Travel Plus: Exploring Singapore… on a boat.
Summer adventures to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur
Contents
- Seriously – Take a holiday!
- Morning Manoeuvres in the dark, Terminal 5 and Galleries South
- BA776 London Heathrow to Stockholm Arlanda (Club Europe)
- Exploring Stockholm on the cheap (Travel Plus!)
- Back to Arlanda, Stockholm Arlanda Lounge
- QR168 Stockholm Arlanda to Doha (Hamad International Airport) – (Business Class)
- Six Hours in at Al Mourjan Doha’s Lounge
- QR944 Doha – Singapore Changi International (Business Class)
- Intercontinental Singapore
- Exploring Singapore by boat
- From the Top of the Marina Sands
- Back to Changi T2, SATS Lounge
- MH624 Singapore to Kuala Lumpur International Airport
- Into KL, Holiday Inn Express KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
- Adventures in KL
- KL Tower (or yes, Kevin is in yet another tall building)
- Back to KLIA
- MH611 Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Singapore Changi
- Exploring Singapore again with a tweep
- Back to Premium, dnata lounge, Singapore T3
- QR947 Singapore Changi to Doha (Business Class)
- A Dash through Doha…
- QR169 Doha – Stockholm Arlanda (Business Class)
- From Premium to Economy featuring the Aurora Lounge
- BA777 Stockholm Arlanda to London Heathrow
- To have flown, To Wait…
- I need another break…
With me refreshed and clean (as well as in a new polo shirt and a good night’s rest) it was time to explore Singapore. I decided on heading to Raffles Statue, onto the Merlion at Marina Bay, and then onwards from there with no other plan – other than the Marina Bay Sands observation deck at dusk.
Why a lack of planning? Because I’m on holiday.
Exiting the hotel and in front of the National Library of Singapore. And yes, my lens was fogging as it adjusted to the cold of the hotel room to the heat of the morning.
Passing the National Library, decked out in Singaporean flags.
My walk took me past St Andrews….
… entry to an art exhibition…
As well as the Singaporean Parliament.
I closed in on the downtown core, and turned left – heading towards the location where Sir Stamford Raffles first landed.
Boat Quay.
This being Singapore, it wouldn’t be long before I found something prohibited.
Bingo.
And who should I find… but Sir Stamford Raffles watching over his city.
The plaque in English.
Of course, the Singapore is a trading post. And trade was going on in the King of Fruits…
I’ve got opinions on Durian fruit. They’re not polite.
I moved onward, and headed towards the Fullerton and to Marina Bay itself.
Cavenagh Bridge and The Fullerton Hotel
Above me, the downtown core was imposing.
A statue of children jumping into the Singapore river… where’s a sign not to do that???
After crossing a busy road, and following my nose, I saw the big Durian building – or the Esplanade Theatre. I’m still calling it big Durian building… like everyone else.
And to my right… the Merlion.
Hello Merlion!
I wondered around the bay – and found that were boat tours for a sale … for SG$25 (£13.60/US$18.50/€15.50) … cash only.
The incoming bumboat.
There was a pleasant 15 minute wait or so, before boarding for the boat I was waiting for was ready.
I took a seat at the back of the boat out in the sun.
And of course, this being Singapore, there were forbidden signs.
After everyone was abosrd, the boat begun a slow loop around Marina Bay
Marina Sands. We’ll come back to that another time.
Oh. You again.
The boat made a slow loop towards Marina sands, passing the durian building.
Once the boat had done its loop, it headed up the Singapore River.
Cavenagh Bridge
Raffles is around here somewhere… 
Clarke Quay – full of restaurants and clubs.
Riverside point … and parked up boats.
The boat loops around at the northern part of Clarke Quay, and begins tracking back towards Marina Bay.
The boat makes a deep turn into Boat Quay – once a place of storehouses and trading – now a place for dining.
WHERE IS THE FORBIDDEN SIGN!
The Downtown District and Cavenagh Bridge.
Soon the boat turned back into Marina Bay, where Merlion was still spouting water.
Eventually, the boat came to the dock, and it was time to get off.
If you look carefully – behind the big Merlion – there’s a little Merlion. This is made of reclaimed porcelain
Overall: I love boat tours like this – they give a simple overview of a city, without having to do much work and in a simple format. And when on holiday, my brain loves simple.
Sometimes slowing down and taking the slow way allows you to appreciate things.
Now, there were plenty of other adventures I had in Singapore – but we’re going to skip ahead… and go up the top of Marina Sands…
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