My first ever trip abroad was on the eve of my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. Needless to say, it was with family, and the destinations decided (yes 3 countries ;)) were Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand! Since, it was a family trip, it had to be an escorted trip. Having belonged to a Mahrashtrian-Karnataki family, we decided to begin our abroad travel story with Kesari Tours (http://www.kesari.in/).

For those who are unaware- Kesari Tours is one of the most popular escorted travel agency in India, particularly Maharashtra. There are several tours that Kesari offers- Strawberi, Chota Break, Low-Cost tours, My Fair Lady, Corporate Tours. Apart from these popular ones, they also offer travel services and trips for students only, newly-weds, senior citizens, etc. We had booked our tickets for Kesari’s Low cost tour for Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Since Kesari was arranging everything right from travel insurance to tickets to our itinerary, we were all relaxed. A week prior to the trip however, I was having a cracked nerve.We had not received our visas! On top of it, both my parents and brother at least had received visas for Singapore. A note to people who want to visit Singapore- Usually Singapore has  an electronic visa, however, I believe they do offer visa on arrival too. Unfortunately,  I hadn’t received it and I was irked.

Anyway, finally the minute of our departure arrived and I was handed over my evisa by Kesari. Then on, we departed from Mumbai International airport to Singapore by Thai Airways. Thai Airways is overall nice and pleasant. The cabin crew is quite simple and friendly. One thing to look out for is definitely the Thai culture that oozes out of the crew’s mannerisms. The crew welcomed us with “Swadika” , basically Hello in Thai language. Thereafter the flight was as usual. One thing, if I could have skipped was would have been the food, particularly if you are a vegetarian.

Cut to the Singaporean land, we stayed at Hotel Grand Chancellor, in Little India. The hotel is decently prized with a decent ambiance. The hotel staff could be a little problem and aloof. We did not stay much in the hotel, therefore did not have much of an issue. We were visiting Singapore as the first leg of our trip for two days. Some of the must visit places would be offcourse:

The Singapore Flyer– Gives you an overview of the entire country. Singapore as a country is very small. You can reach from the country’s northern tip to Southern in max 45 minutes.

 

• Merlion- Merlion- the Singaporean Icon is a magnificent statue with water gushing out. The statue is unique in its built as it the upper part is the face of a lion, while the lower part is the body of fish body. As Singapore most iconic structure, the Merlion symbolizes Singapore’s origins as a fishing village.

 

• Sentosa Island- Sentosa Island is a must visit for kids and people who like to experience a varied range of activities- right from culture, recreation to adventure.  Just 15 minutes away from the hustle bustle of city-lies the resort island which is a host to a range of activities. For people who are interested to know the culture and history of Singapore- must watch a show -‘Images of Singapore.’ Nature lovers and explore flora, fauna from different parts of the world at the Underground aquarium.  For thrill seekers and adventure lovers, there are a lot adrenaline gushing opportunities- such as Skyline Luge Sentosa, 3D shows, etc. At night fall, one must not fail to watch a grand multi sensory extravaganza  ‘Songs of the sea.’

In short, you are bound to be captivated by various faces of Singapore. Well, this is not the end. For the article purposes, I have just tried to capture, my favorite experiences in the island country. There are tons and tons of escapades the country has to offer. Watch this space out for more 🙂