This would be my second country I visited without following on a tour group. Thailand is my first. Singapore is second on the list. I hope I can add more soon.

My itinerary - 4 days 3 nights

Firstly…..Flew into Johor Bharu, transfer to Singapore by bus. Shopping at Orchard Road for the rest of the day.

Second day, shopping at Vivo City and spent the rest of the day at Sentosa Island.

Third day, shopping!! (again) at Suntec City Mall, Raffles Shopping Centre, Marina Square, Citylink Mall (joining Suntec and Raffles), Bugis Junction, Bugis Street and lastly Sim Lim Square.

Fourth day, visited Chinatown and go back Orchard to shop again!! Checkout, get back to Senai Airport by bus and taxi. Home sweet home.

First Impression

Arriving Singapore by land meaning that I need to cross over from Johor Bharu. Johor Bharu is like a abandoned city (a little exaggerated) comparing to Singapore city center. City planning is simply stunning comparing with Malaysia’s way of doing things. The city is efficient, well-planned and highly organized.

You can see green everywhere even in the area full of skyscrapers. There are many building with its rooftop covered green. City is very well planned.

You can move around with ease with seamless connection between different kinds of transportation networks. This make the city efficient.

Ultra Efficient Public Transport

Public transport made traveling on budget really good without relying on taxis. We only need taxis during emergency only. The island’s mass rail transit (MRT) has some 5 lines linking major parts of the island. Other than that, bus network complement to MRT to cover the whole island effectively.

Without the efficient bus network and MRTs, 4.8 million of people simply can’t move their toes around the little island.

Travelers can travel to most part of the island with ease and with little pain on wallet. In Malaysia, you gonna suffer quite a lot on this.

Moving Things Around

25% of the containers in the world go through Singapore. Singapore has one of the world’s most organized system to move things around. Singapore’s Changi airport boosts as the South East Asia aviation hub. Changi airport voted as the most friendly airport in the world! On land, it has efficient MRT and bus network! Singapore surely a king in moving things around be it human or cargo.

Shopping malls EVERYWHERE!!

There are many shopping malls around the city at Orchard Road, Bugis, Harbourfront, City Hall area and many other places. I wonder how they survive the competition there with such proximity with each other. Maybe they have enough tourists population and local folks to empower them, yes? This is surely a good thing for shopping geeks around the world, minus the forex rate provided.

Girls in Singapore a little too modern

Many girls in Singapore smoke. I can hardly spot a girl without make-up on except those primary school girls and below. I guess this is the effects of modernization with the economic booming of the country.

Spending in Singapore

With the current exchange rate of Malaysia to Singapore dollar, RM 2.3 to SGD1, shopping is painful. You can see, you cannot buy. There are many world renowned brands in the island Republic that really make those seeking for retail therapy real happy!

Things might be different with imported electronic goods. Their pricings are very competitive and it can be lower than Malaysia’s price at any time. It may be worth to buy an electronic stuff there sacrificing its warranty in the exchange of the cheaper price tag. You judge it.

Will I go again?

A good destination to see and shop around. Furthermore, Airasia and Singapore’s LCCs can now fly to/from Malaysia and Singapore. This will make life a lot easier for budget travelers. I will surely visit again.