The best things to do in Singapore
- Jul 21
- 4 min read
Although Singapore is not very large, there are plenty of fun things to do. Singapore is therefore the perfect destination for a citytrip of around two to four days. Grab makes it easy and relatively inexpensive to travel around the city and visit several places in one day. Below, you will find the best things to do and visit during your city break in Singapore.
Gardens by the Bay and the OCBC Skyway
Gardens by the Bay is one of the most famous places in Singapore. It is a park in the centre of Singapore where you can enjoy a walk and find several restaurants. The best-known part is Supertree Grove, located in the heart of the park. Here, you will find several enormous futuristic trees covered in plants. It is really impressive to walk between them.
The OCBC Skyway connects two of these trees, allowing you to walk through the park at a height of 22 metres. Gardens by the Bay itself is free to visit, but you need to buy an admission ticket for the Skyway. Opening hours and admission prices can change, so check the official website before your visit.
Cloud Forest and Flower Dome
Next to Gardens by the Bay, you will find Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. These are two large glass conservatories containing two very different botanical gardens. Inside Cloud Forest, you will find an impressive indoor waterfall and many plants from all over the world. The attraction is regularly transformed around a special theme, such as Avatar or Jurassic World.
Flower Dome is located next to Cloud Forest and mainly consists of a wide variety of colourful flowers and plants.
Both conservatories are fun to visit, and you can easily spend several hours exploring them. You can choose to buy a combination ticket or visit just one of the two attractions.
Prices and exhibitions change regularly, so check the current ticket options before visiting.
Swim in a rooftop pool
Singapore has an incredible skyline filled with skyscrapers. Many apartment buildings and hotels have their own rooftop swimming pools. We stayed at JEN Singapore Orchardgateway by Shangri-La, around two kilometres from the city centre. The hotel had a lovely rooftop pool with a great view towards Marina Bay Sands. You can also visit the SkyPark Observation Deck at Marina Bay Sands. You will not have access to its famous rooftop infinity pool, as this is reserved for hotel guests, but you will get an amazing view over Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore skyline.
Chinese Garden
Besides Gardens by the Bay, Chinese Garden is another beautiful place to enjoy culture and nature in Singapore. It is located a little farther outside the city centre, but it is still easy to reach by metro or Grab. As the name suggests, this is a Chinese-inspired garden featuring traditional buildings, small temples and bridges crossing the water. It is a lovely place to escape the busy city centre and enjoy a relaxing walk.
Go shopping
Singapore is a true shopping paradise, with several luxury shopping centres along Orchard Road and around Marina Bay Sands. You will find nearly every well-known international brand here, so there is something for everyone. In Chinatown and Little India, you will find smaller markets that are perfect for buying souvenirs. At some market stalls, it is common to negotiate the price a little. This is, of course, not done inside the large shopping malls.
One major advantage is that Singapore offers tax-free shopping through its Tourist Refund Scheme. When you spend at least S$100, including GST, at a participating retailer, you may be able to request a GST refund at the airport. You can combine up to three receipts issued on the same day by shops with the same GST registration number and shop name. Make sure you bring your original passport when shopping, as the retailer needs it to register your purchase for the refund.
Sentosa Island
Looking for even more fun? Visit Sentosa Island. Sentosa is a popular resort island that is sometimes described as Asia’s playground. You will find several major attractions here, including Universal Studios Singapore, Adventure Cove Waterpark and Singapore Oceanarium. There are also artificial beaches, hotels and golf courses.
The island is connected to the mainland by road, cable car and monorail, making it the perfect place for a fun day out.
You can find tickets for Universal Studios Singapore and more information about Sentosa Island here.
Little India, Chinatown and Kampong Glam
Singapore has several colourful neighbourhoods. Three of the most enjoyable ones to visit are Little India, Chinatown and the Arab Quarter of Kampong Glam.
Little India is colourful and filled with shops where you can buy spices and other products. You will also find Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple and the lively Serangoon Road here.
Chinatown is a beautiful combination of modern cafés and historic buildings. Besides numerous souvenir shops, you can visit Sri Mariamman Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
The Arab Quarter of Kampong Glam offers a mix of trendy cafés, Middle Eastern food and Instagram-worthy murals. Here, you will find Sultan Mosque and the colourful Haji Lane.
Jewel Changi Airport
Jewel Changi Airport is the perfect place to begin or end your city break in Singapore.
It is connected to Terminal 1 at Singapore Changi Airport and consists of a large indoor garden surrounding the spectacular Rain Vortex, an enormous indoor waterfall that falls from the glass roof. There are plenty of lovely places to sit, as well as shops and restaurants. You may even see one of the airport trains travelling past the waterfall behind the glass. It is definitely a fun final stop to add to your Singapore itinerary!
