Kids and bike in tow: Bintan Triathlon
After living in Singapore for six months we decided we needed an antidote to the urban jungle so we booked a weekend away on an island paradise.

If you’re thinking that we lay on the beach letting the warm, blue sea lap our toes, or sipped cocktails by the pool, you might be misled by thinking this was a relaxing trip. I decided to enter the Bintan Triathlon, and packed my bike, running shoes and family cheer squad.

I like sport, and I like active holidays, so combining this with travel is the perfect solution. And the Bintan Triathlon is a little different. Yes, it’s full of adrenaline-pumped athletes, with jangling nerves, and pent-up anticipation. But it’s also a family event and a great way to introduce your children to the sport.

I took part in the Sprint event, which given my speed, I’ve always thought was a rather inaccurate description. After a 750m swim and 20km bike ride, I managed to break a record in the run; for the slowest time I’d ever recorded. I blame it on the environment. The scenery is breathtaking, and therefore rather distracting, with swaying palm trees and sun bleached beaches. And it was rather hot and a little hilly compared to Singapore. Like every athlete I can make excuses for my lacking performance.

The Bintan Triathlon isn’t a “turn up and go” event. It takes a little planning. You need to book accommodation and a ferry ticket. You need to get your head around the logistics of where your bike should be. But it’s well organised and a great weekend away for the family. After all, you need your children to be on the sidelines so you can high-five them on the way round. Although, I wasn’t exactly chuffed when my four-year-old sprinted down the finishing chute, beating me across the line, and claiming my medal.

While I was huffing and puffing around the bike course the children were well entertained, building sandcastles on the beach, riding elephants (what other triathlon can claim that?!) and wallowing in the produce of a huge foam machine. They also got to taste the excitement and feel the electricity in the charged atmosphere that makes events of this kind so compelling. 

It’s not necessarily about being the fastest. It’s about the camaraderie, the shared experience and the achievement of reaching a goal.

I won’t push my children to take part in triathlons when they are old enough, although I hope they enjoy sport and keep healthy, but if they understand the importance of making a goal and working towards it, sport has taught them something.

If you fancy taking part in a triathlon, take a look at our kit list. Have we missed anything off?

Celebrity interview: Chris “Macca” McCormack
The start line is a unique and exciting place to be, with nerves and energy at straining point. This year we shared our start line with sporting royalty. Two-times Ironman champion Chris McCormack joined the race. He couldn’t decide whether to race in the Sprint or the Olympic race – so he ran, and won, both.

Macca, a Aussie, started his triathlon career when he took part in his first race at the age of 18. He’s now 41 has three children of his own, aged 10, seven and three.

He said: “I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life. I love it. I forced myself because I have a dream to chase. I encourage my kids to find their way and I’ll support their dreams. It’s a great way to get rid of adrenaline before settling down to study.”

The practical bit:
Several companies operate ferry services to Bintan. Your choice will depend on your destination; there are several ports on the other side depending on where your hotel is located. The Bintan Lagoon Resort has its very own terminal and immigration staff. Your hotel will often help you with your booking. The ferry leaves Singapore from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal near Changi.

Bintan is part of Indonesia so you’ll need a visa, which you can buy on arrival in Singapore or US dollars. Indonesia is also an hour behind Singapore.

If you want to take your own bike to Bintan you need to pre-book it onto the ferry. Remember to take off all the bits that you hang on your bike so they don’t fall off: water bottles, pump, fluffy dice.

The Bintan Triathlon celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Over the past decade 11,113 people have taken part; 509 athletes joined the race in 2005. This year there were 1,300 competitors. For more information on the Bintan Triathlon: www.bintantriathlon.com

We've just put together a triathlon kit list to help you get your stuff together on race day. Have we missed anything?

Things to do in Singapore:
Before becoming an expat I would spend my weekends looking after my garden, doing DIY (or encouraging my husband to do DIY) and taking trips out with friends.

A Singapore expat doesn’t need to do any gardening (they may have a few pots but are unlikely to have a garden), and certainly wouldn’t be lifting a finger for DIY (you never know what trouble you’ll get into with the landlord, and if something is broken that’s who you call.)

So with more free time what weekend activities should you have on your list?

When you move to a new country it’s natural to feel overwhelmed with all the options available. But something strange happens and very quickly you can’t see the wood for the trees. I’ve also found that I’ve put on hold some of the trips I’d really like to make, saving them up for when visitors arrive. And then when someone asks: “What shall we do this weekend?” I can’t think of anything.

TripAdvisor has compiled a top ten list of Singapore’s most popular attractions, based on reader’s ratings. So if you need some weekend ideas this list is for you:

1.     National Orchid Garden: Situated on the highest hill in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, are three hectares that are a haven for orchid lovers. The garden, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary next year, contains more than 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids.

2.     BreakOut Escape Games: Combining role playing and detective work, BreakOut offers three types of themed escape rooms; Forever Young, the Scientist, Magician’s Secret. Beat the clock by finding clues and solving puzzles.

3.     Singapore Botanic Gardens: The idea seed of the Garden’s was planted in 1822 by Sire Stamford Raffles, who was a keen naturalist. He developed the first Botanical and Experimental Garden at Fort Canning. In 1859 the gardens moved to their present site between Holland Road and Bukit Timah Road and it now managed by the National Parks Board.

4.     Flight Experience Flight Simulator: If you fancy yourself as a bit of a pilot this is for you. The Flight Experience uses a Boeing 737NG flight simulator to give you the experience of flying a modern jet airliner from the Captain’s seat.

5.     Singapore Zoo: This 26 hectare wildlife park opened its doors in celebrating its 30th birthday. This is a full day out with more than 2,800 animals representing 300 species of mammals, birds and retiles.

6.     Gardens by the Bay: When you first see the huge wine glass shaped structures in the Gardens, or the armadillo greenhouses, you may feel like you’ve stepped on to a futurists film set. The park spans 101 hectares and was opened in 2012.

7.     Cloud Forest Dome: Located at the Gardens by the Bay, the Cloud Forest Dome is a huge greenhouse that replicates the cool damp atmospheric conditions of a tropical mountain regions between 1,00 and 3,000 metres above sea level.

8.     Kranji War Memorial: Situated in the north of the island the Kranji War Memorial overlooks the Straits of Johore. The site used to be home to a military camp but was turned into a cemetery by the prisoners at Kranji. There are 4,461 Commonwealth casualities of the Second World War buried or commemorated.

9.     Asian Civilisations Museum: The Museum aims to promote a better understanding of the multi-cultural demographic, which makes up Singapore’s society. The museum is housed in a 19th Century colonial building that used to be government offices.

10.  Cookery Magic: Learn how to cook up Singaporean flavours in the home of Ruqzana Vasanwala. After this hands-on class enjoy the fruits of your labour during a sociable sit down meal with your classmates.

Do you have any gems to share? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us here.

Things to do on Sentosa, Singapore:
I’ve been in Singapore for nearly six months, and it is only now that I have begun to work out what Sentosa is.

Yes, I know it’s an island. Yes, I know it’s a playground for all ages. But, without a little bit of research, I simply couldn’t see through the mist – too much information, too many choices.

The muddle in my brain is not helped by the orientation of tourist maps. As any map lover, or geography student, will know, north should be at the top edge of a map. However, you only approach Sentosa from the north, across a bridge or by cable car. This means your introduction to the island is south facing, and what you expect to be on the right is actually on the left, and vice versa. Clear as mud? The difficulty is that some maps present Sentosa as north facing and some as south facing. It’s enough to make you dizzy and your brain hurt. Getting to grips with orientation is timesaving information, and will hopefully save you a migraine.

So Sentosa is a theme park: there are glamorous homes and hotels, golf courses, a marina and a fort. It helps to get a mental picture of the island by visualising it in five zones:

1.     Centre: At the heart of the island is Imbiah Lookout, which is surrounded by a range of attractions, rides and activities, centred around the 37m Sentosa Merlion statue.

2.     North: Resorts World Sentosa houses Universal Studios, the Marine Life Park, Adventure Cove Waterpark and even more attractions.

3.     East: Sentosa Cove is home to the Marina, and apparently the most desirable address in the world (according to the website).

4.     South: Sentosa Beaches is the place to canoe, swim or play on the swings. Cross a rope bridge and you will reach the southern most point of continental Asia.

5.     West: Siloso Point is home to Fort Siloso, complete with 17th century guns; a laser attraction called Combat Skirmish Live, and Underwater World Singapore.

You can get air dropped onto the island from a cable car, like a paratrooper, to the Imbiah Lookout and immediately you are surrounded by a range of entertainment options. It’s daunting; the unprepared tourism bimbles around aimlessly (that was us the first time we went), trying to find a focus and keeping track of their spending as they continuously thrust their hand in their pocket to pay for the attractions.

So if you are new to Singapore, this piece of insight is for you. I could write an entire list of things to see and do, and probably leave you overwhelmed. I’ve chosen three bite-size trips.

1.     For the sophisticated: Treat yourself to a staycation. The W hotel, in Sentosa Cove, is nestled in the marina. It’s the perfect place to escape: chill out by the pool or stretch your legs around the boardwalk. Bring the kids’ scooters and wander around the boats, stopping at the children’s playground, or for an ice cream. There are plenty of restaurants, which are bustling with a good vibe, despite the quiet location. For adult time, book into W’s Skirt restaurant for a great steak. Click here for more information. 

2.     For the young at heart: Universal Studios has something for everyone. If it’s your dream to hang from a rollercoaster, get spooked in Jurassic Park, or hang out with Shrek and Princess Fiona, this is the trip for you. Most of the rides are suitable for young children over 80cm as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Although the stunts and effects were impressive, our four-year-old found WaterWorld too scary, and there are no obvious warnings about the violence. Book park tickets in advance for deals and to avoid queues. Click here for more details. 

3.     For the explorer: Take the cable car from the top of Mount Faber, or near Vivo City, and drop right into the heart of the island. You can buy a number of different passes that give you access to the attractions, or you can pay as you go. You don’t need a ticket just to wander around. Walk to the very south of the island and along the Palawan and Tanjong beaches, where you’ll find restaurants, playgrounds and a rope bridge to a small island with a viewing tower. Click here for more details. 

What are your thoughts? What do you think of Sentosa?
Do you have a favourite bite-size trip you’d like to share?

Travels in Cambodia with kids in tow:
In our last post we stood on the sidelines cheering Cambodia on as it participated in the tourism triathlon.

The race is moving out of Phnom Penh and into the countryside. There are several options for getting around the country; you can fly, but that kind of feels like cheating, dropping into one town after another without getting a sense of the connection between them.  If you’re heading to Siem Reap, the launching point for the Angkor temples, it’s possible to take a boat, but in the dry season this can be a very slow journey. Your option on the road doesn’t look much better, with potholes and unpaved tracks. However, wishing to see life in the countryside, rather than city hop, this is the route we took. Those with a sensitive derrière should take a cushion – it’s a bumpy ride that lasts about six hours.

Although a tourist hotspot, Siem Reap is a city of charm with art markets, wide boulevards and pavements to walk on. Angkor Wat, the most visited site in the country, is a few kilometres away, and a trip at dawn is a must-see. You can go by tuk-tuk or taxi, but for a real insight into these special temples get on two wheels. There are hundreds of temples dotted around, and a bike is the perfect mode of transport. When you’ve seen one temple you haven’t seen them all. Built at different stages, with different themes, in different locations, you can spend days peddling around the 400km-squared site: from the iconic towers of Angkor Wat, to the many faces on Angkor Thom, to Ta Prohm, the root-bound crumbling temple featured in Tome Raider.

Another advantage of booking with a cycling company is knowledge. The temples are so complex and beguiling you need a guide to help you make sense of it. Just to understand a little about the intricate carvings and the different types of temples enriches your exploration. And it’s suitable for all ages. From my four-year-old on a tag along bike, and my seven-year-old on her own little bike, to my retired parents, the route and pace were tailored to suite the whole group. We booked with Grasshoppers and our guide, Sam, really gave us an insight into the importance of the monuments, without turning it into a stuffy museum tour.

In my option Cambodia is ahead in the tourism triathlon. It might not win medal for “glitzy tourist experience”, but if you’re looking for a destination that stays connected to its cultural routes, and doesn’t get tripped up by mass tourism, then take the time to explore this beautiful country, by taxi, tuk-tuk or tyres.

The practical bit: Siem Reap

Where to stay:
Shinta Mani Club and Resort: ask about the hotel’s Foundation, set up to help make unemployed Cambodian’s employable. Junction of Oum Khun and 14th Street. Www.shintamani.com

Where to eat:
The Apsara Terrace, Raffles: outdoor pan-Asian BBQ buffet with classical Khmer dances. 1 Vithei Charles de Gaulle Khum Svay Dang Kum

What to do:
Cycling: Grasshopper Adventures offers a range of cycling tours from half, full and multi-day trips for all ages and abilities. www.grasshopperadventures.com. Try the Angkor Sunrise Discovery to see Angkor Wat at its best.

Where to shop:
Artisans Angkor: Cambodia fine arts and crafts. www.artisansdangkor.com

I Love Cambodia: Describes itself as giving “jobs for women in ultra poor families” by creating “handicrafts to fight against poverty”. #46, Taprum Road, Tropearng Ses, Kokchork.

Cambodia holiday for families?:
Cambodia feels like one of the final frontiers. In the tourism triathlon it is lagging behind, bending over out of breath, watching mournfully as its neighbours disappear over the horizon, racing ahead.

Or is it? Isn’t it the wise tortoise, who takes everything in its stride, and watches with wise old eyes as its fellow runners compete and jostle for positions with tourists, nodding sagely and taking notes at the mistakes that they have made.

Which is the path to the winning line: running blindly, learning from the potholes you fall into? Or pausing every now and then to learn from the falls of others?

Cambodia is not about to lose its charm in the impending tourism trends and influx of travellers, trying to find innocence before it’s lost forever. Cambodia is brushing the dirt off its knees after decades of colonial rule and Khmer Rouge repression. It’s finding its own identity, based on the principles of sustainability.

Cambodia is a short flight from Singapore, and therefore an easy weekend trip. The Angkor Wat temples are a popular destination for city slickers seeking a rustic escape. This month they featured on Google Earth, drawing even more attention to these iconic landmarks.

If you’re looking for a quick cultural escape, Angkor Wat might be your favoured destination. But what if you’re looking for a longer break. What about it you have grandparents and young children in tow?

We started our eight-day trip in Phnom Penh. You can easily get to grips with the capital with a visit to the Royal Palace, which is right in the city’s heart. There are manicured gardens to wander around, temples to reflect in and royal artifacts to view. The golden roofs, intricate architecture and mosaic tiles all offer an illusion of grandeur, however it is in stark opposition to one of the most visited locations – the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21 Prison).

This converted school was used to house opponents of the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Viewing old black and white photographs of the inmates, their cells and the weapons used on them, you begin to feel aloof and detached as if you are looking at pictures from the Second World War. Then, with a sudden sickening realisation, you remember that these crimes affected people of our generation, and the scars are still open and festering. The Killing Fields are still soaked in blood. A word of warning – this museum is not suitable for children.

Cambodian’s are very aware of the issues in their own country. And there are some startling statistics. According to Daughters of Cambodia, which offers employment and rehabilitation through handicraft boutiques and cafes, one in 40 Cambodian girls is sold into the sex trade. 90% of these girls are sold by their own families. Organisations such as Daughters are trying to break the cycle of rape, abuse and debt. And it’s one uplifting story of many.

In the tourism triathlon, Cambodia is trying to run a different race to its neighbours. With an influx of tourists you might expect large hotel chains to be springing up left, right and centre. You can find the big brands, but you can also find hidden havens that offer a sanctuary from the noisy roads and persistent tuk tuk drivers. These boutique hotels pride themselves in being able to offer something different; a local cuisine restaurant, a beautiful swimming pool or a relaxing spa.

Cambodia is running its own race, and it will be the winner.

The practical bit: Phnom Penh

Where to stay:
The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa, #28, Street 184. A 70-room hotel in a perfectly central location next to the Royal Palace and National Museum.

Where to shop:
Daughters’ Boutique Shop: changing the lives of victims of trafficking. #65EO, Street 178, www.daughtersofcambodia.org

Where to eat:
Friends: a training restaurant for former street youth, #215 , Street 13, www.mithsamlanh.org

Foreign Correspondent’s Club: an intuition in its own right, 363 Sisowath Quay, www.fcchotels.com

Bubbles tea & ice-cream: a welcome rest stop to gather your thoughts after a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum