Singapore Travel Guide

Singapore has become one of my favourite cities to visit, it is known for being a lay over destination. On arrival depending what terminal you land in you are greeted by indoor waterfalls, butterfly sanctuary’s, flower displays and even a free cinema, you can see why Changi airport has been voted the best airport 7 years in a row. All of Singapore’s main attractions are extremely central and easily accessible by public transport, you can easily explore this beautiful country in a 2-day stop over. I stayed for 6 days so it gave me plenty of time to explore. Singapore is renowned for its modern transport system, clean streets and beautiful architecture, you will rarely see litter or rubbish and you wont see a single line of graffiti on buildings. Out of all of the cities I’ve travelled to, Singapore tops it for safety standards, Singapore is definitely a destination to tick off your bucket list.

What to wear

Singapore is close to the equator therefore it is quite hot and humid, in the month of September when I visited you couldn’t step outside without starting to sweat. There is no dress code in Singapore; generally everyday I wore flowy dresses, linen and shorts with t-shirts. In the evening when we went out I paired a crop top and skirt or a nice evening dress.

Food

If you are travelling on a budget, hawker’s centres will be your best friends. Here you will find traditional Singapore and Asian fusion foods; there are plenty of options of vegans and vegetarians. The hawkers centres are found everywhere from shopping centres, train stations and random shops on the street, you will never go hungry in Singapore. I was advised on a vegan Facebook group by Singaporean locals to visit the Fortune Centre which is located near Orchard Road, I ran out of time to try the food here, although if you’re vegetarian or vegan this could be a good option for you to try. Restaurants are significantly more expensive; menu prices typically do not show tax therefore at the end you pay an extra tax to cover the service fee and GST.

Alcohol

Alcohol is extremely expensive, cocktails are around s$25-s$35 and beer is around s$13 a glass depending what bar/restaurant you go too. If you enjoy drinking I would recommend buying a bottle of liquor from duty free at the airport after you clear security.

Transport

The public transport system in Singapore is nothing like I’ve ever seen before; the stations and trains are so clean and efficient. You don’t need to wait more that 2 monies for a train, the most surprising thing is the trains are self-driven! I thought this was so crazy. They sell tourist passes, which I wouldn’t worry about buying as I found it was cheaper just to buy regular tickets. If I had to use a taxi I used the company called Grab, you can download an app to book your rides, its similar to Uber. I found this company to be fast, efficient and reliable.

Things to Do

Marina Bay Sands

Is it a surfboard or skateboard? Who knows, what I do know is that this building is iconic to Singapore. Sadly you cannot swim in the Instagram worthy infinity pool unless you are staying in the hotel overnight, although you can get close enough and pay s$25 to go up to their observation deck and get that great view of the city. My party stumbled across a lift at the other end of the building and went up to Spargo Bar and Lounge, we ordered amazing cocktails and delicious appetisers, one memorable one was a grilled sandwich served on a cranberry walnut bread. From this bar you can get a nice view of both sides of Singapore. I had probably one of the best cocktails I have ever had in my life from this bar, I would recommend ordering the 'peach on earth' cocktail, You wont regret it.

1 Altitude

Located on Raffels Place in central Singapore, this is a more affordable way to get a great view of the city. Pay s$35 to get to level 63 and get 2 drinks in return. Pretty good deal to me! 1 Altitude is a open air viewing deck and bar with house music pumping they serve tasty appetisers like onion rings, garlic bread and chicken wings for when you are feeling peckish after a few drinks. On the weekend the bar turns into a nightclub where popular DJ's perform, be aware that there is an extra surcharge for entry after 9pm.

Merlion

The Merlion is a icon of Singapore and is the official mascot, the Merlion is popular among tourists. The Merlion is a mythical creature, which has the body of a fish and a lions head. You can see the Merlion in Merlion Park.

Merlion, Singapore

Gardens by the Bay

The gardens feature lush greenery and beautiful floral displays, there is a nightly light show where you can view the famous flower tops glow or walk through the magical skyway and get a beautiful view of both the city and gardens below. There is a range of attractions at the Gardens some include sculptures, children play areas, lakes and flower domes.

Electric Scooters

I hired an electric scooter which was s$35 for 2 hours, this allowed me to view all of Singapore’s attractions and stop for lunch within 2 hours. The scooters are located under the Singapore Flyer (ferris wheel) , but be sure to get in early as in the afternoon when I returned mine they where sold out for the day. It is easy to do a big loop around the city and soak in the beautiful sights without getting lost.

Cloud Forest

The cloud forest is a indoor conservatory mimicking an actual forest, when you first walk in you are blown away by the cool breeze and large waterfall, you will discover flowers, animals and plants and you will learn how forests form and why it is important to live a sustainable life, there is a strong educational theme to this attraction which might be very eye opening to those who are not aware of the environmental crisis we face.

Sentosa Island

You can catch a short tram ride from Vivo City or a bus to access Sentosa island. Here you will find a range of attractions such as Universal Studios, Adventure Cove Waterpark, Animal encounters, water and light shows and a range of adrenaline pumping activities such as zip lining, bungee jumping and high ropes courses. This island is very family friendly with a range of large resorts and a huge selection of restaurants and entertainment such as bands, dancers and shows.

Overall, I loved Singapore It is such a liveable and modern city, if you are landing in Singapore for a stop over or connection to another flight, extend your trip by at least 2 days and take time to explore this wonderful city.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you love about Singapore!