Scarlet Hotel on nearby Erskine Road
before heading back for bedtime. This
1920s building is a prime example of
old colonial Singaporean architecture,
and exudes understated glamour.
Day two
Refreshed after a good night’s sleep,
it was time for a spot of breakfast al
fresco. The small neighbourhood Kith
Café benefits from a lovely riverfront
location at Robertson Quay, but also
from plenty of outside space for the
kids to let loose on scooters and skates
while Mum and Dad enjoy their lattes
in peace. With giant primary-coloured
animals to clamber on while you wait
for your toast, this is a great breakfast
spot that is popular with both locals
and tourists alike.
Suitably sated, we hopped in a taxi
bound for Gardens By The Bay, a
vast green space that occupies more
than 100 hectares of prime Singapore
waterfront. General admission to these
stunning tropical gardens is absolutely
free, with entry fees payable for a
small selection of specialist domes
and pavilions on site, as well as a S$2
shuttle bus to ferry you around the
massive expanse. A friend had tipped
us off to the fact that the Far East
Organisation Children’s Garden was
well worth a visit, and so we headed
straight there. Comprising rainforest
tree houses, two playgrounds, a café
and, most exciting of all, a huge
outdoor splash pad play area, complete
with motion-activated sprinklers,
fountains and – thankfully – a shaded
amphitheatre for parents to sit and
supervise the action, this is a must-do
on any family itinerary.
It took several hours and the
promise of ice cream to pry our happy,
sodden and exhausted little boy away
from the splashy fun, so seizing our
chance we strolled along the park’s
waterfront promenade to Satay By
The Bay, another typical Singaporean
food court that specialises in authentic,
not to mention spicy, satay sticks.
Fortunately, there are also plenty of
alternatives if, like ours, your little one
isn’t keen on fiery food, and we found
the fresh juice stall to be a major hit
with our boy, who thoroughly enjoyed
the opportunity to create his own
lunchtime “cocktail”.
That evening, we visited one of
Singapore’s most popular animal
attractions. The Night Safari was the
world’s first nocturnal zoo, and the
clever design of the park allows you
to get up close and personal with the
inhabitants, without a cage to obstruct
your view. Visitors can choose to walk
the safari along designated trails that
wind their way amongst the animal
enclosures, but, as it was already half-
past bedtime, we opted instead for the
40-minute Tram Safari. This guided
tour takes you around the world by
native animal species, from equatorial
Africa’s zebra herds to Nepalese
valley rhinos. We also spotted hyenas,
bears, leopards and even rare tigers,
all seemingly unaware of the crowds
of visitors there to catch a glimpse of
them. The Night Safari is a highly
educational experience, and the park’s
message is one of conservation and
preservation, with visitors strictly
prohibited from dropping litter, using
flash photography or behaving in any
way that might disturb the animals.
Day three
After a slow start to our morning, we
decided to once again test Singapore’s
reputation as an outdoorsy city by
heading over to the Botanic Gardens.
Stopping off for breakfast at Food For
Thought, a sustainable café situated
just within the park’s Tanglin Gate,
our boy inhaled his pancakes, enjoyed
the outdoor playground and made a
few new friends before we all set off to
explore this historic space. Originally
founded in the 1850s, and still a
green hub for Singaporeans to enjoy,
the gardens span three separate city
districts and offer unparalleled space
for visitors of all ages to walk, run,
scoot and cycle. There are few of the
restrictions that Hong Kong park-
goers might be used to and plenty of
lush green lawns to enjoy. Meandering
along the shady pathways for most of
the morning, we eventually stumbled
across the Jacob Ballas Children’s
Garden. This outdoor education
centre within an organic garden also
incorporates a sandy playground and
another lovely water play area.
For lunch, we popped back across
the gardens to the former British
army barracks at Dempsey Hill, now
a shopping and dining hub and home
to the lovely Tree Lizard restaurant.
This casual eatery boasts yet another
outdoor play area set in extensive
green grounds, and has a pleasant and
breezy terrace from which to supervise
the exploration.
As our time in Singapore was
drawing to a close, we decided to
end our trip with a peaceful meander
through the heart of the city by
River Taxi. This relaxed boat ride
is a bargain alternative to the many
organised Singapore River cruises, at
just S$3 per person, as opposed to the
usual S$20, when paying by EZ Link
card (Singapore’s Octopus equivalent).
Docking at Marina Bay, we strolled
the riverside promenade, enjoying the
skyline view as we planned our next
visit.
Photography: Kate Farr
January 2015
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