On we go with Part 3 of our 2018 Southeast Asia trip. In Part 2 we travelled from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City and flew on from there to Singapore. Now we're in Singapore. As in the first two parts, the prices I mention are what we paid in 2018. Where I no longer know the price from back then, I've looked up today's price and marked it as such (as of October 2026).
Arriving at Changi Airport – clean, cool and well connected
After we landed at Changi Airport and collected our luggage, I was impressed all over again. When you arrive at Changi Airport, you're immediately struck by how clean and well equipped it is. Carpet is laid almost everywhere, so your trolley rolls along behind you almost silently, and the airport even has a pleasant smell of its own. There are clean toilets everywhere, and seats with charging points for smartphones, laptops and other gadgets.
Singapore has a tropical climate all year round, so it's hot and humid. For us Central Europeans there's one thing that takes getting used to and that most people don't expect: everything in Southeast Asia is cooled down enormously, whether it's public transport or shopping malls. The temperature difference between inside and outside is huge.
From the airport we continued on the green EW Line. It was seven stops to Aljunied, on most trains with a change at Tanah Merah. The MRT, as the underground is called in Singapore, is super clean and well kept. And even in the deepest tunnel you still get data reception on your phone.
If you'd like an affordable eSIM before you go, I can recommend the ones from Saily, Yesim or Airalo. All three providers also have plans for Asia as a whole, in case you're planning a trip like this one. That way you don't have to activate a new eSIM in every country.
Staying in Geylang
From Aljunied station we walked just under ten minutes to the Hotel 81 Premier Star, which we had booked through booking.com.
One fact up front: accommodation in Singapore is expensive. All the more remarkable was our price: for two nights for the two of us we paid only €92, which is extremely little for Singapore.
Geylang isn't the prettiest corner of Singapore. We didn't find it dangerous, but clean looks different: there were cigarette butts everywhere, which you hardly ever see in Singapore otherwise. Geylang is also known as Singapore's red-light district. You should know that before you book, especially if you're travelling as a couple or with children, or looking for a quiet neighbourhood. In that case it's best to look at accommodation in other parts of the city as well.
Our room was barely bigger than two single beds. We could hardly open our suitcases, because then there would have been no room to move. We had no window either, but we did have our own bathroom with a shower and toilet in the room.
To Marina Bay Sands – my Singapore highlight
I first got to visit Singapore in 2011, and for many years Singapore was, for me, the ultimate city in the world. My personal highlight has always been Marina Bay Sands: that ship on three pillars with its infinity pool looking out over Singapore's skyline and financial district. I only know the pool from pictures and hearsay. It's reserved for hotel guests, and sadly I never got to enjoy it. If you'd like to know more about the Lion City, you'll find an overview here. It's worth a read.
Luggage stowed, and off we went to Marina Bay Sands. First we rode three stops on the green EW Line from Aljunied to Bugis and changed there to the blue DT Line. After just one more stop we were at Promenade station.
In 2018 we already paid for the MRT contactlessly, with the rechargeable EZ-Link card. Today you don't necessarily need that card any more, because at the gates you can pay directly with a credit or debit card, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. For cards issued abroad there's a fee of S$0.60 per day (around €0.40), plus any fees from your bank.
When you leave the MRT and walk south, you'll automatically pass the giant wheel, the Singapore Flyer, on your left. For Formula 1 fans it's an exciting spot: the Singapore Grand Prix circuit runs right here, and the pit building with the pit lane stands right next to the Flyer. Outside race time it's normally not open to the public, only on special occasions. You can always look at it from the outside, though.
If you keep walking south towards the Helix Bridge, Marina Bay Sands lights up on the horizon in front of you. By daylight the building is impressive; after dark it's a different dimension altogether. If you turn right before the Helix Bridge towards the Esplanade and the Waterfront Promenade, you get the best view of Marina Bay Sands and of the Raffles Place skyline with all its tower blocks. Be sure to visit at night. You'll be stunned and thrilled.
We arrived here in the late afternoon and so got to see Marina Bay Sands and the skyline both by daylight and after dark. On the Waterfront Promenade there are plenty of places to sit, catch your breath and enjoy the view.
I have one more tip for the evening, even though we didn't watch it: the water show at Marina Bay Sands, called Spectra – A Light & Water Show. The essentials in brief: it's a free outdoor show of about 15 minutes with dancing fountains, lasers, projections and an orchestral soundtrack. You watch it at the Event Plaza on the waterfront right in front of Marina Bay Sands. You don't need to book anything. According to the Marina Bay Sands website it runs at 8 pm and 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday, and at 8, 9 and 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays (as of October 2026). The times are adjusted from time to time, so check the official page beforehand.
Observation deck, casino and shops at Marina Bay Sands
If you're in Singapore anyway, I really do recommend a visit to the observation deck at Marina Bay Sands. We went up ourselves, and only after 5 pm. According to Klook, admission currently costs around €25 per person until 4 pm and around €28 from 5 pm (today's price as of October 2026, not the 2018 one). That way you get not only the breathtaking view of the skyline but, on the other side, of Gardens by the Bay as well. The view is phenomenal, and you wish you could enjoy it from the infinity pool. One drawback, which isn't unique to this spot, is the possible crowds. Be prepared to wait a little to get the perfect shot.
Browse tickets for the observation deck →
Marina Bay Sands is not just a hotel but also a casino and shopping mall. As a tourist you have to show your passport at the casino entrance. Singaporeans and permanent residents are also allowed in, but they pay an entry levy of S$150 per day (around €105).
In the shopping mall you'll find the most luxurious brands and plenty of restaurants. You can take a ride along a canal in a sampan, a Chinese wooden boat, a bit like a gondola in Venice. At the time there was even an artificial ice rink on that spot. Today there's an interactive light installation there.
We ended the evening near the hotel, because there were lots of restaurants around. In the area around our hotel we noticed a lot of Indian places in particular, but you don't have to limit yourself to Indian food, as there's a wide choice of cuisines. You can also stock up on souvenirs cheaply here.
- Frog porridge: frog legs in a clay pot in a spicy ginger and soy sauce, served with creamy rice porridge. Many places for it are on Lorong 9.
- Beef kway teow: wide rice noodles fried hard in a wok with tender beef, also on Lorong 9.
- Hokkien mee: fried yellow and rice noodles with prawns and squid, known from Lorong 29.
- Zi char: Chinese home-style dishes for sharing, for example prawns with salted egg, fried fish and vegetables, also served late in the evening.
- Satay: skewers of meat grilled over charcoal with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce, for example on Lorong 29.
- Durian: Geylang is considered the hotspot for the "king of fruits", with stalls cracking them open right on the street. The main season is roughly June to August, with a smaller one from November to February.
By cable car to Sentosa
The next morning we first rode one stop on the green EW Line and then continued on the yellow CC Line to HarbourFront. Our destination was the leisure island of Sentosa. Among other things it has Universal Studios, and at the same time the island serves locals as a place to unwind.
You can also reach the island by car or taxi. Personally, though, I've only ever used the Sentosa Express or the cable car. The Sentosa Express is a monorail that leaves from the third floor of the VivoCity shopping centre. The island entry fee is currently S$4 (around €2.80) and is due when you board. The return trip and rides on the island are free. On foot you can even get onto the island for nothing via the Sentosa Boardwalk, which also starts at VivoCity.
This time we went for the slightly more spectacular option: the cable car that crosses the harbour by the Singapore Cruise Centre. Return tickets are currently around €24 per person through GetYourGuide. The cable car is more relaxed, because the Sentosa Express is often crowded and the wait can be much longer. We were actually lucky and had the cabin all to ourselves. That way we could enjoy the view undisturbed and take pictures.
On the island you can walk around freely and explore on your own. We didn't visit Universal Studios, as you need a whole day for it. But the island offers all kinds of other attractions that you can use if you like.
Browse cable car tickets to Sentosa →
Relaxing at Siloso Beach
Our destination was Siloso Beach on the west of the island. After all the travelling we wanted a few hours by the water. Be warned: it's an artificial beach. You can swim here quite happily, though, and there are a few clubs and bars. The water was shallow and warm. The numerous container ships you can see from the beach leave a slightly bitter aftertaste. The water looked clean and it didn't smell either; I just wanted to mention it. Access to the beach is free.
On to Krabi
The next morning our short stay in Singapore was already over, and we flew from Changi Airport back to Thailand, to Krabi. I no longer remember what the flight tickets cost back then. Today a direct flight with a low-cost airline costs from around €150 per person, including checked baggage (as of October 2026; the price depends on your travel date). It's a little cheaper with a change, for example in Kuala Lumpur, from around €124 per person. In return you're travelling for a good four hours, depending on the connection, instead of just under two.
Compare flights Singapore – Krabi →
That brings our stay in Singapore to an end. In Part 4 we continue in Krabi – more on that soon.
What This Leg Cost
| Item | for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel 81 Premier Star, 2 nights, via booking.com | 2 people | €92.00 |
| Admission to the Marina Bay Sands observation deck, tariff from 5 pm, €28 p.p. (today's price according to Klook) | 2 people | around €56.00 |
| Cable car to Sentosa, return, around €24 p.p. (today's reference price) | 2 people | around €48.00 |
| Flight Singapore–Krabi, direct from €150 p.p. incl. checked baggage (today's reference price) | 2 people | from €300.00 |
That comes to around €496 or more for the two of us. Of that, only the hotel at €92 is a real amount from back then. I'll be upfront about the rest: the observation deck, the cable car and the flight are today's reference prices, because I no longer know what they cost back then. Food and the MRT fares in Singapore are not included in the total. I've converted today's prices in Singapore dollars at €1 ≈ S$1.43 (as of 8 October 2026).
All Booking Links at a Glance
- Accommodation in Singapore: Hotel 81 Premier Star on booking.com
- Marina Bay Sands observation deck: Klook
- Cable car to Sentosa: GetYourGuide
- Flight Singapore – Krabi: trip.com
- eSIM for Singapore and Asia: Saily, Yesim, Airalo
And if you thought while reading, "I'd love a route like this, but I don't want to piece it together myself": that's exactly what I do. The first conversation is free.
