Singapore
Clean, Green and Family Friendly
”What did you think of the lights?” I asked Ripley (aged 6), as we headed back to the hotel. We had just watched the acclaimed Gardens by the Bay night show.
”It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my life!” he replied enthusiastically.
Coming from rural Australia, we see more star lights than actual city lights. I’m pretty sure even a city kid would have been impressed with this though!
I was more than impressed!
From the taxi driver who didn’t want to charge us because my husband bonded with him over Rugby, to the bag stealing monkeys on a little time warp island ten minutes off the coast, Singapore turned out to be absolutely fantastic!
Singapore doesn’t brag about being family friendly, it shows you. It shows you with kiddy size toilets and sinks in public restrooms. It shows you with a clockwork public transport system, clean streets and free attractions for kids. The sidewalks and elevators are even suitable for strollers.
Thanks to Singapore’s award-winning Changi airport, the city is often a stopover destination for families en-route to somewhere else. However, Singapore is perfectly capable of being a destination of its own. It’s absolutely worthy of a week or more of your time.
Singapore is Green!
The National Parks Board is dedicated to transforming Singapore into a biophilic city within a garden, and they are well on there way, if not there already. Architecture has been successfully blended with greenery and well-maintained parklands are scattered all over the city. It’s not hard to find a calm place to relax and breathe in fresh air.
You can see more of these green areas in some photographs that I took for Lonely Planet’s Pathfinder Pics.
Families will love the Botanical Gardens, Gardens by the Bay, Orchard St, Little India and Kampong Glam. The East Coast Park and Beaches, the Marina area and Pulau Ubin, Singapore’s secret hidden gem are also fantastic.
Of course, I haven’t forgotten Sentosa Island, the state of fun! Although there are ways to reduce costs at Sentosa, your wallet will be significantly lighter if you plan on hitting up all the attractions and staying in one of the resorts there.
Actually, Singapore has a bad rep for being a little pricey. But there are surprisingly, a lot of cost effective options for a week long visit.
Little India and Kampong Glam is Great on Foot!
Little India and Kampong Glam is a great example. Accommodation is cheaper and while it’s not in the hub of things, we all know how efficient Singapore’s public transport is!
”OMG mum, is that a palace?” squeals Mr Six excitedly.
“It is! It is!” Miss three squeals back, possibly even more excited.
”Wow!” is all I have to say as the theme song from Aladdin popped into my head. I can show you the world, shining shimmering splendid …..
I shake my head to get rid of the song….it doesn’t work.
The golden dome atop of Singapore’s largest mosque is nothing short of enchanting. It brought back child-hood memories of Aladdin cartoons and singing along at the top of my voice.
Cheeky Monkeys on Pulau Ubin
Although Singapore is not the kind of city you need a break from, a 15-minute boat ride is all it takes to travel back in time 50 years and reach Pulau Ubin Island.
Wildly different from the city, with cheeky monkeys and untamed jungle, Pulau Ubin is a nature reserve best explored by pushbike. Pushbikes are available for hire at Pulau Ubin village with plenty of options for kids to either ride on the back of an adult bike, or ride their own smaller bike.
With the iconic Raffles now re-opened after an extensive restoration and the addition of “Jewel” to Changi Airport, there is no better time for a family city break to Singapore.
Looking for more awesome family holiday destinations?
For more information on visiting Singapore with kids, head on over to our Singapore page. Had on back to the home page for inspiration on destinations worldwide.
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Resources for your family getaway to Singapore
Getting to Singapore
All international flights land in the wonderful Changi Airport, which is a destination in its own right! Get a great deal on flights on Trip.com.
Where to stay in Singapore
The Tai Hoe Hotel is great for those on a budget and is conveniently located next to a shopping centre and MRT station. The downside is that the rooms are really small. The staff are really friendly and go out of their way to welcome kids.
Those wanting to splurge should head to the Raffles Singapore. Not much beats their legendary hospitality.
Getting around Singapore
Getting around is easy due to Singapore’s efficient and wallet-friendly public transport. Just download the MoovIt App for your phone, which tells you how to get places.
If you prefer Taxis, the Grab app is a top choice here. The app gives you the price beforehand, so there are no surprises.
