Eat, shop and play in our fine country with this comprehensive three-day itinerary
Three days might seem short and rushed to fully explore and experience an entire city. If you’re afraid you’ll miss out on certain spots in your bucket list, worry not. With our thoughtfully planned itinerary, you can be sure that you’ll be making the most out of your trip by seeing all the sights you have to see on this sunny island we call home.
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Start your day with breakfast at the recently renovated Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre. The hawker centre, situated on the second floor, is filled with stalls selling popular local dishes, like chwee kueh, chicken rice and fried kway teow, at affordable prices. For a classic Singapore-style breakfast, order the chwee kueh – oily rice cakes accompanied with fried chye poh (Chinese dried radish).
Make your way to the Civic District to visit some museums, namely the National Museum of Singapore and National Gallery Singapore. They’ve got different programmes and exhibitions running all the time, so keep a lookout when you plan your visit. Go see nearby cultural gems, too, like the St Andrews Cathedral – the first Anglican church in Singapore – and former convent school turned lifestyle spot, Chijmes. You can also grab lunch at one of the many restaurants and cafes there, like Harry’s or Privé.
Explore Gardens by the Bay as you stroll through one of the three waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. If the heat is getting to you, step into one of the cooled conservatories – the Flower Dome or Cloud Forest – and be awed by the diverse species of vegetation and floral gems. While you're there, drop by Floral Fantasy to check out the four diverse gardens.
Drop by The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands for dinner. You'd be treated to an array of dining options, from restaurants owned by world-renowned chefs like Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen and Daniel Boulud’s DB Bistro and Oyster Bar to casual, laid-back restaurants like Black Tap. You can also find all sorts of luxury retail brands for you to shop, from Alexander McQueen and Chanel to homegrown fashion brand Charles & Keith. Go on a relaxing sampan ride along the mall’s canal after all that shopping and dinner.
If you wish to spend your night out in the Marina Bay Sands area, head over to Marquee. This is the newest club to hit Singapore, and is also the biggest, featuring a Ferris wheel and two slides on top of levels of dance areas for partygoers. Or pop over to rooftop bar Ce La Vi for drinks and unobstructed panoramic views of Singapore’s skyline.
Wake up early and take the monorail from HarbourFront to Singapore’s state of fun, Sentosa. Fuel up on breakfast at Slappy Cakes, where you can make your own pancakes, before heading off into Universal Studios Singapore for the rest of the day to go on adrenaline-pumping rides like the Battlestar Galactica. Sentosa has many other activities to offer if theme parks aren’t your cup of tea, like the Skyline Luge & Skyride, Madame Tussauds Singapore, Adventure Cove Waterpark, and S.E.A Aquarium.
What better way to end off the adrenaline-filled day than with delicious local delights at Newton Food Centre. It’s got a myriad of food options available, from chilli crab and sambal stingray to fried Hokkien prawn mee and satay. Wash it down with local specialties like sugarcane and coconut juice. To wrap up your meal, order some local desserts, like iced kachang (shaved iced with beans, jelly and corn) and cheng tng (a clear sweet soup consisting gingko nuts, dried longans, red dates, white fungus, dried persimmon and candied winter melons).
If you’ve still got energy left in you, take the train or cab down to Clarke Quay. Party at popular nightclubs like Zouk or Canvas, do shots with friends at Singapore’s only specialised shooters bar Chupitos or play at one of the arcade bars like Level Up and Nineteen80. If you’re looking for something family-friendly, head to the world’s first nocturnal zoo, Night Safari, for an after-dark adventure with the kids.
Start off your final day at one of Singapore’s most well-known quirkiest streets – Haji Lane. Situated in Kampong Glam, one of Singapore’s ethnic neighbourhoods, this narrow alley is filled with quirky and independent shops – perfect for a spot of shopping. Feeling peckish? There are cafes and restaurants in the vicinity, like Brine, Konditori and Arabica, to satisfy your hunger. Lastly, while in Kampong Glam, learn more about the Malay history, culture and religion and catch some art at the Gelam Gallery.
Next, hop on the train to Little India, and then Chinatown. Spend a couple of hours to discover more about the Indian and Chinese groups, like their history, culture and religion, at their respective ethnic neighbourhoods.
After spending the morning at the three ethnic neighbourhoods, go to Singapore’s major shopping district – Orchard Road. Malls here include ION Orchard, Paragon, 313@Somerset, Ngee Ann City, Plaza Singapura and Orchard Central. You can find anything here, from apparel and beauty products to tech and furniture. You’ll also find a mix of high-end international and local brands, so get ready to shop till you drop.
End your three-day trip at the newly opened Jewel Changi Airport. Feast on burgers at Shake Shack or A&W for dinner, then walk it off at the forest valley as you admire the largest indoor waterfall. Watch a movie at the Shaw Theatres in IMAX or go shopping (if you haven’t had enough retail therapy) at one of its many stores.
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