Walking down the streets of Bangkok one is inevitably approached by gentlemen offering a "20 baht 2 hour city tour" of the city. Now common sense should tell most people that 50 cents for a two hour tour is too good to be true - and it is !
These guys will whisk you off on a never ending tour of silk shops, tailor shops and jewellery shops, plus anywhere else they may come up with. Rest assured every single place will pay the touts a high commission, charge you way over the usual price or in the case of jewellry shops, may actually defraud you with fake gems. You can expect severe sales pressure at each stop and if you don't buy the touts will start to get nasty.
Despite the warnings about these guys I still saw at least half a dozen folks fall for the bait in the space of less than an hour.
There are many other variations of these scams....usually involving jewellery, silk, massages, tailor shops or - more dangerously - card games.
Stay safe folks and avoid these sharks.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Off to the Tailor in Bangkok
In the true spirit of globalisation I buy not so much as a pair of jocks all year round in Australia then hit my favourite tailor shop in Bangkok to stock on a years worth of clothing. It sure beats paying a fortune for cheap chinese crap in Australia and the savings help subsidise travelling.
So it was off to visit the old chap who runs Oasis Tailors in Petchburi Road. Despite being a regular I can never find his shop in the chaos around this busy street and it took a while in the hot sun.
There was also a run in with a couple of touts on the street who swore blind that Oasis had closed up shop and they would take me somewhere better. It took a real firm exchange of words before the commission hungry jackals left me be.
Eventually I found the right place. I like this particular Tailor because he has no class at all and there is no slick sales talk. The old guy dresses in a singlet and shorts, is too cheap to switch on his airconditioner and there are no free beers or other inducements.
More importantly his prices are good and past experience has taught me his clothes last for years, unlike some of the slicker places around which sell clothes that fall to bits.
For the record the prices were 800 baht for long sleeved mens shirts and 1200 baht for trousers.
So it was off to visit the old chap who runs Oasis Tailors in Petchburi Road. Despite being a regular I can never find his shop in the chaos around this busy street and it took a while in the hot sun.
There was also a run in with a couple of touts on the street who swore blind that Oasis had closed up shop and they would take me somewhere better. It took a real firm exchange of words before the commission hungry jackals left me be.
Eventually I found the right place. I like this particular Tailor because he has no class at all and there is no slick sales talk. The old guy dresses in a singlet and shorts, is too cheap to switch on his airconditioner and there are no free beers or other inducements.
More importantly his prices are good and past experience has taught me his clothes last for years, unlike some of the slicker places around which sell clothes that fall to bits.
For the record the prices were 800 baht for long sleeved mens shirts and 1200 baht for trousers.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Pollution in Bangkok
Wow was it ever polluted in Bangkok this visit. We both came down with mild flu symptons within hours of hitting the streets and from our hotel room 33 stories high you could see the thick haze blanketing the city from dusk to dawn.
For this reason it is wise to avoid the many cheap guesthouses in Bangkok and splash out on somewhere decent to stay. Believe me, your lungs will thank you after a few hours on Bangkok's smoggy streets.
For this reason it is wise to avoid the many cheap guesthouses in Bangkok and splash out on somewhere decent to stay. Believe me, your lungs will thank you after a few hours on Bangkok's smoggy streets.
Baiyoke Sky Hotel
Checking in to the 88 storey Baiyoke Sky Hotel was painless and quick although we got there too early and had to wait for a room to become available. The staff did thier best and had us in a room by 12.30 for which credit is deserved given the check - in time was 2pm minimum.
We scored a room on the 33 rd floor.....room 3302 which has great views across the city tords the Chao Phraya River. I spent more than a few hours gazing out the window snapping off photos of the city skyline at sunset, night and dawn.
Head for the 78th floor to the observation tower and for 180 baht (200 baht for non-guests) you get a panoramic view of the city. You can also get great views for free from the swimming pool area on the 24th floor.
Breakfast was included on the 77th floor and the views here are just as good as those up above ! The fare is western buffet, Japanese food and Asian dishes and they have a huge variety. As free buffet breakfasts go this is one of the better ones so remember to book your stay with Hotelzasia and don't miss out on your free feed !
The rooms here are spacious, all the mod cons plus 50 channels of cable TV for those times when you need to sprawl out and cool down after a hot day's shopping.
We scored a room on the 33 rd floor.....room 3302 which has great views across the city tords the Chao Phraya River. I spent more than a few hours gazing out the window snapping off photos of the city skyline at sunset, night and dawn.
Head for the 78th floor to the observation tower and for 180 baht (200 baht for non-guests) you get a panoramic view of the city. You can also get great views for free from the swimming pool area on the 24th floor.
Breakfast was included on the 77th floor and the views here are just as good as those up above ! The fare is western buffet, Japanese food and Asian dishes and they have a huge variety. As free buffet breakfasts go this is one of the better ones so remember to book your stay with Hotelzasia and don't miss out on your free feed !
The rooms here are spacious, all the mod cons plus 50 channels of cable TV for those times when you need to sprawl out and cool down after a hot day's shopping.
Off to Thailand
We headed off for Changi Airport in Singapore at 5.30 am which was a blessing in disguise as Changi was a crowded, chaotic, understaffed mess. There was plenty of entertainment during the 40 minute wait to check in for our flight however - one Indian guy exploded in temper at the long wait and screamed at the staff over the mile long queue ! A bit dramatic but in fairness to the poor guy there were about 10 out of 50 check in counters actually manned and hundreds of grouchy travellers!
Then we zoomed through customs and grabbed breakfast - it ain't cheap to eat at Changi but there is a great selection of Asian and Western restaurants to choose from. Count on S$5 to S$10 a head for a meal.
Right after breakfast my arse decided it was time to explode so I rushed off to to the gents only to be confronted by possibly the only remaining squat toilet in Singapore. I leave the rest to your imagination but suffice to say this correspondent was weak at the knees before boarding SQ60 to Bangkok.
Another stop to stock up on some of the cheapest duty free goodies in South East Asia - Changi is a great spot to stock up on booze and perfume !
The two hour flight with Singapore airlines was pleasant, the morning meal was mush but that is par for the course with airlines. Fortunately series two of Doctor Who was available on the video - on - demand screen so the flight passed quickly for me :)
We arrived at Thailand's stunning new Suvanabhumi airport to find it amazingly impressive from the outside, inside, well, it's kind of not finished yet and the queue at immigration was pretty much as slow as the old Don Muang airport.
Once you get your luggage the taxi touts swarm onto new arrivals....asking absurd amounts to get into Bangkok. Ingore them all, head downstairs to the public taxi area and get a cheap ride into town.
It took about two hours to reach the Baiyoke Sky Hotel in downtown Pratunarm - the fare was 280 baht plus a 50 baht airport surcharge. 2 expressway tolls added 25 baht and 40 baht respectively.
One hour of the travel time was spent covering the last kilometre of the trip - Bangkok's legendary traffic snarls living up to thier reputation yet again.
Then we zoomed through customs and grabbed breakfast - it ain't cheap to eat at Changi but there is a great selection of Asian and Western restaurants to choose from. Count on S$5 to S$10 a head for a meal.
Right after breakfast my arse decided it was time to explode so I rushed off to to the gents only to be confronted by possibly the only remaining squat toilet in Singapore. I leave the rest to your imagination but suffice to say this correspondent was weak at the knees before boarding SQ60 to Bangkok.
Another stop to stock up on some of the cheapest duty free goodies in South East Asia - Changi is a great spot to stock up on booze and perfume !
The two hour flight with Singapore airlines was pleasant, the morning meal was mush but that is par for the course with airlines. Fortunately series two of Doctor Who was available on the video - on - demand screen so the flight passed quickly for me :)
We arrived at Thailand's stunning new Suvanabhumi airport to find it amazingly impressive from the outside, inside, well, it's kind of not finished yet and the queue at immigration was pretty much as slow as the old Don Muang airport.
Once you get your luggage the taxi touts swarm onto new arrivals....asking absurd amounts to get into Bangkok. Ingore them all, head downstairs to the public taxi area and get a cheap ride into town.
It took about two hours to reach the Baiyoke Sky Hotel in downtown Pratunarm - the fare was 280 baht plus a 50 baht airport surcharge. 2 expressway tolls added 25 baht and 40 baht respectively.
One hour of the travel time was spent covering the last kilometre of the trip - Bangkok's legendary traffic snarls living up to thier reputation yet again.
Singapore Botanical Gardens and Orchid Garden
The Singapore Botanical Gardens and Orchid Garden is a beautiful and rare example of nature in Singapore. OK so it is steaming hot and it rained on and off while we where there, but there is a great collection of palms and orchards around the lake.
Entrance is free and there is a pleasant outdoor coffee shop which has bathrooms that are so clean and well decorated they would not be out of place in a 5 star hotel!
Entrance to the orchard Garden costs S$5 but is well worth the money. The most amazing collection of orchids and tropical plants awaits you and photographers will love this place.
This is one place where you can see what Singapore's jungles may once have looked like so brave the humidity and take a look.
Entrance is free and there is a pleasant outdoor coffee shop which has bathrooms that are so clean and well decorated they would not be out of place in a 5 star hotel!
Entrance to the orchard Garden costs S$5 but is well worth the money. The most amazing collection of orchids and tropical plants awaits you and photographers will love this place.
This is one place where you can see what Singapore's jungles may once have looked like so brave the humidity and take a look.
Clarke Quay Singapore
Singapore's Clarke Quay area was once run down docklands and shophouses but today has been converted into a multi colored shopping area / dining spot. It all looks glitzy and there is some innovative street art and lots of shade provided by giant overhead shades.
No bargains, however, and once we had looked about and taken a few photos we were off - this place is pure eye candy but there isnt a great deal to to do.
The one redeeming feature is the Singapore branch of "Hooters" restaurant, staffed by buxom young wenches all suitably stacked. Now this place is worth a visit.
Clarke Quay is good for a quick look around then perhaps hop on a bumboat and head off down the river instead.
No bargains, however, and once we had looked about and taken a few photos we were off - this place is pure eye candy but there isnt a great deal to to do.
The one redeeming feature is the Singapore branch of "Hooters" restaurant, staffed by buxom young wenches all suitably stacked. Now this place is worth a visit.
Clarke Quay is good for a quick look around then perhaps hop on a bumboat and head off down the river instead.
Little India, Singapore
Little India is one of the least sanitised and more enjoyable places to visit in Singapore. We got off at the Little India MRT station and headed straight for a large market cum food centre for coffee and indian parathas with egg and onion....a bargain at S$1.20 a paratha and a dollar for coffee.
After that it was time to wander the streets which are a myriad of interesting restaurants, sores selling fabrics and knick knacks as well as endless herbs, spices and curries. The shophouses are mostly restored quite nicely and there is an excellent Hindu temple to see in Serangoon Road.
We had a Thai gold bracelet to unload which was worth around $350 in Thailand and happily we sold it for over A$550 in Serangoon Road. At least for once we were taking money, not spending it, and a nice little profit thanks to Singapore's high prices !
After that it was time to wander the streets which are a myriad of interesting restaurants, sores selling fabrics and knick knacks as well as endless herbs, spices and curries. The shophouses are mostly restored quite nicely and there is an excellent Hindu temple to see in Serangoon Road.
We had a Thai gold bracelet to unload which was worth around $350 in Thailand and happily we sold it for over A$550 in Serangoon Road. At least for once we were taking money, not spending it, and a nice little profit thanks to Singapore's high prices !
Suntec City Singapore
We started off for Suntec City Singapore by entering the underground shopping mall which stretches from raffles city for about a kilometre underground. After passing endless expensive stores and junk food restaurants we emerged at Suntec City, a huge complex of 5 high rise towers, a shopping mall and a convention centre.
Unfortunately the shopping mall is less than impressive although there is a small bonsai garden worth peeking at.
Situated between the towers is a massive fountain designed by a feng shui guru and all manner of good luck is promised if one walks around it so many times for so many days. We didn't bother with this ritual but what is well worth seeing in the nightly 8pm laser light show which you can see free.
There was nowhere cheap to eat at Suntec so it was expensive coffee and cake at Starbucks.
Unfortunately the shopping mall is less than impressive although there is a small bonsai garden worth peeking at.
Situated between the towers is a massive fountain designed by a feng shui guru and all manner of good luck is promised if one walks around it so many times for so many days. We didn't bother with this ritual but what is well worth seeing in the nightly 8pm laser light show which you can see free.
There was nowhere cheap to eat at Suntec so it was expensive coffee and cake at Starbucks.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, Singapore
We stayed at the Peninsula Excelsior hotel whilst in Singapore, mainly because it offered good value, and is very well located being a 10 minute stroll from the Singapore River and and a 5 minute walk to the City Hall MRT station just beside Raffles City. For all of these reasons, the place is well recommended. In Singapore where hotels are not cheap this is good value for the location.
Located off North Bridge Road, there are 4 or 5 excellent food centres scattered about so it is easy to eat for S$5 or less without having to spend up big in the hotel.
The hotel itself is actually two 1970's hotel towers combined - the Peninsula and the Excelsior - into a single two tower entity. The whole place is probably due for the wreckers ball with its 70's decor but the rooms are fairly well maintained and the staff generally helpful. The pool is glass sided and viewable from the lobby lounge so the voyuers are well catered for - order a beer, take a seat and observe the ladies from below the waterline. Of course I endured this experience for research purposes only :)
Located off North Bridge Road, there are 4 or 5 excellent food centres scattered about so it is easy to eat for S$5 or less without having to spend up big in the hotel.
The hotel itself is actually two 1970's hotel towers combined - the Peninsula and the Excelsior - into a single two tower entity. The whole place is probably due for the wreckers ball with its 70's decor but the rooms are fairly well maintained and the staff generally helpful. The pool is glass sided and viewable from the lobby lounge so the voyuers are well catered for - order a beer, take a seat and observe the ladies from below the waterline. Of course I endured this experience for research purposes only :)
Boat Quay at Night
Singapore's boat Quay features a strip of restaurants and bars running for maybe a mile along the river. We got there in the early evening, planning to have a meal and gaze at the reputedly fabulous views across Marina Bay at night.
Whn you hit Boat Quay you enter a seemingly endless strip of restaurants, pubs, and more restaurants and pubs, all displaying huge lit-up menus and all with agressive staff who jump in front of you, stick menu's in your face and offer you discounts of 10%, 15%, a free beer, and so on. Anything to get you in and spending because there are plenty of empty tables despite the views, which are indeed great.
Why so ? Well, the place we eventually chose served up a good fare and threw in a free couple of beers and gave us a great table on the waterfront. But at S$70 for a meal for two (compared to an average cost of 5 to ten bucks a head around the rest of Singapore - most folks visit once and spend up to enjoy the views then don't come back. Which is why virtually none of the diners were locals.....a sure sign that prices are too high.
It is well worth a single visit however and our dinner was great and we got some good photos of the Bay at night.
Whn you hit Boat Quay you enter a seemingly endless strip of restaurants, pubs, and more restaurants and pubs, all displaying huge lit-up menus and all with agressive staff who jump in front of you, stick menu's in your face and offer you discounts of 10%, 15%, a free beer, and so on. Anything to get you in and spending because there are plenty of empty tables despite the views, which are indeed great.
Why so ? Well, the place we eventually chose served up a good fare and threw in a free couple of beers and gave us a great table on the waterfront. But at S$70 for a meal for two (compared to an average cost of 5 to ten bucks a head around the rest of Singapore - most folks visit once and spend up to enjoy the views then don't come back. Which is why virtually none of the diners were locals.....a sure sign that prices are too high.
It is well worth a single visit however and our dinner was great and we got some good photos of the Bay at night.
Orchard Road Christmas Light Up
Those of you who have been to Singapore will know Orchard Road as a several-kilometre long strip of massive shopping centers, tourist hotels and endless crowds of people. If you love shopping you will love it, I don't so had been planning to avoid this area like the plague. After all the bargains are few and far between these days - yes you can find the latest and greatest clothes and accessories but the prices are creeping up.
This year I saw Orchard Road at night during the Christmas "light up" and saw a whole new world. No need to go shopping - I just walked up and down for kilometres gawking at the amazing Christmas lighting. It is beyond description - so many lights and sparkling trees, stars, angels and god knows what else - that you could spend hours just wandering around looking at them. Which I did.
Tacky and commercial, maybe. Impressive - yes. So impressive the government puts on free open top buses for visitors every night just to see the lights. Popular Department store Tang's put on one of the more impressive displays, but pretty much every store made a big effort and the end result was truly beautiful.
If the retailers were hoping to get people spending more they may be disapointed - as far as I could see the entire population of Singapore was taking a break from eating and shopping and out gawking with everyone else.
This year I saw Orchard Road at night during the Christmas "light up" and saw a whole new world. No need to go shopping - I just walked up and down for kilometres gawking at the amazing Christmas lighting. It is beyond description - so many lights and sparkling trees, stars, angels and god knows what else - that you could spend hours just wandering around looking at them. Which I did.
Tacky and commercial, maybe. Impressive - yes. So impressive the government puts on free open top buses for visitors every night just to see the lights. Popular Department store Tang's put on one of the more impressive displays, but pretty much every store made a big effort and the end result was truly beautiful.
If the retailers were hoping to get people spending more they may be disapointed - as far as I could see the entire population of Singapore was taking a break from eating and shopping and out gawking with everyone else.
Singapore's Subway
Singapore's subway system (known as the MRT) covers almost the entire island these days including a line out to Changi Airport. You can traverse almost the entire island using this efficient, clean and convenient system, with an extension to Sentosa Island currently being tested.
Coming from Australia where public transport sucks in even the biggest cities, the Singapore MRT is a sight for sore eyes. Most fares are around S$2, with a dollar of that being a refundable deposit on the card issued by the ticket machine when you buy your ticket.
Signage, machines etc are in English, Chinese, Indian and Malay and the staff are always about to help if you get stuck. Getting around singapore is a real breeze and unlike most countries, there are no beggars, buskers, muggers or perverts handing around in the subway tunnels and elevators.
One really cool feature noted as we departed City Hall station was a sign advising that if you want a cab, SMS to a given number, walk upstairs to a specified point, and a cab will be waiting for you in 5 minutes !
The nearest MRT station to our hotel was City Hall, a 5 minute walk. From here we were able to visit most places either directly or by changing lines at the Dhoby Ghaut interchange.
Coming from Australia where public transport sucks in even the biggest cities, the Singapore MRT is a sight for sore eyes. Most fares are around S$2, with a dollar of that being a refundable deposit on the card issued by the ticket machine when you buy your ticket.
Signage, machines etc are in English, Chinese, Indian and Malay and the staff are always about to help if you get stuck. Getting around singapore is a real breeze and unlike most countries, there are no beggars, buskers, muggers or perverts handing around in the subway tunnels and elevators.
One really cool feature noted as we departed City Hall station was a sign advising that if you want a cab, SMS to a given number, walk upstairs to a specified point, and a cab will be waiting for you in 5 minutes !
The nearest MRT station to our hotel was City Hall, a 5 minute walk. From here we were able to visit most places either directly or by changing lines at the Dhoby Ghaut interchange.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Singapore River by Bumboat
For a few dollars a ticket the 45 minute bumboat tours of the Singapore river are great value. We boarded outside the Riverfront centre opposite Clarke Quay but there are several other boarding points.
Sadly there is a corny and annoying recorded commentary but as soon as we tuned out to that we enjoyed an excellent tour up and down the river. Up river is a little dull......mostly its just hotels and condo buildings up in the direction of Rovertson Quay, but downriver to the marina area is very scenic.
You pass the impressive Fullerton Hotel before heading past the Big Durian and Marina Bay. A loop past the Merlion (which is kitsch) is most enjoyable because of the amazing views you get of the city skyline and waterfront.
The old bumboats used to bring cargo to and from the docks in the old days. Today their only cargo are passengers, and they are well fitted out with wooden benches. A comfortable and pleasant trip and if you are lucky enough to go on a sunny clear day as we did, you really get million dollar views.
Sadly there is a corny and annoying recorded commentary but as soon as we tuned out to that we enjoyed an excellent tour up and down the river. Up river is a little dull......mostly its just hotels and condo buildings up in the direction of Rovertson Quay, but downriver to the marina area is very scenic.
You pass the impressive Fullerton Hotel before heading past the Big Durian and Marina Bay. A loop past the Merlion (which is kitsch) is most enjoyable because of the amazing views you get of the city skyline and waterfront.
The old bumboats used to bring cargo to and from the docks in the old days. Today their only cargo are passengers, and they are well fitted out with wooden benches. A comfortable and pleasant trip and if you are lucky enough to go on a sunny clear day as we did, you really get million dollar views.
A bastard in Singapore
It costs S$ 10 - 12 dollard to burn your camera memory cards to CD or DVD in Singapore.....that is for as many memory cards as they can fit on the disk, not per memory card.
Just a message to the bastard who runs the Fuji Camera outlet directly opposite the Peninsula Excelsior Hotel who tried to charge me 75 bucks for the same service - your'e gonna get a mention on the web as a cheat along with a picture of your store ! Even if you did drop your price to 45 bucks as I walked off in disgust.
Thanks to the nice folks at the Kodak Photo centre nearby who don't price gouge and do an excellent job with a smile.
Just a message to the bastard who runs the Fuji Camera outlet directly opposite the Peninsula Excelsior Hotel who tried to charge me 75 bucks for the same service - your'e gonna get a mention on the web as a cheat along with a picture of your store ! Even if you did drop your price to 45 bucks as I walked off in disgust.
Thanks to the nice folks at the Kodak Photo centre nearby who don't price gouge and do an excellent job with a smile.
Chinatown Singapore
It's been a few years since I have been in Singapore and I was warned that the quaint old Chinatown area had been gutted and sanitised. True, but it is now a fairly pleasant and neat shopping district with some nicely decorated buildings and plenty to see, do , eat and buy.
I caught a glimpse of two old chinese guys hunched over a table and rushed over, happy thinking I had discovered a Mah Jong game and that the old traditions still survived. Wrong. The guys were hunched over a laptop and were using wireless internet which these days blankets most of Singapore and is free to boot.
I put away my camera and slunk away to explore the souvenir stalls and eating areas. Still a great place for a chinese meal and whilst the shopping is not cheap these days, Chinatown is still worth exploring. There is also an excellent Hindu temple who's name escapes me but we got some great photos there and will publish them in January.
The cool thing about chinatown is that there is an MRT station right in the middle so you can catch a train back to your hotel quickly and comfortably.
I caught a glimpse of two old chinese guys hunched over a table and rushed over, happy thinking I had discovered a Mah Jong game and that the old traditions still survived. Wrong. The guys were hunched over a laptop and were using wireless internet which these days blankets most of Singapore and is free to boot.
I put away my camera and slunk away to explore the souvenir stalls and eating areas. Still a great place for a chinese meal and whilst the shopping is not cheap these days, Chinatown is still worth exploring. There is also an excellent Hindu temple who's name escapes me but we got some great photos there and will publish them in January.
The cool thing about chinatown is that there is an MRT station right in the middle so you can catch a train back to your hotel quickly and comfortably.
Monday, December 4, 2006
Changi Airport
This massive airport is often touted as one of the best in the world but really it is nothing but a gigantic shopping center and lets face it, do you really need 100 different stores selling perfume, cigarettes and whiskey ?
We experiences ticketing queues at Changi far worse than in places like Bangkok and at one point the queue grew so long that a number of passengers started jumping up and down and yelling at the staff.
Get rid of some of the shopping space, guys, and put more effort into dealing with queues at the immigration and ticketing areas.
And to my suprise a visit to the bathroom revealed what must be Singapore's only remaining squat toilet.
In fairness the immigration guys are freindly, they give out free mints with your passport stamp and the booze is extremely well prices, as are the cosmetics and perfumes. The prices beat the hell out of Australian duty free prices.
We experiences ticketing queues at Changi far worse than in places like Bangkok and at one point the queue grew so long that a number of passengers started jumping up and down and yelling at the staff.
Get rid of some of the shopping space, guys, and put more effort into dealing with queues at the immigration and ticketing areas.
And to my suprise a visit to the bathroom revealed what must be Singapore's only remaining squat toilet.
In fairness the immigration guys are freindly, they give out free mints with your passport stamp and the booze is extremely well prices, as are the cosmetics and perfumes. The prices beat the hell out of Australian duty free prices.
Duck Tour
It was probably the heat but we bought tickets in Suntec City for a "Duck" tour of the city at S$33 a head. This bought an hour in an amphibious ex-vietnam army vehicle. Half the tour is on land, for the other half the Duck simply drives into the river and becomes a boat.
A great idea and you do indeed get quite a good tour through the colnial district of Singapore before heading into the river to see such sights as Marina Bay, the "Theatres on the Bay Complex" (otherwise knows as the "Big Durian") and the waterfront / merlion park area. Quite good though the land component is quite bumpy.
Try it once, you will enjoy it, but its kind of a novelty thing and once you have tried a duck you are all ducked out.
The only real downer was the on board "guide" who drove us mad with his inane loudspeaker commentary and non stop attempt to run competitions. We were working on taking photographs and after about 5 minutes I was sorely tempted to throw the guy overboard.
A great idea and you do indeed get quite a good tour through the colnial district of Singapore before heading into the river to see such sights as Marina Bay, the "Theatres on the Bay Complex" (otherwise knows as the "Big Durian") and the waterfront / merlion park area. Quite good though the land component is quite bumpy.
Try it once, you will enjoy it, but its kind of a novelty thing and once you have tried a duck you are all ducked out.
The only real downer was the on board "guide" who drove us mad with his inane loudspeaker commentary and non stop attempt to run competitions. We were working on taking photographs and after about 5 minutes I was sorely tempted to throw the guy overboard.
Sentosa Island
We changed 200 Australian Dollars and headed to Mount Faber Cable Car station (these days called the Jewel Box Center) for a fun but pricey day on Singapore's Sentosa Island. But great views and fun to boot.
First up it was a 15 minute cable car trip to the island itself......brilliant views of both the city and the island. From there we wandered around and had a bland lunch at a place called "The Coffee Bean".....where the hot food is served warm and the iced coffee is also warm. Eat before you go to Sentosa Island, folks!
Then we checked out the butterfly enclosure, which was interesting although I had been expecting thousands of butterflies rather than the few dozen specimens we saw. Thos that did flutter by were pretty little souls though.
Then it was a chairlift ride down the hill to the artificial beaches and lagoons at Palawan Beach. They shipped in the sand from Saudi Arabia, created a Phuket look alike and bingo ! - an artificial beach resort complete with resort hotel and bikini clad chinese girls. (thank heavens for the 10X zoom on my camera :) ) However at 6 bucks for a mineral water the chairlift rides are the highlight of the trip rather than the fake beaches. The views were cool though and there were plenty of container ships idling by (sigh).
Next it was up for a ride in the Carlsberg Tower, a 180 metre tall observation tower with amazing views across Singapore, Sentosa Island and as far away as Singapore and Malaysia. Not your usual tower which you access by lift however - this thing has a pod which travels up and down the tower, rotating slowly as it does so. You just sit back and enjoy the ride and the views.
A cool idea and somewhat cunning as you only really get to spend 10 minutes in the tower before the next batch of visitors enter.
From here we wandered down to the ferry terminal to discover it was closed down. We spotted the new Imbiah skytrain travelling from Singapore to Sentosa so we tried the skytrain station - only to learn it wasn't open yet and the trains were just being tested.
In the end we caught a free bus to the Harbourfront Center and explored the brand spanking new Vivo shopping center complete with rooftop swimming areas, views over the river and avant garde architecture ans sculptures everywhere.
First up it was a 15 minute cable car trip to the island itself......brilliant views of both the city and the island. From there we wandered around and had a bland lunch at a place called "The Coffee Bean".....where the hot food is served warm and the iced coffee is also warm. Eat before you go to Sentosa Island, folks!
Then we checked out the butterfly enclosure, which was interesting although I had been expecting thousands of butterflies rather than the few dozen specimens we saw. Thos that did flutter by were pretty little souls though.
Then it was a chairlift ride down the hill to the artificial beaches and lagoons at Palawan Beach. They shipped in the sand from Saudi Arabia, created a Phuket look alike and bingo ! - an artificial beach resort complete with resort hotel and bikini clad chinese girls. (thank heavens for the 10X zoom on my camera :) ) However at 6 bucks for a mineral water the chairlift rides are the highlight of the trip rather than the fake beaches. The views were cool though and there were plenty of container ships idling by (sigh).
Next it was up for a ride in the Carlsberg Tower, a 180 metre tall observation tower with amazing views across Singapore, Sentosa Island and as far away as Singapore and Malaysia. Not your usual tower which you access by lift however - this thing has a pod which travels up and down the tower, rotating slowly as it does so. You just sit back and enjoy the ride and the views.
A cool idea and somewhat cunning as you only really get to spend 10 minutes in the tower before the next batch of visitors enter.
From here we wandered down to the ferry terminal to discover it was closed down. We spotted the new Imbiah skytrain travelling from Singapore to Sentosa so we tried the skytrain station - only to learn it wasn't open yet and the trains were just being tested.
In the end we caught a free bus to the Harbourfront Center and explored the brand spanking new Vivo shopping center complete with rooftop swimming areas, views over the river and avant garde architecture ans sculptures everywhere.
Sunny Singapore
A late but belated report from sunny Singapore. Well, sunny most of the time with a few rainy days but it is monsoon season.
Highlights of the visit to singapore included visits to chinatown, little india, sentosa island and the colonial district. The lion city sure aint cheap these days though we were eating in food centers for around 2 to 5 singapore dollars a meal.
The most expensive dinner was S$78 for two (and that included two free beers) for a crab dinner and lemon chicken with rice. This however was at boat quay, a popular eating strip in the evenings with fabulous views across the marina.
Actually my S$2 paratha with rice in little india tasted much better !
Highlights of the visit to singapore included visits to chinatown, little india, sentosa island and the colonial district. The lion city sure aint cheap these days though we were eating in food centers for around 2 to 5 singapore dollars a meal.
The most expensive dinner was S$78 for two (and that included two free beers) for a crab dinner and lemon chicken with rice. This however was at boat quay, a popular eating strip in the evenings with fabulous views across the marina.
Actually my S$2 paratha with rice in little india tasted much better !
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