Had the chance to visit Singapore a second time, more than 10 years after the first visit. Definitely a city I could live in. Only an hour by ferry is the island of Bintan, belonging to Indonesia. Perfect for a day trip and full of peculiar and amazing sights.
Definitely a spot worth visiting.
A view over the Hollywood and Sci-Fi areas of the park, as well as the world's tallest dueling coasters.
The famous Supertrees at Singapore's Garden by the Bay behind Manila Bay.
The Cloud Mountain in one of the two domes in Gardens by the Bay. Worth a visit.
Never stop smiling.
Reminds me of the dragons from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Singapore's national flower is the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid.
Interesting geometry.
Kids (and me) could draw vehicles on papers, scan them, and they would appear moving on the projected back wall. Totally cool.
Arrangement required.
Another installation at the Art Meets Science exhibit.
The ArtScience Museum by the Marina Bay Sands showcased Future World: Where Art Meets Science, including this really cool installation.
The installation included a la Arrival / Interstellar and the occasional burst of fast moving light flashes. I think I spent 30min there.
Harry Kroto won his Nobel Prize for discovering fullness. Don't ask me what it means.
At sunset seen from the Helix bridge. The museum opened in 2011.
The Singapore skyline, seen from the Helix bridge.
One letter of the Art and Science Museum
Seen from the Marina Bay Sands roof at night.
The park was part of the plan to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden"
Green, concrete, glass, culture, business, old and new in synergy - Singapore.
Try and run towards the light.
Singapore is hot and humid. The result is here.
The inside of the temple during an ongoing ceremony.
The ongoing mumbling during the proceedings had a somewhat soothing effect.
The monk in the central position during the ceremony.
At the roof of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Obligatory cat shot.
Traditional gambling is highly regulated in Singapore - not this type of street games though. Anyone knows what it is?
Free haircuts for the homeless and elderly in the Chinese quarter.
I wonder how much gets lost.
Worth a visit for sure.
I didn't take advantage.
Unfortunately the temple was closed for cleaning.
With their built in sky gardens.
A building in the old district by the Boat Quay.
Maybe the smallest one I've seen.
On the way up to Singapore's cat cafe. The one in Dubai is nicer!
The founder of Singapore in the early 19th century.
An installation near the Victoria theatre.
Looking towards Downtown Core and it's low rise buildings on the Singapore river.
Early gothic style and originally opened in 1861.
The colorful windows create an interesting atmosphere.
Singapore's flora is really amazing in parts.
From the 1850s.
The place was full of local families and kids, and it seems every weekend the sky is filled with dozens of kites. Great view.
Unfortunately I missed a much better view by a few minutes. Every Saturday in July, fireworks take place in preparation for National Day.
The very early morning is the only time you'll see the Marina Bay Sands pool this empty.
Looking east from the Marina Bay Sands rooftop.
Looking west over the Marina Bay Sands infinity pool.
In all likelihood the most famous infinity pool in the world.
Looking down at Sentosa island, Singapore's entertainment district, from the cable car that transports you to the island.
The signature entrance.
Seen from the other side of the bay.
The rooftop at the Fullerton Bay hotel, with it's pool.
Singapore Flyer, ArtScience Museum and Marina Bay Sands seen from the Fullerton Bay.
A relaxing place in the concrete jungle.
Singapore's mascot and it's skyline in the background.
The daily fountain and light show attracts lot of people on the other side of the bay.
Singapore's mascot comes with a few stories. For example, it was relocated in 2002, and in 2009 it was struck by lighting.
The moon was setting in the late evening during my time in Bintan, just coming down behind the Ghost Ship shortly after sunset.
It was brought to Bintan a few years ago to turn it into a hotel. The work is ongoing and the hotel is expected to open in 2018.
The ship was built in 1914 and held the record for the oldest active ship roaming the oceans.
Close to the main ferry terminal is the "Ghost Ship" of Bintan.
The color and clarity of the water comes from the filtering of the stone.
Most of the site used to be a quarry, and now looks like sand dunes of the desert.
Walking around here felt like another planet.
Definitely one of the most interesting landscapes I've had the chance to photograph.
The landscape surrounding the lagoons is natural though, and certainly looks unique.
... makes up the landscape in this area of the island.
These amazing lagoons are not actually natural, but evolved out of the wholes dug when the land used to reclaimed Changi airport in Singapore was dug out of Bintan island.
The entrance to the temple, which in its current form only opened in 2017.
500 lifelike status of the perfected persons following the buddhist religion, displayed at the 500 Lohan Temple. Worth a visit.
Close to the church is a cemetery with colorful gravestones.
Despite the largely muslim population, there's a church on the island near the Grotto Santa Maria, originally built in the 1800s by a Dutch pastor.
One of the weirdest religious monuments I've encountered so far - deep in the jungle of Bintan is a path depicting the 14 stations of the cross.
Soup with chicken feet. Tasted good, or so they said.
Although with a few missing teeth.
Locals preparing fish to be dry in the sun.
Up until a few years ago, locals still used these to burn mangroves to turn it into coal and export it. Mangroves are since protected by law.
Bintan island is still home to a local population of gypsies, a few hundred of them permanently live on the sea.
The locals dry young fish in the sun for later consumption.
Local fishermen live in floating houses.
Fisherboats on the beach of Bintan Island.
Caught alongside the school of young fish.
The island has a few nice resort areas, but there's a lot more to explore... look further!
You judge who wins.