SingapoRediscovers - Rediscover Singapore during Pandemic

This is year 2020. A very challenging year for tourism worldwide battered by Covid-19 pandemic. In Singapore to encourage locals to patronise and support tourism industry, the government will be giving out each Singaporean adult aged 18 and above $100 voucher consisting of 10 x $10 in which can be used specifically for staycations, attraction tickets and tours as part of SingapoRediscovers (Singapore Rediscovers) initiative.

Yotelair staycation at Jewel

Dubbed by some as Singapoliday, the vouchers will be valid for seven months starting early December 2020 till end June 2021. For under 18, adult Singaporeans will be able to purchase up to six subsidised tickets for attractions and tours, each at $10 off.

So even if you cannot go to Singaporeans perennial favourites such as Japan or South Korea to enjoy snow, you can still have winter experience at Snow City right here in Singapore. It will never be the same as the real thing but it is in Jurong and perhaps you can combine the visit to Singapore Science Centre just next door.

But if you are really itching to fly again, Singapore Airlines is planning to commence 3-hr flight to nowhere. Taiwan has started it. Note: this idea has since been shelved. Instead they are offering dining experience in their A380 jet planes and behind the scenes experience.

Giraffes at Singapore Zoo

Do you know that Singapore Zoo is rated among the top zoos in the world? Or why not catch a glimpse of the giant pandas, Kai Kai and Jia Jia and the cute little squirrel monkeys at River Safari or have an experience of the Amazon River Cruise.

Singapore is known as City in Nature and you will not be short of parks and nature reserves to visit. There are people who travelled to some faraway hot deserts to take photos with cactus. There is an impressive cactus garden right here at Gardens by the Bay in the Flower Dome. Except that the cactus here is housed in air-conditioned room. Maybe still cannot beat the actual experience of being in a a very hot and dry desert.

Cactus in Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay

There are other desert trees such as baobabs and bottle trees in the Flower Dome too. And if you missed lavender field in Japan, there is a small lavender field in the dome too. However the lavender field is really tiny and you might missed it if you don't look hard enough..

Maybe you want to stretch your legs a little longer after long circuit breaker and lockdown, and working from home and go for a guided walking tour or two to learn more about the hidden gems in your own backyard or your neighbourhood. I bet you never know how many official merlions are there in Singapore, right? So we can try to rediscover our history and roots.

Barack Obama at Sentosa Island

Or if want to have a photo taken with your favourite celebrities or superstars, head to Madame Tussauds at Sentosa Island. Jacky Chan, One Direction, Hugh Jackman X-Men, Craig Daniels James Bond 007 and footballer Christiano Ronaldo are waiting for you there. Former President of the United States Barack Obama is also there. So is Queen Elizabeth. Some other VIPs are also there if you want to rub shoulders with them.

Or perhaps head to Jurong Bird Park before they permanently shift to Mandai. The waterfall in Jurong Bird Park used to be the tallest in Singapore before it is overtaken by the ones in Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay and then by Jewel Rain Vortex at Changi Airport. You can do a staycation at Yotel Jewel using your voucher and admire the rain vortex all day and night long.

SEA Aquarium at Sentosa Island

There are king penguins at Jurong Bird Park. And the very rare blue macaw. There are penguins at Singapore Zoo too but the ones at Jurong Bird Park are massive and live in icy climate. It is unlikely in our lifetime that we can go to Antarctica even if the borders open. And something off the beaten tracks to consider, kayaking around

Sentosa Island or Pulau Ubin perhaps? Or perhaps farm stay? Yes there are farms in Singapore.

Many tourism establishments are now gearing up to welcome domestic tourists to enjoy their staycations or experiences. There is no limit to the number of vouchers, that comes in denominations of $10, that can be used in a single transaction, though it is hope that some locals can spread it out across different attractions and tours and not just use it up all at once on a staycation package at Sentosa.

Palawan Beach at Sentosa Island

There are many walking tours organised by various travel agents that will bring you to Kampong Glam, Little India, Chinatown and Geylang Serai among others. Perhaps time to rediscover our heritage. And at the same time you can appreciate some street arts in these places among some alleyways that you never knew existed. Maybe most people are aware of the colourful Haji lane but there are other street arts too.

There are tours too that bring you around your own backyard, i.e. neighbourhood tours. You never know that there might be some hidden gems somewhere near where you live that you were never aware of before.

With the pandemic nature walks have gaining traction as well. You can go for walking tours to Pulau Ubin, Sungei Buloh or MacRitchie Reservoir and Windsor Nature Park. Or you can walk on your to enjoy the greenery at your own pace and time.

Pulau Ubin

Sentosa Island probably is the closest to being overseas' and many locals are understandably longing for an 'overseas' experience or holidays, especially with the island having many attractions. Just chilling in a hotel overlooking an open sea appeals to many, even if the view include passing cargo ships.

One used to be able to camp for free along the beaches of Pulau Ubin, at the Southern Islands, Changi Beach, Pasir Ris, East Coast Park, but the pandemic unfortunately put a stop to that. So the voucher may come in handy for a staycation experience, which I did! You can't fly but the airport is open for staycation.