FOUR WILDLIFE ADVENTURES
Your kids, and the kid in you, will never run out of adventures. Singapore prides itself with four wildlife parks which allow visitors close interaction with animal life. The Singapore Zoo has 2,800 animals from over 30 species. You’ll love that the animals are free-roaming in their natural habitat as opposed to being in cages, which is why these wildlife parks have reaped innumerable rewards. Don’t miss out on having a photo upclose with the free-ranging orangutans. I also recommend the polar bear in its frozen habitat.

For creatures of the aquatic kind, go to the River Safari, Asia’s first and only river-themed wildlife park. You’ll fall in love with Jaja and Caicai, the two giant pandas on loan from China. Likewise, the river otters and Mekong giant catfish are spectacular. You’ll also find the world’s largest freshwater aquarium at Amazon Flooded Forest here.

If you’re into avian pursuits, the Jurong Bird Park has over 5,000 birds roaming freely in their natural habitat. Thankfully, if you only have time in the evening, you can still have your wildlife adventure at the Night Safari, Singapore’s number one night spot, open ‘til midnight. You’ll love getting up close and personal with over 1,000 animals in their nocturnal rituals.

SINGAPORE’SVERY OWN ‘HAPPIEST PLACE'
A visit to Singapore will not be complete without a stopover in Sentosa, the Asia Pacific’s best integrated resort. Here, you’ll find one of Singapore’s happiest place, Universal Studios.The world’s first Transformers Ride is here, the ultimate ride for the thrill-seeker. Battlestar Galactica, the world’s tallest dueling roller coaster, is just as heartstopping. There are lots of other rides for kids of all ages, including the new Puss in Boots, perfect for tots who want the thrill of the rollercoaster.

New in Resorts World Sentosa is the S.E.A. Aquarium, home to over 100,000 marine animals. While here, check out the Ocean Dome with different varieties of manta rays, as well as the Shark Seas where you can walk under the home of these notorious predators. Don’t miss out on the world’s largest viewing panel, the magical Ocean Gallery.

SAVORING ASIA’S RENOWNED DISHES
If there’s one thing that makes me want to return to Singapore over and over again, its really the food. I love Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, chili crabs in black pepper and butter sauces, satay, roti prata, bak kut the, and he list goes on. I love that you can find food from all over Asia that’s done so authentically here. What’s best is that you don’t need to spend much to indulge in these.

In fact, ask any Singaporean and they’ll say the best places to have these are in the hawker food centers that’s sprawled all over the city. This means for less than SGD$5 or roughly P200, you can already have a truly hearty meal. For some of the best hawker food with the widest variety, go to Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown. Food here is so good, some stalls have even received Michelin stars. You’ll have to queue for some of them, but if only for bragging rights of binging on a Michelin-starred meal, you won’t regret it.

Aside from Singapore hawker food, there are also a few ones that I recommend to fuel you up after your exhausting adventures. East Ocean Teochew Restaurant at Ngee Ann City, Orchard Road has outstanding Chinese Cantonese dishes, which includes adorable, picture-perfect animal-inspired dim sum for appetizers. Seoul Garden has an all-you-can-eat buffet that’s full of your favorite Korean delights. You can choose from a wide array of meats and vegetables, which you yourself can cook either by barbecue or shabu-shabu.

Whether you’re a business or a holiday traveler, the asianTraveler in you will be delighted to know that the first Mercure Hotel in the City of Lions, ticks most of the boxes in your hotel checklist. Since opening in February 2017, this Singapore address has been living up to Mercure’s thrust of “Travel Made Authentic.” The beauty of the hotel is that you’re able to enjoy well thought- of, four-star amenities while absorbing Singapore’s rich culture and heritage.

All aspects of the city’s character are tastefully incorporated in the hotel. You’ll find hints and touches of Little India, Kampong Glam, Chinatown and Peranakan in the hotel’s physical design, facilities and atmosphere. You’ll even find bustling Orchard Road added to the interesting mix. What’s more, the themes continue on in each of the hotel’s 395 rooms, so you’ll enjoy guessing which heritage of Singapore your room evolved from. Think of it this way, if you’re a corporate traveler who won’t find time to see the real attractions, you’ve already immersed yourself in some facets of Singapore culture even without leaving the confines of the hotel.

Located in the center of Bras Basah and Bugis, Singapore’s art and culture district, you won’t even need to commute to kickoff your sightseeing plans when you stay in Mercure Singapore Bugis. Art galleries and museums, including the Singapore Art Museum and the National Museum of Singapore, are just a few steps away.

If shopping is more your calling, you’ll be ecstatic to know that you’re right along Singapore’s longest shopping street, Bugis. You’ll find loads of affordable bric-a-bracs in Bugis Junction and its flea markets. If you’re into branded stuff, you’ll find malls aplenty along the street as well. However, if your shopping cravings aren't easy to satisfy, walk for another 15 minutes and you’ll find yourself in Orchard Road, Singapore’s shopping haven, where most of the world’s biggest and most luxurious brands have huge flagship stores.

Exploring the rest of Singapore is easy from your Mercure Bugis address. Clarke Quay and Little India are just walking-distance away, while most other attractions are just a 10 to 15-minute cab ride away. But just as convenient is taking the MRT from either the Bugis or Bras Basah stations. From there, you’re only a stop away from Central station where you’ll find Singapore’s most iconic attractions: Gardens By the Bay, the Merlion and the Esplanade, aside from some of the most postcard-perfect views of the Marina Bay area.

After a long day of shopping and sightseeing, your Mercure Hotel has all the perfect offerings to make sure you refresh your tired soul. As soon as you step into the hotel, you can conveniently enjoy refreshments at the lobby lounge at Bartistry@One22. There’s also an outdoor terrace and a skydeck where you can sip on a Singapore Sling in beautiful resort garden settings, all while being mesmerized by a bird’s eye view of Singapore's heritage landmarks.

If you feel like lounging about, there’s an infinity pool long enough for you to swim laps in and bask in the Singapore sun. If you got back late from shopping and still feel the need to de-stress, the gym is open 24 hours, so there’s no excuse for missing a workout during your entire stay.

Once you get back in your hotel room, after guessing which Singapore heritage inspired your room, spoil yourself in its four-star comforts. Though before that, you might want to phone home with the Handy Phone that’s free to use during your stay. It’s got unlimited data and allows you to make free phone calls to 10 countries, such as China and most Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines. If you feel going out for a night snack, like tasting Singapore’s most renowned dishes such as Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, nasi lemak and mee goreng, you’ll find hawker places across the hotel and many more in the Bugis neighborhood. But if you’d rather stay in, there’s the restaurants Royale for Western food and Song Garden for modern Chinese-Cantonese cuisine, within the confines of the hotel.