Singapore With the Kids

Singapore!

Glistening city! City of glam. Of sparkle. Of color.

Never have I been in a city quite like Singapore. This place, guys. It's another world.

Throughout the city... clean baby changing & nursing facilities. Stroller access. Soap dispensers that drop neatly into sinks. Kid-height sinks. Everything super clean and sparkly.

Perfectly manicured trees lining the highways where only the newest and latest cars are peacefully gliding along (they have rules about that). (Oh, they have rules about mosquitos too --- that is, they are not welcome. At all. None in the entire country.) An eco-bridge made exclusively for the wildlife on the island to go from one side of a road to another. 

Incredible food. Local food being a thing of wonder, it's genuinely fusion -- Malaysian, Chinese, Indian ...  with a touch of Euro and Aussie.

a typical hawker center - what Singapore is known for
Some of the best food in the city can be found at these casual cheap-eats-courts where each stand is run by a family for generations upon generations, perfecting their select menu offerings. You get a little from each stand and go crazy. CHILI CRAB delish!

Completely Westernized, yet Asian at heart. English is what's spoken here, though the national language is actually Malay. Home of Crazy Rich Asians. And super-duper easy to visit with kids. Sitting essentially ON the equator - it's perpetually hot. Pack light clothes! But get packing - you're gonna love it.

So what does one do? So much! More than we could do in one visit.

THE ZOO
Hands down the *BEST* zoo. Minimal-barrier enclosures. Animals up close. (Literally all around you - even outside of the enclosures!) Easy walking and cart-rides for tired little-people feet. And just look - so lush! You are in jungle, people.

Universal Studios
Pretty cool, but not our favorite. Perhaps better with older kiddos? Still, I'm glad we checked it out.

 

 

Clarke Quay

A boat ride down the river and exploring! Lots of restaurants here.

 

Gardens By The Bay

Which we pretty much walked through just to get to the children's play area to cool off! 

 

Water Park on Sentosa Island (aka kids-pleasure-island)

OUR FAVORITE THING! So fun we didn't take pictures once playing inside....

this lazy river goes around the perimeter of the park. Inside is a SNORKELING pool, a wave pool, a water maze, a baby pool, dolphin show, manta rays, and the river goes through a glass-walled-tunnel so you are surrounded by exotic fish!

Ethnic Enclaves - 

Here's Kampong Glam ... Malay history and where the Sultan lived prior to British occupation.

 

inside the mosque

a slice of HEAVEN

 

Visiting Friends - who recently left HK for Singapore

Our Hotel - fabulous. Pan Pacific. Absolutely perfect.

 

lunch while dad worked! - Pho and Laksa

Honestly, the airport alone had us ga-ga. Every convenience has been thought of and accounted for.

Changi Airport.
oh, where you can visit a butterfly garden, shop, eat, go on a slide, play puzzles, see a mini-museum...

... and lest you get bored - the facades above the shops come alive with scenes inside of traditional homes - thank you, technology! so cool!

salted fish skin - not so yummy - why is this in the CANDY SHOP!?

Till next time, Singapore!