The work year is winding down, the kids are out of school, and you can smell the holiday spirit in the air. Singapore may be small, but adventure lurks around every corner. There are hotel staycations with escape room packages; exhilarating tours of haunted houses; and giant swings from which to hurl yourself across and above Sentosa.
All it takes is a little imagination and some teamwork to have fun and enjoy quality time with your loved ones - while utilising your annual leave. And you might as well put those digital SingapoRediscovers Vouchers to good use, right? Remember to book your experiences by Dec 31, 2021, and enjoy them by March 31, 2022, too.
Break your routine, have fun and get your adrenaline pumping, while rediscovering Singapore. Watch the video below for more tips and deals.
Here are some choice picks for safe - but just as thrilling - adventures that you can enjoy in the city, whatever your appetite for excitement is. And do remember to rediscover Singapore responsibly too.
Thrill on a hill
You've visited Fort Canning over the years, perhaps on a school excursion, to watch a ballet, or maybe on a hike up the hill. But have you really gotten to know the hilltop landmark?
A two-hour adventure, the Ransack @ Fort Canning game tour allows you to roam the famous fort as if it were an open-world role-playing game. This adventure takes you in search of puzzles and clues to tackle your mission, while learning more about Singapore's history. With a little strategic and creative thinking, you get to disappear into a vast open land, away from the trappings of our modern city, with your partners-in-crime.
Cost of tour: $30
Tour availability: Saturdays and Sundays, 2pm, 2.20pm, 2.40pm and 3pm
Tour operator: Monster Day Tours
Meeting point: Fort Canning MRT (outside MRT gantry)
Contact: Traveloka at 6486 7945
Click here to book the tour.
Scare fest
Do blood-curdling tales and nerve-racking wanders through a haunted house sound like your idea of an adventure? If you answered yes, Fright Night At The Museum Tour will indulge your dark side. This 90-minute walking tour begins at the former Joo Chiat Maternal and Child Health Clinic built in 1907 and meanders towards the bewitching terrace houses of Koon Seng Road.
At the heart of the tour is the story of Rose, a Nonya who died a tragic death in Joo Chiat. Her spirit is believed to have lived on in her former home which has since been converted into a private Peranakan Museum. In this ornate location, participants get a glimpse of rare Peranakan artifacts and perhaps even a ghostly flutter of Rose herself.
Cost of tour: $60 per person (or $225 for two, with a one-night stay at Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy Hotel)
Tour availability: Thursdays to Sundays, 7.30pm and 9.00pm
Tour operator: Xperience DMC
Meeting point: 341 Joo Chiat Road
Contact: Online chat services on Klook website and app
Click here to book the tour.
In plane language
Most of us may have been grounded over the past two years, but aviation enthusiasts can still get a kick out of the Fascinating World of Aviation Plus Exclusive Hangar Tour. The family-friendly activity offers an insider's look into Seletar's history as a British Royal Air Force station.
Wander through the tranquil neighbourhood, delving into buildings that were once integral to Singapore's development as an aviation hub. The highlight of this three-and-a-half-hour experience is an exclusive tour of the WingsOverAsia hangar that's usually reserved for aircraft owners, aviation workers and members of a private jet services company. Set your sights on planes of different makes and sizes, including seaplanes and those that serve as flying hospitals.
The tour culminates with drinks at the Private Aviators' Lounge (look out for some of the furniture that's made from aeroplane parts) where you'll get a rare, unobstructed view of the Seletar Airport runway.
Cost of tour: From $80
Tour availability: Tuesdays and Sundays, 9.45am to 1.15pm
Tour operator: Xperience DMC
Meeting point: Khatib MRT Station (Exit A)
Contact: Online chat services on Klook website and app
Click here to book the tour.
Excitement in the sky
When is a swing ride not just a swing ride? When you're propelled - strapped in safely, of course - head first from a giant swing 40m (equivalent to some 14 storeys of a HDB block) up in the air and left to swoop across Sentosa's beaches with an unrivalled view of the horizon over the sea.
Skypark Sentosa by AJ Hackett: Giant Swing is not an experience for the faint of heart, but if you're an adrenaline junkie, it'll do the trick nicely. The best part: You can do it strapped to the swing with your bestie so that you can experience this exhilarating adventure together - and talk about it for years to come!
Cost of attraction: From $51
Tour availability: From Thursdays to Mondays
Tour operator: Skypark by AJ Hackett
Meeting point: Skypark Sentosa by AJ Hackett
Contact: Traveloka at 6486 7945
Click here to book the experience.
View from the top
We've all been mesmerised by the Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi Airport, spilling 10,000 gallons of water from its 40-metre height. But did you know that the most beautiful view of the complex's stunning features is best observed from the Jewel Changi Airport Canopy Park on the top floor?
Adrenaline junkies should check out the Manulife Sky Nets - Walking, designed to elicit some major thrills as it straddles a five-storey-high void. Think of it as a walk in the park, except 25 metres off the ground. When you've warmed up, head to the Manulife Sky Nets - Bouncing, where you can channel your inner child and leap among the trees within the canopy. If you prefer challenging your senses, there are two mazes, one offering a leisurely stroll through manicured hedges and another lined with mirrors and an immersive chamber to push your limits.
Cost of ticket: From $4.50
Availability: Daily
Merchant: Jewel Changi Airport
Email: call@changirecommends.com.sg
Click here to book the experience.
Eat, play, love
Longing for an escape? With the Travelodge Harbourfront with Escape Room Experience staycation package, you get to escape - twice. Once when you check into Travelodge Harbourfront with your bestie to break away from the drudgery of the everyday, and again when you head to The Escape Artist at Harbourfront Centre to find your way out of one of its themed escape rooms.
Choose to join an elite squad of ninjas working to track a missing reconnaissance squad, be detained in a dark cell in a dodgy detention centre, or investigate a serial murder case in a cabin in the woods. Then let the adventure roll! This is the perfect chance to immerse yourself in an alternate reality and work against the clock.
You'll no doubt emerge from the escape room giddy with exhilaration. That's when you can head back to the hotel to chill, have a drink and bask in the good vibes.
Cost of package: From $182.
Availability: Tuesdays to Sundays, except on Dec 24, 25 and 31; three days' advance booking required
Merchants: Travelodge Harbourfront and The Escape Artist
Email: support@globaltix.com
Click here to book the package.
Island tripping
There is so much to see and do in Sentosa (more than 70 experiences and activities, to be exact) that it makes absolute sense to use your digital SingapoRediscovers Vouchers to purchase a Sentosa Fun Pass. Just to maximise the fun, of course.
The pass comes with 60, 90 or 120 tokens, all of which can be used to fuel your adrenaline rush. (The passes with 90 and 120 tokens are given five and 10 bonus tokens respectively.) Simply flash the Fun Pass at your chosen attraction for the excitement to begin. Participating attractions include iFly Singapore, Ola Beach Club, Sentosa 4D Adventureland and Skypark by AJ Hackett - maximum excitement and enjoyment for thrill-seekers of any kind.
Valid for 180 days from the date of purchase, Sentosa Fun Passes also come with special bundle promotions comprising food and drinks with your attraction entry, and souvenirs.
Cost of passes: From $60
Availability: Daily
Merchant: Sentosa
Email: support@globaltix.com
Click here to buy the pass.
Game theory
Digital adventurers will love a staycation at lyf Funan Singapore, where its gaming-themed lyf Style studio comes equipped with a PlayStation console so you and your pal can game to your hearts' content. Choose from four exciting games when you check into lyf's "Say Hi" counter or feel free to bring your own.
And nix that stereotype of gamers being anti-social because lyf is a co-living property with social spaces. This sleek establishment gives you a chance to get to know your neighbours at spots like its social kitchen aptly called "Bond" - safe distancing measures observed, of course.
Conveniently located within Funan, it's easy to nip out for something to eat, or better yet, to one of many nearby escape rooms. With so much to do, this is one staycation that'll keep you happily engaged.
Cost of package: From $347.
Availability: Daily, except between Dec 23 and 26, 2021, and Dec 29, 2021 and Jan 1, 2022
Contact: Trip.com at 3163 5312
Click here to book the package.
Prices, rates and packages are accurate as of date of publication on Dec 9, 2021.
In partnership with Singapore Tourism Board
