Aug
25
2009
Inner Sentosa Singapore
Author: SamMost Indian travellers look at Singapore as their first international travel place to go. One reason, is applying for a visa is easy, it only takes three days and the you can go online to do it. Two, you don’t feel like your away from home once you’re there. Singapore has a large Indian population and Tamil is one of the official languages. When in Little India you can almost feel like you’re in Mumbai, of course, a little cleaner that Mumbai. Also, Singapore is a country where you can exchange rupees into local currency very easily. For a first time Indian traveller, Singapore is so easy to relate to.
Shopping is the best in Singapore, starting with walking through the Changi International Airport, there are store selling all kinds of things from Nikon camera’s to Scotch. It can take you an hour or more to shop all the stores in the airport alone. But, save some of your money for the mall’s in the city. I recommend checking out the high-end leather goods at Takashimaya and then go to Sim Lim Square of the electronics, very good deals, almost steals. The Chinatown part of Singapore has great items to purchase for friends and family when you get back home to India, like chopsticks, statues, silk pouches and porcelain.
After shopping, head over to the Singapore Zoo and pose for pictures with some very hairy primates or dolphins. For peace of mind, check out Singapore Botanic Gardens, set up by a Brit Sir Stamford Raffles in 1822. After that, take a joyride to Sentosa Island and book a room for the night at one of the fabulous Singapore Sentosa hotels, because you’ll want to spend more than just a few hours there, you’ll want to spend a day and a night. The Chinese operas are a delight at The Durian. Visit the National Museum at Orchard Road where you can learn about the struggle for independence. Check out the St. Andrews Church and the Town Hall near the Esplanade which were constructed by the British. That’s a lot to do in Sentosa, plus an excellent night life. So, East Indians will thoroughly enjoy all of what Singapore has to offer, and a little bit more.