This list of the best places to see in Singapore It will help you prepare your visit and not miss anything, from one of the most incredible cities in the world.
If there is something that will catch your attention when you first step on Singapore, it is the feeling of being in a great city of the future. With an urban model based on accessibility and green areas, cleanliness and order in the streets and futuristic architecture in numerous buildings and facilities, we are sure, Singapore will leave you speechless.
In addition to these more modern areas, which include the Marina Bay Sands hotel and the Gardens by the Bay garden, Singapore still retains charming neighborhoods such as Little India, Chinatown or the Arab quarter, something that makes it a very complete city in which discover different perspectives and realities.
Although Singapore is a perfect destination at any time, after our experience, we would tell you that this multicultural city, which enjoys a tropical climate all year round, is perfect for a 3 or 4 day stopover, before visiting any country of the Southeast Asia or on the way to Oceania.
Another of the best things to do in Singapore is to try its varied and delicious gastronomy in its fantastic restaurants or in the Street Food Markets of which you cannot leave without trying the chili crab, one of our favorite dishes in the world.
Based on the experience of our trip to Singapore in 6 days, we have made this list of what we think are the 10 essential places to visit in Singapore. We start!
1. Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world and one of the most essential places to see in Singapore. These huge and modern gardens, located between the sea and the back of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, differ from the rest by the areas where the so-called super trees (Supertree Grove) are concentrated. These structures form vertical gardens between 25 and 50 meters high, which are totally sustainable thanks to their photovoltaic cells, which accumulate energy during the day, to show it in the form of light at night.
In addition to the central area, it is worthwhile to make a route through the different thematic gardens that the park contains, in which the Silver and the Golden Garden stand out.
The entrance to the park is free although the walk along the OCBC Skywalk, a walkway located more than 20 meters away, which joins several super trees and from which you have spectacular views, costs 5 euros per person.
Although it may seem unnecessary, we recommend you visit the central area of the gardens at different times of the day, since it changes with daylight and then at 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., when a beautiful light show is performed and sound.
Inside the gardens there are also two magnificent greenhouses with paid entrance: the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. Although both are worth it, our favorite is the Cloud Forest, in which it seems that you are in the movie Avatar.
You can book the ticket here in advance.
Visiting hours for greenhouses and OCBC Skywalk: every day from 9am to 9pm.
Gardens by the Bay, one of the places to see in Singapore
2. Little India
Little India is one of the most charming neighborhoods and one of the essential places to visit in Singapore. In this area, where the great Indian community of the city is concentrated, you can stroll among beautiful colored buildings, visit Hindu and Buddhist temples, get lost in shopping centers full of shops as well as try the most delicious Indian cuisine.
Among the most beautiful Hindu temples in the neighborhood are Sri Veeramakaliamman and Sri Srinivasa Perumal, both located on Serangoon Road, the most famous street. Also near this, you can also visit two ancient Buddhist temples such as Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya and Leong San See Temple.
One of the symbols of Little India is the shopping centers among which you can not miss Mustafa Center, a shopping center full of typical Hindu products and other places, Little India Arcade, which although we found dispensable, can be an interesting visit and Tekka Center, which contains a food corner inside, with numerous stalls of delicious Indian food.
After knowing all the previous places, you can not forget to make a stop at the house of Tan Teng Niah, a colorful building of Chinese origin, which has become very famous on Instagram after numerous travelers post photos posing on their walls.
To reach this neighborhood and the farthest places in the city, the best transportation option in Singapore is the subway. Although if you want to visit several tourist spots in one day, enjoying views of the city and comments in Spanish we recommend you book this Singapore tour bus.
Little india
3. Marina Bay Sands
The Marina Bay Sands is the most famous building complex in Singapore, which includes a hotel, an art and science museum, two theaters, several restaurants, a shopping center and a huge casino. Its architecture with three 55-storey towers and a huge upper platform in the form of a boat, make it one of the most spectacular hotels in the world and without a doubt, one of the best places to see in Singapore.
After our experience, whenever you enter your budget, we recommend you book at least one night at the Marina Bay Sands, especially to enjoy the longest elevated pool in the world that is located on the terrace, from where you look out over an edge Invisible located 200 meters high, you will enjoy the best views of the city.
Keep in mind that the only possibility to access the pool is to be staying at the hotel, so if you want to enjoy the views from the pool it is essential to reserve a room. An alternative option is to climb the spectacular panoramic viewpoint, located on the 57th floor, paying 15 euros for admission (free for hotel guests).
A good option is to reserve the entrance to the viewpoint here in advance and thus ensure the day of entry.
In addition to the viewpoint, another of the essential places to see in Singapore, is the Museum of Art and Science where you can discover incredible rooms, some of them permanent and others itinerant, in which art and science are mixed in an impressive way.
You can book the ticket here in advance and avoid the queues and lack of availability that there are some weekends.
And of course, after the previous visits, you can not miss spending a couple of hours walking around the mall with numerous luxury stores, eating at a good restaurant or the food court on the ground floor and staying gaping at the incredible complex of the Marina Bay Sands.
Viewpoint hours: every day from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Museum hours: every day from 10am to 7pm.
Marina Bay Sands
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
4. The Arab Quarter, one of the places to see in Singapore
The Arab Quarter or Kampong Glam is another of our favorite neighborhoods and places to visit in Singapore more interesting. This neighborhood has its origin in the early nineteenth century, with the arrival of Malay and Arab immigrants, many of whom were merchants and settled in this area of the city where a small Arab community is still maintained today, which retains its merchant origins, selling all kinds of products in stores around the Sultan Mosque.
This mosque is the most important in Singapore and next to the Sultan's Palace, they form the nerve center of the Arab quarter, being two places that we recommend visiting in the neighborhood.
In addition to these places you can not miss Arab Street, one of the streets where more fabric stores, saris, batiks, carpets and perfumes are concentrated and Bussorah Mall, where you will find numerous Arab coffee shops and restaurants focused on tourism.
Another less famous street, but that has become our favorite in the neighborhood is Haji Lane, where coffee shops, boutiques, clothing stores and bars are mixed with live music, with spectacular graffiti, to which we recommend you spend some time to enter one of the most emblematic neighborhoods of Singapore.
To get to the Arab quarter, the best option is to take the subway, getting off at the Bugis stop, on the green line.
Arab quarter, one of the places to see in Singapore
5. Merlion Park
In front of the Marina Bay Sands there is a bay where some of Singapore's most emblematic buildings are concentrated, in addition to Merlion, a 9-meter high statue, half fish and half lion, representing the city's fishing past and origins of its founder and is the symbol and one the most famous places to see in Singapore.
To get there we recommend you to take the circular walk around the bay of about 4 kilometers, which will allow you to enjoy the best views of the Marina Bay Sands and the skyline of the financial center.
You can start the route you can cross the Singapore River by the double helix steel pedestrian bridge, which simulates the structure of the DNA for later, continue walking along a part of the Formula 1 circuit, which is held every year. At the end of the walk is the Esplanade Theater, which is composed of two large buildings reminiscent of the Durian, the smelly local fruit. Crossing a small bridge you will reach the Merlion, which in addition to seeing it during the day, we recommend you come with the sunset, at which time you will have the best views of the Marina Bay Sands when it is illuminated.
In addition, this place is a good place to see Spectra, a night show of light and outdoor water, free of charge, which takes place on the water in front of the Marina Bay Sands.
This show is held twice a day (at 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.) from Sunday to Thursday, and three times (8:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.) on Fridays and Saturdays although based on our experience, we recommend seeing it from the opposite shore, near the spectacular Louis Vuitton store, from where the show looks much closer.
A good alternative to learn about the history and curiosities of the city is to book this guided tour in Spanish or this free tour of Singapore. Free!
Merlion park
Our recommended hotel in Singapore
Our recommended accommodation in Singapore is none other than the iconic Marina Bay Sands, located above a subway station and overlooking the entire city from its viewpoint. In addition to its excellent location, which allows you to walk to Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay area, you will have a wide gastronomic offer in its prestigious restaurants or in the food corner of the ground floor.
Although the price of the room per night is high, we recommend you book at least one night to fully enjoy the views from the room and the infinity pool, exclusively for customers and one of the places to see in Singapore.
6. Hawkers
One of the best things to do in Singapore is to try the street food of the hawkers. These markets concentrate numerous food stalls at affordable prices where diners share a table and services. The Lau Pa Sat, located in an old building in the middle of the financial district, is one of the most beautiful and famous. Another of our favorites is the Makansutra Gluttons Bay, located in Esplanade Park. Here we tried the first chili crab from singapore and after this, it became one of our favorite dishes in the world.
The list of hawkers in Singapore is endless and although in each neighborhood you can find several, there are some that stand out above others, such as Maxwell Food Center and Chinatown Food Street, in Chinatown, Tekka Center in Little India and Satay By The Bay in Gardens by the Bay
Although we know that sometimes street food markets are not entirely reliable, as some do not meet minimum standards of quality and cleanliness, Singapore hawkers are the opposite and will far exceed all your expectations.
Chili crab
7. Clarke Quay
Clarke Quay, was an old dock where some time ago its stores were rehabilitated until the area was converted into another one of the essential places to see in Singapore. Nowadays, these buildings with colored facades concentrate a multitude of cocktail bars and restaurants from all over the world, which begin to fill when the sunset arrives. In addition to walking around the area, if you want to release adrenaline in Clarke Quay you can climb the G-Max, an attraction with which you will reach speeds of up to 200 kilometers.
After strolling through Clarke Quay, following the Singapore river bank, towards the bay, you will arrive at Boat Quay, another area of bars, pubs and restaurants, perfect for a last drink or a fun night.
From these two places you can book a pleasant boat trip in which you can see from another perspective some of the most representative buildings in the city such as the Parliament, the Science Museum or the Marina Bay Sands.
Clarke quay
8. Chinatown
Chinatown is another of the neighborhoods with more atmosphere of the city and that could not be missing in the list of best places to visit in Singapore. Its origin dates back to the time when the city was a British colony and received through its port a large number of Chinese merchants, who over time, settled in this neighborhood.
During a walking tour of Chinatown you will discover old colonial houses, street food markets and small temples and shrines, in addition to the typical Chinese red lanterns that adorn any street.
Among the most important temples is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, which holds a relic in the shape of a tooth of the Buddha and we recommend you not to miss the Thian Hock Keng and the Sri Mariamman, the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.
Another of the places you can not miss is the most authentic area of the neighborhood, located in Kreta Ayer Square, where traditional Chinese crafts and souvenir shops persist.
At the gastronomic level, this neighborhood is a symbol in the city, and among the best and cheapest places to eat, are Maxwell Food Center and Food Street, located on Smith Street, a covered street full of Chinese food stalls.
Another curiosity what to do in Singapore and in this neighborhood, it's eating in the Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle, the cheapest Michelin Star restaurant in the world where you can try chicken lacquered with rice or with noddles, the chef's star dishes. And although it is an experience, in honor of the truth, we have to say that we were not moved and we would not repeat.
Chinatown, one of the places to visit in Singapore
9. Peranakan Terrace Houses
The Peranakan Terrace Houses are colorful houses located northeast of the city, which have become by force of Instagram, in another of the places to see in Singapore.
The Peranakans are descendants of Chinese who emigrated to Singapore and moved to this area where they built these beautiful two-story houses, with a small patio in front, in front of which it is worth stopping to see the beautiful wood carvings that decorate the windows and shutters.
To get to the Peranakan Terrace Houses you can take the green metro line to the Opp Parway stop and walk for about 30 minutes. Another option is to take a taxi or a Grab, with which you can arrive in a comfortable way and at a fairly tight price.
Peranakan Terrace Houses
10. Sentosa Island
Sentosa Island, which means peace and tranquility in Malay, is another of the places to see in Singapore that you can't miss
Among its several beaches and tourist attractions, Palawan Beach stands out, which has a suspension bridge that allows you to reach the closest point in Asia to the Ecuadorian line. Another well known is Siloso Beach, ideal for outdoor sports, while Tanjong Beach is the least visited and quietest.
Among the most spectacular attractions on the island are the Butterfly Park, the Images of Singapore Museum, the Tiger Sky Tower, Fort Siloso and the Universal Studios Park.
In addition this small island has two five-star hotels and a great gastronomic offer that make it another of the places to see in Singapore.
You can reach Sentosa by train, bus or cable car, the most expensive means of transport and with the best views. You can also book this excursion to Sentosa by teleferico, which includes the transfer from the hotel and the entrance to several attractions.
Sentosa Island, one of the places to see in Singapore
How to have internet in Singapore?If you want to have internet in Singapore a good option is to buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, several GB of data, keeping your WhatsApp number and support service in Spanish.
You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.
If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 places to see in Singapore essential, add yours in the comments.
