Singapore
A garden city where hawker heritage, four cultures and futuristic skyline live side by side.
A sample 3-day Singapore route
Bay icons, Chinatown heritage, then the cultural quarters — Little India and Kampong Glam — finishing on Orchard Road.
- Day 1Marina Bay icons & the light showsMarina Bay · Civic District
- Day 2Chinatown heritage, hawker food & the riverChinatown · Clarke Quay
- Day 3Little India, Kampong Glam & OrchardLittle India · Kampong Glam · Orchard
This is one of several routes in the guide — change the length, budget and dates yourself in the workspace.
Where to eat in Singapore
MICHELIN & Bib picks show the year awarded — selections are revised yearly, so confirm current status before you go. Every name links to a Google Maps search.
- Hainanese chicken rice Bib Gourmand
Poached chicken with fragrant rice, chilli, ginger and dark soy — the national dish
- Bak chor mee (minced-pork noodles) ★ MICHELIN
Springy noodles tossed in vinegar-chilli with minced pork, liver, meatballs and pork-lard crisps
- Sliced fish soup Bib Gourmand
Clear or milky fish broth with sliced/fried fish, tomato and rice or noodles — a lighter hawker classic
- Singapore fried Hokkien mee Bib Gourmand
Yellow and rice noodles braised in a rich prawn-and-pork stock with prawns, squid and a squeeze of lime and sambal
Glossy soya-sauce chicken with rice or noodles — once billed as the world's cheapest Michelin meal
- Michelin-starred fine dining ★ MICHELIN
A multi-course tasting menu at one of Singapore's celebrated starred restaurants
When to go to Singapore
Singapore sits on the equator — it's hot and humid all year (roughly 26–33°C) with rain possible any day. There are no real 'seasons', only monsoon variation. Check a forecast close to your dates.
Wetter (NE monsoon) Nov, Dec, Jan
Warm and humid, 24–31°C, with the year's heaviest rain — frequent afternoon downpours and the occasional all-day wet spell.
Keep indoor backups ready (museums, malls, Jewel, the domes); plan outdoor sights for the morning before the rain builds.
Look out for: Christmas lights on Orchard Road, Festive Gardens by the Bay
Hot & relatively drier Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul
Hot and humid, 26–33°C, with shorter, sharper afternoon storms.
Front-load outdoor sights; retreat to museums, Jewel, the Gardens domes or malls in the midday heat.
Look out for: Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb), Hari Raya bazaars, Great Singapore Sale (mid-year)
Possible haze window Aug, Sep, Oct
Hot and humid, 26–33°C; in some years regional haze reduces air quality for spells.
If haze is bad, favour indoor sights (museums, Jewel, malls, the Gardens domes) and check the NEA haze/PSI readings.
Look out for: National Day (9 Aug), F1 Singapore Grand Prix (Sep)
What Singapore costs
Per person, per day, excluding flights. A rough guide only — your costs depend on season, area and pace.
Budget
- Accommodation: Hostel, capsule or budget hotel near an MRT (S$35–110).
- Meals: Hawker centres all the way — chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow, Bib Gourmand stalls (S$4–10/meal).
- Transport: MRT + buses (tap your bank card); walk the heritage quarters.
- Attractions: Free icons — Gardens by the Bay outdoor, Merlion, the light shows, Botanic Gardens, the Southern Ridges, Jewel.
- Evening: The free Spectra and Garden Rhapsody light shows, a Marina Bay walk, a hawker dinner.
Mid-range
- Accommodation: 3–4 star or boutique shophouse hotel near an MRT (S$150–320).
- Meals: Hawker classics plus a Peranakan or seafood sit-down (S$10–40/meal).
- Transport: MRT plus Grab for comfort and the zoo.
- Attractions: Add Gardens by the Bay domes, the ArtScience Museum, the Singapore Zoo or Sentosa.
- Evening: A river bumboat cruise, a chilli-crab dinner, or a rooftop drink.
Comfortable
- Accommodation: 5-star hotel, Marina Bay Sands or a Sentosa resort (S$380–1,000+).
- Meals: A Michelin-starred tasting menu or a premium seafood night, plus great cafés (S$60–400+/head).
- Transport: Grab everywhere; private transfers.
- Attractions: Add Universal Studios with Express, a SkyPark sunset, a spa, the Night Safari.
- Evening: A starred dinner, then a skyline rooftop bar.
Where to stay in Singapore
Singapore is small and the MRT is excellent, so almost any central area works. Marina Bay/City Hall puts the icons and museums on your doorstep; Chinatown/Tanjong Pagar and Bugis/Kampong Glam give heritage character and value; Orchard is shopping-central; Sentosa suits a family resort base. Accommodation is the biggest cost here — book ahead.
Marina Bay / City Hall
The icons, light shows and museums; first-timers
Chinatown / Tanjong Pagar
Heritage shophouses, hawker food and value; great MRT links
Bugis / Kampong Glam
Hip, central and walkable to Arab Street and Little India
Orchard Road
Shopping and malls
Sentosa
A resort base for families (Universal Studios, beaches)
By budget
- Budget — S$35–110 · Hostels & capsule pods, Budget boutique hotels
- Mid-range — S$150–320 · 3–4 star hotels, Boutique shophouse hotels
- Comfortable — S$380–1,000+ · 5-star hotels, Marina Bay Sands, Sentosa resorts
- Accommodation is pricey here — booking early and staying near an MRT station saves the most.
- A central heritage-area hotel (Chinatown, Kampong Glam) gives character and great food on foot.
- Marina Bay Sands is the splurge-icon stay; Sentosa suits families doing the theme parks.
Rates and availability change constantly — confirm with the hotel or a booking site before paying.
Common Singapore mistakes to avoid
- Seeing only Marina Bay — the heritage enclaves and hawker centres are the real Singapore.
- Underestimating the heat and humidity — pace yourself and use the air-conditioned MRT and malls.
- Eating only in malls — the best, cheapest food is at hawker centres.
- Bringing chewing gum in quantity, or vaping (both are restricted/illegal).
- Not booking Universal Studios / popular attractions ahead at peak times.
Good to know
Where to stay
Marina Bay / City Hall, Chinatown / Tanjong Pagar, Bugis / Kampong Glam, Orchard Road.
How long to go
3–5 days suits most visitors. Shorter and longer routes are built in, so you are never padding a trip to fill days.
Singapore travel guides
In-depth, free reads with real routes, Maps links, budgets and the mistakes to skip:
- Singapore for First-Time Visitors: A Practical 3-Day Plan
The icons, the hawker food and the four cultural quarters in three well-paced days — with where to stay, what to budget, and the first-timer mistakes worth skipping.
Plan a nearby trip
Easy to pair with Singapore on the same trip — tap through to a full guide.
Plan Singapore your way
Start free, or unlock the full interactive guide with maps, food, day-by-day routes and a 1-click PDF.