A Singapore Holiday???
 

Madness?

Have just booked tickets (with turkish airlines?!) for the wife and i to fly to Singapore from 22 December to 4 January.

Had been trying to get back to Thailand but surprisingly enough leaving tickets this late made it just impossibly expensive... So after out New Years in Shanghai last year, we're off to Singapore now!

I've been to Singapore once, for work, about ten years ago.

What should we do?? I imagine spending the full two weeks in the city would be way too much. But would spending say 22 to 26 even bee too long? I've checked prices at ShangriLa and Oriental...

SHould we head off for Malacca? Should we go to Bintan (the Banyan Tree is full-us.. is anywhere else good on Bintan?).

Any tips, ideas, all welcome. For time being all we have is two tickets and we take off next week!!

Thanks

We spent 6 days in Singapore in August and found that 6 days was too short...there is lots to do. We are looking forward to going back, probably for longer. For ideas, see http://www.visitsingapore.com/publis.../en/index.html

We had a fantastic stay at the Four Seasons. I had considered just about every hotel in the city and we were very happy with our final choice. For us, the area around the Mandarin Oriental/Ritz Carlton/Swissotel...we found it to be very sterile and very much a shopping center. While Orchard Road is also a shopping center, it has more character imo, and the FS's location on Orchard Boulevard is quite quiet although only 5 minutes walk from the MRT ORchard.

I wouldn't go to Bintan...but I would go to Bali. In thinking about a 2 week trip, I think 3 days on either side of a week in Bali would be great.

Or take a Jetstar flight into Siem Reap.

Sing is great for about 3 days - its a small place.

Two or three days either side of a trip somewhere else would be plenty. Lots of places you can reach by plane from Singapore, or just take a bus or train north and visit Malaysia. If you really want to go to Thailand, you could take the train to Bangkok....

Whiel I always enjoy Singapore and have visited many times, I wouldn't spend two weeks there. I'd use Singapore as an entry and exit point, with two or three days at the beginning and the end. Then choose somewhere for a week.

I wouldn't recommend Bintan as other have noted.

Here are my suggestions:

1. Central Java. You can fly on SIlk Air (a subsidiary of Singapore Air) non-stop to Solo. From there, it's an easy (and cheap) taxi ride to one of the hotels near Jogja. Borobudor is stunning and Prambanan is fascinating. You can also see the Ramayana ballet near Prambanan. Jogja, the old cultural capital, has interesting sights such as the kraton. It also the best high quality craft shopping! Puppets, gorgeous batik, carvings... and all quite inexpensive. If you are feeling adventuresome, that would absolutely be my first choice.

2. Bali. If you haven't been to Bali, it's really a lovely place. The only Hindu island in Indonesia, its culture is unique. Bali has some nice (but not fabulous) beaches, and the inland area near Ubud is a must-see. You could divide your time a few days near the beach and a few days near Ubud.

3. Penang. You may have read my Penang trip report from 2006. We stayed at the fabled E&O hotel right in Georgetown, and basically spent our 5 or 6 days all in the Georgetown area, visiting temples, ethnic neighborhoods and eating the justly famous hawker food. The beaches in Penang are not exciting, and we didn't even visit them. You could also combine Penang with a few days in Malacca, thus givivng you time in two old trading ports that are quite different from each other.

Kim, Kathie,
thanky ou so much for your tips. We've had to cancel our tickets and swap for lastminute tickets to see our respective live-alone mums. Not what we'd been hoping for but hey... family!!
On the other hand reading your tips have decided that the first two weeks in May we should travel to Singapore and from there a week in Bali (bever been yet). If I may i'll be back in march/april to get more ideas/tips off you.
In the meanwhile here's wishing you all a very very happy holiday season.