Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay (Nov 2018)

Towering over Marina Bay is the iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel. This impressive piece of architecture is home to the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool and boasts a world-class casino and numerous top-class restaurants – both Gordon Ramsey and Wolfgang Puck have restaurants here. The hotel also has direct access to Singapore’s shopping mall and Artscience Museum. All rooms at the hotel have floor-to-ceiling windows to ensure that you get the best views of the Singapore skyline during your stay. Even if you are not staying at this expensive hotel, you can still pay to go up to the top of it where there is an outside viewing area to provide you with some of the best views in Singapore. I decided to do this, and it was a great experience. It was, however, a little overcast when I went up, so the views were not quite as good as they could have been.

Another place not to miss in Singapore is the Gardens by the Bay. These gardens are definitely up there with Sydney’s Botanical Gardens and should not be missed on a trip to Singapore. An independent organisation is responsible for developing and managing the gardens, and the people involved in the organisation include expert horticulturists, arborists, engineers, and plant health experts. The world of gardens includes a Flower Dome, Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes, Floral Fantasy, Heritage Gardens, and Art Sculptures. These gardens have created a beautiful ‘green corner’ to Singapore that has achieved numerous awards and accolades. After dark, the gardens come to life in a different form and produce a spectacular display of colour and music. Photo opportunities here are brilliant and to get the most out of your garden experience you really need to see it by both day and night.