The best unique and fun date ideas in Singapore

Bouldering and rock climbing have taken off in Singapore. Even if you've never tried the sport before, it makes for a great date – you can problem solve routes up the wall, shout support to each other, and chat idly while resting between sets. It's a sneakily good way to test how well you work together. If bouldering is a little too daunting for you, you might feel more secure on a lead climbing wall (the walls are higher but you'll be strapped into a harness). This one requires trust in your belayer – and we know that's the foundation of any good relationship. 

In place of a beachy getaway with your boo, why not pick up surfing together – right here in Singapore? Trifecta, located in the heart of Somerset, is Singapore's first surf-snow-skate facility. Here, they run surfing classes at a deep water wave pool, the perfect ground to safely pick up skills or practice endless tricks before that surfing camp in Bali. If winter holidays are more your thing, then head over to the snow arena to learn skiing or snowboarding. Classes take place on a conveyor belt that can tilt and shift to mimic real mountain terrain. By the time you both make it to the slopes, you'll be able to spend less time in lessons and more time actually enjoying the sport. 

Show your date how fast you're willing to move – you know, if taking things slow ain't your thing. Located at The Palawan @ Sentosa, Hyperdrive serves up three stories of racing fun with virtual gaming elements. The track has 308-metres of speedy straights and 14 thrilling turns, plenty for you to zoom around during the 8-minute play session. To keep things interesting, HyperDrive incoporates Mario Kart-like features – collect bombs and missiles to throw your date off their game and gain turbo boosts to set yourself ahead. What's a relationship without some friendly competition, right?

With some darts, we mean. Take your boo to Oche Riverside Point, a swanky darts bar at Clarke Quay that stands out for using real darts and dark boards, combining the classic game with the latest tech. Play digital games ranging from skill-based challenges such as classic 501s to a high-adrenaline "last player standing" type. An automatic score tracker will keep tabs on who's ahead, so you can just focus on the (friendly) competition. Oche also has sharing plates and pizzas, a weekend bottomless brunch, and a heady cocktail lineup to round out the date. 

At Black Crow Taxidermy & Art, you can create beautiful works of art with preserved butterfly specimens – including butterfly domes and frames. Under the guidance of owner Vivian Tham, you can also do an animal dissection class, involving the dissection and skinning of a frog. She will teach you all about its anatomy and biology – a fun and educational date that's not for the faint of heart! And in case you were wondering, all the animals that are preserved at Black Crow Taxidermy & Art have been ethically sourced.  

Have you and your partner been capturing memories on film? Take your hobby a step further with a film developing workshop ($40) at Hands On Film. At this independent studio and film lab, learn how to load film into a developing reel, go through the chemical process of film development, all the way through to scanning your photographs. While you're at the cosy studio, chat with the founders about all things film, and browse their modest collection of cameras and film stocks. 

If sewing or knitting is a little too...delicate for you – then try tufting instead. At Tuft Club, workshop participants are armed with a heavy tufting gun, which is used to thread yarn into thick canvas to create fluffy works of art. Whether you want a rug that looks like your beloved pet or a wedding ring (you know, for the most unique proposal ever), the folks at Tuft Club will guide you towards achieving a wonderful rug worth displaying in your home. 

For the adrenaline-loving couple, amp it all the way up at Singapore's first and only all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail riding facility. Mud Krank is located at Gallop Kranji Farm Resort, and opened last year to kids aged 4 to 12 years old. And now? Adults can join in the fun too. Young or old, first-timer or no, hop on an ATV and get the best outdoor, off-road experience you can in Singapore. Mud Krank offers customised trails around its farm in Kranji, promising a thrilling – and most likely, muddy – good time. Riders will be allowed a sedate practice run around the farm before going all out on the trails. This is an all-weather event too, so do show up even if it rains (we bet it's even more fun then). Ready to crank it up? Find out more at mudkrank.com.

Board sports are all the rage now, and there's no better way to pick it up than in the company of a friend or loved one. Local adventure sports company offers fundamentals classes where you can learn the basics of skateboarding, longboarding and surfskating – things like standing on the board, kicking off, generating speed and making turns. And if you're keen to progress further, you can purchase (or rent) a board of your own to pick up advanced skills in surfskating – which will have you 'surfing' the roads of Singapore in no time. It's super fun, a great workout, with an open and friendly community around it to boot!

Create your own scent with Maison 21G’s Perfume Creation Workshop, where you can design a personalised fragrance that sets you apart from the rest. It’s your very own bespoke perfume, crafted from sustainable, natural ingredients. You’ll be guided by scent designers every step of the way, as you capture your own preferred scents in a bottle. For a romance-filled experience, join the Love Perfume Workshop where you’ll get to create three personalised perfumes with your loved one. 

Escape from the bustling streets of the city with a loved one at The Sundowner. Perched at the top of a conserved shophouse in Siglap, this rooftop retreat runs a variety of workshops and private experiences to get your zen on. Want to get in touch with nature? Sign up for a rooftop farm experience and learn about anything from organic farming to the secret life of ants and bees. Foodie couples will want to try out its various F&B experiences, including cocktail mixing, honey pairing, pizza making and coffee roasting. If you just want a romantic night under the stars, then good news – The Sundowner's rooftop lounge can be booked out for a private movie night for two to 10 people. Choose the movie you wish to watch, bring some chips and get comfortable. Your ticket allows you to get drinks from the bar and access to the BBQ pit with all the necessary dining utensils. Learn more about The Sundowner here.

Maybe getting matching tatts is too much too soon for your relationship, but there's no harm picking up the art together. Tucked away in eclectic Pearl's Hill Terrace, State of Shiok offers pseudo tattoo classes and art jamming sessions for a unique date together. For $68 per person, you get three hours with some 'fake skin' to practise tattooing on – stellar music and good vibes included. Out of ideas? The studio provides visual guides so you and your boo can bring home a decent tattoo. 

Indulge in some crystal shopping together at Harmony Gem Crystals. At this store, you'll find a wide range of crystals of all shapes and colours. Everything is helpfully arranged according to colour, going from yellows and reds to blues and greens. But if you're still feeling overwhelmed or have something specific that you're looking for, then the friendly staff are always ready to help. Pick up rose quartz for unconditional love or green aventurine to turn up the romance – or hey, some amethyst to put yourself first. 

Couples that art jam together, stay together. The problem happens when neither of you have an artistic bone in your body, but that's not a problem at Motion Art Space. Here, physics does the work – using pendulum swings, spinning tables, paint and canvas, you'll be creating inspired abstract pieces in no time. Housed in a second-floor shophouse on Arab Street, Motion Art Space also creates a fun and laidback environment for your date, thanks to soft disco light and danceable tunes. Couples can sign up for a special package ($129) that will give you access to premium pearly paints alongside a standard canvas, four basic paint tools, and all the tools available at the studio. Book your slot at Motion Art Space: motionartspace.simplybook.asia.

You've watched Netflix's Indian Matchmaking where Aparna goes on an axe-throwing date. Now's your turn to pull a mini axe, send it whirling down the lane, and hope it hits a bullseye with a satisfying ‘thunk’. You score points based on where you bury the axe on the target board, and the bullseye is the moneymaker. This raging new sport not only makes great target practice (which may come in handy if there’s ever a zombie apocalypse) but it’s also a great way to blow off some steam and have some unconventional fun with your date.

If you've checked off every possible activity on your date list, shake things up by getting down and dirty with clay à la the iconic 90s classic Ghost. Tucked in the quiet corner of Woodlands, Arudio Studios offers short courses and trial pottery workshops for couples. Let your creative juices flow and put your nimble fingers to the test with the ceramic hand-building course ($120/couple) where you learn the basics of pinching, coiling, slab-making to create an array of cups, plates, and vases you can spruce up your home with.

Make your roller disco dreams come true at HiRoller Indoor Skating Rink. Here, you can put on a pair of skates, grab your partner's hand, and whisk off onto the floor accompanied by groovy music and disco lights. Don't worry about falling flat on your face – there are inline skating athletes and certified instructors to guide you through your first glide. A two-hour session starts from $17, and a full-day session starts from $40. If you intend to make date nights at the rink something regular, then sigh up for the monthly membership (starting from $80). For more information, visit hirollersingapore.com. 

Quality restaurants are dime a dozen, but it’s entirely different over at immersive dining restaurant AndSoForth. This whimsical company is best known for its immersive theatrical dining experience at a secret venue where you feast on stories over the course of a meal (or two). For couples looking for a memorable date, there's never a dull moment here – especially with their novel approach to how food should be experienced.

If renting a whole yacht for a romantic evening is way too extravagant for you, settle for a floating donut instead. Plus, it comes with dinner and views as well. Book your table on the water with the Floating Donut Company where packages start from $29 per person. Cruise around the Marina Bay area on a floating donut while you sip on cold beer and tuck into fresh seafood. And if you're worried about the sun, there are even UV sun shades to protect you from the hot, hot, heat. 

Draw your date like one of your French girls. Impress your partner on a painting date as you unleash your inner Picasso – never mind if the best you've ever drawn is a measly stick figure. Create your own masterpiece at Liberty Art Jam by Artify Studio, the city's first art studio to run The Honour System, where you either honour the giving guide of $35 or you go for a pay-what-you-wish option. Think of it as painting for a good cause too – payments are made post-painting, with proceeds going to charity.

One for the adventurous sort, strap on your outdoor gear and escape the urban gridlock for Singapore's nature trails. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve – with mangrove swamps, ponds, and secondary forest – is home to 140 species of birds, making it a prime spot for seeking wildlife. Take a spot with your boo at the observation hides or rent binoculars to bird-watch. But keep a lookout for warning signs about the estuarine crocodiles – they’re known to be around the area albeit uncommon.

Do you and your partner have a furkid to pamper? Go on a puppy date to Jurong Play Grounds, a large recreational park that includes a nursery garden, padel tennis courts, an outdoor heated pool – and yes, a dog water park. Let your puppy splash around and play catch in dedicated pools at Wag and Wild, but if they're not a fan of water, bring them for a ramble at the public dog run. Pet-friendly Al Capone's is nearby if you need a refuel, and it even has a special pet menu to keep your furkid satiated.  

Take both hearts of steel to this treetop course at Bedok Reservoir Park. Overcome the Grand Course ($50/person) together where there are 44 wobbly crossings and three breath-taking zip lines across the water. Safety first, prepare to be strapped on with a harness and briefed on using your equipment and how to move on the course. But don't worry, once you're on the course, you're free to swing like Tarzan and Jane – we'll let you decide on that roleplay.

Hiking can be romantic too, especially if you have the rustic and charming island of Coney Island to yourself early in the morning. You don't even need a ferry to get to the island, just a pair of good walking shoes will do. There are well-made trails to stick to on the island but you can also choose the rockier coastal trail that leads to hidden beaches. If heading east to Coney Island is too much of a hassle for you, check out other secret beaches scattered across the island. 

Dubbed as "Singapore’s Coldest Shooting Arena" by the Singapore Book of Records, Snow City's new space gives your paintball session a wintery spin, so prepare to run, duck, and slide on snow. Key features include Target Shooting where you beat the clock by knocking down all 12 paintball markers in the shortest time. For some friendly, icy shoot-out, invite three more couples to join the Close Quarter Battle – call it a quadruple date. If your shooting skills are a bit rusty, there's a dedicated team of pros from United Shooters to guide you through the experience.

What makes this different from booking a table at a restaurant? Get this: having a meal in total darkness without knowing what’s going into your mouth. But once you give in to the experience of dining in the dark, dinner at NOX proves to be a fun and enlightening rollercoaster ride. At this reservations-only, two-storey shophouse restaurant, you'll be guided with hands firmly on the shoulders of your polite, blind or visually-impaired waiter (specially hired and trained by the restaurant) to make your way slowly up into the 60-seat upstairs dining room. Great for messy eaters and big talkers – you're pretty much covered in the dark.

Because walking is so passé, why not wheel into happiness with your beau? Feel the rush of adrenaline and heartfelt emotions when you jet off on a segway, while savouring the beautiful cityscape of Singapore. Via segwaytours.com.sg, you can select segway tours from in the vicinities of Downtown East, Marina Bay or Sentosa, where you and your other half will rediscover Singapore on these two-wheeled speedsters, led by a guide. Isn’t that better than having sedentary dinner and movie date?

Before things get way too serious, head down to the Fragment Room for a smashing good time. The Fragment Room makes the perfect rage room for you and your partner to release any suppressed frustrations through smashing plates, glasses, electronic appliances and more. Instant gratification is guaranteed, and in a sense, it signifies you’re breaking all your issues and moving on together with a clean start.

Gaze out into the constellation as you and your special someone lounge on a comfy bed in a big bell tent – decorated by helium-filled metallic balloons and lit by dreamy fairy lights, no less. And you don’t even need to lift a finger – let the romantic minds behind Glamping Society set up the premium romantic package ($499) by the sea and keep you both well fed with delights like cheese, grapes, pizzas and chilled sparkling juice.

Now, you can officially say that you've walked through hell with your date at Haw Par Villa. If your partner loves all things kooky, a trip and stroll through the theme park of horrors would be a good bonding activity. Multicoloured statues and tableaux – some looking rather neglected– depict scenes from Chinese history and mythology. The highlight is the Ten Courts of Hell (responsible for childhood nightmares for generations of Singaporeans) where small-scale tableaux show human sinners being punished in a variety of hideous and bloodthirsty ways – in extremely gory and graphic detail. A good conversation starter, that's for sure. 

If both of you share a similar affinity for the supernatural, paranormal, and everything in between, it’s now time to seal the deal of this match made in heaven. While a horror movie date sounds nice, we say think bigger. We're talking about embarking on a spooky trail around some of the rumoured haunted spots in Singapore. From Old Changi Hospital to Bukit Brown Cemetery, these places have been sought after in hopes of achieving a supernatural sighting. Furthermore, independent entities such as Journeys hold guided tours so that you do not go walking aimlessly with a chance of never returning. And what better is a reason to hold on to each other for dear life during one of these scare treks?

Nothing like putting on your thinking cap as you try to escape rooms filled with puzzles and vexing scenarios. Test your compatibility and teamwork as both of you put your brains together to work your way through the challenges. It's a test of sorts if you ask us.

There isn’t a moment of stillness at Bounce Singapore, where you can jump off walls and fly through the air. This addition to the trampoline scene has three areas designed for different interests and various levels of difficulty, so you and your partner can outjump each other in absolute euphoria. Awkward silence – what's that?

There's just something about watching the sun set in golden-orange glory with your partner. The wave-shaped 36-metre pedestrian bridge connecting Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park, makes a good spot for a stroll under the stars.