Ultimate Singapore

OVERALL ATMOSPHERE:

I spent a week in Singapore and loved every extravagant second of it. The modern, clean, green, and wonderous city quickly captured my heart. I honestly cannot think of a single negative moment of my 7 day stay in Singapore. 7 days was more than enough time to thoroughly enjoy the most popular attractions in the city, and still have plenty of downtime to explore aimlessly. As a single female traveler, Singapore felt safe and welcoming, and was very English language friendly. Singapore can be expensive, but I was on a tight budget and still found many ways to enjoy the city and all it had to offer.

Quick points to know before traveling to Singapore:

• • Singapore is expensive. Yes, I managed fine on a tight budget, but I had to turn down a few things due to my budget. If I were to visit again, I'd really save up so I could enjoy all the luxury of the city. 
  • Singapore is hot and humid. Dress accordingly, bring water, and wear sunscreen.

ARRIVAL CHECKLIST:

• I rented this StarHub 4G SIM card, with pickup from Changi Airport. I had no issues getting connection all throughout the city.
• I exchanged cash from Yen to Singapore Dollar at Kansai Airport before I left on my trip. I was also to use Apple Pay most places in Singapore. Make sure to have extra money on hand, Singapore can get expensive and I easily got carried away.

LODGING:

I stayed at this hostel/capsule hotel for around ~$20 (USD) per night, meaning my whole stay of 6 nights came in at around ~$120. Of course there are a ton of stunning luxury hotels in Singapore, and if I had a bigger budget I would’ve loved that option, but $120 was perfect for me as a budget traveler. The hostel was in a great location, just a few MRT stops away from a main hub. I felt safe and clean in my capsule.

TRANSPORTATION:

Singapore is ridiculously easy to travel around. The train system (MRT) is simple to understand and efficient, and will take you pretty much anywhere you would want to go in the city. I bought an EZ-link metro card at the first major station I reached (the airport), which allowed me to travel the entire city just by tapping a card in and out of the station. Google maps is, as always, my best friend. I never got lost in the city, and even if I did, Singapore felt very safe to me. Many nights I took the MRT down to Bayfront and just walked around, taking in the sights of the evening.

FOOD:

Singapore had an exciting mix of modern and traditional food. Depending on your budget you can enjoy delicious street food or high-end dining. These are just a few places on my bucket list, but in general, I was never concerned about finding good places to eat. Lots of great Vegetarian and Vegan options around the city as well. I was on a strict budget so I mainly stuck to street food/Hawker centers but was very content with those choices.

• Hua Yu Wee
• 126 Dim Sum Wen Dao Shi
• Swee Choon Tim Sum
•  Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (As seen on- Anthony Bourdain)
• Keng Eng Kee Seafood (As seen on Netflix- Street Food)
• Haig Road Putu Piring (As seen on Netflix- Street Food)

PLACES TO VISIT: 

Visit my Google Map to see these saved places. These were my must-visits, but there’s plenty more to see based on your interests. I recommend seeing Gardens by the Bay both in the daytime and at night. There are also beautiful light shows at the Supertree Grove every night from 7-10pm. Universal Studios Singapore was great (I went at the beginning of COVID, so the park was basically empty). The park was smaller than the others (I’ve been to all the parks- Osaka, Orlando, LA) but the low price made it completely worth the visit. Take the Sentosa cable car for round trip transportation to Sentosa island. The Asian Civilizations Museum was easily one of the coolest Museums I’ve ever been to, and I wish I had budgeted more time for it. The Changi Airport itself is worth half a day to visit. The best low-cost shopping I did was in Chinatown, where I got lots of gifts to bring back home. Cloud Forest was the most insane greenhouse and is 100% one of the highlights of my trip.

• Gardens by the Bay
  • Flower Dome
  • Cloud Forest
  • OCBC Skyway/Supertree Grove
• Merlion
• Marina Bay Sands
• The National Museum of Singapore
• Asian Civilizations Museum
• Universal Studios Singapore
• Sentosa Island
  • Sentosa cable car
• Changi Airport
• Chinatown
  • Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
• Helix Bridge

EXPLORING THE CITY:

Singapore was a city I was happy to wander aimlessly in. So many beautiful parks, rivers, skyscrapers, and cultural centers.

MY DAY BY DAY ITINERARY:

Feb 15 (Sat)

• Spend the morning exploring Changi Airport
• Check in to hotel after 2:00 PM
• Marina Bay Sands night view & light show

Feb 16 (Sun)

• Gardens by the Bay
• Flower Dome
• Cloud Forest

Feb 17 (Mon)

• Universal Studios Singapore
• Sentosa Island
• Sentosa cable car
• Palawan Beach
• Hard Rock Cafe Singapore

Feb 18 (Tue)

• Took a day trip to Indonesia. Wouldn't recommend this particular trip, wish I would’ve just saved it for a more thorough Indo itinerary.
• Batam Island, Indo, day tour

Feb 19 (Wed)

• The National Museum of Singapore
• Chinatown
• Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
• Merlion for sunset
• Marina Bay Sands

Feb 20 (Thu)

• Asian Civilizations Museum
• Explore

Feb 21 (Fri)

• Return to airport