Singapore Travel Guide
8/21/2008 at 9:33 AM
Tags: Jetstar Asia, Low Cost Carriers, LCCs, Asia Travel (all tags)
Low cost carrier Jetstar Asia was jumping up and down at the recent Skytrax LCC awards, because it got two trophies: Best Low Cost Airline in Asia and Best Low Cost Airline in South East Asia. (Surely the second follows from the first, right?)
We're not so excited about the awards, but the special they're promoting in celebration is pretty neat. The airline is having a big fare sale with some tickets going from S$2 ($1.40) for travel until mid-November. The $2 fares are for the short hop from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, but longer flights aren't too bad either, as long as you like multiples of 11--fares are $11, $22, $33 and so on.
Buyer beware: Unlike the European airline industry where you'll always see taxes and charges loud and clear, the final bill on your Jetstar Asia could be a lot more than $11 or $22.
Related Stories:
· Jetstar Asia Prepares to Leave the Nest [Jaunted]
· Jetstar Asia coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: jetalone]
by amandak
7/28/2008 at 9:18 AM
Tags: Fall Travel, Car Racing, Mancations (all tags)
If you're addicted to old school Mario Kart on Wii, or just love fast cars, head to Singapore for the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, slated to take place on September 28, with practice runs on the 26 and 27. The coolest thing about this Grand Prix is that it's the first race of its kind held at night and the first street race in Asia.
The course will be lit with state-of-the-art technology and a high-tech lighting system designed to highlight the 23 curves and twists of the course that will line the marina. Drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Bourdais and Fernando Alonso are all set to take it on.
Race tickets are available online but moving fast, so don't waste time. Also, a variety of hotel packages offering rooms combined with tickets (at reasonable prices) can be found here.
Related Stories
· Singapore Grand Prix [Official Site]
· Datebook: Singapore [NYT]
· Mancations coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Formula_1_Singapore]
by sedona
6/19/2008 at 12:30 PM
Tags: Asia Travel, LCCs, Low Cost Carriers, Valuair (all tags)
Valuair is a Singapore-based low cost carrier that's slipped under our radar until now. It started out with big plans to practically conquer the Asian market--it was even the first LCC to start up in Singapore--but things didn't go quite according to plan. After a bit of a merger with Jetstar Asia, Valuair's routes are more limited.
The carrier's just added a few evening flights to the Singapore-Sumatra route, and the rest of its flights are also to Indonesia, especially to Jakarta and Denapasar (Bali).
Valuair tries to differentiate itself a bit from rival LCCs with hot meals and--get this--a free baggage allowance. We're quite taken with this Valuair lunchbox. Who can't love an airline that wishes you "Bon Airppetit"?
Related Stories:
· Valuair [Official Site]
· Valuair Launches Evening Flights to Medan [Asia Travel Tips]
· Low Cost Carriers coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Ian Fuller]
by amandak
5/16/2008 at 9:45 AM
Tags: Changi Airport, Singapore, Airports (all tags)
The great hub of Singapore's Changi Airport is already on the way to getting bigger, but now it's also getting better. Head to the third floor of the Terminal 2 building and you can now hang out in the Entertainment Deck, formally referred to as the "one-stop integrated entertainment zone."
The powers-that-be know that transit passengers have needs--could they mention this to other airports?--so the Entertainment Deck is there to help us pass the time: there's a free LAN gaming room, Xbox and Playstation consoles to use for free, a free cinema, music booths and a comic and collectibles shop.
You read right, heaps of that stuff is free to use. Isn't Changi Airport a friendly place? It almost makes you want to get stuck in transit waiting for a delayed plane... but not quite.
Related Stories:
· Changi Entertainment Deck [Official Site]
· Changi Airport's Getting Greedy for Terminals [Jaunted]
by amandak
4/23/2008 at 9:30 AM
Tags: Singapore Airlines, Tiger Airways, Airlines, In-Flight Entertainment (all tags)
It's all good news from Singapore Airlines this week. For a start, the carrier's rolling out a new on-board entertainment system, called eX2, which has quite a few features we like. As well as nice new 1280x768 screens, it will also include some PC applications like Media Player and PDF and photo viewers. That means you won't even need your own computer to look at stuff--just plug in your USB stick and read your own documents, listen to your own music or scroll through your own photos.
At the same time, Singapore Airlines must be pretty pleased with itself that its young spin-off Tiger Airways is growing up. The budget carrier that services the Australasian region is 49 percent owned by Singapore Airlines but is already making enough money not to need any cash injections from Mom and Dad. Tiger is even talking about looking for other airlines to acquire.
So that's the week for Singapore Airlines: the mile high club isn't important on planes--plugging in your USB stick is and little Tigers can grow up to be big and strong. They must be smiling over there.
Related Stories:
· Singapore Airlines Launches New Entertainment System [eTravel]
· Tiger Airways Has Earned Its Stripes [The Age]
· No Sex Please: We're on Singapore Airlines [Jaunted]
[Photo: William Hook]
by amandak
3/19/2008 at 10:00 AM
Tags: Changi Airport, Singapore, Low Cost Carriers, LCCs (all tags)
The paint on the third terminal at Singapore's massive Changi Airport is barely dry, but they're already thinking about the fourth. According to the Singaporean transport minister:
We must expand our capacity and add the fourth terminal because our status as a global aviation hub is threatened by rivals.
Although we still see Singapore as the clear choice for a hub fly-through, apparently officials fear that Dubai, Bangkok or Hong Kong could overtake them. Using an "if we build it, they will come" philosophy, Singapore hopes that the stray long-haul passengers who've started flying through Dubai instead will return.
With plenty of budget airline action happening in the Australasian region too, the budget airline terminal at Changi is also going to be expanded. They're predicting an increase in LCC passenger numbers from 2.7 million up to 9 million by 2009. With that many passengers circling the skies, we're hoping to see plenty of bargain prices.
Related Stories:
· Singapore Plans Fourth Changi Terminal [Business Traveller]
· Behind the Scenes at Changi T3 [Jaunted]
[Photo: stupz]
by amandak
2/29/2008 at 9:15 AM
Tags: Ferris-Wheels-of-the-World, Ferris Wheels, Attractions, Singapore Flyer, Tourist Attractions (all tags)
We've been getting excited about the Singapore Flyer for years now, and after this month's soft opening, it'll officially open tomorrow, March 1. But the the good Ferris wheel people of Singapore won't rest then, because they'll be preparing for the really proper Grand Official Singapore Flyer Launch, scheduled for April 15.
If you can't make any of the opening ceremonies, you can check on things by pulling up the Singapore Flyer webcam: When we checked, the wheel wasn't moving, and the weather suggested you wouldn't be able to see to Malaysia or Indonesia as promised.
Everyone wants a piece of the Singapore Flyer at the moment, with ASEAN politicians taking a ride this week, but the Singapore Flyer wants a piece of us too. They're promoting a What Wheel It Be? contest, where creative uses of a picture of the Singapore Flyer in any kind of work of art could win you some audio equipment. We're just hoping for an invite to the Grand Official Finally-It's-The-Last-Opening launch in April.
Related Stories:
· Giant Ferris Wheels Are the New Final Frontier [Jaunted]
· Singapore's Big Wheel [Jaunted]
· Flyin' the Singapore Flyer [Jaunted]
by amandak
2/12/2008 at 4:36 PM
Tags: Singapore Flyer, Ferris Wheels, Attractions (all tags)
Earlier this week Singapore opened Singapore Flyer, a new 165-meter-tall observation wheel, expected to draw 2.5 million visitors in its first year of operation.
The Singapore Flyer tops London's Eye by some 30 meters, but while the London wheel may be the most famous, it's actually the Star of Nanchang in China's Jiangxi province that was the highest wheelie ride until this week.
Singapore already has Berlin and Beijing breathing down its neck; both cities are set to release even taller wheels. Orlando, Qingdao and Dubai are all planning massive circular structures in the coming years too.
Looks like the halcyon days of "build a giant wheel and they will come" are a thing of the past. For now, Singapore is ready, offering adults 30 minute rides at $29.50 and throwing in gorgeous vistas of one of the cleanest countries in the world. Your move China.
Google map after the jump, though the Google Blimp needs to take a new photo of Singapore's Marina Bay, as the flyer does not appear to show up as of yet.
[Photo: stephen_au]
MORE...
Related Stories:
Official Site
Singapore's Big Wheel
Flyin' the Singapore Flyer
by markj
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