Singapore is a vibrant, bustling, multicultural city with a blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian and English cultures. It is an entertainment centre and suited for travellers of all age groups.
Although Singapore is expensive when compared to other South Asian countries it is still possible to travel to Singapore on a budget.
Most people spend only a couple of days in Singapore and use it as a stopover destination for travel to other South Asian countries or Australia. But the city has lots to offer and deserves at least 4 days. We visited Singapore for 9 days and we could have easily stayed for more days. To help you plan your travel, here is our ultimate Singapore travel guide.
Table of Contents
Currency
The currency in Singapore is Singapore Dollars (SGD). As of 30th January 2023, 1 SGD is equal to ~INR 62. But for simplicity, I have used the exchange rate as 1 SGD = INR 60 for all the prices mentioned in this post and all the other posts about Singapore.
Credit Card Acceptance?
Singapore is a developed country, so credit or debit cards are widely accepted. Also generally, there is no additional surcharge for using cards unlike in other South Asian countries where merchants charge a 3-5% surcharge.
But you should keep some cash with you as most smaller establishments like street market shops and restaurants at hawker centres still only accept cash.
ATM Cash Withdrawal
ATMs are widely available in Singapore. Use local bank ATMs to withdraw cash as they generally have a lower fee (ATM operator fee) for cash withdrawals. We withdrew cash only once in Singapore and we used UOB bank ATM as it did not levy any ATM operator fee. We had first tried OCBC bank ATM but it was levying SGD 8 (~INR 480) as an operator fee, so we skipped it.
Visa
Indians require a visa to enter Singapore. Singapore issues e-Visa that can be applied through authorized visa agents only. You can download the visa agents list from here. Visa needs to be applied no before 30 days from the travel date and costs about SGD 30 (~ INR 1800) + ~ INR 300 as the visa agent fees. Visa is processed generally within 5 working days.
Best Time To Travel
Due to its proximity to the equator, Singapore has a tropical climate which makes it a year-round destination. Singapore is hot and wet throughout the year. The best time to visit Singapore is February-March when it rains the least. We went there in September and it rained for three days. When it rained, it rained continuously for 3-4 hours.
How To Reach Singapore
Many Indian cities have direct flight connections to Singapore. All the major Indian airlines like Indigo, Vistara, and Air India as well as Singapore Airlines serve this route. As there are many flights to Singapore, the fare is also affordable due to fierce competition between the airlines. We paid INR 24,000 per person for Delhi to Singapore round-trip flight which is on par with pre-Covid days which is a rarity nowadays.
Get Around in Singapore
Taxis
Many app-based taxis operate in Singapore but the more popular ones are Grab, Gojek, and ComfortDelGro. They work similarly to Uber. Taxis are convenient but they are expensive. An occasional taxi ride is ok but travelling everywhere with a taxi will slowly eat away your budget.
Public Transport
Both bus and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) or metro networks are extensive. All the major attractions are within walking distance from the MRT station or bus stop. Both bus and MRT are safe, reliable and easy to navigate. We had travelled on the bus at around midnight and had no safety concerns.
Travelling in Singapore is also very cheap. We had once travelled about 25 kms on the bus for less than SGD 2 (~ INR 120).
Travel Tip: Consider buying an EZ-Link card if you are planning to use public transport at least five times. EZ-Link card is a contactless card that can be used on all public transport.
Food in Singapore
Singapore has food from around the world. There is no dearth of Chinese, Indian and Malay cuisine. Expect to pay SGD 10 to 30 (~ INR 600 to 1800) for a meal in a restaurant.
Visit hawker centres for cheap eats. Hawker centres are large food courts where locals go for their meals. It is very crowded at peak hours but a meal there will cost you less than SGD 10 most of the time. A few of the famous hawker centres are Newton Food Centre, Maxwell Food Centre, and Lau Pa Sat.
Vegetarian Food
Vegetarian cuisines are limited in Singapore. Your best bet to find a vegetarian dish is in an Indian restaurant. And fortunately, there are abundant Indian restaurants in Singapore, especially South Indian restaurants. At hawker centres, there will be at least one stall selling vegetarian meals.
South Indian dishes like vada and dosa are easily found there. Roti Prata is a Singapore dish which is parantha that is generally served with fish or mutton curry. But it can also be served with vegetarian gravy. Visit Little India for Indian restaurants.
Indonesian fried rice (Nasi Goreng) and noodles (Mee Goreng) are generally prepared with chicken and prawns, but they can be specially prepared with only vegetables if one asks for them.
There is at least one vegetarian dish in pizza and pasta in most Italian restaurants. Subway has a couple of vegetarian subs.
To summarize, you should not have problems finding a vegetarian meal in non-Indian restaurants but the options will be limited.
Stay In Singapore
The hotels in Singapore are expensive. A single bed in a dormitory in a hostel will cost you about SGD 30 -40 (~INR 1800 – 2400) per night.
A private room in a budget hotel will cost about SGD 70 – 100 (~INR 4200 – 6000) per night. The rooms in the budget hotel are small and prices generally do not include breakfast. We stayed in Hotel Classic By Venue for 8 nights for ~SGD 80 (~INR 4800) per night. Read the full review of the hotel here.
A room with breakfast in a 3-star hotel will cost at least SGD 160 (~INR 9600) per night. Staying at a resort in Sentosa will set you back a minimum of SGD 300 (~INR 18000) for each night.
Top Things To Do In Singapore
Universal Studios
Universal Studios might not be the top place to visit on many people’s lists but it has to be on top of our list. It was our first visit to any theme park and we just loved the atmosphere. The rides were wonderful and we clicked many photographs with Madagascar, Raptor, and Mummy characters in Meet & Greet sessions. Our favourite rides were Transformers and Revenge of the Mummy.
Travel Tip: Many people visit Universal Studios and the waiting time for each ride may get 45-60 minutes long in the afternoon. Reach Universal Studios before it opens to avoid long waiting times and still have enough time to attend many Meet & Greet sessions.
Address – 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269
Phone – +65 6577 8888
Official website – https://www.rwsentosa.com/en/attractions/universal-studios-singapore
Opening Hours – 11 AM to 6 PM (closed on Tuesday)
Suggested Duration – Full day
Ticket Cost – SGD 82 or ~INR 4920 (Adult), SGD 61 or ~INR 3660 (Child)
Gardens By The Bay
A visit to Singapore is incomplete without visiting the majestic Gardens By The Bay. The main attractions in Gardens By The Bay are Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. Cloud Forest also features one of the world’s tallest indoor waterfalls. The futuristic tree-like structure called Supertrees is another attraction to see in Gardens By The Bay. Go there in the evening when Supertrees are colourfully lit. Do not miss the out-of-the-world music and light show in the evening at Supertree Grove.
Address – 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Phone – +65 6420 6848
Official website – https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/
Opening Hours – 9 AM to 9 PM. Garden Rhapsody (7:45 PM, 8:45 PM). Floral Fantasy (10 AM to 7 PM)
Suggested Duration – 4 to 5 hours
Ticket Cost – Entry is free. Flower Dome and Cloud Forest – SGD 53 or ~INR 3180 (Adult), SGD 40 or ~INR 2400 (Child). Floral Fantasy – SGD 15 or ~INR 900 (Adult), SGD 9 or ~INR 540 (Child). OCBC Skyway – SGD 10 or ~INR 600 (Adult), SGD 6 or ~INR 360 (Child). Garden Rhapsody (Free)
Singapore Wildlife Parks
Singapore Wildlife Parks are one of the best wildlife parks in the world. There are four wildlife parks namely Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Night Safari, and Bird Paradise. All four parks are managed by Mandai Wildlife Group.
Singapore Zoo has been rated as one of the best zoos in the world. It is known for its open exhibits simulating the natural habitat of its animals.
River Wonders is a river-themed zoo and aquarium. A couple of white pandas and a 10-minute boat ride called Amazon River Quest featuring wildlife species from the Amazon River are the main highlights there.
Night Safari is the world’s first nocturnal zoo. Like Singapore Zoo, animals in Night Safari live in open and spacious enclosures.
Bird Paradise (formerly known as Jurong Bird Park) is the world’s largest bird park. It houses more than 5000 birds of 400 species.
We visited all 4 parks and we loved Singapore Zoo and Jurong Bird Park. We liked the Night Safari the least as the animals were hardly visible at night.
Address – 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
Official website – https://www.mandai.com/en/mandai.html
Opening Hours – Singapore Zoo and Bird Paradise (8:30 AM to 6 PM), River Wonders (10 AM to 7 PM), Night Safari (6:30 PM to 12 AM)
Suggested Duration – 1.5 days
Ticket Cost – Singapore Zoo – SGD 48 or ~INR 2880 (Adult), SGD 33 or ~INR 1980 (Child). River Wonder – SGD 40 or ~INR 2400 (Adult), SGD 28 or ~INR 1680 (Child). Night Safari – SGD 55 or ~INR 3300 (Adult), SGD 38 or ~INR 2280 (Child).
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands is the most luxurious resort in Singapore. Its three towers connected by the boat-shaped roof called SkyPark have become an iconic landmark of Singapore. Marina Bay Sands is not just a 5-star luxurious hotel but also a shopping mall and a dining and entertainment complex.
The SkyPark houses the observation deck which provides stunning panoramic views of Singapore. No better and unobstructed views are seen from anywhere else in Singapore.
The SkyPark also houses the 150-metre infinity pool which is only accessible by the resort guests.
ArtScience Museum is another attraction that is worth visiting. Among many exhibitions, the Future World exhibition is the most popular one. A 15-minute VR Gallery experience is also pretty good.
A 15-minute light and water laser show, known as Spectra, is held daily outdoors. The colourful projections, dancing fountain jets, and lava and mist effects make the show visually spectacular.
The other attractions include the Sampan boat ride and Digital Light Canvas which are not that great and can be skipped.
Travel Tip: Join Sands Reward membership for free and get a 30% discount on tickets.
Address – 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
Phone – +65 6688 8826
Official website – https://www.marinabaysands.com
Opening Hours – SkyPark Observation Deck (11 AM to 9 PM ), ArtScience Museum (10 AM to 7 PM ), Spectra (8 PM, 9 PM, 10 PM on Friday and Saturday; 8 PM, 9 PM on Sunday to Thursday )
Suggested Duration – 4 to 5 hours
Ticket Cost – SkyPark Observation Deck – SGD 26 or ~INR 1560 (Adult), SGD 22 or ~INR 1320 (Child). Future World Exhibition – SGD 23 or ~INR 1380 (Adult), SGD 18 or ~INR 1080 (Child). VR Gallery – SGD 18 or ~INR 1080 (Adult), SGD 13 or ~INR 780 (Child). Spectra – Free.
Wings Of Time
Wings of Time is the world’s first permanent night show set in the open sea. The show is 20 minutes long and is held daily at Sentosa. The show features an easy-to-understand storyline that is a visual treat to the eye. The spectacular use of 3D animations projected on a water screen along with the stunning display of laser, water, and fire makes Wings of Time a must-see show in Singapore. And the fireworks post the show’s conclusion are just like a cherry on top.
Address – 50 Beach View, Singapore 098604
Opening Hours – 7:40 PM (Monday to Friday), 7:40 PM & 8:40 PM (Saturday & Sunday)
Suggested Duration – 20 minutes
Ticket Cost – SGD 16.2 or ~INR 970
Skyline Luge
Skyline Luge is an adventure ride in Sentosa that is suitable for all age groups. It is a perfect activity to satisfy your racing needs but in a safe and controlled environment. The Skyline Luge has 4 trails totalling 2.6 kilometres in length.
A luge ride also includes a free Skyride which is a chairlift ride that gives panoramic views of the Singapore skyline. You take a luge ride to come down the track and then take Skyride to go back to the top of the hill for your next Luge ride or exit the premises.
We recommend buying a 4 Luge & 4 Skyride combo ticket that will let you explore each of the four tracks once.
Address – 45 Siloso Beach Walk, Sentosa, Singapore
Phone – +65 6274 0472
Official website – https://www.skylineluge.com/en/sentosa/
Opening Hours – 11 AM to 7:30 PM (Sunday to Thursday), 11 AM to 9:30 PM (Friday & Saturday)
Suggested Duration – 1 hour
Ticket Cost – SGD 35 or ~INR 2100
Other Things To Do In Singapore
Explore Chinatown And Little India
Chinatown and Little India, as the name suggests, are neighbourhoods with large Chinese and Indian communities respectively.
Visit Chinatown for temples and traditional Chinese cuisines. Some of the temples with beautiful architecture are Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Thian Hock Keng Temple, and Sri Mariamman Temple. Chinatown street market is the best place to buy souvenirs at affordable prices.
Little India is famous for its Indian restaurants in Singapore. Dine at one of the many North and South Indian restaurants for a fulfilling yet affordable meal. Little India also has a couple of beautiful Hindu temples like Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple and Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.
S.E.A. Aquarium
S.E.A Aquarium at Sentosa is one of the largest aquariums in South East Asia and is home to more than 100,000 marine animals. It has the largest collection of Manta Rays. The aquarium is divided into many zones. The highlight of S.E.A Aquarium is the Open Ocean Habitat which contains more than 18 million litres of water and is home to 120 species of animals.
Address – 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269
Official website – https://www.rwsentosa.com/en/attractions/sea-aquarium
Opening Hours – 10 AM to 5 PM
Suggested Duration – 2 to 3 hours
Ticket Cost – SGD 41 or ~INR 2460 (Adult), SGD 30 or ~INR 1800 (Child)
Changi Airport
Singapore is probably the only city where even the airport is also counted as an attraction. The Jewel terminal of Changi Airport is not an ordinary airport terminal. It is a multi-level shopping, dining, and entertainment complex.
The main attraction of Jewel is Rain Vortex which is the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. The best part is that it is a free attraction.
Other attractions are ticketed ones and include a glass bottom bridge, bouncing and walking nets, and mazes. We found the ticket prices to be at the higher end and skipped them.
The other airport terminals have movie theatres and foot and full-body massage chairs which are completely free of cost.
Address – Airport Blvd., Singapore
Official website – https://www.changiairport.com/
Eat at Hawker Centre
Hawker Centre is a food court in Singapore where generally locals go for their meals. There are more than 100 hawker centres in Singapore. Some of the popular ones are Newton Food Centre, Maxwell Food Centre, and Lau Pa Sat. Enjoy the cheap-priced food surrounded by locals. A couple of hawker stalls have also got Michelin stars which is a global restaurant rating system.
Shopping
Singapore is a shopping paradise. Go to Orchard Road for luxury shopping. All the big brands have shops there. Many get surprised to know that Singapore has street markets where clothes can be as cheap as the street markets in Delhi. Visit Bugis Street market for cheap women’s clothing. Go to Chinatown for souvenir shopping.
Merlion Park
Merlion is a mythical figure that has a lion’s head with the body of fish. It is Singapore’s national icon and mascot. An 8.6 metres tall statue of Merlion that throws water from its mouth is located at Merlion Park. Visit the park to take many photographs and selfies with the Merlion statue. One can also view Marina Bay Sands from the park.
Address – 1 Fullerton Rd, Singapore 049213
Opening Hours – 24 hours
Suggested Duration – 15 minutes
Haw Par Villa
Haw Par Villa is the quirkiest attraction in Singapore. It has more than 1000 statues and dioramas depicting Chinese mythology. The main attraction of Haw Par Villa is Hell’s Museum which depicts the Ten Courts of Hell of Chinese mythology through many exhibits.
Entry to Haw Par Villa Park is free but Hell’s Museum is ticketed. Free guided tour of Hell’s Museum is organized at 10:30 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:45 PM, and 4:15 PM
Address – 262 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118 628
Phone – +65 6773 0103
Official website – https://www.hawparvilla.sg/
Opening Hours – Park (9 AM to 8 PM), Hell’s Museum (10 AM to 6 PM on Wednesday to Sunday)
Suggested Duration – 2 hours
Ticket Cost – Park – Free. Hell’s Museum – SGD 18 or ~INR 1080 (Adult), SGD 10 or ~INR 600 (Child)
SkyHelix
SkyHelix is an open-air panoramic ride. You will be seated in an open-air gondola that will first ascend to a height of 35 metres from the ground, gently rotates for 10 minutes, and then descend back to the ground.
SkyHelix is not an amusement park adventure ride. It is a very slow ride that gives you ample time to enjoy the breathtaking 360-degree views of Sentosa from every angle.
The ticket to SkyHelix includes a choice of a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage or a souvenir. Our recommendation is to go for the beverage as the fridge magnet was handed out as a souvenir that if you need it, you can buy from Chinatown at a cheap price.
Address – 41 Imbiah Rd, Sentosa, Singapore 099707
Official website – https://www.mountfaberleisure.com/attraction/skyhelix-sentosa/
Opening Hours – 10 AM to 9:30 PM
Suggested Duration – 12 minutes
Ticket Cost – SGD 18 or ~INR 1080 (Adult), SGD 15 or ~INR 900 (Child)
Singapore Museums
If you love museums, Singapore has many top-class museums. I have already written about ArtScience Museum and Hell’s Museum. Some of the other popular museums are Fort Canning, National Museum of Singapore, National Gallery, the Asian Civilization Museum, and Fort Siloso.
We are not into museums, so we skipped them. We only visited ArtScience Museum and Hell’s Museum as they were quirky ones.
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“Jump with Dreams Taking Wings and travel to Singapore. With the help of this travel guide, you can finally realize your aspirations of seeing this energetic city-state. Prepare to fly to new heights and discover Singapore’s treasures with the advice and suggestions of experts. “Good luck on your journey.”