Singapore – The Unique Traveler Guide

12 de October de 201922 de March de 2020

Classic Stay in Singapore – Mandarin Oriental – Hotel Review

Versão em português aqui.

It’s our first day in Asia. Our very first day in Singapore. After flying for almost two days from Brazil with Emirates (review soon), we are now arriving in a kind of sanctuary. It’s how you feel when you arrive at Mandarin Oriental Singapore.

The atmosphere here is so peaceful and intimate you can barely realize it has about 500 hundred rooms. From the very first contact, we were treated like friends by every staff member, who do care about your deepest wishes. It looks like you are at home, but with 5* luxury amenities.

We stepped into our beautifully decorated room with a lovely view over Singapore’s skyline and were granted with a warm welcome gift to always remember this pleasant stay. But how to forget?

From breakfast with endless options for every taste – from oriental dishes, to eggs any style, to several types of juices – to a wide variety of dining options, MO Singapore is definitely a place you never want to leave.

We used to start our days with morning exercises at the state-of-the-art gym, with the latest equipments contrasting with classic-black-crystal chandeliers.

To have a relaxing time and to beat jet lag after almost two days flying, we spent some hours at the pool, with private cabanas overlooking Singapore’s skyline. There you can have a light lunch by the pool at Dolce Vita Restaurant.

But if you are interested in having a glamorous meal, what about tasting the best of Cantonese Cuisine? Be sure to check Cherry Garden Restaurant, where we had one of the most incredible meals of our whole trip. I don’t know if you love dumplings as I do, but this place is a food lover paradise.

To wrap up your day in style, have fun at MO Bar, where you can sip the most inventive drinks with Singapore’s skyline in the background, while savoring delicious snacks and enjoying lively elegant music.

Besides being super comfortable and elegant, MO Singapore is also very well located, in front of Marina Bay with easy access to major tourist attractions such as Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Shops and Orchard Road, as many other places to going out (soon) in Singapore. I don’t know about you, but after re-reading this post, I’d love to go back to this place for at least a day. MO Singapore is definitely a place to remember.

6 de October de 20196 de October de 2019

What to Do in Singapore

Versão em português aqui.

As mentioned before in my first post about Singapore, we had only three days in the city before heading to Bali, so I can’t say we saw everything as the city offers many options for every kind of traveler, but I guess we had a small idea of what Singapore is about.

We arrived on a Friday afternoon and headed to Gardens by the Bay, one of the most visited places in Singapore. It’s pretty impressive how did they build such huge trees (called Supertrees) and an impressive forest in the middle of the city. I knew the trees were tall, but I never knew they were this tall. Absolutely amazing!

If you want to watch the show – every night they light up the Supertrees for 15 minutes, accompanied by music – it takes place at 7.45 and 8.45pm every day. The entrance is free. Take your place under any tree and enjoy the show. It’s quick, so don’t expect something spectacular, but I think it’s worth the visit. I remember hearing a song which said “Singapore… Oh Singapore…” in a melodic way while the Supertrees were shining. It definitely added a magic touch to our first night in Asia.

We never had the chance to get into the Flower Dome, inside Gardens by the Bay, one of the most visited places in Singapore (with at least 45 minutes waiting to get in). I don’t know about you, but we are not that kind of tourist that wait patiently to get int at every visiting point, so we let this experience for our next visit. It’s probably better to go there early in the morning. I recently put the Floral Fantasy, also at Gardens by the Bay, on my bucket list for our next visit, it seems to be absolutely beautiful thru the pics I saw in Instagram.

There is another show in front of the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel, next to the Louis Vitton flagship store, with lasers, music and water contrasting with Singapore’s skyline. Take your seat as early as you can, because it can get very crowded.

If you are looking for a place to enjoy sunset, then take the lift up to the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands Hotel at Ce La Vi Restaurant and Bar. It’s a trendy rooftop bar with overwhelming views over the city. Remember to reserve a table in advance, otherwise you will have to pay an entrance. The vibe up there is incredible. After drinks at the sky bar, enjoy dinner with a view at the restaurant. We ate a delicious seafood, while sipping a glass of white wine and enjoying great house music powered by a DJ. Highly recommended.

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For a more relaxing experience, head to the opposite side of the bay where the Lantern Bar is, at the stylish Fullerton Bay Hotel. This place was recommended by a local and I can say it was one of the best spots we’ve been to in Singapore. It’s a place to chill out with panoramic views in an elegant but informal ambience. Enjoying sunset hours there was incredible, with a golden skyline in the backdrop.

Seeking for another exclusive and classy bar to hang out? Then have a look at MO Bar, the main bar at Mandarin Oriental Hotel. With lively relaxing music and inventive cocktails, it’s a place to loose track of time. We had a light dinner there while enjoying wonderful views over the city and appreciating good drinks, what more could we ask for?

If after so much drinking you are more about eating something, Singapore has so much to offer which makes a decision not that easy. Inside Marina Bay Shops there are so many options, from the most simple ones to Michelin starred, including CUT by Wolfgang Puck and DB Bistro and Oyster Bar by Daniel Boulud. We tried another restaurant of Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where we had one of the best meals of our whole stay at the Cherry Garden, a cantonese cuisine restaurant. Traditional and beyond delicious.

I’ve just read that Singapore has more than 40 Michelin Starred Restaurants, so I guess we should go back to check them out. Not to mention everyone says worth it a lot a visit to the Sentosa Island, the Singapore Botanic Garden – the most visited botanical garden of the world – and the Heritage Sites (Little India and China Town), which will definitely be added to the list in our next visit.

We will return, for sure.

29 de September de 201911 de November de 2019

Vibrant Singapore

Versão em português aqui.

When we started to plan our trip to Bali, we had no idea we would visit Singapore. As we issued our Emirates flights with awards from Tap Miles & Go Program, we found seats available on the Singapore route, that’s how we ended up getting to know this city. Lucky we are!!!

It was our first time in Asia and Singapore seems to be one of the best hubs to connect to other Southeast Asian countries. But the city is a destination itself. We had only three days there and it’s definitely not enough to discover all Singapore highlights, but I guess we had a reasonable idea of it.

It all begins at the airport, where you get completely crazy about the recently opened The Jewel, a true gem inside Terminal 1, where a huge waterfall contrasts with beautiful adorned green walls. If it’s not enough, wait to see the rainy kinetic, a crazy sculpture which keeps moving and enchanting your eyes.

Then you leave the airport and get even more crazy about the cleaning and super vibrant city, with its lush vegetation wide spread all over it. It’s probably one of the most green cities I’ve ever been to, considering the big ones.

We stayed at Mandarin Oriental, which is very well located in front of Marina Bay and the most visited touristic points. About 10 minutes walking and you can reach Gardens by The Bay and its famous SuperTrees and Flower Dome or Marina Bay Sands mall and hotel, with its super famous infinity pool and rooftops bars in the 57th floor.

Another 10 minutes walking to the opposite side you can reach the Merlion, the famous lion statue – symbol of Singapore – and the Lantern Bar at Fullerton Bay Hotel, a stylish rooftop bar where you can sip a glass of wine while enjoying the sun setting across the buildings.

Along Marina Bay you can either walk or bike feeling a warm breeze and enjoying wonderful views of the city’s skyline. It’s pretty impressive how the concrete buildings contrasts with the splendid vegetation around the city. Everywhere you look you will find plants, trees and beautiful flowers.

Marina Bay Shops is a place to find luxury goods. By the way that’s one of the best things to do in Singapore, it’s definitely a shoppers paradise, with a different mall every two or three blocks, it’s incredible. One of the best areas to shop is at the Orchard Road, with endless options from small boutiques to huge malls.

We didn’t have the chance to visit the Botanical Garden, which is one of the most visited in the world. Actually when you are in Singapore it seems that every place is the most visited one, full packed of people every where, it’s crazy.

This wonderful city-state with a few years more than 50 has got us for complete. It’s a place to enjoy and feel the wonderful atmosphere. It’s a place to get crazy in stylish vibrant rooftops or to relax under the lush vegetation of Gardens by the Bay. It’s a hub. It’s a destination itself. It’s definitely a place to return.