Whew! After all the things that happened in the past (almost) three years no thanks to the pandemic, it was a breath of fresh air to finally travel again! 🙂

This trip was actually my fourth visit to the Lion City, which is another term for Singapore (my last was in 2011 — more than a decade already!). Of the 23 countries I’ve been to, Singapore was actually the second country I visited when I was still young (the first was Hong Kong).

If you knew me pre-pandemic and when I was still single, you’d know that I loved (emphasis on the past tense LOL) to travel. But A LOT has changed in both my personal life and “travel” life since then, if I may say.

My last international trip prior to this was in Japan in 2019.

In 2020, I got married in February and gave birth in December (relax, my son was conceived in wedlock — just do the math! haha). And oh, the first lockdown in the Philippines happened the following month after our wedding!

In 2021, I was still adjusting to my new roles as both a wife and a mother, as well as still getting used to the “new normal” — so no, I wasn’t really in the mood to travel.

Fast forward to this year, 2022, well, the world is slowly opening up again as more and more people get vaccinated against COVID-19 and safety measures ease up. And yes, Singapore was probably the first and nearest first-world country to the Philippines that welcomed travelers again. However, traveling isn’t as easy as before because of the additional requirements. Luckily though, when we went to Singapore, COVID-19 tests and quarantine weren’t required anymore (both in Singapore and the Philippines) as long as one already has a booster shot (yes, the primary series or first/second doses aren’t enough). Having said that…

Here are the travel requirements to Singapore, as of this writing:

Passport
Of course! No one can travel abroad without this! I’m just including this here because me, my husband, and my son just had our DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) passport renewal/application appointment less than a month before this trip. Despite the odds, we made it! Our passports arrived on time. Haha!

But if you’re Filipino, I suggest you book an earlier appointment at DFA before your trip because their schedule is quite tricky. *hint, hint*

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination (certificate with QR code)
For Filipinos vaccinated in the Philippines, this is what we call the VaxCertPH. If you got vaccinated in another country, that’s okay as long as you can present a vaccination certificate with a QR code (the vaccination card or ID isn’t sufficient).

*Visa (depends on citizenship)
Just like any country, a visa is required *depending on one’s citizenship and/or purpose of travel*. For Filipinos like me, a visa isn’t required to enter Singapore for tourism purposes thanks to the ASEAN agreement. 😉

Airline tickets
Once you have proof of vaccination, you may already book any flight to and from Singapore.

TraceTogether app
This is Singapore’s tool for their contact tracing. You need to download this before you arrive at Singapore, but you can only activate it once you’re cleared by Singapore’s immigration.

Arrival card
This is a digital version already which can be accessed on a website or app (unlike in the old days when they hand out paper copies during the flight). This needs to be submitted as early as three days before your arrival in Singapore.

For more information, you can always check out https://www.visitsingapore.com/.

Easy peasy, no? However, once you’re in Singapore and you have a toddler in tow — that’s a whole different ball game (I’m speaking from experience! HA HA HA). Let’s just say that you need to think twice if you will travel abroad with a toddler! Or just wait until they get older. 😛

Kidding aside, I’m still grateful I was able to travel with my husband, son, and family. I believe that this was a blessing from God and despite the challenging nature of our trip, I still brought home not just unforgettable memories but also life lessons that will be with me for a lifetime.

Sooo. Where to next? 😀

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TO GOD BE THE GLORY ALWAYS AND FOREVER!

❤

“And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.”
-Luke 13:29