Singapore is a city-state in southeast Asia. I’ve been to Singapore several times, and I always didn’t want to leave.
In Singapore I visited the Space Botanical Gardens, saw a free show of huge robot birds and visited a zoo where animals are treated better than people. The city also has a ship hotel with a photogenic rooftop pool and the eastern neighborhoods, where you can immerse yourself in Indian flavor for a couple of hours.
Singapore is fun and expensive. In my experience, you can save money on entertainment there, but not on experiences. Let me tell you how to do it.
Introductory data
When in season: all year round.
Currency: Singapore dollar, 1 SGD.
Language: Chinese, English, Malay.
Where is it located: on the shores of the South China Sea, bordering Malaysia and Indonesia.
Weather
It is always hot in Singapore. The temperature is +24…31 Β°C all year round. The humidity is high – 81% on average. On a hot day, it feels like walking through a sauna. No matter how many times I straightened my hair, it would curl after 10 minutes.
The swimming season in Singapore never ends. Regardless of the season, the water temperature is +26…31 Β°C. But few people go there for a beach vacation. The sea in Singapore is not the most comfortable – I will tell you about it further.
Despite the heat, I advise you to always carry a light sweater or scarf. The air conditioning in shopping centers and restaurants is on full blast – it’s easy to catch a cold.
Money
Almost everywhere in Singapore accepts cards and has paypass. The main currency of the country is the Singapore dollar. In March 2023 1 $ = 1.3 SGD. The official exchange rate is published on the website of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Singapore Attractions
Airport. You can get your camera in Singapore already at the airport: there are carpets on the floor, a pleasant aroma in the air, and constantly changing scenery. And if you are lucky enough to fly out of the fourth terminal, you should arrive in advance and look at the fountain and a small botanical garden inside. I advise you to stop in front of the wall on which the houses are painted. They have a computer show going on that tells how neighbors get along in the same house. At first I thought they were live people – the video installation looked so realistic.
“Gardens by the Bay” is a huge green space that combines nature and modern architecture. The park complex includes a flower greenhouse, Flower Dome, and a gallery, Cloud Forest, with a waterfall inside.
You can walk around the garden itself at any time for free, you only have to pay extra to visit some of the objects. Huge metal structures in the form of trees reminded me of the movie Avatar. In the daytime they look somehow unfinished: it seems that there are not enough hanging vines or crowns. But in the evening, the thin branches are illuminated by lights and the trees look like in a fantasy fairy tale. For SGD 12, you can climb the bridges that span between the giant trees. You feel so tiny while walking there.
I advise you to look at the waterfall in the Cloud Forest. Firstly, it is the largest waterfall in the room – 30 meters high, and secondly, it is very beautiful. You can admire the waterfall from below and above. To do this, you need to climb up and walk across the suspension bridges.
It struck me that everything in Cloud Forest is man-made. It looks like a waterfall falling from a real mountain. There is also excellent lighting and saturated colors – even amateurs can take great photos.
The Flower Dome features flower arrangements, trees and plants from around the world. I don’t know much about flowers, so I can’t remember the names. But I saw many of them there for the first time. Some of them were so beautiful that they seemed artificial to me. In fact, all the plants are alive. An employee of the park said so.
Tickets to the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest are priced at SGD 53. They can be purchased in advance on the park complex’s website
Little India is a neighborhood where Indians live and work. There I instantly forgot that I was in one of the cleanest and most modern cities in the world. In the neighborhood – ant-houses, unkept and dirty streets, stores with benches. But despite the unpresentable appearance, I like to visit there because of the colorfulness. The aromas of spices and flowers waft among the store windows, and Indians decorate their houses with wreaths of fresh flowers.
If you love Indian food, linger in the neighborhood for lunch. I adore almost all the dishes. I advise you to try biryani – rice with spices, chicken in different sauces and, of course, naan – a traditional Indian flatbread.
Chinatown is another authentic neighborhood with the atmosphere of a small Chinese town. The narrow streets are lined with colorful houses, numerous shops and restaurants. Chinese lanterns and dragon figures hang in the streets. A lot of Chinese signs on stores make the neighborhood very photogenic. The neighborhood is safe, as in all tourist places in Singapore, so you can walk around even in the evening.
If you wish, you can enter the Buddha temple. The building is made in a style typical of Chinese architecture: slightly turned roofs like on pagodas, large windows, bright colors. In the evening it looks even more beautiful with lighting.
“Marina Bay Sands is a hotel that has become world famous for its swimming pool. The rooftop of the hotel is like a cruise ship docked on the roof. There is a swimming pool, a viewpoint, a restaurant and a bar. In the sun the hotel shimmers and glitters, and in the evening it is illuminated with thousands of lights. For me, it is one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen.
I had dreamed of staying at this hotel, but I always felt sorry for the money. Walking in there to go up to the observation deck, I immediately realized that it was better to dream about something else. The hotel lobby was crowded and there were giant lines at the front desk. The lobby was completely uncomfortable.
When I got to the viewpoint and looked into the pool area, I saw a soup of people there. Most of them had selfie sticks: they were trying to snatch a spot where they could take a picture by themselves. In my opinion, Marina Bay Sands is worth going to only for the social media check-ins, but definitely not for the comfort.
However, it is still worth going up to the viewpoint on the 57th floor. I was lucky: there were not many people there. I walked around quietly and admired the views. You can look at the city from each side of the world for at least half an hour: buildings, the sea, the botanical garden, the marina, luxury business centers and modest residential areas seen in the distance. Entrance to the platform and a ticket for the elevator costs SGD 26.
Ferris wheel in Singapore. One full revolution of the Singapore wheel takes 30 minutes. On average, 20 people can fit in the cabin. You can move around on it and look around: there are large windows on all sides. Inside is not scary at all: because the wheel rises slowly, the movement is almost not felt, but with each minute the height increases and the view of “Marina Bay Sands”, skyscrapers and urban areas opens up.
If I have to choose between the hotel observation deck and the wheel, I would prefer the second one: the effect of slowly appearing buildings and gaining height is more interesting to me than just taking the elevator for a couple of minutes. If you have the opportunity, I suggest visiting both sites during the day and in the evening. The main streets in Singapore are brightly illuminated at night, and they look incredibly beautiful from above.
A ticket costs SGD 40. It is paid at the ticket office in cash or in advance by card on the wheel’s website.
In the Singapore Zoo, the animals are kept in huge enclosures. I don’t go to zoos as a matter of principle, but I made an exception for this one: the animals seem comfortable here. You can walk around the huge park all day long and bump into animals. Sometimes I couldn’t even see where the enclosure ended.
One of the most memorable moments was when I was walking across the bridge and happened to look down: there were crocodiles swimming by, and there were several on the shore. The distance is quite close: it seems that just a little bit more and you will become their breakfast.
A ticket to the zoo in 2023 costs SGD 48 and can be purchased at the ticket office or paid with a bank card on the official website.
Bishan Park is nothing special. Compared to the Gardens by the Bay, it seems boring and uninteresting. But it’s a nice break from the noisy and spectacular city: the park is perfect for a quiet picnic on the grass, a morning jog or just a breath of fresh air. It’s crowded at weekends, but you don’t get so tired of people when nature is quiet and you can find a secluded spot in a clearing. And looking at the locals automatically relaxes you: they are leisurely doing Chinese gymnastics, walking their dogs or sitting on benches.
Orchard Road is a street with many shopping centers. Along with expensive brands, it also sells budget items. Even if you have no plans for shopping, you should come here to wander around and look around. The store windows are like an open-air museum.
Arab Quarter. Next to the urban center with soulless but beautiful skyscrapers is the Arab Quarter. It is so called because of the large number of Arab restaurants and stores selling textiles and carpets. In general, the streets are pretty, although they are not exactly built up with typical Arab houses. There are some beautiful and authentic places, such as the Sultan’s Mosque. It resembles a mini version of the palace from the cartoon “Aladdin”.
The Merlion statue is erected in honor of Singapore’s symbol. Merlion is a mythical animal: half lion, half fish. The lion’s head symbolizes majesty and strength, while the fish tail reminds of the city’s connection to water: Singapore’s wealth is directly linked to the presence of one of the world’s largest ports.
An eight-meter tall white lionfish gazes eastward in the direction of financial prosperity according to Feng Shui. A fountain gushes from the sculpture’s mouth. In the evening, the backlight is turned on, and the lion seems to glow and shine from within. It looks majestic and a bit creepy.
During the day you can walk along the waterfront near the statue, and in the evening you can watch the Marina Bay Sands Hotel’s free laser show. It starts at 20:00 and 21:00 on weekdays and at 23:00 on weekends.
Sentosa Island
Sentosa Island is a couple of kilometers from Singapore. You can stay there for days and do new things all the time. There are a lot of expensive attractions on the island, but you can have a great day without spending a dime. All the free attractions are listed on the island’s website. I will write about a few that I liked.
There are different ways to get to the island. If you don’t want to pay for transportation, go on foot. The road from the shopping center “Viva City” will take no more than 20 minutes. The path goes over the bridge, which is specially built for pedestrians. The walk will be comfortable if it is not too hot outside.
There is public transportation to the island. A bus fare in 2023 costs from SGD 1 depending on the distance, a monorail fare from SGD 4. One ticket can be used to travel to and from the island. The monorail departs from Viva City.
The most expensive, but also the most beautiful way to get there is the cable car across the bay. It was my first cable car in my life, so I was very impressed by it: it was scary, but interesting. Now, of course, I would go by bus: it’s cheaper and faster.
The beaches of Siloso, Tanjong and Palawan are similar to each other. There are no waves, calm sea and white sand: because of the port, the waves do not reach the shore, so the sea looks more like a lake. I’ve only been there once: the beaches have warm water, nice and clean, but boring and no elements.
Palawan is home to the southernmost continental point of Asia. Tourists specially come there to take pictures. I advise you to climb up to a small observation deck that offers a view of the calm sea, ships and even the islands of Indonesia.
The bridge leading to the port of Siloso is another place where tourists take thousands of photos. It offers a pleasant view of the city and the complex of buildings with pointed roofs.
The port itself is worth a visit if time permits. It is an old authentic small port that now only caters to tourists.
“Universal Studios” travelers visit not only with children. On the contrary, it is better to come here without them. The amusement park has a lot of cool, scary and adrenaline-boosting rides. However, the ticket is not cheap – 82 SGD.
If you come on weekends or holidays, I advise you to buy the Universal Express in addition to the main ticket. It allows you to enter the attractions through a separate entrance, where there is usually a short queue.
Express for 60 SGD is valid once for each attraction, and for 90 SGD – unlimited number of times for each attraction. This kind of ticket saves you a lot of queue time. I have been to the park twice. The first time without a ticket I spent 40-60 minutes in line. The second time with an express ticket I waited for 15 minutes at most, but in general I always passed quickly.
My all time favorite attraction is Transformers. It’s a 5D movie, but it felt like 100D to me. While sitting in a chair with virtual reality goggles on, it feels like you’ve lived a little fantasy life, flying at breakneck speed over the city, between buildings with huge Transformers. It was incredible, but fast: the ride lasts no more than 10 minutes.
In my opinion, it’s worth spending a whole day in the park: the active fun is exhausting. It is better to buy tickets in advance on the website and not wait in line. But only a bank card will be accepted for payment in this way.
You can bungee jump from a huge 50-meter tower. This entertainment is suitable for those who are not enough adrenaline after a ride on a cable car or roller coaster. The ticket costs SGD 89 and can be booked on the spot, as well as by e-mail or phone, which are listed on the official website.
I haven’t jumped, but I always look at the daredevils with delight and envy. Perhaps someday I will dare to jump. For those who, like me, are not ready for thrills yet, but want to climb higher, there is a 40-meter “Sky Bridge” with transparent sections in the floor. A ticket for it in 2023 costs SGD 15.
Housing
On Airbnb in 2019, apartments were rented for SGD 25-30 and a room in an apartment for SGD 15. Prices were higher during holidays and vacations.
Hotels. The modest but clean Ibis Budget in 2023 offers rooms for SGD 77. I advise you to always check prices on booking sites like Ostrovok and the hotel website: you never know where it’s cheaper. For a hotel with a swimming pool you will have to pay from 120 SGD per night.
Capsule Hotel. It’s not hard to find an inexpensive place to sleep, but you have to be prepared for it to be an overnight stay. Capsule hotels are like sleep cabins on spaceships: just a mattress and some space. One of the capsule hotels I liked is called Met, you can see the interior on its website. A bed will cost between SGD 56-100.
Hostels, like everywhere else, have drawers where you can lock up valuables. The rooms are usually clean. In the Little India neighborhood, a bed is rented for 40 SGD. If you want to save money, I would choose the Arabian neighborhood. I found it cleaner, cozier and closer to the center.
Camping. Many Europeans pitch tents right on the territory of Singapore and live there for free. The areas in which it is allowed to do this are indicated on the city’s website. Sometimes you just need to book a place by writing to the administration two or three working days in advance, and sometimes tourists just pitch their tent wherever they want. I haven’t tried camping in the city this way myself, but it seems worth it for the new impressions, saved money and beautiful sunsets.
Transportation
The subway in Singapore is comfortable, clean and modern – one of the best I have seen. The traffic patterns and directions are easy to understand even without knowledge of English.
At the stations there are glass doors that block people from the train. There is a queue at the doors and no one pushes to get in front. There is also a free and clean toilet at every station.
Tickets are sold in vending machines. The most expensive ride will cost SGD 3. The fare depends on the distance.
For convenient transportation around the city, I advise you to buy a Singapore Tourist Pass card. You can use it to travel without restrictions on the subway and buses. Fare for a day in 2023 will cost SGD 10, for two days – SGD 16, three days – SGD 20. When purchasing the card, a deposit of SGD 10 is taken, which will be given back if the card is returned no later than 5 days after purchase.
Singapore’s subway has strict rules: you can’t eat or even drink water on public transportation. If you are seen, you will get a fine of SGD 500.
Buses. Singapore has comfortable buses that are constantly air-conditioned. After walking through the heat, the bus ride will be especially pleasant.
If you don’t buy a tourist pass, a bus ticket will cost at least SGD 1.11. You should pay cash to the driver, but he does not give change, so always carry change.
Cabs. For example, getting from the center to the airport in 2023 can be done for 30-40 SGD.
Cabs stop at special stops, of which there are many around the city. They are always in front of hotels and shopping centers. Some stops in tourist areas are signposted.
Food and drink
I would come to Singapore just to eat: almost everything here is delicious. In my opinion, you can safely ignore some of the sights, but trying different dishes is a must. Lunch is cheapest at food courts. They are in every shopping center, and the food there is always fresh and delicious.
Street food. In Asia, I always eat street food. For SGD 3 in 2019, you could get a portion of Chinese dumplings – dim sum, for SGD 1-2 you could get a small appetizer such as chicken, seafood in batter, or a small kebab. I advise you to try everything and never repeat yourself. The experience will not always be successful, but it will be invaluable.
Michelin-starred chicken and rice. A Michelin star for a restaurant is like an Oscar in the movie industry. It is awarded to a chef and his particular dish. If a tourist sees the Michelin mark, it means that the restaurant is probably of high quality.
Singapore has many starred restaurants, but most of them are expensive. Teslas drive there, and guests spend hundreds of dollars on meals. From 2016 to 2021, one restaurant broke all the rules. “Hawker Chan” is a casual little eatery that employs a chef who, according to an international panel, cooked great chicken in soy sauce and rice. In 2021, Michelin stripped the restaurant of its star for some unknown reason But the famous chicken can still be had for about SGD 7 per serving.
The restaurant is always crowded: sometimes you have to wait in line for 40-60 minutes. The chicken is really tasty, but, to be honest, not the best I’ve had. Many people complain that the dish is served cold or dry because of the large flow of visitors. I had better luck. I suggest you try it too, but mostly out of curiosity, not because of the flavor.
Chili crab is something worth flying 15 hours to Singapore for. It is a traditional dish of crab, chili peppers and garlic-tomato sauce. The spiciness can be controlled. The dish comes with buns to dip in the sauce, and it’s incredibly tasty. It is more convenient to eat with your hands.
The cost of crab depends on the weight and where it is served. In a food court, a portion in 2023 costs SGD 10-30. In restaurants, prices are higher – starting from SGD 40. It is always better to ask in advance how much the dish will approximately cost.
Korean barbecue is prepared by restaurant guests themselves. I usually order beef, mushrooms, vegetables and shrimp. All the ingredients are brought in raw and put on the griddle. The waiter controls the process: he will tell you when the meat is ready to eat and when it is better to finish roasting it for a few minutes. The average check in 2023 is 50-70 SGD per person.
Indian food. When I have time, I try to dine at Little India. Most of the restaurants there have delicious food. I always choose places where a lot of people are seated and where I like the interior at least a little bit. For 20 SGD 2023 you can eat chicken in different sauces, a portion of rice, Indian naan bread and juice. All the dishes are very hearty.
Ice cream in bread. When I first saw the long queue at the tray where they put ice cream in multicolored bread, I didn’t understand how people ate it. Then the herd instinct overpowered me and I decided to try the strange combination. Surprisingly, the ice cream in bread turned out to be tasty and nourishing: it combines the creamy ice cream with the unusual taste of sweet bread. In 2023, a serving costs SGD 2. Ice cream is sold in many tourist spots. Most often there are huge queues.
What to bring back from Singapore
Fine City magnet. The expression can be translated in different ways: “fine city”, which Singapore is, or “fine city”. Fine City is also about Singapore. It owes its cleanliness and beauty to the strict system of punishment. You can buy a magnet in any souvenir shop for 6-7 SGD.
The fan has always been considered a symbol of Chinese culture. In Singapore, they are sold on every corner: big, small, expensive, cheap – you can choose for every taste and purse. I advise you to buy fans and other souvenirs in Chinatown. There everything is one and a half or two times cheaper than in the central souvenir shops. An inexpensive souvenir in Chinatown costs from SGD 3.
Tiger balm helps with colds and muscle aches. The analog of “Zvezdochka” is produced in Thailand, but it is also sold in Singapore. It costs an average of SGD 6-10 per jar. There are also “Tiger” patches. In my opinion, this is a good and useful gift. I advise you to go to the Watson cosmetics store for it
Cosmetics. Watson sells body and hand creams for 3-5 SGD, lip glosses for 7-10 SGD. When buying face creams, keep in mind that they contain a lot of bleaching substances: in Asian countries, light skin is a sign of beauty. I always buy BB and CC creams in Singapore: they have killer SPF protection of 50 and above. Prices in 2023 start from SGD 14.
TWG tea is produced in Singapore. The tea is delicious and natural and there are many flavors in the collection. I love the drink with Moroccan mint. A box of 15 tea bags costs SGD 29. It’s expensive, but I haven’t tasted tea with such a distinct and bright mint flavor even in Morocco. I stretch one packet for many months.
Bak kwa are dried, thin, lightly sweetened plates of smoked pork. They are very tasty and smell delicious. I advise you to buy them in supermarkets at prices starting from SGD 14 for 300 g.
Taxi-free
In Singapore, stores in Singapore issue tax-free, a tax embedded in the price of goods, which is refunded to foreigners. Foreigners are refunded 7% if the amount in the receipt exceeds SGD 100.
In Europe, I have to do a lot of work with the tax-free registration: I take the receipts and fill out some of them by hand, for example, I write my name, passport number and other information. If there are a lot of checks, it takes a lot of time. In Singapore, everything is automatic: at every purchase, the consultants simply read your passport. The information is stored in the system and you don’t have to fill anything in. To get a refund, you just have to show your passport at customs.
Before departure, I advise you to put all purchased items in your hand luggage. Then you can make a refund after you have passed the control. It is easy to find: there are signs everywhere.
If things are left in the main suitcase, the return is made before the control point, because customs officers ask to show the purchased items. For more information about the tax-free system, please visit the official website of Visit Singapore.
Internet
There is wifi in shopping centers, cafes, restaurants, and at subway stops. Most of the time it works without problems. During my entire stay, I was unable to connect to the network only a couple of times.
You can rent a portable wifi router at the airport. It costs SGD 10 per day for 10 GB in 2023. Up to eight gadgets can be connected to it. The device can be booked on the airport’s website.
A Singtel operator SIM card costs SGD 12 in 2023. They are sold at the airport, company showrooms in the city or 7/11 grocery stores. The package price includes 100GB of internet. Information on other tariffs is available on the company’s website. There you can buy it at a discount and pick up the SIM card at the store or salon.
Some hotels have cell phones with internet access in their rooms. You will not be able to access social networks from the device, but you can see the route, restaurants and places of interest in the city. It is also convenient to make calls to local numbers.
