The BEST 7D6N Jeju Itinerary (Perfect for family with children!)

When it comes to our annual holiday, we put in a heck load of thought. The first being - can our little Emmanuel (1.5 y.o at point of writing) follow us? Probably next year. So where to? We shortlisted a few places with our budget - Sydney, Melbourne.. But having been to Western Australia last year, we thought why not go somewhere in Asia? Japan? Korea? We did plan on going to Seoul, but ended up with Jeju. A whole week of Jeju. When I did my research, there are a lot of people doing 4D3N or even less. But we know we wanted a slow and relaxing one, so we opted for 7D6N. And to be awfully honest, it was still kinda rushed, as Jeju has lots to offer.

Trip Summary

With children, we love to do road trips (as with Perth), if not you'll be carrying them around. Trust me. This trip ain't any different. Once we rested at Jeju city for a day, we will embark on a 5-day road trip, covering an entire ring of Jeju - East Jeju, Seogwipo (South Jeju), and West Jeju, before returning to the city. Since we are bringing our 5 y.o daughter, Olivia, we have slot in lots of activities for children, and not to miss out many insta-worthy cafe and scenic spots. Initially we thought of station ourselves in a location and travel to-and-fro daily, but found the travelling time a bit 

Do Koreans speak English?

Most don't. But  don't worry, due to the influx of travelers, most places have pictures, and English (and Mandarin) signs. There are lots of Chinese residing and working there as well. If all else fails, there's always Google translate. And uh, hand signs.

The Weather

We went during autumn in late October, where temperature is around 13C to 20C. The sun shines pretty harshly in the afternoons, so there are many times we just forgo our jackets and just put on a sweater. On hot days, you could even wear sleeveless. Thank God it's not as sweaty as Singapore. But do take note that it starts to get chilly when the sun goes down. Skies go entirely dark by 7pm as the weather transits to winter. Here's their weather across the year for your reference:

Our Packing List

I wouldn't go as extensive as I did for Perth. Pack according to the weather. Food can be found every where and is affordable. An average meal is approximately $10/pax. If you would like to cook or something to-go, there are a  heck load of supermarts and convenience stores. Unlike Perth, where a meal for 3 easily cost up $80, I didn't have to bring my trusty rice cooker. Again, being in an Asian country, rice can be easily found. Yay!

Before the Trip

International Driving Permit (IDP - IMPORTANT if you're driving in Korea)

Unlike many countries that your local driving license can be used, you need to apply for a IDP. For Singapore license, you can apply to convert at this link. It costs just $20. There are two options:

1. Walk-in at their locations (please check their website) and collect on the spot (approximately 1 hour).

2.  Apply online and have it delivered to your house (additional $5.50 courier fees apply). PLEASE NOTE THIS WILL TAKE APPROX 2 WEEKS TO ARRIVE. So if you're in a hurry, please go with the first option.

Download these APPS

1. KAKAO T - mainly for cab/private hire services. It works like GRAB or UBER and you can select cash payment (= pay direct to driver via card). Downside is that you might need to search in Korean if the place is not that well-known, but you can simply copy the Korean address via Google and paste it in the app.

2. NAVER - especially useful for driving and saving key places. It works like Google Maps, but has a heck load of local reviews (if you can't read Korean, see the ratings), and way more accurate than Google as locals will update Naver. We learnt this the hard way.

3. Google Translate - duh. Best function is it's real-time translate via camera - simply point and aim, and the text will be automatically translated to your preferred language.

Tanglin Cookhouse - Local Fare at a British Colonial Setting

We are always on a hunt to bring our children to somewhere new, so recently I was scrolling my phone when an IG-story of another nearby cafe popped by. It was screaming kids activities, such as face-painting and balloon sculpturing. So with the intention of going there, we headed to Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ), but found out that the activities have already ended. We took a nearby scroll to see what's around that area when we spotted Tanglin Cookhouse. It wasn't exactly crowded when we reached there at lunchtime, so we had the privilege to choose our seats. And thank God for that, because within 30 minutes, the restaurant is really packed. Guessed everyone slept in on a Sunday morning.

The interior of Tanglin Cookhouse was small but beautiful, it has a nice British colonial style touch to some Peranakan furnishing. Menu-wise, it has a pretty extensive selection of all-day breakfast paired with Asian-inspired dishes, pastas, soups and many others. 

Top 20 SG Restaurants - Luxe Chinese Dining at Mott 32, Marina Bay Sands

I always had to crack my head when it comes to choosing a restaurant for my wife's birthday. Surely we been to a few great ones, but now she has switched her preference to either Chinese or Japanese (perhaps due to age), the selection has been cut by half. We saw posts of our friends visiting KOMA - the restaurant with the Tori gates and a freaking huge and strange-looking bell. But to be honest, we are not into that vibe, so I did a search on nice Chinese restaurants around that area. And Mott 32 at Marina Bay Sands came into the picture.

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That day, we had some shopping and a VR experience just at Art Science Museum before heading to Mott 32 at our reserved timing. Few days prior, they actually called to ask if we would like to reserve the Peking Duck (S$128), BBQ Iberico Pork (or better known as char siew, S$52) or the Crispy Roasted Pork Belly (siew yok, S$30) as it comes in limited quantity daily. So heads up, if you would like to dine there.

Upon stepping into Mott 32, it is as if you are transported to China, with lanterns and Chinese-inspired furnishings and decors. There's a nice bar area where you could drink the night away. The ambience is dark, with some dim lighting, so we had a table beside the windows. Although most of the windows were closed for some reason, we opened ours to let some mall lighting shine in, because reading the menu in the dark would spoil our eyes. The downside? Lots of curious eyes looking at us.

Brunch at Baker and Cook, Dempsey

Despite located in the heart of Singapore, Dempsey is a chore to go especially if you don't own a car. In fact, we haven't been to Dempsey more than twice since we had our car since November 2022. So there was on public holiday, Lady M and I were racking our heads where to bring the children to. Probably somewhere outdoors since they had their fair share of shopping malls already during the weekends. And Dempsey came to mind.

Baker and Cook has a heck lot of outlets spread across Singapore, but the Dempsey outlet is probably one of the newer ones with a play area set amidst the greenery of Dempsey's Loewen area. We arrived there during noon time, the sun was blazing hot with the occasional cool breeze. Kids were running and playing ball at the play area, but I was complaining because I sweat real easy. Aside from their indoor seating, there's alfresco dining under their tents and fairy lights. I can already imagine myself coming back in the evening for a beer.

Thank God that the children were still asleep so Lady M and I could enjoy some couple time.

To be honest, the menu isn't crazy extensive with just a few selection under each category but it has the standard brunch affair such as the usual eggs and pancakes. However, it has a wide pizza and burger selection, thanks to the tie-up with Plank Sourdough Pizza and Mo & Jo. Lady M got their Big Breakfast with Sourdough (S$28) with the usual sauteed mushrooms, truffle potatoes, salad, sourdough and eggs of your choice - and (me) being a scrambled egg lover - this wasn't a difficult choice.

The Public Eight, National Gallery Singapore - Fancy Cocktails for Date Nights!

Lady M and I used to have this checklist of bars to go to. Before we got married, we are checking this list almost every week. Perhaps we were still young and going strong. Things slowed down when we had Olivia. Maybe once every two to three months. When Emmanuel came along, this checklist came to a halt. We were and are still going out for our date nights once every week or two, but sipping on alcohol didn't cross our minds nowadays.

There was once Lady M mentioned that she wanted to visit a bar with fancy and magical drinks. I was too slow to get the hint (probably forgotten about it), so on my birthday this year, she finally get to visit The Public Eight.

Nestled within Singapore's National Gallery, we have walked past this place quite a few times after our museum visit - a free and relaxing place (and air-conditioned!) to visit with our children.

After our dinner, we took a leisure stroll and reached there at our reserved timing at around 8pm. We were the only guests there and I joked that Lady M booked the entire place for ourselves. The bar itself is an extension of a Japanese restaurant called "Hachi," which is fitting as "hachi" translates to the number eight. It exuded a cozy atmosphere, adorned with wooden furniture, and featured a central bar area like many other bars. The door even has the figure "8" on it!

As the only guests in the entire bar, we basically had the bartender to ourselves - a lovely lady named Irene who was extremely hospitable and lovely. With her fancy hairstyle and captivating showmanship, I reckon she is an attraction within the bar.

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Looking at the menu, Lady M immediately spotted their famous cocktail - "Confession" (S$40). If you were to search "The Public Eight", I bet you ten grands that this is the first drink that pops up - A fancy red wine with a floating iced rose - or as the menu described "Kenzo Estate Rindo 2016, Calvados, Pomegranate, Rose". What made it truly captivating was the bartender's theatrical touch. With a torchlight in hand and a spritz of glitter spray, she created a mesmerizing spectacle, enveloping the drink in a shimmering aura. If there's something that is IG-worthy, it is this drink.

3D2N The BEST Desaru Itinerary - Westin Desaru Coast Resort + Homestay

Ever since I got attached, not to even mention after getting married and having two kids, we haven’t had overseas trip with our parents. And since it’s my dad’s 70th birthday, we planned to make it slightly special by doing it overseas. So after researching on the basis of some considerations, such as budget, convenience and having to bring two children along, we decided on Desaru - a beautiful coastal city in Malaysia.

Animal feeding in Desaru Fruit Farm

What to do in Desaru

Considering the short 2 to 3 hour travelling time from Singapore, it's no surprise that Desaru is one of the most popular weekend getaway locations for Singaporeans. There are not exactly a lot to do in Desaru, but it's perfect to fill your itinerary for a quick one or two night's getaway from Singapore. You could check out:

• Desaru Fruit Farm
• Desaru Beach
• Adventure Waterpark
• Kota Tinggi Firefly Park
• Desaru Ostrich Farm
• Desaru Alpaca Farm *NEW*

Getting to Desaru

There are three main ways to get to Desaru:

1. Private hire cars - extremely convenient as they pick you up directly at our residence and drive you straight to wherever you’re going in Desaru. 2-way fees range from $300 (7 seater) to $380 (luxury 7/11 seater) for a 2.5-3h ride, depending on traffic. 

Source: SGMYTRIPS

2. Ferry - multiple timings to and fro Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and Desaru Terminal (90min/way). Once you’re there, you would need to arrange for hotel transfer. Ferry 2-way tickets is approximately $110/pax.

3. Self-drive - pretty straightforward 1-2 hour drive (from Woodlands checkpoint, without jam and stopping) so it is a popular option, but please check you have the relevant document and items beforehand to ensure a smooth journey.

Considering that we have 9 pax, including two elderlies and two young children, the best method of transport for us is getting a private hire car. I didn't drive because (1) there are too many people even for my seven-seater, (2) never drove into Malaysia before, and (3) I read horror stories of wheels of Singapore cars getting stolen in bright daylight. So after researching and a lot of liaising, we decided on SGMYTRIPS, which offers multiple pick up points (at only $5 per additional location). It’s super fuss-free and unlike the ferry, we are able to go at our own schedule and pace. The ferry would cost close to $800 for all of us! We even stopped for lunch at Aeon on our way to Desaru (break chargeable at $40/hour).

General transport in Desaru

“You’re not driving?!” was the response from our AirBnb host. Yes, most Singaporeans who visited Desaru is either by coach (usually organised in a big group like CC/RC activities) or self-drive, because to be honest, transport is extremely inconvenient there. Is there Grab? Yes. But there aren’t many Grab drivers on the road. But fret not, hotel concierge would usually assist to get a private car for you, which we did.

Accommodation - Westin Desaru Coast Resort

There are some hotels for you to choose from, and ranges vastly in pricing. As my brother and his wife are only joining for the second day, we decided to do hotel for the first night, and a homestay on the second. For the hotel, considering our budget, we strike off Anantara and One&Only as they cost over $1000/night. Some of the hotels were quite old, so we didn’t consider them as well. After shortlisting, we were down to Westin Desaru Coast Resort and Hard Rock, and chose the former ultimately. Compared to their Singapore counterpart, Desaru’s was extremely worth it at approximately $350/night for a full sea-view room with balcony.

And here’s why we love Westin

1. Beautiful, clean rooms - completed with a superb uncovered view of the South China Sea. The beds are comfy and the facilities are great. That night, I had a great HTHT with mummy at the balcony. We absolutely love the spacious toilet with a full glass window, perfect for couples, those without the kids around.