Singapore

I was having a nosey and I've found that I can get a flight from Edinburgh to Singapore in November and then to Sydney with my accommodation in a hostel for 2 or 3 nights and it would still be cheaper than a normal one way from Edinburgh/Glasgow to Sydney.

The hostels seem cheap and I've heard of good things about Singapore and I do really want a stopover if I'm going on a one way. However I'm not sure if its very budget friendly other than the accommodation I found? I have no interest in drinking there, only sightseeing. I've been told even the airport is awesom Also I know the humidity will absolutely kill me :laugh: but I cant keep hiding from the weather or my year in Australia will be miserable! Although I know its the start of the rainy season. Bangkok would have been humid too but I don't know wether it would have been just as bad. Opinions.. I know quite a few people on here have been with their families

The families do seem to love it. I stoped over in Singapore on my very first visit to Australia when I was 28 year old female travelling alone. Left me quite unimpressed to be honest, no atmosphere to it and I was really scraping the barrel for things to do after a couple of days. And I am sure it was not because I am completely hopeless, because I generally am very good at research.

Of course that was a long time ago and maybe it has improved, but for me, in a similar scenario to yourself, it was meh. Much more interesting places to see in Asia.

On the other hand, I have just remembered why I chose it as my stop over and that was because it seemed less intimidating than other Asian cities, for me at that time as somebody travelling by myself for the first time. I suppose that is true. But now I would pick Hong Kong every day of the week.

To be honest that was part of the reason I thought about it - maybe less intimidating. Also just because I had heard about it being mentioned a few times. One of the girls I'm meeting up with is going to Hong Kong. It's not somewhere I've ever thought about tbh. Id need to look into it more.

I originally thought about doing a stop over in Abu Dhabi/dubai but I don't know how safe Id feel alone and just didn't generally fancy it. It was only because it was £10 more expensive to split the flights up for a few days

Well I think is it less intimidating than some places, say Bangkok which might be over whelming if it is your first solo trip. I have travelled there as a lone female too with no problems, but it was a few years later when I was a bit more intrepid! I think Hong Kong is just as easy and non-intimidating as Singapore and personally found it a lot more interesting. I think I was there for nine days and my days were jam packed with things to do.

I'm only wanting to stop for 2 nights so sounds like Hong kong might be a bit full on with activities lol. I think im just going to keep it between either Singapore or possibly still Bangkok but I reckon Im probably better just waiting till I can do a lot more of Thailand. Or just going straight to Sydney but I like the idea of stopping for 2 nights

I'd agree with the above. Singapore and Hong Kong are a great and easy first taste of 'the east' so to speak. I enjoyed both. Food is great! (seeing as all threads need to end up about food! Lol!)

Bangkok is fab in my opinion but it's also dirty, smelly, seedy and full on in terms of people hassling you to buy something or go somewhere. ( but it grows on you and the positives outweigh those downsides!)

Is it expensive? Really I'm just looking for somewhere to sight see. I'm not planning on spending loads of money so its better to find out now before I book anything haha! I don't find the hostels much more expensive than the ones I was looking at in Bangkok!

god sentosa island looks nice. Wish I could afford to do a week stopover!

when y parents came over last year they had a few days in Singapore and loved it.Loads to do but probably only enough for a few days. We used to live there when i was a baby so dad was trying to find our old house etc but its changed so much he couldnt find it!

There looks loads to do! Not all of it looks expensive either. I think if I was to go one day would be spent at sentosa Island. I wish I could afford to stay there lol

I have been to Singapore a few times over the years since the early 1970's, the last time in 2013. I love Singers, so much to do and such a safe place to go. It can be expensive to eat and drink out in the tourist places, but there are many cheap local places that are much better, in my view. Public transport is clean and cheap and even taxis aren't the stupid expense they are in Oz. There are of course all the massive over the top shopping centres full of Cartier, Chanel shops etc, but it is worth just having a look at one to see what is on offer. You can't avoid the humidity Stacey as it is just about on the equator, but everything is airconditioned... just make sure you drink lots of water.

We stayed in Singapore in April actually on Sentosa Island and one night in the magnificent Marina Bay Sands. We loved it there was lots to see and do! Would love to go back there again!

I like Singapore. It is really interesting with a mix of Malay, Indonesian and Indian cultures - and a heavy dose of British (i.e. English) imperialism thrown in. The food is fantastic (eat at hawker markets) and apart from accommodation, Singapore is really inexpensive. There is plenty to do for two or three days. The cablecar is fun from/to Sentosa Island with fabulous views from the mountain. When I was there, you could beat the queues by paying extra for the glass bottomed cabins.

I was having a nosey and I've found that I can get a flight from Edinburgh to Singapore in November and then to Sydney with my accommodation in a hostel for 2 or 3 nights and it would still be cheaper than a normal one way from Edinburgh/Glasgow to Sydney.

 

The hostels seem cheap and I've heard of good things about Singapore and I do really want a stopover if I'm going on a one way. However I'm not sure if its very budget friendly other than the accommodation I found? I have no interest in drinking there, only sightseeing. I've been told even the airport is awesom Also I know the humidity will absolutely kill me :laugh: but I cant keep hiding from the weather or my year in Australia will be miserable! Although I know its the start of the rainy season. Bangkok would have been humid too but I don't know wether it would have been just as bad. Opinions.. I know quite a few people on here have been with their families

Google the Youth Hostel there, we have had friends stay there.

plenty of cheap food courts in the malls.

Airport is my favourite, it's amazing.

Singapore is fantastic, loads to do, very safe and clean. I have lost count of how many times we have been. Get yourself over to Sentosa. The zoo is fabulous. Not as cheap as it used to be but still not expensive.

Singapore is fantastic, loads to do, very safe and clean. I have lost count of how many times we have been. Get yourself over to Sentosa. The zoo is fabulous. Not as cheap as it used to be but still not expensive.

Second for the zoo (assume the night zoo?), cable to Sentosa, raffles - usual tourist stuff. Don't miss the botty gardens tho if you like plants - very sweaty and buggy though

Second for the zoo (assume the night zoo?), cable to Sentosa, raffles - usual tourist stuff. Don't miss the botty gardens tho if you like plants - very sweaty and buggy though

Oh yes the Night Safari is a must.

Singapore is an expensive city. It is a commercial centre. Hardly backpacker material, flash packer perhaps. The city is easy to get around with a fine metro system in place and very ordered but somewhat sterile.

A very easy place to stop over. Nothing like Bangkok at all. If you were staying longer I'd suggest going up to Malaysia. Still Sentosa Island is fine. I quite enjoy the bird park as well. An easy city to walk but not the bargain basement it was a few decades back. Very easy almost too easy.

Singapore is an expensive city. It is a commercial centre. Hardly backpacker material, flash packer perhaps. The city is easy to get around with a fine metro system in place and very ordered but somewhat sterile.

A very easy place to stop over. Nothing like Bangkok at all. If you were staying longer I'd suggest going up to Malaysia. Still Sentosa Island is fine. I quite enjoy the bird park as well. An easy city to walk but not the bargain basement it was a few decades back. Very easy almost too easy.

I wouldn't call it expensive by any means, certainly not as cheap as it used to be but not expensive. Easily the pick of Far East destinations though.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Sounds like it might be a good idea then? I kept imagining it to be really expensive like flag said but my hostel is coming in at the same price as my Bangkok was and I've been told by someone who's been to singapore that it's in a good location. It's around £42 for 3 nights. I think that's brilliant. Also both my flights are coming in at around £512 unless they change which will be just my luck! My one way from edinburgh to Sydney was £570 or 580 and that was only with a 2 hour stop in Abu Dhabi. I don't know if I could handle that. Although to be fair it's still something like 17 hours on the plane but at least I would have a few days break. So as soon as I figure out how much it would cost daily then I can make a decision and just book it.

I think for me it might be a easier place to stopover than Bangkok plus it's probably easier just to do thailand all in one trip. Id end up meeting people who were going to some nice island and i couldn't go lol. So sounds like if I stick to street hawkers then I won't need to spend that much. Although if I go I'm treating myself to a singapore sling at raffles bar one night! :laugh: lots of people have mentioned the night zoo. I'm not really into zoo's because I've been to a few ones where I didn't feel very comfortable with the size of the enclosures but I've researched this one and it does sound a lot better - no bars caging them in or anything like that by the sounds of it. I might go to the bird park too. I don't fancy universal studios because I've been to the Florida one - unless it's got Harry Potter world :laugh: Why can't they stick a hostel in sentosa?!

God another long message!

Would £50 a day be enough in singapore for me? Someone said I might end up sleeping most of the 2 days lol

Would £50 a day be enough in singapore for me? Someone said I might end up sleeping most of the 2 days lol

Yes definitely, you can eat for next to nothing . Jetlag affects different people in different ways.

I had a dream a while ago before I thought about doing a stopover that I stopped somewhere on the way to australia and I didn't have any jetlag. Lol I hope it was a vision :laugh: Im more worried about the heat and humidity but I'm sure I'll survive. I'm not drinking other than maybe 1 or 2 cocktails at raffles as a treat. It's more just to see a different place in the way and it sounds safer for me than Bangkok

I like Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong (I didn't like the latter two to start with, but having visited more than once, they have grown on me...). I would choose Singapore if I were a first time visitor to Asia, wanting very little or no hassle.

All three are stinking humid (with exception of HKG, depending on time of year). Humidity is my most hated climate condition, but wear loose comfy clothes and just take your time, with plenty of water and rest breaks