We have collected a list of the top 20 best things to do in Singapore
Singapore is a sovereign city-state in Southeast Asia, lying between Malaysia and Indonesia on a main island (as part of the Malay Peninsula) and 62 other islets. It was originally a British trading post and later became occupied by Japan during World War II, but it gained independence along with other British territories to form Malaysia. A mere 2 years later it became a sovereign state in itself due to ideological differences. Today it is a global hub for trading, finance and tourism, and it’s on the top part of many rankings, including being the most “technology-ready” nation, the city with the “best investment potential”, and overall being one of the largest finance and commerce centers. The city is also important in terms of tourism, as it is a highly popular destination for people. The cultural and recreational aspects bring millions of people here each year, so we have collected a list of the top 20 things to do in Singapore, to make your choice easier.
- Marina Bay
Marina Bay is the center of tourism in Singapore, where many of the best and most famous attractions are located. These include places like the ArtScience Museum, The Float at Marina Bay (the world’s largest floating stadium), the Singapore Flyer, the Gardens By the Bay and Merion Park, all of which are highly popular and should be visited at least once. The centerpiece of this place is the Marina Bay Sands hotel which houses a casino, nightclubs, performance halls, shops and accomodations. The best part of this hotel is the pool very high on the roof, which is quite an experience, to say the least, although a bit pricey.
2. Gardens by the Bay
The Gardens by the Bay is an urban park and located in Marina Bay. It offers a spectacular experience combining the metropolis with nature. One of the most recognizable landmarks is the beautiful Supertree Grove, where you can take a walk on a high aerial skyway supported by and between 18 “supertrees”. It’s a one of a kind experience, to say the least. You can also see other exhibitions as well, like the Flower Dome, the largest greenhouse in the world, or the Cloud Forest, with the tallest indoor waterfall along with a mini-mountain. Coming here is definitely one of the best things to do in Singapore.
3. Singapore Flyer
Since the 1893 World Expo in Chicago, cities throughout the world knew that people love ferris wheels, especially when they are giant. The London Eye was one of the most recognizable and biggest of these, but a few years ago Singapore also had one built, one that is even bigger than the London Eye. This became the Singapore Flyer, a 165-meter-high ferris wheel. Needless to say, this is a very popular attractions for tourists, as they can get a breathtaking view of the city and the surrounding region.
4. Merlion Park
The Merlion Park features a popular landmark, a statue of a lion and fish hybrid which sprouts water from its mouth into the bay. It may seem quite odd at first, but it’s a reference to the origin of the city, as the old name of it was Singapura, which means ‘lion city’ in Malay, and the city was a trading post and fishing town. Although the statue steals most of the glory, the park is worth seeing as well since it is beautiful.
5. ArtScience Museum
The ArtScience Museum focuses on both art and science, featuring countless objects and exhibitions from all eras and countries. It has permanent and temporary, touring exhibitions as well, so be sure to check beforehand if you want to come here. One of the best features of the museum is the building itself, as it was based on a lotus flower, giving it a unique look. The roof of the building also recycles rainwater to be used in the restrooms.
6. The Float at Marina Bay
The The Float at Marina Bay is a large floating stadium, and the biggest one of its kind in the world. The platform can hold up to 1,070 tonnes, which is equal to the total weight of 9,000 people, 200 tonnes of stage props and three 30-tonne military vehicles. The capacity itself is 30 thousand people, and it is often full. Events held here include sports, concerts, exhibitions, and art and cultural performances.
7. Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a large park in the city, offering a huge variety of exotic and local plants, making it a popular place for tourists and citizens as well. You can spend hours here at this garden thanks to the sheer amount of flowers here. It’s worth visiting even if you are not that interested in flowers and plants, as the lakes and statues that fill the place might also amaze you.
8. Chinatown
Like many cities throughout the world, Singapore also has its own Chinatown, where you will surely find something that will catch your eyes. You can try a lot of different chinese cuisine, or go shopping for yourself or for souvenirs, or see the architecture and decorations that fill the neighborhood.
9. Singapore Zoo
The Singapore Zoo is a big zoo in the forested area of the city. It gives home to a big variety of animals, both local and foreign. It can be broken into 11 zones and 12 exhibitions which offer plenty to see. Kids and adults both like the zoo for its dedication to keep the animals healthy and to give them habitats as close as possible to their original ones.
10. Orchard Road
The Orchard Road was once known for its beautiful fruit orchards, nutmeg plantations and pepper farms, but today it became a popular shopping hub, witch countless malls, shops, stalls and boutiques along the road. These can vary from upscale shops to smaller and lower cost ones, so everyone can find what they are looking for. If you don’t want to shop, you can just walk along the road and enjoy the bustling experience.
11. Sentosa
Sentosa is an island entirely used as one big resort with numerous amusement and entertainment facilities, including Universal Studios Singapore, Adventure Cove Waterpark, S.E.A. Aquarium, iFly Singapore, Mega Adventure, The Flying Trapeze and Palawan Beach. The island provides fun for families as well as people coming alone, and most of it is for all ages. Coming here is one of the best things to do in Singapore if you want to have fun.
12. Little India
Like the Chinatown, Little India is an ethnic neighborhood offering a piece of the original country. You can try many of the Indian cuisine, or check out the shops full of flower garlands, fragrant spices, colorful fabrics, sari and goldsmith jewelries. People are friendly here, and welcome all visitors.
13. Asian Civilisations Museum
The Asian Civilisations Museum is dedicated to all the people and civilizations of Asia, including China, Southeast Asia and West Asia, with numerous artworks and at least 1,300 artifacts from all corners of the continent. If you want to learn more about Asia and its people, then this is the place to go. Religious sculptures, ornate furniture, Chinese ceramics and the remnants of a shipwreck can all be found here.
14. Haw Par Villa
The Haw Par Villa is a very graphic and educational journey through Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism that constitute the traditional fabric of Chinese life, legend, spirituality and morality. You will see great architectures, but scary and creepy masks and statues as well in the parts depicting the Buddhist hell.
15. Umbrella Trees
The Umbrella Trees are a series of five trees decorated with colorful umbrellas at their top, instead of their original canopies. These were made as port of an art installation, but have been left there due to their popularity. People can sit down below these on the green cushions around the bottom of the tree and escape the quite regular rain.
16. Mint Museum of Toys
The Mint Museum of Toys hold a large collection of over 50 thousand toys from 40 countries, some of the regular, some of the so rare that they worth more than 10 thousand dollars to some people. It’s an interesting collection, to say the least.
17. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a nature reserve in Singapore, and a quite beautiful one at that. It’s like a tropical forest with trails you can follow to see many wonderful flora and fauna. The reserve is an important stopover point for over 150 species of exotic migratory birds from as far as Alaska, Siberia, Northern China and Australia.
18. Bukit Brown Cemetery
The Bukit Brown Cemetery is an almost forgotten Chinese cemetery in Singapore. It’s culturally important, as there are at least a 100 thousand people buried here from old times to the previous century. People are working to uphold the importance of this overgrown cemetery with tombs ranging from the tiny to the impressively grand.
19. People of the River
The People of the River is the name of a series of statues in the Boat Quay around the Singapore River, which are dedicated to the humble old times of the city when it wasn’t such a global city. One of the most popular of them is the statue group of 5 boys in different stages of jumping in the river.
20. The Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum
The The Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum is located in the Chinese Gardens of Singapore, and gives home to around 800 turtles and tortoises from 50 species. The varieties include species like long-necked snake-headed turtles, the otherworldy mata-mata, and the regal golden soft-shell turtle, among many others. A souvenir shop is also available for turtle-enthusiasts.
