Explore A merry go-round We bring you the lowdown on what the Lion City has to offer its youngest guests, colourful parades, floats, character appearances and shows around who will soon discover that the entire city every corner are sure to bring out the child in you. Supporting all this are a plethora of exciting dining and retail options with is their playground. fascinating memorabilia that your little ones will not be able to keep their hands off. Text Mandira Rai Watch the kids (and the young at heart) squeal with joy as they till searching for that dream destination for your family ride on Battlestar Galactica, the world’s tallest pair of duelling vacation? Wondering which city has as much to offer the roller coasters, sit atop the world’s first Transformer attraction, kids as the grown-ups? Look no farther than Singapore, visit the world’s first Far Far Away Castle from Shrek or enjoy the S world’s first Madagascar theme-park ride. which has developed a reputation—deservedly—for being one such holiday favourite. Underwater World Universal Studios Singapore Voyage to the bottom of the sea at this unique oceanarium on For a full day of fun, fantasy and films, head to Universal Sentosa Island, which houses 2,500 ‘inmates’ from 250 species. Studios. Heralded as one of the most expensive tourism projects As you journey through reefs and colourful ocean colonies on an in the world, at a whopping $7 billion, it showcases 24 rides 83m-long travelator, get introduced to blue-spotted stingrays, sea and attractions spread over seven themed zones, 18 of which dragons, arapaima, sea angels, endangered giant turtles, nurse are original or have been adapted especially for Singapore. The sharks, white-tip reef sharks and leopard sharks. Spot the devious Mandira Rai Mandira 44 Jetwings International July 2012 Mandira Rai Mandira mimic octopus and, if you’re brave enough, allow giant isopods to p Clockwise from above: Characters from Sesame Street pose for a photo op at crawl all around you. The touch pool near the entrance is another Universal Studios Singapore; Vintage toys on display at MINT Museum of Toys; The water-play area at Port of Lost Wonder draws even the adults into joining the kids. must-visit. Thereafter, move on to the adjacent dolphin lagoon to watch the of POLW currency called ‘curios’ that can be redeemed for games pink dolphins and fur seals perform. Your little ones will laugh at or ice cream. There’s also ‘Pots & Planks’, a hands-on gardening their antics and quiver with excitement as they get up close with programme where children can lease plots and plant vegetable the friendly animals, who shake hands and pose for photographs seeds. At the end of the day, your little pirate can shake a limb or after the show. ‘Swim with the Dolphins’ and ‘Dive with the two with the crew in the POLW boogie. Sharks’ are two unique programmes visitors shouldn’t miss. MINT Museum of Toys Port of Lost Wonder Prepare for a real treat at MINT (Moment of Imagination and Singapore’s first kids’ club by the sea, Port of Lost Wonder Nostalgia with Toys) Museum of Toys, the world’s first purpose- (POLW) stands on the beach on Sentosa Island. At the heart of built museum for toys. No one is too young or too old for this this club is a water-play area set in a magnificent pirate ship. private collection that showcases more than 50,000 pieces of Complete with water guns, water slides, fountains and cascading vintage toys and childhood memorabilia from the 19th and 20th waterfalls, a splashing good time for hours is guaranteed here. On centuries, some of which are over 100 years old. the weekends, the kids can frolic in a foam pool as well. While the kids go gaga over Batman and Astroboy, the Tintin The club also features picnic decks and indoor and outdoor play collectibles are sure to take you down memory lane. Most of the areas as well as a lovely café serving surprisingly healthy and toys are in mint condition and are said to originate from over yummy food for children. Each admission ticket comes with a bag 40 countries around the world. Stroll down the museum’s many galleries, which exhibit a remarkable variety of toys, from board games, prewar Japanese toys, dolls, wind-up toys and comic books to various kinds of marbles, skipping ropes and even spinning tops. Skyline Luge A perennial favourite with families, luge carts are essentially gravity driven go-carts equipped with brakes to control speed. Watch your little racer’s heart race as he whizzes down 650m of the Jungle Trail or 688m of the Dragon Trail. The Skyline Luge, the only one of its kind in South East Asia, begins with the thrilling Skyride which is similar to a ski lift. On the Skyride, soak in unrivalled views of the Singapore’s dazzling skyline and coastline. dinodia photos 46 Jetwings International July 2012 Mandira Rai Mandira Songs of the Sea This water, light and sound extravaganza based on a marine theme is held at Sentosa Island every night. Designed by renowned multimedia show creator Yves Pepin and in its 6th year of running, this musical showcases water jets, flame bursts, pyrotechnics, lasers lending support to a live cast, and is topped off with a dazzling display of fireworks that can be seen for miles into the South China Sea. Singapore Zoo This animal haven nestled in a tropical rainforest is one of Singapore’s landmark attractions. The zoo is home to over 3,000 animals across 316 species, of which an alarming 36% are threatened. Along with elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras and Mandira Rai Mandira monkeys—all-time favourites with children—are must-sees such as the free-ranging orang utans, penguins, komodo dragon, anaconda and white tigers. And if you can make it to the zoo bright and early, your kids can share the most important meal of the day with the orang utans and tamarins at the award-winning ‘Jungle Breakfast With Wildlife’. Along with a great education, the kids are guaranteed a wild time at the many animal shows as well as the Rainforest Kidzworld, with its water-play area and giant carousel. p Clockwise from above: Whizzing away on a luge; Songs of the Sea is a spectacular visual extravaganza; Children feeding the Indian elephants at Singapore Zoo. Antony SOUTER | Alamy | IndiaPicture SOUTER | Antony 48 Jetwings International July 2012 Night Safari giant flying squirrel. The younger lot are sure to be enthralled by It’s an official night out for the children at the Singapore Night the popular interactive show ‘Creatures of the Night’, with its star Safari! Watch them quiet and wide-eyed as they ride the tram cast of pythons, hyenas, otters, wolves and other surprise guests. through eight diverse geographical regions and see animals in their natural habitat. Only this time, it will be in a completely Jurong Bird Park different light—that of the moon. The night safari, the world’s One of Singapore’s most popular family destinations, the Jurong first, is home to 1,000 nocturnal animals of 115 species, of which Bird Park hosts 8,000 birds from over 600 species. Clearly no child 30% are endangered. Don’t miss the Asian lions, sloth bears and should leave Singapore without a visit to the world’s largest bird park or the world’s largest walk-in aviary, housed in the park. This bird park has the largest collection of hornbills and toucans and all seven species of pelicans in the world. A stunning flamingo pool and a penguin coast add to the excitement. Watch your kids squeal with laughter at the many fun bird shows or the playground with wet and dry zones. Jacob Ballas Garden for Children Nature education meets fun and play at one of Singapore’s best-kept secrets—the Jacob Ballas Garden for Children. The first garden of its kind in Asia, it is a specialised area dedicated to children, with the intent of stimulating a sense of wonder for the plant world. Developed along the theme, “All Life on Earth Depends on Plants”, the garden has an actual maze, a suspension bridge, a tree house with slides, secret caves, a sensory garden and much more. And of course, a lovely water play area that provides a perfect finish to a day out in the sun. Maximilian Weinzierl | Alamy | IndiaPicture | Maximilian Weinzierl t Left: The walk-in aviary at Jurong Bird Park is a sure hit with the kids. Above: Illuminated papier-mache animals at the night safari. Fact file Getting there Jet Airways has daily flights to Singapore from New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. All flights arrive at Changi International Airport, which is approximately 20 minutes from the city centre. Accommodation Singapore is an extremely popular destination brimming with accommodation options catering to all needs and budgets. Being an island, Singapore is quite compact and everything is in close proximity. Orchard Road is, however, the heart of the city with most attractions, restaurants and hotels centred around the area. The Hilton on Orchard Road (www. hiltonhotels.com/singapore) is very conveniently located. Sentosa Island would be another option to set up base in, as many of the attractions listed are on the island. Getting around Taxis are the best way to get around Singapore as they are fairly inexpensive and easy to find. The city is also well connected by the metro and bus system.