The tropical island nation of Singapore in Southeast Asia has been famed for its gigantic skyscrapers, famous ancient architecture, a cultural amalgamation of the continent, and slurpiest cuisines one could ever have. Singapore is also dubbed as one of the most expensive cities in the world, considering the lifestyle and one spending here. However, it all depends on the way you plan your spending on travel, accommodation, and getting the best deal in seasons.
The country has a blend of people from different nationalities, ethnicity, and culture, all living in proper harmony. Singapore is one of the safest countries for tourists in the world, and if you are planning the journey anytime soon, you can stay assured that your trip will be memorable.
1 day in Singapore - How to spend your day
Singapore in a day - Detailed itinerary
Morning - Say Hello to the Merlion and Gardens By the Bay
The Merlion and the Merlion Park
Gardens by the Bay
Red Dot Design Museum and the ArtScience Museum
The center of all places and the statue which gives Singapore its identity is none other than the Merlion. Located near Hotel Fullerton, this place is an absolute hit amongst the visitors and is located inside Merlion Park. Merlion the mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, is considered the official mascot for the city. The water flowing out of the mouth of Merlion resembles a fountain. The place is easily connected through public transport.
- Sit by the steps near the Merlion statue to click some amazing pictures.
- By the banks of the river, you must try to indulge in local delicacies like Laksa (combination of coconut gravy and eggs), Kopi (coffee in Singapore style), Kaya (butter jam toast).
- You can visit the spherical-shaped Helix bridge for strolling and clicking pictures.
🇸🇬 Hot Local Tip 🇸🇬
You can have a sumptuous English breakfast at PS. Café at Fullerton, and the double chocolate cake there are absolutely delightful. Try spending quality time with your loved ones by the steps near Merlion.
Gardens by the Bay is a fun-filled nature park that derives beauty from various elements of the environment. There are different sections at the place like Cloud Forest, Floral Fantasy, and Supertree Observatory. The flower dome has the best collection of exotic flora and fauna. The theme of Gardens by the Bay is to make the place have a tropical Singapore with perfect ambiance.
- Do not miss taking a stroll on OCBC Skywalk to catch the view of beautiful Marina Sand Bays
- The light show at Gardens by the Bay is fantastic and teleports you to the dreamy land of Avatar.
- Try to reach Gardens by the Bay as early as possible as there are many places to visit within a limited time frame.
🇸🇬 Hot Local Tip 🇸🇬
Da Paolo Gastronomia and Mylo’s are some of the best places to indulge in some sumptuous breakfast near the Bay.
Located near Garden by the way and at the center of Marina Sands Bay, among them Red Dot Design Museum and ArtScience Museum can be visited. The best of the designs from global artists can be found at the Red dot design museum and can be viewed in either permanent or temporary collections. The art you witness goes through much scrutiny and checks and is at par worldwide.
ArtScience Museum is one of the few architectures in the world which blends a perfect mix of technology, science, arts, and culture. The outer architecture assumes the shape of a lotus flower.
- There is no entry fee at the Red Dot Design Museum for children below six years of age.
- Red Dot Design Museum has its eatery, and one can have food and snacks there too.
- You can reach the spots either by bus or underground line and for tourists, the preferable mode is a private taxi.
🇸🇬 Hot Local Tip 🇸🇬
Cedele Bakery Café, Qi - House of Sichuan near the Red Dot Design Museum is a perfect space for breakfast.
Afternoon - Exploring Singapore's Architectures
Helix Bridge
Singapore Flyer
National Museum of Singapore
Helix Bridge is one of the wonder architectures of the world designed in the shape of human DNA, i.e., helix. The bridge won “World’s Best Transport Building” previously. The bridge connects the City Hall locality to Marina Bay and holds massive popularity among tourists. Almost anyone visiting Singapore has two-must pictures- one near Merlion and the other near Helix bridge. The 280-meter bridge is a pedestrian path giving a fantastic view of Marina Bay.
- One can reach Helix Bridge using bus or mass rapid transport.
- It is open 24 hours a day, and there is no time restriction for people strolling on the bridge.
- If you visit Singapore during the National Day Celebration, this is your perfect sport for viewing the festivities.
🇸🇬 Hot Local Tip 🇸🇬
Jumbo Seafood provides the best option of seafood to tourists and visitors. It is well famed for grilled jumbo prawns and classic chili crab.
DB Bistro & Oyster Bar is known for the best quality oyster and other seafood, along with the finest wine option in the entire city.
Singapore Flyer is easily accessible from Marina Bay and the museums and is one of the most important landmarks of Singapore. It has built-in capsules in the flyers, which take you to a height of 165 meters from the ground. It's almost a 30 minutes ride in which you can get a 360-degree view of the entire Malay city of Singapore.
- You can choose to have an in-capsule dining facility in Singapore Flyer during the ride. It is a one-hour-long experience and is shared between the two.
- You can witness the experience of Magical XD Theatre equipped with a motion simulator for some real-time experience.
🇸🇬 Local Travel Tip 🇸🇬
Head to Flyer Lounge, Cherry Garden, or Dolce Vita for lunch.
Built-in 1849, The National Museum is the oldest museum in Singapore and houses many exhibitions, artifacts, and showcases galleries about Singapore culture and history. Many permanent and temporary exhibitions are held inside the museum.
- The museum is open from Monday to Sunday, but the last entry to the museum is by 5 PM.
- Early Learning Resources Programmes are available for kids between the ages of one and six.
- You can even enjoy some of the online resources and programs shared by the museums from the comforts of your home.
🇸🇬 Local Travel Tip 🇸🇬
Food for Thought is one of the best options for multi-cuisine lunch if you are near the National Museum of Singapore.
Evening - Cruising and Strolling About Singapore
Singapore River Cruise from the Clarke Quay Jetty
Chinatown
The fun cruise ride across the Singapore waters takes you through famous landmarks like Merlion Park, Boat Quay, and Bayfront South. One can opt for a 40-minute ride along with their loved ones during the wee but shimmery hours of the evening on the cruise from Clarke Quay Jetty, which is the starting point. Enjoy gigantic structures like Beam Bridge, Fullerton, and Esplanade on your ride.
- You can grab a ticket for the Singapore River Cruise online to avoid the last-minute hassle.
- Cruise plans can get affected by heavy rain or other weather circumstances, but you need to plan accordingly.
Indulge in the heavenly food and sumptuous Asian treats at Chinatown Food Street, where you will find the local delicacy of Singapore and some of the best foods from around the Asian continent at a very pocket-friendly price. Besides, the shopping market in Chinatown is an absolute delight for people who love to carry souvenirs with them and buy themselves specialties of the place. At night, the place enlivens itself to the music and lights. It is also a hub of cultural architecture, religion, and practices.
- A foodie and travel enthusiast should never miss coming to Chinatown to see a different world amongst the shouts of street hawkers and chaos of the crowd.
- The Chinatown shopping market is a bargaining space; the more you bargain, the better the deal you can get.
- Do not miss to view the cultural diversity of Singapore in one single street, where you would find a mosque, a Hindu temple, and a Buddhist temple in a single line.
More Singapore Itinerary Options?
Have some more time to kill in Singapore? That's alright, we've got other options for you. Check out our other itineraries for further inspiration:
Public Transportation In Singapore
The easiest way to travel around Singapore is using a public transport system that is affordable, fast, and amicable for tourists of all types. Different types of transport modes are available to hop around the city
- Singapore's MRT (Mass Rapid Transit): It is the fastest way of traveling to any popular destination. Generally, such places are located at a walkable distance from the MRT station. One can opt for a tourist pass, foreign-issued Mastercard and VISA facilities, and an Adult Stored Value Smartcard while traveling by train.
- Buses: They are a great option to travel the city at your own pace. Buses cover an extensive network of places in Singapore; they are air-conditioned and may be single or double-decker buses.
- Taxis: Taxis are another affordable option as meters are reasonably priced, and there are no safety concerns. There might be surcharges sometimes, and you can always ask the driver for a receipt. The pricing and fares highly depend on the company from which you are taking the services.
- Bicycle: If you love cycling around the place, Singapore has some great options as it has a good cycling path for people traveling there. One can even get cycles and gears from the licensed operator there, and you are good to traverse the city on your own.
Tips & Hacks For Making The Best of Singapore In A Day
- Buses are not a great option for first-time visitors in Singapore as the extensive network of buses, and their timings may confuse you. Instead, you can hop on a taxi or metro to avoid the hassle.
- Any place of architectural significance gets crowded during the afternoon, so it is preferred to visit them either early in the morning or evening. So, you can plan your places accordingly if you want to avoid a rush.
- Try saving your bucks by shopping local and eating local in the famed streets of Chinatown, which won’t hit your pocket as hard as sitting in a fancy restaurant.
- Do not miss out on Little India, where you will find the most famed things from India- the spicy food, sarees, Bollywood posters, and DVDs, to name a few!
- As Singapore has a tropical climate, a few essential things that you must always carry are- sunscreens, umbrellas, and rain cover for your bags.
- The public water in Singapore is safe to use, and one can definitely save money and reduce plastics by not buying plastic water bottles.
- You must adhere to some of the local regulations like spitting on the roads, smoking in the designated areas, and flushing the toilet after use. Otherwise, you might certainly land up with a penalty.
