Traveling to Singapore as a first-time international traveler

Review of traveling to Singapore as someone who just traveled abroad for the first time 🇸🇬
So much fun that I didn’t want to get on the plane back!

Hello! Today I want to share about my trip to Singapore with three close friends. This trip was planned rather spontaneously—we booked as soon as we found cheap tickets. We didn’t prepare much at all. Honestly, we were excited because it was our first time flying abroad on our own without a tour, and Singapore is truly a perfect country for beginners like us.

DAY 1 Arriving at Changi Airport, which feels like a luxury mall combined with a botanical garden!

Our plane landed at Changi Airport in the morning. As soon as we got off, we were wowed. What kind of airport is this? It’s so beautiful! Is this really an airport or a world-class mall? There’s even a waterfall inside, wow! Walking into The Jewel, we stood staring at the waterfall for ten minutes, trying to get our money’s worth from the plane ticket. Honestly, you could take hundreds of photos just at the airport.

After recovering from mall—oops, airport overload, we bought EZ-Link cards and took the MRT into the city. We booked a small hotel very close to the MRT station. The room was cute but so small we had to spin carefully to avoid hitting the walls, haha.

DAY 2 Merlion Park – Marina Bay – Gardens by the Bay

We started with the must-visit landmark, “Merlion Park.” The famous Merlion spouting water was super popular. We stood there trying to catch the water in our mouths just like the trend. The photos turned out funny—our faces looked like we were really thirsty, haha. The surrounding view was stunning, with Marina Bay Sands right in front of us looking grand.

Then we walked to Gardens by the Bay, which is huge—we walked until we were tired but it was worth it! The Cloud Forest was the pinnacle of grandeur, featuring a giant waterfall and mist that made us feel like we were in a fantasy movie. Walking there was refreshingly cool. The Flower Dome felt like walking through a European flower garden, full of beautiful trees. The vibe was just walking beautifully, taking photos, and I have to whisper that the air conditioning inside was so cold we didn’t want to leave, haha.

In the evening, there was the Garden Rhapsody light show at Supertree Grove. The music played and the lights danced to the rhythm—it was very romantic, but we were still with friends, so no one to hold hands with, haha.

DAY 3 Universal Studios Singapore (USS) – A day full of fun and screams

We woke up early with barely open eyes because we were going to USS. Anyone who loves amusement parks must not miss this! Once inside, it felt like entering another world with zones like Hollywood, Sci-Fi, Far Far Away, Ancient Egypt—so many!

We started by running to ride Battlestar Galactica without hesitation. It’s a dual-track roller coaster with loops that made us feel like our insides flipped upside down. Our friends screamed so loudly that people nearby looked at us. We were like, “Go ahead and look, it’s really exciting,” haha.

Then we went to the Far Far Away zone to take photos with Shrek’s castle, which was super cute. We also watched a 4D show where water sprayed on our faces when the cartoon characters sneezed. We laughed until our stomachs hurt.

We rode Jurassic Park’s river rapids and got soaked! But it was so much fun. On the way back, we ate a giant turkey leg that had to be held with both hands to keep it up. It was delicious but so big we had to share. Even though we were hungry, there was still some left.

DAY 4 Chinatown – Bugis – Tooth Relic Temple – Bags full of souvenirs

On the last day, feeling a bit sad, we went to pray at the Tooth Relic Temple, asking for blessings for work, study, and health. The temple was very beautiful and peaceful inside, making us feel calm.

Then we went to Bugis Street. Oh my, this place is a shopper’s paradise! Cheap stuff, lots of items—clothes, bags, keychains, souvenirs, postcards, milk tea—you name it. We walked around for almost two hours and filled our bags with great deals. Some shops even spoke a little Thai, showing how much Thai people love shopping here, haha.

Finally, packing was a struggle because we had so many souvenirs. We had to take some out and put them in backpacks, then rushed to the airport because we got carried away shopping. At the airport, we stopped for one last meal of fluffy omelet rice and a cup of milk tea before boarding the plane back to Thailand with a heavy heart.

Summary of what I gained from this trip:
– Opened my world! Singapore is small but packed with everything you need.
– Practiced planning a trip on my own.
– Laughed with friends until our cheeks hurt.
– Practiced a little English.
– And learned that no matter how developed a country is, the joy of getting lost and laughing with friends is the most valuable thing on a trip.

P.S. Singapore is very easy to get around!
The MRT system is the best—easy to understand and convenient. Everyone here speaks English. There’s food from many countries, prices are reasonable, but compared to Thailand, it’s a bit pricey, especially bottled water at 1.5 SGD, which made me tear up a little.

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For anyone hesitating whether to go, I hope this review pushes you! Life is short, so why wait? Let’s go find new experiences. Singapore may be close, but the memories are far and deep. If you’ve read this far… thank you, and I hope you’ll pack your bags and follow in our footsteps someday. Bye-bye!

#Singapore #TravelOnYourOwn #SingaporeIsWorthVisiting #GetDiscountsWithoutLuck