Southeast Asia

Bustling South East Asia is a place that enchants many travelers, so it was high on the list of places my family and I wished to visit for our New Years’ break. With a little more research and discussion, we narrowed it down to three unique and fascinating countries: Thailand, Cambodia and Singapore.

There’s never been a better time to experience Singapore and explore one of the world’s most modern cities. Delight in the breathtaking beauty and eye-opening adventures that await you. Singapore is where passion and possibilities meet. Whether you are discovering or reigniting your interests, Singapore offers endless opportunities to channel your passion into new possibilities.

We are excited to start with a developed Asian city state in South East Asia with fancy cars and glitzy high-rises. Singapore is a shopper’s playground, and we checked out several of the city’s best malls. Orchard Central was a great one not far from our hotel, while Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Sands Mall was a particular highlight. We especially loved the Indian restaurant in the food court, which served amazing tandoori chicken!

We also managed to squeeze in a bit more shopping at the new development of Bugi Junction, as well as the Orchard City Mall (not to be confused with Orchard Central!). As Singapore is very multicultural, there are many great places to stop and enjoy authentic food and shop for unique gifts, clothes and homewares. We really enjoyed visiting Little India and also Arab Town as well.

We also visited beautiful Clark Quay, which is a historic quay surrounded by water and the dazzling lights of Singapore’s many skyscrapers. This, as well as the incredible Gardens by the Bay with its thousands of colorful and fragrant blooms, were two particular highlights of the city, and nice little oases of calm amongst the sprawling metropolis. Scroll down to get more details about our stops.

One of the main attraction for Singapore, this 250-acre futuristic park is home to towering, artificial supertrees and two domed conservatories: one that contains a tropical forest with an indoor waterfall and the other with an ever-changing mix of colorful flowers. The supertrees light up in the evening and make for a visually stunning backdrop—it’s no wonder this space was used for the wedding reception scene.

The park consists of three waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. There are two cool conservatories you must visit

Cloud Forest

Flower dome

Singapore’s most iconic landmarks, a posh resort with a tri-tower building that houses a luxury hotel and the world’s highest and largest infinity pool

A reasonable walk over, if you are around Gardens by the Bay. At Marina Bay Sands you’ll also find a wealth of luxury shops and plenty of plenty of activities and restaurants. There is plenty to see if you simply like walking around and enjoying this luxurious scene by the bay.

Marina Bay Sands also has a spectacular light and water show called Spectra in the evenings for visitors. Check the schedule before you visit.

The Singapore River lies at the heart of Clarke Quay, providing the central artery for this area’s thriving nightlife scene. However, the river offers visitors much more than just a picturesque spot to come for food and drinks. Boat tours are available that cruise up and down the entire length of the river, taking advantage of all the interesting sights along the way, and ending up in Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, and eventually the Marina Bay.
 

It is good place, especially at night with lots of bars, shops while the main attraction around here is the bridge and riverside restaurants. It is also great place for night pictures by the river. Prices are a bit on the higher end.

Made famous by Crazy Rich Asians, hawker centers are an integral part of Singapore’s food scene. It is a lively market with numerous stalls & hawkers offering seafood & local specialities. We visited Newton Food Centre late on Christmas eve and this place was super busy. Our favorite dishes were Chicken Satay and lobster tails.

Pro Tip(s):

• Prices are expensive compared to other restaurants we have visited but we enjoyed the experience.

One of the pleasant surprises of our trip was Bugis Junction which we ran into by accident. Formerly known as Parco Bugis Junction, is an integrated development located at Victoria Street, Middle Road and North Bridge Road in Bugis, Downtown Core in Singapore. The development consists of a shopping mall, an office tower and the InterContinental Singapore Hotel. This place is easily accessible by MRT (Singapore's train system), we stopped here several times to visit our favorite food stops.

Masjid Sultan, or Sultan Mosque, is a mosque located at Muscat Street and North Bridge Road within the Kampong Glam precinct of the district of Rochor in Singapore. It was named after Sultan Hussain Shah. In 1975, it was designated a national monument.

Little India is known for its traditional Indian restaurants, especially along Serangoon Road and Race Course Road. The busy streets are filled with malls, jewellery stores and tailor shops. The landmark Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is embellished with colourful statues of Hindu deities. Jalan Besar is a small hip area with quirky cafes serving specialty coffee and inventive modern cuisine.

Sentosa is an island resort off Singapore’s southern coast, connected to the city by road, cable car, pedestrian boardwalk and monorail. By Sentosa Station, Tiger Sky Tower has panoramic views that can stretch as far as Indonesia. On the south coast, Palawan Beach is lined with food stalls and bars, and has a suspension bridge to a small offshore island. Palm-lined, crescent-shaped Tanjong Beach is more tranquil. If you are traveling with children, this is one of the stops for you.

Yes, you read this correct. There's a Universal Studios theme park in Singapore located within Resorts World Sentosa on Sentosa Island, Singapore. It features 28 rides, shows, and attractions in seven themed zones. It was a key component of Genting's bid for the right to build Singapore's second integrated resort. We satisfied our thirst for Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida not too long ago and therefore decided to skip this. However, if you extra time and you are fan of theme parks or Universal Studios, you must visit.

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is a Hindu temple located in the middle of Little India in the southern part of Singapore. The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, fierce embodiment of Shakti and the god Shiva's wife, Parvati.

• Esplanade Park
• Ann Siang Hill
• The Goh Mansion
• Orchard Road
• Chinatown
• Night Safari
• Singapore Zoo
• Merlion
• Singapore Botanic Gardens
• Jurong Bird Park
• River Safari
• Singapore cable care
• Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
• Helix Bridge

One of the easiest city to move around, Singapore's train system is called MRT (The Mass Rapid Transit). We had planned our hotel to be central to the city near Orchard City Centre and it helped us move around in any / all directions via MRT. It was an awesome experience, because our children became our guides and had the map and all the stops figured out. I would highly recommend it.

There are two ways to get from / to the airport. When we first arrived, we decided to take a cab through an electronic kiosk which was manned by an employee. We were lucky that this individual offered us a discount voucher and we took advantage of it.

One our way back to the airport, we decided to use the MRT system. We had become confident about using the system and built budgeted enough time for things to go south. Lucky for us, we made it in the nick of time. During our trip back on the MRT system, our beloved daughter forgot her backpack on the train and this ensued panic however we recovered the bag and it was shipped back to us due to a great human Fardli. This leads me to talk about the people of Singapore.

People of Singapore deserve a special mention int his blog. Throughout our journey, we experienced many types of people, culture living and visiting Singapore in a harmonious and respectful way. Citizens of Singapore were extremely welcoming of tourists and for the most part we found the tourists in Singapore to reciprocate that by following the rules / laws and the customs of Singapore. One human that we were extremely touched by is Fardli and we never even met in person. As mentioned above, we left a back pack on MRT (train) in a hurry to airport and our daughter was in a melt down but we were not going back. Thinking quickly, I decided to send an alert to the lost device via "Find Iphone" app and I received an instant email from someone named Fardli who is an employee of the MRT system and told me that he would turn in the bag to the lost and found. I mentioned to him that we are traveling through Singapore, on our way out and we don't have any family. He responded by offering to ship the bag back to us if we pay the shipping. I told him to hang on to the device until we return home and I will wire him the shipping cost. Skipping over a lot of details... I sent Fardli the money for shipping (sorry money exchange shorted him few $) and we received our package in no time.

We were left speechless because there were few items worth some money and books that my daughter loved and needed to return to her friends and school. More importantly, we all learned a lesson of generosity and the fact that good people can be found all over the world. We have never met Fardli in person however he has left a lasting impression on us and would look for an opportunity to pay this forward.

Pro Tip(s):

• Definitely get a multiway pass for the trains and transport, as it’s the most efficient way to travel around the city! 

Accommodations

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Singapore, Orchard City Centre which was so well located for the highlights of Singapore and also for public transport.

Pro Tip(s):

• If you are traveling with two children and are having a difficult time finding a room, call the hotel direct.  They were able to accommodate two children when we called the hotel direct.

Our trip to Cambodia took a little more organizing as you do need to get your visa beforehand. Luckily, you can do so online which is pretty easy.

The hotel we stayed at, the Angkor Miracle Reflection Club, had arranged a transfer for us from the airport, so it was very easy to get into the center of Siem Reap. However, once we arrived, we much preferred the local transport system – tuk-tuks, which are like small rickshaws pulled behind a motorbike.

The most iconic landmark in Siem Reap is definitely Angkor Wat, although it’s just one of many stunning ancient temples around the city. When you buy a ticket to Angkor Wat, it actually allows you into all of the different temples in the archaeological zone. You can decide how many days you want, depending on how many temples you want to see. We ended up buying a one-day pass considering that we have young children and they will not want us to be visiting temples everyday. We also decided to not wake up 5 am for sunrise tour unlike all the articles and travel blogs recommend... It was just NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. We ended up going approx. 7:30 am until 2:00 in the afternoon and we did just fine.

We saw a number temples in one day including:

1. Angkor Wat
2. Angkor Thom: The Bayon
3. Ta Prohm (AKA Tomb Raider)
4. Preah Khan
5. East Mebon

Angkor Wat is almost synonymous with Angkor, but the difference is that Angkor Wat is one temple within the Angkor Archeological Park complex, along with many many others. This is the “crown jewel” of template according to every single travel blog and article this is temple everyone and visits. However other than the enormity, history behind it and some areas of the template, this was the most “meh” temple of all the ones that we saw. I must add that you still have to visit this temple.

If you only visit one temple, make it this one. The Bayon stands in the middle of Angkor Thom and there is so much to see as you weave your way around the columns and walk up and down the old stone stairs. It’s very easy to get lost (in a good way) in here.

The faces carved in the columns are incredibly intricate and fairly well preserved, and there are reliefs on almost every wall depicting mythological and historical events as well as every day life. The Bayon doesn’t open until 7:30 am, but it gets crowded so you should aim to be there as soon as it starts letting tourists in.

Ta Prohm is the temple where Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie was filmed. Well worth visiting to see the trees that have melded themselves with the ruins and taken root (literally). If you are taking a tuk tuk, ask your driver to pick you up on the other side of the temple so that you can walk straight through without having to double back.

Preah Khan is a smaller temple but there is a corridor of door frames and columns right down the center that makes it unique. Once you step past the door frames there are beautiful reliefs and carvings on the stone walls on either side. This temple is a lot quieter than the three, which makes it the perfect place to wander around and explore.

One of our favorites – a vertical temple structure slightly further away from the main Angkor temples. We didn't spend too much time at this temple but it's one of the unique temples but requires climbing steep stairs.

Thats pretty good in one day and all these temples were all beautiful, although Angkor Wat was a particular highlight, we enjoyed Ta Prohm and Angkor Thomas (The Bayon) the most. Angkor Wat is magical, and the size is just jaw-dropping - after all, it is the largest religious complex in the world!

Although the temples are a highlight, there are other things to do in Siem Reap as well. There are lots of great cafes and restaurants, such as Fifty5 Kitchen and Bar which does great sandwiches.

Also, as Cambodia is very much a developing country, it’s great to try to support the social enterprises which are helping local people out of poverty.

This includes Tree Alliance, a gorgeous restaurant and shop that supports marginalized children and youth, as well as Daughters of Cambodia, a lovely shop that empowers victims of the evil sex trafficking trade.

By supporting these businesses, your visit can help the local people as well as help you find some great souvenirs to remind you of your stay in beautiful Siem Reap.

We took a quick detour to Srah Srang, the “Royal bathing pool” is a large pond East of Angkor’s capital Angkor Thom. The Srang pond lies directly East of the Banteay Kdei temple. A walkway from the temple’s East gate leads to the embarkation terrace on the West border of the Srah.

The pond was dug out during the reign of King Rajendravarman II in the 10^thcentury. It was an ablution pool, a pond used for ritual washings.

Siem Reap's nightlife scene comprises lively bars, cocktail lounges, international restaurants and vibrant nightclubs that stay open (and busy) until 04:00 every day. Good news for people traveling with children, there are plenty of restaurants, street shopping and walking around to do as well. Quiet honestly this is about the only place for you will want to visit for entertainment and food. This area is big enough to walk around for several hours, enjoy the food and do a little shopping.

Great thing about Cambodia, people speak English and they accept USD. The best mode of local transportation in Siem Reap is Tuk Tuk. We ended up negotiating a rate for Tuk Tuk both ways and the driver ended up waiting for us and even gave us his contact info to get in touch with him.

To visit the temples, we used a tour guide company that drove us around. We would highly recommend going the professional route. If not, you hotel should offer some options for you. To visit Pub street, we hired a tuk tuk who dropped us there and when we were ready to head back to hotel, we simply texted him to pick us up. Tuk Tuk is the easiest way to move around locally.

We stayed at the Angkor Miracle Reflection Club, Siem Reap which was centrally located near the airport and just a tuk tuk ride away from Pub street. We also purchased the daily breakfast package and it was worth the money. This hotel came with the shuttle to and from the airport and this it made things a lot easier.

Pro Tip(s):

• If you are traveling during public holidays, be sure that your hotel does not require you to attend an event if they are hosting one.  Our hotel required all guests to attend their New Year even celebration at $100 / pp including children.  Lucky for us, we were not staying for New Year.
• If you are carrying $, there's no need to exchange your currency.  Cambodians will happily take your money.

We arrived in bustling Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, just a few days before New Year’s Eve, and checked into the Novotel Bangkok Ploenchit Sukhumvit Hotel. It was a great choice, and we especially loved the buffet breakfast and the great location in central Bangkok. We tried to fit in as much as we could of the sprawling capital, beginning with the Grand Palace, perhaps the most recognizable landmark of the city.

The Grand Palace Bangkok is a massive man-made island with a complex of numerous buildings, halls, pavilions, temples set around open lawns, gardens and courtyards. Located in the heart of Bangkok, situated on the banks of Bangkoks major river, the Chao Phraya. The palace is incredibly opulent, with traditional Thai architecture and plenty of gold leaf. Grand Palace in Bangkok is located in the center of the city and is the former residence of the Thai kings . As it is one of Bangkok’s most well-known tourist attractions, it pays to arrive as early to try to beat the crowds!

The easiest way to reach it is via train and ferry, which is an adventure in itself! Many parts of Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok connect with BTS Skytrain (some parts also connect with MRT Subway), while The Grand Palace does not connect with any rapid transportation system. Take the BTS Skytrain from the station that is close to where you are to Saphan Taksin Station (You have to change from Sukhumvit Line to Silom Line at Siam Station). From there, you have to walk to Sathorn Pier where you can take Chao Phraya Express Boat to The Grand Palace. Get on the boat at Sathorn Pier and get off the boat at Tha Chang Pier. Then, take a short walk; you will see The Grand Palace.

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha; the outer court, middle court, inner court and the gardens quarter. The Grand Palace is currently primarily open to the public as a museum, with several functioning and working Royal offices still situated inside.

Just down from the palace is the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. Inside the beautiful, 500-year-old temple lies a 150-foot (46 meter) Buddha covered in a layer of thick gold leaf. Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha), or Wat Phra Chetuphon, is located behind the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and a must-do for any first-time visitor in Bangkok. It's one of the largest temple complexes in the city and famed for its giant reclining Buddha that measures 46 metres long and is covered in gold leaf. It’s an easy ten minute walk between here and the Grand Palace
 

One of our favorite temples and not far away from the grand palace, Wat Arun, locally known as Wat Chaeng, is on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is easily one of the most stunning temples in Bangkok, not only because of its riverside location, but also because the design is very different to the other temples you can visit in Bangkok. Wat Arun (or temple of the dawn) is partly made up of colourfully decorated spires and stands majestically over the water. Wat Arun is almost directly opposite Wat Pho, so it is very easy to get to.

To get to Wat Arun from the grand palace, you have to cross the river via a ferry boat. Be ready to pay a small toll to cross the river.

While we were near Wat Arun, stopped for dinner at Arun Restaurant, on a friend's recommendation. The restaurant has the most amazing location, overlooking Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn), one of the most beautiful temples in all of South East Asia, with majestic spires overlooking the city and the river.

Another great place to take in the views of the river is at Asiatique, a fancy new mall, a bazaar and entertainment complex on the riverfront. You’ll have good fun browsing the boutiques, picking up gifts or something for yourself; you are guaranteed to find something you would like to eat and if this isn’t enough entertainment, shows are performed nightly: Calypso ladyboy cabaret and soon, a classic Thai puppets performance.
 

It is one of several great malls including Terminal 21 Bangkok, which is very modern with nine storeys. Terminal 21 has 9 stories and split in two parts with main anchors SF Cinema City and Gourmet Market.

CentralWorld is eleventh largest shopping complex in the world. Outside Central World is Bangkok’s equivalent of Times Square in New York, a street countdown party happens every year outside CentralWorld shopping mall. Find a good spot near the junction where you can enjoy the fireworks and cheery crowds that will have gathered here from the early evening. In front of the mall there will be a beer garden and live entertainment including live bands and DJs. There will also be plenty of snack stalls. To really fit in, find one of the sellers who will be touting their flashing headbands and sparkly date sunglasses. Getting there and back is extremely easy as the BTS skytrain runs until after midnight on New Year’s Eve OR if you were smart like us, you would have stayed in sukhumvit area and you can simply walk over to your hotel if the trains are too busy.

If you are at Central World, be sure to visit Nara Thai Cuisine. While we had plenty of Thai street food, we absolutely loved a great Thai meal. Afterwards, you have to visit Paul Bakehouse for cold drinks or desserts.

If you love to shop and have enjoyed the malls in Bangkok, you will enjoy the many markets, including stalls along Khao San Road.

Famous as the centre of the backpacking universe and judging by shops, guest houses, this phrase sums it up pretty much perfectly. On Khao San itself and the streets either side, you can shop, walk around, try street foods. This strip has countless budget guesthouses and mid-range hotels, internet cafes, bars, restaurants, massage parlours, travel agents, bookshops, market stalls, tattoo shops and much, much more. So much, in fact, that the people, peddlers and party spirit have spilled over into nearby Soi Rambuttri. With its carefree, anything-goes vibe, it's quite unlike anywhere else in Bangkok. Khao San has an infectious atmosphere. It's also popular with locals, especially young hipsters and art student. Be sure to check out both of them.

Another famous market in Thailand is the floating market, where people sell produce from their boats along the river. Although many people really enjoy this, we weren’t overly impressed it required a car to get here and it was expensive, but it was still interesting to see.

Pro Tip(s):

• Getting to floating market requires a bit of planning and possibly a car or a driver.  Be prepared to spend some money for the driver and also to get on the floating market.  It's a bit expensive and very much tourist oriented.
• I would highly recommend you skip the animal show and the elephant ride next to the floating market.  It's highly expensive compared and you will notice employees trying to get you to spend more money on items or would insist on tips.  There's no need for that.  One of our friends insisted that we visit an animal sanctuary instead where animals are treated well.

• Get Massages
• Flower market
• History of the Thai boxing sport - The show muay thai show Bangkok
• China town
• Chatuchuck market it’s neat but a nightmare. Go early and leave by noon
• Siam paragon and a 4-D movie
• Really cool “Dine in the Dark” dinner where you are served in the dark by blind people and you don’t know what you are eating till after (they have different menus to choose from)

Not as easy as Singapore but Bangkok's public transport system is still easy to navigate. Rapid transit in Bangkok includes several rail lines: the BTS Skytrain, MRT and Airport Rail Link. We used a combination of Tuk Tuk, BTS (trains) and MRT.

We decided to take a cab to get to and from airport to our hotel in sukhumvit.

We stayed at the Novotel Bangkok Ploenchit Sukhumvit, Bangkok which was so well located for the highlights of Bangkok and also near public transport BTS trains. We also purchased the daily breakfast package and it was worth the money.

Pro Tip(s):

• If you are traveling with two children and are having a difficult time finding a room, call the hotel direct.  They were able to accommodate two children when we called the hotel direct. 

Pattaya is on the east coast of Thailand and famous for its beautiful beaches. Over the decades, its grown from a collection of ramshackle fishing villages to quite the metropolis, with many luxurious hotels, bustling cabaret shows and incredible restaurants. Of course, there’s also the beautiful beach!

We stayed at the Holiday Hotel for two nights, which was an excellent hotel located just across from the glorious beach. Being just steps away from the soft white sand, we spent many relaxing hours there, before returning to the hotel.

There, we enjoyed the dazzling infinity pool and kids' pool, and were also touched by the kind hospitality of the staff. It was very family-friendly, and we all especially loved the indulgent breakfast buffet.

The hotel’s stellar location was also close to the sparkling new Terminal 21 mall, which is a great place to visit to escape the heat and humidity and do some shopping.

After a relaxing two days in Pattaya, we headed back to Bangkok to tick a few more things off of our itinerary.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Pattaya which was so well located and turned out to be one of the most luxurious. We also purchased the daily breakfast package and it was worth the money.

Pro Tip(s):

• If you are traveling with two children and are having a difficult time finding a room, call the hotel direct.  They were able to accommodate two children when we called the hotel direct. 

As you can see, it was quite a whirlwind trip taking in many of the highlights of these three unique countries. From the relaxing beaches of Pattaya to the ancient temples of Siem Reap and the glitzy skyscrapers of Singapore, it was a truly amazing way to celebrate Christmas Holiday and New Year time in Southeast Asia.