Day 2

After a good night’s sleep, we felt extremely well-rested and were ready to tackle the next part of our journey (the most touristy part of Singapore)! Presenting… the Gardens by the Bay – Marina Bay Sands – Esplanade – and Merlion combo (and in that order)! Why start at Gardens by the Bay and end at the Merlion? That way, you get to take nice nighttime skyline photos at the Merlion (where you get a nice view of Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer all lit up)

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Gardens by the Bay

There are two main attractions here:

1. The Flower and the Dome (packaged deal costs SGD 28 if you buy at the site, but I recommend you buy online instead! I used Qoo10, then looked for the best deal there – through this, I paid only SGD 21 per person. Just make sure to read the reviews carefully, so that you know it’s a reputable seller. Also, check if it’s an e-ticket, and by when they’ll email you the tickets)
2. OCBC Skyway (costs SGD 5 at the site) – personally don’t think this is worth it…

From the entrance, my grandparents would need to walk ~20mins to get to the Flower. So an alternative would be to use the shuttle (costs SGD 3 per person). Just follow the signs for the shuttle queue, it’s to the right of the entrance. Honestly though, I thought the shuttle was a HUGE waste of money, because it literally just brings you from the entrance to the Flower, and from the Flower back to the entrance. So in the end, we bought tickets for my grandparents and mom, and the rest of us walked instead (took us ~10mins to reach the Flower – roughly the same time as my grandparents, since they still had to queue)

I’d recommend you do the Flower first – it’s much prettier, with its flower fields! Since it was Christmas time, they also decked out the entire place with Christmas decorations, which were extremely pretty.

The Dome for me was so-so. Again, I’m not a huge nature person; so it was just all trees and leaves to me. Still, it’s quite awe-inspiring to see how they’ve recreated an entire rainforest in hot, sunny Singapore!

Also, once it gets dark outside (7pm onwards), it also gets pretty dark inside, so not exactly ideal for photo taking (unless you have a beautiful camera with excellent flash). But as I only had an iPhone, it just was not up to the job

Gardens by the Bay information

• How to get there: MRT (Esplanade Station) or Bus to get to Gardens by the Bay – then you can walk (or cab) the rest of the way
• Operating hours: 9:00 – 21:00 (Last entry to the Flower/Dome at 20:30)
• Seniors / Child friendly? YES [if you’re willing to pay for the shuttles / cabs]
• Where to eat while here: Satay by the Bay (inside Gardens by the Bay) and Makansutra Gluttons by the Bay (beside Esplanade Terrace)

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Marina Bay Sands

From Gardens by the Bay, walk on over to Marina Bay Sands – it’s connected by a bridge – took us ~45mins to walk

Casino time!

Note that you can only enter the casino if you’re 21 y.o. and above, and they’re extremely strict about this. For foreigners, you need to bring your passports as they conduct a passport check before you enter. Because of this, we had to leave our brother outside (he’s only 17!)

Observation deck

For other tourists, go check out the observation deck, and enjoy a panoramic view of the Singapore skyline – price is steep though (SGD 23 for adults, SGD 20 for senior citizens).

To purchase, you can buy through this link one month in advance, note that on-the-day tickets would be available for purchase only at Marina Bay Sands Box Offices

If you aren’t willing to pay such a steep price, you can also enjoy a nice panoramic view by going one floor up to the bar, and enjoying the beautiful view (for the price of a drink, or for free!). Another alternative would be to go to the Esplanade Terrace, where your panoramic view will even include Marina Bay Sands!

Marina Bay Sands information

• Operating hours (Observation deck): 9:30 – 22:00 (M to Th) / 23:00 (F to S)
• Seniors / Child friendly? YES, but folks below 21 y.o. are not allowed in the casino
• Where to eat while here: Rasapura Masters Food Court (which is pretty much 24/7!), and will offer a truly regional line-up

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Esplanade Terrace / Theaters by the Bay

From Marina Bay Sands, cross the Helix Bridge and walk your way to Esplanade Terrace / Theaters by the Bay (the durian-like structure in the distance)

If it’s already night time, there’s usually a free performance at the theater, so enjoy the soothing sounds of the latest Singapore singers/bands. If you want to check out what’s available, head on over to the Esplanade website – if there’s a “Free” sign beside the performance, then you’re in luck!

Otherwise, go to Level 4 of the Esplanade mall, and you’ll be able to enjoy a nice panoramic view here. At night, the view becomes even more stunning as the buildings light up!

Once you’re done enjoying the view – head on over to Makansutra Gluttons by the Bay. To be honest, I thought it was heavily commercialized – BUT at least it serves local food. None of the Esplanade restaurants do…

Esplanade information

• Seniors / Child friendly? YES [if you’re willing to pay for the shuttles / cabs]
• Where to eat while here: Makansutra Gluttons by the Bay (beside Esplanade Terrace)

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Merlion Park

From Esplanade, walk across the Jubilee Bridge (constructed for Singapore’s 50^th anniversary in 2015) to reach the Merlion

At Merlion, you can now do all the customary shots – the “thirsty” shot, the “showering” shot, etc etc. There’s also a nice deck where you can take nice shots of Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer

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Wonderful Light Show

If you’re here during the following show times, stay at the Merlion deck and watch the beautiful light show.

• Sunday to Thursday: 20:00, 21:30
• Friday and Saturday: 20:00, 21:30, 23:00

Alas, I didn’t manage to catch the show…

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And that’s a wrap for Day 2! For my other days of travel, feel free to click the links below to read more on specific parts of my 6-day Singapore journey:

• Everything you need to know about Singapore as a first-time tourist
• Day 1: Botanic Gardens – Orchard Road
• Day 3: Universal Studios
• Day 4: Chinatown (Buddha Tooth Relic Temple – Chinatown Street Market – Sri Marianman Temple – Bugis)
• Day 5: Hipster and off-the-beaten path (Sultan Mosque – Haji Lane – Tiong Bahru)
• Day 6: Hipster and off-the-beaten path (Haw Par Villas – Japanese Chinese Garden)
• Eating my way through Singapore – top picks!
• Top 5 Recommended Food Souvenirs from Singapore