Making memories is so important to me on vacation. Even if something is painful in the moment (screaming toddler, tedious line) the good memories will triumph. (Or, for this trip…it’s going to be challenging 13.5 hour flight with a clingy toddler. But, the alternative is we stay home, so I can do 13.5 hours for two weeks of discovering the world with my babies.
On this trip, it was myself and my husband, three kids, our best friends and their two kids. We had to be in Bali for work, so that dictated the location. Given the long length of the trip, we decided to spend two nights in Singapore which was a fantastic choice.
Where to Stay in Singapore
We were really excited to take advantage of the family amenities at Shangri-La Singapore, which were plentiful and really quite special and meticulously done. Our best day in Singapore was probably our arrival day oddly enough. I think we were all so energised to have actually survived the flight with all the littles that we just carried through. We arrived, and wasted no time in getting in the swimming pool.
Where to go in Singapore
We set straight off discovering the local hawker food market, Nelson Market. It’s a must-do as even the pickiest kids can be appeased with mango lassis and chicken satay. Then we carried through to the night safari at Singapore Zoo, which we questioned at first, seeing as we were arriving extremely tired with jet lag kicking in. But it was the right decision as the tour was quick, driven on a tram, and we were really quite astounded at all the animals you got to see. All the headlines: lions, tigers, bears, giraffes. Not sure I will ever do the zoo another way!
What to Do in Bali
We then moved on to Bali for my husband’s work commitments. Our best day in Bali would have been waking up at the crack of dawn to take these little fishing boats out to see the dolphins. Nothing fancy, just zen moments waiting for them to appear.
Here, our kids learnt that rice doesn’t come in bags in stores, but they saw it being harvested in the rice fields around our villa. They absolutely loved picking loads of shells on the beach, washing them carefully to do watercolors on them and starting water fights.
Where to Eat in Bali
We ate at Kekeluargaan Pandan Sari Cafe, in the South of Bali, where they had an incredible seafood buffet. Barbecued clams + bare feet in the sand = pure luxury.
Packing List for Singapore & Bali
A few sundresses, bikinis, a one-piece that goes with every long skirt or jeans shorts you own, and big floppy hats. Finish with a gold anklet.
Get inspired for your next family vacation with our global Collections or read more Postcards from globetrotting parents here.
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/bali/the-villa-bloom-bali
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/bali/the-mendira-beach-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/tabanan/the-zolima-villa
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/seminyak/the-badung-regency-residence