Singapore in three days
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Its tough to touch, feel and see any country in a few days , especially if you are a traveller like me. But if you are visiting Singapore as a tourist or on business and you have anything between a few hours to three days in hand, you can still get to experience the country based on your interests. There are no must sees – it just depends on what you want to see .
For instance, while we were at Changi airport on transit, we decided to go over to the orchid garden and then an airport official recommended a visit to the butterfly park in Terminal 3. A friend recommended that I go over to the Changi beach while the information desk asked me if I was interested in a free city tour . I find Changi one of the friendliest international airports and here, you can even get a foot massage for free or you could visit a spa after duty free shopping.
Now, this is not something that I would recommend, but it has its advantages if you are on transit and have more than six hours to kill at Changi. You could ask the Information Centre to help you register on the tour which is free. You may need to clear immigration though ! If you are however a tourist, with more time on hand and you are wondering where to start ,then go on one of the hop on- hop off tours. In three hours , you would get an introduction to Singapore. Most of these tours cover a bit of colonial Singapore, show you some of the monuments, drive through some key areas and also stop over at a few attractions. You could probably jot down the places and areas that you may want to come back again in leisure.
When I first went to Singapore, I did take up the tour and I found the Singapore National Museum interesting Another attraction was the Tiger Beer Brewery . If the bus stops at the Singapore flier, take a tour or do come back here to see the entire landscape of Singapore. Another place to see the skyscape of Singapore is the skywalk at Marina bay sands and that would cost you a bit.
Some more museums I would recommend – The Peranakan Museum and the Asian Civilisation Museum, which I missed and is recommended by my friend Vijay, who stays in Singapore.If you are not really into museums and are more into real people and local flavour , then do visit Chinatown and Little India. Most buses take you on a tour to these places . I would recommend a leisurely trip to both these locales..Little India is a microcosm of Madras , but served rather in a Singaporean fashion with a splash of colour and life. Mustafa, the 24 hours mall is a good place for bargains, but shop only if you have to.
Chinatown can be both colourful and quiet. The oldest Hindu temple in Singapore is located here, but Im more interested in the alternative medicine practised by the Chinese. Walk over to the one of the pharmacies – sometimes you may even find restaurants serving you food , recommended by a doctor, based on your yin and yang .
But all around Singapore, you would find a kaleidescope of temples, monasteries, churches , mosques – all quaint and colourful. Some of them are rather old and they tell you more about the cultural mosaic of this country.
If you enjoy walking and absorbing the sights and sounds of Singapore, then these areas should not be given a miss – the entire Marina promenade, Suntec City styled according to Feng Shui , Merlion Park, Orchard Road for the malls and shopping and Singapore River for its cruises and adventure sports – journalist Shweta who was with me was hell bent on trying reverse bungee jumping among other sports I would also recommend a cruise – there are cruises from a few hours to small islands and cruises that sail to neighbouring countries. Take your pick
If you prefer nature walks, then there are many reservoirs and parks around Singapore – I went to the MacRitchie reservoir the trails here are wonderful. While this is one of Singapore’s oldest reservoirs, there are quite a few around as well
Talking about nature, the zoos and the botanical garden should be on everyone’s itinerary. The gardens are massive and a visit to the Orchid garden is a must. This is a great place for birding as well. The Singapore zoo is one of the best zoos around and do not miss the night safari. You can visit both of them on your own, but they are by no means close to each other. So you would need ample time for both. Try breakfast with the orangutans in the zoo . If you are into birding like me – jurong bird park should be on your itinerary. This will easily take about half a day of your time. Sungei Buloh Nature Park and Ubin Island are on my list as well for birding during my next trip. You can also visit the Chestnut Nature Park in Singapore and this post will tell you what to see there.
Singapore has a vibrant night life. My favourite is Clarke quay and the nightlife around the river. Chijmes is another option. Holland village,Demsey hill and Orchard Road are also great places to hang out.Try the gin based Singapore sling if you fancy a cocktail. If you like to experiment with food, besides idlis and dosas in Little India, visit the hawker centres. There are quite a few of them – Lau Pa Sat is recommended by my guide.
A trip to Singapore is incomplete if you do not visit the famous Sentosa Island – which has several attractions . You could even stay here. Sentosa can be approached by land or water, but everyone prefers the cable car. The attractions are innumerable – from laser shows to underwater world. Casinos are available here in hotels if you like to try your luck Now, even Universal has opened here and you can see my friend posing below. The beaches are vibrant and a first timer will need at least a day out here
These are just some of the landmarks and attractions in Singapore.. While there are several package tours from India, I would recommend that you just book your hotel and flight and plan the sightseeing there.If you need more help in planning your itinerary , please drop in a line here and I am happy to customise it for you.
This post was written in 2010 when I was invited to Singapore to cover the Youth Olympic Games by the Singapore Tourism Board.
hi laxmi
you didnt miss much …did you. I must have recommended the boat ride to Pulau Ubin during the transit wait!!
vj
Very nice post thanx for sharing such lively pictures
Singapore is the first foreign country I visited! So it is a little special but of course I have hardly seen anything at all.
amazing country!
I have been twice in Singapore and I know what a beautiful place it is. Your pictures are great!
I guess, I’ll visit Singapore in a couple of years. Let’s see!!! 🙂
Good to know about the nature parks there!!!
Roadtrip to Mayanur
The Shirt Dress to Office
Wow, Singapore looks amazing. This one is going on my list of places to visit. 🙂
:o)Sarah
just chanced by your blog..am a 1st time traveller to singapore in november but am with 2 kids..
i was wondering if you could help me out..
my email [email protected]
am there 4 days 🙂
thanks
jyotsna
Thank you for the information Lakshmi. I shall be in touch with you when I plan a trip to Singapore.
just relocated here recently.. info is useful and if you ever make it again.. do ping for kopi(singaporian for coffee)..
Singapore is awesome Travel destiny 🙂 I love to visit again this summer 🙂
Heh,I missed that zoo ? where it is in Singapore
It’s only three days but you’ve seen a lot of attractions in Singapore lah. Maybe on your next visit, you should try the newly opened Gardens by the Bay 😉
You can have a good fun filled holiday in Singapore in three days. Good post
i hope you could come to Korea too and then post an interesting blog article like this about it! 😀
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look like a really nice an vibrant place to visit. and looks as it has something for eberyone
I think three day at Singapore you really had a great trip you and your friends.
halong cruise tours
Club Street/Ann Siang Hill is amazing over the weekends (they now close the entire road off to cars on Friday & Saturday, restaurants/bars put their tables out onto the street); extremely popular with the expats and locals alike… with a string of great eateries (Lolla, Ding Dong, Oxwell & Co, P.S.Cafe, Luke’s Oysters & Chophouse…. the list is pretty much endless!). Def a must visit for drinks/dinner.
I think one of the more romantic place to visit is Singapore . I personally went there on my 1st anniversary and my husband and I loved the food and the people there! To break free from the tourist crowd, I would suggest you to try some home-dining options. We went to dine with one of the local hosts on BonAppetour ( http://www.bonappetour.com), and were treated to a fancy meal at their homes on the rooftop!
This is one of my favourite cities because it is such an incredible hub for food ! I never have to bother with restaurants every little nook in this city serves delicious food !
I am eagerly waiting for my upcoming SG trip in a fortnight. Would stay for 4 complete days. Not able to decide whether visiting all 4 zoos is a smart choice or two zoos(if two,which two)
Hi, I recommend that you do the night safari and the bird park if you like
I completely agree with you that “City Tour” is not something to die for. In fact, I feel it’s a complete waste of time. I would rather recommend picking n choosing a few places like the Singapore Flyer n go for it. I had been to Singapore in 2014 n have listed down a “Checklist n Chucklist” for the aspiring tourists. Would request you to take a look n let me know your thoughts!
https://www.walkthestyle.com/singapore-trip-check-list/