3 DAYS in SINGAPORE | Singapore travel ITINERARY (What to see and do)
Welcome to Singapore, one of the most modern cities in South East Asia.No one wonder that this is one of our favorite places all over the world. The perfect combination of architecture and nature, as well as the super clean streets makes us wish to come here more often. Despite the big amount of sights we try to give you our best strategy in our 3 day travel guide to Singapore to create an unforgettable experience to get the most out of your limited time.
For most travelers the easiest way to reach Singapore is by plane, landing at the Changi Airport in Singapore. The world’s most awarded airport is already an experience in itself. A butterfly garden, a swimming pool, a giant slide with 12 meters height, and even some hotels can be found inside the building. As always, we prefer to change our money directly at the airport, so we don’t have to worry after and can enjoy our trip right away! Singapore is a relatively scam-free city and one of the safest cities worldwide, therefore you can always change or withdraw money without problems at a local bank or ATM. The official currency is the Singapore Dollar. 10 SGD are about 6,30 EURO. Before you leave the airport, consider buying a Singapore Tourist Pass at Terminal 2. The pass allows you to use all public transport in and around the city for free with a duration of up to 3 days, with a cost of 30 SGD. The airport is well connected to the city by public transport, too. You can also use GRAB or UBER as well as public taxis, but they might be more expensive, though. The MRT (mass rapid transit) is the easiest and fastest way to get around in Singapore. The third option is the open red buses which run through the city. Usually, we really enjoy taking a ride on them everywhere we travel to, as they always provide a lot of information. Let’s talk about where to stay in Singapore. The Marina Bay Sands is one of the most famous hotels in the city. Its iconic shape and size are a defining building in Singapore’s skyline. We recommend checking out the following areas: *Bugis & Kampong Glam: The area has the perfect mix of budget and luxury hotels, cool street art, chic cafés, and boutiques
*Clarke Quay: A cool spot for nightlife with a lot of pubs and restaurants and many shopping facilities. It has a very nice ambiance near the river.
*Chinatown: Chinatown has a lot of unique gift shops and provides accommodations for those who are a bit more on a budget. People love the delicious food and the nice atmosphere, especially in the evening.
*Sentosa: The island of Sentosa, located a little outside of the city center has some beautiful beaches and provides entertainment and amusement parks for the whole family. Although, you only might find high-end resorts, definitely of good quality.
*Marina Bay: In our opinion, this is one of the best areas to stay in as a lot of attractions are within walking distance. The only bad thing about it is that most of the hotels here are not so budget-friendly, although top rated.
One final tip for booking your accommodation would be to choose one nearby an MRT station, to easily get around the city. After we’ve exited the airport and have chosen our place to stay, it’s time to explore the city.
DAY 1
On day 1 we have chosen to visit the Waterfront and the Marina Bay area. To start your first day slow, go for a walking tour around the Waterfront Promenade. Several cafés and restaurants are located along the Waterfront. The most famous attraction of the Promenade is the Merlion at Merlion Park. This official landmark of Singapore is a statue of a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. From there you will have a great view of the Marina Bay Sands and the surrounding buildings. If you continue your walk across the iconic Helix bridge you will arrive at the Art Science Museum. The exhibitions taking place bring together art, science, culture, and technology. After the Merlion head over to the Sands SkyPark Observation Deck on top of Marina Bay Sands. The admission ticket will cost you 26 SGD. As an alternative, consider taking a ride on the Singapore Flyer, the world’s second-tallest Ferris wheel. Especially at night, the city-panorama looks amazing. One ride has a duration of 30 minutes and costs 33 SGD. Please buy the ticket in advance and check the operating hours beforehand. Keep track of the time because your next sight requires a little planning in advance. Continue your adventure to the famous Gardens by the Bay at around 4 pm. To experience the gardens to the fullest expect to spend around 3–4 hours there. The entry to the Gardens is free of charge. Take a stroll through the beautiful scenery and then enter the Cloud Forest. Skip the Flower Dome if you are short on time or money. Entry tickets to both the sights are 28 SGD or 20 SGD each. Don’t miss the light and music show “Garden Rhapsody” at the Supertree Grove, starting at 7:45 pm with a duration of 15 minutes. Remember to come early to grab your perfect spot. SPECTRA As soon as the show ends, grab some dinner on the go at the Telok Ayer Hawker Center, considered as one of the best food courts in Singapore. It is reachable by local bus or MRT starting at the Bayfront station with just a few minute’s drive. Exit at Downtown (or Telok Ayer) station. Afterward, make your way to the Event Plaza right in front of Marina Bay Sands. The famous “Spectra” light and water show takes place every evening at 9:30 pm and is free of charge. You also have the opportunity to book a river cruise and enjoy the show from this unique perspective. Finish the evening by having a drink or two at the CE LA VI Club, located on the 57th floor of the Marina Bay Sands.
DAY 2
The second day of your journey is all about gratification. Sentosa is a sunny island in Singapore with lots of fun activities and beaches. Although there are several ways to reach the island, the coolest one might be going there by cable car. Hop on the next MRT and take exit B at the Harbour front station. The cable car station is on Level 15 at Harbourfront Tower 2. As always, it is best to buy your tickets beforehand. For details and pricing check their Website. In Sentosa, visit the Universal Studios first, an adventure theme park for young and old. There are many other attractions on the island such as a water park or Madame Tussauds wax museum. Continue your day in one of the beach clubs having lunch, relaxing on white sand beaches or doing some water sports. If you are brave enough, why not opt for a bungee jump, too? Arrived back at the mainland, Get ready for a little celebration tonight. Clarke Quay is one of Singapore’s top places for nightlife. It is full of pubs, breweries and nice riverside restaurants. During our stay in Singapore, luckily we dropped in a Rock festival at the Quay. It was great fun! If you are an adrenaline junkie, the G-Max Reverse Bungy and GX-5 Extreme Swing is waiting for you. You will be dropped from a 50 meters height offering a very spectacular view — if you can keep your eyes open. The price is 45 SGD for each of the attractions. Don’t party too long, because the next day will be as exciting as the previous one. After a good night sleep.
DAY 3
let’s start our third and last day in Singapore. Today you will enjoy the beautiful nature of the city. The Botanical Gardens of Singapore, the city’s first UNESCO heritage site, offer a lot of green space and are the perfect place for breakfast, brunch, or picnic with your loved ones. After your little break continue your way towards the National Orchid Garden. Over 1000 distinct species of eye-catching orchids grow in this area. The tickets to the Orchid Garden are 15 SGD, the Botanical Gardens are free of charge. In the afternoon, head over to one of Singapore’s coolest streets. Haji Lane is located in the Arab quarter, and besides some amazing street art — perfect for creating some Instagram content — it has a lot of unique shops and small boutiques, in case you are looking for some one-of-a-kind items. After visiting the beautiful Mosque, we recommend taking a coffee or a pre-dinner drink at one of the many nice coffee shops and restaurants in the area. As an alternative for a rainy day, you can opt for a shopping day on Orchard road. There are infinite shops and malls along the road. Most known is the ION Orchard, a big mall with a futuristic shape at the end of Orchard road. Many restaurants and known fashion brands are located inside the building — one for every budget. There is an indoor observation deck on the 56th floor of the building. On your last evening proceed to Chinatown. It has a very unique ambiance with lots of souvenir shops and colorful lanterns. For a cultural taste visit the Sri Mariamman Hindu temple and the Buddha tooth relic temple. Chinatown’s food street is a covered walking street with lots of Asian restaurants and food stalls. Expect to pay a bit more as in other restaurants. Else you eat at any of the local restaurants in the area. We truly adored eating at the “Wan Nian Stonepot fish” restaurant. This small restaurant is just a few steps away from Chinatown’s center. The staff was so amicable, the servings are huge and the delicious meals are very good priced. Many vendors along the street sell also durian, but we never really felt like trying the so-called “stinky fruit”. After dinner, look for some unique souvenirs at the night market as a gift for your family and friends at home. What about a lucky cat or a Chinese tea ceremony set? Of course, there are many more things to discover in Singapore. If you have spare time left, the following attractions and sights are our top picks to spend the rest of your holiday in a great way:
Singapore Zoo: Set in a rain forest environment, the zoo is best reached by taxi or with its own shuttle service from the city, taking about 30 minutes. Home to over 300 species, it is an attraction for approximately 1.9 million visitors a year. Entry tickets should be booked in advance through their website and are about 38 SGD.
Jurong Bird Park: Asia’s largest bird park with approximately 3500 birds is reachable with a 30-minute drive from the city. Easy to reach by car, taxi, or shuttle service, it is an experience like no other, including an aviary that houses over 600 birds against an incredible 30-meter high waterfall. Entry tickets can and should be booked online in advance and will cost you around 31 SGD. Jurong Lake Gardens: Singapore’s new National gardens in the heartlands, is a 90-hectare lush green space ideal for families and nature lovers. It includes a beautiful Japanese and a Chinese Garden and can be easily reached by MRT, exiting either at Lakeside or Chinese Garden station.
Tekka Center: Tekka center is a building complex in the Little India district, easily reachable via MRT. The food stalls are serving traditional Indian food, but you can also find some tailors and hardware shops, as well as a wet market selling fresh seafood and vegetables.
Lego land Malaysia: A perfect day trip, especially for families with children is an action- and fun-packed adventure at Legoland Malaysia, reachable in less than an hour’s drive. The best option to get there would be a private car service, the SG-MY TAXI. This option may not be the cheapest, with around 100–150 SGD per trip and car, but the easiest and less time-consuming way. You don’t even need to get off the car at the immigration checkpoint — though, remember to bring your passport anyways. Tickets to Legoland Malaysia are around 190 Malaysian Ringgit for adults and 150 Ringgit for children.
Sentosa Island: Last but not least, you should consider spending more time at the fun island of Sentosa. With the Sentosa FUN PASS, you can make the utmost out of your trip. just select your pass based on your desired number of tokens, and visit the attractions you love. Prices start at 60 SGD.
This completes our guide to Singapore. We hope we have helped you plan your perfect trip. Have a wonderful day and see you soon! BYE
