Let’s jump back to the 19th of May 2022. The day we departed on our second international trip since travel restrictions in Australia were lifted.
Passports? Check.
Flight itinerary? Check.
Covid travel documents? Check.
Too much luggage? That’s a given!
We arrived nice and early to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport to check into flight SQ 222 with Singapore Airlines on board their A380. Excitement was in the air as it had been 3 years since we last travelled with them on an epic adventure to Singapore, Japan and India.
We heard that during the pandemic, the airline focused on reimagining and enhancing the travel experience for their customers. This included new additions to their inflight services in particular digital initiatives. We were eager to see what it was all about.
The Check-In Process and why Olly was Happy Arriving to the Airport Early
Everyone has read the news. Airports are chaotic at the moment. This is understandable given the travel industry is well and truly operating again.
Are you:
A) The person who arrives to the Airport 3 hours before an international flight?
B) The person who arrives just before the bag check closes?
Well, I’m the first option and Olly is the latter. Luckily for me, I got my way this time. However, that’s not by luck, tactics were involved. As we had access to the Silver Kris Lounge, I reminded him of how great the assortment of dumplings and dim sum were last time. Safe to say, he was convinced!
At Sydney Airport, Singapore Airlines had a number of check-in desks. Arriving 3 hours prior to departure worked wonders as there was only 1 person in front of us. The friendly woman behind the desk checked our passports and Thailand Pass (which is no longer required to enter Thailand) as we were flying to Phuket the following day.
Hot tip – before travelling with Singapore Airlines it’s worthwhile going to their website to check the Covid-19 Information Centre. It provides up-to-date entry requirements. All you need to do is select the country you are departing from and where your final destination is. For our trip, it told us we required a Thailand Pass to either Thailand. As well, masks were a requirement in both Singapore and Thailand.
Time for dim-sum
After proceeding through customs and bag check, we eagerly walked to the Silver Kris lounge. Both the Business and First Class lounges are located on the mezzanine floor of Sydney Airport above Gate 59.
At the desk, we soon learnt we had been given access to the First Class Lounge. WHAT! There’s a first time for everything. We were stunned when we entered through a secret door that you wouldn’t spot unless you saw it open.
Inside there are a number of seating options including couches to individual desks and chairs. As well, as a buffet and drinks bar. The best part? They also have a menu which you can order hot food from. Of course, we opted for the selection of dim sum and ordered a glass of champagne. The perfect start to our trip.
On board the Singapore Airlines A380
Once it was time to board, we headed toward our gate. As the A380 can hold up to 471 people across two levels, the boarding was staggered.
Singapore Airlines Business Class
On board the A380 aircraft, Business Class is situated behind First Class.
The seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration. We opted for the middle two seats so that we could sit together. Would Olly regret his decision? We will soon find out!
There are a few rows on board this aircraft (get in fast as they are first to book out) designed for couples. The main difference being that there is not a partition between the two seats. After take off, you can turn the chairs into a fully reclined double bed! As we hadn’t secured those seats early enough we had a personal divider that spanned the entire length of the seat. This meant we could raise it to enjoy some private time or lower it while we watched movies, ate and slept.
It was the best of both worlds.
Other features include a reading light that swivels, a side mirror (which is super handy before disembarking), multiple stowage compartments and complimentary in-flight Wifi for customers travelling in Suites, First Class, Business Class, or belonging to the PPS Club or KrisFlyer member programme.
Oh we can’t forget about the 18” touchscreen monitor in high definition which was honestly insane. They were the largest TV screens we had seen on board an aircraft. If you are going to be watching action-packed movies then you’ll need noise-cancelling headphones. Of course, Singapore Airlines has you covered.
Hot tip – make sure you save your playlists and preferences for future flights. If you are like me, it’s impossible to remember where you got up to.
The new Business Class amenity kit is available on request. As it is a collaboration with Penhaligon’s, a British perfumery that my Dad loves, of course, we checked it out. Inside we found hand lotion, facial mist, and lip balm, in a specially selected refreshing and citrus scent, Quercus.
Don’t forget to request your own pair of slippers and eyeshades for an even more enjoyable flight.
Book the Cook
Hands down this is our favourite thing about flying with Singapore Airlines. Wondering what ‘Book the Cook’ is?
Well, up to 24 hours before your flight you can go online to ‘Manage Booking’ to choose from an array of world-class meals from leading Singaporean brands and hawker cuisine. Not only does it get you excited for your flight but there is a greater variety than what you will receive on board. For example, options include Chicken Rice, Roast Pork and Lobster Thermidor. Lobster on a flight? Crazy, right?!
This time I preordered Roast Chicken with Mushroom Sauce and Potatoes while Olly chose Seafood Thermidor. Our meals were also served alongside a canapé and appetiser.
Don’t stress if you haven’t booked your meals in advance. You can preview your in-flight menu offerings online during your flight. Remember above when we spoke about new initiatives? This is one of them. It helps to minimise the contact on board.
What about the drinks you may ask? Well, you can pair your meal with champagne and wines from the finest vineyards around the world. You can even ask for the famous Singaporean Sling cocktail or spirits.
The Singapore Airlines Cabin Crew
If you have flown with Singapore Airlines before you will know that the cabin crew are a renowned feature of the airline. We were honoured to visit the Training Centre during our time in Singapore. It’s safe to say that it takes a lot of extensive training and hard work to maintain their high service standards.
The kindness of the cabin crew as well as the constant smiles on their faces is a true representation of the airline itself. A drink or snack mid-flight? No worries at all. Help to make the bed? Of course! It’s easy to sense the community that the airline has brought together and while they all have different flying schedules it’s easy to tell they all consider each other family.
Oh and an interesting fact. The ‘Singapore Girl’ uniform was first introduced in 1968 and while small changes have been made over the years, the outfit remains a trademark for the airline.
What to do in Singapore
It was our second time visiting Singapore. We both love this city! Partly as it’s easy to get around – everything is centralised but also because it reminds us a bit of Sydney, our home town. As well, we must must must mention the food. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
We were lucky after our time in Thailand to spend a week exploring Singapore. There were places we loved so much last time that we re-visited and other things that were new to us. There are a few things you must include on your next trip.
Let’s get into it!
1. Visit Gardens by the Bay and don’t miss the daily light show
I’m sure you have seen images of this place but until you see it in person you really can’t comprehend how unique Gardens by the Bay is. Constructed in 2012 as part of the government’s strategy of making Singapore into a “City In A Garden”, this place is a futuristic botanical garden.
You could spend hours wandering around the grounds which are split into three parts; Bay South Garden, Bay Central Garden, and Bay East Garden. The most popular (and ours too) being the Bay Central Garden.
There you will find the iconic Supertrees as well as the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest Dome. Our favourite time to visit is an hour or two before sunset so you can explore all of the main areas. Once the sun drops at 7.45 pm and 8.45 pm you can witness the light show at the Supertrees. It’s one of our favourite things to do in Singapore.
2. Indulge yourself in some of the best Singaporean food at the Hawker Centres
Stop. Read. And thank us later. Yes, Singapore has some incredible restaurants to dine at but you can’t visit this city without trying out a few of the Hawker Centres. The best food is found there and it will only cost you $5 (depending on how much you eat of course!).
There are over 100 of these open-air food courts to choose from. Some are more renowned than others.
Our favourites are the Maxwell Food Centre and Newtown Food Centre. The first which is located in Chinatown offers Singaporean and Chinese food. Think chicken rice, sio bak (roast pork belly) and charcoal roasted char siew (barbecued pork).
The latter, Newtown Food Centre is located just down the road from Orchard Road. If you are a movie buff, you will recognise this place from ‘Crazy Rich Asians’. If you love seafood then you can’t miss this Hawker Centre. Try fishball noodle soup from Soon Wah Fishball Kway Teow Mee and Alliance Seafood for Chilli Crab sets as well as BBQ Crayfish, Lobsters and Tiger Prawns.
One of my personal favourite dishes is Carrot Cake, not like the sweet one commonly eaten today. At the Newtown Food Centre visit Heng to try one of the best!
3. Marvel at the Art Science Museum
We visited this Museum last time and loved it. Of course, it was only appropriate to come back.
I’ll be honest. We haven’t been to many of the exhibitions seeing as we spend so much time at our favourite which is the Future World exhibition. This digital interactive exhibition is a must for art lovers and technology enthusiasts.
The first artwork is named Transcending Boundaries. You’ll witness six installations which one at a time dissolves into the next. The music playing in the room really adds to the ambience. The works spread across the walls and floors so be careful where you are walking.
If you have children then you must bring them to Sketch Town. Or if you are big kids like us, you will love it too! You get to colour in your own piece of work, whether it is a house or building. Once complete, you upload it and it will become part of the fictional Singaporean town exhibit. How cool is that!
The same concept exists at the Sketch Aquarium where you can colour in different kinds of aquatic species and upload them.
Finally but not least important is the Crystal Universe. Step inside this sparkling sanctuary which feels out of this world. You will most likely need to queue due to its popularity and once inside there is a path to follow. The 170,000 LED lights even change colour.
4. Have a drink at the top of Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands is one of the most famous buildings in Singapore, if not, the most famous. Some have the privilege of staying there, however, that doesn’t mean you can’t visit if you are not a hotel guest.
Ce La Vi is located in Tower 3 on the 57th floor. Skyview is the restaurant and Skybar as the name suggests is the bar. Both offer incredible views over the city. It’s a popular place so be sure to book online prior to your arrival.
We haven’t dined there before but we have been in the afternoon for some cocktails. While we loved the cocktails we found the people-watching to be great. You can see the hotel guests hanging around the pool which we loved!
Hot tip – book a table for just before sunset so you can enjoy the venue during the day and watch the sun go down.
5. Have dinner at JUMBO Seafood for the best Singaporean Chilli Crab
JUMBO Seafood is a bit of an institution in Singapore. Normally we stick clear of restaurants like this. However, in this instance, we are highly recommending you take a visit to one of their outlets. There is one at Riverside Point (where we go), ION Orchard, Dempsey Hill and a few other locations.
The menu can be quite overwhelming as there is a lot to choose from. We will make your lives a lot easier and tell you to get the award-winning Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab. They provide you with bibs as it can get a bit messy. Probably not the ideal spot for a first date!
As well, order the deep-fried/steamed mini buns. They are perfect for dipping into the leftover sauce. We prefer the deep-fried ones but recommend trying both.
Wondering where to go after Singapore?
Thailand makes a fantastic holiday destination that is within easy reach of Singapore. From Singapore to the popular beach destination of Phuket, Singapore Airlines offers a direct flight which will take you 1 hour 50 minutes. After a few days of soaking in the sun, head to the Phi Phi Islands for some fun-filled island hopping.
If you aren’t done exploring big cities, then Bangkok is a great option. From Singapore to Bangkok with Singapore Airlines there is a direct flight which takes 2 hours 20 minutes. Make sure you book a food tour (and don’t eat breakfast that day) as well as take a boat trip along the Chao Phraya River.
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