The 10 best things to do in Singapore
The word is finally out, Singapore is now a destination in its own right – it’s no longer just a stopover. Singapore has grand designs on being the green champion of the world according to The Singapore Green Plan 2030 and has a Singapore-style focused efficiency on all such matters. The ‘Garden City’ has its moniker for a reason: there are flourishing parks and gardens, a wealth of rainforest and nature trails and gorgeous green is woven into the landscape at every given opportunity. On arrival, there’s a taste of what’s to come at Changi Jewel, followed by a coastal drive under swaying palms to the city’s tree-lined heart. The green vision is becoming a reality.
But natural (or well-designed) assets and green credentials aside, Singapore has a lot going on for such a small yet mighty city-state. The balmy, tropical island has an innovative and futuristic outlook yet preserves and celebrates its heritage well – in a microcosm, you can see fresh-faced executives rub shoulders with aunties or uncles at the hawker or kopitiam. Singapore is an epicurean playground with an explosive food scene covering all price points and it offers a rich, cultural journey for the traveller with its incredible all-singing attractions, botanical outdoor spaces, historical museums and sights, modern galleries and art installations, and polished private island resorts – but, only true insiders know where to experience the best of it. Take note: the city that was once labelled ‘dull’ is literally blooming.
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Explore the green city
Singapore is sticking to its commitment as the ‘Garden City’. Almost 50 per cent of the city is green space – no easy feat given it’s also one of the most densely populated places in the world. One of the best things to do in Singapore is to grab your trainers and explore. Walking through Singapore’s CBD with its skyscrapers, Marina Bay Sands and past Moshe Safdie’s (famed architect of MBS and Jewel Changi) lotus-inspired “Welcoming hand of Singapore” might be a bit sci-fi, but look around and you’ll always see pockets of green. Always forging the way in the sustainability stakes, Singapore has big ambitions to become the world’s most sustainable urban destination with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 – the nation’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions for the country.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is probably the most beloved garden in the city (it’s free) and the first and only tropical botanic garden on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Though it’s rooted at the city’s core, it’s an urban jungle of over 200 acres with vast swathes of green and towering trees at Palm Valley, the Ginger Garden and its outdoor restaurant The Halia (the Malay word for ginger) and the iconic bandstand and gazebo overlooking The Swan Lake. The National Orchid Garden has over 1000 species and 2000 hybrids on display: afterwards, go back to school at The Learning Forest. Locals linger for a picnic by the Symphony Stage, which floats dreamily on a water lily-filled lake.
In the botany-brimmed city, must-visit parks, gardens and trails include Fort Canning Park, The Green (or Rail) Corridor, the Coast-to-Coast Trail, MacRitchie Reservoir, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and Mount Faber Park, not forgetting the masterful human engineering of the ‘supertrees’ and elevated walkways at Gardens by the Bay. It doesn’t matter which district you are staying in, there’ll be green space at hand – Singapore has 400 parks and four nature reserves to choose from.
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Check into the Raffles Hotel
The historic Raffles Hotel is the most famous hotel in Singapore. Before the pandemic in 2019, Raffles was refreshed with a 150m makeover. The Emir of Qatar bought Raffles for £226m back in 2011. Alexandra Champalimaud helmed an interior transformation and brought the legendary luxury hotel firmly into the future while restoring the hotel’s historic legacy.
The Long Bar can be packed with tourists, and a stay at the recently redesigned landmark hotel is not cheap – but is most definitely memorable. The hotel’s sophisticated suites all come with personal butlers. Once inside, there’s dark wooden flooring and muted-white walls, ornate Asian antiques and tiles, and a glassy rooftop pool and swish spa. The design captures the old and new: new tech is embraced yet the signature Raffles hospitality remains steadfast.
There are lots of other choices it comes to booking a hotel, of course. Many have world-class features, and service standards remain best-in-class; Singapore is a place where efficiency rules. The Fullerton Hotel has an iconic status with its old-world Colonial glamour – the grand neoclassical building housed the General Post Office and dates back to 1928. Book a suite with a bay or river view.
Near Orchard Road, make reservations at St. Regis for luxury writ large. The hotel houses £5 million of art and has super-swanky interiors and dining options (four restaurants, no less) - no detail has been spared. Step outside the door and you’re moments from the wonders of Singapore’s shopping hubs such as ION Orchard and Takashimaya.
For a boutique stay, try The Warehouse Hotel, a design dream in a former spice warehouse or Sofitel So with its designer French touches on the cusp of Chinatown.
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Book tickets at one of Singapore’s cultural spots
With more investment in the arts, Singapore’s cultural scene is hopping. There are plenty of outdoor music and theatre venues too, book tickets to a play or concert at Fort Canning Park, Singapore’s Botanic Gardens or the Esplanade - the latter has a bursting calendar of international cultural events, and gigs, shows and performances. The ArtScience Museum is an impressive futuristic structure and hosts global collections and exhibitions, the Asian Civilizations Museum is a rich chapter book on the city and region's history and cultures, and visiting the National Gallery Singapore is one of the best things to do in town with its interactive galleries and bright and beautiful cafe - it’s also a coveted wedding location if you spy a photo shoot. For a spectacular experience book tickets to a musical or show at the exquisite MBS theatre.
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Go to Chinatown
When in Singapore, go to Chinatown – it is (arguably) the best in the world. There are prolific markets and local street vendors; the Chinatown Complex Food Centre with its boisterous maze of stalls; the beautiful Buddha Tooth Relic Temple; and rainbow-bright Sri Mariamman Temple – the oldest Hindu temple. Take in the cultural highlights and then wander past Singapore’s uncles playing Chinese chess in the square. Come nightfall, eat tasty tapas at Esquina, an upmarket Spanish and Catalan restaurant set in an airy shophouse. Try the smoked sardines, tuck into French bistro hits such as steak frites with a fine wine or two at Les Bouchons on Ann Siang Road or get your Singapore-Chinese fix at the hawker for around $5. If you’re there around Chinese New Year remember many businesses close but look out for CNY dragon dances: they are a theatrical experience not to be missed.
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Dig into Singapore’s dynamic food scene
“Have you eaten yet?” is the golden question. Where to get the best (good value, speciality) food always comes first in Singapore, be it a hawker centre, food court or Michelin-starred restaurant. Singapore has a total of 49 Michelin stars and three establishments that hold three stars, including French restaurant Les Amis helmed by Chef Sebastien Lepinoy and Zén - the sister restaurant to Stockholm’s Frantzén which is a culinary experience served over three floors of a spectacular shophouse.
Singapore’s food inclusivity is impressive too. It’s possible to eat Michelin-grade chicken rice at down-to-earth Hawker Chan for just $3 SGD (£1.75). The hawker landscape is so diverse it’s on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2020).
Swing by the only beachside hawker centre in Singapore, East Coast Lagoon Food Village or Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown for Singapore-style Chinese dishes. At the former hawker, we like Haron Satay, delicious juicy satay sticks with a zingy chilli peanut sauce – best served with a cold brew of your choice – either an icy beer or young coconut. Don’t skip the chicken rice and curry puffs either, but make sure to ‘chope’ your way around the city when at hawkers like Singaporeans, by placing a packet of tissues on an empty table to reserve it.
Singapore food recommendations always come thick and fast, with everyday tables offering outstanding fare: for excellent French food, book Saveur on Purvis Street – the duck confit gets full marks. For Japanese mini plates in a retro location, seek out Nanbantei Japanese Restaurant which is tucked away in a 1970s-style plaza, Far East Plaza. Sit at the bar and sample dainty sticks of yakitori such as asparagus wrapped in bacon, sashimi or sushi. When it’s time for a curry, Samy’s Curry at Dempsey has to be experienced and is known as one of the best Indian restaurants on the island serving curry on a banana leaf circa the 1960s, washed down with a cold mango lassi.
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Imbibe with a city view
Get all the highs atop Marina Bay Sands SkyPark infinity pool, the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool at 150-metres. Travel 57 levels to the three-acre SkyPark, and swim (or sip) in the clouds above the city – by the dramatic, city-view pool designed with a ‘vanishing edge’. MBS, the pinnacle of superstar architect Safdie’s masterpieces, is worth visiting itself for the sheer spectacle of its mindblowing design. Other lofty places for a tipple include Level 33, the world’s highest urban microbrewery with views to match, for cocktail artistry Smoke and Mirrors at The National Gallery rooftop, and Lantern at The Fullerton Bay for a panoramic of the glittering bay at night. Go for the Pineapple Mojito.
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Watch the F1
If you’re visiting in autumn, don’t miss the Singapore Grand Prix when there’s a definite energy in the city as visitors descend on Singapore from around the world for the night race. But there is more than one way to do the F1. Though it’s exciting to be trackside, if you don’t want the headache, watch it in 5-star surrounds from the heights of The Mandarin Oriental (which has great track views) – over a champagne buffet. The annual race is popular with tourists, and tickets can run a pretty penny. Book a table with friends at one of the city’s finest hotels and get your F1 thrills minus the tinnitus. What to expect? An international buffet spread includes seafood on ice, food stations for global cuisines and a dessert display with a chocolate fountain. Watch the race from the hotel balcony instead and your eardrums will thank you for it. A general insider tip for the weekend: book a hotel Sunday buffet brunch, it’s a Singapore thing – we recommend going al-fresco on the terrace at Town too.
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Take a trip to a paradise island
Singapore’s enviable location means that you get easy access to more rugged parts of the continent. There are numerous short-haul flights to out-of-this-world Asian beach destinations such as nearby Tioman Island or Redang Island. But, for those in the know, paradise is only a boat ride away. Nikoi Island’s sustainable luxury ethos is not the only thing that attracts residents and tourists alike, this remote tropical island is technically in Indonesia, but just two hours from Singapore by ferry (and a short drive and boat transfer). And it has everything a person could want from a sleepy beach break: stylish, private beach houses made from local driftwood, luxurious spa treatments, superb sandy shores and turquoise waters, wildlife spotting and birdsong, a handsome pool to lounge by, an excellent private restaurant focusing on local ingredients and a cinema on the sands. Owner Andrew Dixon supports the community with his foundation: offering employment opportunities, education and Nikoi’s sustainability actions. The good news – kids are welcome: there are tons of nature-driven, once-in-a-lifetime activities for them at Nikoi. Sister island Cempedak is equally dashing but adults-only, please. The best thing is it’s just a short (flight-free) jaunt from Singapore to serenity.
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Hit the beach (or cycle it)
Singapore’s ship-lined shores can’t compete with the bevvy of isolated Asian beaches in the region but it has a bounty all of its own. To explore on two wheels, cycle the breezy 15-kilometres of tropical beach at East Coast Park. Cycling past swaying coconut palms and seaside picnic benches, it’s a relaxing route rimming the big blue.
For more of a challenge, cycle to the quieter sands of older Changi Beach Park and get the bumboat to the tiny island of Pulau Ubin, one of the last two remaining kampongs – or traditional villages – in Singapore. There’s also an airport connector (3.5km) from the East Coast Park to the nature-inspired Jewel Changi Airport, that doubles as a fun lifestyle venue and includes the Rain Vortex (a seven-story tall indoor waterfall), the Shiseido Forest Valley (an indoor forest with 900 trees), Canopy Park and Discovery Slides. The Coast-to-Coast (C2C) Trail (36km) across the island can be cycled or hiked.
For some downtime on Sentosa, Singapore’s island resort, Palawan Beach is the best bet with fewer crowds and gentle, sheltered shores. Part of Singapore’s Southern Islands, uninhabited Lazarus Island, Pulau Sekijang Pelepah, has a lesser-known dazzling white stretch of sand accessible from St John’s Island - the secret spot is just 15-minutes from Sentosa.
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Stop by the hip cafes in Katong
The Peranakan heritage and picture-perfect shophouses of Katong are much better in real life, rather than on Instagram. So much so, that Katong was named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world. More importantly, in food-obsessed Singapore, a culinary education awaits in this food-driven district. This innovative part of Singapore is a burgeoning lifestyle enclave of its own: a magic mix of hip cafes, hawkers and restaurants, fashion, art and craft boutiques, speciality shops and galleries and a very distinct flavour of its own. You can’t visit without a trip to one of the oldest coffee shops in Singapore, Chin Mee Confectionary - a nostalgic Hainanese-style coffee shop, or kopitiam, set in an old-school shophouse serving strong coffee and kaya toast - toast with butter and coconut jam. Other top picks for eats and drinks include Din Tai Fung, Absolutely Chocolate and The Cider Pit.