City Quarter, Promenade, The Cove

The bay in the central part of Singapore is the business district and the main reason to go to Singapore. Its beauty is showcased especially in the nightly illumination of skyscrapers, the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, which features a world-famous swimming pool on its roof, a Ferris wheel and lion statues along the bay. Marina Bay was a highlight of our stay - the walks, the morning run, the evening show and the food. [btn "Hotels in Marina Bay"…

Hotel, Skyscraper, Lookout, Promenade

Marina Bay Sands is one of the most famous buildings in the world - three towers connected by a "boat" at the top. It's mainly a hotel. But for most tourists, it is mainly an iconic building that they will admire from the outside. Or they'll visit the public observation deck on the 55th floor. 👉 Is it worth going to the observation deck? 👉 Or does it make sense to stay here? We gave it a try and wrote a review of our stay at Marina Bay Sands …

Garden, Park, Lookout

We went to Gardens by the Bay for the first time thinking it was a "must-see, check it off and move on". In the end, I think it's one of the most interesting attractions in the world. We enjoyed it during the day - the open space, the views of the Marina Bay Sands, the pleasant walk through the "trees". It's not just a quick stop for a photo, as they sometimes say. But the moment when it all takes on an absolutely different dimension comes in…

Sandy beach, Island, Amusement park, For kids

Sentosa is an artificial island in the south of Singapore that functions as an entertainment and resort hub. It's not a traditional neighbourhood, but rather a place to go specifically for attractions or the beach. You will mainly find: Universal Studios Singapore (the biggest draw) beautifully landscaped sandy beaches with palm trees (Siloso, Palawan, Tanjong) S.E.A. Aquarium. Singapore Cable Car various attractions (zipline, skywalk,…

Market

Lau Pa Sat is one of the most famous hawker centres in Singapore and one of the most interesting places to sample local street food. In fact, unlike most other hawker centres, it is located in a historic late 19th century cast iron building in the middle of the modern financial district near the Marina Bay area. During the day, it's mainly the employees of the surrounding offices who come here for a quick lunch. But in the evening, the…

City Quarter

Chinatown in Singapore is smaller than one would expect. It's not a huge neighbourhood like Bangkok, nor is it as authentic as Kuala Lumpur or New York. It does offer what you expect from Chinatown - lanterns, stalls, temples and food - but in a much sleeker and cleaner form than anywhere else in the world. Singapore's Chinatown feels more like a tourist attraction, but you have to take into account Singapore's distinct culture and strict…

Statue, Promenade

The Merlion is the symbol of Singapore - a statue with the head of a lion and the body of a fish that stands right by Marina Bay and "spouts" water into the bay. It was not created as a historical monument, but as a modern symbol of the city. The lion's head refers to the name Singapore (from the Malay Singapore - "Lion City") the body of the fish is reminiscent of the original fishing village of Temasek The statue was erected in 1972 and…

Lookout

CapitaSpring is a modern skyscraper in the heart of Singapore with a publicly accessible rooftop garden and observation deck. Unlike other places in the city, admission is free, making it a pretty interesting alternative to paid sightseeing and one of the most popular attractions in Downtown. We didn't end up getting in - not because of time, but because we underestimated our reservation. Admissions tend to sell out days in advance. [btn …

Market

Maxwell Food Centre is one of the best places in Singapore to sample truly authentic hawker food. Located on the edge of Chinatown, it is one of the most popular food markets among locals and travellers alike. Unlike the architecturally distinctive Lau Pa Sat, this is not a historic building or tourist attraction. Maxwell is primarily a large hall full of cheap street food stalls where people go mainly for the food itself. It was here that we…

Market

Chinatown Complex Food Centre is the largest hawker centre in Singapore - and possibly one of the largest in the world. Located right in the heart of Chinatown, it houses hundreds of small food stalls. At first glance, it looks a little more chaotic and less tidy than some of the better-known hawker centres, such as Lau Pa Sat. But that's precisely its charm - most of the visitors are locals and the atmosphere is much more authentic than in…

Botanical garden

The Singapore Botanic Gardens are a vast, UNESCO-listed tropical garden - and one of the city's most pleasant places to take a break from the skyscrapers. You'll find lakes, palm alleys, a patch of rainforest and the famous orchid garden. It makes sense especially when you want to slow down. It's not a "must-see" attraction, but rather a place to go for an hour or two to relax - ideally in the morning or later in the afternoon when it's not so…

Mosque, City Quarter

Kampong Glam is Singapore's historic Muslim quarter, centred around the distinctive Sultan's Mosque with its golden dome. It was originally an area associated with the Malay and Arab communities and today you'll still find a mix of traditional shops, cafes and mosques. But today, it's also one of the most stylish parts of the city - Haji Lane in particular is full of street art, small boutiques and businesses. Realistically, it's a smaller…

Airport

Singapore Changi is not just an airport, but one of the places to go in Singapore without a flight. The reason is simple - the Jewel complex, which is connected to the terminals and functions as a combination shopping mall, park and attraction. The main attraction is the Rain Vortex, the world's tallest indoor waterfall in the middle of a glass dome. Around it are gardens, viewing platforms, attractions and restaurants. In addition, a short…

City Quarter, Gallery, Parliament

The Civic District is the historic colonial area of Singapore around Padang Park, where colonial buildings from the British era stand. It looks like a regular neighborhood on the map, but it's actually a couple of blocks that you can walk through in a single stroll. You'll mainly find historic buildings that hark back to Singapore's colonial past. It's probably not exactly a place you'd go on purpose for a few hours, but more of a natural part…

Lookout

Pinnacle@Duxton is a residential complex that at first glance does not look like a tourist attraction. And that's why a lot of people miss it. However, there is a skybridge on its rooftop that is open to the public and gives you a slightly different view of downtown Singapore than the usual tourist spots. I went there mainly out of curiosity, but I can safely recommend the skybridge - I was there all by myself! [btn "Check hotel prices in…

Park

We went to Marina Barrage more by chance after visiting Gardens by the Bay. And it ended up being one of the most enjoyable moments of the whole day. No queues, no program, no "attractions". Just a large grassy area on the roof of the barrage, from where you can see the entire Marina Bay skyline - including Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. People are sitting on the grass, flying kites, eating and waiting for the sun to set. The…

Museum, Science centre, For kids

You'll know the ArtScience Museum at a glance - the "lotus" building next to Marina Bay Sands. From the outside it's one of Marina Bay's icons, inside it's all about which exhibition you hit. We especially enjoyed the digital exhibition Future World (teamLab) - lights, projections, interaction. Great for kids, a nice change for adults after the classic sightseeing. [btn "Check hotel prices at Marina Bay" https://www.booking.com/city/sg…

Botanical garden

It's hot, humid, crowds outside. A few steps further on you enter Cloud Forest and within a second the environment turns around - cold, fog and a waterfall falling from a height of several dozen meters in front of you. The contrast works instantly. The whole space is designed as a "mountain", which you move along on footbridges - for a moment you're on top overlooking the whole dome, then you descend down among the plants. This makes it feel…

Botanical garden

We went to the Flower Dome thinking that since we were at Gardens by the Bay, it would be a shame to miss it. It's a beautiful, perfectly maintained space full of flowers and plants from all over the world. Everything is manicured, the themed displays change throughout the year and it looks very "wow" at first glance. [btn "The 10 best hotels in Singapore" https://www.booking.com/city/sg/singapore.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-singapore-gardens]…

Lookout, Ferris wheel, For kids

The Singapore Flyer is a giant observation wheel at Marina Bay. It often appears on "what to see in Singapore" lists, but we personally skipped it. The reason is simple - you have several better (and often cheaper) views in the Marina Bay area. [btn "Check hotel prices in Singapore" https://www.booking.com/city/sg/singapore.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-singapore-flyer] Is Singapore Flyer worth it? ✅ Yes, if: You want a quiet view without…

Promenade

Boat Quay is a short stretch along the Singapore River, a short walk from Merlion Park. A row of colourful houses, restaurants, bars and views of skyscrapers - just what you expect from Singapore. It's more of a stopping off point than a standalone attraction, perhaps when walking between Marina Bay and Chinatown. [btn "Check hotel prices in Singapore" https://www.booking.com/city/sg/singapore.en.html?aid=2380460;label=p-singapore-boat-quay] …

Historic building

The Old Hill Street Police Station is a former police station, which is now recognisable mainly by its facade - hundreds of windows painted in different colours create one of the most photogenic buildings in the centre. I like these places. I didn't know about it beforehand and was pleasantly surprised by the visual appeal of the building. Great for an Instagram photo! 👉 Stopping for 5-10 minutes on the way between Clarke Quay and the Civic…