Why go
Singapore is small enough to cross in forty minutes and dense enough that each district feels distinct. The hawker centres — UNESCO-listed since 2020 — are the reason most people come back.
Five things to do
- 01
Maxwell or Old Airport Road
Hawker lunch for a few dollars.
- 02
Gardens by the Bay at 7.45pm
The light show, free.
- 03
Botanic Gardens
UNESCO listed, open from 5am.
- 04
Peranakan Museum
The culture that defines local food.
- 05
Chinatown Complex at night
A thousand stalls, one Michelin star.
Neighbourhoods
Tiong Bahru
Art deco walk-ups and the best bakery queue.
Kampong Glam
Sultan Mosque, Haji Lane, textile shops.
Little India
Tekka market and 24-hour banana leaf meals.
Southern Ridges
Ten kilometres of canopy walkway.
Getting around
Buy the transport card on arrival — every city on this list has one, and it is cheaper than single fares within about four journeys. Walking covers more than the map suggests: most of the districts above are within thirty minutes of each other on foot.
Taxis and ride apps are worth it late at night and when you are carrying luggage. Everything else is faster on the metro, the tram or the ferry, in that order.
Where to eat
The rule that holds in Singapore is the rule that holds everywhere: eat at the busy place, at the hour the locals eat, and order the thing the kitchen makes most of. Reserve for dinner in the districts above; lunch rarely needs it.
Two days here
- Morning: Maxwell or Old Airport Road
- Afternoon: walk Tiong Bahru
- Evening: Botanic Gardens
- Day two: Chinatown Complex at night
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