Singapore
Plan your Singapore trip
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
01Your itinerary
02Where to stay
Chinatown
Best for first-timers and food-focused tripsRestored shophouses, temple bells, and hawker food on every corner, all a short walk from the Central Business District and the MRT interchange at Chinatown station. The best all-round base for first-timers.
A boutique shophouse hotel on Ann Siang Hill
Restored heritage buildings a few minutes' walk from Maxwell Food Centre, with the charm of old Chinatown and none of the noise of the main tourist strip.
S$$$A mid-range hotel near Chinatown MRT
Direct interchange access puts the whole island a few stops away in either direction, at a fraction of the Marina Bay rate.
S$$Marina Bay & the Civic District
Best for skyline views and special occasionsThe postcard version of Singapore — skyline views, Gardens by the Bay on your doorstep, and the colonial-era Fullerton precinct nearby. It costs the most, and for a first visit it can be worth it for the sheer spectacle.
Marina Bay Sands
Book specifically for a bay-facing room; the skyline and Supertree light show views from a high floor are the entire reason to pay this rate.
S$$$$Raffles Hotel Singapore
Old-world elegance and white-glove service a short walk from Boat Quay and the Merlion, trading skyline drama for historic character.
S$$$$Kampong Glam
Best for nightlife and independent shoppingThe Malay-Muslim quarter around the Sultan Mosque, with Haji Lane's boutiques and bars a few steps from your door. Younger, looser, and better value than the Marina Bay hotels, with genuine neighbourhood texture.
A design hotel just off Arab Street
Close enough to Haji Lane's bars to walk home, far enough to sleep through the noise once they close.
S$$Tiong Bahru
Best for longer stays and a slower paceA quiet, residential Art Deco enclave a few MRT stops from the centre, with the best independent coffee and bakeries in the city and a hawker market locals actually prefer. Best for repeat visitors who want to live like a local for a few days.
A boutique apartment-style stay near Tiong Bahru Market
Wake up to the same bakery queue as the neighbourhood, then MRT into the centre in under ten minutes when you want the skyline.
S$$Affiliate notePostcardRoute is reader-supported. Some links to Booking.com (stays, flights, car hire, tickets and tours, airport transfers) are affiliate links, tracked through CJ Affiliate: if you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend places we would send a friend.
03Tickets & tours
Gardens by the Bay
The Supertree Grove and twin biodome conservatories (Cloud Forest and Flower Dome) are Singapore's most photographed sight for good reason — a…
Tip Time your visit for the free Garden Rhapsody light show on the Supertrees at 7:45pm or 8:45pm, then walk the OCBC Skyway while the crowds thin.
Maxwell Food Centre
A no-frills hawker hall in the heart of Chinatown, home to Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice and a dozen other stalls that have been perfecting one…
Tip Go before noon or after 2pm to dodge the lunchtime queue at Tian Tian, which can run past 30 minutes at peak.
Kampong Glam & Haji Lane
The historic Malay quarter around the golden-domed Sultan Mosque, with Haji Lane's tightly packed shophouses now home to independent boutiques,…
Tip Come at golden hour when the mosque's dome catches the light and Haji Lane's bars start spilling onto the street.
Singapore Botanic Gardens
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and genuinely lush 82-hectare rainforest garden, complete with the National Orchid Garden, right at the edge of the city…
Tip Enter from the Tanglin Gate early in the morning to catch joggers, wild otters near Swan Lake, and cooler temperatures before 9am.
Marina Bay Sands SkyPark
Yes, it's a hotel promoting itself, and yes, the view from the SkyPark observation deck across the Marina Bay skyline and Gardens by the Bay is worth…
Tip Skip the deck and instead have a drink at CE LA VI or Ku Dé Ta on the same rooftop — same view, no separate admission fee if you buy a drink.
Tekka Centre & Little India
A wet market and hawker centre that anchors Singapore's most intensely sensory neighbourhood — spice shops, garland stalls, and Tamil, Bengali and…
Tip Go hungry and try the fish head curry or a proper banana-leaf meal, eaten with your right hand as is traditional.
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
A striking Tang-dynasty-style temple and museum in the middle of Chinatown, housing what devotees believe is a relic of the Buddha himself on the top…
Tip Visit around 6pm on a weekday to catch the evening chanting ceremony, open to respectful visitors.
Singapore Zoo & Night Safari
An open-concept zoo built around moated rather than caged enclosures, paired with the world's first nocturnal wildlife park next door — genuinely one…
Tip Book the Night Safari as a separate evening trip rather than trying to combine both in one day; they are on opposite sides of the same reserve and each deserves…
Merlion Park
The half-lion, half-fish statue is the most photographed thing in the country and, on its own, distinctly underwhelming — go anyway, because it faces…
Tip Arrive close to sunset for the statue-and-skyline shot, then walk two minutes to the Fullerton waterfront for the same view once the crowd around the statue thins out.
Day trips from Singapore
Sentosa Island
A short cable car or monorail ride from the mainland, Sentosa packs beaches, Universal Studios Singapore, and the S.E.A.
Day tripPulau Ubin
A bumboat ride from Changi Point drops you on a rustic island frozen somewhere around 1960 — kampong houses, mangroves, and rented bicycles instead…
Day tripJohor Bahru, Malaysia
Cross the causeway by bus or train for cheaper eats, bigger malls, and a genuinely different pace just across the border.
Day tripEverything to do in Singapore
Skip-the-line tickets, guided tours and day trips, all in one place on Booking.com.
04Getting there & around
Getting around
Buy an EZ-Link or SimplyGo card the moment you land at Changi, or just tap a contactless bank card or phone directly at the gates — Singapore's transit system was an early adopter of open-loop payment and it works flawlessly.
Flights
Compare fares into Singapore and pick dates that suit the days you planned.
Airport transfers
Book a private or shared ride from the airport so the first evening starts at your door, not at a ticket queue.
Car hire from Singapore
Only worth it for day trips beyond the city — in town, the plan above works on foot and public transport.
Affiliate notePostcardRoute is reader-supported. Some links to Booking.com (stays, flights, car hire, tickets and tours, airport transfers) are affiliate links, tracked through CJ Affiliate: if you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend places we would send a friend.