There are many countries in the world to provide children with their first significant cultural experience, and Singapore is one of the best, writes David Haxton After an eternity in the skies, our Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300ER kissed the tarmac at Singapore’s world-class Changi Airport from Auckland International Airport. Phew. Myself, wife Tina and our children Isabel, 13, and Luke 11, from Raumati Beach on the Kāpiti Coast, were among the passengers who disembarked.
The aim of the weeklong holiday – four nights on Sentosa Island and three nights in the city – was to give the kids their first major cultural experience in a safe country and have some fun too. READ MORE: New things to do in Singapore in 2024 An engaging shuttle transfer driver took us to the sleek Village Hotel Sentosa where we had two joining rooms which were modern and spotlessly clean, albeit on the small side with no chairs. A drawcard was the hotel pool which had a sea vista with container ships bobbing in the distance, and the breakfasts were top draw with a wide variety of food choices and refreshments.
The hotel was only a few minutes walk to a monorail and an appealing boardwalk which took people to various attractions, Resort World, beaches and the VivoCity shopping complex . We enjoyed time at the Adventure Cove Waterpark zooming down slides, jumping around in a wave pool, and chilling on inflatable rings as we meandered around a lazy river, although our feet took a pounding from walking.