Marina Souza's Blog

I’ve probably travelled to Singapore about 20 times in the past 3 years. I visit frequently to work with clients of Xpat Media. A couple of weeks ago I visited to speak at ITB Asia with several bloggers from the Professional Travel Bloggers Association.

As I was zipping around town to meetings I realized how well I’ve gotten to know the city and wanted to pass along a few of the things that have helped me make the most of my time there.

Get The 100GB Sim Card

This probably won’t last forever, but for as long as it’s around it’s great. At the airport you can pick up an S$50 ($37 USD) M1 SIM Card. It normally gives you 5GB of data for 7 days, which is lots, but right now you get a bonus 100GB, so you never have to worry about struggling to connect to overloaded conference wifi or a slow hotel network. With that much data you can stream HD Netflix every night in your room.

Use The Right Transport For The Right Travel

I use five methods of transportation in Singapore. Taxi, Uber, Mass Rail Transit (MRT), and walking. Each are great for some situations, but terrible for others. Here’s the deal.

To And From The Airport: Taxis and Ubers will be fastest most of the time, but the MRT is very fast and convenient. I usually take the MRT into town out of habit. If you’re in a rush to get to the airport, a taxi or Uber will almost always be fastest. However, if you’re traveling during evening rush hour you’ll want to take the MRT or budget extra time for your drive.

Taxis And Ubers: I almost always prefer using Uber instead of taxis for one simple reason: I don’t have to tell the driver where to go. In a strange city it’s always a chore to explain where you need to go, especially if there’s a language barrier. In Singapore I default to Uber...most of the time.

Downtown Singapore is a maze of one way streets. On my last trip I tried several times to order an Uber only to watch it painfully try to wind its way through a circle of one-way streets during busy middle-of-the-day traffic to find me. It’s not worth it. If you’re in the city center you’re better off walking or asking somebody where to find the nearest taxi stand (there are many).

Walking: Central Singapore is really small. You can walk to a lot of places in 20 minutes. Before you jump into a cab or an Uber, it’s worth asking yourself if you can just walk it. This is especially recommended if your route will take you along river, which has a beautiful, wide, pathway lined with bars and restaurants.

Use The Best Meeting Room In The Marina Bay Sands

Every time I visit Singapore for a conference it’s in the Marina Bay Sands, which is great. The MBS has the nicest conference area I’ve ever been in. What I love most, though, is the cafe where I hide out to work and have meetings: the Sweet Spot Cafe on the second floor.

This place is great. It’s just far enough from the conference center that it doesn’t get too crowded, but it’s close enough that anyone can find it and get there in 10 minutes. It has good coffee, sandwiches, and regular tables as well as sofas and coffee tables. There are power outlets along one wall and a business center next door.

I usually spend more time there than in the conference hall.

To find it, take the escalators from the conference area up to the main floor. Then walk into the mall. On your immediate left you’ll see a very tall escalator. Take it to the top and walk straight ahead. You’ll walk right into it.

Check Out Singapore’s Air BnB For Business Travelers

MetroResidences is a Singapore-based Air BnB-style service for business travelers to find serviced apartments. I stayed with them on my last trip and it was just what I needed. The room had a great view and kitchen where I could make coffee while working. The building had a nice gym and a pool. But most importantly it was right downtown within walking distance of most of my meetings and right across the street from Telok Ayer food market, which has a crazy selection of good cheap restaurants to grab a quick bite on my way to or from the apartment.

Don’t Stress Too Much About Your Flight Home

I would never advise anybody that they shouldn’t show up two hours early for an international flight.

But, Changi Airport in Singapore is a lot more forgiving than most. Like most things in Singapore, the airport is crazy efficient. Customs is usually fast and unlike most airports in the world — which funnel passengers for all flights through long security lines in one screening area — Changi performs security checks at your gate. So, getting to your gate in time for your flight is much faster than at most airports.

The iconic The Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai, situated on a peaceful 60-acre estate in Northern Thailand, offers a magical backdrop in which children and adults alike can absorb Thai culture with a fantastic range of experiences, guaranteeing lasting memories for the whole family.

This fantastical resort, conceived as an ancient walled city, offers a sense of place like few others and this is reflected in its carefully curated activities, designed to immerse guests of all ages into local culture.   Perfect for all the family, from little ones to adults, the resort’s Art and Craft Village offers an array of creative craft activities, from umbrella painting and paper making to bamboo weaving, which is led by a group of local village women who will help guests create beautiful artefacts and traditional toys from the plant’s leaves.

Housed in the same building, The Lanna Kids Club is open every day from 9am-5pm and offers half or full day programmes for children from 4 to 12 years old.    The building’s tiny resident petting ponies and llamas are sure to make a great ice breaker for children who can then choose from a varied range of activities to stretch and stimulate them mentally and physically, whilst offering an insight into traditional Lanna (the ancient kingdom of northern Thailand) and Thai culture.  Classes include Thai dancing and music and traditional Thai games and toys – children can also benefit for Thailand’s rich culture of wellness with mini Thai kick boxing classes and yoga for kids.

A must-try for visitors of all ages is the rice planting: donning a traditional protective tunic, the instantly recognisable Non La hat and waterproof socks, the session will teach budding rice farmers how the grain is grown from seed to harvest and includes the opportunity for all to wade into the squidgy warm mud and plant a few rows for themselves. Children will adore riding the water buffalo, which will obligingly walk little ones through the plantation.

Meanwhile adults can enjoy the Dhara Dhevi Cooking Academy, which stages daily Thai cooking classes, relax in the Jum Sri Hall Library, with one of its 5,000+ books, browse the 20 boutiques in Kad Dhara Shopping Village, or unwind and reboot at the Health and Fitness Centre and legendary Dheva Spa where in depth Ayurveda-based programmes are carried out in 11 spacious treatments suites.

Parents keen to make the most of the wide array of gourmet eating and drinking options at the resort can book the baby-sitting service, which is available on request.  All tastes and nationalities are catered for with international cuisines of the highest calibre, from Japanese dishes at the light and airy Ren; Chinese at Fujian, formal French at Farang Ses and contemporary international cuisine at the Akaligo, which offers views through wall to ceiling windows. There is even a Victorian Style tea salon, the Dhara Dhevi Cake Shop which caters to the sweet toothed serving decadent treats. Fabulously chic watering holes include the louche Horn Bar, an after dark cocktail bar, the al fresco Loy Kham Bar which overlooks the serene infinity pool and the Colonial Pool Bar, which centers around the heart of the resort, the spectacular and imposing blue and white tiled swimming pool.

Easily accessible via a 15-minute car transfer from Chiang Mai International Airport, the Dhara Dhevi makes for an immersive cultural experience perfect for crafting lasting family memories.

ABOUT THE DHARA DHEVI:

The Dhara Dhevi is one of Asia’s foremost luxury hotels.  More an experience than simply a hotel, this iconic property represents extravagant Thai luxury at its finest.  Nestling in 60 acres of beautifully landscaped tropical grounds, enjoying a picturesque and secluded setting in the countryside in the North, the resort has established itself as a classic ‘must visit’ for high end travellers to Thailand.  Its location on the outskirts of historic Chiang Mai, a walled ancient city known for its rich history of art and culture, is reflected throughout the resort.  The spectacular accommodation was built in keeping with traditional Lanna and colonial style architecture, set among lush paddy fields.  69 traditional Thai villas each boast a private swimming, or plunge pools, Jacuzzi tubs and separate showers.  54 Colonial Suites featuring separate living and bedroom areas with private terraces overlook the pool, lake or stunning verdant gardens.