3 Arrival Hall for the Singtel Hi! Tourist Sim Cards, valid for seven days.
   4. Buy train cards from the MRT Ticket gate, and load it
   5. Sleep, YMCA @The Orchard

Day 1 Zoos - Singapore Zoo and Night Safari
We had brunch at Din Tai Fung, Plaza Singapura. We love that they have an app for queuing. We also ordered through the app.


We bought the multi-park admission on the night we arrived. Then, we head off to the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari after our brunch. Going to the zoo was easy.


First, we rode the MRT to Khatib Station. From there, we waited for the zoo shuttle.


For tickets: https://www.mandai.com/en/ticketing/...selection.html

After the zoo, We went to Newton Food Center for dinner. Best to go around and scout for the food you want. There are a lot of food choices, from seafood to satay to various desserts like ais kachang or durian dessert.


Newton Food Center is a bustling place, and every food booth would want you to order from them. So choose the booth and ask if they have a table nearby, which they usually do. When someone comes to you and offers a table, either you decline or accept it. If you accept their offer, the polite thing to do is ask for their menu and order a few dishes.

Day 2 Sentosa
We bought the tickets the night before.

Choose what activities you want to experience at Sentosa. Aside from the SEA Aquarium and the Universal Studio, there are many things to do there—best to research and read ahead to know their operating hours. Sentosa is a whole-day activity.


Another option would be to spend a night or two at Sentosa to maximize the experience and be able to do more than just the Universal Studio.

Check for what to do at Sentosa https://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/things...actions?page=2

Tickets for SEA Aquarium and Universal Studio https://www.rwsentosa.com/en/attractions

There are two options for getting to Sentosa, either through the cable car or the MRT. We chose the cable car for a more scenic view.

For dinner, we ate at Da Xi, Vivo City. You can also buy tapa and ba-hu at Bee Ching Hiang on the ground floor of Vivo City.

Day 3 Orchard
We had Sushiro at Suntec City for lunch and Marché for afternoon coffee and snacks. Sushiro is another kind of dining experience. Get the food you want from the conveyor belt.


Finally, on our last night, we explored Orchard Road and had dinner at 313@Somerset Foodcourt, another good option for food.

Day 4 Early morning flight back to reality.
We booked a Grab Van to go to the airport. It was big enough for the 6 of us and our luggage.

On our way to the airport, we did the needed e-arrival card. The requirement at that time was to fill up the https://onehealthpass.com.ph. Now, https://etravel.gov.ph officially replaced the onehealthpass.

Travel Tips
https://www.istorya.net/forums/conte...e-travel-3523/