Wow thank you Jaya,
I am off next week on the next trip and I am getting very excited.
You have wrote a wonderful review and very comprehensive.
I am also going to Singapore if you can recommend some good trips. Apparently the gardens by the bay is cancelled, due to maintenance, which is a shame.
Warm regards Julie
Hi Julie, Taffy (both Polar Bear buddies!) and all the other travellers off to Sabah and Singapore shortly! You are in for a wonderful time.
http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en.html There are scheduled maintenance days for the different domes, garden areas and some closures for events. It may be that a closure has affected the standard tour offered to JY on a specific day? I did not go on the optional group tour as I wanted to take my time exploring the gardens, which I thoroughly enjoyed and have 100s of photos to prove it! So if the Gardens are open on other days while you are in Singapore I would thoroughly recommend a visit. Check the web site to see what is closed on each day? The domes (Conservatories) are of course the main attractions. A taxi from outside your hotel - the doorman will wave one up for you, costs in the region of 7 to 10 Singapore dollars (S$) on the meter, up to 4 passengers. Entry, including the domes, is currently S$28 and the Skyway is S$8. You can pick up a site map at the entrance. There is also a well stocked gift shop! There are several places to get food and drink on the site and clean toilets. Take your sun brolly/hat if you intend to walk round outside and don't forget your bottle of water. I would anticipate spending several hours there - but afterwards you could walk from the garden across the beautiful walkways towards the Marina - perhaps visit the Marina Bay Sands hotel and take the lift to the 56 or 57 floor! 56 floor lift takes you to the observation deck at the front of the "boat" which rests on the three towers with its panoramic views. This costs S$23 (S$20 seniors). Or you can travel free to the 57 floor and enjoy (very slightly more restricted) panoramic views from the boat's roof top bar and restaurant - I chose this option and sipped a cocktail as the sun started to set! There are (usually) light displays from The Gardens by the Bay and in the Marina each evening which can be viewed from various vantage points. There is a designated taxi rank at the back of the Marina Bay hotel/shops and an evening metered fare back to the hotel was S$10.
Oh no - I will have to go back to looking at my photos - again! Overall (just don't mention narrow coach seats! or a flying bug duvet!) it truly was a wonderful holiday and will remain a long time in my memory. Have a great time.
PS Left hand side of the bus from the airport into Singapore gives the best first views of the Marina from the flyover (unless the route changes!)
PPS There is a Starbucks a few minutes walk from the hotel (turn left out of the door and left onto the main road , across two sets of lights, on the way to Clarkes Quay) Free wifi - but then of course you buy a coffee…. and a cake…..
