My trip to Singapore for the World Sailing Awards and Rolex Sailor of the Year was absolutely spectacular. At the event, I presented some videos for social media, filmed and edited, interviewed athletes and personalities, and posted content on socials. It has been 30 years since the Rolex Sailor of the Year Award was first celebrated, and the Spanish duo formed by Diego Botín (31) and Florian Trittel (30) took the victory in the male category, while the most decorated sailor in history to date, Marit Bouwmeester, won in the female category after her gold in Paris.
Visiting Singapur
In any case, I took advantage of the opportunity to go to Singapore, not only to work at the event but also to visit this amazing city. I won’t lie to you, I had two objectives for my 4 days as a tourist before starting work:
1. Not to wake up early
2. To see as much as possible
I came up with the fantastic idea of using Artificial Intelligence. This was my prompt:
I have 4 days in Singapore. Can you make me a day-by-day itinerary so I can see and experience the most interesting things? Don't make it start too early unless necessary. I love sleeping in. And don't make it too busy, I'd love to be able to rest.
AI gave me the following plan (which I later modified a bit according to how much I felt like doing certain things at certain times):
Here's a relaxed 4-day itinerary for Singapore that allows you to sleep in and experience the coolest attractions without being too hectic:
Day 1: Marina Bay and Little India
3:00 PM – Gardens by the Bay
- Visit the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest conservatories
- Stroll through the outdoor gardens and Supertree Grove
4:00-6:00 PM – Little India
– Wander through the colorful streets and markets
– Visit the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
While in this area, I found that they were celebrating Deepavali and there was a sign with recommendations of what to visit, which I share here:
- Campbell Lane
- Buffalo Road
- Tekka Centre – Buffalo Road
- House of Tan Tent Niah, 37 Kerbau RD. A typical Indian building in the middle of Singapore
- 141 Serangoon Road Temple
And I ended my first day in Singapore on the rooftop of my hotel which, although they don’t advertise me for saying this, is probably one of the most underrated hotels in Singapore. The rooms are nothing special but they’re decent, and it has a great pool and rooftop where you can relax and enjoy the sunset every day that are worth it.
Day 2
- Breakfast. Once again, I started the day leisurely on the hotel’s rooftop. I bought food from a local business across from the hotel where there’s a wide variety of food types, and enjoyed it by the pool while watching the daily rainstorm roll in.
3:00 PM BUS TOUR. Yes, I’m the ultimate tourist, but I thought it was a good idea to visit the city comfortably. It takes you to all the main attractions and you can hop on and off as many times as you want. I recommend arriving earlier than I did, because the tour ends at 5 and you’ll have to continue the next day (you have 24 hours). In any case, once I missed the time, I visited the following things on foot:
- Chinatown. I got off here and took a stroll around the area, seeing the hundreds of souvenir shops they have. And the art on the walls and buildings.
- Massage. They’re advertised everywhere, and I treated myself to a foot massage.
- Sri Mariamman Temple.
- Pagoda Street. Market, market!
- Taoist Temple. An idyllic garden in the middle of the city.
6:00 PM Marina Bay SkyPark Observation Deck. This is a MUST, meaning you have to visit it no matter what. I dressed up and went up to the most expensive hotel in Singapore to enjoy the views.
8:00 PM Dinner at Lau Pa Sat. One of the things I liked most about Singapore is that you can find practically all the world’s cuisines. This place is like a pavilion full of small restaurants or grilled meat outside. I loved having dinner here.
Live music on Haji Lane. On this street, you have a ton of bars where you can enjoy a good Singapore Sling and live music.
Day 3
Mosque. I started the day walking from the hotel to the mosque, which is super close. Walking through any of the streets that lead to the mosque is quite an experience.
- Bus tour. I got back on the bus and got off at Orchard Street, where the city’s money is. I ate something at the first place I found.
- Bugis Street. This place blew my mind. It’s a shopping center but in a more basic way. Hundreds of mini-shops selling you clothes, watches, and more little things at very cheap prices.
- Chinese medicine. In this city, you can find everything, and since my lower back was hurting a lot, I found a place (there are many) and delved into the world of Chinese medicine.
I ended the day on my hotel’s rooftop with these views:
- Dinner: On my third day in the city, I decided on a Chinese hot pot. The best part was that it was just for one person (which was perfect since I was alone), and the food you could add was on a conveyor belt passing in front of you. At the end, they count the sticks you’ve eaten and charge you accordingly. I loved it!
Day 4
- Haji Lane + Sultan Mosque. I decided to revisit these two places during the day. I didn’t regret it. I ate an açaí bowl on the way and then headed for the next adventure.
- Duck tour. Another super touristy thing I did, but I don’t regret it. I got on an “amphibious vehicle” that gave us a tour of the city’s waters and land. This way, I could see the famous Merlion of Singapore, Gardens by the Bay, Helix Bridge, and everything from the sea.
- Cable car. I took a taxi (since I didn’t have time to use public transport) to go to…
- Sentosa Island. I made an express visit and tried jumping from a very high platform, like a bungee jump. Oh my goodness, what an adrenaline rush!
And to finish my 4-day excursion in Singapore, I finally had the opportunity to eat Japanese BBQ again!!!! There are many places, and I chose the one in the photos, but if you feel like trying this delicacy, I 100% recommend it.
Tips and tricks:
- Lantern bar. From here you have an incredible view of the marina.
- Singapore Botanic Gardens. I didn’t have time to see it, but it’ll be on my list for the next visit.
- Southbridge. Great atmosphere and bars with sea views.
- Another incredible view point of the marina. And while you’re at it, you can drink a cool fresh lemon juice.
- Smoke & Mirror rooftop bar. I didn’t go because I was alone and felt awkward, but it’s on my list for the next visit because they say it’s really cool.
- Very yummy café. I ate some sweets and had a juice and… it was sooo delicious.
P.S.: Doha airport is absolutely crazy. I had a stopover there and you can’t miss the mega indoor garden they have in the terminal itself and all the art they have in every corner.
P.S.: I went in November and it was insanely hot, so bring light clothes. And don’t forget your umbrella and raincoat, I got caught in the rain almost every day.
– Duck tour
– Bus Tour. Tourist life
– Tourist Public Transport card. Cheap and you can travel in public transport as much as you want during the days you booked.
– Tourist attraction pass. I booked this one and I believe I saved some money instead of buying single tickets!
– Credit card is accepted almost everywhere, have some cash on you just in case.
– Grab will be your friend to move around the city
I hope you liked it and that it’s very useful to you.
