A country smaller than the Loch Lomond National Park in Scotland. One of the most prosperous and clean places, where you need to be careful about chewing gum. Full of the tourist attractions and places to visit, and one of the most booming countries of Southeast Asia. Do you have a layover with 24 hours in Singapore to spend? What can you do in one day in Singapore? What are the top places to see in Singapore in 24 hours?
Singapore in 24 hours – What to do in Singapore in a day (and night)
After my trip to India, I had one day in Singapore. The flights to my next destination, Bali, were going through there. And since, I’ve never been to Singapore, instead of having a short layover, I extended my stay. That’s one of the ways how you can travel more, even with limited time. 24 hours in Singapore doesn’t sound like much, but it still allows you to see quite a lot and have a feel of a city for yourself.
The main part of Singapore city is located in the south – with Marina Bay, Riverside, Orchard Road, and financial district. There are also small neighbourhoods, where you can find a taste of other nationalities residing in Singapore. Little India, Chinatown or Bugis are all vibrant and colourful places to visit. Arab Street is Singapore’s creative hub. There are beaches, resorts, museums, nature and wildlife, parks and gardens, temples, skyscrapers, shopping and good nightlife in Singapore. A lot to choose from. Here are some interesting facts about Singapore that you might find interesting.
Singapore is also a great hub for travels. I hopped from there straight to Indonesia by plane, but if you want to jump on a ferry you can visit some nearby islands, like Bintan island in Indonesia for example. Possibilities are countless :-)
Are you a fan of Instagram? Then you can find 15 Instagram worthy places in Singapore to visit.
Unfortunately, my flight to Singapore was delayed 4,5h, so I had less time in the country than I anticipated. I did my research and had a list of places to visit, but I needed to focus on the best ones to make the most of my one day stay. What to do in Singapore in 24 hours?
Top things to do in Singapore in 24 hours
#Eat well in the Hawker Centres
I started my trip from finding food. I was starving after the flight and was craving some Singaporean delicacies. The best place to eat in Singapore are the hawker centres. They are huge street food halls with stalls from different countries. I tried the spicy Laksa soup with coconut milk, dragon fruit juice and traditional coffee – very sweet and always with milk.
On the way back from town I stopped for a meal in Chinatown, where I noticed the century eggs on the menu. Century egg, also called millennium egg, is a Chinese delicacy. It’s made by preserving an egg in the mixture of ash, salt, clay, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that bad. When it comes to preserved products, the Icelandic rotten shark was much worse.
#Admire the Super Trees in the Gardens by the Bay
City in the Garden is a concept heavily promoted in Singapore. The country is very proud of its parks and gardens and for a reason. Especially the Gardens by the Bay which is an unforgettable experience. It’s a large public garden with two cooled conservatories and gigantic (and unreal) Super Trees. It’s located next to the Marina Bay Sands.
It was the main point of my visit to Singapore and the reason, that I extended my stay in the country. I’m not a city person. I like cute little town and old buildings, but huge metropolises are not my thing. However, when I heard about Gardens by the Bay, I knew that I needed to visit them.
Gardens by the Bay, cover 101 hectares and have three parts – the main Bay South, opened in 2012, Bay East and Bay Central.
You can enter the Gardens for free. However, some parts of it, such as OCBC Skywalk, Cloud Forest or Flower Dome are ticketed. They are totally worth it though! Spend the whole day wandering around and taking in all the sights. In the evening head to Supertree Grove and OCBC Skyway, where you can see the whole bay from and admire supertrees covered with 162900 plants (!).
Read more: Discover Gardens by the Bay
#Visit the iconic Marina Bay in Singapore
Marina Bay is a famous bay in Singapore. That’s where you can find the Olympic Walk and all the tall buildings, dominated by the world-known Marina Bay Sands resort. The resort includes a shopping mall, the luxury hotel, casino, and a convention centre. The hotel is renowned for its world‘s largest rooftop infinity pool overlooking the whole city, where everyone wants to take a selfie. Unfortunately, it’s only available to the hotel guests, but there is a way of having a sneak peek of it for free (see below). The mall has an artificial lake, expensive shops and reminds me of Dubai. You can walk by the water or take a boat and cruise along the bay.
#Have a walk by the Riverside
Riverside, also called the Civic District, is an area following the Singapore river. It is filled with museum, theatres and various restaurants, bars and clubs. That’s where Singapore’s nightlife takes place and where you can find the symbol of Singapore – Merlion.
Boat Quay & Clark Quay
The Boar Quay and Clark Quay is a place for a dinner and drink, followed by some clubbing. I was planning to go there in the evening, but I got delayed by staying longer in the Marina Bay Sands clubs.
Merlion
Singapore’s mascot, a creature with a body of a fish and a lion’s head. In my short time in the city, I managed to get there only after 1 am, on my way back from clubbing in Marina Bay Sands. It was empty and quiet. Only the city lights were reflecting in the calm bay waters. The Merlion, which is actually a fountain, was gently throwing the water into the air.
Read more: Planning a trip to Asia? Read how to plan the perfect trip to Asia
#Party on the top – taste the Singapore’s nightlife
If you are a girl and it’s Wednesday – you are lucky. Wednesdays are ladies night in Singapore, which means that girls get into the clubs for free and even get a complimentary drink with that. Pretty sweet, especially if you take alcohol prices in Singapore into consideration. Where to go partying in Singapore?
Spago Bar and Lounge & how to get to the infinity pool of Marina Bay Sands for free
The highly popular infinity pool on the top of Marina Bay Sands is open only to the hotel guests. However, you can go to the Spago Bar and Lounge to enjoy a drink and the views of the pool and the city below. Spago is a restaurant and a bar, located directly behind the Marina Bay Sands pool. Its entrance is directly next to the pool and you can see the people swimming from the pub’s couches.
To get there you need to take an elevator to the 57th floor. The lifts in Marina Bay Sands hotel are grouped by the floors, so make sure you take the correct one. Once on the top, go outside and you’ll see the pool and the entrance to the restaurant with a welcome desk at the front. There’s no entrance fee and no reservation is needed (it might be different if you want to eat there, I was just having a drink). When I arrived, it was already quite late and there were still plenty of spaces in the bar. The prices for drinks are of course a bit on the high end, but the experience is worth it. And you can always go for water – it’s free.
CÉ LA VI Club on top of Marina Bay Sands + free entry and a drink
Next to the Spago Bar, on the other side of the hanging platform, is the club CÉ LA VI. It’s a party place with loud music and tables overlooking the Marina Bay – with a huge drop below. Standing on the balcony with your drink and looking 57 floors below to the water level is quite an experience. The view is gorgeous. There’s normally an entrance to get to the club, but as I mentioned before – Wednesdays are ladies night. If you get there before 11 pm, the entrance for ladies is for free and you also get a complimentary glass of bubbles or a cocktail.
#Stroll around the airport in Singapore
Changi Airport in Singapore is said to be one of the best in the world. With an indoor garden, a small cinema, a gaming room, a music listening area with couches, a lake and many other amenities, it definitely sets a high standard. There are even a swimming pool and jacuzzi (accessible for a fee) and a butterfly garden. If you’re travelling in the morning try traditional Singaporean breakfast. A toast with Kaya spread, made from egg and coconut, accompanied by the runny eggs and sweet coffee (kopi) will keep you running for a day.
You can register for free sight-seeing trips organized from the airport. They depart fives times a day and you need at least 5 hours to join them. I haven’t tried myself, but you can book in the Free Singapore Tours Registration Booth located in terminal 2 and 3.
What else to do in 24 hours in Singapore?
There’s so much more to see in Singapore. It is not a city for one day, but it also depends on what you’re interested in. Many of the attractions are created specifically for tourists. Places like the Singapore Zoo and night safari (that I don’t recommend, because of the not always good treatment of the animals there), an amusement park on the Sentosa island or various shopping opportunities. One of the popular things to do in Singapore is also to try a famous Singapore sling – gin-based drink developed sometime before 1915 at the Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
There were a few of the off the beaten path activities, that I was considering to do, but they turned out to be too far away. The Canopy Walk, the cable car and the Henderson Waves bridge in Hort Park and Southern Ridges look like fun. It brings you closer to the Singaporean nature. However, you definitely need at least half a day for it alone.
I really wanted to visit Haji Lane and Tiong Bahru district, famous for its colourful street art, and hipster cafes and independent shops. Unfortunately, I run out of time.
Where to stay in Singapore?
Singapore is not cheap and the accommodation prices vary from surrounding countries. However, it is still possible to find a nice budget place to stay. The best and the cheapest hostels are located in the Chinatown. It’s a culturally rich district located 15-20 min walk from the Marina Bay.
Wink Hostel
On my visit to Singapore, I had an opportunity to stay in the Wink Hostel. It’s a budget boutique hostel, that allows you to “indulge in on a budget”. They offer sleeping pods in the mixed or female-only dorms. You get your own space with a curtain and a lamp, where you can rest and close off from the world if you need to.
As I was travelling alone, it was a perfect place for me. For a solo female traveller, Wink Hostel provides well-needed privacy, safety, and comfort in the female-only dorm. On the other hand, being a backpackers hostel, it still gives you an opportunity to mingle with other like-minded travellers in the common areas.
The towels are provided and umbrellas are ready to be borrowed. This was a lifesaver for me since the weather in Singapore decided to be very unusual and instead of hot and humid it was… rainy and humid ;)
I really liked the sleeping pod concept. It allowed me to quickly catch up on sleep in a peaceful and quiet environment and be ready for my next travels to Indonesia. Want to try it yourself? Book your stay here.
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Wink Hostel, but, as always, all the opinions are my own.
Useful travel tips for Singapore – Singapore travel guide:
Transport from Changi airport to Singapore
- Taxi
The ride usually costs around $30-$40SGD. You can also try Uber or Grab (Asia version of Uber) - MRT (Subway)
The trains operate between 7 am and 11 pm. You would most probably need to change at least once if you choose that option, so it’s better to take it if you travel light. Cost is ~$3 per adult - The airport shuttle
The bus departs every 15 minutes during peak hours and up to 30 minutes during non-peak hours. You can book it at the Ground Transport Desks at the Arrival halls. The fare is $9 per adult and $6 per child below 12 years of age. They often drop you at your chosen hotel. You can also book the return way from your hotel and the bus driver will pick you up from there.
Money in Singapore
When you get to Singapore, make sure you withdraw/exchange some cash at the airport. I couldn’t believe how difficult it was to find an ATM in the city center, that would work with foreign cards. There were many banks with cash machines but they worked only with the card coming from this particular bank. I walked quite a lot back and forth trying to find one for me.
Singapore Rules
Singapore has several rules, that might be a bit unusual for foreigners. One of them is huge fines for spitting out the chewing gum on the street or littering. It’s even prohibited to sell the chewing gum in the normal shops – you can only find it in the pharmacies for medical purposes. There is also a ban for importing the chewing gum into the country – some people say, that even for personal purposes. Better be safe than sorry, but I had some with me, which I forgot about and survived fine ;)
Tap water in Singapore
It is safe to drink tap water and sanitation standards are generally high.
What to wear in Singapore
Any type of clothing of men and women is fairly acceptable.
Would you like to visit Singapore? What else would you add to the list? Let me know in the comments!
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I’ve always wanted to visit Singapore. Thank you for the great breakdown on what to watch out for and where to go. I’ve heard it’s very safe there. Funny about the chewing gum. Nothing worse than stepping on chewing gum. Wonder what the fine is there? Anyways, thank you for the great post!
Thanks for the comment, Stephanie!
Yes, it felt very safe there. I was coming back by myself at 2am and everything was fine. They say that the fine for spitting the gum is $700, so probably not worth risking it ;)
Singapore seems truly charming and definitely worth visiting, Aga. This is an exceptional travel guide which I would love to use soon. Is it possible to see all the highlights in just 24 hours?
Thanks, Agness, I’m happy you found it useful! Yes, I did all of those things in (actually less than) 24 hours, and also enjoying myself in places – especially Gardens by the bay or Marina Bay, since I didn’t want to rush through. The places to see under “What else” part are additional ideas, worth doing if you have more time. I’m definitely going to check them out when I’m back to Singapore at some point. Are you going there for long?
Singapore has been on my list! Looks like you were able to do and see so much in such a short period of time. And omg that food looks amazing, I’m drooling!
Yes, I tried to see a few places, but also spent enough time in each of them to appreciate them :) Highly recommend food in Singapore – sooo good!
I love Singapore! Hoping to move there in the next few years, Incredible photos!
Thank you Amy! That sounds amazing, I hope you’ll like it there :)
I’m going to Singapore next year so I love this post! Singapore seems amazing at night! The Boat Quay & Clark Quay look great too <3 Can't wait to visit there :)
Thank you! Yes, it’s all lit up and bright, very pretty :) Enjoy your time there!
Wow that really makes me wanna go. Your pictures are amazing! Do you mind if I ask you which camera you use? I can never get them that great, especially at night time.
XO from a fellow traveler and blogger (GLT Love)
Thanks for stopping by, Melody :) I use Fuji XE1, you can read more about my photo gear here: Travel resources
What hawker center did you go to? What camera were you using to take such clear night shots? Tripod? Great photos! I’m going in November! Thanks for the great tips!
Hi Julie, I just went to the first one I saw haha, I was starving! It was nearby the Chinese part of the city. But there are really a lot of Hawker centres around and you shouldn’t have a problem with finding one. My camera gear is explained here, also my tripod, which I usually use for night shots (for the pictures from the bar I just used the railing or table though): Photography gear.. I hope it helps :) Thanks a lot and enjoy your time in Singapore! (eat a lot of food, it’s delicious :))
I also use Fuji–XT-2, which is heavier than your Fuji. Good to know you took such awesome photos with the Fuji.
I need to make sure to check out the bar at Marina Bay. My first full day there will be Wednesday.
Yes, love Fuji :) Enjoy!
Great run down, Singapore seems like a very interesting place – more than just a layover destination!!
That’s for sure, it’s a very interesting place.