Category: Travel

Well after months of waiting, planning, saving, replanning and more waiting we are finally off to Europe ! Thanks to the “C” word that shall not be named this trip is a few years later than originally desired, but here we are, sitting in the cafe waiting to board. Paid the usual eye watering amount for a very average coffee in the departure area. Shire Shuttle Bus picked us up on time and it was a super quick trip out to the airport. I’d seen horror pictures of massive queues here this week and being the Christmas week and School holidays I was a little worried however we arrived so early it wasn’t an issue. Slight hiccup on checkin as one bag was slightly over the limit but a little redistribution and we were fine.

After an hour here I’m thinking about that movie “The Terminal” where Tom Hanks was stuck for years on the airside at the airport. I know now why they cast Tom, you would have to be a multi-millionaire to spend even a few days here!

The flight was really good, Japan Airlines are excellent. Landed at Haneda and there was a bit of queue into immigration however as soon as we cleared that we were in the hotel quickly. I picked the Villa Fontaine hotel as it was at the airport and also has an Onsen. After checking in we had a quick meal in the restaurant area just below the hotel before crashing for the evening.

Our last day here before flying home, we did the walk around to Merlion Park to get a couple of those iconic Singapore snapshots. Best part of the evening was Dinner at “Justin Flavours” by Justin Quek one of Singapore’s top chefs. Of course the food was outstanding.

After dinner checked out the lights in the Gardens by the Bay and “gave” the Casino $100. (In one go on the Roulette. 17 Black was not my friend).

The Casino is interesting, probably more checks and photographs to get in than we went through to get into Singapore itself.

I don’t think any visit to Singapore would be complete without mention of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel (known locally just as MBS). For those that don’t know it the three tower hotel and casino complex with an infinity pool at the top that is shaped like a boat.

Staying here has been on my “bucket list” for many years.

Completed in 2010 it’s become an iconic building in Singapore. So many people stay here just to swim in the infinity pool (yours truly included). The pool is Singapore’s Instagram / TikTok ground zero. So many people photographing themselves in and around the pool. I suspect the lifeguards on duty spend more time fishing phones from the bottom of the pool than rescuing people. The pool isn’t very deep, it’s 1.2 metres.

MBS protect this pool like a stash of golden eggs. You have to be a guest to access the pool and every person entering has to have their own key card. Signs everywhere that “trespassers will be handed to the authorities”

Might just be a quiet time of year but the pool hasn’t been as crowded as I expected. The pool is open from 6am till 11pm. The pool faces over the city side, but little known fact is there are also a handful of hot tubs that face over the garden side of the hotel.

Pro tip one: hit the pool at 6am, there is hardly anyone there, you will likely have part of the pool to yourself and you can sit in the jacuzzi and watch the sun rise.

Pro tip two : hit the pool section over “Tower One”. The entry is via Tower 3, and that section is always busier. Just walk for 2 minutes past the restaurant to access the other section of the pool.

Other than the pool the hotel is exceptional, rooms and beds are big and the service is excellent. You will pay for it though, a night here is not cheap.

If you are into WW2 history there are two must do things here for you in Singapore. The first is the Changi Chapel museum, which is likely the more well known of the two, out near Changi prison and Changi airport.

The other is the “BattleBox” which is a bunker built into the hill that Fort Canning was located on. It’s a similar concept to the Churchill war museum in London. This bunker was were the decision was made to surrender to the Japanese in Feb 1942.

The only downside of the museum is that you can’t take pictures inside. Trust me though, it’s awesome. Both museums dispel many myths about the fall of Singapore, the main on about the guns pointing the wrong way. Before the invasion the BEF were well aware the invasion would come from the north.

The BattleBox can easily be accessed from Fort Canning Station, an uphill walk but there are outdoor escalators. The parklands around Fort Canning are beautiful and worth a look even if you are not interested in WW2. There is even a small wading pool on the south east side, so take your swimmers!

Changi chapel is harder to get to, there is a bus, but I’d recommend getting a cab. Both museums tell the same essential story, but with the chapel focused on what happened after the fall with the BattleBox focused on the events leading up to it.

The BattleBox is only open a few days a week (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). If you can only do one – tough decision, but I’d pick the BattleBox

If you are looking for lunch there is a fantastic little restaurant next door.

On Thursday night we had dinner at one of the amazing restaurants in the “Shoppes” area of Marina Bay Sands.

The Restaurant was “Cut” by Wolfgang Puck, one of the handful of restaurants in the complex with a Michelin Star. The food was amazing, of course I chose a steak main since it’s a steak focused restaurant. I had a pork belly for entree, probably the best one I’ve ever had.