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What a strange and fascinating country Singapore is. From the outside looking in, it looks almost perfect. Spotlessly clean, friendly and full of life. Singapore is where people from all over the world go in search of a better life. Well-paid jobs especially in the financial sector and a very high standard of living. Of course, all is not as perfect as it seems. Singapore, by definition, is a nanny-state. There are plenty of rules that one must abide by during their time in Singapore. Yet with Singapore being as incredible as it is, it begged Anthony Bourdain to ask the question, “Is free speech overrated?” Whether you are living there or just visiting, Singapore is out of this world. There are, of course, no shortage of things to do there. Here, in my opinion, is 20 Sights That Make Visiting Singapore A Must.
1. Gardens By The Bay
If you are visiting Singapore then you are sure to know about the Gardens by the Bay. This hugely impressive nature park is most often recognised by its collection of Supertrees which range in height between 25 metres (82 ft) and 50 metres (160 ft). The Gardens are also home to the largest glass greenhouse in the world, known as the ‘Flower Dome’. Be sure to visit the gardens after dark to see the nightly light show.
2. Marina Bay Sands Hotel
Very few hotels are as easily recognised. The world-famous, luxury Marina Bay Sands Hotel is made up of three towers topped with a Sky Park which spans across the entire structure. Should the hotel be out of your price range (it certainly was for me), you are allowed to enter for free but access to the Sky Park is off-limits. However to truly appreciate the magnitude of this hotel and just how much amenities it has, you will need to stay at least one night.
3. Sentosa
What do you do when your country has no natural beach? You build some of course. Sentosa is a man-made island packed with beaches, theme parks, resorts and restaurants. Just a cable-car away from the main city, Sentosa is another country in itself. Perfect to play the tourist, visit the attractions and take in the atmosphere. This island is where many locals go during their free time.
4. Haji Lane
Haji Lane is Singapore’s original hipster district. Street art, independent boutique stores and Middle Eastern cafés line the streets in this area. Despite being nestled in Singapore’s Arab district, Haji Lane is a great place to go for a drink, listen to some music and soak up the atmosphere.
5. Hawker Centres
Singapore’s answer to street food! A Hawker Centre is essentially a food court made up of individual vendors who were taken off the street and moved inside. This was done in an effort to, not only clean up the streets but sanitise the food better, providing vendors with clean water and better facilities. There are over 110 hawker centres in Singapore, each packed with amazing food. These are where you go to find the best and cheapest food in Singapore.
6. Singapore Botanic Gardens
Something which makes Singapore so amazing is that in such a compact city there is an abundance of green areas. You can tell just how much work has been put into planning to ensure the city does not become a concrete jungle. None are more vast and impressive than the nation’s Botanic Gardens. The Gardens is the first and only tropical botanic garden on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List and makes for a great place to get back to nature.
7. Merlion Park
Merlion Park is a landmark and tourist attraction, located near the Central Business District. The Merlion is a mythical creature with a lion’s head and the body of a fish that is used as a mascot of Singapore. There is also a considerably bigger Merlion Statue to be found in Sentosa.
8. Jurong Bird Park
Jurong is Asia’s largest bird park. They have close to 3,500 bird ranging from over 400 species, 20 of which are endangered. The bird park is renowned for its large and immersive walk-in aviaries as well as offering exhibits such as Penguin Coast and Pelican Cove.
9. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is a Buddhist temple and museum located in the Chinatown district. It is claimed that the relic of Buddha from which it gains its name was found in 1980 in a collapsed stupa in Myanmar. The relic can be viewed by the public on the 4th floor of the temple.
10. Mustafa Centre
A 24-hour department store famous throughout Singapore. It feels like there is nothing you can’t buy at this store, real or fake. It is a great place to get lost in, even if you have no intention of shopping. The range of goods available is unparalleled anywhere else in the country.
11. Singapore Flyer
Opened in 2008, The Singapore Flyer is a giant observation wheel at Downtown Core, Singapore. The capsules are created to give panoramic views of Singapore once you reach the top. One adult ticket costs S$33 and the ride lasts for thirty minutes.
12. Orchard Road
Singapore is one of the world’s best places to shop and Orchard Road is the sole reason for that. 5,000 establishments are located on this 2.2km stretch of retail paradise. Discount outlets, department stores and upscale boutiques, alongside luxury hotels, are all regular sights. For those looking for some retail therapy, no matter the budget, Orchard Road is where you want to go.
13. Pulau Ubin
Pulau Ubin is an island northeast of mainland Singapore. The island offers visitors the use of cycle trails and footpaths that travel throughout the hills, going past disused granite quarries and traditional kampongs (villages). You may even spot some of the incredible wildlife and birds that inhabit the island.
14. Fort Canning Park
Fort Canning is known as the highest elevation within walking distance to the city’s CBD district. There is a lot of evidence of the history of Singapore throughout the park including fort gates, the Underground Far East Command Centre and Sally Port, a hidden door that leads in and out of the fort, allowing occupants to escape from the fort undetected.
15. Night Safari
When Singapore opened its night safari in 1994 it became the world’s first nocturnal zoo. It makes for something a bit different than just visiting a zoo, as you drive through the park in almost complete darkness hearing the noises of the animals around you. The night safari can become a full day activity should you combine it with Jurong Bird Park or Singapore Zoo or the River Safari. All 4 of which are located within close proximity to each other.
16. Masjid Sultan
Masjid Sultan is a mosque named after Sultan Hussain Shah who signed two treaties with Britain which culminated in the founding of Singapore as it is today. The mosque has remained pretty much unchanged from its opening in 1932 and in 1975, it was made a National Monument of Singapore.
17. National Museum of Singapore
It seems like every country in the world has a National Museum and Singapore is no different. Its history dates back to 1849 when it was started as a section of a library at Singapore Institution and was called the Raffles Library and Museum. The museum covers much of the history of Singapore, this makes it a great place to learn more about the country and how it came to be.
18. Haw Par Villa
Haw Par Villa is a nightmarish theme park containing over 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology and folklore. During the 1970s and 1980s, the park was a major local attraction but that popularity has since dwindled away. Don’t go there expecting Disneyland, visiting Haw Par Villa is more of a step back in time than a modern-day theme park.
19. Chinatown
Chinatown offers a little bit of crazy in an otherwise straight-forward city. For just a few streets, Singapore gets louder, slightly dirtier and considerably cheaper. There are a couple of fantastic hawker centres in Chinatown as well as the aforementioned Buddha Tooth Temple. Should you wish to buy souvenirs, this is the place to go.
20. Fort Siloso
Fort Siloso is a restored coastal gun battery from the 12 batteries that made up “Fortress Singapore” at the start of World War II. The fort is stationed on Pulau Blakang Mati, an island south of mainland Singapore. The fort has since been converted into a military museum and made available to the general public.
Singapore has a reputation for being an expensive place to visit. The reality is though, with a little diligence it can be as cheap as you want it to be. Many of the activities above cost little or no money at all, the hawker centres offer amazing food for just a couple of dollars and if you don’t mind walking then public transport costs can be kept to a minimum. Of course, certain activities may have to be skipped in order to keep the purse strings tight but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out. Singapore is the perfect place to visit whether you are a budget backpacker or craving a lavish trip away.
Haji Lane looks incredible for sure. I have never really wanted to see much of South East Asia but Singapore has always been one of the only places I wanted to visit that way. The Masjid Sultan looks great too.