Top 10 Things to Do in Singapore
The ten things actually worth your time in Singapore, with an honest verdict on each, who should skip it, and the tips locals use to beat the heat, crowds and prices.
Singapore is small enough to cover in a long weekend and packed enough that you'll still leave things out. This isn't a list of everything. It's the ten we'd tell a friend to do, in roughly the order we'd fight for them, with the catch for each. Four of them are free.
One rule for the whole list: the heat is the boss here. Do outdoor things early or after dark, and save the air-conditioned ones for the afternoon.
Gardens by the Bay
If you only do one thing, make it this. The Supertrees are the Singapore postcard, and walking among them costs nothing. The two glass domes are the paid part. The Cloud Forest, with its indoor mountain and waterfall, is the one to pick if you only want one, and it's also the coolest place in the city, literally.
Insider tipDo the domes in the afternoon heat, get dinner nearby, then lie back under the Supertrees for Garden Rhapsody, the free evening light-and-music show.
Skip it ifHonestly, no one should skip it. Skip the domes if you're on a tight budget; the free part is still worth the trip.
Best time Late afternoon into evening
Mandai Wildlife Reserve (Zoo, Night Safari, Bird Paradise, River Wonders)
Singapore Zoo got famous for doing away with cages, using moats and greenery so the animals look like they're in the wild rather than on display. The Night Safari is the real one-of-a-kind: a zoo that only opens after dark, when the animals are actually awake. Mandai finished its ten-year makeover in 2026: the newest parks are now called Rainforest Wild Adventure, and Exploria is a new indoor attraction for rainy days.
Insider tipDo the Zoo in the morning, head home for a shower and a nap, and come back for the Night Safari. Buy a combo ticket for both, which is cheaper than two separate ones.
Skip it ifYou're not an animal person. It's a big site, it's hot, and it's a long way from town.
Best time Zoo when it opens, Night Safari after dark
Night Safari tickets on Klook →
Universal Studios Singapore
It's compact by theme-park standards, which works in your favour: you can do the whole park in a day. The Transformers ride is still the headliner, and the newer Minion Land is a big hit with younger kids.
Insider tipWeekdays outside school holidays make a huge difference to queues. Get there before opening and head straight for the most popular rides while everyone else stops for photos at the globe.
Skip it ifYou've done a bigger Universal park in Orlando or Osaka. This one won't top it.
Sentosa, the rest of it
Most people come to Sentosa for Universal and never see the rest of the island. Siloso is the lively beach, Palawan is the family one, and Tanjong is the chilled one. Add the Singapore Oceanarium (which replaced the old S.E.A. Aquarium in 2025), the cable car and the reopened Skypark with its giant Skyslides, and you've got a full day.
Insider tipWalk across the Sentosa Boardwalk from VivoCity. It's free, takes about 15 minutes, and beats queueing for the monorail.
Skip it ifYou want a proper tropical beach. The sea view here is mostly container ships. Sentosa is for a fun day out, not a Maldives substitute.
Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Observation Deck
It's the view on every poster: Marina Bay, the CBD towers and the Gardens far below. The famous infinity pool is for hotel guests only, but the observation deck is open to everyone.
Insider tipTime it for about 30 minutes before sunset to see the city in daylight, at golden hour and lit up, all for one ticket.
Skip it ifYou'd rather have a drink with your view. A cocktail at a rooftop bar can cost about the same as the ticket.
Jewel Changi Airport
Only in Singapore would a shopping mall at the airport be a tourist attraction, and it deserves to be. The Rain Vortex is the world's tallest indoor waterfall, pouring through a hole in a glass dome into a terraced forest. It's free to see.
Insider tipBook your flight with a few spare hours and come early. Stay for the evening light-and-sound show on the waterfall.
Skip it ifYou're pressed for time. It's out east near the airport, so it's best done on your arrival or departure day.
Good for Rainy days, last day of a trip
Chinatown and Kampong Glam
This is the old Singapore that the skyline shots leave out: shophouses, temples, and the smell of kopi and incense. In Chinatown, see the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, then eat at the hawker centres. In Kampong Glam, the golden dome of Sultan Mosque, Arab Street's textile shops and Haji Lane's murals are all a short walk apart.
Insider tipKampong Glam comes alive in the evening. Do Chinatown for lunch, then head over for dinner and drinks.
Skip it ifYou hate crowds. Pagoda Street gets packed with souvenir hunters, so duck into the back lanes.
Etiquette Cover shoulders and knees for temples and the mosque
Singapore Botanic Gardens
A UNESCO World Heritage Site that costs nothing to enter, which makes it one of the best deals in the country. Locals come here to jog, picnic and walk the dog. The National Orchid Garden is the only paid part, and it's worth it.
Insider tipGo before 9am, when it's cool and the joggers are out, then walk to Dempsey Hill for brunch.
Skip it ifYou've only got a day and you've already done Gardens by the Bay. This one's the calmer, older sibling.
MRT Botanic Gardens
A river cruise on the Singapore River
Bumboats used to carry cargo up this river. Now they carry tourists past Clarke Quay, Boat Quay and the Fullerton, out into Marina Bay. It's the laziest possible way to see the city, and on a hot day that's a feature, not a bug.
Insider tipGo after dark, when the skyline is lit up and the heat has dropped.
Skip it ifYou're happy to walk. The riverside promenade covers the same route for free.
Pulau Ubin
It's a ten-minute bumboat ride and about fifty years back in time. Ubin is one of the last places in Singapore with kampong (village) houses, dirt roads and wild boar. Rent a bicycle near the jetty and ride out to the Chek Jawa Wetlands boardwalk.
Insider tipThe bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal traditionally leaves when it fills up, so there's no timetable. Bring cash for the boat and the bike.
Skip it ifYou want comfort. It's hot, hilly in places, and the bikes have seen better days. That's all part of the charm.
Bring Cash, water, insect repellent
How to save money
- Mix free with paid. The Supertrees, the Botanic Gardens, the Rain Vortex and the heritage districts are all free. They'd be on this list even if they weren't.
- Buy combos and book online. Bundled tickets, like the Zoo with the Night Safari, are almost always cheaper than paying at the gate.
- Tap in with your card. The MRT reaches nearly everything here, and you can pay with a contactless bank card. No need to buy a travel card.
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