Date of Travel: August 8-12, 2024
Airline: Cebu Pacific
Total Amount: Php 5,779,98 (seat sale)
Arrival Location: Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4
Travel Tax: Php 1,620.00
Additional baggage: Php 1,100.00 (20kg, SG to MNL)
Estimated Total Travel Expense for 4-5days: Php 40,000-45,000.00 (budget friendly)
This is my first international flight alone. As usual, I’m excited but also a bit nervous. I prepared my things the day before my flight and made a checklist of everything I would need. A week before, I sorted out my accommodation. Initially, I booked a space pod because the hotels I found on Agoda were quite expensive, ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 PHP. The space pod was only around 1,000 to 2,000 PHP, so I went ahead and booked it. I could cancel it up to three days before the booking date, but if I didn’t, the payment would be automatically deducted since they already took my card details.
Fortunately, my friend posted on a Facebook page for transient houses in Singapore, and some people messaged her with details. So, I reached out to them, and one of them offered me a master’s bedroom for 32 SGD per day. I found it to be a better option compared to the space pod with a shared bathroom.
My departure time on August 8 was 1:30 PM, so I left the house around 7 AM. I expected the travel time from Indang, Cavite to NAIA Terminal 3 to be about 2-3 hours. I took the CALAX-SLEX route since I assumed there would be more traffic on CAVITEX, especially in the early morning with people heading to work. I arrived at the airport around 10 AM. I grabbed a sandwich at Subway since I wouldn’t be eating again until I got to Singapore. The flight was slightly delayed, and we didn’t take off until after 2 PM. The travel time was about 3 hours. When I arrived at the airport, I went to the restroom first, and I was really amazed—it was so clean, fragrant, and beautiful.
I looked for a place to buy a SIM card. When they tried to activate it on my phone, it didn’t work because my phone was locked, even though I had already paid 48 SGD for the SIM card. As they were about to install it, it was fortunate that the person helping me was a Filipina. She suggested that I use a pocket Wi-Fi instead, which costs 10 SGD per day, so 50 SGD for my 5-day stay. The only downside is that there’s a 200 SGD deposit in case you don’t return the pocket Wi-Fi. The 200 SGD will be on hold for 2-3 weeks after you return the device. Since I didn’t have any other options, I decided to go with the pocket Wi-Fi.
After I bought the SIM card, I waited for the free shuttle bus to Jewel at Terminal 1 so I could see the famous attractions there. When I arrived at Jewel, I was amazed again—it’s stunning. It’s a massive shopping mall, and right at the entrance, you can see the famous Rain Vortex. There were a lot of people taking pictures, so I wandered around until I spotted a girl who looked friendly. I approached her and asked if she could take a photo of me, and she instantly agreed. I think she was Chinese. I was very satisfied with the photos she took.
I stayed in the area for a while and then explored the mall. There were many other attractions, but they required an entrance fee. When I got tired, I decided to eat. I looked for a budget-friendly and familiar place to eat. I considered Shake Shack, but the line was too long. It was around 7 PM by then, and I was really hungry since the last time I ate was at 10 AM. I ended up eating at Ma Maison and ordered a Tonkatsu meal with rice, which cost 23 SGD. I enjoyed the meal since I was so hungry, though it was a bit challenging to use chopsticks as I prefer spoon and fork. The food and service were good.
When it was time to pay, I was surprised that there was an additional 5 SGD tax, so I ended up paying nearly 29 SGD, which, when converted to pesos, is over 1,000 PHP for just one meal. I told myself not to convert the prices anymore.
I messaged the person who owns the transient place since we agreed to go home together so she could teach me how to get around. I booked a Grab taxi from the airport to the workplace of my landlady. She met me there, and we chatted until she finished work at 10 PM. We took a bus, then the MRT, and walked to the unit. The unit is about a 5-7 minute walk from Buangkok MRT station. She explained to me the things I needed to know while staying in Singapore, like how to get around, potential places to visit, and the importance of the MRT map since everything is interconnected. After that, I rested.
On Day 1, I woke up early even though I went to bed late because, of course, I wanted to make the most of my time. The first place I visited was Sentosa, so I took the MRT. I forgot to mention earlier that I also got an EZ-Link card at the airport from the same store where I rented the pocket Wi-Fi. The card cost 10 SGD and came with a 5 SGD balance. The card is used for payment on transportation like the MRT and buses. You can load it at any MRT station, and the fare for the MRT usually ranges from 1-2 SGD.
So, I headed to Sentosa first, with my map ready for switching between stations. It was easy to follow since the system is color-coded, and there are plenty of signs, so you won’t get lost. There was a funny moment when I kept tapping my card, but it wouldn’t work. I thought there was an issue with it, but it turned out I was tapping it in the wrong spot—where you’re supposed to scan instead. I just smiled at myself, realizing that you really learn from your mistakes.
I arrived at Sentosa early. I went to Universal Studios first. Since there weren’t many people yet, I was able to set up my tripod because I felt shy asking others to take my picture. The photos turned out well. I walked around and didn’t buy a ticket to go inside. Instead, I just enjoyed the views outside.
I saw a lot of Filipinos also exploring the area. When I got hungry since I hadn’t had breakfast yet, I bought a sandwich from the 7-Eleven inside. After resting for a bit, I headed to Fort Canning, the famous spot with the hill. When I got there, the line was really long. I waited for about half an hour, and it was extremely hot. The climate in Singapore is similar to the Philippines—very warm. I was worried about how I would take a picture, but luckily, a Chinese guy who was next in line offered to take it for me. I was so grateful.
After Fort Canning Park, I went to Merlion Park, and it was incredibly crowded. I found out that August 9 is Singapore’s National Day, so it was a holiday, and there were people everywhere. I walked around in the intense heat and bought some coconut ice cream from a nearby stall—it was delicious. I continued exploring and asked different people to take my picture until I finally got the shot I wanted. It was amusing because everyone was posing with their mouths open, trying to get the perfect shot where it looked like the water from the Merlion statue was going into their mouths.
I had lunch at Mo’s Burger, where I ordered a chicken burger and mineral water. After Merlion Park, I headed to Marina Bay Mall to cool down. I walked a lot because many roads were closed due to the parade.
The mall was huge, and after exploring it, I headed to Gardens by the Bay. I waited for it to get dark so I could see the light show. It takes longer to get dark in Singapore compared to the Philippines. Even at 7 PM, it was still quite bright in Singapore, and in the morning, it doesn’t get light until around 7 AM.
Gardens by the Bay is stunning at night, with plenty of nature spots to walk around and enjoy. There’s a lot of walking involved. After soaking in the views at Gardens by the Bay, I went back to Marina Bay to watch the fireworks. The crowd was massive, and I got a bit scared, thinking there might be a commotion since I’m small and was surrounded by much taller people. But it was impressive how disciplined everyone was. The fireworks were beautiful, and the reflections on Marina Bay were stunning. The experience was worth all the walking, the crowded areas, and staying out late just to witness the event.
