How a winning essay, a little travel savvy, and a lot of chili crab turned two “stopovers” into two unforgettable adventures.
You ever leave a city and immediately think, “That wasn’t enough”? That was me with Singapore. My first visit was a blur of “Highlights” that left me more hungry than satisfied.
Then I won the Singapore Stopover Do-Over Contest. Sure, the airfare wasn’t on Singapore Airlines (ironic, right?), but I wasn’t about to waste free flights. I turned one round-trip ticket into two stopovers — one on the way to my JetSet Agent FAM girls trip (Bali → Nusa Penida → Labuan Bajo → Komodo Islands) and another on the way home.
Because if you know me, you know: travel-savvy means never wasting a boarding pass. 😉
Stopover #1 — The Warm-Up
Our Singapore adventure technically started in San Francisco. I met Jenni at SFO — we grabbed dinner before our flight, and by the time we landed, we’d already decided we were roomies for life.
After arriving, we wandered the Jewel at Changi Airport (because obviously you don’t skip a rainforest waterfall inside an airport) before heading straight to Marina Bay Sands for one unforgettable night.
We checked in bright and early — and by “checked in,” I mean we dropped our bags, realized the room wasn’t ready yet, and made a beeline for the Infinity Pool on the 57th floor.
Here’s the thing: you can use the pool before your room is ready. What you shouldn’t do is come back down later in your towels to grab your keys because you’re too blissed-out (and a little sun-drunk) to change. The lobby was packed, and we learned real quick that Marina Bay Sands has standards. 🤣
Still, if you’ve got time to kill before your room — use the pool. It’s everything you’ve seen on Instagram and somehow still better in real life. Don’tBeThatTourist sitting in the lobby when there’s a gem 57 floors above you. ☀️🏙️
Once we regained a shred of dignity, we explored the ArtScience Museum for the SingaPOP exhibit (a neon stroll through Singapore’s pop-culture past) and capped the night with dinner at KOMA — dramatic torii gate, glowing ambiance, and Wagyu that melts in your mouth.
We ended the evening under the Supertree Grove light show — my beloved futuristic broccoli — first from below, then again from our balcony above. Pure magic.
Day 2 – Chinatown & Clarke Quay
The next morning, the rest of the JetSet Agent FAM girls arrived, and suddenly Singapore was ours to explore. I became the impromptu Chinatown guide, leading us through:
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
- Sri Mariamman Temple
- Chinatown Heritage Centre
- A little shopping, a spontaneous beer stop, and lunch at Lau Pa Sat — my personally picked pilgrimage for history, hawker stalls, and the peanut balls I’d been pining for since my first visit 🥜✨
We wrapped up the day with dinner and dancing along Clarke Quay — music floating over the river and neon reflecting on every surface.
Day 3 – Orchids & Rooftops
On our final Singapore day, we slept in (because FAM trips are fabulous and exhausting), then headed to the Orchid Gardens 🌸 before lunching on Satay by the Bay with skyline views.
A quick Gardens by the Bay shuttle turned into a rescue mission for my hair diffuser left behind at Marina Bay Sands — curly girls, you know that’s not optional 💁♀️.
We closed out our stay with dinner and cocktails at CÉ LA VI — the only proper way to end a Singapore night — followed by a riverboat cruise we used as a very scenic (and very expensive) water taxi.
We watched the Spectra light-and-water show from the river, the skyline glowing all around us, and capped it all off the next morning with the city’s signature Singapore toast at the airport — because apparently, that’s a thing, and honestly, I’m not mad about it.
Stopover #2 — The Encore (a.k.a. Right Now)
Fast forward to round two: I’m back in Singapore, staying two nights at the Mondrian Duxton — all art-deco glam, chic vibes, and the kind of rooftop pool that makes you forget your flight exists.
This stopover was all about food and culture. I joined Grace — the best guide in Singapore — for a foodie + culture tour through Little India, Kampong Glam, and Chinatown — nine tastings, three per neighborhood, each with its own story.
If you’re heading here, book Grace (or DM me and I’ll share her info — she’s that good).
Now I’m writing this from the Mondrian’s rooftop pool, Veuve Clicquot in hand, watching the skyline shimmer. This isn’t a layover anymore — it’s a full-blown love story.
Full foodie tour, cultural insights, and hidden-gem tips coming soon in Stopover Part 2.
The Essay That Started It All
Why I’m Plotting My Singapore Air Encore
You ever leave a place and immediately think, “Well, that wasn’t enough”? That was me in Singapore. Our cruise ended, and we signed up for the “Highlights of Singapore” tour. Spoiler alert: “Highlights” really just means “You’ll see everything, but only long enough to regret not seeing it properly.”
We did a riverboat ride, which was basically like watching Singapore through a fancy, scenic YouTube ad — beautiful, but impossible to skip. Marina Bay Sands loomed in the distance, sleek and iconic, like a VIP party I wasn’t on the guest list for. The Merlion gave its best “Welcome to Singapore” pose, and I responded with a photo that would’ve been great if it hadn’t been expertly photobombed by a guy in a neon bucket hat. Classic.
And the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay? I saw them from a distance. But it was daytime. Daytime Supertrees are just really ambitious broccoli. Impressive, sure, but I wanted the glowing, sci-fi version that makes you feel like you’ve wandered onto a movie set. Seeing them unlit was like showing up to a fireworks show at noon.
Just as I was mentally drafting a plan to “accidentally” miss my flight, we were whisked off to Changi Airport. Enter Singapore Airlines, where they greeted me with a hot towel and a Singapore Sling like they could smell the disappointment on me. And while I’ll never say no to a free cocktail at 30,000 feet, it only reminded me of all the satay I didn’t eat, the chili crab I didn’t demolish, and the hawker stalls I didn’t conquer.
But this story isn’t over. Singapore, I’m coming back. Next time, I’m seeing those Supertrees in all their neon glory, eating my body weight in noodles, and pretending I belong at Marina Bay Sands.
Until then, Singapore Airlines, keep the seat warm — and the Sling ready. I’ve got unfinished business.
Final Thoughts
From towel mishaps to Veuve by the pool, Singapore turned out to be my favorite kind of travel story — the one that started with unfinished business and ended with skyline sunsets.
Two stopovers. One city. Endless reasons to come back.
What city do you need a stopover in? ✈️
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