Singapore: six ways to stretch your travel budget
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We’re back from our first HerCanberra Trip to Singapore, and we’re letting you in on what we learnt while on the ground. In this article, we’ll share some of our secrets to getting the most out of your spending money!
Singapore has captured our heart. Associate Editor Emma Macdonald and I have been sighing loudly as we’ve looked back over the photographs of our recent trip and counting the days until we can go back. It’s an incredible city with a rich culture and we barely scratched its surface.
Canberra Airport has daily international flights with Singapore Airlines, departing at 11:15pm each night—and it’s just an eight-hour flight away, so short enough for a long weekend jaunt. So how do you get the most out of your travel budget? We have some tips.
Upgrade and Save
The view from the Pan Pacific Singapore Club Lounge.
Our entire group was unanimous in its love for Pan Pacific Singapore—it was just such a great hotel! My sister and I were so grateful that we’d taken Flight Centre’s recommendation to upgrade to a Club Privileges package.
For less than $50 SUD per day, the package got us Club Lounge access with daily cooked breakfast, afternoon tea between 3 pm and 5 pm (we’re talking full sweet and savoury spread here, not just a few scones) and evening cocktails between 6 pm and 9 pm (massive buffet and a generous menu of cocktails, wine, beer and non-alcoholic drinks).
Cocktail hour at Pan Pacific’s Club Lounge.
If you have a limited ‘on-the-ground’ budget, you could quite easily eat all your meals here, and you’ll get your extra room cost back with a couple of glasses of bubbly at cocktail hour. Plus the 360-degree view of Singapore from the Club Lounge is absolutely incredible.
Club Privileges also get you bottled water in your room, complimentary mini bar for non-alcoholic drinks, and a late 3 pm check out (which didn’t align with our return flight time to Canberra but would be handy if you’re going on to other destinations).
Eat on the cheap
Singapore is a city of extremes—you can pay a small fortune at fine dining restaurants, but if you head to one of the local food centres, dishes start at $1 SGD with large curries and rice dishes usually no more than $5 SGD. They’re buzzy, filled with a vast array of cuisines, and the food is delicious!
You don’t need to worry about hygiene standards—the food centres are well regulated and you can be guided by coloured placards, from A (the best) to D (a risk), displayed at each stall.
The food at Singapore’s food centre’s is delicious and cheap!
Alcohol can be expensive in Singapore. If you want indulge in some tropical cocktails, there are some great Happy Hour deals across the city—from around 5 pm to 9 pm, you can find some great deals on drinks of all kinds.
The best (free) view
Best. Cocktail Spot. Ever. The view from Lantern bar at the Fullerton Bay Hotel.
Most people who travel to Singapore are determined to get to the top of the Marina Bay Sands so they can take in the view of the city skyline from the infinity pool. Unfortunately, the only way you’re going to do that is if you’re a hotel guest. You can, however, check out the view from the Observation Deck on the 57th floor but it will set you back $23 SGD.
The view is even better at night!
For my money, however, the best view is from the Lantern rooftop bar at The Fullerton Bay Hotel. The bar looks across to the Marina Bay Sands and it is a jaw-dropping experience when you emerge from the lift at night-time and see the iconic building lit up in all its glory. It costs nothing (other than the cost of drinks) to reserve a waterside spot and if you time it right, it offers the best seat in the house for the Spectra light show.
Oh, and Lantern takes the concept of Happy Hour to the extreme—it runs between 11 am and 6 pm every day.
Singapore Airlines discount
Present your Singapore Airlines boarding pass for a range of discounts.
Your Singapore Airlines boarding pass does more than just get you on the plane—it also gives you exclusive discounts on hotel stays, car rentals, restaurants, boutiques, shopping malls and other tourist attractions. You just need to present your Singapore Airlines or SilkAir boarding pass at participating outlets within a month of your date of travel.
It’s also a great idea to join the KrisFlyer program before you go—not only does it allow you to access your membership card electronically, you can also manage your booking and preferences online or from your phone.
Consider a Tourist Pass
If you’re doing the rounds of Singapore’s attractions, consider a tourist pass.
If you’re planning on making the rounds of the big tourist attractions (Singapore Zoo, Singapore Flyer, River Cruise, Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, Sentosa…to name just a few) you might like to consider purchasing a tourist pass like Hippo. The pass allows you to visit multiple attractions and tours, with considerable savings.
There are a lot on offer (check some out here) so do your research and choose one that best suits your needs.
Tax Refund
Shop ’til you drop in Singapore (just keep your receipts!)
Tourists can claim a refund on the 7% Goods and Services Tax (GST) paid on your purchases if you spend more than $100 at any participating shops. With Singapore’s massive shopping scene, you will have no trouble making the most of this!
Interested in joining our next HerCanberra Tour?
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This is a sponsored post brought to you in partnership with Canberra Airport.
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