Cliff(y) Goes Travelling

33 Hendon Road, Singapore Raintr33 Hotel was an oasis of calm nestled in the Changi area. Notice the use of past tense in my first sentence as the hotel folded its business sometime in 2020. Still, I'm writing a tribute to this hotel that unfortunately had a purported reputation of being haunted as a significant portion of the population thought it occupied the site of the infamous Old Changi Hospital.

60 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore As Singapore has made good progress in curbing the spread of COVID-19, we've moved into Phase 3 of Reopening since 28 December 2020. My first staycation during this final phase before the eventual normalcy returns, soon enough hopefully, was a simple one at Champion Hotel (3*) on New Year's Eve.

581 Orchard Road, Singapore My last staycation during Singapore's Phase 2 of Reopening was at Hilton Singapore (5*), thanks to the corporate discount that I was entitled to. The ageing hotel was built in 1970, a year older than its competitor,  Grand Hyatt Singapore  (5*). With a rooftop swimming pool, it's got a total of 423 guest rooms.

Clementi, Singapore In October 2020, a Singaporean by the name Brice Li captured a stunning footage of the misty foliage of Clementi Forest, which has since attracted the attention of many. It was a fun experience trekking in the muddy forest, which led me to an old Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway tunnel.

From Bukit Timah Road to Holland Road, Singapore Keretapi Tanah Melayu, the main railway operator of Malaysia, used to operate train services between Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and Woodlands Train Checkpoint till mid-2011. Somewhere along the 24-km route is now a nature trail named Green Corridor. The legendary Clementi Forest, which has recently enjoyed the limelight, is accessible from the trail. 

21 Ocean Way, Sentosa Island, Singapore W Hotels around the world are breaking the norms of traditional luxury, positioning themselves as chic hotels replete with playful vibes. Managed by Marriott International, W Singapore - Sentosa Cove (5*)  is one option to escape from the fast-paced city life. The hotel was one of the first five hotels approved for staycation during Singapore's Phase 2 of Reopening.

1 Larkhill Road, Sentosa Island, Singapore Digging out old photos has made me realise that I've actually done a fair bit of staycations here in Singapore before the COVID-19 pandemic. We shall travel back in time to a few years ago when I stayed at Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa (5*), a tranquil resort offering a total of 140 guest rooms, suites, villas and a colonial bungalow named Larkhill Mansion.

80 Middle Road, Singapore Happy New Year, everyone! Let's hope that 2021 will be much better for all of us. More than just a luxury hotel that's well-loved by many, InterContinental Singapore (5*) is a heritage landmark in the heart of Bugis. It's the the flagship hotel of the InterContinental Hotels Group in Singapore. I had the opportunity to stay in one of its Heritage Suites with Club Lounge access last year.

Siloso Beach, Sentosa Island, Singapore Daily: 7.30pm - 10.30pm 'Sentosa Island Lights' is an annual light-up festival held at the resort island off Singapore's southern coast. This year is the fourth installation, featuring lovable Sanrio characters at Siloso Beach. Prior booking is required to go for the event due to the need to limit the number of visitors during this COVID-19 pandemic, which can be done via the following URL: https://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/things-to-do/events/island-lights/

Changi Airport, Singapore Daily: 24 hours Jewel Changi Airport is a nature-themed shopping and entertainment complex within the premise of the world's beloved airport in Singapore. Officially opened on 18 October 2019, it covers a total gross floor area of 135,700 square metres. While it's not a new attraction to Singapore residents, I'm pretty much dedicating this post to our overseas friends who've yet to visit Jewel or simply miss the sight of it given the current travel restrictions.

Changi Airport Connector, Changi Airport Terminal 4, Singapore Changi Jurassic Mile is a shared walking and cycling path that features permanent display of life-sized dinosaurs. Stretching over 1 km, it's part of the 3.5 km Changi Airport Connector that links the airport and East Coast Park. I'm not sure why, but this year has seen dinosaurs popping up everywhere in Singapore.