Singapore you really surprised us we were both super excited to visit this beautiful country but we didn’t realize how much we would love it there. Singapore is like a desert oasis beautiful and perfect at first glance yet they are able to preserve their culture in this modern-day city. This small Asian Island is packed with so much to do we thought 5 days wasn’t enough time to explore this beautiful island. Here are our 12 must do's in Singapore
Stay at the Marina Sands Hotel
The most iconic structure in Singapore is the Marina Bay Sands. The hotel has 2,561 divided into three massive towers connected by an enormous infinity pool. Open in 2010, the Marina Sands property is home to a casino, shopping, 80 restaurants, an art/science museum, a convention-exhibit center, a club, bars, and a theater. How much? Rooms are expensive $$$$ so we decided to splurge one night staying there. What to expect? This is one of the best hotels in the world so it is always super busy. There is a lot of security at this place, especially at the infinity pool. Make sure each person brings their room key to get into the pool area. Get to the pool early in the morning for a good spot then we suggest coming back again during sunset to get some incredible sunset shots. Staying at the Marina Sands guests have free entrance to the observatory deck at the top, best time to go is right when the Gardens of the Bay light show comes on at night, you’ll have a front-row view. Lastly, staying at the Marina Sands gives you discounts at some of the attractions on the property like the art/science museum.
Eat at a Hawker Center
There is over 100 different hawker center to choose from in Singapore. What is exactly a hawker center? It’s a giant food court that sells all different types of food. The Singapore government started to create these Hawker Centers to address the health and safety concerns with food preparation. There is a couple of places we were able to try, one is Maxwell Food Center in Chinatown for the Hainanese Chicken Rice at Tian Tian Chicken Rice, now a Michelin award-winning restaurant. The second place is Lau Pa Sat‘the old market’ in the middle of Singapore’s Central Business District what this market is famous for is Satay Street. Lau Pa Sat is also where they filmed that opening scene in Singapore “Crazy Rich Asian” How much all meals at Hawker Center are under $10 dollars depending on the type of food.
Visit Sentosa Island
Singapore weekend playground, Sentosa is home to beautiful beaches, restaurants, shopping, casinos, and Universal Studios. We were only there for a couple of hours but it is highly recommended to stay at least a day or two to enjoy the island. How to get to Sentosa? There is a couple of different ways to get to Sentosa from Singapore. 1) MRT using the Sentosa Express about is a couple of dollars ride and it takes 5 minutes to get to this island. 2) By Bus 3) The most scenic is by Cable Car about a 10-minute ride. What to expect? Very busy during the weekend filled with locals and tourists. Plenty of food choices on the island and plenty of things to do. Also, there is a casino at resort world but if you want to play bring your passport because they only allow tourists in casinos.
Wander at The Garden of the Bay
One of the most beautiful attracts we have been to. It was our first stop in Singapore and we wished we had more time at this place. Opened in 2012, it is now Singapore's most popular tourist attraction with millions of visitors every year. Now it’s especially popular because of the movie “Crazy Rich Asian” the Gardens by the Bay is used as the reception backdrop of the crazy wedding in the movie. If don’t have much time there are three attractions to see in the park to see the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, and the Supertree Grove. The Flower Dome is the world's largest greenhouse at 3 acres and it features a changing display of flowers and plants from all over the world. The second place is the Cloud Forest which is home to the largest indoor waterfall and some beautiful plant life. Lastly the Supertree Grove, 18 super trees connected by a skyway. How much? Tickets vary depending on attractions. The Supertree Grove is free to see but going up to the skyway will cost you. Tips- This place can get crowded, we went later in the afternoon/early evening and it wasn’t too crowded. Singapore is always hot but bring a light jacket because the flower dome and cloud forest can be a little cool. If you are there at night stay for the Garden Rhapsody a free light show at the supertree grove.
Explore Arab Street
There are two main streets to explore in this neighborhood Haji Lane and Kampong Glam. Haji Lane is a narrow street filled with vintage shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. This colorful street is filled with beautiful artwork and murals. One place to go to is Selfie Coffee Singapore and get your picture on your drink! All you have to do is take a picture there or send them a picture then it is printed on drink foam. After walking through Haji Lane walk over to Kampong Glam to see the Sultan Mosque and shop! What to expect? Follow the rules and regulations of Singapore, no littering or eating on the street. When you are visiting the temples, cover-up and you might have to take off your shoes.
Eat at Jumbo for Chili Crab
A trip to Singapore is not complete until you have tried this sweet and spicy dish. Singaporean Chili Crab is a crab cooked in a tomato-based spicy, sweet stew. JUMBO Seafood opened in 1987 and has now become the most popular restaurant in Singapore with 5 locations around the island. What to order? Jumbo’s offers a set menu or you can order a la carte. The set menu is for 4-6 people and most of the set menu does offer Chili Crab. We ordered ala carte and our favorites were the Chili Crab and Razor Clams. How much? This is one of the pricer restaurants in Singapore. Ordering the Chili Crab is at market price can get $$$ depending on the size. What to expect? No dress code, everyone at the restaurant is pretty casual. Walk-ins are welcome but wait times can be long 1-2 hours. Reservations are taken online but we suggest making reservations a couple of weeks in advance. Kid-friendly restaurant, high chairs are available. Also, there is a 90 minutes time limit per table.
Take a selfie at the Infinity Room at the Art/Science Museum
Located in the Marina Sands Hotel Property, the ArtScience Museum is where Art meets Science. It was opened in 2011 and it’s the world’s first Art Science Museum that features so many exhibits where technology and art are combined together to create stunning interactive exhibits. The pride and joy of this museum is the Crystal Universe with over 170,000 LED lights. How much? It depends on what you want to see, tickets are sold by exhibit so you can either see a couple of exhibits or buy an all-access pass. Discounts are available if you are staying at the Marina Sands Hotel. What to expect? Tickets are available at the door and online. The Crystal Universe gets crowded so be patient to get your perfect Instagram picture. The museum is open on all days from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with the last entry at 6:00 PM. The museum is kid-friendly. The Future World Exhibition is open for visitors only, six times during the day – 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM, 4:00 PM, and 5:30 PM. It is advised to be there at least half-hour prior to gain entry. Usually, you will encounter long lines at the entrance. The best time to go is the later times when there are fewer people to get the best pictures.
Learn to cook Singaporean Food
Food is always apart of the culture, a bowl of good soup can bring people from all different races together. The one activity that we love doing when we visit other cities learning to cook the food culture. When we visited Singapore we visited Food Playground a cooking school in Chinatown. Food Playground was open in 2012 to provide employment opportunities for stay-at-home mothers. It allowed these mothers and seniors to showcase their cooking to travelers who want to learn cooking. Right now it the ranked as the #1 Cooking Class/Workshop in Singapore on Tripadvisor. During class, you’ll be making three dishes an appetizer, entree and dessert. How much time? Each class is about 3 hours long, during class the teacher will introduce the class to all the local street food, then cooking lessons, then after all the food is cooked you’ll be able to enjoy the food with your new friends from all around the world. What to expect? Get there about 15 minutes to check-in and find your spot at the table. Wear comfortable clothes because the kitchen is hot and food might splatter on your clothes. Classes fill up so book your class about a week advance. Enjoyed the food that you cooked? Food Playground will email you the recipes you made in class that day.
Tour Tiger Brewery
In 1932, Tiger Beer became Singapore’s first locally brewed beer. The Tiger Brewery is a little outside of the city so we used Viator. The Viator tour included hotel drop off and pick-up, Tiger Brewery Tour, and tasting. The tour first takes you through the brewery process showing how the beer was made from start to finish. Then the Packaging Gallery shows how Tiger Beer changed through the ages. Then finally the most fun part of the tour, tasting at Tiger Tavern, your tour admission comes with 1 beer and a couple of tasters. The tours are available from Tuesday to Saturday (excluding public holidays) at 1 pm, 2 pm, 2 pm, 4 pm, and 5 pm. How much time to spend? It is three hours tour round trip from your hotel pick up to drop off. The tour at Tiger Beer is about an hour long. What to expect? Remember to bring your passport they take a record of it. What to wear? Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes because you’ll be walking through a factory. Love the beer? You can buy Tiger beer merchandise and beer at the store.
Walk around Chinatown
The cleanest and prettiest Chinatown that we have been to. Filled with food stalls, shopping, temples, and coffee shops is the perfect place to spend an afternoon walking around and getting lost. A couple of the places you can visit in Chinatown are Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, Maxwell Food Center, and cover-upcardsChinatown Complex, just to name a few. What to expect? Follow the rules and regulations of Singapore, no littering or eating on the street. When you are visiting the temples in Chinatown, cover up. Many of the street stalls in Chinatown do not take credit card, bring cash. FYI, the best place to buy souvenirs for home is Chinatown.
Hang at Merlion Park
The symbol of Singapore is a half lion and half fish and the symbol of Singapore. The Merlion is used to represent Singapore in sports, advertising, and tourism. Merlion Park is located on Esplanade Bridge right in front of the historical Fullerton Hotel. To visit Merlion is free however it does get crowded. The best time to visit is at night because it’s the perfect location to see the Marina Bay Light Show
Cocktails at one of the best cocktail bars
28 HongKong Street is of the 50 best bars of the year is a speakeasy with no sign in the front, but everyone knows where to go. A little away from Clarke Quay, the main hot spot for nightlife, is an unassuming street with some of the best cocktails in Singapore. What to order? Any cocktail on the menu you won’t be disappointed the two we tried were whiskey-based drinks and they were amazing. How much? Alcohol is pricy in Singapore as a cocktail. What to expect? Dress code- dressy casual, no shorts or flip flops. We went on a weekday and there wasn’t a line to get in and we were able to find seats at the bar but reservations are encouraged if you want a table.
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