By the time we reached New Zealand this year, Singapore ranked first in our top countries we wanted to emigrate to, followed closely by the US. Now the places have been overturned, but Singapore remains a city close to our soul, which we love and we’d return at any time, without fear that we could get bored.

Singapore is a cosmopolitan city in which modern architecture blends with traditional values, a clean and quiet city, a city that deserves the millions of tourists it has.

Why Singapore would not be boring second, third or tenth time?

Well, here below you’ll find a small list of what you can do there in a one week vacation at least, a top 12 attractions to see in Singapore with the kids (we could not stop at 10, I told you we love this city).

I confess that it is extremely difficult for us to make this ranking, because the attractions in Singapore are so cool that it would be worth it if not first in the ranking, at least Top 3.

However, given that this post is addressed to families with children, but also to child-grown adults who arrive in Singapore, I asked our boys what they liked best there, during the two previous visits, the most recent one during summer of 2016. Each of the 12 points will be detailed in a separate article with details.

I asked our boys what they liked most there.

Here are the rankings made by our children (7 and 8.5 years old) considering their preferences and memories:

1. Universal Studios Singapore

Part of Resorts World Sentosa, 5 articles would not cover all my stories about Universal Studios, although the park itself is much smaller than the one in Florida, USA.

Universal Studios is divided into 7 theme areas, abounding in unforgettable attractions: Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City, Ancient Egypt, Lost World, Far Far Away şi Madagascar.

Familia Hai Hui top picks (rides): Battlestar Galactica, Jurrasic Park Rapids Adventure, Puss in Boots ‘Giant Journey, Transformers The Ride and Revenge of the Mummy.

Happy gang at Universal Studios

2. South East Aquarium Sentosa (S.E.A. Aquarium) 

Over 100,000 marine animals of over 800 species are spread in the largest aquarium in 49 different habitats, including: Strait of Karimata & Java Sea, Strait of Malacca & Andaman Sea, Bay of Bengal & Laccadive Sea, Ocean Journey, Open Ocean, Persian Gulf & Arabian Sea, Red Sea, East Africa, South China Sea and Shark Seas.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: Sea rays in the Open Ocean, starfish and sea cucumbers we’ve touched at Discovery Touch Tank, Ocean Journey Jellyfish, Shark Seas Sharks, Seagulls, and Giant Spider Crabs.

Colors, corals, fish at SEA Aquarium

3. Adventure Cove Waterpark

A perfect aquatic park, Adventure Cove is made up of multiple slides and attractions for all tastes, a tranquil river where you can float on coasters or swim, a section where you can snorkel over a colorful reef and 20,000 colorful fish, one where you pass by pools of sea rays and even sharks.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: Dueling Racer (a double slider), Riptide Rocket, Adventure River, Big Bucket Treehouse and Bluwater Bay, a wave pool (Andrei has not left the last two).

Next to Adventure Cove Waterpark we also find Dolphin Island, a paradise for those who love these gentle and beautiful mammals. Their programs include: Dolphin Adventure, Dolphin Discovery, Dolphin Encounter, Dolphin Observer, Dophin Trek & Trainer for a day.

Ready to swim and glide at Adventure Cove Waterpark

4. Singapore Zoo

Opened in 1973, the zoo spans 26 hectares of tropical natural park and includes over 300 species of mammals, birds and reptiles in planned habitats with the utmost care to mimic the natural habitats of animals. It’s fabulous, absolutely fabulous and we spent a very relaxing day visiting from beginning to the end.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: absolutely all the animals (especially white tigers, giraffes, zebras and orangutans), the specially designed playground Rainforest Kidzworld and the Elephants at Work and Play Show.

Afternoon siesta at Singapore Zoo

5. Jurong Bird Park 

On an area of ​​20 hectares of habitats created to mimic natural habitats, visitors can admire and interact with over 5,000 birds of over 400 species. Structured by areas, you enjoy the Waterfall Aviary (an area that houses over 600 birds and a 30-meter waterfall), Lory Loft, Jungle Jewels (inspired by the South American tropical rainforest), Penguin Coast (with Antarctic penguins and their cousins from Africa), Flamingo Lake, Pelican Cove, Hornbill & Toucan Aviary.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: the penguins, the flamingos, parrots paradise and Birdz of Play, a wonderful playground for children, with dry and wet areas, including small water slides and swimming pools.

Two penguins between flamingos at Jurong Bird Park

6. Night Safari

Fact: Since its opening in 1994, Night Safari has won 12 times the Best Attraction Award given by Singapore Tourism Board and currently receives 1.1 million visitors annually. The park only opens at evenings from 19.00 and you have two choices: you can take a guided tram ride through a variety of  habitats of over 1000 nocturnal animals, divided into 6 geographical areas from the world (Himalayan Foothills, Indian Subcontinent, Equatorial Africa, Asian Riverine Forest, Nepalese River Valley and Burmese Hillside); And / or you can follow one of the Trails (walks, on foot, but it’s more spooky and we did not do this with the kids) – Wallaby Trail, East Lodge Trail, Leopard Trail, Fishing Cat Trail.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: the tram ride at night; the traditional fire show at the entrance of Night Safari, Thumbuakar Performance; Creatures of the Night Show.

The king during Night Safari

7. River Safari

Located between Zoo and Night Safari, River Safari is the largest freshwater aquarium in the world, and its construction has tracked the fauna and flora of the world’s most famous rivers (Mississippi, Nile, Ganges, Congo, Mekong and Yangtze). Housing over 6,000 animals, including 40 endangered species, the park is home to the panda Kai Kai and Jia Jia.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: Giant Panda Forest, Squirrel Monkey Forest, Amazon River Quest and River Safari Cruise.

A short dip at River Safari (yes, it really is a monkey under water)

8. Gardens by the Bay

If it were after me, I would have put this attraction first in the top, but as the top is done by our boys, the gardens only ranked 8th place. But these gardens, oh, these gardens! I could stay here day after day for hours and I would be happy.

Gardens by the Bay is a project designed and implemented by an independent organization that has assumed the “greening” of Singapore, alongside a team of international and local experts, made up of landscape designers, horticulturists, engineers, tree experts and various cultures , researchers and professionals in orchid multiplication.

Visiting outdoor gardens, consisting of Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central, is free of charge, but an entrance fee is paid to the two absolutely superb domes: Flower Dome (the largest glasshouse in the world, according to Guinness World record Records in 2015 that mimic the cold-dry climate of Mediterranean regions like South Africa, California, parts of Spain and Italy) and Cloud Forest (here you find an artificial waterfall running on a 35 m high mountain built on a skeleton of Metal inside a huge house, tropical vegetation mountain and thousands of orchids of different types), but also at OCBC Skyway, an attraction located 22 meters above the ground, from which point you can see the gardens in all their splendor. Believe me, both domes and OCBC Skyway deserve every spent penny.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: Children’s Garden (I can not tell you enough how cool this playground is, it contains both super-cool playgrounds and water areas on age groups, educational programs, etc.), OCBC Skyway, Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, but also SuperTree Grove, which makes a perfect painting as seen from SkyPark or the swimming pool on the 57th floor of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel near the gardens.

Gardens by the Bay

9. Marina Bay Sands Hotel & SkyPark Observation Deck

and fabulous Infinity Pool opened only for hotel guests

Hotel is an understatement for Marina Bay Sands. No, this is not a hotel. It is a huge, dreamy location, made up of several attractions:

The hotel – who does not know the hotel? It is one of the most spectacular and renowned buildings in the world in the form of a ship over the three towers, of a perfect luxury, to which I confess that we had the privilege of staying two nights in 2014, the first time we visited Singapore. I’m coming back with a review on the hotel, you imagine I do not have any negative aspects to display, maybe besides the slick price. But hey, who wants Marina, pays for Marina, right?

Infinity pool – just as famous as the building of the hotel it’s part of, the endless pool on the 57th floor is actually relatively small, it’s not so “infinity” as seen in the official photos, but the view and the services there deserve all the attention . It is only open to hotel guests.

SkyPark Observation Deck is a city observation platform located also at Marina Bay Sands Level 57, accessible to the general public at extra costs.

The Shoppes at Marina Bay – a shopping mall with all-inclusive shops, famous restaurants and food court

Mastercard Theater – yes, a theater in the The Shoppes building, from there to the hotel directly via a walkway over the road, with shows and events from all fields, Broadway shows, etc.

Sands Expo and Convention Center – an extremely versatile exhibition center that hosts famous exhibitions and fairs, private meetings, high-level, and less-high conferences and meetings.

ArtScience Museum – another iconic building in the shape of a lotus flower, this sensational museum of art and science comes with a very well developed section for children (including Family Fridays, when children under 12 do not pay an entrance ticket) and with permanent exhibitions Future World – where art meets science, The Universe & Art, Human – the future of our species, Into the Wild.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: infinity pool, the delicious and extremely varied buffet breakfast at Marina Bay Sands and the exciting Future World exhibition at ArtScience Museum.

Marina Bay Sands

10. Clarke Quay and Singapore River cruise

Clarke Quay is a meeting place for young people who come out to dine in the evening, have a drink or socialize in the numerous restaurants and nightclubs from the area. By day you have nice views of the area’s buildings and it is the starting point for short boat cruises on the Singapore River.

The boats that make these cruises on the river are called bumboats and used to transport cargo, helping the trade of the area and its development in the old days. Now it organizes for tourists cruises for relaxation and viewing of meaningful buildings along the water, such as Rafffles Landing Site, Asian Civilizations Museum, Old Shops along Boat Quay, Fullerton Hotel, Esplanade Singapore, The Merlion Park , Singapore Flyer and the latest attraction, Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: the bumboat river cruise and Singapore skyline, as seen from the bumboat.

Bumboats at Clarke Quay

11. Merlion Park (mer-lion: the body of fish and the head of a lion)

This statue of 8.6 m high and weighing 70 tons is the symbol of the city, the lion’s head comes from the original name of the city in Malay-Singapura (lion city) and the fish body from the humble beginnings of the town as a fishing village (Temasek).

The statue that spouts a powerful jet of water near the Fullerton Hotel is a must see of the city and a glamorous or funny selfie.

Singapore Merlion Park

12. Sentosa Island 

Sentosa – the state of fun, is exactly what is self-proclaiming, a place where fun is at home. Apart from the fact that Resorts World (the number attractions from number 1 to number 3 on the list above, along with numerous exceptional hotels) are located on this island, you have three beaches to choose from (Palawan, Siloso and Tanjong), Nature trails (Sentosa Nature Heritage Walks, Sentosa Nature Discovery), Madame Tussauds museum, Kidzania Singapore, activities that give you extra adrenaline such as iFly Singapore or Mega Adventure, and many other interesting things to do or see.

Familia Hai Hui top picks: Siloso beach, Resorts World Sentosa and Madame Tussauds museum

Heading to Siloso beach on Sentosa island