For some moments in our adult lives, we wanted to have our parents and families to have the best comforts in their lives. One of those comforts is traveling. I was once a daughter like that, and I think it will be a forever journey to make our parents happy as long as they are with us.

I once travelled with my Mum to her birthplace in Leyte last 2016. It was almost a week of getting to know her roots again. Mum or as I call her Nanay was very happy to return in Leyte as she was just merely 2 years old when she and my grandmother left the town and explore life in Manila.

Today, I was a lucky and blessed daughter to bring my Mum to Singapore! At first, she was hesitant because of her back pain. She was thinking that it may be hard for her to walk. But as days got nearer on our flight, she became more thrilled. She also kept buying things that she will bring to Singapore like hats, clothes, ointments and others. She became a kid that was very excited for her first international travel. 🥰🥰🥰

Document Preparations for Senior Citizen Companion

Since it will be my Mum’s first international travel, we acquired her passport sometime in March. We had to return to DFA twice since we needed to submit NBI Clearance as supporting document. This is needed for Filipino citizen who were late registered.

Before our flight, we also secured a medical certificate from my Mum’s cardiologist stating that she was fit to travel. We also prepared her latest medical transcriptions in case needed in Immigration or Customs. All her medicines, including inhalers for her asthma were in her hand-carry bag.

I also bought travel insurance from Pacific Cross. Pacific Cross maybe a bit expensive that others but they have this plan for travelers with will cover pre-existing medical conditions – my Mum has hypertension and asthma while I have PCOS and mild asthma too.

Immigration Story

While we were at NAIA Terminal 3 Immigration, we lined up at the Senior Citizen/ PWD lane.  The IO officer just asked me when we are getting back to Manila. I told him that our return flight was on June 23. He also asked about my job role and company. After that, he stood up and arranged the queue poles.

When he returned to his station, he asked me again when we will be back in Manila. I answered with the same date. After that, I got the stamp! 😍

As for my Mum, the Immigration Officer did not ask anything. He just opened her passport, asked her to look at the camera and got it stamped!

Plain and easy! 😇

How did we get there?

From Manila, we flew via Cebu Pacific to be in Singapore. Our flight scheduled was at by 1:30 PM and we arrived in Singapore at around 5:30 PM. There is no time difference between Manila and Singapore.  Luckily, my Mum endured the 4 hours flight. We were also thankful that there was not much turbulence.

In Changi International Airport, we were amazed that there was no queue in the Immigration. We just scanned our passport, looked at the camera and placed our fingers to scan it. It took us less than 5 minutes to enter Singapore officially. 😍🙇‍♀️😍

As we arrived at Terminal 4 of Changi International Airport, we searched for the free shuttle going to Terminal 1 to see The Jewel. The free shuttle ride took less than 10 minutes. However, we were dropped at Terminal 2 instead. I guessed I was not able to check the route of the free shuttle. So, we walked to Terminal 1.

Alas! In Terminal 1, we got to see this massive fountain called The Jewel. This is Changi Airport’s main attraction. We took all our time to take photos in The Jewel since we will not see it on our flight back. Our return flight was early in the morning.

Transportation in Singapore

Terminal 2 is where you can locate the MRT going to the city. Before riding the train, we bought our Singapore Tourist Pass. The train pass we used is valid for 3 days and worth $34 each. Once you return it, you will get a $10 refund.

You cannot buy any ticket pass like just a paper ticket pass in a train station. Singapore MRT only accepts Singapore Tourist Pass and EZlink-type cards. I also read in one social media post that you can use GoTyme Card or GCash Card but I haven’t tried it.

As our tourist pass is valid for 3 days only and we still need to use it, I top up using a kiosk to add cash in my pass. Topping up was very easy as all instructions are in English. If you do not have cash, you may use a credit or debit card to top up.

To return the Singapore Tourist Pass, search for the ticketing office from these train stations. Note that not all stations have this ticketing office, so mind your route before returning the pass. As for us, our last use of the pass was at Bugis Station since it was near our hotel in Bencoolen. After getting the refund of $10 plus the remaining dollars from our top up, we walked then from Bugis to Bencoolen. It was a nice walk after our shopping escapade.

Almost same with Japan, all train couches in Singapore are very comfortable, wide, cool and very secured. I love that even in rush hours, the trains were still not that too crowded.

Grab Car was also one of the transportations we used while in Singapore. If you are using Grab in Philippines, the remaining wallet cost will be converted to Singaporean Dollars. Your points will be carried over too. We rode Grab Car from Gardens By the Bay to Merlion Park and when we returned to our hotel. We also rode Grab Card when we checked out from our hotel to the airport.

It was a breeze using Grab but oh boy it was expensive! 💸💸Nevertheless, the comfort and ease it will bring to you was worth it.

Internet in Singapore

Since I need to stay connected online to find routes easier, I bought a Singtel sim card via Klook. I redeemed it at the Changi International Airport, in one of the local banks.

After I redeemed the sim card, I ensured first to activate it properly before leaving. In minutes, I was able to activate it and made video call.

Just a tip, Klook offers some free mobile data upon purchasing activities and entrance tickets in different places. Make sure to avail it if you will stay shorter in a place and if you are not a heavy user of internet. As for me, since I was not sure if I will use internet more at the road, I purchased the sim card instead.

Where did we stay?

I booked V Hotel Bencoolen via Booking.com. V Hotel Bencoolen has direct access to airport as it is part of the Downtown Line. Literally, Bencoolen Station is just at the doorstep of the hotel.

It was a great deal for me and my Mum as the hotel service was superb! All their amenities were fantastic too! Our room was the right size for 2 people. We had our own bathroom with toiletries, TV, a mini refrigerator, a safe and fast internet connection. I was very happy to have a view of the outside to know the current weather. The hotel staff were very helpful and courteous too. We were delighted as well to have free pillows! 🥳🥳🥳

Near our hotel are bus stops, convenience stores and an air-conditioned food court. We also found out that our hotel was near a supermarket. Bugis Street is also a 10 to 15 minutes’ walk. Plus, our hotel is just at the back part of Saints Peter and Paul Church, St. Joseph The Good Shepherd Church and Chijmes.

Overall, we had the best stay in V Hotel Bencoolen. If given the chance and I return to Singapore, I will book this hotel again.

Our Itinerary

Day 1

The Jewel

Entrance Fee: Free

It was almost 6PM when we arrived in Singapore. As a Tita who prefers resting than to have an itinerary at night and with a Senior Citizen Mum, we decided to visit The Jewel at Changi International Airport Terminal 1.

Our plane landed at Terminal 4 and since our flight back home was too early, our first day in Singapore checklist was to see this magnificent man-made structure in the best airport in the world. From Terminal 4, we searched for the free shuttle going to Terminal 1. However, I thought we took the Terminal 1 shuttle, but we were dropped off at Terminal 2 instead. So, we walked from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1. It took us 10 minutes to see The Jewel.

The Jewel is a rain vortex spanning 10-storey high. It is the most visited attraction inside the Changi International Airport. The Jewel will transform you a nature-themed environment that will really let you think if you are in a forest or an airport.

My Mum and I enjoyed staring at The Jewel as it was really a magnificent form of water that made the airport more interesting.

After some minutes in The Jewel, we returned to Terminal 2. We had our dinner and made our way to our hotel via MRT. MRT station is located at Terminal 2 of Changi International Airport.

From Changi International Airport Terminal 2 to our hotel, it took us almost 45 minutes. That time includes figuring out if we are riding the correct train. 😅

Day 2

Universal Studios Singapore

Entrance Fee: Php 3,283 each, discount applied as I have available points in Klook

It will never be Singapore without the Universal Studios! On our second day, we explored USSG. I was once visited Universal Studios in Japan and I was very happy. So, I did not miss adding this place with my Mum. Universal Studios is on the island of Sentosa. This park opened in 2011.

From our hotel, we took the train going to HarbourFront Station. In the station, you will pass by the Vivo City Mall where you can take a bus, cable car or the Sentosa Express going to USSG. For us, we took the Sentosa Express for $4 each. It will take you less than 10 minutes to arrive at USSG.

The park opens at 11AM. We arrived before the opening time of the park, so we had some time to take photos on the famous Universal Studios globe. I was very happy to take my Mum here and just be care-free on how our day will go by.

Inside the park, I rented a wheelchair for $15. I knew that my Mum would not endure the long walks due to her back pain. It may be another cost to add to our list but the comfort it will bring while in USSG was more than ok so she can enjoy the park the most. All parts of the USSG are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

One of the reasons why I also wanted to visit USSG was because of the Naruto Gallery. It was the first time Naruto Gallery had an exhibition outside Japan. It was a perfect addition to my USSG experience. Who will not love Naruto and Team 7? 🧡🧡🧡

Apart from the Naruto Gallery, we enjoyed the Hollywood area and New York areas. The Sci-Fi City and Jurassic Park were just ok since we were not big fans. We loveeeeeeeed The Mummy area where we tried the Treasure Hunt ride. It was like going back in time with the old chariot. 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

We were amazed with the WaterWorld live action too! The drama, pyrotechnics and effects were maybe a bit, but it was fun! The actors were pro! We were very on time to watch the WaterWorld live action so we really enjoyed it! 😍😍😍

The food inside the USSG was also for the win!!! We ate our brunch at Louie’s Pizza House. The servings were enormous, especially the one-slice pizza! Two people can eat it! We also enjoyed the creamy pasta. 🍕🍕

Since Naruto Gallery was part of the USSG, a Naruto Café was set up. If you are a hard-core Naruto fan, you will enjoy the menu. From the Ichiraku ramen, Sakura Burger, Naruto Fries, Sasuke Sharingan Curry Rice and more! 🍔🍟🥤🍚

They also had these Team 7 drinks. It was like I have been taken back to the time when I visited the Nijigen No Mori in Japan last year. They also have Ichiraku Ramen! It was a delight to just be full of these Naruto-inspired meals. 🧡

Lastly, the Far Far Away Kingdom was a delight! Who will not love Shrek, Fiona and the entire cast of Shrek! Happy to end our tour in USSG in this part of the park. It was like going back to that old little castle of imagination. 🏰✨🏰

It was a day filled with fun! I was very happy to let my Mum visit the USSG with me! I hope that I can return to Universal Studios with my nephews! I am sure they will love it too! 😍😍

After in USSG, we opted to return to our hotel. We walked again to the Sentosa Express Station. From what I thought, I will pay a return ticket but the lady in the ticketing office told us that we just need to climb up on the 2^nd level of the station to ride the train.

There was no ticketing office or kiosk at the 2^nd level, so we just hopped to the train and returned to the main island. Just like that, we ended our day in USSG! 🥰✨🥰

Day 3

Bugis Street

Entrance Fee: Free

We started our day by finding One Piece toys. My nephew was angry at us since we did not let him come to us in Singapore. So, as a promise, we need to find a Franky toy – he is one of the main characters in One Piece.  As an Auntie, it was a goal to make my nephews happy.

From our hotel, we visited Bugis Street. It’s a shopping place for all the souvenirs you want to buy. Everything is almost there in Bugis, from chocolates, souvenir bags and shirts, candies, clothes and many more. There were food stalls also.

After some minutes of walking, we asked a Filipino store owner where can buy these One Piece items. Luckily, we found it! But, oh, god! It was pricey!!! The original price is $59 for all the 9 items. The store owner allowed us to bargain down to $50. So, I gave in and bought it. 💸💸💸

When we got the toys, we called my nephew, and he was very happy! Buti naman! 😅

Albert Centre

Entrance Fee: Free

Across Bugis Street is Albert Centre which is one of the hawker places in Singapore. It is like a wet and dry market where you can shop and eat. We had our brunch inside the Albert Centre. For me, it was like Pasig Market where we ate our breakfast after shopping.

The food was just ok same as the drinks. I was not very happy with the food, but the good part was that the lady from the restaurant we ate was very accommodating and pleasant.

After Bugis, we rode again the MRT and transferred to another itinerary for the day.

Marina Bay Sands

Entrance Fee: Free

Well, if you are outside the Marina Bay Hotel, yes it is free! We just literally passed by this area since this was just near the MRT station.

The entire hotel was massive! If you are outside, you will just really feel that you are a small person walking into this huge infrastructure in Singapore. From there, we walked going to Gardens By The Bay.

We also had a chance to see MBS from afar. These photos were taken at Merlion Park. 📸📸

Flower Dome and Cloud Forest

Entrance Fee: Php 1,346 each, discount applied as I have available points in Klook

After 15 minutes of walking from Marina Bay Sands along Gardens By The Bay, we reached the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. The entire Gardens By The Bay was massive too so better get ready with your knees and feet in walking. We saw some shuttles along the way but cannot find where it will stop, so we bear the walking then.

We entered first the Flower Dome. The queue at the entrance was just fast enough so in minutes, we were already inside the Flower Dome. After minutes of walking under the heat, it was perfect to sit and cool down. The Flower Dome is a huge indoor air-conditioned space where basically different species of flowers, plants and trees were showcased. 🌿🌵☘️🥀🌼🌺

By last June 2024, their exhibit mainly focused with different kinds of roses and tourist spots of Türkiye. It was like visiting two places at a time – Singapore and Türkiye! My Mum and I enjoyed all the parts of the exhibition. We took so many photos that let us stay inside the Flower Dome for more than an hour.

After in Flower Dome, we entered the Cloud Forest. It was just across the Flower Dome so you do not need to worry about walking again in the heat. Inside the Cloud Forest, we were welcomed by the mist of the falls. It’s like we were in the “Avatar” movie surrounded by falls, mist and plants. 💦💧🌿🌳

The Cloud Forest consisted of different floors of different exhibitions. As for us, we used the elevator with my Mum, checked the topmost part of the fall and walked in the canopy.

Since I am afraid of heights, it was frightening to walk in a narrow path that was 6 floors down. But my Mum braved the walking and just enjoyed it. So, I walked myself up too! 😅😅😅

We just spent an hour inside the Cloud Forest and walked our way out. It was indeed a good experience for young and adults  who will visit Singapore. 😍

Super Tree Grove

Entrance Fee: Free

Still inside the Gardens By The Bay, we just walked again to see the Super Tree Grove. Though we didn’t see the most numbers of trees as we went ahead to the North Entrance.

It was still fun seeing the Super Trees that made one of the most iconic sights in Singapore. 🥰😍

Merlion Park

Entrance Fee: Free

From Gardens By The Bay North Entrance, we took a Grab to One Fullerton Hotel near Merlion Park. We were charged $8.50 for a less than 10 minutes ride.

Merlion Park was jam-packed with locals and tourists. It was indeed the full picture of Singapore. The Merlion statue as the half lion and half fish is a symbol of myriad works of art and poetry. It also symbolizes the origin of Singapore as a fishing village.

The Merlion statue stood proud in 8.6 meters and weight 70 tons. The statue was originally located at the mouth of the Singapore River, it was built by local craftsman Lim Nang Seng, designed by Kwan Sai Kheong, and unveiled on September 1972 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

With the completion of Esplanade Bridge in 1997, the statue could no longer be viewed clearly from the waterfront and was relocated to the Merlion Park, which stands in front of Fullerton Hotel and overlooking Marina Bay Sands.

Today, it is a clear spot to take photos whenever you are in Singapore. Plus, the water-drinking pose is a must! 😂😂😂

Day 4

Chinatown

Entrance Fee: Free

From our hotel, we rode the MRT again with a direct route to Chinatown. Rain was pouring when we visited Chinatown. We aimed to shop for souvenirs, but the rain somehow stopped us. We ate in a local restaurant and tried the Kaya Toast while waiting for the rain to stop. ☔🌧️☔

In Filipino dishes, I will compare Kaya Toast like a toasted bread with “latik”, a coconut-based spread that is very sweet. It is good to pair with coffee. It is very much a perfect combination if your Kaya Toast and coffee are both hot, perfect for the rainy wet season in Singapore. 🍞☕

Since the shops in Chinatown were not really covered, we opted then to return to Bugis. The shops in Bugis specially in the Bugis Street was better since all stalls are covered during the rain. It is more organized for me. The Bugis Street also has a hawker food center that was air-conditioned yet with lesser choices of food. And yes, I enjoyed the food in Bugis more than in Albert Centre.

Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul

Entrance Fee: Free

After shopping in Bugis, we returned to our hotel. We relaxed a bit more then waited for some hours before we attend a mass at Sts. Peter and Paul Church. The church is located just at the back of our hotel that took us less than 5 minutes to walk.

We were blessed to have a sunset mass or just like an anticipated mass on a Saturday. We intended to attend the mass at 5:30 PM as it was celebrated in English. It was a wonderful feeling to attend a mass in a different place and being with my Mum was extra special feeling too. 🙏🙇‍♀️😇

The church was relatively new and was established in 2003. Inside the complex of the church was a souvenir shop, an Adoration Chapel and a building to facilitate the gathering of devout fellow Catholics. I think there was a school beside it.

Inside the Church, it was adorned with different replicas of Saints Peter and Paul. There was a relic of St. Joseph too. I liked that the chairs were also filled with Bibles and songs pamphlets that made it more inviting to everyone. The usherettes also provide QR code to view the mass readings. After attending the church, we felt very blessed to be in Singapore. 🙏🙇‍♀️😇

Saint Joseph Church

Entrance Fee: Free

Almost across Saints Peter and Paul Church was Saint Joseph Church. After the mass we attended, we crossed the street to see another church. However, the Saint Joseph Church was already closed.

It was said that Saint Joseph is one of the first Catholic Churches in Singapore. It was smaller than Saints Peter and Paul Church, looks almost like chapel.

We just spent some minutes here to take photos and hopped to another church. It was like sort of a pilgrimage. 😇

Chijmes

Entrance Fee: Not sure

And all we thought that it was another church! But it was Chijmes! It was the church used in the Crazy Rich Asian movie and tadahhh! It was not a church! 😅😅😅

Founded in 1854 by the French sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Infant Jesus, the school was established at the corner of Bras Basah Road and Victoria Street.

Today, Chijmes is being used as events place for weddings and other exhibits. Since there was an event inside and we really thought that it was another church – with a bit of disappointment, we spent just less than 5 minutes there and returned to our hotel.

Thank you, Singapore!

Overall, my Mum’s first international travel was a hit! She enjoyed the places we went to and our hotel. Though traveling with a parent that is a Senior Citizen may need more planning and costly, it was delightful experience for both of us.

I get to experience travelling with a companion as I am used to solo travel abroad. My Mum also got the itch of travelling more. She even asked me when our next destination will be while we are the Changi International Airport before returning to Manila. Insanely satisfying! Even Senior Citizens craved travelling too! I was very happy that I get my Mum to travelling while she still can. 😍🥰😍

Hopefully, in our next travel, we can bring along the entire family! For now, I need to save more! Until my next blog! 💜💜💜

Travel Date: June 2024