June 2020

Rough Draft Itinerary: Singapore

Due to the COVID quarantine, I am creating rough draft, “off the shelf” travel itineraries for when travel resumes normal operations so we do not waste any time getting out and exploring!

As requested by you (yay!) for a short trip to Singapore. Now if you know how I travel, I have no problem getting on a plane for 24 hours, staying for a few days, and turning straight back home. I have limited vacation time so I suck every bit of life I can out of a the trips. For most, this is probably an itinerary you tack onto a more extended Southeast Asian trip. There is so much in that area it would not be difficult to find a paired destination. Many itineraries I found actually plan for 3 days in Singapore –  I did 4 days to keep some breathing room to relax but you can easily modify if you have a shorter period of time to work within.

What I found most interesting is how innovative the city appears both in structures and city design. It is also known to be one of the more expensive Asian countries. Most locations in Southeast Asian are known for their affordability, hence the attraction for young travelers. If you make conscious decisions, there is no reason that Singapore should break the bank and work within a budget – whether it be backpacker life or lap of luxury.

What is there to do?

• The Gardens
  • I do not think I have ever seen anything like this! Everything looks so incredible – go first thing in the morning at open (9AM) and plan to be here for several hours.
  • During the day: The Cloud Forest (don’t miss the mist!), Supertree Grove, OCBC Skyway, Flower Dome
  • During the night: There is a light show that you cannot miss! Garden Rhapsody Show performs every night at 7:45PM and 8:45PM.
• All the neighborhoods / quays
  • Chinatown
    • Buddha tooth relic 
    • Thian Hock Keng Temple 
    • Sri Mariamman Temple
  • Little India
  • The Quays! (What is a quay? Gathering centers along the water)
    • Boat Quay
    • Clarke Quay
    • Robertson Quay
  • Orchards
• Sentosa
  • The land of theme parks, including Universal Studios
  • You can take a cable car to get there
  • S.E.A Aquarium is the largest one in Southeast Asia
  • Time out – there is a Skyline Luge – NZ throw back!
• ArtScience Museum
  • We are suckers for science museums and this one is not only one of the best, but it molds art and science together
• Marina Bay Sands Hotel
  • This is one of the luxury hotels to stay at in Singapore and comes at a high price tag but if you do not stay here, it is still worth a visit
  • During the day: Hotel itself, Sky Park Observation Deck
  • During the night: the fountains perform a light show to music every time (times vary)

Depending on the attractions you plan on visiting, there is a city pass that can save you a few bucks.

Where to eat?

In the food department, there seems to be a melting pot of cuisine! You can sample local dishes but there is international food as well – there is a very large Chinatown area and even Little India. There are fine dining options as well as hawkers for street food, one of which is a 1 star Michelin chicken hawker (so random!). With tons of options, I marked a few recommendations in the itinerary but it is by no means an extensive analysis of all dining options. And to top it off, there is not only a very lively night scene but a craft beer scene. May have to mark this one down for potential Beer Christmas destination!

Based on the above information and the proximity of each activity, here is how I would structure 3 or 4 days in Singapore, excluding the travel time to get there.

There are tons of stops for bars, roof top cocktails and brewery hopping. Here are a few:

If you have been to Singapore, let me know what I missed and what your favorites are!

Don’t forget to check out all DESKRIB itineraries here!