Singapore has been a dream of mine for a very long time! I finally got the opportunity to visit this enchanting “City in a Garden.”

Unfortunately, my work schedule was only going to allow two and half days which seems like the ultimate stretch, but a lot can be accomplished in that time.

First thing I will note: SINGAPORE COMES ALIVE IN THE NIGHT! I wish I could have realized this before I went! There is a lot to do during the day, but honestly, there is even more to do at night! I’ve attached links to the websites for each events reference.

Let’s just begin with my own travel diary with what I did in two & a half days:

Day 1

Gardens by the Bay

18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953

This is obvious MUST DO in Singapore! It’s quite a heftier price to get in, but well worth it as it feels like a no-ride amusement park within a city. For both “cooled observatories,” the price will be $28SGD. The outdoor gardens, which open as early as 5:00am are actually free! Here’s what I saw on the grounds:

• 

• 

• 

-Super Trees : There are 18 of these considered the free outdoor gardens which combined they have over 163,000 plants growing on them. Of the 200 species within those, you can find bromeliads, orchids, and tropical flowering climbers as well as photovalvic cells to illuminate the trees at night!

• 

• 

• 

Cloud Forest: one of the indoor cooled conservatories that houses the world’s largest indoor waterfall and a mountain covered in lush vegetation where you can learn all about the biodiversity and geology of cloud forests and the environmental threats they face. The entire “mountain” took about 30 minutes to complete and although structurally manmade, it had the best organic charm!

• 

• 

• 

Flower Dome: It’s as big as 75 olympic sized swimming pools, which currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest indoor glass greenhouse! It replicates the Mediterranean climate including parts of Africa, as well as some parts of Italy and Spain.

• 

• 

• 

• 

I would set aside at least 2-3 hours to walk the grounds! I did so rather quickly and it took me some time to great through. The gift shop was also one of my favorites in Singapore so don’t forget to drop in.

ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands

6 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018974

One of the most Instagrammed photos in Singapore is the Future World: Where Art Meets Science exhibit at the ArtScience Museum. It’s fun and mesmerizing!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

To go only to Future World, you will pay $19SGD, but to get access to all three exhibits was only $11SGD more which I think is worth it for the art lover.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Maxwell Hawker Centre

1 Kadayanallur Street

There are tons of “Hawker Centres” in Singapore, which is a MUST DO! It’s basically a giant cafeteria with individual stalls where inexpensive food is prepared. I loved watching the locals make their signature cuisines and imagine their stories. The Hokkien Prawn Mee I watched be made was like an art form! I chose this particular hawker center because of the great location & reviews.

Some foods to try:

• Singapore Chili Crab
• Hainanese chicken & rice
• Laksa
• Hokkien Prawn Mee (my fave!!)
• “Carrot” Cake
• Sugarcane Juice
• Also, I found this very fantastic blog post on 30 foods to try here.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Drinks at Marina Bay Sands Ce La Vie

10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956

You can head up to the tippy top of the infamous Marina Bay Sands hotel to feel like a Crazy, Rich, Asian ! If you go up for a drink, it’s $20 SGD for entry, but you can use the voucher towards the price of a drink which ranges from $26SGD and up. It was very crowded when I went about 20 minutes before sunrise, so try to get there as early as you can!

• 

• 

• 

Day Two

Relax by the Pool

I had some grad school homework due while I was in town so I spent an early hour chilling at the pool at our alluring resort. I wrote a whole blog post on the gorgeous Park Royal on Pickering which you can read here.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Little India

I was so inspired by Little India! It was lovely to walk around and grab some delicious food. Make sure you head to Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, which has free entry, just make sure to dress respectfully.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Masjid Sultan

3 Muscat St, Singapore 198833

Unfortunately, we were here on a Friday and it was closed, but its a beautiful Mosque. Wish I could say more!

• 

• 

Arab Street

It’s within walking distance of the mosque. One word: FOOD! If you didn’t eat in Little India, you must eat here! There were so many options for food and souvenir shopping. I really loved this vibrant area.

Haji Lane

Right next to Arab Street! Cool bars. Cool art. Cool cafes. Cool vibes. It’s great during the day, but it truly came alive in the night! I LOVED HAJI LANE.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Bugis

3 New Bugis Street, Singapore 188867

It’s a souvenir mall type market that was famous in the 1950s for its gathering of lady boys. If there was one thing I would had skipped…I could’ve done without it! Definitely overrated for what I read online but great if you’re looking for a keychain or an I <3 Singapore on your way back to the airport.

• 

• 

• 

• 

1 Altitude

1 Raffles Place Singapore 048616 +65 6438 0410

I would suggest watching the light show at Gardens by the Bay at night or the laser show on the water, but afterwards, you can go to 1 Altitude which had gorgeous views of Marina Bay Sands and the surrounding buildings! A fantastic perspective and a lot less crowded/affordable than Ce La Vie. We got the recommendation from a super helpful cab driver.

• 

• 

• 

Clarke Quay

This area is a huge, air conditioned outdoor mall/restaurant/club depot. It’s open very late so it’s fun for an evening out with your friends! Sorry if the photos are…um…blurry… except your night to be there too!

• 

• 

Day Three

Breakfast

Kaya Toast & soft boiled egg is a traditional Singapore breakfast made of toast, butter and kaya which is a jam made from eggs, sugar, coconut milk and pandan leaves. It was yummy and unique! Definitely give it a try while you’re in town.

Chinatown

There was a lot under construction when I visited. But for me, Chinatown was a must because it incorporated the vibrant Singaporean architecture with its Chinese roots. I loved my quick visit there!!

• 

• 

• 

OFF TO THE AIRPORT I GO!

What I would have done if I had time for it:

• Orchard Street for shopping/Christmas lights, but I was there on Black Friday and I avoided it because of that!
• The infamous Merlion statue and light show. I hear this was a must do..and now writing this, I do regret not watching along the water!
• Botanical Gardens-I hear they’re gorgeous and worth spending a morning with the plants
• Singapore Zoo Night Safari- I hear only good things about this award winning experience.
• The night Gardens by the Bay show–The Gardens by the Bay is quite a trek so I was quite tired to walk all that way in my night clothes aka boujee heels and what not. I wish we had one more night in Singapore to experience the night events!

Thanks for reading & I hope it was helpful! If you need anything, feel free to reach out or comment. Happy Traveling!