Singapore 2017: Traveling with a Young Toddler
"Don't just tell your children about the world. Show them."
Traveling with a young toddler can be handful, especially if you're going
abroad with just you and your spouse. Our Singapore trip brought a lot of
first time experiences for us as I've shared on this post. We had to really think about the activities we
wanted to do but at the same time, be prepared to go off track. Here are the
things we did while in Singapore.
Enjoyed the amenities of Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy
My husband's company booked his stay at Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy. When we've arrived that evening of the 28th of November 2017, we were
welcomed by the Christmas-y feel of the 4-star hotel located in Katong,
where we would be staying for the days to come. Normally, we wouldn't stay
at a hotel of this caliber so we're very thankful for the experience.
Since my husband had to go to work during the day, Axel and I were usually
left behind alone. My husband had let me use his free buffet coupon since he
had to go to the office early and couldn't eat breakfast. My baby and I truly
enjoyed their food and their amazing service. There's this one staff
who's been very assistive to us. She provided us some kiddie plates and
would even help out Axel while he's eating.
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Axel being assisted by a very nice staff from Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy |
Of course, a hotel stay wouldn't be complete without enjoying their pool.
Ruel's hotel room had a great view of the pool so imagine the little one
always peeking outside the window and telling us he wanted to swim. We can
never say no to a kid who loves the water. We even met another baby girl who
played with Axel.
Strolled along Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay
A Singapore trip is not complete without going to Marina Bay Sands to see
the Merlion, considered as the official mascot of Singapore. We went there
in the evening on our second day after papa went back from work. It was
truly the best time to go there as we were able to experience the amazing
lights. Afterwards, we also strolled along the Gardens by the Bay to see its mesmerizing flower dome. I think we over-walked ourselves that day and we
were just babywearing Axel. But it was a great walk and an amazing time to
spend with my family.
Experienced the waterpark and playground
I did a research on things to do with kids in Singapore and I found lots of
info online about the free waterparks and playgrounds that can be found almost
everywhere. It was such a perfect activity for someone like Axel without
having to spend a dime. Waterparks are popular in Singapore due to the warm
climate.
So on our third day, when papa headed back to the office after having our
lunch with him, Axel and I went on a quick water play date to the rooftop of
112 Katong Mall to experience their free water playground. The waterpark was
definitely perfect for older kids but nevertheless, Axel still enjoyed playing
around.
There were also some really nice older kids there so Axel had playmates. At the same time, Axel got interested in the kids' ball and scooter and they allowed him to play with them. We really had such a great time. It's interesting how these kids played even if they don't speak the same language.
After playing in the water, Axel and I changed in the mall's baby area. I
would have to add as well how equipped their mall is for mother and baby. I
wasn't able to take a picture but I have never seen such a baby and mother
friendly place.
My cousin, Loren has been staying in Singapore for several years at that time.
Our Singapore trip wouldn't be complete without meeting her. On the first time
that we've met, she brought us to Marina Cove Playground so Axel can play some
more. Singapore is really a haven for kids of all ages.
Watched the Wings of Time
I remember when we watched the Symphony Light Show in Manila Ocean Park, my
mom and her sister told us how underwhelmed they were because they were able
to watch this amazing light show in Singapore. They even cried at that time
because they wished we were there with them to watch it as well.
I made a plan for us to watch this light show called "Wings of Time" on our
fourth day. We got the tickets on sale since we bought them from another mom
who weren't able to use their vouchers when they went to Singapore. The
tickets were bought from Klook and it was really convenient for us when we
got there. I highly recommend to purchase your tickets from Klook.
Axel was wide-eyed throughout the whole show. He truly enjoyed every part of it. My husband and I also liked it and I understood why my mom cried at that time and hoped we were there. Lucky for me, I got to watch it with my own family. It was definitely world class and we'd watch it again when we get back.
Visited the Singapore Zoo
For someone with a child like mine who's a huge animal lover, a travel just
isn't complete without a trip to a zoo. Based on my research, Singapore Zoo
is one of the best rainforest zoos all over the world. The animals are
in open enclosures that closely mimic their habitats.
On our fifth day, Ruel's stay at Grande Mercure Roxy Singapore came to an
end (we missed staying there! It was too amazing!) and we had to move to a
different accommodation. Since we wanted to cut cost, we just booked a room
via Airbnb. From there, we decided to to ride a taxi going to the zoo since
there's no straightforward transportation going there and in consideration
of the long travel time.
On our way to Singapore Zoo
The little boy truly enjoyed looking at the different animals especially the
polar bear (no picture though). The zoo was very well kept and the animals
have wide areas to roam around.
I think we only stayed for less than half a day since the little boy soon got tired
and started napping while we were almost done looking around. It's a good
thing we only planned to visit the Singapore Zoo as I was also initially
thinking of going to the River Safari as well. Singapore Zoo was a perfect
"beginner" zoo for our baby.
Tasted Singaporean food
A travel to a foreign country isn't complete without experiencing the place's
known cuisines. We enjoyed trying out different Singaporean food. I couldn't
really remember all the names of the restaurant where we had our meals but we
got to try various kinds.
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| The Original Katong Laksa |
Many of the places where we ate were just around Katong near the hotel. It was a bit hard to decide where we'd eat since we didn't do
any prior research on what we should try out. But we opted to stick to
traditional Singaporean food for the added experience.
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| Some random meal we had somewhere in Katong |
Luckily, we've met several times with my cousin, Loren, who brought us to some very nice places to eat. Our Singapore experience wouldn't have been
the same if it weren't for her.
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| Dinner with Loren at FiveStar Restaurant |
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| At Awfully Chocolate with Loren |
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Closer photo of all the goodness we've had at Awfully Chocolate |
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A quick photo after our lunch (no photo of food though
but I swear this is after we ate lol) |
Chilled and Relaxed at S.E.A. Aquarium
We squeezed in our last itinerary in the morning right before our flight
back to Manila. We went back to Sentosa to experience the well-known S.E.A.
Aquarium.
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| A cute father and son moment while in the bus |
I believe we rode the bus and the train going to Sentosa. Since Singapore
has been known for its efficient transportation system, it wasn't really a problem for us even
if we have a young toddler in tow. It was Axel's first time to ever ride a bus
and a train and he's such a lucky baby to get to try them in Singapore.
Ending our Singapore travel with a visit to the S.E.A. Aquarium was a perfect way to end the trip. The whole place felt very relaxing and serene. At some point, we just sat down in front of their biggest aquarium while we had our snack. We could've stayed longer if it weren't for our scheduled flight.
Ending our Singapore travel with a visit to the S.E.A. Aquarium was a perfect way to end the trip. The whole place felt very relaxing and serene. At some point, we just sat down in front of their biggest aquarium while we had our snack. We could've stayed longer if it weren't for our scheduled flight.
Overall Experience...
I had a hard time saying goodbye to Singapore if it weren't for the high cost
of living there. The country is a perfect destination for families with young
kids. Everywhere we went, the places were well-equipped with baby-friendly
facilities. I believe that made the trip almost hassle-free and enjoyable. I
highly recommend Singapore a place to visit if you and your family would want
to go somewhere near the Philippines. I would love to come back again someday.
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