Singapore

Singapore is a place I had become increasingly obsessed with visiting over the last few years. It was to my great pleasure that the Indonesian government required that I leave the country every 60 days for the year that I was living in Bali. This bit of expat maneuvering led me to Singapore three times, once with family and friends, once with just my kids, and once by myself. I will roll all recommendations into one post because, as one does, I kind of became a creature of habit and stayed in the same place every time and revisited a few of the same things.

Our first trip was really fun because we went on one of the school's first long weekends and a lot of families had the same idea. So not only did we fly with friends, but we also bumped into people in department stores and made plans for rooftop drinks.

We were immediately taken with the lush, tropical greenery all over the city. And the order and cleanliness was very soothing after a few months in Bali. It is remarkable how quickly Singapore how emerged into the modern day powerhouse that it is today. But it is nice to see the past interwoven into the city, as well. There is definitely something for everyone in this city from shopping, to art, great food, architecture, and exquisite gardens.

Singapore with Kids

Walk around Kampong Glam and see the Masjid Sultan Mosque, the colorful shops on Haji Street, and Arab Lane.
Gardens by the Bay, Cloud Forest and Gardens by the Bay, Light Show at night
Botanical Gardens
Little India
Sentosa Island- We loved the Luge, but friends also enjoyed Universal City theme park. We opted out of that because we have one where we live in Los Angeles.
Walk across the Helix Bridge Marina Bay and wander through to Merlion Park.
Ion Shopping Mall. Every imaginable store, but also within walking distance of other upscale retail.
Shaw Theaters- Lido. By some miracle, we were able to watch Crazy Rich Asians in the theater with the local crowd. It was the best!

Food we loved

Lau Pa Sat Food Court- Hawker Center. Eat with locals and get a feel for the Singapore of an early time.
Takashimaya Food Court. Feels like a giant food court that you would find in Tokyo with so much good food to try.
Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle. Michelin Star cheap eats. Expect a huge line, but they keep it moving.
Coriander Leaf for a delicious and upscale meal in the beautiful Chjimes Building.
Black Tap. This is a chain, but the freak shakes are epic and the kids loved eating here after the Gardens by the Bay light show.

Adult Time

Happy hour drinks on the roof of Marina Bay Sands at Lavo.
Raffles Hotel for Singapore Slings. The hotel was undergoing a massive renovation while I was there, but thankfully the famed bar was set up nearby so we got a little taste of it. The hotel should be stunning when it is complete.
National Museum of Singapore. Get a history lesson in this gorgeous building.

Where we stayed... all 3 times

Hotel Intercontinental. The rooms are lovely and spacious. The location is perfect- very easy to walk around from here and also the subway is just a few steps away as well. The airport is a quick 20 minute ride from the hotel.
Other options: The Kempinski is new and nearby and the updates Raffles should be opening soon!