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Getting around Singapore
I'm thinking walking to all the Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay and Chinatown looks like the easy way to get around. How did others get around these spots given the heat and humidity?
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We just returned from Singapore/Bali last week. The humidity was awful! We took a cab from Raffles hotel to Marina Bay. Bring your water bottle!
I think the equivalent of Uber in Singapore was called Bolt. So use that or a taxi. It’s not worth exhausting yourself to get to the sites in the heat and humidity and of course if it rains, it’s drenching.
We walked to the Sands in the morning. It wasn't too bad. There is also a mass transit system (the Land Transport Authority) with stations near the Raffles and all three locations you mentioned. They have a website (and an app).
https://lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en.html#
We took the subway. Stop was right across the street the street from Raffles. Easy, fast , cheap and SAFE
Follow-up to British's post. Bolt is similar to Uber. It's based in Estonia.
Yes, we saw Bolt in Estonia recently
I used Bolt in Prague and Budapest — just like Uber. It was much less expensive than cabs.Never had a problem.
We walked from the Raffles Hotel around the marina with stops along the way, including the Marina Bay Sands mall. It wasn't a terribly hard walk if you take it at a leisurely pace and the sun and humidity are within your tolerance level. We probably spent half a day doing this.
Note: for part of the walk, from about the Merlion fountain almost all the rest of the way back to the Raffles Hotel, you're able to walk underground/inside through the mass transit station and a shopping area in a much more temperature and humidity friendly environment.
That said, that evening we chose to stay and eat dinner in the Raffles Hotel vs venturing out again into the humidity. There are several options within the Raffles complex that we found acceptable - a few restaurants of varying cuisine, plus a couple of bars (Poet's Bar and the Long Bar - worth a visit if for no other reason than to see the birthplace of the Singapore Sling). Hotel guests can go to the head of any wait line at the Long Bar.
Not sure you need to walk to the Gardens by the Bay since you go there on the tour, unless you have extra days and are really a big fan of the venue. After the visit to the Gardens by the Bay we had them drop us at the Marina Bay Sands for a previously arranged, timed visit to the MBS Observation Deck. We cabbed back to the Raffles Hotel after this visit.
Can't comment on Chinatown other than seeing it from above when the tour stopped at a skyscraper housing complex, whose observation decks, provided amazing panoramic views of Singapore, including down into Chinatown and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
The Botanical gardens are not to be missed especially the orchids
Thanks for all the information.
Grab is the uber equivalent in Singapore and Bali.
We used Grab. It was easy but apparently you do have to go to a designated pick-up location to get it. It’s not like the U.S. where you can just stand on any corner and they will come to that spot. We did a food tour and our guide showed us where to go for the Grab when we were heading back.
Thank you - we have been researching and found it is Grab (like Uber) now. Good to know there are designated spots also!
Ah yes, you are correct, it was Grab!