Bali is a paradise where travelers from Asia and Oceania gather. Close to Australia, it draws surfers and resort lovers from all over the world.
Partying with friends at a beach club. That was the dream I carried with me to Bali. But this time, for some reason, I was traveling with my mother. The nightlife I’d dreamed of was put on hold, but in its place I witnessed something unforgettable.
Bali, the Crossroads of Asia and Oceania
Bali draws a huge number of travelers from Asia and Oceania, partly thanks to its proximity to Australia.
Resort hotels, diving, surfing, and a vibrant club scene. Every way of traveling is here. The Kuta area in particular has a huge concentration of clubs and a thriving nightlife.
What’s interesting is that, unlike mainland Indonesia, Bali is predominantly Hindu. Perhaps that’s why the island feels relatively relaxed about alcohol. Within a country where Islam is the majority, Bali holds onto its own distinct “Balinese Hinduism,” deeply rooted in daily life.
Before getting carried away, Bali now requires a few things to be arranged before arrival. To avoid airport queues, it’s best to complete everything online in advance.
Things to prepare in advance
└ Bali Tourist Tax
About USD 10 per person
Pay by credit card in advance via the
official "Love Bali" app or site, get a QR code
└ Visa on Arrival (e-VOA)
About USD 35, 30-day stay (extendable once)
Getting it in advance lets you use
the airport e-gates
└ All Indonesia e-Arrival Card
Register online from 72 hours before arrival
The rules are more developed than when I went, so check the latest information and prepare ahead.
Access: 2.5 Hours from Singapore
From Singapore
└ Direct flights from Changi Airport
└ About 2.5 hours
└ Popular as a weekend short trip
From other Asian cities
└ Direct flights or budget carriers
└ Around 7 hours
If you’re touring Southeast Asia, it’s easy to slot in as a detour from Singapore.
The Beach Club Dream, Postponed
When you think of Bali, you think of beach clubs. To gather with friends, a whole group of us, and party to our hearts’ content. I’d held onto that dream for a long time.
But this time, for some reason, I was on a two-person trip with my mother.
I obviously couldn’t dance until dawn at a beach club with my mom, so the nightlife I’d dreamed of was postponed. That’s homework for next time.
Places like Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak and FINNS Beach Club in Canggu are famous worldwide. Sipping drinks on a poolside daybed while a DJ plays and the sun sets is apparently the classic style. Someday I will let loose at one of those beach clubs with my friends.
I gave up on the nightlife, but I could enjoy water sports with my mother.
We each rented a jet ski, and this is where the incident happened.
When I sped up, the jet ski bounced over the water and scared me, so I couldn’t really open the throttle. But when I glanced over, my mother was tearing across the water at incredible speed, bouncing wildly the whole way.
I was genuinely stunned. My normally gentle mother had transformed into a different person, racing across the sea. Seeing an unexpected side of a parent might just be one of the great joys of travel.
My Surfing Ended with Just Paddling
Bali is a world-famous surf destination. Since I was there, I rented a board and gave surfing a try.
I’ll be honest. I’ve tried surfing a few times before. But I have never once managed to stand up when a wave came.
This day was no different. I spent the whole time just paddling, bobbing around on top of the water. There was zero sign of me ever standing.
So in the end, I laid the surfboard down on the beach and settled for just looking the part of a surfer. I think I pulled it off reasonably well.
That said, as a world-class surf spot, Bali has plenty of beginner-friendly waves, and there were many people enjoying surfing. I think even beginners like me can have fun here. There are lots of surf schools too, so with proper lessons, you’d surely manage to stand up.
An Island with Completely Different Faces by Area
Bali shows a completely different character depending on the area. The key is choosing where to stay based on your purpose.
Main area characteristics
└ Kuta
Lively surfer town near the airport
└ Seminyak
Stylish cafes and upscale beach clubs
└ Ubud
Inland village of art and culture,
rice terraces and yoga
└ Canggu
The hottest surf-and-cafe town right now
└ Sanur
Calm east coast, family-friendly
└ Nusa Dua
Government-developed luxury resort area
Bali has a wealth of luxury resort hotels. They’re concentrated mostly along the coast, but high-end villas are also scattered in quiet spots like Ubud where you can see rice terraces.
This time I stayed at a coastal resort hotel. What surprised me was how reasonable the prices were for a luxury resort. For the same quality, Bali is clearly cheaper than other resort destinations.
I skipped it this time, but Bali is also famous for diving.
There are even spots where you can encounter manta rays. Nusa Penida (where you can meet mantas) and Tulamben in the east (with a famous shipwreck dive) are especially renowned. As a diving enthusiast, I really wanted to, but since this was a trip with my mother, I passed this time. That’s more homework for next time.
Plenty of Delicious Food
The food in Bali is wonderfully varied.
Recommended dishes
└ Nasi Goreng (Indonesian fried rice)
└ Babi Guling (roast suckling pig,
a festive dish)
└ Sate (grilled skewers with peanut sauce)
└ Ubud and Canggu are packed with
world-class vegan cafes
From the classic nasi goreng to fresh seafood, you can find anything. As a resort destination, there are also many restaurants serving international cuisine, so I never struggled to find something to eat.
Culture and Cautions Worth Knowing
Bali's unique culture
└ Canang
Small palm-leaf offerings placed on
roadsides and shopfronts; take care not
to step on them
└ Nyepi (Balinese New Year, around March)
Fire, electricity and going outside are
banned, even the airport closes
The whole island falls silent
Cautions
└ Use Grab or Gojek for safe transport
└ Many accidents happen renting bikes
without an international license; ride carefully
└ Tap water is not drinkable
└ Using your phone while walking in busy
areas makes you a target for bag snatchers
Best Season
Dry season (April-October)
└ Best season
└ Low humidity, crisp air
└ Ideal for surfing and sightseeing
Rainy season (November-March)
└ Mostly short squalls
└ Fruit is delicious
└ Flights and hotels are cheaper
My trip to Bali, which turned into a two-person journey with my mother, may have postponed the beach club dream, but it became an unforgettable trip all the same.
My mother flooring the jet ski, settling for just looking like a surfer on the beach, the reasonably priced luxury resort. All of it is a good memory now.
Bali is a deep, versatile island where you can enjoy resorts, surfing, diving, and nightlife alike. Next time I’ll definitely party with friends at a beach club and swim with manta rays. This trip gave me those goals too.
Solo, with friends, or as a trip to treat a parent. The fact that it works in any style is, I think, the real charm of Bali.
The appeal of Singapore isn’t just the modern skyline or Marina Bay Sands. This tiny city-state is home to three completely different cultures living side by side: Chinese, Indian, and Arab.
One trip lets you experience the atmosphere of three countries. That, to me, is Singapore’s greatest value. This time I want to write about Sentosa Island, the multicultural districts, and the incredible hawker food.
Sentosa Island Is One Giant Attraction
Sentosa Island feels like a massive theme park in its own right.
With a casino, an aquarium, and countless attractions, it offers something for everyone from children to adults. Families, couples, solo travelers — it has the depth to accommodate them all.
Main attractions on Sentosa
└ Universal Studios Singapore
(Minion Land now open)
└ Singapore Oceanarium
(the renewed former S.E.A. Aquarium)
└ Resort World Sentosa Casino
└ Sensoryscape
(digital light art at night)
The casino on Sentosa is free to enter, but you must show your original passport and there’s a smart casual dress code. Having already taken a beating at the Marina Bay Sands casino, I kept my hands in my pockets this time.
Three Countries’ Worth of Culture in One Place
Like Malaysia, Singapore is a multi-ethnic nation. Simply walking through the city lets you experience three entirely different cultures.
As you move from district to district, the smell of spices, the food, and the whole atmosphere of the streets shift completely. It was vivid enough to remind me of my old backpacking days. That alone made Singapore feel like remarkable value.
Chinatown
└ Buddhist temple (Buddha Tooth Relic Temple)
and Hindu temple coexisting
└ Traditional goods hunting
└ Michelin-listed hawker food
Little India
└ A lively street filled with the scent of spices
└ Mustafa Centre, a giant 24-hour
supermarket and souvenir treasure trove
Arab Street
└ The golden-domed Sultan Mosque
└ Adjacent Haji Lane is packed with
stylish street art and cafes
Walking through a single city, you feel as though you’ve toured China, India, and the Middle East. It’s an experience few other countries can offer.
Hawker Centers Are Clean and Multicultural
You can’t talk about food in Singapore without mentioning hawker centers — open-air complexes packed with food stalls.
What surprised me was the cleanliness. Despite the density of stalls, they’re covered and remarkably clean. It’s a completely different image from the typical Southeast Asian street stall. They’re even recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Hawker center etiquette
└ Chope (saving seats)
Locals reserve seats by placing
a packet of tissues or an umbrella
└ Return your tray after eating
(required by law, fines for violations)
└ Bringing wet wipes is handy
Chicken Rice, Satay, and Biryani Were Outstanding
Everything I ate at the hawker centers was delicious.
What I ate
└ Chicken Rice
Rice cooked in chicken broth
topped with poached chicken
eaten with chili sauce
(the national dish)
└ Satay
Southeast Asian-style grilled skewers
with sweet peanut sauce
└ Biryani
Fragrant Indian-style rice cooked
with spices, long-grain rice and meat
The joy of Singapore’s hawker centers is having multinational cuisine all in one place. Chinese, Indian, Malay — pick whatever you want, as much as you want. You can even treat yourself to luxurious seafood like chili crab.
I visited the Night Safari, famous as the world’s first nocturnal zoo. I went with high hopes, but to be blunt, it wasn’t what I expected.
My honest take on the Night Safari
└ Long lines, lots of waiting
└ Animals hard to see from the tram
because it's so dark
└ Despite being night, the animals
weren't very active
└ The child with me looked
a little disappointed too
Of course, opinions vary from person to person. But for the amount of time spent waiting in line, I had to be honest about my impression.
If you go, keep your expectations in check, and if you want to see animals up close, combine the tram with the walking trails. Admission runs about S$58 for adults and S$41 for children.
Gum Is Banned, but You Can Drink the Tap Water
Singapore is known as a “Fine City” — a clever play on words meaning both a wonderful city and a city of fines.
It’s by far the cleanest country in Southeast Asia, and the secret lies in its strict rules.
Rules to know
└ Bringing in or chewing gum is banned
└ Littering and spitting can incur
fines up to S$1,000
└ Eating and drinking on the MRT is banned
(including water and candy, fines up to S$500)
On the other hand, unusually for Southeast Asia, you can drink the tap water straight. There are plenty of water refill spots around the city, so bringing a reusable bottle saves money. This cleanliness and safety is one of Singapore’s biggest draws.
Getting Around with Grab and Contactless Payment
MRT (subway)
└ Covers nearly all major tourist spots
└ No tickets needed
└ Just tap a contactless credit card
at the gate
Grab
└ Grab's headquarters are in Singapore
└ Essential as a taxi replacement
└ Fares confirmed in advance
└ No worries about getting ripped off
As Grab’s home base, the app works exceptionally well in Singapore. If you’ve been traveling up from Thailand, you can use the same app seamlessly.
Prices Are High, but Balance Is Key
Cost guide
└ Hawker meal: S$5-8
└ Restaurant: from S$30
(plus 10% service charge and 9% tax)
└ Bottled water: S$1.5-2
Singapore is by far the most expensive country in Southeast Asia. But if you use hawker centers wisely, you can keep food costs down. The trick is balancing high-end restaurants with hawker meals.
Tips for Traveling with Kids
Watch the temperature gap
└ It's tropical outside, but the
air conditioning in malls and the
MRT is extremely strong
└ Always carry a jacket for children
Prepare for squalls
└ Sudden heavy rain in the afternoons
└ Bring rain gear and build in time
to spend indoors
Barrier-free
└ The city is flat throughout
└ Easy to get around with a stroller
Final Thoughts
Singapore is a remarkable-value destination where a single trip lets you experience Chinese, Indian, and Arab cultures. Play on Sentosa Island, wander the multicultural districts, and feast on incredible hawker food.
The Night Safari was a personal letdown, but that’s part of an honest travel record. Clean, safe, drinkable tap water, and easy Grab access. It’s a place I can recommend to first-time travelers and Southeast Asia veterans alike.
Prices are high, but the country is worth it. Indulge at Marina Bay Sands, enjoy the local side at the hawker centers. That kind of balanced trip suits Singapore perfectly.
When you think of Singapore, one image comes to mind that almost everyone has seen on television or social media. A hotel that looks like a ship balanced on top of three towers: Marina Bay Sands. The photo of that long rooftop pool overlooking the city is the envy of people around the world.
This time, I actually stayed at Marina Bay Sands. Did the dream live up to expectations? Here’s my honest report.
The Standard Room Was Surprisingly Ordinary
Marina Bay Sands has an enormous number of rooms. I stayed in a standard room, which kept the price relatively reasonable.
To be honest though, the interior wasn’t much different from any other mid-range or high-end hotel. Not overly luxurious, just simple and comfortable. If you have sky-high expectations for the room itself, you might be slightly underwhelmed.
But the real value of this hotel isn’t in the rooms. It’s on the roof.
To the Guests-Only Rooftop Pool
The biggest draw of Marina Bay Sands is the guests-only rooftop pool on the 57th floor. That long infinity pool you’ve seen all over television and social media.
This is a privilege reserved for hotel guests. You can’t get in without a room key. Outside visitors can’t pay to enter, which makes staying here all the more worthwhile.
The view of the city below and that long stretch of pool. During the day, many guests relax with a drink in hand. Everyone soaks up this special space in their own way.
The Pool Is Far Better at Night
The daytime pool is wonderful, but personally I preferred it at night by a wide margin.
As the sun sets, the pool is illuminated. Overlooking the night view, you’re wrapped in a sophisticated, grown-up atmosphere that makes you feel like a celebrity. It’s a completely different world from the open, breezy feel of the daytime.
The glittering night view and the illuminated water. That view alone makes staying at Marina Bay Sands worth it. To actually be standing inside the scene I had only ever admired from afar. It was a truly luxurious moment.
How I Lost USD 500 in Five Minutes at the Casino
Marina Bay Sands has a casino attached. Since I was there anyway, I wandered in on a whim.
The first thing that struck me was how strict the security check was before entering. It took quite a while, and I was overwhelmed before I’d even set foot inside.
Then came the real event. I sat down at a slot machine and started playing casually, and lost USD 500 in five minutes. It vanished in an instant.
I went straight back to my room, close to tears. My celebrity mood at the dream hotel evaporated in a single moment.
Casinos are genuinely dangerous. If you’re heading to the Marina Bay Sands casino, don’t repeat my mistake. Decide when to walk away before you go in. Above all, set a firm budget before entering. In the rush of that excitement, rational judgment goes out the window.
A Picnic at Gardens by the Bay
To pick myself back up, I headed to Gardens by the Bay, right next to Marina Bay Sands.
It’s a vast garden complex, but it’s not just a place to look at plants. Near the main Supertrees there’s a large lawn where you can lie down for a nap, or eat takeout from the on-site restaurants picnic-style.
I never expected to find a place this relaxing right in the middle of the city. When your feet get tired, you just flop down on the grass. That alone becomes a luxurious moment. I even managed to forget about the USD 500 I’d lost at the casino, at least for a while.
The Supertree Light and Sound Show
The highlight of Gardens by the Bay is, of course, the night.
After dark, the giant Supertrees light up and a sound and light show begins. The futuristic artificial trees glowing in time with the music are a spectacular sight. And the show is completely free.
Relax on the lawn by day, watch the light show by night. It’s a place you could spend an entire day and never get bored.
Even the Airport Is a Tourist Attraction
Singapore is enjoyable right up to the airport on your way out.
At Jewel, the shopping mall directly connected to Changi International Airport, you can shop, but you can also be soothed by the giant indoor artificial waterfall and the forest atmosphere inside. There aren’t many airports where you can spend this much time happily. Far from being bored, I almost didn’t have enough time before my flight.
Final Thoughts
The room at Marina Bay Sands might be ordinary. But the view from that rooftop pool will undoubtedly stay with you for life. The illuminated pool at night especially was the moment a dream became reality.
I took a painful hit at the casino, but even that became part of an unforgettable trip. Relaxing at Gardens by the Bay, enjoying the light show at night, and being soothed at Changi Airport on the way home. The Marina Bay area alone is more than enough to enjoy Singapore.
Some dream destinations really are worth seeing with your own eyes at least once. Just keep your hands off the casino. Next, I want to write about Singapore’s multicultural districts and food.