The Start Of A Journey Through South East Asia – Singapore Stories – The Ultimate Guide

After spending three weeks in Australia, it was time to slowly make our way back to France. We had decided to avoid the Northern winter by spending about three months in Southeast Asia, traveling overland from Singapore to Bangkok before catching a flight back to Europe.

We booked tickets on a Jetstar flight, which I was initially hesitant about. Flying short-haul on budget airlines is one thing, but an eight-hour flight was another story. To my surprise, it turned out to be a pleasant experience. The seats were more comfortable than I expected, with more legroom than many long-haul airlines, and the crew was excellent. Although there was no in-flight entertainment and food and drinks needed to be pre-ordered, we had planned ahead. The crew provided plenty of water, tea, and coffee free of charge, which was a nice touch. Overall, it was a better-than-expected flight.

We landed in Singapore around 6 p.m. and took a Grab to our hotel.

A Word on Singapore
This was my third trip to Singapore, and unfortunately, my opinion of the Lion City remains the same—I’m not a fan. We checked into what was advertised as a hotel but turned out to be more of a hostel. It was, without a doubt, the worst place we have ever stayed in. The bathroom was filthy, the beds were uncomfortable, and a spotlight shone through the curtainless window, making it impossible to block the light. Exhausted, we grabbed a quick bowl of noodles at a nearby restaurant and collapsed into bed.

Jetlag had us awake by 4 a.m., and by 8 a.m., we were out looking for breakfast. We found a simple but delicious meal in nearby Chinatown—a bao bun and a cup of local coffee. After eating, we returned to the dreadful hotel to collect our bags and head to the bus station for our 11 a.m. trip to Melaka, Malaysia.

The Journey to Melaka
The “international” bus station was surprisingly small—a tin shack in a car park. Unlike the large, bustling terminals we expected, this was a shed with very few buses coming and going. Luckily, we managed to get on an earlier bus, reducing our wait time to just 15 minutes.

The bus itself was clean and comfortable, making the four-hour journey pleasant. The Singapore-Malaysia border crossings were efficient and straightforward. At the Singapore checkpoint, we got off the bus, scanned our passports, and reboarded. Ten kilometers later, at the Malaysian border, the process was slightly more involved—we had our luggage scanned and received manual passport stamps. Everything was quick and smooth, and we were soon back on the bus.

However, our journey didn’t go as planned. An accident on the freeway turned the four-hour trip into an eight-hour ordeal. It took the same amount of time to cover the 239 kilometers from Singapore to Melaka as it did to fly from Melbourne to Singapore.

Arriving in Melaka
Finally, we arrived in Melaka, and to our relief, the bus stopped just a five-minute walk from our apartment. After two long days of travel, the last thing we wanted was a long trek through an unfamiliar town.

The apartment was a pleasant surprise. Located in a high-rise complex, it featured two enormous pools and was close to many restaurants and shops. Best of all, it offered stunning 180-degree views of the Melaka Straits. It was clean, comfortable, and exactly what we needed.

After settling in, we ventured out for dinner. A comforting bowl of pho at a nearby restaurant was the perfect end to a tiring day.

Next, we dive into exploring Melaka!