By Simone Shomaker.
Singapore has been given many nicknames, but my favorite alias for Singapore is “the Garden City”. It is a fitting name for this beautiful city-state island nation. Singapore boasts of beautiful and lush greenery throughout the city, there are trees everywhere, buildings have plants cascading down the sides, and it is home to the famous Gardens by the Bay! This country stole my heart (and taste buds), and I couldn’t be more excited to share my top attractions with you. Keep reading for the best things to see in Singapore!
Before I dive in, let’s learn a bit about Singapore! Singapore has been named the fourth most sustainable city in the world, and the most sustainable in Asia. It is impeccably clean, in fact it is the cleanest city/country in the world. Singapore is very strict, they have a zero tolerance policy for litter, chewing gum anywhere will get you put in jail, and it is illegal to eat/drink on the subway. All this policing makes for a very lovely, clean and pleasant place to visit. Singapore is a melting pot, a fusion of culture of Malaysian, Indian, Chinese, Arab, and English influence. This fusion of culture makes for both a fantastic cultural and culinary experience. In addition to Singapore’s amazing food, it has a bustling nightlife!
This is a really easy country to travel around in, it is very safe, the public transportation on the MRT is amazing (cost effective, efficient, clean), and mostly everyone speaks English. Singapore is one of the wealthiest countries in the world; it has been ranked the most expensive country to live in since 2013, and as such it is also very expensive to visit. Despite this, I thought it was worth every penny, and my fiancé and I joked about moving there since we enjoyed it so much.
REVOLVE 65% OFF SALE
On to the good stuff: what to see in Singapore!
The Best Things to See in Singapore
Gardens by the Bay
The Gardens by the Bay is a famous nature park located right in the heart of the city adjacent to the Marina Bay Waterfront. The park features lush bayside gardens, art installations, impeccable landscaping, a supertree grove, two dome conservatories: the Flower Dome, the Cloud Forest and much more. This was the highlight of my trip, I even went back a second time because there was so much to see.
+ Supertree Grove
The Supertrees in the grove look like massive tree flowers and have greenery growing from top to bottom. There is an aerial skyway you can walk in after observing them from the bottom, and at night they light up and feature a beautiful lightshow. After the lightshow, take the elevator up from the bottom of one of the trees and find yourself in a sky bar with 360 views of the forest.
+Cloud Forest
Ever wanted to visit an indoor cloud forest? In Singapore you can. This beautiful and lush giant garden dome features an indoor waterfall, mist hanging in the air, and beautiful plants all around you. This is a conservatory, so come ready to learn about the flora!
+Flower Dome
Right across from the Cloud Forest is another conservatory you can’t afford to miss: the Flower Dome. Wander around the world’s largest glass greenhouse as you see and learn about unique plants from all over the world. This highly photogenic spot screams “spring has sprung” all year round.
Marina Bay Sands
You probably recognize this iconic hotel from photos… it certainly lives up to the hype. Make sure to spend some time viewing it from around the city (it makes for quite the insta pic!), and save time to go inside. Take the elevator up and visit the world’s largest rooftop pool, extra plus, it’s an infinity pool! There are multiple rooftop restaurants, an observation deck for Gardens by the Bay views, and shopping galore in the bottom of the hotel. Marina Bay Sands is famous for their light and water shows. Pro tip: head over to 1-Altitude rooftop bar for the best views of the show.
+ 1-Altitude Rooftop Bar
Be sure to head here to grab a drink with sweeping city views. As mentioned above, this is the perfect spot to watch the Marina Bay Sands nightly light shows with a craft cocktail. This spot is known as the world’s highest alfresco bar and club. Get there early (right when it opens, if possible) so you can get the best seats in the house, you won’t regret the extra time (and extra cocktails) spent here waiting for the light show. Take the elevator up from the 1-Raffles Place building, and presto, it’s happy hour time!
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore Botanic Gardens is hands down my very favorite botanical garden I have ever visited. The gardens are Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage site, a huge honor. Get ready for the most picturesque locale, filled with flower arches, a specialized orchid garden, a bonsai garden, and so much more. We spent hours walking around here so make sure to dedicate a half day.
Little India
Little India is an ethnic enclave in Singapore that feels like you have momentarily stepped into a whole new city. This area is known for its vibrant colored buildings, temples, and amazing food. Make sure to stop by the Tekka Centre, a hawker centre with all the yummy Indian food you could ever want! Hawker centres are open air food courts featuring local street food, and are common in Singapore.
Chinatown
Singapore’s population is largely Chinese, and as such, no trip to Singapore is complete without a visit to Chinatown. For eats, visit the two famous hawker centres, Maxwell Food Centre and the Chinatown Complex for hundreds of eatery options. Other unique places to visit here are the Buddist Temple, the Hindu Temple and Mosque – all coexisting in the same area.
The World’s Cheapest Michelin Star Restaurant
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Singapore’s Michelin star restaurant Liao Fan Hong Kong for the soya sauce chicken rice & noodle. Famous for its start as a hawker stall in Chinatown, the owner has since opened a store front right across the road (the stall is still operating also, giving you two options for a Michelin Star meal). They are famous for their chicken and rice, and it won’t break the bank either at the price of SGD $3.80 for a Michelin Star meal, eat your heart out!
Chinese and Japanese Gardens
Hop on the MRT from the city center and visit this 13.5 hectare park featuring both Chinese and Japanese Gardens, pagodas, lakes and views galore.
Boat Quay & Clarke Quay
Both of these locations are old historical quays situated on the Singapore river. They used to be used for maritime trade but have since been converted, and now feature outdoor restaurants, bars and shops. A great spot for dinner with a view!
Southbridge Bar
We stumbled on Southbridge Bar since it was right by our accommodation in Boat Quay, and it was a very happy discovery. Perched right above the river, you can find a lovely rooftop bar (yes we have a thing for rooftop bars). Enjoy views of the river, the Singapore flyer (a giant ferris wheel), and the famous Marina Bay Sands. This spot is located right by Raffles Place, the financial center of the city.
There you have it, our ‘what to see’ in Singapore list! It is such a magical place with so much to see and do! It is truly unlike any other city we have ever seen! Have you been to Singapore? What are your favorite must see spots? Drop us a note below, and keep drifting pretty my dears!
Xx,
Danielle and Simone
WHAT WE PACKED
Pin now to save this post for your future travels!
