Singapore is just 51 years old today, but it has rapidly transform from kampong with jungles and its traditional market into 1st world developed countries with concrete jungles showing its modern architectures and greatness, which are loved by millions of tourists visiting the city-state country.
Either this is your first time planning to go to this amazing city or it’s your Nth-time, these are 7 must visit places in Singapore you need to go during your visit – my version.
1. Orchard Road Shopping Belt
| Closest MRT station: | Orchard MRT or Sommerset MRT (Red line) |
| How to get here: | Take MRT ride to a Red line, and alight at either Orchard MRT or Sommerset MRT |
| Best day/time to visit: | any time |
| Must visit place: | ION Sky (ION mall), Biggest H&M shop (H&M building), Biggest Uniqlo shop (Orchard Central mall), |
| Must do: | Take a walk from Sommerset MRT to Orchard MRT or vice versa to enjoy the crowds and scenery |
| Must try food: | Ice Cream Uncle |
The first tourists destination, especially during the sunny day is the Orchard Road shopping belt located on Orchard Road.
Things you can do at Orchard area:
a. Hop between malls and shops. Find luxury items from bags, clothes, even gadgets easily here. Most of the country biggest shops are located here as well: H&M, Uniqlo, Victoria Secret.
b. Brunch at Orchard Yong Tau Foo. If you are looking for good-but-cheap long queue food, you can try Orchard Yong Tau Foo located at Cuppage Plaza. To take note, Orchard Yong Tau Foo opens during weekdays (including Saturday) and working hours only.
c. Buy cheap but good phone cases. If you are looking for cheap phone cases at Orchard, you can go to Cineleisure Orchard Mall and find Beadstreet shop located on 2nd floor. There are plenty of cheap cases choices especially for iPhone users. Oh they have various types and color tempered glass as well.
d. Head to ION SKY. Located at level 56 Ion Mall, to get you into an observatory deck where you can see Orchard in 360 degrees view from up high. It’s FREE and open only between 3PM-6PM.
e. Lunch Indonesian Food. There are plenty of Indonesian food, such as Ayam Bakar (Grilled Chicken) or Gado-gado (Indonesian salad) or Bebek Goreng (fried crispy duck), head to Lucky Plaza, sources for Indonesian food.
f. Dinner at Marché. Best place to spend the night and have a good dinner in this Switzerland theme restaurant serving delicious Switzerland culinary. I like the Paella and the Pizza.
2. Sentosa Island
| Closest MRT station: | Harbour Front MRT (Purple line) |
| How to get here: | Take MRT ride to a Purple line, and alight at Harbour Front MRT then go to Vivo City mall 3rd floor to take Sentosa Express Train to Sentosa Island |
| Best day/time to visit: | Start in the morning 8AM |
| Must visit place: | Theme Park (Universal Studio), Restaurants and Gambling place (Resort World Sentosa), Beach (Siloso/Palawan), Luge, iFly |
| Must do: | Find and take photo on the Southern Most Point of Continental Asia |
| Must try food: | Char Kway Tiaw at Penang Food Street (Resort World Sentosa area) |
Sentosa island is usually the second place most tourists visit when they have full day ahead of them. The whole island is about entertainment and fun.
There are few ways to get here:
a. By Taxi. The first and easiest way is to grab taxi from any place and ask the driver to drive you here to Sentosa Island.
b. By riding Sentosa Express. The second way to get here is by taking bus/MRT and alight at Harbour Front MRT (purple line) or Vivo City (for bus), then go to Vivo City 3rd floor to hop into Sentosa express train to get you straight into Sentosa Island. As of 2017, the Sentosa express train will cost you $4 for return journey (to and back from Sentosa Island). You can just directly buy the ticket when you reach Vivo City 3rd floor.
c. By walking via Sentosa Broadwalk. The cheapest way to get to Sentosa island is to walk along the Sentosa Broadwalk Pedestrian Bridge once you are in Vivo City/Harbour Front area. Currently it’s having promotion, so it’s FREE. Otherwise the entrance fee via Broadwalk is $1.
Attractions found on Sentosa Island:
a. Universal Studio Singapore. Or USS in short. Usual ticket price for adult is $74, while for child is $56. Find cheaper ticket from your tour agents or local Carousell seller here.
b. Luge and Skyride. Usual ticket price is $18/person/ride (adult/child). The more rides you get, the more cheaper it gets. Head to this link to get more details on the pricing.
c. Adventure Cove Waterpark. Swims and slides in the pool. Usual ticket price for adult is $36, while for child is $28. Head to this link to get more details on the pricing. You can also find cheaper tickets from your tour agents or local Carousell seller here.
d. Beaches! There are at least 3 public beaches in Sentosa, they are Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong Beach. The most crowded one usually is Siloso since it’s the closest to the other attractions (such as Luge and Skyride). Bring along your change clothes, volley ball and picnic mat. Just in case it’s too troublesome for you to bring along picnic mat with you, you can just grab it for $2 at Daiso located at Vivo City 3rd floor just before you head to Sentosa.
e. Casino. Try not to bring too many items and bags with you when you visit the casino, otherwise the security will ask you to first deposit your items and bags to a paid locker before you can get it. Bring along your passport as well. Entering casino for tourists and workers who worked in Singapore is FREE, however for Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents, entering the casino will cost them $100/24 hour or $2000/year. A move made by Singapore government to avoid its citizens and permanent residents to do reckless gambling.
3. Clark Quay
| Closest MRT station: | Clark Quay MRT (Purple line) |
| How to get here: | Take MRT ride to a Purple line, and alight at Clark Quay MRT |
| Best day/time to visit: | After 7PM |
| Must visit place: | Singapore River, Clubs and pubs along Clark Quay |
| Must do: | Take cruise along Singapore River, try the G-Max ride, drink at any bar/cafe/clubs |
| Must try food: | Pork Ribs soup at Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, Chili Crabs at Jumbo Seafood, Ice Cream Uncle |
Best time to visit Clark Quay is after the sunset ~ 7PM that’s when all the cafe, bar, restaurant are fully operating and people start to come.
Things you can do in Clark Quay:
a. Take photos! If the sky turn dark already, then it’s a good time to take photos at Clark Quay. The best spot for taking photos is on one of the mall entrance heading towards Clark Quay where you can get the “Clark Quay” signane, the G-Max slingshot ride and the pubs and clubs.
b. Eat Song Fa Bak Kut Teh or Jumbo Seafood. If you are into Bak Kut Teh, the best around the area is Song Fa Bak Kut Teh. They have 2 restaurants opened next to one another. Their location is opposite of Central Mall at 11 New Bridge Road #01-01 S059383 (original and first store), while the second is located 2 shops on the right after the original one. Details here. If you are hungry and want to taste one of the best chili crab in Singapore, then head to Jumbo Seafood restaurant. Luckily at Clark Quay, they have 2 restaurants as well. One is near Song Fa, the other one is at Riverside Point, details here.
Fun Fact: Song Fa Bak Kut Teh also selling Fish soup apart from its Pork Ribs Soup main menu.
c. Walk around Clark Quay. Starting from Central Mall exit/entrance next to Clark Quay, go to your left and head towards Riverside Point and follow the crowds. Once you reach Riverside Point, cross the bridge and head down to Clark Quay. Just don’t get lost! The easiest way to not get lost in Clark Quay is to always use the river as your reference. In the middle of Clark Quay, you’ll find fountain along with tenths of pubs and clubs. Walk further more until you find the G-Max slingshot ride. That’s it, you just managed to circle the Clark Quay.
d. Taste the Ice Cream Uncle. One of the iconic must-try delicacy when you visit Singapore is to taste the Ice Cream Uncle. When you walk around Clark Quay, near the bridge at Riverside Point, you should spot one. It’s cheap. It cost around $1.2. There are multiple flavours you can choose: Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla and even Durian! If you never taste Durian before, now it’s a good time, before you actually eat the actual fruit, see if you can take and bear with the fragrant smell and the sweet taste.
e. Drink and Clubbing. If you drink, Clark Quay is the best spot to get drunk. If you are into clubbing, Clark Quay also hosts many of the best clubbing entertainment in the state. Do check here and see what you can find.
4. Marina Bay Sands area
| Closest MRT station: | Bayfront MRT (yellow or blue line) |
| How to get here: | Take MRT ride to either a yellow or blue line, and alight at Bayfront MRT |
| Best day/time to visit: | Any time after 11AM and before 10PM |
| Must visit place: | Marina Bay Sands The Shoppes Mall, Casino, Gardens by the bay, Light and Water Show |
| Must do: | Go to Marina Bay Sands rooftop and take photos of Singapore from high above, cross the OCBC Skyway at Gardens by the bay, try your luck at the casino! |
| Must try food: | Satay and Various local delicacies at Satay by the bay |
One thing people, especially tourists, usually get confused is the MRT station for Marina Bay Sands area. Singapore has Marina Bay MRT station, unfortunately, this is not the correct MRT station to go if you are planning to go to Marina Bay Sands area including Gardens by The Bay and the Helix Bridge. Instead of Marina Bay MRT (Red and Yellow line), go to BayFront MRT (yellow and blue line).
Things you can visit and do in Marina Bay Sands and Marina Bay area:
Sequence below showing the suggested itinerary when visiting Marina Bay Sands area.
a. Get lost in the Gardens by The Bay. One of the largest man-made gardens in a city, fully packed with trees, super-trees, flowers and plantations in 101 hectares area. Enjoy the greenery and scenery. Try the OCBC Skyway suspension bridge to get a full view of the gardens from up above, ticket cost as of 2017 is $8 for adults and $5 for children. To get the updated price, head here. When you hungry in the vicinity, try satay and other local delicacies at Satay by The Bay which open from 11am to 10pm daily for food stalls or 24 hours for drink stall. Apart from satay, you can find prata, seafood, noodles and other asian foods. Check here for the updated food stalls available in Satay by the Bay.
b. Walk the Helix Bridge. Built as part of Marina Bay Sands, Helix Bridge is one of many iconic pedestrian bridge in Singapore. You can take panoramic photo stretching from Marina Bay Sands to Esplanade the Durian building.
Fun fact: the helix bridge floor shows the pair DNA proteins: A-T, G-C.
c. Meet Durian in the form of building: The Esplanade. One of the Singapore early iconic building, esplanade was built in the shape of Durian fruit. You can go to the rooftop to take photos with the building outer skin, the durian spikes. The place is all about art performances. If you come at the correct time, you may watch the art performances for FREE.
d. Visit Merlion and baby Merlion. The most iconic place to visit. Many people are saying, “You haven’t come to Singapore, not until you visit and take photos with Merlion and the baby Merlion – the smaller one on the Marina Bay”. Well, if you are first timer to Singapore, then visiting this place is a must. Merlion in Singapore is like the Eiffel tower in Paris or Statue of Liberty in New York or Great Wall in China. Do you get that?
e. Cool down at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. One of the most luxurious mall in the city state. You can find many luxury brands here, from the usual one you most likely see everywhere: Louis Vuitton, Prada, Burberry to even luxury brands that for me I never heard of before (probably you too!). For me, there are 2 shops I frequently visit when visiting The Shoppes: 7-11 convenient store and Gong Cha Milk Tea store, both to replenish me when I feel thirsty and exhausted after circling around Marina Bay area.
f. Gamble at Sands Casino. Either you are feeling lucky today or wanting to try your luck or just grabbing free drinks, as long as you are 21 years old and above, then you can enter the casino.
g. Watch the FREE light and water show. The show is held in event plaza at the promenade at Marina Bay Sands (go out from The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, head to the Singapore River) everyday including Sunday and public holiday. The show starts at 8.00pm or 9.30p, so try to come at least 15 minutes earlier to secure the seat and get the best view. To get more info on the show, check this link.
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5. Bugis
| Closest MRT station: | Bugis MRT (green or blue line) |
| How to get here: | Take MRT ride to either a green or blue line, and alight at Bugis MRT |
| Best day/time to visit: | Any time after 11AM and before 10PM |
| Must visit place: | Bugis street, Albert Street, Waterloo Street, Bugis Junction and Bugis+ |
| Must do: | Shop souvenirs at Bugis street, shop clothes and fashion on both Bugis Junction and Bugis+ mall, visit Kwan Im temple on Waterloo street |
| Must try food: | Famous Rojak at Albert Centre Foodcourt on Albert Street, Indonesian Martabak (Pancake) at Martabak Boss inside Bugis Cube plaza |
Bugis, located at Victoria Street, is another iconic place to visit and one of the tourist destinations.
Things you can do and visit in Bugis area:
Sequence below showing the suggested itinerary when visiting Bugis area.
a. Visit Bugis Junction Mall. One of the oldest mall in Singapore that is still strong both in sales and number of visitors. The unique shape of the mall which is a combination of shop houses turn to one mall.
b. Get lost at Bugis Street. Bugis is famous for its Bugis street, one of few places in Singapore where you can buy souvenirs and grab relatively cheaper goods and stuffs, especially fashion related stuffs.
c. Eat at Albert Food Court. Located just behind Bugis street, Albert foodcourt is the typical foodcourt in Singapore where most local people eat their breakfast, lunch or dinner daily if they don’t cook themselves. From porridge, bak chor mee, prata, until dessert and rojak, almost all local delicacies available here. Do give a try Singapore Rojak – a mixture of fruits and you tiao (Chinese doughnut).
d. Visit Kwan Im Temple and the surrounding area. If you come during some festive seasons, such as before Chinese New Year, you’ll see traditional bazaar in the surrounding area next to Kwan Im temple offering candies, sweets, fruits, fashions, even traditional balms and ointments.
e. Go to Fortune Center. Located nearby and next to Kwan Im Temple, Fortune Center hosts many delicious vegetarian dishes. Vegetarian dishes, if cooked properly, they are even better and tastier compare to normal meaty dishes. On the 2nd floor, there are plenty of massaging places, so if you feel tired after a long day walk, then you can have your body refreshed here.
f. Head North East to Arab Street or Kampong Glam. Located about 300m north east of Bugis Junction, Arab Street hosts Sultan Mosque – one of the biggest and most important mosque in Singapore. The mosque is also part of Singapore national monuments. Apart from mosque, in the surrounding area you can find halal foods from around the world, such as Indonesian Padang, Turkish restaurants and fashions, carpets, porcelains, antiques.
6. Little India
| Closest MRT station: | Little India MRT or Farrer Park MRT (both purple line) |
| How to get here: | Take MRT ride to the purple line, and alight at either Little India MRT or Farrer Park MRT |
| Best day/time to visit: | 7PM till drop |
| Must visit place: | Mustafa Center, City Square Mall |
| Must do: | Walk and shop along Serangoon Road (from Little India MRT to Farrer Park MRT), buy golds at any gold smith shops, buy cheaper-compare-to-other-place chocolate at Mustafa |
| Must try food: | Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh, Swee Choon Dim Sum, Scissors Cut Curry Rice |
Things you can do and visit in Little India area:
a. Tekka Market. Located at one of the Little India MRT exit, Tekka Market is a traditional market and hawker center that most of them are selling Briyani rice and Masala Tea. Despite the old looks and quite dirty area, but the food is really good. Find what people mostly eat and order the same.
b. Serangoon Road. The stretch between Little India MRT and Farrer Park MRT, Serangoon Road is the busiest road in Singapore, in terms of number of people walking and crossing plus number of shops opened. Here you can find anything from jewelries, fashions, India restaurants, gadget shops, even local convenient stores selling water and coconut.
c. Mustafa Centre. The most sought destination for tourists, especially when they want to find and bring back chocolate as souvenirs. The normal selling price (not discounted price) at Mustafa is slightly cheaper than the rest of other department stores/supermarkets and it’s open 24 hours, that’s why it become the most visit place for most of the tourists visiting Singapore.
d. Scissors Cut Curry Rice at Jalan Besar. Located in about 100m from Mustafa Centre, is a restaurants serving Singapore based curry rice which consists of various meats, sausages, and veggies mixed together with plain rice and the curry gravy. It’s a food loved by locals, like by tourists. Although they look spicy and hot, apparently they are not. Do give it a try when you are hungry and in the Little India area.
e. Swee Choon Tim Sum or Dim Sum. This dim sum restaurant occupied almost the whole block of shop houses in that area. Open only during lunch time and after 6pm to 6am, it sells all kinds of dim sums along with other non dim sum menu such as sliced fish hor fun. You should try the salted egg yolk custard bun. It’s the restaurant best menu.
7. Chinatown
| Closest MRT station: | Chinatown MRT (either purple or blue line) |
| How to get here: | Take MRT ride to the purple line or blue line and alight at Chinatown MRT |
| Best day/time to visit: | 7PM till 11PM |
| Must visit place: | Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, Swanston personal store |
| Must do: | Buy Souvenirs and get lost in Pagoda street |
| Must try food: | Michelin-starred Chicken Rice at Hawker Chan on Smith Street, Chili Crab, Char Kway Teow at Chinatown Food Street, Er Gu Thang Shui Dessert at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre in Smith Street |
Things you can do and visit in Chinatown area:
a. Buy Souvenirs at Pagoda Street. From Chinatown MRT take exit A, then you’ll be arriving in Pagoda Street full of souvenirs shops. Suggestion: if you have much time to spend here, don’t buy the souvenirs from first shop that you encounter, look and check around first and see which are the one can give you the best price.
b. Visit Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. If you want visit the temple, then you need to adjust your arrival time to be much earlier, since the opening time is from 9am to 6pm. FREE admission. The temple consist of 5 floors where not only you can join the prayer (if you are Buddhist), you can also enjoy the Buddhist culture, arts and history.
c. Eat at Hawker Chan. Used to open and operate in a hawker center nearby, now it has its own building and become a restaurant. Hawker Chan is a Michelin-starred restaurant. They are serving chicken rice and noodles. Apart from chicken, they also have beef and pork. Best to come 1 hour earlier before you get hungry since you need to long queue for about 1 hour to get the seating.
d. Get massage at People’s Park Complex. Feeling tired after a long walk, get your body massaged is a good thing. Head to People’s Park Complex, the tall yellow and green building with Chinese wording on it. Take MRT Exit C then turn left if you are coming from Chinatown MRT.
e. Buy Second Hand Gadgets and Stuffs at Cash Converter. Located just the opposite of People’s Park Complex, Cash Converter, like its name, is a cash convert shop. People can sell their gadgets and stuffs in return for money. You, on the other hand, can buy these gadgets and stuffs for a fraction of its original price. Take MRT Exit C then turn right if you are coming from Chinatown MRT.
f. Buy Chinese Products at Yue Hwa. Including but not limited to Chinese medicines, ointments, foods, and many more. It’s located just after Cash Converter. Take MRT Exit C, then turn right, once you see Cash Converter, walk straight until you find the Yue Hwa building.
g. Cool down at Chinatown Point. The most modern building in terms of look, feel and items sold inside, Chinatown Point has just undergone renovation last 2012. Find chocolates and other snacks for majority of $1 at Value$. Find Japanese products such as green tea, picnic mat, plastic container, bags, sandals, everything for $2 at Daiso. Improve your Chinese literature on the Chinatown Library, located on the top floor of the mall. This mall also has Song Fa Bak Kut Teh. Just in case the original place at Clark Quay is full of people and long queue, you can alternatively eat Song Fa Bak Kut Teh here in Chinatown Point. Take MRT Exit G to go to Chinatown Point if you are coming from Chinatown MRT.
h. Dinner Frog Porridge. This hawker is also famous, you need to queue if you are getting here at the dinner time. The location is also not far from Hawker Chan. Plenty of porridge choices, not only frogs, but also serve prawn, chicken and fish. My recommendation would be frog and prawn with porridge. They are my best combinations. This is the address: 265 New Bridge Rd, Singapore 088745. The place name is Tiong Shian Eating House.
The Verdict
Well, I’m pretty much sure with the list above, at least you need to spend minimum 3 days, fully packed and with the assumption you have enough energy and stamina to visit all of them. What do you guys think of my 7-must-visit list for Singapore? Do you have the same list with me or do you have something different, something I haven’t mentioned above? Do let me know your thoughts.
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