Switzerland Day 2 (9 Jan 26) – Bern: Jewels of the Captial – From Altstadt to Gurten Kulm

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Today is the day we truly start exploring Switzerland (yesterday was a preview). Bern is a small city and is extremely walkable, with most of the attractions in the old town. This was where we spent most of our time today. I planned to use the morning to explore the city, after which we would return to the hotel and pick up our luggage for our train to Luzern later in the afternoon. As the sights in Bern are under 7 minutes from each other, we had additional time to visit the bear park and took an excursion slightly outside the city to Guten Kulm.

Bern Alstadt – The Icons of the City

We originally wanted to head to the train station in the morning to deposit our luggage in one of the lockers at the train station, in case we were short on time. Afterall, I planned to start our Bern Altstadt walk from the train station. However, after our first night in Bern, we realised that the town is actually very compact, and that we would have the time to pick up our luggage after finishing all the sights in Bern. Since our hotel is just one tram stop away from Zytglogge, it only makes sense for us to start our old town walk from the clock tower.

The route of our visit in Altstadt Bern today

Zytglogge – The Iconic Clock Tower of Bern

After checking out and depositing our luggage at the concierge of the hotel, we took a tram for one stop to Zytglogge, the icon of Bern. Every picture of Bern we saw online features the Zytglogge standing in the middle of medieval buildings. Zytglogge was built in the early 1200s as a gate tower of the city’s western fortifications. The tower was then converted to a women’s prison in the mid-1300s when the city expanded further. A fire in the 1400s destroyed the tower completely and was rebuilt into a clock tower in the 15th century, ranking as one of Switzerland’s oldest. The Zytglogge’s iconic astronomical clock was installed in 1530, allowing the clock to tell astronomical information such as the position of the sun, moon, and zodiac signs, in addition to the time. The city had a scheduled guided tour of the interiors of the Zytglogge, where visitors will be brought up to the tower and get a better understanding of the workings of the clocks inside the tower. As we were pressed for time, we did not join the tour. Nonetheless, we found some interesting exhibits, along with explanations of the workings of the tower and how to read the astronomical clock at the bottom of the tower.

After visiting the Zytglogge, we walked along the street away from the main street towards the bridge that connects the old town to the bear park. We spotted the Zähringerbrunnen a few steps from Zytglogge. The Zähringerbrunnen is a monument honouring the city’s founder, depicting a standing bear with a shield and flag and a bear cub standing between its legs. As we walked further down the street of Kramgrasse, heading to our next stop of Münsterplatform, we were immersed in the medieval buildings that stood the test of time. These buildings, now being converted to shops, have a pseudo cellar opening in front, which seems to lead underground (we later got to know that these are actually basement access, as some businesses used this space to set up shop). However, most of the shops we saw were still closed as we were pretty early. As we walked past the post office, we urged our friend to buy a postcard and mail it there to prevent her fate three years ago, when she did not receive any of the postcards she sent from our Italian trip. We told her that by passing her postcards directly to the post office staff, she would definitely receive her postcards.

Rathausplatz – the Town Hall & the Church

Walking amongst the medieval buildings seems to transport us back in time. As we were walking on Kramgrasse, I suddenly spotted a green building that seemed important. A quick check on Google Maps reveals this to be the Berner Rathaus. We did a quick detour into the alleyway that led to the Berner Rathaus and arrived at Rathausplatz. Other than the Rathaus, Rathausplatz is also home to the Kirche St. Peter & Paul and Vennerbrunnen. The three-storey sandstone square Berner Rathaus has a rather simple facade. We would have missed it if not for the two flights of stairs that led to the main entrance on the second level. The main entrance has a protruding structure that the staircases lead to. This structure is adorned with two female statues and a clock with golden arms. Looking up close, the Berner Rathaus has a row of 26 wooden shields, representing the 26 former districts of the canton, lined just below its red tiled roof on the main facade. It is a pity that the Berner Rathaus is closed to the public; if not, we would love to take a look inside.

Next to the Berner Rathaus is the Kirche St. Peter & Paul. The sandstone church, built in the 1850s, is the city’s first church and has a single bell tower in front of it. The flying buttresses that seem to support the walls of the church from the outside reminded me of the Notre Dame de Paris. We wanted to visit the interior of the church. However, as we walked through the main wooden doors to the church, there was another closed metal gate that prevented us from venturing further beyond the foyer of the church. We can only catch a glimpse of the church’s interior through the gate. The interior looked simple and gloomy due to the natural colour of the materials used to construct the church. Seeing that we could not do much here, we headed outside and continued our exploration of the city. As we walked past the Rathausplatz, I spotted a fountain with a statue of a soldier sitting in one corner of the square. This is the Vennerbrunnen, which was installed in 1542, and with the buildings it stood in front of, standing here felt like we were being transported back in medieval times.

Münsterplatform – Balcony of Bern

As we left Rathausplatz, wanting to continue our walk along Kramgrasse, my friend suddenly wanted to visit the toilet. A quick Google map showed the nearest toilet is at Münsterplatform. Since we were going to visit this place later, I did a quick switch of the sequence of our visit and headed for the Münsterplatform instead. The Münsterplatform is a rectangular park that sits 14m above the River Aare, offering us a view of the river and the nearby neighbourhood, as well as the Alps. The foundation of the platform was laid in 1334, and the construction of the walls was completed in 1514. Until 1531, the platform served as a cemetery before it was converted into a park. Today, the Münsterplatform is planted with chestnut trees with benches for locals and visitors to relax and take in the beautiful views of the surroundings. From the platform, we could see the river and Kirchenfeldbrücke, the bridge that links Altstadt Bern to the south of the city. After taking our fair share of pictures, we headed to the elevator, the Mattelift to the Mattequartier below.

Mattequartier – The Riverfront Medieval District

Exiting the lift, we spotted a booth with a lady sitting inside, collecting the CHF1.50 for the use of the lift. As my friends were looking for small change for the use of the lift, I checked with the friendly lady if the cost of using the Mattelift was covered under the Bern Welcome card. We were pleasantly surprised that it is covered. Bidding farewell to the friendly lady, we walked towards the River Aare, just mere minutes away from the Mattelift. We saw a bridge that we could get closer to the River Aare next to the artificial channel that was constructed in 1360 to divert the river water into one of the three watermills. However, upon reaching the structure, we found that it was closed to the public, meaning we were not able to get closer to the River Aare. We headed back to the main streets of Matterquartier and headed to the Bear Park. The Mattequartier is medieval Bern’s smallest neighbourhood, mainly housing workshops and mercantile activities. Walking in this peaceful neighbourhood allowed us to appreciate the beautiful medieval buildings and the sheer height of the Münsterplatform.

The Bear Park – Home of the Canton’s Mascots

Since we were already at the foot of Nydeggbrücke, the bridge that links Altstadt Bern to the eastern neighbourhood where the Bear Park is located, we made a quick pit stop at the park, knowing that we would not see any bears in the bear park as they would be hibernating for the winter. There are two pits in the centre where the bears would play during non-hibernation months. On top of that, there seem to be some cordoned-off areas at the side of the park next to the bank of the river. This would be the pen of the individual bears. After visiting the (empty) bear park, seeing that we have sufficient time to go a little further before our train to Luzern later in the afternoon, we decided to head outside the city to the nearest hill, Gurten Kulm, via bus.

Berner Münster – The Cathedral of Bern

As the bus we took requires us to change to another line in the old town, we decided to make a quick stop in the old town to finish off the other two sights we wanted to visit. Our first stop is the Berner Münster. The Gothic-style Berner Münster started its constructionin 1421 and was completed in 1893. With its 100m tall tower, this cathedral is the tallest in Switzerland. A climb to the top of the tower would give us a great view of the city. However, as we were walking up to the cathedral’s main entrance, we saw visitors going up to it and turning away. We half suspected the cathedral might not be open since we saw some scaffolding on its side as we were walking up to it. To our dismay, the cathedral was bolted shut. It is a waste that the church only opened at noon, meaning we could either loiter around to wait for it to open or miss the tower climb and move on to our next destination. Since we were already deciding to head to Gurten Kulm, we gave the tower climb a miss. And since the cathedral is closed, we could only see it from the outside and take some pictures. After taking pictures, we headed to our final sight in Bern Altstadt.

Bundeshaus – The Place where important decisions are made

Our next stop is to visit the Bundeshaus (Parliament Building). Initially, I wanted to visit the interior of the building after our interesting experience in the Austrian Parliament in Vienna last year. The Swiss Parliament Building offers guided tours of the building in English and Dutch to visitors. However, there wasn’t any English guided tour on the day of our visit. We could only see the building from the outside. It felt pointless to see this beautiful building without seeing its interior or taking the guided tour to understand the workings of the Swiss parliament. We did not stay here for too long and headed to a nearby cafe for a coffee break before taking a bus to Gurten Kulm.

Gurten Kulm – The Roof of Bern

Getting to the top of the 858m Gurten Kulm from Bern Altstadt was very easy. There are multiple buses that run to the funicular station at the base of the hill, and the best thing is that the bus rides and the Gurtenbahn are included in the Bern Welcome Card. The fastest way for us to get to the hill, as recommended by Google Maps, was to take Bus #19 from the bus stop near the Parliament Building and change to Bus #16 with an 8 min walk to the funicular station. As we alighted from Bus #16, we followed a sign at the bus stop that pointed us to the funicular station. Little did we know that we had to take a short 400m climb up the hill through a “forested” track to an inconspicuous platform that sticks out in the middle of the track. What Google Maps led us to was Grünenboden, the mid-station for the funicular ride, instead of the valley station. At Grünenboden, we saw the Gurtenbahn coming our way, but did not stop. We later realised that we were supposed to press the top button on a box at the station for the Gurtenbahn to stop at the mid-station. Luckily, the next Gurtenbahn came 10 minutes later.

As the Gurtenbahn climbed up the hill, we saw more of the City of Bern. We were sure we would get a panoramic view of the city. Soon, we found ourselves on top of Gurten Kulm. Exiting the station, we came to a crossroad and a map of the attractions on Guten Kulm. There is a hotel, a restaurant and even a miniature train ride up here. Attracted by a Tower structure, Gurten Aussichtsturm, we made our way to the tower. Entry to the metallic 25m Gurten Aussichtsturm was free. A 121-step spiral staircase in the core of the open tower took us 5 mins to climb up. As we were climbing up the Gurten Aussichtsturm, the cold wind made climbing the tower difficult. But that does not deter us from reaching the observation deck at 22m of the tower. From here, we were treated to a panoramic view of Bern. The city of Bern suddenly looked small, but the view was great! We could see the River Aare that snakes around the Altstadt and even the mountains behind Bern. The only issue we had was the occasional strong winter wind that blows on the tower, shaking the tower so much that we felt it could topple anytime (it is perfectly safe), or we could be blown away by the wind. Despite the cold wind, we enjoyed the view the Gurten Aussichtsturm offers and were glad we made it up the tower. After spending 10 minutes up here taking pictures and soaking in the panoramic view of the city, we decided to head down the tower. However, with the constant wind blowing, we had to wait for the wind to turn weaker (so it wouldn’t shake the tower so much) to descend the tower.

As it was near the time for our train ride to Luzern (after catering time for us to get back to our hotel to pick up our luggage and travel time to Bern Bahnhof), we had to return to Bern. Before heading down to the valley station by Gurtenbahn, we had time to take a wefie at the pavilion. After descending from Gurten Kulm, we took Bus #9, which directly brought us to our hotel to pick up our luggage.

Onward to Luzern

Time was a little tight, but we made it in time to pick up our luggage and took a tram to Bern Bahnhof to board our 2 pm train to our next city, Luzern. The train ride from Bern to Luzern was also rather uneventful, and we eventually reached Luzern after a 1-hour train ride.

Arrival at Luzern

After arriving in Luzern, the first thing to do was to orient ourselves and get on the correct bus to our hotel. Like Bern, Luzern also offers guest cards to visitors staying in Luzern, which gives us complimentary public transport in the city. As we already bought the Tell Pass, which also includes all transport in and around the city, we did not have to bother too much about the transport cards. The bus ride to our hotel took under 10 mins. After checking into our rooms and settling down a little, we headed out to the city to buy breakfast for tomorrow and to hunt for dinner. Some sights in Luzern never close, such as the old town and the icon of the city, the Chapel Bridge. As the Chapel Bridge is near our hotel, we made it our only stop in Luzern for the evening before hunting for dinner.

Kapellbrücke – Chapel Bridge

No visit to Luzern is complete without a walk on the iconic 204m Chapel Bridge, Europe’s oldest covered bridge. The Chapel Bridge was originally built in 1365 to link the old town to the new town and features paintings on triangular panels installed as part of the structure of the bridge. These paintings were created during the Counter-Reformation, featuring scenes that promote the Catholic Church. However, the wooden-covered pedestrian bridge was almost burnt down in 1993, destroying ⅔ of its interior paintings. Equally iconic as the Chapel Bridge, the Water Tower that protrudes out of the River Reuss is what gave the Chapel Bridge its identity. The 34 m octagonal water tower was built around 1300 as part of the city wall and used as an archive, treasury, prison and torture chamber. It is a shame that the Water Tower is not open to public visits; we would have gotten a good view of the Chapel Bridge and Luzern from the top of the tower. Walking on the Chapel Bridge is like walking in a piece of history, and offers a good view of the River Reuss and the riverside buildings on both sides of the bank. The paintings on the bridge brought a sense of uniqueness and history to the bridge. It is a pity that the explanations are only in German.

After crossing the bridge to the “new town”, we headed back to the old town side via Rathaussteg, an iron pedestrian bridge near the Chapel Bridge. The Rathaussteg offered us a good view of the entire Chapel Bridge and made a good spot for us to take pictures of the entire Chapel Bridge. We scouted the restaurants on the riverside and found one that offered good and reasonably priced food (we would expect the food near the river to be of “tourist” prices). The service at the restaurant was great, and the food was delicious. After a hearty meal, we headed to a nearby supermarket to get breakfast for tomorrow before returning to our hotel to rest for the night. After all, we would need the energy to have fun in our first mountain exursion, Mt. Stoos, in Switzerland.

Switzerland Day 1 (8 Jan 26) – Bern: Into Switzerland – The Plaground of Europe

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Switzerland, the neutral Central European nation, has been a bucket list for most of us. When we speak about Switzerland, the first thing that comes to our minds is the snow-covered alpine towns. As this is the first time any of us has travelled to Switzerland, we stuck to the “traditional” tourist towns and cities. We will start our journey from Geneva and end our journey in the same city. For the next 13 days, we will be basing ourselves in five cities (Bern, Luzern, Interlaken, Zermatt and Zurich) and visit six mountains.

Our Journey through Switzerland for the next 13 days

Our Swiss journey began with a 17-hour flight from Singapore with a 2½-hour transit in Jeddah. After deplaning, we followed the signs hanging from the ceiling of Geneva airport, which pointed us to “arrivals”. As we neared the immigration counters, we saw two queues forming. We joined the longer “international traveller” queue, which was piling up and didn’t seem to move at all (the other queue was for EU and Swiss citizens). We only saw immigration officers stationed near the immigration counters directing people to the correct line. We were glad we did not join the shorter queue, as it might be back to the start of the queue for us. Before arriving in Switzerland, we were expected to register our biometric data with the Entry/Exit System. However, it does seem to be the case today. Instead of directing us to the registration machines, we were told to queue for manual immigration. I asked a staff member at immigration and was told that the EES was in effect at Geneva airport, but they shut it down due to the long line. Despite the long queue for manual immigration clearance, we were not complaining. At least we get our “final” Switzerland border passport stamp (before it’s phased out).

After spending about 1 hour in line at immigration (a stark contrast to our experience at Vienna airport just 1 year ago), we headed to the carousel to collect our luggage. The brief moment of peace after clearing immigration ended at the luggage carousels. Geneva Airport felt like a fish market, where people were frantically looking for their carousel and luggage. We eventually found our carousel and collected our luggage. We headed to the train station, located in a separate but linked building on the left side of the arrivals hall, for our train to Bern. Rising from our lesson learnt last year in Vienna, where we spent 1 hour sitting around waiting for our train to the city, we decided not to purchase the train tickets in advance, as we had no idea how long immigration would take. I am glad we did not purchase train tickets in advance, as the immigration process in Geneva took longer than I planned for. We bought our tickets at the SBB counters for the 4.25 pm train to Bern. After getting the tickets, I realised the staff sold us a day ticket instead of a point-to-point ticket, which costs CHF 10 more, even with our Half Fare card. We should have used the machines or the app to get our point-to-point ticket. There was an hour before our ride, where we used the time to shop in the supermarket at the train station while waiting for our train.

Train to Bern

The uneventful train ride to Bern took about 1½ hours. Trains from Geneva Airport to Bern had only a small luggage rack, suitable only for cabin-sized luggage. We found seats on the lower floor of the double-decker train. Due to a lack of luggage space for larger bags, we had to place our luggage at our seats, trying not to obstruct the aisle. The train got crowded at Geneva, and it was becoming embarrassing that we were taking up additional space and partly obstructing the walkway. Fortunately, the Swiss were accommodating and understanding. Instead of making noise, they seem to understand our situation and work around our issues. As it was getting dark, we could not see much of the scenery between Geneva Airport and Bern.

Arrival at Bern

As guests of Bern, we were given unlimited rides on local public transport via the Bern app (available for download here). As we did not receive any codes before our arrival, I read that we could get free transport to our hotel using our hotel booking and prepared it in case of an inspection on the tram. Swiss public transport uses the honour system, where drivers do not check for tickets. It is easy to find the tram station coming out from the underground Bern Bahnhof, but we were confused about the direction the tram would travel. We initially stood at the tram stop, only to find that the trams were going in the opposite direction. Upon realising that we were on the wrong side, we hurried to the opposite stop and hopped onto the tram on the other side of the road. The tram ride from Bern train station to our hotel took about 6 minutes, with very frequent trams running between the two stops. At our hotel, the staff gave us a code to activate our guest card in the Bern App, which officially granted us complimentary transport within the city.

After settling down in our rooms, we headed out to the edge of the old town for dinner, which is only one stop across the river near our hotel. Walking on the Kornhausbrücke bridge over the River Aare in the northern part of Bern, we were treated to the night skyline of the city, spotting the Berner Munster towering over the city. Incidentally, we walked past the Bern Opera House, at the edge of the city, by the River Aare. As we waited for our dinner, I spotted the Zytgloggeturm right outside the McDonald’s where we were having dinner. I told my friends this was one of the world’s oldest working astronomical clocks, a sight we will see tomorrow when we officially tour the city.

The clock, despite being built in the early 13th century, still shines with its colourful facade even at night. There are two faces to the clock: one that tells time, facing Main Street, and the other, with both the clock and the astronomical face, showing the day of the year and aligning with the star signs. We were fortunate to witness the striking of the bell at the hour, during which we spotted the mechanical movements of the puppets installed on the astronomical side of the clock. As it was getting late and we were tired after a full day of travelling, we headed back to the hotel and rested for the night. We will see more of the clock (and the city) tomorrow before heading to Luzern.

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines B787-10 (SQ895) – Economy Class, HKG-SIN (28 Dec 25)

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Singapore Airlines HKG – SIN Flightpath
The Singapore Airlines B787-10 that flew us to Singapore up close

Hong Kong Chek Lap Airport

Check-in

Singapore Airlines check-in counters at Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Airport are located in Row F of Terminal 1, in the central part of the terminal. However, as we were coming from Macau, the Macau-Hong Kong bus dropped us off at the Sky Pier instead of the main airport terminal. Singapore Airlines did not operate any dedicated check-in counters at the Sky Pier Terminal. After asking the staff at the Cathay Pacific counter, we were directed to the last three counters on the extreme right of the terminal. Singapore Airlines, like many other airlines, uses the three generic check-in counters to check in its passengers. All passengers checking in here, regardless of travel class or membership status, must use a single queue. Fortunately, the number of passengers from Macau was low, and there was no queue upon our arrival. The check-in process took a while because the counter staff had to confirm the bus’s arrival time before she could pull up our information from the airline list. The staff had to check our airlines and then our flight to pull out our information. However, once the information was obtained, our check-in was processed quickly. After checking our luggage, the staff gave us vital information like where to obtain the airport tax refund (apparently, as long as we did not enter Hong Kong, we were refunded HKD120 per adult), our boarding gate and timing, and the lounge location.

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines operates several aircraft between Singapore and Hong Kong, from the superjumbo A380-800 (operational seasonally) to the B777-300ER, B787-10, and A350-900. We flew on their B787-10 on this trip.

Singapore Airlines B787-10 safety card
Singapore Airlines livery up close

The Cabin

The light blue and grey tones used in the seats on board Singapore Airlines made the Economy Class cabin look vibrant and relaxing at the same time. The colour tones used also conveyed a cheerful vibe, which was a great start for passengers embarking on their holidays with the airline. While the light tones on the seats give off a cheerful vibe, the charcoal colour used on the seat backs exudes a classy vibe. The dark and light colour schemes used in the Economy Class cabin complement each other very well. The 301 Economy Class seats on Singapore Airlines’ B787-10 are split into two sections: 150 in the forward cabin and 151 in the aft cabin. Despite the large number of seats in both cabins, the Singapore Airlines Economy Class cabin felt cosy and well-spaced.

There are a total of five lavatories for all 301 Economy Class passengers, two in the front of the Economy Class cabin, two at the back of the cabin and one between the two sections of Economy Class. The white lighting, used in conjunction with the large mirrors, made these lavatories feel larger than they actually are. I like the footpaddle design of the trash bin cover, which makes it easier to use and more hygienic. I reckon more airlines should adopt this design. A single small bottle of Singapore Airlines-branded hand lotion sits on the small rack at the sink with dental kits underneath, alongside the hand wash. Singapore Airlines is one of the few airlines in the world to provide its Economy Class passengers with dental kits.

The Seat

Seats onboard Singapore Airlines’ B787-10 are arranged in a 3-3-3 configuration with a 32″ seat pitch and a width of 17″. These Economy Class seats are capable of reclining up to 5″, giving us a way to feel relaxed on these seats. The Economy Class seats are pretty comfortable, well-padded, and offer good legroom. I had lots of space between my knees and the seat in front of me. Storage is always an issue in Economy Class seats. Due to the limited space allotted to each passenger, Economy Class passengers often have only the seat pocket in front of them for storage. Singapore Airlines increases storage space in its seat pockets through design. On top of the large compartment, Singapore Airlines also included two smaller pockets in front of the larger seat pocket, perfect for storing smaller items. There is also a somewhat useless pocket underneath the personal TV, which can only be used to stow very small items such as the provided earplugs, AirPods or charging wires.

When it comes to charging, passengers in Economy Class seats on Singapore Airlines B787-10 aircraft can charge their phones and lifestyle devices using the USB-A outlet under the personal TV. However, I find the charging speed a tad slow in these USB-A ports. There is also an international power outlet beneath every two seats for those who want faster charging. Singapore Airlines uses a bi-fold tray table in every Economy Class seat. These tray tables fold out to quite a size, sufficient for working on a laptop. Like all aircraft, Singapore Airlines only fitted an overhead reading light in every Economy Class seat.

Inflight Entertainment

Each Economy Class seat onboard Singapore Airlines B787-10 is fitted with an 11.1″ touchscreen personal TV. The responsive touchscreen function on these TVs somewhat made the IFE controllers redundant, which is why I did not find any IFE controllers on this aircraft. Singapore Airlines provides take-home earbuds to all Economy Class passengers, available at the door or from cabin crew. I felt these earbuds were rather comfortable to use. Singapore Airlines’ KrisWorld entertainment system is packed with tons of entertainment options —from the latest Hollywood Blockbusters to TV series and games. I like how Singapore Airlines has a separate menu for junior flyers, which contains mostly cartoons and games. KrisWorld is organised in a very easy-to-navigate menu, where entertainment is catalogued in an initiative menu. With a massive library of entertainment options, the four hours seem to zip past quickly. Singapore Airlines also offers unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi to its KrisFlyer members, even when flying in Economy Class. The onboard Wi-Fi connection is only good for social media browsing and messaging, but it took forever to stream or upload videos to our social media sites.

Meal

Meal service begins about 1 hour after takeoff. We were able to see the menu six weeks before our flight. As I was looking through the menu, the food on offer on this flight was not to my liking, hence I pre-booked the Hindu non-vegetarian meal from the special order menu. Before departure, the cabin crew came around to confirm our pre-booked meals. Since I pre-ordered the special meal, I was served about 30 minutes before the main service. For the Hindu non-vegetarian meal, I was served curry lamb as the main course, with a salad, potato mash, and a bun. The curry lamb was tasty and flavourful, without the lamb smell, and the rice served with it was fluffy. I was also given a Häagen-Dazs ice cream, along with the rest of the passengers, after the meal service. For an Economy Class meal, I found it tasty and filling.

Service

The service onboard this flight, despite being in Economy Class, was awesome. The initial experience of the service felt a little scripted with the mandatory greeting at the door and the crew directing us to the correct aisle for our seat. During the flight, I found the crew to be friendly and enthusiastic. Despite having flown a 4-hour flight from Singapore to Hong Kong earlier and the hectic meal service in full Economy Class, the cabin crew still wore smiles and ensured passengers were quickly served their meals. The cabin crew did not seem to rest as they were constantly seen patrolling the cabin. When one of the cabin crew was confirming my meal order, I was pleasantly surprised that she addressed me by my first name. She also got back to me relatively quickly when I checked with her about what was in the Western Child meal I pre-ordered for my nephew. We were pleasantly surprised when the cabin crew came by after dessert with a birthday cake for my sibling. Overall, I thought the service on board in Economy Class was great.

The birthday cake surprise that the cabin crew prepared for my sibling, despite his birthday being 3 days ago

Afterthought

It was a pleasant flight in Economy Class from Hong Kong to Singapore. The legroom was good, and the seat pocket design increased storage capacity. The seat was comfortable thanks to its thick padding. The huge library curated in KrisWorld kept me entertained throughout the 4-hour flight. The food served was tasty and the service was great.

Taxiing to the runway for takeoff

[Accommodation Review] – Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16 (1-Bedroom Mansion – Black Galaxy Theme), Macau, China (25 – 28 Dec 25)

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Location

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 is located on the Eastern part of the main Macau Peninsula, on the banks of the Pearl River Delta, facing the Chinese city of Zhuhai. The hotel is about 30 minutes from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Immigration Building and 1 hour from Macau International Airport. Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 is situated in the historic district of Macau and is conveniently located near the city centre, where sights such as Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul are within 7 minutes on foot. Sights located on the other islands of Macau can be accessed by bus from the bus stop directly in front of the hotel, which links to other parts of Macau, such as Taipa, Cotai, and Coloane. There are numerous local restaurants within a 5-minute walk from the hotel, where we were able to find food. The hotel is also conveniently located near 24-hour convenience stores and a supermarket.

The Mansion

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 offers a wide range of room types, including superior rooms, suite rooms, and mansions, which are unique to this Sofitel. We stayed in the massive 120㎡ 1-Bedroom mansion, which the hotel offers in several configurations, both single-storey and duplex layouts. We were assigned the single-storey 1-Bedroom Mansion.

Layout of the 1-Bedroom Mansion we stayed in (not drawn to scale)

Entryway

The moment we entered the 1-Bedroom mansion, we could immediately see the Black Galaxy theme of the mansion. The entire mansion is decked in black marble, exuding a sense of class and sophistication. The first thing that caught my eye was the artwork hanging on the wall opposite the double-leaf door entrance to the suite, giving the mansion a sense of classiness. The entryway to the mansion is a relatively large space, but it lacks furnishings. I thought it was a waste that the hotel did not at least furnish this area with shoe cabinets or shoe-changing benches. Here is also where we find the entry to the pantry, the powder room and the karaoke room (yes, there is a karaoke room in this mansion).

Pantry

Immediately after the entrance, the first door on the left leads to a small pantry in the mansion. The pantry has a relatively simple layout, a single kitchen countertop fitted, a small kitchen sink, and mostly empty cabinets in the pantry, except for some glasses and champagne flutes. Mugs are laid out on the kitchen countertop, next to the Nespresso machine and the filter water dispenser. There is a mini fridge tucked inside the cabinet underneath the coffee machine, where we found complementary drinks and snacks, restocked daily. There is another door inside the pantry that seems to lead outside the mansion. However, it was constantly under lock, and there was no way for us to confirm where it led. I can only assume this was a service entrance for the hotel’s catering staff.

Powder Room

The powder room is also located in the entryway, next to the pantry, with the same Black Galaxy decor. The gold trimmings used on parts of the open cabinet and the mirror above the sink did not feel excessive and added a certain luxury to the room. The use of warm lighting also contributed to the powder room’s elegant look. Despite only being furnished with a toilet and a large sink countertop, the space afforded to the powder room was rather generous. I guess this is necessary to prevent guests from feeling claustrophobic because of the black colour theme here.

Karaoke Room

I was pleasantly surprised to find a karaoke room next to the powder room in the entryway, just shy of the living room. The karaoke room, having the same black theme, is furnished with a six-seater couch and a large coffee table. While most of the room is decked in black, the purple in the couch cushions adds some colour without contradicting the overall theme. The karaoke room’s sound system was good, and the soundproofing was excellent. We did not hear any music when the door was closed, even with the sound system blasting. The karaoke system was well curated with a song library, with oldies to recent hits in multiple languages. With the door closed, we did not feel like being in a hotel room’s karaoke room.

Living Room

The living room occupies the largest real estate in the Black Galaxy themed 1-Bedroom Mansion at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16. The space was divided equally between the lounging and dining areas.

The living room of our 1-Bedroom Mansion

Lounging Area

The lounging area occupies the left side of the living room, and the Black Galaxy theme is most pronounced there. Furnished with two large three-seater European-style sofas and two oversized armchairs, the living room felt very cosy. With the large windows behind both sofas, the living room was a space we could sit and relax while either receiving entertainment from the 55″ flatscreen TV, which is loaded with local and international channels, or simply relax and gaze into the old Macau neighbourhood or the neighbouring Zhuhai. The use of turquoise in the sofa cushions complemented the Black Galaxy theme well without compromising on the overall theme of elegance and luxury. The three chairside tables, fitted with muted red lamps, made the lounging area feel cosier and more classy. The large coffee table in the centre of the seating area gave us ample space to place our drinks and snacks while watching TV. There is a gold-painted cabinet beneath the TV, which greatly expands the already enormous storage space we had in the mansion.

Dining Area

On the other side of the lounging area sits the dining area. Furnished with a large, gold-trimmed, round, black glass-top dining table and six comfortable fabric chairs, the dining area is a great space for us to dine, with my family occupying the 2-Bedroom mansion next door. The choice of furniture, along with the crystal chandelier hanging above the dining table, complements the Black Galaxy theme, adding a sense of luxury to the mansion. At the end of the dining area are two additional dining chairs and a table placed against the wall.

Bedroom

The bedroom in the 1-Bedroom Mansion at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16

The entrance to the bedroom in the Mansion is also found in the entryway, opposite the entrance to the Karaoke Room. Compared to the rest of the mansion, the bedroom feels much brighter in its colour scheme, mainly thanks to the beige carpeting. Despite a slight colour change, elements of the Black Galaxy are still visible in the walls. The beige carpet, together with the black walls, makes the bedroom feel cosy and comfortable. Right beside the entrance to the bedroom is the workdesk, which is quite sizeable for us to get some work on our laptops and iPads. The work chair at the desk was comfortable to sit in for hours. The only thing I did not like about the study desk is the placement of the power outlet. The deep, narrow power outlet meant we were unable to use our international adaptors, which have USB power outlets at the bottom. I like how Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 furnishes the wall space behind the work desk with an ornamental shelf. Despite serving no other purpose than display, the shelf not only adds a sense of luxury but also makes this space feel more like a study room.

The sleeping area in the bedroom is farther into the room, next to the window. Furnished with an oversized king bed with an elaborate European-style headboard, the sleeping area is very inviting. We had an excellent sleep on the king bed with its firm mattress and the choice of pillows that suited our preference. The mansion’s opulence was also evident in the king bed. The hotel installed slim chandeliers as bedside lamps that hang above the bedside tables, which not only frees up space on these already large bedside tables, but also reinforces the luxury theme that is seen in the mansion. The bedside tables were generous with the space afforded to us. Other than the large table top, the two drawers offered us tons of space to put away our stuff. Regarding charging, the power outlet’s design suffers from the same poor design as the one on the work desk. We had the same issues with fitting our international power adaptor and had to request an extension cord from the hotel. The bench the hotel provided at the end of the bed gave us the flexibility to stow our backpacks or sit to watch the TV mounted on the false wall opposite the king bed. The TV in the bedroom had the same entertainment options as the rest of the mansion (yes, there are more TVs in the mansion).

The false wall that the hotel installed in the bedroom not only provides a space for the hotel to mount the 55″ flatscreen TV, but it also creates a pseudo walk-in wardrobe in the bedroom. Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 fitted two sets of two large wardrobes in the closet area of the room, with the wardrobes on the left side having more space. Two of these wardrobes are fitted with two four-tier drawers, giving us a total of eight drawers for smaller clothing items, while one is fitted with a smaller four-tier drawer. This is also where the in-room safe is tucked away. With the combination of the wardrobes, we were able to fit at least two weeks of clothing. Sitting between the two sets of wardrobes is the vanity area. An European-style mirror hangs above the vanity table, accompanied by a dark purple European-style vanity chair. The area at the vanity table is sufficient to lay out one’s entire set of skin care products and cosmetics.

Bathroom

The bathroom in our 1-Bedroom Mansion

The bathroom is situated inside the bedroom. Like the rest of the 1-Bedroom Mansion, the Black Galaxy theme extends into the large bathroom, which is mainly tiled in black marble for walls and floors. A large sink countertop with dual sinks runs the entire length of the bathroom wall, with a generous amount of countertop space for placing our toiletries. Behind the sink area are not one but two toilet cubicles, but only the one closest to the bedroom is equipped with a Japanese-style bidet. I am pleasantly surprised to find a small TV in both toilets to keep guests occupied while using these toilets. Equally surprising is the three-seater leather sofa in the bathroom, in front of the sink area. While weird it might be, I thought having this sofa gave us space to place our clothes.

Behind the sofa, and occupying ⅔ of the real estate in the bathroom, is the jacuzzi. Sitting on a raised platform and facing the large windows that looked out into Zhuhai, the jacuzzi is large enough for two to three people to enjoy the powerful massage jets in the tub while taking in the scenery of the river and Zhuhai. Due to its size, it can take quite a while to fill the tub with water. As the flooring was all black, I felt one could easily trip on the steps leading to the jacuzzi area, despite the hotel’s best efforts to lay down toilet mats on the stairs. A generously sized walk-in shower with a large rainfall showerhead mounted to the ceiling and a separate regular showerhead is installed next to the Jacuzzi. There is so much space in the walk-in shower that the hotel even fit a bench inside, doubling the shower as a steam room. Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 supplies its guests with the luxurious Lanvin shower amenities, which not only smell great, but also keep our skin feeling soft after every shower.

Massage Area & Sauna

I was quite surprised to find a massage corner at the end of the bathroom. The massage corner is equipped with a massage table, a sink countertop, and a privacy curtain, which seem to cater to guests who want to order an in-room massage. I am equally surprised to find our private sauna sitting in the corner of the massage area, though we never used the in-suite sauna room throughout our three-night stay in this 1-Bedroom Mansion at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16.

Service

The service at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 is good, but the service seems to stop at the hotel’s main reception. The reception staff were very friendly and helpful. As we had booked the mansion and will be checked into at the Club Millésime Lounge, like guests staying in the executive rooms and suites. When we approached a staff member at the reception, instead of shuffling us to the main queue, the staff member put down what he was doing and attended to us immediately. He arranged for his colleague, Sam, to bring us to the lounge to check in. Sam was very helpful and welcoming. He immediately jumped in to help us with our luggage and kept insisting even after we repeatedly declined. Throughout the journey to the lounge, Sam took the time to orientate us to the hotel’s facilities, pointing out where the breakfast restaurant was and the breakfast timing. Upon arriving at the lounge check-in area, instead of leaving us there, Sam waited around to escort us to our mansions. We bumped into Sam the next evening, and despite having worked the whole day, Sam was still as enthusiastic and friendly, and carrying a warm smile.

The other person who had displayed warmth at the hotel was our housekeeping staff, Bonnie. Despite the late night, Bonnie helped us arrange for our connecting doors to be opened. Before she left, she even checked if we required turndown service and if there were any items we would like to top up. The next day, we bumped into Bonnie along the corridor one floor below us. Upon spotting us, Bonnie immediately greeted us with a good morning and asked when it would be convenient for her to make up our mansions. Our mansions were always kept spick and span after Bonnie did her magic.

The great service that we had experienced at Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 seemed to stop with the reception staff, Sam and Bonnie. The rest of the staff came across as if they couldn’t be bothered. Firstly, the male staff at the lounge check-in was rather rude. He also came across as impatient when we asked him some questions regarding the lounge. Fortunately, most of our check-in was processed by his female colleague sitting next to him, who was quite polite and welcoming. The male staff, instead of helping her to hasten our check-in process, just sat in front of his computer, seemingly staring at the blank screen and doing nothing. He only interrupted with a rude response when we asked his female colleague if the lounge would see a shorter line during breakfast. The staff at Mistral Restaurant were equally bad. We checked with one of the female staff members at around dinner time on the buffet, who seemed unwilling to answer our questions by replying with short, unrelated answers.

Having said that, when we requested to speak to the duty manager the night before our departure to share our displeasure that my sister’s mansion was not made up when we returned. Instead of being defensive, the duty manager listened with much empathy. I even spotted his female staff, Laura, checking on our mansions and taking down notes on the points we raised.

Facilities around the Hotel

Breakfast @ Mistral Restaurant

Breakfast was served at the Mistral Restaurant, located on the 6th floor of the hotel. The restaurant could accommodate a large number of guests for breakfast, thanks to its size and plentiful seating. The food served was tasty, with a good mix of local and Western options, ranging from salads to bacon to fresh-cut fruits. There is even a small selection of Indian food, catering for the hotel’s Indian guests. In terms of the spread, I’d say the restaurant offers a huge breakfast menu, with its signature croissants placed on the table just inside the entrance. There is a made-to-order noodle bar where we could pick the type of noodles and the vegetables to pair with them. However, the menu stayed the same throughout our three-night stay at the hotel. Despite the repetitive menu, I thought the breakfast served was quite hearty and filled us up with energy to explore Macau.

Club Millésime Lounge

The Club Millésime Lounge, perched on the 17th floor in the hotel wing, is the hotel’s Executive Lounge. The lounge’s decor feels a bit tacky, with overuse of marble on the walls and fixtures that create a sense of luxury. The dark wooden wall cabinets at either end of the lounge, along with the dark brown carpet laid throughout most of it, create an old-school, luxurious vibe. Most parts of the lounge are furnished with dining tables for four, with those placed next to the large window that looks out into Old District Macau only accommodating two. A couple of sets of sofas occupied the ends of the lounge, catering to larger groups. An orange marble bar table was placed in the centre of the lounge for large groups to mingle. The lounge offers a great space for guests to relax, serving finger food during afternoon tea and evening cocktail hours, in addition to the smaller breakfast menu served in the mornings. Outside these hours, guests can visit the lounge to enjoy a drink, where cookies and nuts are also available. We were at the Club Millésime Lounge only for one evening cocktail; the food spread was rather limited. As the evening cocktail approached its end, the staff did not bother to top up the food (despite assuring us the chef would keep it flowing).

Swimming Pool

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 boasts not one but two swimming pools: the larger main pool, open to all hotel guests, and another located in the mansion wing, exclusively for mansion guests. The free-form main pool, located on the 6th floor of the main hotel building, appears to be designed primarily for families, making it somewhat challenging to complete decent laps. There is a small area in the pool, curved out as a jacuzzi, which makes relaxing here ideal. There are also a limited number of sundeck chairs around the main pool, which means only a small number of guests can use them at any one time.

The private mansion wing pool sits on the 8th floor of the mansion wing, catering to guests staying in the mansion. The mansion wing pool features an elongated design, ideal for swimming laps and for families to spend quality time together. There is a separate, dedicated jacuzzi pool at this pool. There seem to be more sundeck chairs at this pool facing the river than at the main pool.

Gym

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 features a spacious gym, located on the 6th floor of the main hotel building. The gym consists of two parts: a smaller room located next to the reception and the main gym floor. The smaller room beside the reception features free weights for guests to perform strength training. There are gym balls at the end of this room for guests to use for core training. The main gym floor is equipped with mainly cardio equipment like treadmills and stationary bikes positioned to face the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the main swimming pool. There are only three strength training machines, which work out only the arms and back muscles, placed in the centre of the gym floor and arranged to face the swimming pool.

Overall

The location of the hotel was good, as it was close to the historic centre of Macau, making visiting these sights very convenient. The 24-hour supermarket within a stone’s throw of the hotel made it convenient for us to get stuff even late at night. However, due to no casinos operating at the hotel, there are no free shuttle buses that run here. Fortunately, the bus stop in front of the hotel connects us to the major attractions in Macau, making exploring here a breeze. The 1-Bedroom Mansion that was assigned to us was very well-appointed. The large floor area allowed the hotel to fit many facilities, such as a Karaoke Room and a Sauna, within the room. The mansion’s decor was classy and luxurious, and the king bed provided excellent sleep quality. The breakfast menu was huge, and despite staying the same, it kept us fueled for the day of exploring Macau. It seems the reception staff were the only ones (as well as Bonnie) who were interested in providing good service. The rest of the staff, including those in the restaurant and lounge, and especially the male staff at the lounge’s check-in desks, do not seem to be providing good service to its guests.

Macau Day 4 (28 Dec 25): Last Minute Shopping & Departing Macau

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This is our final day in Macau, and since our flight departs from Hong Kong International Airport in the evening, we had the flexibility to relax in the hotel or head out for some last-minute shopping. Since our pre-booked bus to Hong Kong is at 3.30 pm, we had a good 3 hours before we needed to leave for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) border to catch our bus to Hong Kong International Airport.

Last Minute Shopping at Senado Square

After breakfast, my sister wanted to head out for some last-minute shopping. To make the most of the time we had, we went to Senado Square, which is a stone’s throw from our hotel. Senado Square seemed to be more crowded than on the second day we were here. We spent the remaining 3 hours we had shopping for souvenirs and clothing in Senado Square, making it a great spot for both shopping and sightseeing.

Macau to Hong Kong Airport

As we flew out of Hong Kong International Airport, we added an additional hour to the airport from Macau. Departing from Macau via bus, only a few airlines allow check-in at the HZMB border. As the airline we are flying is not on this list, we were required to bring our luggage to Hong Kong International Airport and check in at the Sky Pier Terminal (Click here for more information on the airlines eligible for check-in at the HZMB border). Like our entry to Macau, we cleared immigration at the HZMB border relatively fast. Soon, we found ourselves in the immigration area of the border control building, looking for the bus to Hong Kong International Airport. However, after we had found our bus, we were told we were late for check-in. Turns out that we needed to check in for our bus ride 45 minutes before our scheduled departure (we were at the bus at 3.15 pm for our 3.30 pm departure). Fortunately, the next bus departs at 4 pm, 30 minutes after our original bus departs. The helpful staff quickly helped us change our bus tickets and took our luggage. At the Hong Kong International Airport Sky Pier Terminal, check-in was a breeze. After we checked in for our flight and obtained our boarding pass, we were given instructions on where to clear immigration and where to collect our airport tax refund since we technically did not enter Hong Kong.

Afterthought

Macau can be an easy day trip from Hong Kong, provided one leaves early and returns late at night. Given our two full days, there are still areas that we planned for but did not cover. For a slower pace and fuller Macau experience, I thought three full days would be ideal. There are activities such as Go-karting and the Panda conservation centre that are suitable for families. In terms of where to stay, I thought Cotai is suitable for those who are attracted to the glitz and glamour, as well as luxury shopping and casino gaming. For those who want a more authentic Macau experience that is close to the historical attractions, the Macau Peninsula is a great option. In terms of food, I thought Macau’s was not as good as Hong Kong’s. Half the time, we had trouble finding decent food. Perhaps we limited ourselves to Macau Peninsula, where the food is more influenced by Mainland China, or perhaps we did not bother Googling for better restaurants.

Macau Day 3 (27 Dec 25): Coloane Village & Cotai Strip – From the Laidback Village to the Flashy Las Vegas of the East

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Having visited the sights on Macau Peninsula yesterday, today we are focused on the sights on the other island of Macau. We started our day by visiting the A-Ma temple, then headed to the south of Macau, and concluded the day with a visit to the Cotai Strip.

A-Ma Temple – The Temple that gave Macau its Name

Since we are heading south, it makes sense to visit A-Ma Temple, which is on the southern part of the Macau Peninsula, about a 10-minute bus ride from our hotel. It was believed that the A-Ma Temple existed before Macau and that the territory’s name derives from the temple, which literally means “Bay of A-Ma.” Built in 1488, the temple is the oldest in Macau. The purpose of our visit to A-Ma Temple is to offer our prayers to the deities installed here for protection. The main deity worshipped at A-Ma Temple is the Sea Goddess, Mazu. There are technically four shrines in the temple grounds – two on the ground level and two perched on top of the hill. We first headed to the largest temple structure in A-Ma Temple, Zhengjue Chanlin, which is on the right as we enter. From here, we bought some incense and were guided through the prayer sequence. After going through one round of prayer, we visited the Prayer Hall, the small shrine right in front of the stone arch, to offer our prayers to another Mazu statue installed here.

It is time to climb the stairs up the hill to offer our prayers in the remaining two shrines. Perched on the slope, a flight of stairs behind the Prayer Hall is the Benevolent Hall. This hall is believed to be the first and the original shrine in A-Ma Temple. This shrine is even smaller than the Prayer Hall just below, and it also only has the statue of Mazu. The next shrine, the Hall of Guanyin, is perched on the highest point of the temple grounds. This is a relatively large and open shrine that worships the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. Apart from offering our prayers here, the “balcony” of this shrine provided a good view of the surroundings. After visiting the four shrines, we headed back to Zhengjiao Chanlin to burn joss paper, where the temple staff offered a prayer for us. Before heading out, we spotted a large rock next to the stone arches. The boat carved into this rock is believed to be the one that brought Mazu to Macau.

Coloane Village – The Quaint Village

After offering our prayers at A-Ma Temple, we continued our sightseeing. The bus ride from A-Ma Temple to Coloane Village took about 30 minutes. Coloane Village is a laid-back village that was once a pirate hideout due to its many sheltered coastlines. Today, the sleepy village is a great place to escape the tourist-packed areas of Macau. This is also where we found the original Lord Stow Eggtart store, which is significantly less crowded than the one in Taipa.

Chapel of St. Francis Xavier

Walking along the coastal road in Coloane Village, our first stop was the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier. Built in 1928, the church is famed for its charming Baroque-style architecture. Adorned in bright yellow colour, this church reminds me of St. Dominic’s Church we visited in Senado Square yesterday. The interior of the church was modest, with only four rows of prayer benches. The square in front of the church is worth a visit. The monument, non-functional water fountains, and Portuguese-style surrounding buildings, the square seems to transport one to an idyllic European Village.

Kun Iam Temple

Our next destination is the Kun Iam Temple, situated 3 minutes’ walk down the lane behind the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier. The temple was built in 1800 and is one of the four temples in Coloane village. The temple was modest in size and could easily be missed if one was not looking for it. Unlike the temples we have visited, the Kun Iam Temple does not have elaborate signage pointing to it. Moreover, its entrance is not on the main thoroughfare. Though modest in size, the Kun Iam Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin, is also home to several other deities. A helpful temple staff member guided my sibling in the prayer sequence. There is a small gift shop on the side of Kun Iam Temple, where we spent some time looking through the cute Chinese ornaments on sale.

Walking around Coloane Village

Seeing that there wasn’t much to see around Coloane Village, we decided to grab lunch at one of the two eateries near the bus stop where we alighted. We walked along the same coastal road, Avenida de Cinco de Outubro, that we walked on earlier. Here we found more Portuguese-style buildings, painted in bright, cheerful colours. Of these buildings, the Coloane Village Library stood out the most owing to its bright light yellow colour. Walking on Avenida de Cinco de Outubro, with the sea on one side, felt especially relaxing.

The Cotai Strip – Las Vegas of the East

No trip to Macau is complete without visiting the Vegas of the East along Cotai Strip, which is home to numerous large casinos built on reclaimed land. Cotai Strip got its name simply by combining the names of the two areas it was sandwiched between, Coloane and Taipa.

The Big Three of Cotai – The Parisian, The Venetian & The Londoner

There are two bus stops that buses to Coloane Village pull into. The first one is the one we alighted at, in front of Lord Stow’s Bakery, and the other is slightly further across the road, about a 2-minute walk away. We took the bus to Cotai Strip from the farther bus stop, since everyone leaving the village at the nearer stop, making the chance of finding a seat on the bus slim. The bus ride from Coloane Village to Cotai took about 20 minutes. We started our Cotai Strip visit at the Parisian (on the same side as the bus stop we alighted from) and ended at the Londoner, which is opposite the road where the Sky Cab is. Pulling into the bus stop, the Eiffel Tower replica told us we are in Cotai Strip. Having visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris, I thought this scaled-down replica looked quite real. Inside the Parisian, we saw tons of shops, ranging from luxury boutiques to souvenir shops, lined up side by side. In the big three, casinos occupy the ground floor, while shops and restaurants occupy the floor above it. Other than the hotel check-in lobby, which has elaborate frescoes painted on the ceiling, resembling part of the Versailles. The rest of the Parisian looked like your run-of-the-mill shopping mall with not much character.

Compared to the Parisian, our next stop, the Venetian, had more characteristics. There is a replica of Venice’s canals and bridges inside the shopping mall, where people ride gondolas and occasionally the singing by the gondola paddler can be heard. The ceiling of the Venetian shopping mall is painted in bright blue skies with clouds, making the mall perpetually having clear skies all year round. The layout of the Venetian was akin to a maze. We spent hours walking round and round and couldn’t seem to exit the Venetian, and only managed to get out when we went to the casino floor. From there, we found signs pointing to the Londoner. Compared to the Venetian, the Londoner feels much plainer, except for a few archways that seem to mimic London Central Station, some London-style phone booths, and a London double-decker bus. The rest of the Londoner, like the Parisian and the Venetian is lined with luxury shops and restaurants.

Foiled Plan to take the Sky Cab

Our initial plan was to take the complimentary Sky Cab ride that loops around the fountain in front of the Wynn Palace in Cotai. However, the long queue for the cable car ride put us off. I learned about an alternative boarding area inside the hotel, but getting there requires more walking and exploring. Since everyone was tired after walking all day, we decided to cut our losses and head back to the Macau Peninsula for dinner.

Senado Square at Night

After dinner near our hotel, since the night was still young, we headed to Senado Square to buy some souvenirs before heading back to the hotel to rest.

Macau Night Market

We stumbled upon a night market mainly selling street food in one of the alleyways near our hotel. This lively night market operates only on weekends. The street food on offer was another level. In addition to the usual finger food, we also saw some stalls selling BBQ Boston lobsters. The shops in the alley behind, where the street food stalls were still open, offered visitors the option of buying souvenirs rather than eating street food. Compared to Taiwan’s night markets, this one is really small, but it is worth a look.

Municipal Affairs Bureau

Our final stop for the day is at Senado Square, where we buy souvenirs in case we do not have time to get them tomorrow before we leave Macau. As it was near closing time, most of the shops on Senado Square were either closed or closing. However, we managed to get the stuff we wanted from the shop. Despite being late at night, there was still a crowd in Senado Square. As we were preparing to head back to our hotel, I spotted the Municipal Affairs Bureau doors open. This was the building we were unsure about visiting yesterday, and decided to take a look inside. Apart from a few vending machines and Christmas displays, there is nothing much going on inside the Municipal Affairs Bureau. From its main entrance, a straight path led us to a small courtyard, and that’s about it. However, the Portuguese-style tiles on the building’s walls reminded visitors of Macau’s Portuguese heritage. After staying in the Municipal Affairs Bureau momentarily, we headed back to the hotel to rest for the night.

Macau Day 2 (26 Dec 25): Macau Peninsula – The Historic Centre of Macau & Macau Tower

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No trip to Macau is complete without paying a visit to the iconic Ruins of St. Paul, the poster child of Macau. The Ruins of St. Paul, along with the historic sights of Macau, are located in the central part of the Macau Peninsula, not far from our hotel. Since we missed all the sights I had planned for yesterday due to our late arrival in Macau, we started earlier than we had initially planned, hoping to catch up on some of the sights we had missed.

Senado Square – The Heart of Historic Macau

Our first stop of the day started at Senado Square, the centre of Macau Peninsula and where all the action is. The elongated, triangular-shaped Senado Square has been Macau’s urban centre for centuries and is one of the SAR’s top four squares. This square linked us to most of the historic sights on the Macau Peninsula, making it a great place to start visiting them. Aside from being a starting point for the World Heritage Sites of Macau, Senado Square is also a great spot for shopping. There are tons of shopping options, from individual boutiques to department stores to souvenir shops. We even found roadside stalls in one of the alleyways near the main road parallel to Senado Square. As it was the centre of action, Senado Square was jam-packed with people taking pictures, shopping, or simply resting on the many benches installed here. The presence of Christmas decorations installed in the middle of the square not only brings a festive mood but also attracts visitors to stay longer.

Standing on Senado Square, we spotted the Municipal Affairs Bureau across the road. We were unsure whether we could visit the building, as the doors were shut during our stay in Senado Square. We merely kept our distance and took pictures of the building across the road.

Municipal Affairs Bureau opposite Senado Square

St. Dominic’s Church – The Yellow Church

The yellow-coloured St. Dominic’s Church is just a stone’s throw from the centre of Senado Square, making it a perfect second stop. The Baroque-style church was founded in 1587 by three Spanish priests from Mexico and features a good mix of European and Macanese elements in its design, as seen in its Chinese-style roof. The white European floral patterns adorned on the facade of the church are especially pronounced against the yellow walls. The inside of the church was neither as massive as those we had seen in European countries nor as elaborately frescoed. Still, the simple ivory-white interior gave us a sense of peace, contrasting with the busy Senado Square we were in moments ago. We spotted an entrance at the side of the church and decided to check it out. The entrance led us to the back of the church, where a small museum now houses a collection of around 300 artefacts. As it would require us to climb up some stairs, we did not visit the museum and exited the church to continue our walk towards the Ruins of St. Paul.

Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady – The Church on the Hill

As we were walking around, half shopping and half looking at the sights in Senado Square, we spotted a plain-looking church perched on top of the slope. This is the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady, also known as the Cathedral of Macau, first built in 1576 and redesigned in 1623 into a cathedral. This cathedral is the most influential church in Macau, housing the highest administrative division of Catholic affairs in the city. The interior of the church is painted a light green, with stained glass behind the main altar. Like St. Dominic’s church, the Cathedral of Macau also features a rather plain interior, without the carvings and frescoes seen in the larger cathedrals in Europe. The interior of the cathedral consists only of a large prayer hall. As we were not Catholics, we stayed here only briefly before heading to our next stop, the Ruins of St. Paul.

Lou Kau Mansion – The Accidental Find

As we were walking towards the Ruins of St. Paul, following Google Maps directions, we stumbled upon a building with open doors, with visitors streaming in and out. Curious, we checked with a staff member standing by the door if the house was open to the public. The friendly staff welcomed us into the house. This is the Lou Kau Mansion, a traditional Chinese-style house built in 1889 in the middle of heavily European-influenced buildings of Senado Square. Despite its Chinese architectural style, traces of European influence can be seen in the house, including the use of stained glass and decorative motifs. Despite being a two-storey house, only a small portion of the house, such as the ground-level fore and aft halls, and a room that is converted into a projection room introducing the history of the house, was open to the public.

Ruins of St. Paul – Vatican of the East

As I was navigating using Google Maps, I was given directions away from signage in Senado Square that pointed to the sight. My mistake was to trust Google Maps too much, so we were drifting in opposite directions. Only when we reached Senado Square did I realise that my position on the maps was erroneous. We spent a good 30 minutes walking around in circles before trusting the street signage pointing to the ruins. We finally reached the icon of Macau – The Ruins of St. Paul. The forever-crowded Ruins of St. Paul was constructed between 1602 and 1640. The church was the largest Catholic Church in East Asia at the time of completion and was given the title Vatican of the East. The original structure consists of five storeys with a large prayer hall. The church was destroyed by a fire during a typhoon in 1853, leaving only its facade. The surviving facade revealed its baroque architecture, with the statue of the Virgin Mary atop the main entrance to the church. The original name of the church, Mater Dei, was still visible on the beam of its main entrance.

Walking past the facade, we arrived at a large open space where the church used to sit. The original structure of the church can still be visible through the glass floors on both sides of this area. A small building that leads to the lower floors sits at the end of the open area. As we descended the staircase to the lower floor, we could see the church’s surviving structure. A museum houses surviving artefacts used in the church’s everyday life. Compared to the church’s facade, the museum seems to see fewer people, but I thought it was worth a visit. We spent around 5 minutes inside the small museum.

Na Tcha Temple – The Hidden Gem

One sight near the Ruins of St. Paul that visitors often miss is the Na Tcha Temple. The single-chambered, small wooden shrine dedicated to the Child God Na Tcha was built in 1888 and has stood at the same spot for more than 100 years. The temple showcases traditional Chinese architecture and symbolises religious freedom during Portuguese rule in Macau. There is a modest Exhibition Room next to the temple, featuring paintings of the legends of the Na Tcha, alongside objects such as the sedan chair and lion heads used during the deity’s birthday celebration. I thought the small square where the exhibition room is situated provides an oasis of tranquillity for people who want a brief break amidst the hectic crowd at the Ruins of St. Paul.

Travessa da Paixao – The Love Lane

The next spot we visited isn’t really a sight; rather, it is an excellent place for those who want a less crowded spot to take pictures with the Ruins of St. Paul. Travessa da Paixão, or Love Lane, got its name from attracting couples who came here for wedding photo shoots. The small alley situated on the left of the ruins, just a few steps from Na Tcha temple, offers a different perspective on the Ruins of St. Paul.

As we were walking to our next destination, the Guia Hill cable car, somehow my Google Maps started to screw me up again. We spent the next 20 minutes walking in circles. It does help that cabs are difficult to find in this part of Macau. As most of us were tired, we eventually gave up going to the hill. Instead, we wanted to head to our next destination, Macau Tower. We wanted to catch a bus to the tower but were told that the buses were travelling in the opposite direction. Eventually, we got directions from a cleaning staff member at a bus depot, who told us where to catch a bus to Macau Tower. Using the directions given to us, we eventually found ourselves in front of our hotel. We went back to put our stuff down and rest a little before hailing a cab from the hotel to Macau Tower.

Macau Tower – The Thrill Seeking Tower

Macau Tower is one of Macau’s landmarks, standing 338m tall. The tower sits in the southern part of the Macau Peninsula, offering visitors a bird’s-eye view of the Pearl River Delta. By the time we arrived at Macau Tower, it was about 1 hour before it closed. We were perhaps one of the last few to be let up the tower. The staff at the bottom of the lift reassured us that we would have sufficient time to visit the tower. There are two observation decks on the tower, the indoor 58-storey and the outdoor 61-storey. Not knowing which floor to exit, we got out on the 58th storey when the lift arrived at that level. As we walked towards the edge of the tower, we figured the 61st floor would give us a better view and headed for the outdoor deck before coming back down. Level 61, being outdoors, was colder than the indoor level below, with the sea breeze constantly blowing in our direction. As level 61 protrudes out more over the edge, it felt as though we were standing without the glass protection. This level is also where thrill seekers can walk around the tower at its edge or even bungee jump off the tower. As it was already near closing time, the station that manages these activities was closed. From the level 61 observation deck, we were treated to a 360° view of the surrounding areas, from the Macau Peninsula on one side to the flashy Cotai area on the other. We could even see the nearby Chinese city of Zhuhai. We stayed here to take some pictures of the surroundings before heading back down to the observation deck on level 58. Back on level 58, the views were not as stunning as those on level 61, but the glass floor there gave us the impression of walking on thin air. However, the scratches visible when the light was pointed upwards from the tower made it difficult to see through. After visiting the tower, we took one of the casino-sponsored free shuttle buses and landed back in the Lisboa area, where we settled for dinner and headed back to the hotel to rest for the night.

Macau Day 1 (25 Dec 25): Macau Peninsula: Arrival at Macau

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Arrival in Macau

Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China next to Hong Kong, is often visited as a day trip from Hong Kong. However, we had been to Hong Kong several times and would want to focus on Macau for this trip. Macau has its own airport, with fewer airlines landing compared to its neighbour, Hong Kong. Hence, it makes more sense to fly to Hong Kong and connect to Macau. As we flew into Hong Kong International Airport, we could either clear immigration and enter Hong Kong to take a cross-border bus or ferry from downtown Hong Kong to Macau, or connect directly from the Hong Kong International Airport Sky Pier Terminal, eliminating the need to enter Hong Kong. The Macau Tourism Office ran a promotion during our trip (valid until the end of 2025) that offered visitors a complimentary one-way bus ticket from Hong Kong to Macau (we had to purchase the Macau-to-Hong Kong bus ticket, available here). To get the shuttle bus, we headed to counter E2 after deplaning, located past the immigration counters, where a staff member from the bus company helped us book seats and issue our bus tickets. We did not have to worry about our luggage, as the staff at the bus ticket counter took our luggage claim ticket to retrieve them from the carousel and transfer it to the Sky Pier Terminal. Due to the holiday season, we were only able to get bus tickets for the 4 pm departure from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau (despite arriving at the airport around noon). I should have booked our outbound tickets on the website when purchasing our return ticket, instead of relying on luck for a bus that would depart soon after we landed. Since we had 3 hours before our bus departed, we could spend that time at the small arrival area or the Sky Pier Terminal. As we did not have an outbound flight ticket, we couldn’t even access the airport’s transit lounges (located one level above the arrival area). There isn’t much going on at the arrival area at Hong Kong International Airport. Apart from a few small duty-free shops and a convenience shop, this part of the airport is pretty boring. There is also a restaurant where we spent our time waiting, serving mediocre food and with unfriendly staff. After sitting around for 2 hours, we got bored and took the Automated People Mover to the Sky Pier Terminal. The Sky Pier Terminal is dead, apart from people making their way to Macau or Zhuhai and one small convenience shop; there is nothing much going on here. But at least it had an outdoor area where we could enjoy the views of Hong Kong.

The bus ride from Hong Kong International Airport Sky Pier Terminal to Macau took about 40 minutes. The bus terminated at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) border control, where we cleared immigration to enter Macau proper. I’d say the connection between Hong Kong International Airport and Macau was quite seamless. After clearing immigration, which only took mere minutes, I spotted a small family-run shop where we got our mCards – the store value transport card for Macau. My 10-year-old nephew had to pay adult fare, as the child fare is only available for children under 1m. When I was planning this trip, I found that the hotel we stayed at had a regular complimentary shuttle bus to pick up visitors from the border and drop them off at the hotel. However, after spending some time looking, we couldn’t find any buses heading to Ponte 16. It doesn’t help that most of the staff at the bus terminal weren’t exactly helpful with information. After getting several “I don’t knows”, we gave up and took the public bus to our hotel. Fortunately, we bought our mCards at the convenience store just before we left the border control building, which allowed us immediate access to public transport without having to dig through small change. I realised the transport charges are cheaper when using the mCard: instead of the standard MOP6 per trip (regardless of the distance), our card deducted MOP4 for the trip from the border control to the hotel and MOP3 for transportation within Macau. We arrived at our hotel after a 20-minute bus ride. After checking in and settling into our rooms, it was already late. My family wanted to head out for dinner, and I suggested we spend the night watching the Prosperity Tree show at the Wynn Hotel.

Old Macau Casino District: Watching The Prosperity Tree Show

We took bus #26A from the stop opposite our hotel to reach the Lisboa casino district. The Grand Lisboa Casino is one of Macau’s iconic landmarks, known for its lotus-shaped architecture and world-class dining. Grand Lisboa is one of the oldest casinos in Macau, blending east and west elements into its design. One cannot miss the unique building when in this area. One of the things to do in front of the Grand Lisboa Casino is to take a picture with the “billionaire pose” or the “Stanley Ho pose”, where one would cross their arms and stand in front of the casino, mimicking the picture taken of the Godfather of Gaming, Stanley Ho, during a magazine shoot. After taking some pictures, we crossed the road and headed into the Wynn Hotel.

Emerging from the underground pedestrian tunnel and passing through the main door of the hotel, the Prosperity Tree is not difficult to find. The way to the tree is very well marked by signs around the hotel. We arrived 15 minutes past the hour, thinking the show occurred every ½ hour. When the time came, ½ past the hour, there were no signs of the show starting. This is when we realised the show only happens every hour. The Prosperity Tree shows happen every hour on weekdays and every ½ hour on Fridays and weekends. As we already occupied the front-row seats, we did not want to give up our “golden” spots and kept waiting. Soon the hour came, and the show started. The Prosperity Tree is a two-storey tall tree with each of its 98,000 leaves covered in 24-carat gold and brass, symbolising wealth and luck. The 6-minute show began with the ceiling opening to reveal a large LED panel depicting koi fish and Chinese characters for wealth and prosperity. Shortly after, the golden tree emerged from the floor below, accompanied by music and light that depict the vibrant colours of the four seasons. We were here mainly for the wealth and luck that the tree will hopefully bring us. After the show, we headed to a restaurant nearby for dinner before heading back to the hotel to call it a night.

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines A350-900 Medium Haul (SQ882) – Business Class, SIN – HKG (25 Dec 25)

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Singapore Airlines SIN – HKG flightpath
Singapore Airlines A350-900 Medium Haul aircraft that flew us to Hong Kong

Singapore Changi Airport

Check-in

Singapore Airlines operates out of Changi Airport’s Terminals 2 and 3, with Terminal 2 primarily catering to regional flights. Although our flight is technically classified as a regional flight (under 6 hours), it departs from Terminal 3 today. Singapore Airlines occupies several rows of check-in counters in Terminal 3, each row serving a different travel class. Rows 3 and 4 serve Economy Class passengers, while Row 7 serves KrisFlyer Silver members, and Row 6 is dedicated to passengers flying in Business Class and Star Alliance Gold members flying on Singapore Airlines. We checked in at Row 6, located in the centre of the terminal building, with Door 5 as the nearest entrance. Despite it being Christmas and the school holiday season, there was no queue at the Business Class counters when we arrived, as all were open. We met with a friendly check-in staff who made our check-in experience positive. Despite the early morning, the energetic staff was welcoming and processed our check-in with much efficiency. She also gave us directions to the SilverKris Lounge and reminded us of the time we should be at our gate. The ground staff also told us that our gate was very close to the lounge and encouraged us to enjoy the lounge longer.

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge @ Terminal 3

SilverKris Lounge at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 is Singapore Airlines’ flagship lounge and the largest of the airline’s lounges worldwide. SilverKris Lounge is located one floor above the transit area, with the escalator diagonally opposite Bacha being the closest one that brings directly to the main entrance. The first thing that caught my eye was the bar to the right of the entrance to SilverKris Lounge. Here we can order cocktails and mocktails from the bartender, who is happy to whip up the signature Singapore Sling. Further into the right side of the entrance, past the bar, we spotted a small buffet line mainly stocked with finger food. A large fridge stocked with drinks—beer, soda, and juice—provides hydration for passengers in this part of the lounge. The area after the buffet and beverage stations is mainly furnished with lounge seating, arranged in groups of four. This part of the lounge is the quietest, with most of the passengers just relaxing wiating for their flight. There are also tall tables in this part of the lounge, ideal for passengers who want to work.

The area to the left of the entrance mainly houses the dining area in SilverKris Lounge. Other than a small section of the lounging area at the front of the lounge and a separate room with more lounging armchairs, most of this area of the lounge is furnished with a dining table set up seating two or four passengers. The toilet and shower facilities are also found in this part of the lounge. To make it convenient for passengers, the main buffet line is also found in this area. Singapore Airlines is very generous with its food offerings. There is a relatively large selection of local and western options, and two stations at either end of the buffet line that offer cook-to-order noodles. The signature laksa, a Malay noodle dish, is a must-try for visitors to the SilverKris Lounge. In addition to the extensive food selection, the SilverKris lounge also has a section for fruits, salads, and desserts. Beverages are also found stocked on both sides of the main buffet line. There is a room at the end of the lounge, decked with 16 semi-open sleeping pods for passengers who want to catch a snooze.

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines operates several aircraft types to Hong Kong, ranging from the superjumbo A380 to A350 and B777. Our flight today was operated by the A350-900 Medium Haul variant featuring the airline’s regional Business Class seats.

Singapore Airlines A350-900 safety card
Singapore Airlines livery up close

The Cabin

The Singapore Airlines A350-900 Medium Haul Business Class cabin mainly employs an earthy tone, evident in the seat and carpet furnishings, which complement the cream-coloured seat shell. The cabinetry and side tables at each seat use a lighter shade of brown, creating a relaxed vibe. The combination of orange and white mood lighting used during boarding gave the cabin an elegant look. The Business Class cabin on Singapore Airlines’ A350-900 Medium Haul variant is divided into a larger forward cabin with 28 seats and a more intimate aft cabin with 12 seats. We were seated in the smaller aft Business Class cabins with just three rows of seats.

Singapore Airlines has three lavatories serving all 40 Business Class passengers, one at the very front of the aircraft and the other two between the two Business Class cabins. The grey marble-plastered flooring, together with the dark brown used in the cabinet’s wooden panelling and the sand brown backsplash at the sink, gave it a premium look. The lavatories on Singapore Airlines’ A350-900 Medium Haul variant are rather standard in size, but the use of mirrors on both sides of the wall and the bright lighting make it feel larger. Singapore Airlines is one of the few airlines in the world that fully stocks its lavatories (in both Business and Economy Class) with amenities such as dental and shaving kits. In addition to these amenities, the Business Class lavatories are also stocked with the premium Payot-branded hand lotion, facial mist, and eau de toilet.

The Seat

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Medium Haul Business Class seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving passengers a seat pitch of 60″ and a width of 28″. I find these regional Business Class seats comfortable even in the default takeoff/landing mode, thanks to the thick padding and soft leather. However, I thought the entrance to the seats was a little tight for my window seat, as the side table was placed next to the aisle. These regional Business Class seats can also be reclined 180° into a flatbed. In flatbed mode, I was able to get some comfortable snooze in the seat. The seat did not feel too hard, and the bedding enhanced sleep comfort. Despite not having a door, I find a good amount of privacy in the seat in bed mode, especially when sitting next to the window, thanks to the seat shell’s high back. In addition to flatbed mode, Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class seats can also be converted to a relaxing lounge mode, a mode between the takeoff/landing position and the flatbed, via the preset haptic seat controls. I find this lounge mode the most comfortable, as I can customise the recline angle and seat position to my preferences using the seat control buttons.

There are several storage options in the Regional Business Class seats onboard the A350-900 Medium Haul aircraft. The most obvious is the enclosed cabinet at the side table in the seat. This cabinet is large enough for me to place my 11 “iPad, mobile phone, a couple of charging cables and my passport in. The sliding door on this cabinet also allowed us to stow our stuff during takeoffs and landings. In addition to storage, the cabinet also features two USB-A charging ports and one international power outlet, keeping our lifestyle devices juiced up before we deplane. Other than the cabinet, we can technically use the seat pocket to stow flat items. However, its location near the floor at the seat entrance requires a shift to access the items inside, making it rather inconvenient to stow items. The space under the footwell is large enough to stow carry-ons for those who do not want to place their items in the overhead compartment.

Singapore Airlines Business Class seat onboard their A350-900 Medium Haul variant is fitted with a large seat table, stowed under the personal TV. When fished out of its storage, the table is presented in a half-fold mode, but can be unfolded to reveal a sizeable, sturdy table that is great for dining or work. In addition to the overhead reading light, Singapore Airlines also installed a row of three reading lights inside the seat shell. I like how these reading lights correspond to the different seat modes, ensuring illumination regardless of seating configuration.

Inflight Entertainment

Singapore Airlines fitted a large 18.1″ personal TV in every Business Class seat. The picture quality of these TVs is sharp, making movie-watching enjoyable. The small touches, like the ability to tilt the TV downwards, ensure the picture quality does not deteriorate when receiving entertainment in bed mode. Entertainment options can be selected via the TV’s responsive touchscreen or the IFE controller. The IFE controller resembles a smartphone and is very intuitive to use, with entertainment selection via touchscreen menus. Singapore Airlines provides every Business Class passenger with noise-cancellation headphones that are very effective at blocking out noise. When it comes to entertainment variety, KrisWorld offers hundreds of movies, TV shows, and music to keep you entertained. These options are curated in very easy-to-navigate menus, where I had no trouble finding the latest Hollywood blockbuster or movies from a certain region to make the 4-hour flight time zoom past. There is even a small menu of games in KrisWorld to keep the young and the young at heart entertained. Singapore Airlines provides unlimited free wifi for its Business Class passengers. However, the internet connection was too slow for streaming videos, so only messaging and scrolling through social media were possible.

Meal

Singapore Airlines also offers a “Book the Cook” service to its Business Class passengers on flights departing Singapore, expanding the food selection beyond the three options from its in-flight menu. For the regular Business Class meals, we were given the options of Omelette, Singapore Bah Kut Teh or Dim Sum. Instead of ordering from this menu, I ordered Char Siew Wanton Dry Noodles from the “Book the Cook” menu. The meal service started with a fruit platter, followed by another cabin crew member going around the cabin with a bread basket. As it was an early morning flight, Singapore Airlines did not serve its signature garlic bread. The fruits tasted fresh and sweet, but the croissant was a tad cold for my liking. My main course, Char Siew Noodles, was delicious, and the noodles were not clumpy. The wantons were perfectly cooked, and the char siew was very well seasoned. Perhaps the thing that is missing is the spiciness. The Bah Kut Teh from the in-flight menu was well-seasoned and featured the peppery flavour of Singapore Bah Kut Teh. Overall, I thought the meal was excellent on this flight.

Service

The service we received on board this flight was nothing short of impeccable. We were warmly greeted by the in-flight manager at the door during boarding. Aside from the jovial greeting, she also guided us to the aisle to reach our seats. The cabin crew provided excellent service, smiling throughout the flight. The cabin crew working on my aisle came by and introduced herself, while addressing me by my first name, and confirmed my meal booking at the same time. As I was one of the last ones to board, I was not served a welcome drink. I witnessed the same cabin crew displaying care for her passengers. She constantly checked on my young nephew to ensure he was comfortable in his seat and even offered to help him buckle his seat belt before takeoff. We ordered Nais Lemak for my nephew from the “Book the Cook” menu, but he did not seem to like it (more of his preference). Upon spotting my nephew not touching his food, I overheard the same cabin crew asking if there was something on the in-flight menu that he wanted to eat. My nephew rejected the food, but the relentless cabin crew came back with a couple of biscuits for him in case he was hungry. I noticed the cabin crew constantly checked on my nephew to see how he was and if he needed anything to eat. The diligent cabin crew was also seen constantly patrolling the cabin to ensure all passengers under her charge were well cared for. My sibling celebrated his birthday on board, and the cabin crew surprised him with the cake that I pre-ordered before our flight. As this was a short flight, Singapore Airlines did not load its signature SQ bears. Instead, the Leading Stewardess serving my sibling’s aisle gave my sibling a small bear (out of her own pocket) as a replacement. What a thoughtful touch! As we were full and did not have space for the cake, the cabin crew packed the cake for us to take away.

The birthday surprise the crew prepared for my sibling

Afterthought

We had a great flight with Singapore Airlines. The seats were comfortable even in upright mode, thanks to their thick cushioning. The seat’s comfort level has gone up a notch in lounge mode. I even managed to doze off for 30 minutes in flatbed mode. The Char Siew Noodle I ordered from the “Book the Cook” menu was delicious and flavourful. What made this flight enjoyable was the personable and caring cabin crew. They were friendly and took really good care of us, especially the cabin crew who constantly checked on my nephew to ensure he had an enjoyable flight.

Taking off from Singapore Changi Airport
Landing at Hong Kong International Airport

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines B787-10 (SQ711) – Business Class, BKK-SIN (20 Jul 25)

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Our flight path for this flight from Bangkok to Singapore
Singapore Airlines B787-10 flying us from Bangkok to Singapore today

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Check-in

Singapore Airlines check-in counters in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport are found near the end of Row K, in the centre of the departure hall, with Door 5 being the closest door to it. Singapore Airlines has three queues for checking in, catering to Economy Class, Business Class, and KrisFlyer elite members. Of the seven counters, three serve Economy Class passengers, one is dedicated to KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Elite Silver members, while two are designated for Business Class passengers. The airlines also operate one additional service counter for passengers with flight-related issues. However, this counter also serves Business Class passengers when the other two counters are busy. The ground staff was friendly and worked with great efficiency, processing our check-in in under 5 minutes. Before sending us off to immigration, the ground staff provided us with information on our boarding gate and departure time. He also recommended that we use the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge as it is diagonally opposite our boarding gate. Business Class passengers, regardless of airlines, can use one of two Fast Track immigration lanes, located at either end of the terminal building. I appreciate this service at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, as it meant we didn’t have to queue and were through immigration almost immediately when we arrived at the counters.

Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge

As we used the Fast Track lane near the Thai Airways Business Class check-in counter in Row A, the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge in Concourse D is accessible via an escalator from the immigration counters. There are two lounges at the reception; we were directed to the refurbished lounge on the right of the reception. Passing through the entrance of the lounge, a bar counter welcomed passengers to the lounge. Behind the bar is the main lounge, where we saw several green walls installed in the seating area. The lounge still bears the signature colours of Thai Airways, decked in purple and yellow armchairs with dark brown. These green walls are a refreshing touch to the otherwise old, dark, and gloomy Thai Airways lounge that I used to visit. The main lounge is furnished with armchairs for passengers to relax and enjoy a quiet time.

A dining area, decked with round tables catering for two and a couple of bar tables, sits not far from the bar counter. This is where the buffet line is located, serving up signature Thai food. Despite not having a large variety, I find the food served at the lounge to be delicious and was constantly topped up. I like how the beverage fridges are being co-located in the same area as the buffet line, which makes it convenient for passengers to grab a drink. The shower facilities in the lounge are located in the centre of the lounge, in the same area as the toilet. Since there was no queue for shower rooms at the time of my visit, I decided to check it out. The shower room was quite sizeable, fitted with a toilet and a walk-in shower cubicle. The dark grey tiles in the shower room gave it a refreshed and elegant look. I like the open shelves in the shower room, where I find it practical to stow my carry-on backpack. As Thai Airways is celebrating 65 years of operation, there is a made-to-order counter serving up Japanese food near the other entrance to the lounge. Due to its design and layout, I find the Thai Airways Lounge to be peaceful and not crowded, as passengers are spread across the lounge area.

SilverKris Lounge

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is one of the few airports where Singapore Airlines operates its outstation SilverKris Lounge. The lounge is located diagonally opposite Gate D7, which is a stone’s throw from our departure gate of D6, making coming here an ideal choice while waiting for our boarding. The SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok Airport has a rectangular layout. Right past the entrance to the lounge, we spotted a small lounging area, decked with limited armchairs. Most of the SilverKris Lounge is decked with dining-style seating, occupying the space after the bar counter in the middle of the lounge and by the walls. There are some seating areas by the frosted floor-to-ceiling window, perfect for solo travellers or passengers who want to get some work done. Food is served in a buffet style at the SilverKris Lounge, tucked at the end of the lounge. Other than the Singaporean desserts and small finger food, most of the food available in this lounge features Thai cuisine. Compared to the Thai Airways Lounge, I thought the menu here was smaller with similar taste. SilverKris Lounge does not come fitted with any shower facilities, and even the toilet is a tad small. Due to the size and the layout, plus the number of passengers waiting here for our flight, the SilverKris Lounge felt busy.

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines mainly operates the A350-900 medium-haul variant and the B787-10 between Singapore and Bangkok. The aircraft assigned for this flight was the B787-10.

Singapore Airlines livery upclose
Singapore Airlines B787-10 safety card

The Cabin

Singapore Airlines’ B787-10 has one single Business Class cabin housing all 36 seats. This arrangement made the cabin look busy and cramped. However, the colour choice for the Business Class cabin onboard their B787-10 aircraft gave it a relaxing and elegant vibe. Using earthy tones in their seats and interior seat shell, and dark blue carpet, this colour theme resonates with the main colour theme of Singapore Airlines. The white walls and cream seat shell gave the cabin a clean look.

The only two Business Class lavatories are situated in front of the Business Class cabin. Unlike those in the A350-900 version, the Business Class lavatory looks nothing premium. Plastered in white and grey, these Business Class lavatories look exactly like those in the Economy Class. One would mistake this for Economy Class if not for the additional Payot hand cream, facial mist and eau de toilette sitting in the bracket on the sink. The lavatories felt a little on the small side, but the bright white lighting and the usage of mirrors gave the illusion of being bigger than they are. I applaud Singapore Airlines for being one of the few airlines in the world that provides amenities such as dental kits and shavers in their lavatory, even for this short 2-hour flight.

The Seat

Singapore Airlines mainly deploys its B787-10 aircraft for regional routes, featuring its regional Business Class seats. Singapore Airlines was one of the first few airlines to offer lie-flat seats for regional routes. The Business Class seats on Singapore Airlines B787-10 are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving passengers direct aisle access. The high shell-back design ensures a certain amount of privacy for its Business Class passengers, especially in flatbed mode. Each Singapore Airlines regional Business Class seat has a pitch of 60” and measures 28” wide, and is capable of reclining 180°, turning it into a true flatbed. These seats are very comfortable to sit on due to their thick cushion padding and soft leather. Singapore Airlines’ regional Business Class seat comes with three standard positions: upright for take-off and landings, flatbed for passengers to catch a snooze, and the in-between position (I called this the lounge mode), which is somewhere between the upright and flatbed mode that offers passengers an angled position for better comfort during cruising. These seat modes can be adjusted via the preset seat controls located under the side table. Out of the three seat modes, I find the lounge mode to be the most comfortable, as I was able to configure the recline angle according to my preference.

When it comes to storage, Singapore Airlines B787-10 Business Class seats offer passengers some compartments to store small items. The side cabinet fitted on top of the side table allows us to store smaller items like mobile phones, passports or even an 11” tablet. I like how the airlines designed this cabinet to be enclosed, meaning we can use this storage space even for take-offs and landings. Apart from this small cabinet, we could also use the seat pocket as a storage space for flat items such as books and magazines. However, I find the placement of this seat pocket a little inconvenient and difficult to reach from the seat with our seat belts on. The cubby hole under the footrest provided us with an alternate storage space for our carry-ons, other than the dedicated overhead bin. Singapore Airlines B787-10 Business Class seats have a fairly large seat table stored under the personal TV. The bi-fold table is sturdy and large enough for passengers to work on their 15” laptops. But due to the design, these tables do not come with a swivel function, which means they have to be put away for passengers to get in and out of their seats. Found inside the side cabinet is an international power outlet and two USB-A charging ports to keep our mobile devices juiced up before we land. On top of the overhead reading light, Singapore Airlines regional Business Class seats are installed with another set of reading lights at the top of the seat shell that caters to all three standard seat modes.

Inflight Entertainment

Singapore Airlines B787-10 Business Class seats are fitted with an 18.1″ touchscreen personal TV. The picture quality of the TV was sharp, and the colours were vibrant. A tilt-down feature has been incorporated into the screen’s design, allowing passengers to watch TV while in the flat bed mode of the seat without compromising picture quality. The IFE controller features a pseudo-smartphone design, where movie selections are made via the responsive touchscreen on the controller. Singapore Airlines provides its Business Class passengers with noise-cancelling headphones that are very effective in blocking out ambient noises. In fact, the noise-cancelling function was so effective that I had to remove my headphones when communicating with the cabin crew. KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines’ in-flight entertainment system, offers an extensive library of entertainment options, including movies, TV series, games, and destination guides. I had no issues finding something to keep me entertained from the huge menu of Hollywood and international movies for this short flight. I like how KrisWorld has this function that allows me to save the movies I’m watching to my KrisFlyer account, where I can log in and continue from where I left off. Singapore Airlines also provides complimentary in-flight wifi to all Business Class passengers. However, the speed only allows us to browse social media and does not support streaming videos from YouTube.

Meal

Singapore Airlines does not offer its “Book-the-Cook” service for flights out of Bangkok (possibly because it is a turnaround flight). To celebrate Singapore’s upcoming 60th birthday, the airlines offer a Singaporean dish as one of the three options on top of the Western and Thai options. Business Class passengers can pre-select the food option from the Singapore Airlines app and website. I pre-selected the Singapore Hokkien Mee after reading rave reviews of this dish. Due to the short flight time, meals were served in one tray instead of course-by-course as with their longer-haul Business Class products. While the salmon in the salad tasted fresh, I thought the noodles came across as a tad dry (those we had in Singapore came bathed in a small pool of broth), but the prawns were fresh, and the pork was very tasty. I like the sambal that came with the noodles, which is mildly spicy and sweet. I wished they were more generous with the sambal chilli sauce. The meal was finished off with a delicious Banana cake dessert, which was soft and fluffy with a harmonious taste of vanilla and banana.

Service

The service in Business Class on board the flight was good, but not memorable. We were warmly greeted at the door during boarding and directed to the correct aisle for our seat. At the aisle, another cabin crew member was on standby to help passengers locate their seats. The cabin crew sprang into action, serving the pre-departure drinks like clockwork as we settled into our seats. The crew who was working on my aisle came by to introduce themselves and confirm my pre-selected meal option. Throughout the flight, the cabin crew addressed us by our first name and patrolled the cabin frequently, ensuring we were comfortable. Meal service began shortly after the aircraft reached cruising altitude. I was surprised that despite my favourite mocktail, Midsummer Breeze, not being on the menu, the cabin crew was still happy to concoct the drink. Upon seeing that I was done with the meal, the eagle-eyed cabin crew quickly cleared my meal tray and returned with some packeted nuts to check if I wanted some to go with the movie I was watching and at the same time, checking if I wanted more drinks. Despite the short 2-hour flight, I could see that the cabin crew were standing on their feet the whole time, ensuring that we were well taken care of. Service was always done with a smile.

Afterthought

I had a great flight flying with Singapore Airlines in their regional Business Class. The seat was comfortable, and I appreciated the flatbed mode that came with it, allowing us to catch a power nap. The entertainment was abundant, making the 2-hour flight whiz past. The service was good on board, with the cabin crew being friendly and sincere.