Singapore will forever hold a special place in my heart. It's my first out of the country trip which came from my impulsive self. I was so giddy to visit Singapore that one afternoon, I thought, "Screw waiting for seat sales. I'm going.". And so a few months after, we're there! Mas okay talaga pag biglaan. Because when you plan too much, it ends up to be just a plan.
I didn't regret booking a flight to this amazing city. And I know, so will you guys, so here it is! Our itinerary and some of the things I learned that will help you explore Singapore to its gems.
Here's what you can expect from this guide:
- All our expenses(except for accommodation since we stayed at a friend's house)
- Immigration stories(Philippine, Singaporean, and Malaysian)
- Modes of Transportation in SG
- Full Itinerary
- How to Cross Borders from SG to MY
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| The Famous Merlion |
Airfare
We booked a direct flight to Singapore through Cebu Pacific. Other airlines that offer flights to Singapore from Philippines are Air Asia, Philippine Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Scoot, and Jetstar. We found Cebu Pacific to be the cheapest during that time so we booked our flights there. The airfare cost us 5718 pesos per person RT (that is already with 15 kilos baggage allowance every flight). I highly suggest you book with a baggage allowance if you plan to shop on dollar stores because cheap prices there are REALLY CHEAP! You can score flights to Singapore for as low as 2000 pesos RT. You just have to be patient with waiting for promos(Pero walang tyaga ang lola nyo at atat na magSG kaya ayan).
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| So kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you'll wait for me, Singapore |
Philippine Immigration Story
Right after paying for the travel tax, which costs 1620 pesos by the way, we checked in our baggage and went to the Philippine immigration. There's no Visa needed for Philippine passport holders to Singapore so the immigration is a bit strict. We first grabbed the departure cards and filled out the necessary information. Then, the time has come, we fell in line to the immigration officers. We were all nervous because most of us were first timers to going out of the country so the risk of being offloaded is a bit higher. I brought our itinerary, my company ID, and Certificate of Employment(which includes info about my salary) as evidences that I don't have any intention of going to SG to work. My sister's friend also brought a travel permit since she works as a nurse in a public hospital.
My sister's friend went first. She was asked for the travel permit automatically upon knowing that she's a government employee. Afterwards, the next question was, "Who's she travelling with?", then she looked at us and told the immigration that we're her company. Luckily, she passed! One down!
I was next in line and the immigration officer just asked me where I work. I think at first he's not convinced so he asked me where is my exact workplace. To my relief, after answering his question, he let me pass. And that's the only time that I got my normal breathing back.
Singapore Immigration Story
As the plane were about to arrive in Singapore, we were handed Embarkation cards by the flight attendant. The embarkation card looks like the one in HERE.
Tip: Make sure to fill out every field in full detail especially your would be address in Singapore(where you'll be staying).
As soon as we arrived in Singapore Immigration, we were asked not to take photos of the place. To be honest, the Singapore Immigration is even less strict than the Philippine Immigration. We did not have any interrogations at all. The only problem we encountered is that the address that we wrote on the embarkation card is incomplete. But when we got to fill it out correctly, they let us through.
WELCOME TO SINGAPORE!!!!
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| Changi Airport Singapore |
Singapore is such a nice place. The moment we arrived there, I already noticed a big difference between our country to theirs. Their airport is huge and so pretty. We arrived there at already 12:30 AM(thanks to air traffic) so public transport is no longer available. We just took a private vehicle to our hosts' place which is in Khatib(This is far from the tourist spots).
Modes of Transportation
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| No risk of falling on the train tracks here. |
Some of the very big differences that I noticed in Singapore are its modes of transport. While in the Philippines, we have lots of ways to go around places when commuting, in Singapore I only knew 4 ways:
- Via MRT - Singapore has waaaaay more efficient trains than the Philippines. We navigated the city most of the time via train. If you'll be staying at a hotel near all the tourist spots, I suggest you estimate your transportation expenses first before deciding to buy the Singapore Tourist Pass(STP) or not. STP allows you to go on unlimited rides on Singapore's public transport for at most 3 days depending on how much did you avail. You can check how much we spent on transportation on the latter part of this guide. We didn't buy STP. Tip: If you're planning out your expenses for transportation, you can check the actual rates HERE.
- Via Bus - This is a bit more complicated than using the train. But there are times that the bus station is closer than the MRT station where the tourist spot is located. So you may want to check it out if you don't want to walk further.Tip: You can check the actual buses that can take you to your destinations in Singapore HERE. Plus, they also have a calculator for the fares! Very efficient SG! Click HERE.
- Via Taxi - We're not really able to try this one out but taxis are available there.
- Via Uber/Grab - We booked Uber/Grab I think thrice during our trip especially when we went to Malaysia.
Related Article: 7 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Singapore
Itinerary
We stayed in Singapore for 6 Days(July 8 to July 13). Our flight to SG was July 7 at 8:20 PM. We were expected to arrive by 11:55 PM but due to air traffic, we already arrived at around 12:30 AM. For this itinerary, we used buses and trains to navigate the city. Also, this itinerary is for people with lots of energy and can take very long walks. Be sure to bring a lot of water!
Day 1 - LAKARAN DAY!
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| Somewhere in Orchard Road |
8:00 AM - Travel from Khatib to Orchard Road via train(exchange Peso to SGD + gala) - SGD1.53
8:30 AM - Orchard Road
8:30 AM - Orchard Road
9:30 AM - Travel to Little India via train - SGD0.77
9:45 AM - Little India
Things to See in Little India:
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| There's a map just outside the Little India MRT Station that you can use to check the Heritage Trail. |
Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple (141 Serangoon Rd, Singapore) - This is a temple so please dress properly and take off your shoes if you plan to enter. - Free Entrance
Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple (397 Serangoon Road, Singapore) - This is a bit far from the other spots so only go here if you have lots of energy! - Free Entrance
House of Tan Teng Niah (37 Kerbau Road, Little India, Singapore) - The most colorful house I have ever seen! (Photo on the left)
More colorful houses! - Just by walking along the streets of Little India, you can find lots of artsy, colorful houses <3
11:45 AM - Enroute to Chinatown via train - 0.77 SGD
11:55 AM - Chinatown
12:00 PM - Lunch(Roasted Duck with Pineapple Drink) at Hong Lim Market and Food Centre - 5 SGD
Other Hawker Centres near Chinatown MRT Station:
1:00 PM - Chinatown Trail
Things to see in Chinatown:
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| Chinatown Street Market |
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple(288 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058840)
- Sri Mariamman Temple (244 S Bridge Road, Singapore 058793)
- Chinatown Street Market (Pagoda Street and surrounding roads) - where you can buy keychains and other pasalubong
Photos from left: Sri Mariamman Temple, Somewhere in Chinatown, Chinatown Food Street
3:00 PM - Travel to Haji Lane via Bus(arrival of bus depends kindly check app) You can ride bus numbers 2, 33, and 61 then alight at Bugis Station - SGD0.77
4:00 PM - Haji Lane + Arab Lane
6:00 PM - Travel from Bugis Station to Khatib Station via Train - SGD1.57
Photos from left: Piedra Negra, Hokkaido Ice Cream Puff(SGD5)
Photos from left: Piedra Negra, Hokkaido Ice Cream Puff(SGD5)
DAY 2 - SWIMMING DAY!
8:00 AM - Travel to HarbourFront(NorthEast Line) - SGD1.75
8:50 AM - Travel to Resorts World Sentosa via Sentosa Station(Vivocity Shopping Mall Level 3) - SGD4
9:00 AM - Roam around Resorts World Sentosa
10:00 AM - Adventure Cove - SGD78 (Adventure Cove + USS Package(with free meal voucher in USS) bought from Carousell)
Must Try Attractions in Adventure Cove:
Must Try Attractions in Adventure Cove:
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| Rainbow Reef |
- RIPtide Rocket - hihiwalay ang kaluluwa mo pag sumakay ka dito. The first ever water-themed rollercoaster I ever experienced. Nakasalbabida ka lang besh. Kapit ka mabuti. No photos for this kasi bawal magdala ng go pro.
- Rainbow Reef - Feel like a mermaid and swim with 20,000 colorful fishes!
- Big Bucket Tree House - this one is mostly for kids but we had fun waiting for the big bucket to pour in all the water stored.
- Dueling Racer - It's a straight and steep slide and you'll be grabbing a mat only to plunge down to the finish line. Do this with a friend for more fun!
- Adventure River - It's a lazy river with showers and a small oceanarium! You'll see fishes and sting rays!
For more information, you can check HERE.
6:00 PM - Ride free bus ride exitting Sentosa. Travel from HarbourFront to Khatib - SGD1.75
Photos from the left: Wet Maze, Big Bucket Tree House, Blu Bay, Sting Ray at Adventure River, What We Ate, Mini Oceanarium
Photos from the left: Wet Maze, Big Bucket Tree House, Blu Bay, Sting Ray at Adventure River, What We Ate, Mini Oceanarium
DAY 3 - MARINA BAY DAY!
8:00 AM - Travel to Raffles Place Station - SGD1.65
8:40 AM - Visit Spots in Marina Bay
8:40 AM - Visit Spots in Marina Bay
**Raffles Place MRT Station in Violet
Free Things to See in Marina Bay:
Cavenagh Bridge, Fullerton Hotel, Merlion Park, Esplanade Bridge, Helix Bridge, Makansutra Gluttons Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Flyer
Lunch - Gardens by the Bay - SGD16
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| No Rice :( |
**Note: We're not able to visit Cloud Forest due to schedule conflict(Cloud Forest is undergoing maintenance. :( Be sure to check your date of visit so you won't get disappointed that it is closed.)
For more photos of Flower Dome: SHOOT: Flower Dome
Dinner - Makansutra Gluttons Bay - SGD21
**Note: We treated our hosts for dinner and lunch as a thank you for letting us stay in their home and touring us around.
Related Article: Makansutra Gluttons Bay Experience
Evening - Marina Bay Sands Light Show (check their schedules) - free
SuperTree Grove Lights Show(check their schedules) - free
10:00 PM - Travel from The Esplanade Bus Station to Khatib(Bus no. 857) - SGD1.69
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| Never miss this |
DAY 4 - UNIVERSAL STUDIOS DAY!
9:00 AM - Travel to HarbourFront - SGD1.75
10:00 AM - USS!! - SGD78 (For USS and Adventure Cove)
7:00 PM - Ride free bus ride exitting Sentosa. Travel from HarbourFront to Khatib - SGD1.75
Related Article: My Top 6 Best Attractions in Universal Studios Singapore + Tips
We went to Geylang Road to see my sister's friend and stayed there for the night.
DAY 5 - LEGOLAND MALAYSIA!
Crossing Borders
9:00 AM - Travel to Kranji MRT Station from Aljunied Station - SGD1.89
10:00 AM - Take the SBS Transit (Bus No. 170) from Kranji Station then alight at Woodlands Train Checkpoint - SGD0.77
- There’s a bus station upon exitting SG Immigration. You can ride the same bus number and head to Johor Bahru Checkpoint for Malaysia Immigration - SGD0.77
- There’s a bus station upon exitting SG Immigration. You can ride the same bus number and head to Johor Bahru Checkpoint for Malaysia Immigration - SGD0.77
Malaysian Immigration Story
Again, photography is not allowed inside the immigration premises. Our experience with the Malaysia Immigration is quite smooth. I'm just asked what I plan to do in Malaysia and I just said that we'll just be visiting Legoland then the officer stamped on my passport and we pushed through.
HELLO MALAYSIA!!
11:00 AM - Exchange money to RM currency. Take Uber/Cab to get to Legoland Malaysia
Lunch - Legoland Malaysia - RM28
Afternoon - Enjoy Legoland Malaysia! - RM195
6:00 PM - Take LM1 Bus from Legoland to get to JB Sentral and clear immigration - RM5.40 Head down to the bus bay and board any Causeway bus. They will stop at woodlands checkpoint for SG immigration.
6:30 PM - Singapore Immigration
7 PM - Ride bus to Kranji Station - SGD0.77
7:30 PM - Ride train from Kranji to Aljunied - SGD1.89
6:30 PM - Singapore Immigration
SINGAPORE IMMIGRATION STORY
This time, the immigration officer is a little bit strict. We were all nervous. We're currently staying at an AirBnb that my sister's friend rented in Singapore. My sister's friend was asked to show the booking of the airbnb. Thank God she came first. After her, we're all allowed to pass without any interrogation.
DAY 6 - REST + SHOPPING DAY!
Morning - Travel to Changi City Point via Train from Aljunied - SGD1.25
Shop! Shop! Shop!
Lunch - Changi City Point - SGD5
Afternoon - Travel to Changi Airport via Train - SGD0.97
BYE SG :(
Summary of Expenses
All in all I've spent around 20,000 pesos for this trip including the airfare, travel tax, food, transportation, attraction fees, and souvenirs. Since we did not pay for accommodation, we made it up to our hosts by treating them lunch and dinner as much as we can. There are a lot of ways to cut down the costs. So if I were to redo this trip in a more cost efficient way, here's what I'll do:
Buy Attraction tickets from either Carousell or Klook
We bought our Adventure Cove and USS tickets from Carousell which I think is already a good deal considering we got both for less than SGD 80 with free meal voucher for USS. As for the other attractions, I wish we could have bought them via Klook. It's way cheaper there.
Eat out only at hawker centers
You can already have decent meals for less than SGD 5 so if I'm on a tight budget, I won't really go dining on fancy restaurants. Eat like a local! Also, Makansutra Gluttons Bay is a more expensive hawker centre than others but there are meals there for less than SGD 10.
Wait for seat sales LOL
We didn't wait for any seat sale so the airfare that we got is obviously more expensive. Plan your Singapore trip wisely and be on a look out for seat sales!
Stay closer to the tourist attractions
Eat out only at hawker centers
You can already have decent meals for less than SGD 5 so if I'm on a tight budget, I won't really go dining on fancy restaurants. Eat like a local! Also, Makansutra Gluttons Bay is a more expensive hawker centre than others but there are meals there for less than SGD 10.
Wait for seat sales LOL
We didn't wait for any seat sale so the airfare that we got is obviously more expensive. Plan your Singapore trip wisely and be on a look out for seat sales!
Stay closer to the tourist attractions
I am grateful for the hospitality and warm welcome of the couple that let us stay in their home for about 5 days. Our trip would not be possible without them. However, if you have an option to choose where you're staying, as much as possible, opt for hotels close to the attractions that you'll be visiting.
Don't avail the STP
This is one of the best decisions we made while in SG. As you can see, my transportation expenses for 6 Days and 5 Nights are less than SGD 30. Unli 3-Day Pass for STP costs SGD 20 so if I bought two to cover my 6-Day stay, it would cost SGD 40. So before you buy one, try to estimate your transportation expenses first.
F.A.Q.s
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| It's even more magical at night <3 |
Where did you exchange your Peso to SGD?
We exchanged our Peso to SGD at a mall in Orchard Road. If I remember it correctly, exchange rate there is 35 Pesos for 1 SGD.
Where did you buy pasalubong?
At Changi City Point! There are 2 dollar stores there and most of the shops are outlets. You can check at my post here: The PolyHobbyist|Changi City Point
What can we expect when we visit Singapore?
That's a lot to discuss. But you can read my post about that here: 7 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Singapore
How much did you bring?
I brought Php30,000 for this trip.
What websites or apps did you use to plan this trip?
I didn't really use any apps. I just used the following sites:
MRT Fare - https://mrt.sg/fare
SG Bus Fare - https://www.mytransport.sg/content/mytransport/home/commuting/busservices.html#Fare_Calculator
SG Bus Routes - https://busrouter.sg/
Causeway bus sched - https://www.causewaylink.com.my/view-local.php?route=LM1&iframe=true&width=720&height=470
Can I have a softcopy of your Itinerary?
Sure! You can see it here: SG - MY 6D5N Itinerary
I think that sums up every info I know about planning your trip to Singapore. :) Of course you can alter some parts of this itinerary to suit your travel needs. I hope this post helps. If you have more questions regarding our trip to Singapore, just drop them all on the comments box below or contact me through my email. Bye! :)
4 comments
Grabe, ang sipag nyo maglakad haha! Paguran talaga yung itinerary, but looking forward for your future travels! :)
ReplyDeleteTeesh ♥ Adventures of Cupcake Girl
True!! Pero sa tingin ko hindi na to mauulit haha. More on super chill travel itineraries na ko. Very Tita na. xD
DeleteGrabe, napapagod ako sa itinerary nyo! Hahaha. Ganyan din ako magitinerary nung 2016 kaso napagod na ako. But it definitely goes through the "must" places in SG! Kudos also for keeping it under PHP20K!
ReplyDeletexo, Richel V. Richel Goes Places
Hahahaha ano pa kami. Grabe yung pagod ko dyan. Never again. xD Yessss. Yan din yung reason bat super pagod kami. Thanks Richel! :)
Delete