This trip took place from December 31, 2016 to January 2, 2017.

And only two girls went on the trip!


  • We booked our Jetstar flight tickets through the airline's website. We chose Jetstar because it was the cheapest option compared to other airlines during the New Year's holiday season.
  • The round-trip ticket price was 6,776.60 baht per person (including 15 kg checked baggage allowance for the outbound flight and 20 kg for the return flight, taxes, currency exchange fees, and card fees).

December 31, 2016

Departure from Bangkok

  • As this airline departs from Suvarnabhumi Airport, we took the Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
  • After exiting the Airport Rail Link station, we stopped by the Superrich booth to exchange money. The exchange rate we got was 1 SGD = 24.85 baht.
  • We then went to find the Jetstar counter (located at Row E1-E3). However, since the airline opened check-in at 9 am, we went downstairs to have breakfast.
  • At 9 am, we rushed to the airline's check-in counter. We had already done web check-in 48 hours in advance, but since we had checked baggage, we had to go to the counter to drop off our bags and receive our boarding passes.
  • After dropping off our bags, we went through immigration and walked around the Duty Free area.
  • When it was close to boarding time, we walked to the gate for our flight. The Jetstar gate was at Gate F4, which was quite far away.
  • When it was time, the staff called for boarding. Our flight was 3K520, departing from Bangkok at 11:55 am.


The total travel time from Bangkok to Singapore is 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Jetstar's landings were consistently rough on both my outbound and return flights.

Arriving in Singapore

  • Upon arrival at Changi Airport, follow the "Arrival" signs to reach the immigration counters.
  • Fill out the arrival card, which includes a Thai language example for assistance.
  • Queue for immigration clearance.
  • Immigration officers are generally efficient and do not ask many questions.
  • After clearing immigration, collect your luggage. Check the LCD screens near the exit for your flight information and baggage carousel number.
  • Airport staff will have organized your luggage neatly near the designated carousel.
  • Purchase a StarHub SIM card at the UOB booth for SGD 18. This package provides 5 days of internet access only. Remember to change your phone language to English before activating the SIM card.
  • Take the Sky Train to Terminal 2.
  • Purchase an EZ-LINK card at the designated booth for SGD 12. This includes a SGD 5 card fee and SGD 7 credit. You can top up the card with an additional SGD 10. The card is valid for 5 years and can be used on MRT trains, buses, and at 7-Eleven stores.

Transportation to the City Center

With the EZ-LINK card in hand, we embarked on our journey into the heart of Singapore, towards our booked accommodation.

We have booked accommodation at Adler Hostel, South Bridge, Chinatown. Therefore, we need to travel from Changi Station to Chinatown Station.

Take the Green Line MRT from Changi Station to Tenah Merah Station. Then, board the train on the platform labeled "To Joo Koon (2)."

From Tenah Merah, continue on the same train until you reach Outram Park Station. Transfer to the Purple Line and board the train labeled "To Punggol (7)."

Travel one stop from Outram Park and alight at Chinatown Station. Use Exit A.


Upon arrival at Chinatown

  • Upon exiting Chinatown Station via EXIT A, proceed upwards to locate Pagoda Street.

This street is considered the main artery of Chinatown. The buildings and surrounding areas are constantly repainted, preserving the unique character of the Chinese community. Along the way, you will find shops, souvenir stalls, restaurants, and even museums.




  • At the end of this road, you will find South Bridge Road.
  • Cross the road to the opposite side and walk about 5-6 rooms to the right, and you will find Adler Hostel.
  • After checking in with the staff, another staff member will take you to the next 2-3 rooms, which will be the building where you will be staying.
  • We booked a room through Agoda and chose the Female Dormitory with a Queen Size bed for 2,700 baht per person (shared female bathroom + breakfast included).
  • Inside the capsule, there will be 1 bottle of water per person + 1 towel per person + 1 locker per capsule + shelf + power outlet.



**The second day's shooting location, which was in complete disarray.**

  • Looking at the clock, time really flies. We and our friends took a shower, changed clothes, and went out for dinner.
  • We stopped by a Thai restaurant on Pagoda Street in Chinatown. I had garlic pork rice for 9 SGD, and my friend ordered char siu fried rice for 10 SGD (when it was time to pay, we were shocked).
  • We and our friends headed to our next destination, the Singapore Flyer.

Singapore Flyer

Getting There:

  • Take the purple MRT line to Dhoby Ghaut.
  • Transfer to the yellow line and get off at Promenade Station.
  • Follow the signs for Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Flyer.
  • Continue walking; if unsure, ask a nearby staff member for directions.

Landmark:

  • As you walk along the path, you will see the Marina Bay Sands building.


  • Turn left and cross the intersection at the red light.

After crossing the red light, walk straight ahead.


  • Upon arrival, we walked to purchase tickets to ride the Singapore Flyer. Adult tickets cost 33 SGD. (As we were in a hurry, we did not purchase tickets at the agency as many people recommended. Instead, we opted for convenience.)


  • Once they had their tickets, they walked up to the second floor to board the Ferris wheel.




  • For a 360-degree view of Singapore, visit during the day. For a romantic experience with city lights, visit in the early evening.




  • The Sky Swing ride lasts 30 minutes per round. The Ferris wheel rotates very, very slowly, so much so that we barely felt it moving. Before we knew it, we were at the top! My legs were shaking a little!



  • After disembarking from the Singapore Flyer, my friends and I walked back towards Marina Bay. However, due to the police closing the roads, they began to usher the crowds towards the bay, as there was a concert to celebrate the end of the old year and welcome the new.
  • As we started walking towards the Helix Bridge, people were already starting to claim their spots to celebrate the countdown in large numbers.


  • At the center stage on the water, where the purple lights were shining, a concert by local artists was taking place. We stood there for a while, listening to the music, but my legs started to ache, so I suggested to my friend that we move outside. However, it was extremely difficult to get out... The crowd was getting bigger and bigger, and people started to push and shove each other. The pleasant weather suddenly turned into a sweltering heat.
  • Once we managed to find our way out and sit down in the open air, we waited for a while. Looking at my watch, I realized that it was almost time for the countdown. So we got up and walked to an area near the stage, where most people were already starting to claim their spots. The higher spots had already been taken, so my friend and I had to resort to tiptoeing.
  • As the host started counting down, 5-4-3-2-1: Happy New Year! The fireworks extravaganza began!


  • It took about half an hour to smoke the pork until the firecrackers were finished, turning them into smoked pork.


January 1, 2017

After returning from the countdown late last night, I woke up around 8:30 this morning. We had originally planned to wake up at 6:30 am.

First, let me share my experience sleeping in a capsule dorm. This was my first time staying in a capsule hotel, and in a shared room. I'm a light sleeper and wake up easily at the slightest noise. I'm also easily scared! However, I slept very comfortably the first night. I didn't hear any noise at all, maybe because I was tired. I only woke up once during the night when my knee bumped against the wall. I woke up again at 8:30 when someone closed the door loudly. The hotel provides earplugs, but I didn't use them. The only difficulty I had was climbing up and down, as I was assigned the top bunk. (I was afraid of falling when climbing up and rolling down when climbing down.)

After showering and changing clothes, we went downstairs for breakfast. Breakfast is a Western-style buffet with scrambled eggs, sausages, toast, orange juice, and unlimited tea and coffee.


  • After finishing our meal, we will continue our journey. Today, we plan to visit USS and tour Sentosa Island.
  • Photo of the front of the accommodation.


Universal Studios

Getting there: Take the purple MRT line and choose the To HabourFront (6) direction. Get off at HabourFront station. Upon exiting the station, follow the signs to Vivo City mall. Then, walk up to the 3rd floor where you will find the monorail station to cross over to Sentosa Island.


  • Upon arrival at Sentosa Island, disembark at WaterFront Station.


  • Follow the signs to USS. You will see the Universal Globe symbol along the way.

We then walked to buy tickets to enter. We bought tickets for 72 SGD as it was a Peak Day (we prioritized convenience over our wallets, as usual).


  • Upon entering, we are greeted by the Hollywood zone, which is designed to transport us to the bustling streets of Hollywood. This zone features various shows and is lined with shops selling souvenirs from movies and cartoons from USS.



    • As you walk further, you will encounter the New York City zone, which recreates various buildings, giving you the feeling of strolling through the streets of New York City.

We queued for the Transformers The Ride. I remember the wait was hours long, but it was my favorite ride of all. After the ride, we followed the exit path and emerged in a Transformers-themed souvenir shop.




  • After riding Transformers the Ride, we walked out to find it was raining! So we went to the food court for lunch. The food there was quite expensive.

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    • Even though it was drizzling, people were still walking around calmly and enjoying the rides as usual.


    • Turning to the right, I saw a yellow, cup-shaped ride. We sat down and it started spinning. I told my friend, "This looks like a silly ride. Should we try it?" She replied, "Yes!" We got on the ride, and it wasn't silly at all. It started slowly and then gradually got faster. After the ride, we felt dizzy and disoriented.

  • After finishing playing on this yellow amusement ride, I tried to walk further inside. At that time, I completely overlooked the double-track roller coaster, partly because of the light rain and partly because it looked quite thrilling. So, I decided to play something else to calm my nerves.


    • We stumbled upon the Ancient Egypt zone, which was designed to make us feel like we were walking through an Egyptian city.


    • Upon turning around, you will encounter two tall Sphinx statues, which house the Revenge of the Mummy ride.

    • Before playing this ride, you must first put your bags in a locker. This ride is very intense, but don't forget to bring money or an EZLink card in your pocket. The lockers are free for only 45 minutes, after which you will be charged 4 SGD (believe me, you will end up paying because the queue alone will take more than 45 minutes!).
    • In my naivety, I put my wallet in my friend's backpack and went on the ride empty-handed, thinking it wouldn't take 45 minutes. But when I came out, it had been over an hour! What to do? I saw a tourist queuing for the lockers and asked to borrow 4 dollars. After opening the locker, I paid him back. Many people think I was foolish, right? I wasn't the only one. Two other tourists had the same problem. After I opened the locker and got my bag, they borrowed money from me too. It's all about helping each other out.
    • When traveling abroad, don't be shy. If you need help, ask for it!
    • Oh, I forgot. When I came out of the ride, it started raining heavily! So I had to stop by a souvenir shop to buy a raincoat for 4 SGD. Wow, a clear plastic raincoat for 100 baht!
    • When the rain started to ease up, my friend and I decided to find another ride. We came across the Lost World zone, which simulates the dinosaur era. We chose a ride similar to the Grand Canyon, which had a short queue of about 15 minutes. But when it was our turn, it started raining again. So we just went with it, thinking we were going to get wet anyway.
    • The Rapids Adventure ride is like a rubber boat ride where you float along and see dinosaurs on both sides. There's an English narration explaining each dinosaur. As you go further, you enter the Dangerous zone, which is dark and has sirens blaring all the way. Then you're released at the exit (where you randomly get soaked on one side).
    • After the Rapids Adventure ride, it started pouring again. We had to run for cover, which was hard to find because it was all taken by the crowds. So we had to run through the rain to another zone, Far Far Away. But we didn't go into the castle because it was raining too hard. We just stood and sheltered in front of the food court.

    After standing in the rain for about 10 minutes, with no sign of it stopping, I decided to head back. I couldn't fight the rain anymore. The more I walked, the harder it rained, and it just kept getting heavier. So, I had to abandon my plan to walk around Sentosa Island.

    We waited for the monorail for about an hour and a half. We were so tired that we almost sat down on the floor. That day, there were so many people visiting Universal Studios Singapore that when the rain started pouring, everyone rushed back to the city center. This caused a very long queue for the monorail. (Because this country is very well-organized, when you use the train, you can't cut in line to get ahead. There are staff members who help organize the queue and divide the passengers into groups for each train. It's like everyone will eventually reach their destination, but you have to be disciplined.)

    When we arrived back in Chinatown, the rain had stopped, and I was so happy. I stopped by a 7-Eleven to buy some food. But as soon as I came out of the store, it started raining again!

    Let's just say that today was a very wet welcome to the Year of the Rooster! (Anything goes if you're happy… but I'm not happy about this. I'm afraid I'll get sick!)

    January 2, 2017

    • Today is our last day in Singapore, but our flight back to Thailand is not until 7pm (Singapore time). This gives us several hours to explore the city before heading to the airport.
    • This morning, we had breakfast and checked out of our accommodation. (Check-out time is 11am, but we were able to leave our luggage at the hotel's reception area. No need to worry about losing your belongings, just make sure to lock your bags!)
    • After checking out, we headed to our first destination of the day: the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. If you stand in front of our accommodation, facing the street, and look to your left, you will see the temple.


    Is there anything else I can help you with?


    • The top floor of the temple houses the sacred relics of the Buddha, including his tooth and hair.
    • Before entering the inner sanctum, visitors can light incense to pay respects to the deities enshrined in the main hall.



    • Upon entering the main hall, you will be greeted by booths selling candlesticks adorned with flowers for worship and offerings. As this year happens to be my unlucky year, I purchased a decorated candlestick for 20 SGD to pay respects, make offerings, and entrust my fate.




    • The candle holders come in two prices. The plain, small cup-shaped candle holders cost 5 SGD, while those decorated with flowers and red paper for writing names, dates of birth, and years cost 20 SGD.
    • We then walked around to the right to continue looking at the interior.

    • The inner walls of the walkway are adorned with numerous Buddha statues in various postures.



    • The back area is where the Goddess of Mercy is enshrined.



    • After circling back to the front gate, we ascended to pay respects to the Buddha's Tooth Relic, enshrined on the 4th floor. (However, photography is prohibited inside the Buddha's Tooth Relic, so we were unable to capture images of that level.)
    • We then climbed the stairs to the rooftop garden, adorned with flowers and a pavilion housing a large bell.



    • We then left the temple grounds and traveled to our next destination, Merlion Park.



    Merlion Park

    Getting there: Take the Green Line (MRT) to Raffles Place Station. Follow the signs for the Fullerton exit. Once outside, turn right and walk towards the Singapore River. Continue walking along the river until you reach Merlion Park.



    • Cavenagh Bridge


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    • The iconic statue of a boy jumping into the water



    • Passing by the Fullerton Hotel's restaurant on the way.


    Is there anything else I can help you with?


    • As you continue walking, you will reach the top of the road where you will find an intersection. Wait for the traffic light to change, then cross the street and walk under the bridge.



    • After that, walk under the bridge to the right, and you will find a small Merlion statue.



    • Behind the little one, you will find the big one and the Marina Bay Sands building.




    • While we were taking photos, it started to drizzle, so we decided to head back to our accommodation to get our luggage.


    • The intersection of the road to cross to Merlion Park on the way back to Raffles Place MRT station



    • Upon arriving at our accommodation to drop off our luggage, we encountered a light drizzle. We decided to spend an hour enjoying snacks at the accommodation before heading to the airport with our luggage.
    • We flew with Jetstar Airways, flight 3K521, departing at 7:10 PM. Check-in was at Terminal 1.
    • At the airline counter, automated kiosks were available for check-in. We scanned our passports and received barcodes for self-service baggage drop-off.
    • After dropping off our luggage, we proceeded through immigration (the airport's efficient system impressed us).
    • Following immigration, we explored the Duty Free shops and grabbed dinner at Subway.
    • We then rushed to our boarding gate (using "run" instead of "walk" would be more accurate, as Gate C24 was incredibly far away. We were worried about missing the boarding time, so we moved quickly).
    • Approximately 10 minutes after arriving at the gate, the staff began boarding passengers. Families were called first, followed by passengers from the back of the queue.
    • The plane took off shortly after. The weather conditions were not ideal, and it took about 30 minutes for the captain to turn off the seatbelt sign. We were quite tense during this time.



    Translation:

    In the end, we safely returned to Bangkok. ^_^

    Here's a summary of the trip expenses:

    • … (List of expenses)

    Round-trip airfare costs 6,777 baht.

    Accommodation fee for 3 days and 2 nights is 2,700 baht.

    The total cost of the trip (including Singapore Flyer, USS, food, miscellaneous expenses, and shopping) was 7,400 baht.


    Wayoon Earsomboon

    wywayoon

     Friday, September 27, 2024 10:43 AM

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