A city bursting with attractions, activities, day trips and, of course, shopping, Singapore is a destination the whole family will enjoy. Welcome to our Singapore travel guide.
It’s one of the cleanest and most orderly cities in the world, and one of the safest too, with shops and restaurants open until late at night for the night owls. It has a reputation as one of the shopping capitals of the world, but there’s more to the island state than malls.
Things to see in Singapore
Marina Bay is often top of the list, largely thanks to the city-state’s epic transformation over the years. With the Marina Bay Sands complex as its focus, many attractions revolve around the Bay, including the Science Museum, the casino, and shopping and dining options. There’s also a nightly light show around 8pm, so it’s worth visiting both during the day and in the evening.
Right on the cusp of Marina Bay is Gardens by the Bay, Singapore’s answer to a futuristic park, complete with a skywalk over the gardens, seashell-shaped greenhouses recreating mountain climates, and hundreds of trees and plants to discover. Head to the top of Marina Bay Sands for the best view of the spectacle. The 250-acre space is open into the evening, so you can experience the lights too.
Clarke Quay is packed with bustling bars and restaurants beautifully positioned on the riverside, alongside boutique shops to pop into as you stroll. Most restaurants offer al fresco dining, so you can enjoy balmy nights by the river before heading into one of the many bars for a nightcap.
The Southern Ridges is a 10km stretch of connecting trails that lets you walk among the treetops, away from the inner city, with panoramic views of the city, harbour and Southern Islands along the way.
The Singapore Night Safari is a unique attraction where you can get up close to nocturnal animals – there are more than 1000 animals across almost 60 exhibits, sourced from all over the world.
Best places to visit in Singapore
Sentosa, a man-made island built for recreation just south of Singapore, has become a hot resort spot for local and international tourists alike – the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle, even just for a weekend. There’s plenty to do on the island, including Universal Studios, which opened in 2010 with seven themed sections spanning Hollywood, New York, Egypt and Madagascar, all in one day.
Singapore is made up of diverse cultures and ethnicities, and Chinatown is the place to indulge in authentic Chinese food and shopping bargains. The Heritage Centre explains how Chinese immigrants founded Singapore, and there are several temples worth exploring too. Along Serangoon Road, Little India is equally worth a visit, with Hindu temples, mosques and churches, multicoloured shop-houses, spiritual chants, delicious aromas and warm smiles transporting you straight to the subcontinent.
For the kids, Westgate Wonderland, the largest rooftop playground in Singapore, is a must – oversized insects, musical flowers and a 10m-tall treehouse evoke a magical garden (pack a change of clothes, since there are wet play areas).
Make your holiday extra special with a visit to Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, a spiritual sanctuary for learning the teachings of Buddha, best explored with a guided tour. Just remember to dress appropriately, with shoulders and knees covered.
Best time to visit
It’s summer all year round in Singapore, so you can’t go too wrong with the weather – just be mindful of the humidity, and always carry an umbrella, since conditions can turn quickly. If it does rain, simply head indoors to a shopping centre for a couple of hours.
Be mindful of traditional festivals when planning your trip – wonderful to experience, but they also mean bigger crowds and higher prices. Chinese New Year, usually celebrated in January or February depending on the lunar calendar, brings markets, lion dances, festive feasting and an annual street parade. Singapore also celebrates the Hindu festival of Holi, with colours, music and dancing, and Eid, one of the city’s major cultural festivals, when Muslims don traditional dress to feast with family and friends at the end of Ramadan. National Day falls on 9 August, marking Singapore’s independence with live performances and fireworks, while Christmas sees Gardens by the Bay transformed into a Christmas Wonderland with light sculptures and a festive market. The Singapore Grand Prix usually runs in September and is well worth checking out at least once.
Where to stay in Singapore
Known for its extravagance, Singapore has no shortage of luxury accommodation, though there are lovely guesthouses too.
For sheer scale, it’s hard to go past Marina Bay Sands – three towers, 55 storeys, an infinity pool on the 57th floor and a gorgeous spa, reportedly the most expensive standalone resort property ever built. It’s so iconic it’s become synonymous with the Singaporean skyline, with three levels of gaming floor space, 80 restaurants and more than 300 retail shops.
On Sentosa, Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa is a boutique resort on Palawan Beach with multiple swimming pools, sea views and a peaceful spa, set within a rustic, colonial-feeling landscape of surrounding greenery.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel, a neoclassical landmark once home to the General Post Office, Exchange Reference Library and Ministry of Finance, has since been declared a national monument, making it an ideal spot for history buffs. Cultural artefacts sit behind the hotel’s Aberdeen façade, and it offers tours of the grounds alongside chandeliers, a marble-mosaic foyer and floor-to-ceiling windows in every room.
Capella Singapore, set on 30 acres of sprawling hillside, is well positioned for business travellers with easy access to the financial and shopping districts, while its colonial elegance nods to its former life as a residence for the British Royal Artillery.
For real opulence, The St. Regis looks like an office tower from the outside but delivers art-deco rooms with a butler each, plus six food and drink options including a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant.
Best places to eat in Singapore
From fine dining to street food, Singapore has it all – hawker centres serving iconic local dishes at bargain prices sit alongside some of the world’s most celebrated restaurant scenes, so there’s genuinely something for every budget and craving.
Cultural experiences in Singapore
Despite its reputation, Singapore is far more than shopping. The National Gallery Singapore, which opened in 2015, is a highlight for art lovers. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, built in 2002 to house a tooth relic of Buddha, serves as the city’s Chinese Buddhist cultural centre and is built in Tang dynasty style, complete with a museum of ancient artefacts.
Thian Hock Keng, the oldest Hokkien temple in Singapore, was assembled in the early 1840s without a single nail, built entirely from stone, tiles, wood, carvings and columns. The Sri Mariamman Temple, the island’s oldest Hindu temple, sits in the heart of Chinatown and is a true Singapore landmark thanks to its ornamental six-tiered entrance tower, adorned with sculptures of deities and mythological beasts.
