10 Things to do in SINGAPORE

Singapore is one of the smallest countries in the world you can visit but don’t let that fool you for a second, it’s also one pretty exciting place, especially if you’re visiting Singapore for the first time. On the surface of it, Singapore seems like just a shiny collection of high-rise apartment and corporate buildings but once you get past that, you get a sense of how truly exciting Singapore is and why you need to visit (or indeed, return) very soon.

It was my first visit to the beautiful country and I had done all of my researches beforehand. One of the biggest and most important travelling tip that I might extend out would be to read and read more about the place you’re visiting and calculate your budget. 

One thing you’ll notice when visiting Singapore is how much more expensive it is compared with other areas in Asia.

This city-state apparently has the most millionaires in the world so perhaps this isn’t much of a surprise but Singapore easily outranks renowned expensive cities like London and New York when it comes to prices.

Most first-time visitors, like myself would notice its cutting edge architecture. How can you not? Iconic structures like Marina Bay Sands, the Supertrees of Gardens by the Bay, the Durian, and the ArtScience Museum were designed to grab your attention.

Lets shed some light upon the most prominent tourist attractions and what can you do in this beautiful land of Singapore:

1. Gardens by the Bay

There is a reason why Gardens by the Bay tops my list! The amount of detail and time that went into creating this garden is astounding. It is the most popular attraction and it isn’t hard to understand why. This place is mind-blowing and unlike anything we’ve ever seen. It’s home to the iconic Supertrees and two amazing conservatories — Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. If you have time for just one attraction in Singapore, then this should be it. Just google this for me and let it speak for itself.

Cloud Forest: 

Replicating tropical mountain regions and moist conditions, the Cloud Forest launches you high above sea-level and takes you on a journey all the way back down. The conservatory is a place where you can find the world's tallest indoor waterfall standing at 35 metres tall. The Cloud Forest also offers a very interesting perspective on what might happen to different types of gardens in the future and the way that we might destroy our living environments.

Flower Dome: 

It is the largest greenhouse in the world made from glass. The big dome is filled with unique exotic colourful plants and trees from all over the world-everywhere you look, there is a type of plant you haven't seen before. The temperature inside the dome is nice and cool, ranging from 23 degree Celsius to 25 degree Celsius.

Supertree Grove:

The Supertrees add life and ambiance to Singapore. Standing at 50 metres tall, just like a 16 storey building, they deservingly boast to be the most photographed structures in Singapore. They are truly so majestic that you'll have to see it for yourself to believe it. At night you can see the trees glowing, free light shows start at around 7.45 PM and 8.45 PM (PLEASE DONOT MISS IT). The entry to the Supertree Grove and watching the incredible light show is free of cost as they stand in the open and not obstructed. However, if you wish to have an absolute tremendous view from the top, you can pay for an OCBC Skywalk ticket for SG$8 and walk along the highest structures and I would totally recommend doing that.

TIP: Keep an evening free to visit the Gardens by the Bay, start exploring the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome at around 4 PM and move towards the Supergrove Trees by 7 PM. This way you'll have beautiful day-time pictures of all the three attractions and whenever the light show starts, you'd be there on time when the sun goes down. Thank me later!

2. Universal Studios

Universal Studios needs no introduction. Located on Sentosa Island, this popular theme park is home to exhilarating rides like The Mummy, Jurassic Park and Transformers. If you’re traveling with kids, then you’ll probably want to allocate a day here. Otherwise, you’ll never hear the end of it.

As popular as Universal Studios is, it’s hardly the only attraction at Sentosa. Sentosa is an entire island dedicated to fun so it’s home to many other attractions as well like 4D theatres, the Trick Eye Museum, action parks, S.E.A. Aquarium, water sport facilities, golf courses, and beaches. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants on the island as well. Universal Studios will take up an entire day so you may want to reserve another day to explore the rest of the island.

3. Orchard Road

Any brand, you name it, you’d find it at this tremendous fashion district. Orchard Road is a 2.2 kilometre-long major road in the Central Area of Singapore. Often known colloquially as Orchard, the area is a major shopping belt and tourist attraction. Spanning almost 2.2 km, Orchard Road is more famous as a swanky, tree-lined one-way boulevard flanked by distinctive shopping malls and hotels.The shopping belt comprises nearly 800,000 sq m of shops and restaurants and promises to please any taste or budget with its iconic malls which boast the full works - from opulent brands to high street fashion, and from exclusive restaurants to fast food joints.It is a Great Street to shop, dine, stay, play, work, and live.

4. Merlion Park

We all have heard and read a lot about the iconic landmark of Singapore, The Merlion. To my surprise I didn’t really read a lot about the River boat cruise that starts and ends here. I'd talk about it in a minute.
The majestic Merlion spouting water from its mouth stands tall at 8.6 metres. To be honest, I expected it to be a much more taller anyhow, that certainly does not affect the beauty of this sculpture. It's a long walk-along the Singapore river with a Starbucks and other restaurants for you to spend time at, to chill and to admire your beautiful surroundings.

5. River Boat Ride

I was pretty adamant that I had to hop on one of these boats to take a round trip of the Singapore River. You buy a boat ticket from the Merlion Park and the boat takes you along the river while you witness an incredible light laser and water fountain show by the Marina Bay sands and get to watch all of the astounding architecture around. I would highly suggest you to start this ride when the sun goes down so that you could enjoy the night time city lights just like I did. This was one of the best and most memorable experiences from my trip I would forever cherish!

Clarke Quay 
You can either hop off your boat here or can choose to find your way here via cab.
From iconic dance clubs to live music venues and rooftop bars, this ultimate guide to drinking and partying in both Clarke Quay and Boat Quay is a must-have for anyone looking to have a boozy good time in the city. 

6. Charles & Keith!!
Charles & Keith is a Singapore brand hence, you'd find the items at an astonishingly low prices!! If you're fond of good quality shoes, bags or accessories like myself, this is a must stop for budget shopping while everything in Singapore is comparatively expensive. There was already a mid-year sale happening, I got myself an amazing deal on a pair of stunning shoes. You'll notice the price differences when you actually shop here!

7.Bugi's Street
If you're fascinated by finding great street finds, Bugi's Street is your place to be. It's a world famous flee market, where you'd find all sorts of clothing including souvenirs and Singapore t-shirts. Upon visiting I discovered that it is not really cheap for a flee market and bargaining certainly didn't work here. When I explored, I came to a conclusion that a mall named Lucky Plaza at Orchard Road houses almost all of the same clothing articles available at Bugi's Street and at rock bottom prices comparatively. So a tip from my end would be, to stop at Lucky Plaza for street picks and affordable fashion rather than spending more for the same articles on Bugi's Street. Thank me later!! 

8.Chinatown, Little India, Arab street

The modern Singapore is not only known for its economic success, the impressive skyscrapers and shopping-malls, but it also shows its traditional roots in the city quarters Little India, Chinatown and Arab Street. Once released for demolition, the city quarters with their historical buildings and shophouses offer a compensation to the skyscrapers in the Central Business District and provide a cozy atmosphere.

They invite for rambling, eating and drinking and specially for getting introduced into the different cultures. The exploration of the city quarters definitely belongs to the highlights of Singapore, as one can practically dive every day into completely different worlds.

They are all within 5min or so of each other by MRT or Taxi. 2 days are more than enough to see all 4 areas. In terms of size China town> Little India> Arab Area> Bugis. Little India, Bugis and Arab areas are very close/almost merge into each other. Depending on how much walking and heat you can handle, you might want to spend not more than a half day at a time exporing these areas on foot. All of the places are picturesque and you'd find good affordable food joints here.

9.Singapore Skyline

Note: NOT TO MISS!

It makes sense that Singapore makes the list of the most futuristic cities in the world, comparing itself to cities such as Dubai and Hong Kong – as it is reminiscent of imaginative cities in dystopian sci-fi movies. I'm leaving a link for you to find places where you could easily enjoy the infamous Singapore skyline. Click HERE to discover and read about all the places. The views are too good to be true.

10. Jewel Changi Airport

I finished off my trip at the Changi Airport, of course. And I cannot put into words how truly amazing it was! You have to see it for yourself to believe it. I would definitely go back to Singapore the next chance I get for there’s never enough you could ever get from it. If you're lucky enough, you'd find a group of cute Pikachus twirling around!!

I hope this information be of any help when visiting the beautiful Singapore, see you soon! x