1. The Jewel
Already when just arriving in Singapore there is a quite impressive tourist attraction at the airport that you can see for free. Located at the arrival of terminal 1, you can find the highest indoor waterfall in the world called the Jewel. It sits within a beautiful glass dome and a lot of tropical vegetation. The waterfall can be seen all around and from multiple floors. It is a great spot to sit and relax for a moment after a long flight.
- Free
- 30+ minutes
- The Jewel, Changi Airport (terminal 1)
2. Sky Garden
This 51 storey high garden is a great place to visit and spend your morning or afternoon. You can take the elevator up to level 51, which offers great panoramic views over the city. Don’t forget to have a look at floors 17-20. Here you’ll find an indoor garden with many spots to sit and relax. The whole visit is very peaceful and aesthetic and we definitely recommend going here. And the amazing thing is that this activity is completely free!
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There are many charging points and wifi is available in the building, so its also a perfect place to do some work or just charge up. However good to know, it is only open on weekdays between 8:30-10:30am and 2:30-6pm and it is closed on weekends. Besides that they’ll close the garden during bad weather circumstances.
- Free
- 1+ hours
- 88 Market St, Singapore 048948
3. Garden Rhapsody
This next one is an absolute must see when in Singapore! At the famous gardens by the bay there is a light and music show every single night at 7:45pm and 8:45 pm. It only takes 15 minutes and it really is magical. And it’s completely free! Every month the show’s theme changes, but every one we went to was amazing and a lot of fun. The shows are at the supertree grove section of the gardens by the bay, which is right in the centre so you can’t miss it. For the best viewing we suggest bringing a blanket, lying down on the ground and looking up.
- Free
- 15 minutes
- Supertree Grove, Gardens by the Bay
4. Water Spectra
Every night at 8pm and 9pm people flock to the boardwalk in front of the MBS mall to grab a spot along the railing and watch the water show. This show incorporates a series of floating water fountains that coordinate with the music and lights for a captivating 15 minutes. Again the water spectra show is completely free and a lot of fun! On weekends there is even an additional show at 10pm (just in case you missed the first two). It is not surprising that this can get quite busy, so be on time to get a nice spot and enjoy!
- Free
- 15 minutes
- Marina Bay Sands boardwalk
5. Hawker Food
Food is quite expensive in Singapore, especially when eating out at nice restaurants. But thankfully there are hawker centres. A hawker centre is simply a collection of small food stalls, that sell a range of different meals for a cheap price. You can get anything from a local chilli crab, to Chinese noodles to Indian to western. From the smaller, more local hawkers, most meals range from S$3-8. And the food is unbelievable. At the more commercialised ones like Newton and Lau Pa Sat, meals are a little more expensive (S$8-15). Our favourites are Chinatown complex and Maxwell. When at a hawker centre, make sure you have cash! Even if you don’t come here for the food, it’s a fun place to check out when in Singapore!
- $3-15
- 1+ hours
- Chinatown Complex, Newton, Maxwell, Lau Pa Sat
6. Cycle the Marina
Getting around Singapore is extremely easy because of the advanced public transport system. However renting a bike is, in our opinion, the best way to see the hot spot of the marina bay area and a fun morning or afternoon activity. There are a number of rentals in the area, we’d recommend City Scoot Esplanade. At most bike rentals, you can get a bike for around S$10-15 per hour. This is one of our more expensive activities in this list, but it’s great fun! For a longer ride, you can continue on through the east coast park, which is particularly nice at sunrise.
- $10-15
- 1+ hours
- 8 Raffles Ave., #01-18 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802
7. See Singapore's iconic Merlion
This water spewing fish with lion head statue is one of Singapore’s most iconic views, so a must see when you visit the country. It is located along the Marina Bay area, opposite of the Marina Bay Sands. This is quite a touristy spot, as many people would love to get an iconic photo of the Merlion and MBS in the background, but still fun seeing at least once. Seeing the statue won’t take much time. We recommend having a look before or after renting a the bike (as we said in point 6. Cycle the Marina) because the bike rental is nearby the Merlion so perfect to combine.
- Free
- 10+ minutes
- The Merlion
8. Shop for Cheap
Bugis street is a market street and is a great little place that is less well known than places like Haji lane and Chinatown. All sorts of things are being sold in this narrow street. You can find souvenirs, phone cases and chargers, clothes, drinks and snacks, and much more for very cheap. The atmosphere is good and there is a nice temple close by as well. A good little afternoon trip would see you having lunch at the Albert Centre hawker, then strolling through Bugis street and finish with a quick visit to the temple. Buy some incense sticks from one of the many stalls out the front as a donation.
- Free
- 1+ hours
- 3 New Bugis Street, Singapore 188867
9. Picnic with a View
Looking for a good spot to watch the sunset in Singapore? Well look no further. The barrage is the name for the control point where the marina reservoir enters the ocean. There is a grass hill there that is a great spot for a picnic. At sunset, the sun dips behind the marina bay sands giving you the perfect view of one of the most famous pieces of architecture in the world. Its easily accessible from the gardens by the bay MRT stop on the Thompson East-coast (brown) line, or only a 15 minute walk from the MBS mall. Bring a blanket, grab a takeaway meal from a hawker centre or some cheese and biscuits from the supermarket and enjoy the view while the sun sets.
- Free
- 1+ hours
- 8 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018951
10. Street Art Tour
Throughout Singapore you can find a range of hidden wall paintings. These are spread throughout mainly the neighbourhoods of Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam. All of them, or at least all that we’ve seen, are colorful and depict everyday live and beautiful cultural scenes. We highly recommend you to take a day to stroll through these neighbourhoods and see which murals you’ll come across.
- Free
- 3+ hours
- Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam
11. Botanic Gardens
If you would like to take it easy and visit a spot to relax and escape the busy city, then spending a morning or afternoon at the Botanic gardens is the perfect activity. This UNESCO world heritage site is free to visit and you can spend as much time there as you like. You’ll see people walking their dog, going for a jog, doing yoga, having picnics, or just cruising around. Visiting the botanic gardens is free and very peaceful.
- Free
- 2+ hours
- 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569
12. MacRitchie Hike
MacRitchie is a large reservoir in the middle of Singapore and is a perfect spot for a hike. With beautiful scenes over the water and even a walk over bridges in the trees, you could easily spend half a day just strolling around here. In the area there is a heap of wildlife, from big monitor lizards to many cheeky monkeys, and it’s located not too far out of the city. The reservoir is free to walk around whenever you please but the Treetop Walk is only open from 9am to 5pm and is closed on Mondays.
- Free
- 4+ hours
- 601 Island Club Rd, Singapore 578775
13. Fun Beach Day
Sentosa is a small island about 20 minutes southwest of the city and is home to some of the only beaches in the country. Getting onto the island is easy via the Sentosa express (public transport) or a grab (Asian Uber). There is an island entry fee of S$4 and you can stay there as long as you want. The restaurants and bars on Sentosa are quite pricey so instead you can bring some take-away food and drinks to enjoy on the beach. Tanjong beach is our favourite because it’s the least crowded and has some free beach volleyball nets to use.
- $4
- Half day
- Tanjong Beach, Sentosa
14. Escape the City
Pulau Ubin is a beautiful island between Singapore and Malaysia right near Singapore’s airport. To get there you have to catch a local ferry, which operates between 6am and 7pm. This leaves from Changi Point ferry terminal and costs S$4 each way. The ferry’s are more like small barges that cart local goods back and forth, but it only takes 15 minutes to get there so not too bad. On the island a great way to get around is by renting a bike. You can get a bike for as low as S$5 a day and it’s a great way to escape the city to experience a more rural Singapore.
- $13
- Half day
- 51 Lor Bekukong, Singapore 499172
15. Drink for Cheap
Don’t get us wrong, drinking alcohol is expensive in Singapore. Especially when comparing it to other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. However, for those who like to drink an early afternoon beer to cool down from a long day of exploring the city we have found the spot. Certain bars have good happy hour deals that sell beers for cheap during certain hours. We liked Escobar, where between 5-6pm a pint costs S$5.80, but normally costs S$9. The street in which you’ll find Escobar (Cross Street) has many other bars with good deals too. Some other nice places for an afternoon drink are Church Street and Boat Quay, where you’ll also find good happy hour deals.
- $5.80+
- 1+ hours
- Cross Street, Church Street, Boat Quay
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