There is a brilliantly varied range of things to do in Singapore, given the size of the city-state. Gateway takes you through a range of activities that Singapore is famed for, from the shopping, to the national parks, to the cultural amenities.
What to do in Singapore
The Water Show ‘Wonder Full’ gets underway every night at 8pm and 9pm
The food in Singapore is a major draw. There can’t be many places in the world where the food gets this good, or varied. There is an eatery out there for every budget. From noodles at one of the many Hawker stalls to fine dining at some of the top (and most expensive) Western and Asian restaurants in the world.
If you enjoy eating out regularly, make sure you get a bank card that gives you significant incentives. For example, in hundreds of restaurants in Singapore you can get substantial discounts with a Citibank card.
For lazy evenings in but with the same great food, try Food Panda – revolutionary for lazy evenings! Check out our dining guide for more options.
Get caught up in Singapore’s High Life and head for one of the many rooftop bars offering amazing views over Singapore’s ultra-modern cityscape. Read more about them in our guide.
Singapore has some of the best premium shopping in the world and you’ll find top brands here, along with local produce. There is also an array of great online shopping, including the likes of Zalora and Sing Sale. Read more about shopping in our guide to this world-class city.
If you haven’t already done so, immerse yourself in Marina Bay Sands’ Wonder Full (Showing daily at 8pm and 9.30pm, Fri & Sat 11pm also) – a stunning water show of interweaving lasers, searchlights, LEDs, video projectors and giant streaming water screens. Set to a breathtaking orchestral soundtrack, Wonder Full tells the universal tale of the journey of life. You will be impressed.
Fancy a surf? Head to the closest thing in Singapore at Wavehouse, Sentosa (36 Siloso Beach Walk). Practice or get a lesson on the flow (S$30 per hour; lesson: S$30 for one and S$10 per extra person) or grab a barrel (S$40 per hour).
Make for Singapore’s lush Botanic Gardens (1 Cluny Road, Off Holland Road) for a relaxing and refreshing afternoon. There are hundreds of weird and wonderful plants on show here. One second you’re strolling through virgin rainforest and the next you’re admiring a few thousand varieties of orchid. This place is also amazing for a jog in the morning, or for a first date: Halia, a restaurant based in the middle of the gardens and offers excellent, but pricy food.
At this stage, you’ve probably done Chinatown and are wondering what to do next in Singapore. So it’s time to head for another stunning neighbourhood. Well, actually I would place Kampong Glam (Bugis MRT Stop) in my number one spot. The colourful traditional shophouses and the countless markets make this facinating trip. Its major landmark, the Sultan Mosque, sits in the heart of this enclave and is open to all visitors. The cafes and shopping here are distinctly different to the rest of Singapore, as are the smells! For materials and home decor shopping, Kampong Glam is one of the best in the world.
Flanking 15km of Singapore’s East Coast is East Coast Parkway (Bedok MRT Stop). This makes for a great afternoon break and one of the best ways to enjoy it is by renting a bicycle and cycling along the many paths. You’ll have a fantastic view of the sea and the thousands of ships docked nearby and most of the journey is shaded by trees that line the pathway. Other attractions in the park are the cable ski, the enormous sandcastle exhibition and the wide array of bars and restaurants to choose from. Enjoy.
Covering an area of approximately 3,043 hectares, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (Hindhede Drive/Bukit Gombak MRT) is a marvel of modern Singapore and offers adventure and fun for those looking for a change from downtown Singapore. Enter the nature reserve and forget about car horns and fumes. The Reserve has more than 500 species of animals and over 840 flowering plants. If you’d like more information or an educational history of the forest, the Visitor Centre provides specimens, displays and photos. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is also home to Singapore’s highest hill at 163.63 metres.
Want to have a look at what Singapore was like a hundred years ago? Pulau Ubin (Changi MRT Stop) gives you that view- you won’t find a Starbucks or HSBC here amongst the traditional kampong houses. This is how the authorities want to keep it. But these preservation efforts mean that there is a limit on numbers allowed on the island per day. So if you’re heading there on the weekend, get there early. Get to Changi MRT stop then take a taxi or number 2 bus to Changi Point where the ferry leaves. Ticket costs S$2.50 each way. Bikes rental costs between S$5 and S$15.
Let us know below, or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/gatewaysingapore) about what your favourite day out in Singapore is. Help those who are wondering what to do in Singapore!
Don’t forget about the TreeTop walk at the resovoir park! I’m going to Singapore again next month so currently on the lookout for new and interesting places to go and see. I much prefer quirky travel ideas over the typical lonely planet guides. Thanks for this article. So far I’ve also found: http://www.terminalu.com/travel/singapore-city-guide/ and wikitravel to be the best, along with Matt Bites, which has a few other good ideas. I found the place I’m staying: Moon hotel through the first link, which looks to be a winner of a hotel!
I am arriving in Singapore March 8th and I am wondering if it safe for a lady to travel solo around Singapore and is it safe to travel from Singapore to Bangkok by train? Are there companies who do the travel thing around Malaysia?
Catherine, it is definitely safe for a lady to travel solo around Singapore. There isn’t any train that can take you from Singapore to Bangkok, but you can take a train to Malaysia.