Singapore's Hawker Chan restaurant is famous for being awarded a Michelin star.Credit: iStock
Then, of course, comes the eternal cry: “Mom, I am hungry.” We grab street food at Hawker Chan, the world's first Michelin-starred hawker stall, watch the old men play checkers in the covered square in front of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, and drink cane juice from fresh sugar
After a day in the city, we head to Singapore's tourist island, Sentosa, a leisurely 20 minute drive across the bridge. The island juxtaposes natural beauty and manufactured fun, wrapped in comfort and dominated by luxury hotels, each more extravagant than the next.
In Sentosa we stay at the Sofitel Sentosa, a sprawling 10-hectare property set in tropical forest on a cliff overlooking the Singapore Strait. The view is dotted with cargo ships and fascinates children. Our prestigious family suite includes a separate living room and it's the first time we've slept in a separate room with our kids in a month, which of course means they're tucked into our king bed in the morning -size with us. . The living room becomes a large luggage storage and play area.
The 33 meter swimming pool at the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa.
I'm baffled as to why there are two stuffed peacock toys for the kids on the bed, until I come face to face with one while swimming in the pool. Although my kids would nominate the hotel's fish spa as the best since the invention of the hotel buffet, the Sofitel's pool is my highlight, filled with pink frangipani after of each tropical rain. While my husband hangs out in the shallow end with the kids, I do a few laps, emerging at the other end to find a juvenile peacock drinking at the edge.
While the 33m hotel pool is a clear winner, the problem with Sentosa is that there's so much to do, from aquariums to water parks, children's museums to go-karting, that it's hard decide what to do In the end, we do one activity a day and extend our stay with naps and baths.
The author's two sons during the Singapore layover.Credit: Shaney Hudson
On the first day, we take the concierge's advice and opt for the Skyline Luge: my husband and son grab helmets and go-karts, while I hole up in an air-conditioned cafe with a sleeping baby. It seems like a perfect plan, until disaster strikes the next day. A massive storm means the promised play session at the HydroDash floating water park is cancelled. Even the hotel pool is off limits as the sky flickers and the rain thunders.
However, all is not lost. The combined power of the breakfast buffet, a shuttle ride, a free monorail ride and a visit to the Lego store near the gates of Universal Studios save the day. The pool reopens this afternoon for one last swim, and then we head to the airport for our last leg of the flight to Australia.
Changi Airport is possibly the only airport in the world you want to get to sooner. Our flight isn't until 8:00pm, so with a few hours to kill, we all try the diversions: my husband is delighted to retrieve the iPad from lost items; the baby is delighted with the butterfly garden at the airport; I dig into a plate of mango and sticky rice in the food court, and our big grump is appeased by the last-minute discovery of a giant slippery bath.
Kids love Slide @t3 at Singapore Changi Airport.Credit: iStock
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At twelve meters high, Slide @t3 is Singapore's tallest and spans from Level 1 to Basement Level Three. There is a lot of logistical back and forth to get a ticket. I have to sign up for Changi Airport's online rewards system on my phone, then find the service desk for free slide cards, then successfully maneuver the family so that one parent (and the pram, the baby's bag and the carry-on) is waiting at the bottom and the other supervises from above.
The kid loves it, I get friction burns, and unfortunately there's also a climbing wall at the bottom that the older one wants to do “next”. Promising we will next time, we go through security and board our flight.
The end result of our layover is that we come home feeling like we've had a vacation from our vacation (an added bonus after traveling with the family for over a month). The convenience of Changi Airport, the ease of Singapore, high-quality hotels, friendly staff and the ability to rest and recover means that when we get home, our children are not crying, my husband and I don't fight, and surprisingly, there is no jet lag. Our family has some culture, some indulgence and some much needed relaxation time. From now on, if I travel with the family, we will stop in Singapore.
The writer stayed as a guest at Pullman Singapore Hill Street and Sofitel Sentosa.
THE DETAILS
VISIT
Sentosa is a short drive from Changi Airport and offers a free island-wide shuttle and monorail. See sentosa.com.sg
Artist Yip Yew Chong's work can be found all over Singapore. See yipyc.com.
TO FLY
Singapore Airlines offers daily flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Cairns and Brisbane to Singapore, with connections to popular European destinations. See singaporeair.com
REMAINS
Rooms at the Pullman Singapore Hill Street cost from $420 ($476), a deluxe room at the Sofitel Sentosa from $348. See pullmansingaporehillstreet.com; sofitel-singapore-sentosa.com
MONTH
visitsingapore.com/en
