With three days off from work, I finally have the opportunity to travel to neighboring countries. However, since my resources are limited, I have selected the two countries that are accessible by bus from Malaysia: thailand Y Singapore.
Keeping time in mind, I heard from a local colleague that a bus trip to Thailand would take me 8 hours to Hatyai (but not Bangkok yet, only on the Malaysia-Thai border) and only 4-5 hours to Singapore.
While Thailand has a considerably lower cost of living than Singapore, I did some research and found that there are endless ways to travel to luxurious cities like Singapore on a budget. As it has excellent transportation routes and many fascinating tourist spots, I opted to go Singaporeeven if I have to eat chicken and rice for a whole week.
TRANSPORTATION:
Departure: Kuala Lumpur, TBS (Bersepadu Selatan Terminal) -> Singapore, Little India (Rate: $45 = $517.50)
Arrival: Singapore, Katong V Mall -> Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown KL 5 Elements Hotel (Rate: RM72 = P828)
Total transportation fee: RM 117 (P1345.50)
Out of the three available transports to Singapore (plane, bus and train), the bus is the cheapest and cheapest to choose as you can take the midnight tickets and sleep during the trip.
The bus ride is about 5.5 hours from Malaysia to Singapore. Note that you may need to be awake for the last hour because intercity travel will require you to pass through two immigration buildings: one leaving Malaysia and one entering Singapore.
QUICK TIPS:
- If you can book online, do so so you can book it on the shuttle bus ahead of time. I booked mine on easybook.com. They also have many promotions including discounts and travel vouchers every month.
- As recommended, choose the midnight time (12 am) so you can get to Singapore early and use the saved time to explore the nearby tourist spots before checking into your hostel.
- Make sure you have legitimate visa and passport details as there is a chance that immigration officials in singapore forests you can be detained and subjected to rigorous questioning if you have the wrong documents.
ACCOMMODATION:
Online booking fee: RM 205 (P2357.50)
Length of stay: 5 Days – 4 Nights
Online Merchant: Agoda
i mainly thing Prince of Wales because this is one of the cheapest bed bug free hostels from Agoda reviews, which was a positive sign that it is well maintained. It is true that I was given a sheet, a pillow and a blanket after check-in. There were also five discount coupons with a free free Heineken/Jam Jar from the hostel. Management said they would discontinue the free Heineken/Jam Jar in the future and I was the last to get the red coupon. Lucky me!
The mixed dorm I stayed in has four bunk beds, where most of the time the occupants are Western foreigners. The air conditioning works only from 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. The showers on the ground floor have a heater and the wi-fi speed is excellent. One Saturday night, I came home to see marching bands playing quiet music.
In general, this is a recommended hostel if you are looking for budget accommodation for backpackers with good quality service and proper maintenance.
DAY 1: LITTLE INDIA + BUGIS: RM 102 / SGD 34 / PHP 1173
Considering the high cost of transportation for 5 days in Singapore, I planned to take advantage of the Singapore Tourist Pass (STP) to $20 (3 day pass) which allows me to have unlimited rides on MRT, LRT and public buses. I will then use the STP for days 2-4, so for day 1, I only visited the tourist spots near my hostel – Prince of Wales.
Therefore, it is important to choose a strategic place to book your hostel. for me I recommend it little indian because:
- Their TRM is an interchange between the North East Line (train going to Sentosa, Clarke Quay, or Chinatown) and the Downtown Line (train going to Botanic Gardens or Bugis)
- It has many nearby temples and mosques (see below) with the cultural ‘feel’ that submerges your inner Indian.
- You have access to cheap street vendor stalls for as little as $5 for food – like Tekka Center – which hosts an exquisite variety of Singaporean cuisine.
- You can also buy souvenirs at Mustafa shopping center for cheap perfumes or jewelry.
Bugis It’s also within walking distance of Little India, so you can buy your STP there, browse the shops on Bugis Street, and pray at the nearby temple for blessings.
Itineraries:
- Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
- Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple
- Mustafa shopping center
- Indian Heritage Center ($4 for Entrance, Free Tour in English)
- Masjid Abdul Gafoor Mosque
- lane haji
- bugis street
- Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
DAY 2: SENTOSA + MERLION + GARDENS BY THE BAY: RM 126 / SGD 42 / PHP 1449
By day 2, I had unlimited transportation thanks to the STP card, so I could travel everywhere in Singapore. Unfortunately, it does not cover the cost of Sentosa Express what i paid for SGD4 (P140). I didn’t go to Universal Studios Singapore anymore because I already went there, but for those wondering, the entrance fee is $74 (P2590).
In the afternoon I went to gardens by the bay strolling through the Raffles Place area, towards Helix Bridge and along the walkway at Marina Bay Sands. It was one of the most beautiful tourist spots I have seen in Singapore and the one I will especially recommend when you take advantage of the entrance fee to the Cooled Conservatories: Cloudy forest Y flower dome – by SGD28 (P966). I was also lucky because there was an event called Garden Rhapsody – retro fever in the Supertree Grove where there were bright lights dancing to the beat of the 80’s and it was really magnificent.
Marina Bay near the Merlion statue was very beautiful during the night. As she walked through the Jubilee Walk TrailI can see the splendid Marina Bay Sands shining through the calm waters. With the area still packed with tourists, I was suddenly reminded of the song “The Night Is Still Young.”
Itineraries:
- I live City, in front of the port
- Sentosa – Waterfront, Imbiah and Beach Resorts
- Marina Bay at Raffles Place
- Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands Theaters
- Helix Bridge and Jubilee Walk Trail
- Gardens by the Bay: Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, Grove of Supertrees
- Makan Sutra
- singapore flyer
DAY 3-4: BOTANICAL GARDEN + ORCHARD + CLARKE QUAY + CHINATOWN: RM 60 / SGD 20 / PHP 690
From Little India, I went to the Singapore Botanic Gardens for a morning run. The habitat was very large with lots of interactive trails like Healing and Evolution Gardens. Since he belonged to one of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the place was also properly maintained with one area (near the Ginger Garden) still renovated. It was also close to some of the National University of Singapore (NUS) buildings.
When I took the Orchard exit from the Botanic Gardens, I took the bus using my STP to the beautiful orchid path. Foreigners were filled with paper bags from mall brands such as Ion, Wisma Atria, Tangs, Takashimaya and Lucky Plaza. As a major tourist attraction filled with shopping and entertainment centers, it was one of those places millennials often coined ‘Instagrammable’.
To make up for the grueling walks, I decided to relax near the historic waterfront they call Clark Quay. With several restaurants and nightclubs such as Hooters and Zouk (still closed for renovations), it can well be considered the party capital of Singapore.
Vacationers can further enjoy their stay at the dazzling pier with G-Max Reverse Bungee ($45 = $1,575), Singapore River Cruise (US$22 = US$770) or just kick back on Read Bridge with a cold beer while listening to some street performers.
The next day, I went to the colorful Chinese enclave in Singapore, the ethnic Chinatown. Starting from Pagoda Street, I saw different types of shops, from hot tiger balms to large ruby dragon statues. There were also Chinese and Indian temples near the area along with the Chinese Heritage Center (with an entrance fee of 15 US dollars = 525 dollars).
I also went to two famous hawker centers throughout the neighborhood, the Chinatown Food Street and the Maxwell Food Centerespecially the Hainanese Tian Tian Chicken Rice, which gained popularity thanks to Anthony Bourdain’s appearance on one of his No Reservations shows.
Across from the Maxwell Food Center were museums like the ‘Red Dot Design Museum and the Singapore City Gallery (formerly URA Gallery). Admission is free and the entire gallery aims to showcase physical transformation over the last 40 years, which are both educational and interesting. It also exhibited the Singapore City Diorama with accurate representations of buildings from around the country.
On the evening of the 4th, I met up with some of my friends in Singapore for dinner at one of the restaurants located along Robertson’s Wharf. We walked from Clarke Quay to the footpath located near the riverbank contour. Suffice it to say that the food was extremely delicious.
Itineraries:
- Singapore Botanic Gardens – Foliage, Healing, Evolution, National Orchid
- Orchard Road Malls
- Clarke Quay: Singapore River Cruise and G-Max Reverse Bungee
- Chinatown – town park complex and center
- Jamae Mosque (Chulia)
- Sri Mariamman Temple
- Chinatown Food Street and Maxwell Food Center
- Singapore City Gallery
- Robertson’s Wharf
DAY 5: KATONG + EAST COAST: RM 63 / SGD 21 / PHP 724.50
Early in the morning, I left my hostel, had lunch at Geylang Street and handed over my STP to get the 10 SGD deposit. Then I went to Katong V Mall which is the pick up point for the bus going back to Malaysia. The shortest route was via Paya Lebar Station and to the free shuttle from Paya Lebar Square to Katong V.
Since I still have 2 hours to go, I walked through the streets until I reached the serene waters of Singapore, the beach side of east coast park. It was designed as an urban getaway where families and friends can play volleyball, ride bikes, host fun events, barbecue and splash in the waters. Overall, it’s a perfect place to relax and relieve stress.
Itineraries:
- Geylang Street
- Paya Lebar Square
- Katong V Mall and Nearby Shopping Malls
- east coast park
