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Solo Travel advice, anyone been to Singapore?


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Old 28-12-2016, 22:22
TellyGranny
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Hey guys.

I posted a thread in here last month after my boyfriend of nearly three years finished with me and I received some great advice. I'm now feeling a bit better and looking to make the most of my single life. I've done loads of overtime at work and saved money on his Christmas presents that i'd already budgeted for, so that plus living at home and paying only a bit of board leaves me with some spare cash that I want to spend on me myself and I.

I'm desperate to go on some cool holidays this year whilst i'm in this financial position. I've got savings that I was hoping to put towards a house with my ex, and whilst i don't want to blow the lot i'm happy to take a bit out towards some great trips.
However, whilst my friends have been lovely, none of them are quite in the same position as me. They're all either living hand to mouth trying to make it in London, still students, or paying a fortune in rent having just started their career. I've been at my job well over a year now and am ready to start seeing the benefits of my earnings!

I really fancy a trip to Singapore but don't have anyone who is able to come with me due to financial constraints. What i'm wondering is, has anyone been to Singapore? What do you think it would be like as a lone female traveller?
I've been on long haul flights before but never on my own and I think i would quite like the challenge. I quite like the idea of going somewhere and doing as I please and going to all the places I want to go. But this is very adventurous and out of character for me
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Old 28-12-2016, 22:42
ags_rule
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Singapore is maybe my favourite city in the world. Impeccably clean, very safe (even as a solo traveler), world class transportation, incredible man-made attractions and some amazing natural sights to see as well. It's very small as well so you could easily see everything there is to see within around 10 days. A week would be enough time for most folks though.

One word of caution - Singapore is expensive. Very expensive in some cases. In restaurants make sure you read the prices carefully and don't get pulled into sitting down somewhere before you have had a look at the menu. There are definitely a few areas that are "tourist traps" renowned for this (such as Clarke Quay and Orchard Street) but with a little bit of street smart you'll be grand.

I would highly recommend it
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Old 29-12-2016, 13:02
Yosemite
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I'm desperate to go on some cool holidays this year ...
Was this simply a figure of speech?

Singapore certainly won't be "cool" in the usual sense regardless of the time of year.
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Old 29-12-2016, 13:20
Nova21
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Great fun city, but as mentioned, very expensive... Maybe not the best place in that part of the world to be as I guess traveller in terms of meeting others... How about an organised tour in South East Asia.. Could include Vietnam and Thailand ("prob Bangkok only) and maybe Cambodia in 10 days or so... Plenty of travel companies offer it...

In terms of non organised group tour... Vietnam is good place to meet fellow travellers, and maybe even hostels in Hong Kong (more similar to Singapore, but busier and dirtier)...
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Old 29-12-2016, 17:35
jaycee331
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Sorry that this isn't answering the question, but it's food for thought nonetheless.

Solo travel scares the beejezus out of me and makes me feel incredibly vulnerable. You could lose your wallet, keys, get mugged, fall and have an accident or get lost and you have no-one to cover your back and help you out.

I once got pick pocketed at Geneva airport. It would have been a freaking disaster had I not been in the company of a friend who still had euro's and credit cards so that we could carry on our way.
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Old 29-12-2016, 22:47
Snikpoh
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Sorry that this isn't answering the question, but it's food for thought nonetheless.

Solo travel scares the beejezus out of me and makes me feel incredibly vulnerable. You could lose your wallet, keys, get mugged, fall and have an accident or get lost and you have no-one to cover your back and help you out.

I once got pick pocketed at Geneva airport. It would have been a freaking disaster had I not been in the company of a friend who still had euro's and credit cards so that we could carry on our way.
And on the other hand - my daughter spent five months travelling solo around Europe in 2014, then seven months travelling solo around the Far East/South East Asia this year without any problems.
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Old 30-12-2016, 00:17
Toby LaRhone
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And on the other hand - my daughter spent five months travelling solo around Europe in 2014, then seven months travelling solo around the Far East/South East Asia this year without any problems.
Same here - mine went for 3 months around IndoChina and really valued the experience whilst I bricked myself.
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Old 30-12-2016, 00:19
Toby LaRhone
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Sorry that this isn't answering the question, but it's food for thought nonetheless.

Solo travel scares the beejezus out of me and makes me feel incredibly vulnerable. You could lose your wallet, keys, get mugged, fall and have an accident or get lost and you have no-one to cover your back and help you out.

I once got pick pocketed at Geneva airport. It would have been a freaking disaster had I not been in the company of a friend who still had euro's and credit cards so that we could carry on our way.
Worse still, a bad man might steal your teddy 👹
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Old 01-01-2017, 02:19
TobiasBudzynski
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I've read amazing things about their garden of eden like airport.
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Old 01-01-2017, 03:13
Orangecrab
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Great fun city, but as mentioned, very expensive... Maybe not the best place in that part of the world to be as I guess traveller in terms of meeting others... How about an organised tour in South East Asia.. Could include Vietnam and Thailand ("prob Bangkok only) and maybe Cambodia in 10 days or so... Plenty of travel companies offer it...

In terms of non organised group tour... Vietnam is good place to meet fellow travellers, and maybe even hostels in Hong Kong (more similar to Singapore, but busier and dirtier)...
Have you considered the merits of going entirely on your own, or going on an organised tour as Nova21 says, you might feel safer that way. In either case I would recommend taking out insurance as a must.

I admire you for working all that overtime. I worked loads of overtime in my first job, but I found it to be a total drag sometimes when I just wanted to go home as early as possible, and couldn't!
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Old 01-01-2017, 16:11
LostFool
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Sorry that this isn't answering the question, but it's food for thought nonetheless.

Solo travel scares the beejezus out of me and makes me feel incredibly vulnerable. You could lose your wallet, keys, get mugged, fall and have an accident or get lost and you have no-one to cover your back and help you out.
That's all part of the adventure of solo travel. You learn to look after yourself and always to have a backup plan. Don't keep all of your money/cards in one place, don't put yourself into vulnerable situations and use common sense.

I've been all over SE Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam) on my own and never had a serious problem. I don't like the idea of long organised tours as I prefer to do my own thing at my own pace rather than being stuck with a bunch of people you don't know and forced to follow a fixed schedule. Wherever you go you will always get talking to people and you can always go on organised day trips for things that are too hard or expensive to do on your own.
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Old 03-01-2017, 22:53
MARTYM8
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For a solo traveller Singapore is probably one of the best places in the world to visit I would say. English is the main language of communication and they even have the same plug sockets we do in the UK so no need for adaptors.

So many things to do on a small island from shopping, to sightseeing, bars and nightlife, to going to the beach, also amazing attractions like Sentosa island and the Gardens by the bay and more traditional ones too. Excellent cheap metro and bus network too to get around. It's also incredibly safe.

And you always know what the weather will be like whenever you go. Yes it's humid but air conditioning is plentiful.

So I would certainly recommend it. A lot of the airlines have sales on at the moment - including the worlds best airline Singapore airlines so it's worth looking now. You can also use it as a base to visit other parts of south east Asia - Kuala Lumpur is a mere hour away by plane and you can get flights from £30 return.

It isn't the cheapest place hotel wise - serviced apartments or short term rentals where you have your own kitchen and washing machine are plentiful though and may be better options than hotels.
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Old Yesterday, 00:53
gamzattiwoo
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Singapore is maybe my favourite city in the world. Impeccably clean, very safe (even as a solo traveler), world class transportation, incredible man-made attractions and some amazing natural sights to see as well. It's very small as well so you could easily see everything there is to see within around 10 days. A week would be enough time for most folks though.

One word of caution - Singapore is expensive. Very expensive in some cases. In restaurants make sure you read the prices carefully and don't get pulled into sitting down somewhere before you have had a look at the menu. There are definitely a few areas that are "tourist traps" renowned for this (such as Clarke Quay and Orchard Street) but with a little bit of street smart you'll be grand.

I would highly recommend it
I have been to Clarke's Quay and did not find it overly expensive. It is though the most wonderful place to visit for a meal by the river in the evening at dark with all the lights.Have done this on two separate visits to Singapore and would not have missed the experience.
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Unread Today, 10:42
cessna
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I first arrived in Singapore in 1951 via army N/S and managed to return many years later in 2003 to find it was beyond recognition to the island I had known and left earlier. However it is great from the tourist point of view and you will not be disappointed I feel sure as it is very clean, very safe with many attractions and the people seem very happy in general. The only part you may find less attractive is the 12 hour flight each way which for me and my wife was 24 hours of absolute boredom. I shall be returning there again sometime I hope for my final visit as I am now alone with my wife and friends all now gone, and getting on in years. I hope you will choose to go there and I wish you a great and happy time.
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