Singapore Expats

with a 4 year old? Is it advisable to join the crowds for the fireworks or book a table somewhere with a view perhaps to catch it?

I heard that unless we had parade tickets, we won't be able to see the parade go by on the streets.


Also am a bit concerned of transportation getting back home afterwards. will the buses be running - no doubt packed.

Perhaps we should just stay home and catch it on TV.

Any advise appreciated. Thank you.

Our daughter attended the parade at two of her three National Days so far.

Catch the parade on TV; have a house party with friends

nakatago wrote:Catch the parade on TV; have a house party with friends

Agree...the city centre will be madly crowded.

what i dont get is why you'd celebrate someone else's national day? it has no meaning whatsoever.

Next year just go the Saturday before and watch the full final rehearsal, You could have any of the last 6 weeks and watched the Red Lion, helicopters, jets and fireworks etc.

sensei_ wrote:what i dont get is why you'd celebrate someone else's national day? it has no meaning whatsoever.

Oh come on, it is just fun!

If you want a great view of the fireworks and aerial display, the Singapore Flyer is a fantastic place to do it. You don't even have to get on the Flyer.

I go there every year, but only on the Preview day (last Saturday, but hey, you get the exact same displays and fireworks).

Short hop away from Promenade station (not sure if this is the station closest to the Flyer actually), comfortably walkable with a 4 year old.

We have dinner at the Seafood Paradise restaurant every time. Crab usually, only time I bother with crab really. But there's also the Heritage Food trail with somewhat more upmarket hawker fare.

Just be aware that the aerial display starts approximately 6.45pm which is when the helicopters fly by slinging a giant Singapore flag.

Few minutes after that come the F-16s and F-15s. Just remember you have to get out to be ready to catch them. If you wait to hear the roar to whip out your cam, they're long gone! Which is exactly what happened to a Chinese tourist at the next table on Saturday.

Shortly before 8pm the fireworks commence. Great view from the Flyer grounds.

I am surprised by how well I know the routine myself!

Do note though that if it's the actual parade you want to catch, you won't get it here. Although the floating canons do float by here on their way to do their firing thing and back after, and all the members of the parade cast also do go past the Flyer on their way to the actual venue and then back to the holding area (the F1 paddock I think).

A whole lot cheaper than booking a room with a view at the Ritz Carlton.

BTW it's not too crowded at all. Locals tend to stay away because they simply assume the entire area is wholly inaccessible on that day.

sensei_ wrote:what i dont get is why you'd celebrate someone else's national day? it has no meaning whatsoever.

It depends, doesn't it. My Wife and Children are Singaporeans & I'm a PR so why not?

Even if on EP's, any reason for a celebration is good. Additionally, without National day, there would be no Singapore as we know it. Therefore we wouldn't be here and earning a pretty good crust, so that also is cause to celebrate this country's National Day.

Just doesn't have any meaning for you, possibly. Although, maybe in detached way seeing you parents are Singaporeans by origin and you are descendant from Singaporeans albeit with a foreign passport. If you could hold dual citizenship legally, I'm sure you would have done so.

sensei_ wrote:what i dont get is why you'd celebrate someone else's national day? it has no meaning whatsoever.

Because it is a nice celebration. And it has a meaning also for many foreigners.

sensei_ wrote:what i dont get is why you'd celebrate someone else's national day? it has no meaning whatsoever.

It depends. For me, I just want to capture the fireworks

I have some nice pics of those fireworks over a very nice cityscape at dusk. They were taken from the Singapore flyer. We purposedly timed it so that we'd catch the fireworks rehearsal.

You can also go to Bedok Jetty, or one of the two piers by Big Splash @ East Coast for nice firework and aerial views. Bedok Jetty might be a bit far for the jets, but during the rehearsals, all of the jets were very clear from there and tend to make their turn around and come back to land right overhead from there. Same with the helicopter with the big flag.

the lynx wrote:Oh come on, it is just fun!

i hope that isnt a reason to get pissed (drunk) like some of the aussies when its australia day.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:It depends, doesn't it. My Wife and Children are Singaporeans & I'm a PR so why not?

Even if on EP's, any reason for a celebration is good. Additionally, without National day, there would be no Singapore as we know it. Therefore we wouldn't be here and earning a pretty good crust, so that also is cause to celebrate this country's National Day.

Just doesn't have any meaning for you, possibly. Although, maybe in detached way seeing you parents are Singaporeans by origin and you are descendant from Singaporeans albeit with a foreign passport. If you could hold dual citizenship legally, I'm sure you would have done so.

no point holding sg passport anyway. besides subsidised HDB housing there isnt an awful lot the red passport with a lion on the front can do that my current passport with a kangaroo cannot. and i'd rather be dead than living in a HDB. the space constraint is enough to kill me already.

nakatago wrote:I have some nice pics of those fireworks over a very nice cityscape at dusk. They were taken from the Singapore flyer. We purposedly timed it so that we'd catch the fireworks rehearsal.

zzm9980 wrote:You can also go to Bedok Jetty, or one of the two piers by Big Splash @ East Coast for nice firework and aerial views. Bedok Jetty might be a bit far for the jets, but during the rehearsals, all of the jets were very clear from there and tend to make their turn around and come back to land right overhead from there. Same with the helicopter with the big flag.

Hmmm... I thought that the bridge to Merlion, esplanade (open area above the library), or Starbucks around the Merlion Park will be the favorite spot to do this. Time to try another spots then