Travelling plays a very important role in my professional and personal life. What plays an equally important role is my family. I have had many opportunities to travel with my family, friends and even venture out on solo trips. But there has always been something I have wanted to do, which is to travel with my 6-year-old daughter Ziana. A lovely mother-daughter time exploring a beautiful country together was always on my bucket list. I finally got the chance to travel with my daughter for the first time, to Singapore with Mompresso recently. So, here’s my experience travelling with Ziana and exploring the beautiful wonders that Singapore has to offer.
Day 1
There is something very magical about travelling with children. They view the world with innocence and playfulness. Their eyes sparkle at the smallest of things and they find magic in everything Traveling with Ziana for the first time, was a way for me to unleash my inner child and enjoy every moment to the fullest. And that’s exactly what we did in Singapore.
Before I stepped into Jewel Changi Airport, I was of the impression that my Singapore exploration would only start when I venture into the city. I was so mistaken – my trip started as soon as I landed at the airport. Jewel Changi Airport (connected to Terminals 1,2 and 3 through link bridges, and Terminal 4 by a shuttle bus service) is an urban oasis, where you will marvel at the world’s tallest indoor waterfall – the Rain Vortex; fun at the Hedge Maze & Mirror Maze, walk on the Canopy Bridge to the beautiful Canopy Park, Ziana and I had such a fun time experiencing and taking in all the beauty of this gorgeous airport.
We then visited the observation deck at the Marina Bay Sands Skypark. This is the second-highest point in Singapore. The Singapore skyline looked absolutely gorgeous at 200 m above sea level. The tall skyscrapers, lush greenery and the waters were really a sight to behold.
Our next stop was at the National Gallery of Singapore, which houses the largest collection of Modern Art in South-East Asia. Holding Ziana’s hand and walking along the corridors of the gallery, I could tell that art, colours and the vibe really got her excited. We enjoyed the artwork through the fun family-friendly activities here.
It’s interesting that Singapore is a place that truly welcomes people of all cultures and religions. And the Chinatown is a great example of one such cultural neighbourhoods in Singapore. Ziana and I had a blast shopping at the bustling street shops selling souvenirs, accessories (cute Panda caps!) and apparels. That’s not all, I was quite fascinated to know that the Chinatown has a Hindu Temple, Mosque, and a Buddhist Temple, all in one place. We explored and immersed ourselves in the history and culture of Chinatown and even gorged on the delicious Ice Cream Sandwiches.
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After a fun time at Chinatown, our next stop was to the Maritime Experiential Museum. This museum gave us an insight into the Silk Route and the history of Singapore, where the 4D theatre, shadow play and beautiful installations helped us understand the history of this place even better.
One of the must-visit places to would definitely have to be the Gardens By The Bay. This is a massive 101 hectares nature park which consists of gorgeous waterfront gardens, located just adjacent to the Marina Reservoir.
Ziana and I marvelled at the beautiful pastel coloured floral installations at the new Floral Fantasy. The fragrance and vibrancy of fresh flowers made this place a floral extravaganza.
After the Floral Fantasy, we walked on the OCBC Skyway and enjoyed the panoramic view of the Gardens and the Marina Bay skyline. But the icing on the cake for Ziana was definitely the Children’s Park. She was very excited and thrilled by the interactive delights and water play. And just looking at her enthusiasm, I was so happy to know that my daughter shares my love for travel.
Ziana was equally thrilled to enter the Cloud Forest and take in the breath-taking mountain views surrounded by diverse vegetation and hidden floral gems.
If you were to ask me Ziana’s favourite travel spot in Singapore, I would definitely say it was the Singapore Zoo. Spotting the exotic animals in the wild was indeed a memorable experience, and was definitely Ziana’s highlight for the day. We went on a fun River Safari at the Amazon River Quest, clicking pictures of nature and its splendid creatures. I am delighted at my daughter’s ardent love for nature and animals, as it’s important for kids to share a strong bond with nature.
After a fun yet hectic day of travelling around Singapore, exploring its marvellous landmarks and immersing ourselves in the culture of the city, we witnessed a beautiful sunset at the Singapore Zoo. But hey! The fun doesn’t have to be the end yet right? Next, we headed out to the Rainforest Lumina, which is a multimedia night walk at the Singapore Zoo. The multi-sensory zones and immersive play gave us a unique forest experience. Here are 3 Reasons For Every Millennial To Visit Singapore
The best part about travelling with Ziana was sharing my love for travel with her. And even after a super hectic day, my daughter couldn’t contain her happiness. She was energetic, refreshed and totally looking forward to the next day. What can I say? Like mother, like daughter.
Day 2
Our 2nd day in the Lion City commenced on an artistic note. I took Ziana to the ArtScience Museum to show her the gorgeous lotus inspired architecture and the Future World Exhibition, which houses the latest futuristic installations. While spending quality time at this museum with my daughter, I realised her keen interest to engage herself in the new experiences of a place. This was really refreshing for me. She was off to the future, and nothing could stop her.
Ziana loves reading about space, so entering ‘space’ at the ArtScience Museum brought out the childlike wonder in her. She even pointed out that the moon doesn’t have gravity when she witnessed the giant moon installation here. As I held her in my arms, I was heartened by how travel has strengthened our bond and brought us even closer.
Well, Ziana was united with her first love- space, and now it was her turn to witness her second love, Shah Rukh Khan. So I took her to the iconic Madame Tussauds Singapore. My little one took selfies with Karan Johar, posed with Varun Dhawan and jumped in glee to be amidst these life-like wax statues. I too couldn’t help myself from having breakfast with Audrey Hepburn. But when it comes to meeting the Badshah of Bollywood we were taken for a ride. Literally! Ziana and I took a boat ride, down memory lane of Singapore’s history before meeting him. Ziana took a super cute picture hugging Shah Rukh Khan, which left me wondering, where are my hugs? Marvel fans out there! Head to Madame Tussauds Singapore to meet 4D installations of your favourite Marvel characters here. This place is the only one to have these in entire Asia. So make your plans!
When it comes to travelling with children, I always believe thatas parents, we must take them to places where their imaginations can run wild. As a mother myself, I would love to see my daughter turn every moment into a creative one. To bring out this very side of Ziana, I took her to the Trick Eye Museum, an optical art museum in Singapore. This Insta Worthy Museum has awesome larger than life art installations and paintings and we made loads of memories here.
After a fun time of clicking pictures with my little one, we went to the 4D Adventure Land Sentosa. Ziana is an adventurous little girl who is fascinated by guns and shooting. So I just had to take her to the interactive shootout game of Desperados. This is interestingly, Asia’s first interactive shoot out game. My daughter had a great time testing her shooting skills, after which we went on a virtual 4D rollercoaster adventure, Extreme Log Ride. It’s not just my daughter, but I found myself totally immersed in this world of adventure too. It’s a great way for kids and parents to bond over thrilling rides. Apart from this here are the 8 Places You Should Visit When In Singapore
On my way back from the 4D Adventure Land Sentosa, I decided to try out my own version of Man v/s Wild. How did I do that? Well, I held a huge moving snake. Gosh! I was super scared, while Ziana was having a gala time watching me balance that snake and my fear all in one.
Our next stop was at the Haji Lane in Singapore, which is an ode to the Middle East. The vibrant & colourful street art, quaint architecture and the bustling lane indeed gave me flavours of the Arab souk. I could not help myself from shopping for some ittar, the sweet-smelling perfume at the store there. We even stopped for an evening snack at the local alfresco cafe, just to unwind and soak in the cool breeze and vibe of the city. If you want to visit Singapore too then here’s Your Guide To Singapore
And next, we trotted off to the most awaited destination of our trip, Sentosa!. Sentosa is an island resort located off the southern coast of Singapore. We couldn’t wait to get to the beach, so we headed straight to the Siloso Beach to soak our feet in the cool waters and run along the sandy white beach. Ziana had a wonderful time drawing on the sand and throwing pebbles in the water watching it splash along the way. And me? Well, I had a wonderful time watching her have a wonderful time.
With this, my trip to Singapore with my daughter Ziana came to an end. This was the first time I travelled alone with my daughter. As a mother, I could tell that Ziana is a natural traveller and quite an explorer herself. And it was quite a liberating experience for me, as I could have a much-needed girls party with my daughter. The experience of being together in Singapore and enjoying all the fun activities helped us to bond better as mother and daughter.
It was a truly special experience for us, and I would like to definitely recommend mothers to travel with their children. This is your chance to spend quality time with your little ones and make beautiful memories together like what I did with Ziana and I am glad I choose a destination like Singapore where there are plenty of attractions, fun & informative parks and museums, great beaches and amazingly diverse cuisine. It is a great place with a fusion of culture and must-visit with your family.
First Published: July 05, 2020 3:34 PM