Planning The Perfect Family Holiday To Singapore

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{This is a collaborative post}

You probably haven’t considered Singapore as a family holiday destination because Southeast Asia is usually associated with backpacking and hostels. But Singapore is actually a great destination that is ideal for families. It gives you the opportunity to experience a culture that is so completely different from what you would find in most typical family destinations which is important because travel is a great educational experience for your kids. The city state of Singapore, just off the coast of Malaysia, is incredibly safe and it’s a fairly simple place to get around, even though it’s a bit of a culture shock. It has a very multicultural population and you’ll find a great mix of traditions and cultures from around Asia so it’s the ideal introduction to the region if you have never been there before. It’s also very tourist friendly and the locals are very welcoming and helpful to visitors. 

If you’re looking for something a bit different for your next family holiday, Singapore is a great choice. Here are a few tips to help you plan the perfect trip. 

When To Visit 

One of the best things about Singapore is that there isn’t really a bad time to visit. Obviously, you want to go when the weather is nice which isn’t a problem in Singapore because it’s nice all year round. It has consistently warm weather all year with an average temperature of around 27 degrees, but it can feel a lot hotter than that when it’s particularly humid. Rain is always a possibility so you can’t really avoid it but if you spend a week out there, it’s likely that it will be warm most of the time. 

When it comes to the prices of hotels and flights etc. the prices are pretty much the same for most of the year. Singapore is a hub for international business so people are visiting all year round and the prices shouldn’t change too much. However, there are a few exceptions to that rule. November through to January will be a little more expensive because of the Chinese New Year and June and July are often popular because there are some other festivals going on. But even then, the prices won’t change drastically so you can plan your trip whenever is most convenient for you. 

Getting There 

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The one big downside of going to Singapore is that it’s a long journey. If you fly direct, it takes 13 hours so make sure to prepare for a long flight with the kids because it can be a real struggle. If you have a stopover it usually takes around 15 hours in total but depending on the airline and where they stop, some journeys could take up to 39 hours. If you’re traveling with very young children, Singapore might be a bit too much and you should consider waiting until they’re a little older before you take them. 

Once you arrive at the airport, it’s fairly simple to get to central Singapore. It only costs around £3 on the MRT (train network) or you can get a shuttle for roughly £9. Taxis are a little bit more expensive and you’re looking at somewhere between £20 and £30 each way. 

Where To Stay 

As Singapore is a business hub, there are plenty of luxury hotels around the city. The only problem is, Singapore is fairly expensive compared to a lot of other countries in the region and the hotels can be quite pricey. There are hostels available that will be a lot cheaper but they’re not really suited to families. If you’re going to Singapore with the family, your best option is to hire out an apartment, preferably a housing development board (HBD) one. You can easily find an hdb for rent in Singapore for a reasonable price. Having your own apartment is a lot better when you’re going with the family because you have a bit more space and you can cook your own food in the kitchen if you want to save a bit of money as well. 

Getting Around 

Walking is one of the best ways to explore Singapore because there is something exciting to discover around every corner, but it’s a big city and it’s going to be hot so sometimes, walking isn’t the best option, especially when you’ve got the kids with you. Luckily, the public transport is great and the air conditioned buses will give you a welcome break from the heat for a while. It’s very cheap and you can get a 3 day tourist pass for around £20 which gives you unlimited rides on the buses and the MRT while you’re there. 

Where To Eat 

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Singapore is the ideal destination for food lovers because the mix of cultures that live there means that you have a great mix of cuisine from across Asia and the wider world. There are plenty of opportunities to sample authentic dishes but there are also a lot of restaurants that offer innovative fusion dishes that combine flavors from around the globe in exciting ways. There is a big range of prices as well so if you’re trying to travel on a budget, you’ve still got a lot of options. 

There are plenty of more expensive fine dining restaurants where you’ll find a modern twist on a lot of traditional Asian cuisines including Chinese, Malaysian, and Indian but in recent years, there has been an influx of people from around the world so you’ll find a restaurant that serves pretty much any cuisine that you want, including British food. 

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money while you’re out there but you still want to sample a lot of traditional food, the hawker centres are the place to go. These great markets are where most of the locals eat. You’ll find plenty of stalls selling delicious, authentic food from across the region and it will cost you less than £5 for a meal most of the time. 

Singapore is likely to be a bit of a culture shock if you’ve never visited Asia before but as long as you follow these tips, you can have a great family holiday there. Enjoy!