Embark on an enchanting journey through the captivating city-state of Singapore, a destination that effortlessly blends modernity with a rich tapestry of cultural diversity. In the span of just one day, prepare to be swept away by the myriad experiences this bustling metropolis has to offer. From the awe-inspiring skyline of Marina Bay to the time-honored allure of Chinatown, Singapore beckons with a treasure trove of sights, sounds, and flavors.
As the sun rises over the iconic cityscape, begin in the heart of Marina Bay. Marvel at the architectural marvel that is Marina Bay Sands, its three soaring towers providing a backdrop to the world-famous infinity pool. Take a leisurely stroll along the Helix Bridge, embracing panoramic views of the city and the impressive Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay. Continue your exploration with a visit to the vibrant district of Little India, where the scent of spices and the kaleidoscope of colors will transport you to the heart of South Asia.
Join us on this whirlwind adventure, where each moment unfolds a new chapter in the enchanting story of the Lion City.
When I am researching activities and things to see in a new city, I wish I found more itineraries that ranked the list of activities they recommend. Everyone’s time is different in a new city and it’s important to be able to prioritize activities that are a MUST versus activities that are nice, but could possibly be skipped. I like to schedule my days and build an itinerary with one MUST item, one TRY TO DO item, and one SKIP item a day in case something happens or we are too tired, we can always hit the MUST item and SKIP the item that’s not as important.
★★★ MUST SEE
★★ TRY TO DO
★ SKIP (BUT WORTH IF YOU HAVE TIME)
★★★ Garden by the Bay
★★★ Marina Bay Sands
★★ ArtScience Museum
★★ Maxwell Food Centre
★ Kampong Glam
★ Little India
When: August 2023
Who: My husband and I for our honeymoon (2 adults)
Where we stayed: Orchard area
Day 1 Information ~
Jen Orchard Gateway Hotel ~ reserve your hotel room ahead of time
Arrive in Singapore: We arrived in Singapore via AirAsia at 2:30PM. We used Grab, a ride-sharing app, to get a ride from the airport to the hotel. We paid ahead of time for lunch to be provided on the flight and it came with the yummiest milk tea. We enjoyed our flight during AirAsia.
Check into Hotel: We stayed at JEN Singapore Orchardgateway by Shangri-La. We used Capital One points through the Capital One portal. It cost us around 55,000 points for 2 nights. I really liked this hotel. The breakfast was extra, but was extensive and yummy. There were “American style” options and also more traditional options. We didn’t have enough time to hang out by the pool, but it’s on the roof and has a stunning view of the city.
Get coffee/milk tea: Our hotel was attached to the Orchard Gateway Mall so we went down to walk around and stumbled across Flash Coffee. I got a Hojicha latte, which if you haven’t tried, Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that’s roasted over charcoal at a high temperature. It melds together really nicely with oat milk and is a wonderful alternative to coffee.
Dinner: For dinner I found this great Indian restaurant. So we ventured out into the famous Singapore public transportation system and went to Yarana. We got some butter chicken and lamb meatballs. They were both exquisite. The restaurant inside wasn’t too lively, because they were hosting a huge event outside.
Day 2 Information ~
Gardens by the Bay ~ can reserve tickets ahead of time or upon arrival
★★★Gardens by the Bay: Honestly, when I was trying to purchase tickets ahead of time on the website for Gardens by the Bay, the combinations of tickets, etc was confusing so I just waited and bought tickets upon arrival this morning.
We came on a Tuesday morning right at opening (9AM) so it was not crowded at all. We ended up purchasing the Avatar: The Experience at Cloud Forest + Flower Dome. The ticket cost a non-resident ~$40 USD. This price is kind of expensive for just two attractions, but we really enjoyed our time here and Gardens by the Bay was the main reason I wanted to come to Singapore. The ticket lady told me the Supertree Observatory was a different ticket to be purchased in a different part of the park. We did the Cloud Forest experience first and it was really stunning; we basically had the place to ourselves since it was early and empty. We had to ask some of the staff to take our photo since there weren’t any other guests We spent about 45 minutes in the Cloud Forest and even though we aren’t huge Avator fans, the animatronics were so life like. After the Cloud Forest we went to the Flower Dome. This area is more educational and had different sections of the world with the type of flora that grow in those parts of the world. It was fun to walk around and take photos of all the pretty flowers, but honestly we could have skipped this part and would have been fine. We spent less than 30 minutes in this area. Next, we walked over to the SuperTree area, but it was raining that day so the observatory was closed I was super sad as I really wanted to go to the top, but it wasn’t in the cards for us this trip.
★★★Marina Bay Sands: After being disappointed about the weather and not going to the SuperTree observatory, we walked over to the Marina Bay Sands. This is a huge hotel with a shopping mall and casino attached. It’s across a small river from Gardens by the Bay and is thankfully connected by bridges and walkways. This area is a great favorite opportunity of both structures (GBTB and MBS). One cool thing about Marina Bay Sands is they have a small river on the bottom floor where they give Venetian boat rides for a price. The price was rather pricey and the line was always long so we didn’t participate.
Coffee: We got coffee at the coffee shop attached to the ArtScience Museum (which is located on the roof of the shopping mall at MBS). It’s called Miracle coffee; the drinks were good, just not very strong.
★★Maxwell Food Centre: After coffee, we realized we were pretty hungry and it was lunch time. Something I really wanted to try was the Tian Tian Haitian Chicken and Rice dish from the Maxwell Food Centre. The Maxwell Food Centre is a hawker centre which is an open-air food court with many stalls that serve a variety of affordable meals.
It was prime lunch time so the line was very long so I had my husband start standing in it while I secured us some milk tea from one of the other stalls. The line was long, but super efficient. Workers were taking orders and having you pay ahead of time so when you got to the front of the line, your order was ready. It was tricky during the lunch time rush to find a table to eat so we ended up sitting outside, which was hot, but fine. My husband and I shared a “Large” size and I found it to be really delicious. The texture of the chicken was unlike anything I had tried before and the sauce was so flavorful. (picture is featured at the beginning of this post)
★Kampong Glam: After lunch, we headed to this neighborhood famously known as Singapore’s Muslim Quarter.
We stopped by to admire the beautiful Sultan’s Mosque. This mosque is the most important, and prettiest in Singapore. Then we ventured to a pastry shop to get some homemade Baklava. Afterwards, we walked down Arab street and Haji Lane and stopped into some of the cute shops for souvenirs.
★Little India: After visiting the Muslim quarter, we walked over to Little India which was about a 20 minute walk. While we were here, we visited the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple which is a Hindu temple with colorful statues and intricate architecture. Afterwards, we walked around to check out the other temples and colorful buildings nearby. We were pretty tired from walking all day so we decided to rest at the hotel before dinner.
Dinner: After resting and relaxing at the hotel, we went to Chinatown to eat dinner. We ate at a cash only Thai food restaurant that I didn’t catch the name of. We got pad thai and green curry which we gulfed down in what felt like 2 bites. We wanted to walk around afterwards, but everything was mostly closed up since it was pretty late so we went back to the hotel to sleep.
Day 3 Information ~
ArtScience Museum ~ reserve tickets ahead of time
★★ArtScience Museum: We were leaving Singapore today, but our flight was in the afternoon, so we took advantage of the late check out and went to the ArtScience Museum at opening (10AM).
For this museum, I did purchase tickets ahead of time online. There are multiple exhibits you can choose from or pay for a combo ticket for multiple. We had limited time so we just did the famous one: Future World: Where Art Meets Science. Each adult ticket cost ~12 USD. The exhibit was a fascinating one, but it was similar to the exhibit in Japan we did (teamLAB Borderless Tokyo) and it was much shorter; we spent less than 45 minutes in this Singapore exhibit. For $12 though, I would still recommend it as it is fun, interactive, and futuristic.
Head to Airport: We arrived back at our hotel and picked up our luggage to head to the airport.
We took a ride-share (I think it was Grab) back to the airport. Once through security, we did have access to a Priority Pass Lounge (you can find more info about Priority Passes HERE). The lounge we went to was called Blossom – SATS & Plaza Premium Lounge. It was pretty sweet; we had our own cubicles and the food was very solid. It was on the second floor above the gates in Terminal 4.
Time to leave Singapore!
Throughout the year, Singapore experiences a warm and humid tropical climate with high temperatures and consistent humidity. Here’s a breakdown of the weather across the seasons:
Singapore offers a diverse range of neighborhoods and accommodations to suit various preferences. Here are some popular areas to consider when choosing where to stay in Singapore:
Singapore boasts an efficient and well-connected public transportation system, making it easy for visitors to explore the city-state conveniently. Here are the key components of Singapore’s public transportation:
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT):
Public Buses:
Ride-Sharing Apps:
Public transportation in Singapore is cashless, and passengers use contactless payment cards like the Singapore Tourist Pass or the standard ez-link card for seamless travel on trains and buses.
