Will I miss my flight?

I am going to Amsterdam via Singapore on 23/01/09, 10.50pm. I will go from KL to Singapore by Air Asia, there are two flights which reach Singapore Airport 5.50pm and 8.50pm.

If I take the Air Asia which reach Singapore at 8.50pm, will I have enough time to check in the KLM flight to Amsterdam? Do I need to check out at custom then re-check in, how long time it will take for me to done at custome? Or I can get off from Air Asia flight then directly rush to KLM check in counter?

Thank you in advance for your help.

- Mint -

Will I miss my flight?

Hi Isw

Strongly suggest to take the arrival 5.50pm flight.

The airasia plane arrive at Changi 1,you need to physically retrive your luggages,clear custom,immigration and get into Changi??? 1?.2? or 3? for KLM flight.

Check in to get boarding pass from KLM counter(which terminal?)and clear immigration all which will required some time.

You also need to buffer in for flight delay from KL to Singapore.

Would suggest for an earlier flight(5.50pm) for ease of mind

Will I miss my flight?

better do the 5.50pm flight otherwise it is too tight

you don%26#39;t need to clear immigration since it land at Terminal 1, you can move between the 3 terminals within the transit areas. but I think you still need to collect your luggage and check in for your Amsterdam flight

changiairport.com/changi/鈥3

Oh, yes! I totally forgot we have to collect the luggage first.

Ok, I think the Air Asia from KL should be arrived at Terminal 1? Then the KLM depart for Amsterdam also in Terminal 1, will I have enough time if I want to take the 8.50pm arrived flight?

What is the whole process for me to get off from Air Asia flight till I board the KLM? (sorry for this stupid question as I never use transit before)

Thank you in advance for your help.

- Mint -

1) You should take the 5.50pm flight. The 8.50pm flight is too risky should AirAsia be delayed. It will be too stressful.

2) Yes, both flights operate out of Terminal 1.

3) After you arrive, clear immigration, collect luggage, clear customs. Go up 1 level to the Departure Hall, check the display boards for your KLM flight check-in counter. Proceed to check-in counter. However, it may not be open for check-in at 6:30pm. You can take your time for the whole process if your AirAsia flight arrives on schedule.

Leopang, Crescentra, Kevin,

Thank you very much for all of your info. I have first plan to take the 5.50pm flight, just thought if I have chance to save 1 day annual leave :p

Now have no choice, as you say for peace of mind... 5.50pm is the best choice.

Would you also help me - instead of walking and visiting Changi airport till departure, is there any place I can go for dinner (foodcourt), shopping eg Tampines (I think this is the nearest place to airport?) for a short period or you think stay in Changi airport is enough to kill time?

p/s: is the MRT station is operate in Changi airport already?

- Mint -

I found the other topic which discuss about foodcourt/hawker center near airport. Please ignore my question.

Thank you.

- Mint -

MRT station has operate in Changi airport..

It is @ T2

Thanks pikarat, then is easier for me to have dinner in Bedok! If I%26#39;m not mistake, there is a nice fried KuewTeoh, have to double confirm with friends first.

Thank you.

- Mint -

If u taken MRT..

just right outside Bedok MRT, there is a hawker centre..

alot of good food there..

just go for the longest Q..

:D

If u reach Bedok during noon time.. u can walk to Blk 216 hawker centre..

Don%26#39;t miss the coffee.. forever long Q.

actually I don%26#39;t think you have that much time, personally I would not get too far from the airport

you reach singapore at 7pm and clearing immigration and recheck-in would take you to close to 8pm and you have to board at 10.30pm? 2.5hrs is probably what you have, it rather tight, unless you have never experienced a hawker center. I would not take any chances to miss the flight

the airport is huge and enough things to occupy, and free internet terminals

nyx cosmetic

Best sunday brunch?

We are going to Singapore and would like to have brunch, but where?

I have read a lot about Mezza 9 and Four Seasons, but how about The Ritz Carlton? I had brunch there in Shanghai and thought the food was excellent, but the environment was not that nice.

Has anybody been to all three in Singapore?

I would really appreciate info and your oppinions on them!

And if anybody by chance has suggestions on where to have really good sushi, that would be much appreciated too...

Thank You,

Hanna

Best sunday brunch?

Ritz has a pretty good brunch but coz they serve Moet %26amp; Chandon (at least it was this brand when I had my brunch last time and the one before that) as it is a champange brunch, u will find it crowded with expats and by the end of it, u will find it too noisy even after the brunch is over (the crowd may move over to the lounge area across from the restaurant and party continues from there).

At Four Seasons, it is VCV so even more upmarket :) and again, good food and definitely more dignified atmosphere.

Other brunches :

Hilton - great for those with kids but food still good without :)

Marina Mandarin - they normally served brunch at Aquamarine

Raffles - Billiard Room

Conrad - Oscar%26#39;s (i like the atmosphere with Jazz)

Fullerton - Pierside or Town Rest. both serving (Town offers more)

Shangri La - my favorite for brunch at the Line

Sentosa Spa %26amp; Resort - most costly brunch serving Duval Leroy and starts later than most brunches (u r paying for cost of champagne, if u want the most choices and quality, go for Shangri La%26#39;s The Line)

good luck

Best sunday brunch?

Have tried several brunches in Singapore and nothing comes close to te Equinox Sunday Brunch. Endless Moet, top shelf spirits, beers and cocktails are all included in the price. The views are to die for. The service impeccable and the food Oh My God!!!

We fly up to singas 3 times a year just for sunday brunch. (Well not just for brunch, but you know what i mean)

Thank you!

We are staying at The Shangri-La in the Valley Wing, and thought that it might be nice to go somewhere else since we most likely will be dining there one night or two..

So, Four Seasons is the place that I hear the most positive things about. If the food is as good as the champagne, that%26#39;s where we will go!

And, lucky you to come to Singapore so often just to have brunch! I wish it was a little bit closer to Sweden. But we have visited Bangkok many, many times just, well almost, for the food!

Thanks both of you again!

Hanna

Can you take children to the brunch at Equinox, you cannot take them to that restaurant in the evening.

Ref Kids at Equinox brunch.

I recall seeing a room just off the restraunt that is for kids. I could be wrong, best to email them.

cheers

Hi,

I would suggest the Ritz Carlton Greenhouse for Sunday brunch.

Mezza9 is better for lunch or dinner (go to the Martini Bar for drinks - best martinis in town!) and the Four Seasons I would recommend only at Christmas time.

Not to say Four Seasons isn%26#39;t great - it is! But brunch is usually at a really airy enviro but the Four Seasons is completely enclosed in an airconditioned space, with little outdoor area.

Other places you can try are:-

Graze - a modern Australian style place at the West side. www.graze.sg

Alternatively, you can try Marmalade Pantry (1. Palais Renaissance, Orchard Road 2. Holland Village. The other 2 places are shut on the weekends as they are in the business districts)

If you%26#39;re willing to travel, you can head to a place called Wild Rocket.

Heard good reviews there but I%26#39;ve tried the rest and they are tried and tested!

Good luck!

Hi I forgot to add.

You can also try Conrad International%26#39;s Oscar%26#39;s.

Oscar%26#39;s has a really nice buffet brunch or a la carte but I do believe it%26#39;s quite famous. They used to do Veuve Clicquot brunches at Easter but not too sure whether it is a long-term thing.

Good luck and do enjoy it all!!! :)

bump (sorry for reviving this post).

I did Sunday Brunches at Ritz and FS before and dinner/lunch buffets at almost all the top grade hotels in Singapore.

Do Not go to FS for Sunday Brunch, please. It must have some drugs or whatever because after going there for first time we developed cravings and had to return continuouly for once a month. Did not feel that urge for Ritz since I am able to resist it. Happened to 2 other families I know of too. (Imagine the amount of money they swindled).

I normally do not go for starchy food on buffets but after tasting my companions%26#39; risotto, crepes, pasta I am convinced there must be some sinister things in those that FS serves up. My weakness for foie gras, mojito, oysters, organic vegs and great grilled lamb etc didn%26#39;t help the addiction. The environment for FS is not the light early morning feel so it%26#39;s really the food. For those who want to dump their kids, FS encourages you to dump them at a kid%26#39;s playroom upstairs. Bouncing castle, cartoons on TV, sculpted balloons, tattoos, dozens of nannies, loads of kid food etc. tsk tsk. They put a spell and your kid actually FORGETS you.

For usual dinner buffet, The Line at Shangri-La will do. Less costly and their magic is limited to maybe 4-5 times a year, or at least that%26#39;s the amount of magic they cast on me.

Anymore from these two places I would need to go cold turkey or sign up for some diet clinic.

4S rules their brunch is amongst the best i tried anywhere on this planet.......

also the chinese at 4s have the best peking duck i had so far, wnet there with friends who had lives in Hong Kong, thsy where totally amazed.

Just done a search to find the best brunch and found this. Can anyone please tell me if the FS is a Champ. Bruch.

We have done Raffles and Fullerton - thought Fullerton was much better. Now looking at best for 09

Thanks

Any Marina Mandarin drawbacks?

I booked 6 nights at Marina Mandarin at Expedia as a package deal with flight from Dusseldorf, Germany. I think €88/night is a real bargain. As I had a terrible time few years ago at Peninsula Excelsior, I hope this hotel to be much better. Any comments?

Any Marina Mandarin drawbacks?

there is definitely a huge difference in MM v PE. MM is a 5* while PE is a 3* (rating a 4* is a bit far fetched but this is coz they do have the facilites but doesnt mean the quality or services r at that star rating)

Enjoy ur stay at MM !

Any Marina Mandarin drawbacks?

I am also going to be staying at MM and by all accounts from the many reviews on here weve chosen an excellet hotel ..

If you found that deal online, mind posting the site :)?

%26lt;%26lt; If you found that deal online, mind posting the site :)? %26gt;%26gt;

Thay already did, it%26#39;s a package deal through expedia.

Am staying at MM next month. Booked as part of Singapore Airlines stopover package. Might be worth looking at if you%26#39;re flying SIA.

Palau Ubin, Chek Jawa, Sungei Buloh

Hi! I%26#39;ve got a 3.5-day trip in Singapore, and one place I%26#39;d like to spend time is Palau Ubin. Our (me + g/f) plan is to rent bikes to go around the island some, and go to Chek Jawa. Has anyone been to these places?

I%26#39;m trying to get an idea of how much time to allot to this part of our journey. I guess we%26#39;ll only spend a couple of hours biking. How much time should I leave to Chek Jawa? We will be doing the self-tour (guided tours are booked already).

Has anyone been to the Sungei Buloh Wetlands? Worth checking out if we are already going to Chek Jawa (which I believe has some wetlands too)? How much time for that?

Any other tips and recommendations for Palau Ubin?

Is there anywhere to eat on the island? We might go in the morning and stay until the afternoon.

THANKS!

Palau Ubin, Chek Jawa, Sungei Buloh

Not sure that I can be a great deal of help but for what it is worth we have been to Pulau Ubin.

We often stop off in Singapore on trips to Europe. We sometimes stay at Changi Village as we are not into shopping!!

It is easy to catch a ferry from Changi Village to Pulau Ubin. Boats go when they are full so not to a timetable. They will check your bags when you come back into Changi Village port but nothing serious.

I don%26#39;t ride bikes (I never learnt!) but there are plenty on offer. There are food stalls etc and it is a lovely break from the hustle %26amp; bustle of Singapore.

Can%26#39;t advise about Chek Jawa as I%26#39;m not sure whether we went there. We just caught a bum boat from Changi Village to Pulau Ubin, had a nice walk round, went back to the wharf %26amp; waited a while for a boat to go back to Changi Village.

The weather was pleasant but that is about early September but seemed cooler than Singapore itself.

Good Luck,

Anne.

Palau Ubin, Chek Jawa, Sungei Buloh

Thanks for your help, Anne! Seems like time is easily managed at Pulau Ubin...

For anyone else out there... just to get a better understanding of how to handle Pulau Ubin, seems like I can bike around the island easily. And then cycle back to Chek Jawa, lock my bike up and walk around that reserve. Is that right?

I%26#39;m setting a pretty crazy schedule for us -- Sentosa (Underwater World/Dolphins), Sungei Buloh Wetlands, Night Safari one day; Pulau Ubin/Chek Jawa the next. Is that animal/nature overload??

Does anyone who has been to both think that I should pick ONLY Sungei Buloh or Chek Jawa? Any preference on which?

Thanks!

Singapore versus Hong Kong

I wanted to follow up on a thread that I read a while back on the Hong Kong Trip Advisor forum. The topic concerned a comparison of Hong Kong as a friendly, compelling tourist destination with other destinations (cities) in Asia. I took special notice of the comments regarding Singapore.

As I recall, the comparison was that (in general) the tourist experience in Singapore was slightly different from that in Hong Kong.

Anyone care to compare/contrast their personal experience in Hong Kong versus Singapore. I am interested because I have been to Hong Kong recently, and I am planning a trip to Singapore.

Also, honestly, because Singapore is a relatively expensive travel destination based upon the cost of hotels and restaurants (with 17% add on for taxes and service charge), I am deciding if the stop is worth it or not.

Singapore versus Hong Kong

hey tommy

since you have such a negative view about singapore. i think no matter how hard the sell by us to you, will only be met with more sceptism.

unless you look at a holiday to singapore or any destination(expensive or cheap) with a open mind, it will kind of difficult to sell that destination to you.

maybe, like you say.... whether the stop here is worth it or not is up to you to decide.

Singapore versus Hong Kong

Didn%26#39;t think that the OP was very negative. :)

I%26#39;ve never been to HK but visited SIN a few times.

I found hotels in Singapore expensive and was deceived a couple of times by mid-range hotels.

Otherwise I didn%26#39;t find Singapore expensive: taxis and public transport services are affordable.

Restaurants in touristy areas can be expensive but I prefer to go to food courts for a cheap and tasty meal (3-4 SGD). Beers and alcohol are more expensive.

So except for hotels, I do not consider SIN as an expensive destination at all :)

Hi Tommy190,

Last year I did a long overseas trip and spent a week in Singapore on the way out, and a week in Hong Kong on the way home to Australia. I have been going to both destinations regularly over the past 20 years. Singapore hotel costs have increased so much over the years. But its tourist attractions, transport system, cleanliness, shopping options have been enhanced and increased. I love Singapore and its history and culture. I want to go back soon, the only thing halting me is the ever rising hotel costs.

Last year I found Hong Kong over-developed and had lost a lot of its local asian/chinese culture and look. A lot of those areas had been demolished to make way for glass and steel shopping malls. The Kowloon area had been cleaned up since my previous visit (that time I found it grotty). I found Causeway Bay and Central area bland, though I always love the ride over the harbour on the Star Ferry.

Both destinations have their charms, but my favourite is Singapore.

Denise,

Thanks for your thoughtful response! :)

Tommy190

Hi Tommy, I havent been to HongKong but I have been visiting Singapore for over 20 years. I agree with the other people about hotels have become expensive (especially when there is a major event like F1 week), but other costs are still relatively affordable ie. food and transport. You can still find bargains with shopping. One thing about Singapore, the people are friendly and it has to be one of the safest cities around. We recently experienced major, major crowds at Orchard Rd on Christmas eve, where in some areas it was tight squeeze to walk along the footpath. Not once, did we experience any aggressive behaviour, everyone just took it in their stride!

had lived in both cities and still visit both on an annual basis.

If u have already been to HK (btw, HK island and Kowloon and the islands all have different feel to the towns so experiences vary depending on where u go), why dont u give SIN a try ?

SIN is like a blend of CA and NY while HK (island) is just like NY. Both have fun places to visit and depending on what u r looking for, it can be anything from costly to cheap. If u r not fussy, u can find reasonable places to stay in SIN.

Have fun.

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i8282-Suggested鈥?/a>

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i8205-Singapore鈥?/a>

Thanks for the valuable insights (except for one).

I think I%26#39;ll give it a try in spite of the hotel fees. :)

Tommy190

chocolate mud cake

Durians in season?

We saw a couple of stalls selling durians the other day and was wondering whether it is in season again? The durians from Malaysia are normally in season in the middle of the year. If durians are in season again, do you know whether Geylang is selling them now? And where are these durians from?

Durians in season?

its already a thing of the past where in season, you will only find durians. Its all year round mostly still coming from MY. I would only prefer to eat durians during the usual season especially mid yr. Not even Dec as they are not the best, much less the rest of the time when it is still on sales. They are hardly the best though you may be tempted to try. I would rather wait.

Durians in season?

There are about 4 durian sellers set up along Balestier Rd, all with their outdoor seating at the moment. It may not be the season, but they%26#39;ve got stock for sure. I%26#39;m not sure what kinds though.

Breakfast in Singapore? (updated address)

We are going to Singapore in the end of January and we are staying at Hotel Penisula Excelsior (Coleman street no.5) and the breakfast is not included during our vacation. Later we saw that the breakfast cost S$28++ per person. From my point of view it is rather much for just a breakfast.

Can anyone suggest any place near the hotel where they are serving breakfast for better price. Or is S$28 ordinary in Singapore for a breakfast?

Thanks in advance,

Peter

Breakfast in Singapore? (updated address)

S$28 for breakfast is extremely expensive. But it would be the price for a hotel buffet breakfast and is usually meant for tourists.

The usual very local breakfast cost about S$3 per person at a hawker centre or coffee shop.

Breakfast in Singapore? (updated address)

opp your hotel. There is Funan Centre

Inside there, it has supermarket, restaurant, fast food centre, etc..

Can refer to http://www.funan.com.sg/stores_b1.htm

for more information

$28++ per person for breakfast is very very expensive.

U can go to level 1, try Ya Kun Kaya Toast.

I think the set meal only less than $4 or $5 per person. No ++

Must try the toast, half-boil egg and coffee

Yes, Funan is just a building away, more like besides or behind your hotel. I think there is also a MacDonald there too.

If you don%26#39;t mind a little further down, take a bus down to Chinatown for breakfast. Take your bus near to City Hall MRT station. You will see the bus stop as it is less than 5 min from your hotel (background, St Andrew Cathedral). There should be signboard at the stops indicating where buses are heading. If not, just ask around how to go Chinatown. There are numerous buses going that way. I think its mere 4 or 5 stops away (5 min ride). Alight near the Indian temple or the Chinese temple you won%26#39;t miss it as they are prominent features and tourist attraction

Then you can either choose to eat at Maxwell market or Chinatown (???, can%26#39;t remember the name, just behind the Buddhist%26#39;s Tooth Relic Temple). They are just facing each other separated by a road (South Bridge Road)

Thank you all for your information. Now we are looking forward to eat breakfast in Singapore.

Peter

We stayed at peninsula about 3 years ago and there was a burger king across the road and a bakery of some kind between hotel and city hall MRT which we always walked to. The hotel breakfast was included in our price and it was fantastic and we never needed lunch.

nyx cosmetic