Singapore things to see

[HurtleTurtle30]

We are off to Singapore in 10 days (staying 2 nights before going into Sydney). Any tips or things to see whilst there. Raffles on the list for a Singapore sling but would love any suggestions.

Marina Bay Sands
Gardens by the Bay
Sentosa
Botanic Gardens
Little India
Chinatown
Clarke Quay

Gardens in the bay
We only had one day there , the underground is so clean , cheap and easy to use
We didn’t go to Raffles , spoke to people who did and they said it was overrated , long queue to get in and then you we’re practically timed having your drink and shooed out

Gardens by the Bay - huge greenhouses and crazy light sculptures. Good to be there in evening for the light shows. As far as I could tell most of Singapore’s erstwhile jungle is now only to be found in the green houses.

We enjoyed the museum of Singapore (but quite a lot because I was born in Singapore and left as an infant - forces child - so fascinating to see how much it had changed.)

As everyone will say, leave time for the extraordinary waterfall at the airport

if you can fit it in, might be worth a trip out to Haw Paw Mansions/ Tiger Balm Gardens - a very strange theme park place built in 1930s by inventors of Tiger Balm, which focuses on Chinese mythology and has a museum of the dead / the afterlife in many cultures.

We found Singapore an oddly sterile place and found the five days we stayed too long, but those were probably the highlights.

Thank you, I’ll have a look at those suggestions. We spent at the airport in 2023 and the waterfall (which is incredible so don’t mind missing that one this time).

I recommend Dempsey Road, the former British Army quarters, now restaurants and shops (off the Holland Road). My favourites are Samy's for a curry on banana leaves and the Red Dot Brewery for a summer ale.

Marina Bay Sands and the Helix Bridge, the Art Science Museum are well worth visiting too.

Gardens by the Bay and then a walk back into the city via Marina Sands.
Maxwell Food Centre hawker market.
Chinatown Heritage Centre
I love the National Gallery and the Asian Civilizations Museum.
If it's really hot, an hour or two sat with a cold drink in one of the bars on Boat Quay is lovely.

Singapore Zoo. World famous conservationist and also a designated centre for rescued wildlife. Amazing experience, including night safari, meet and feed the baby orangutangs and the elephants...wonderful.

Frankly, I would also avoid Raffles as a previous poster suggested.

I travel there several times a year for work l was there last month) and often stay on for longer. Be prepared to go off the beaten track and your time there will fly by. Those who only go for a few days just scratch the surface. It is very safe and incredibly clean.

l won’t repeat places that have already been mentioned, but in edition go to the Botanic Gardens. An evening out in Clarke Quay is a must. The tiny island of Pilau Ubin (regular bum boat service), is like going in a time machine to Singapore as it used to be, no cars and cycle hire.

Expect rain every day, often mid afternoon and always take a cardigan with you, the air con in all interior areas is often akin to walking into a freezer.

If you would like more detail, drop me a PM.

I only stopped over briefly but enjoyed Sentosa and the night zoo

Thank you all for your suggestions. Very excited to see a new city outside of the airport! I’ve made a note of your suggestions so will link in with family to plan our days there

Enjoy OP. Be aware that drinks can be expensive, but Happy Hours can last quite a few hours, look for signs. Eligible drinks are usually shown on menus as “house pours”.

Agree re Palau Ubin for an off the beaten track experience. Also MacRitchie reservoir if you want a walk. Botanic Gardens are lovely / orchids impressive! Changi if you are interested in WW2 history.

That wasn't our experience of Raffles when we went last year. We only had 36 hours on a stopover on the way to NZ, but on our last afternoon we went to Raffles. Maybe we were lucky but we didn't have to queue at all and we were certainly not hassled or hurried in any way. We had a Singapore Sling each and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The only thing was that I had read they had a dress code - smart casual, proper shoes, definitely no shorts - so DH and I made a bit of an effort. He wore shirt and tie, I put on a dress and tights. Heavens, I even wore a necklace and a bit of lippy!! But, in fact, we saw several groups of people in shorts and T-shirts and nobody seemed to mind. Heigh-ho!.

Raffles dropped their “no shorts” policy several years ago.

The Atlas Bar is a beautiful Art Deco cocktail bar/restaurant. You'll need to book a table though - or take your chances and just turn up. There's a dress code so check the website!

Gardens by the Bay is fabulous. Changi Museum really interesting if history/WW2 appeals. We enjoyed the zoo as well.

There are some great areas just for wandering around and browsing shops and cafes - Haji Lane was one of my favourites. I love Boat Quay as well for just sitting, having drinks and watching the world go by.