Heading to Singapore and looking for the ultimate 2 day Singapore itinerary? Singapore is an absolutely fantastic place to spend a couple of days, with so many things to see and do and should definitely be on everyone’s Asia bucket list!
Having been to Singapore many times I have created the perfect 2 day tourist itinerary for first-timers to Singapore, as well as an alternative Singapore itinerary for those who have visited before or wish to see some lesser known spots, or want to cram more into their trip!
Despite its compact size, Singapore has so many unique tourist spots to visit: from the futuristic Gardens by the Bay and Art Science Museum to the historic Haji Lane and Peranakan Houses.
Whilst 2 days is a short time to explore Singapore (3 or 4 days in Singapore is ideal) you can still see a lot here within two days as everything is fairly close together.
2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY
Day 1 of this itinerary covers all the absolute essential sightseeing spots of Singapore that you can’t miss, whereas day 2 focuses on the more cultural sights and unique neighbourhoods of Singapore.
DAY 1:
- Gardens By The Bay (including Supertree Grove, Cloud Forest, Flower Dome & Floral Fantasy)
- Marina Bay Sand Hotel
- Art Science Museum
- Merlion Park
DAY 2:
- Peranakan Houses
- Haji Lane & Masjid Sultan
- Old Hill Street Police Station
- Clarke Quay
2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY:
DAY 1
Gardens By The Bay
The first stop for anyone in Singapore has to be Gardens By The Bay. Gardens By The Bay is located in the heart of Singapore next to Marina Bay Sands and it is free to walk around.
The gardens are incredibly stunning and honestly seem like they are out of this world! Since opening in 2012, Gardens By The Bay quickly became one of the most well-loved tourist attractions in Singapore.
Gardens By The Bay encompasses a large area and within the gardens you will find some of Singapore’s most well known tourist attractions: The Supertree Grove and 3 indoor conservatories: Cloud Forest, Flower Dome and Floral Fantasy.
The Supertree Grove is free to enter, and there is an admission price for the three indoor conservatories.
However, if you are on a budget, tight for time or just want to take it easy, just walking around the Supertree Grove (which is certainly the most impressive part of Gardens By The Bay) is adequate and will really give you a feel for the place.
If you just have time to visit one of the indoor conservatories then I would definitely recommend Cloud Forest over the other two.
You could honestly easily spend all day exploring Gardens By The Bay – there is a lot to see and do here! Below we will look at the different areas inside that you can visit.
Nearest MRT: Bayfront
Supertree Grove
Cost: FREE
Open: 5am – 2am
When to visit: early in the morning (less crowds) and in the evening (lit up)
The most impressive and well-known part of Gardens By The Bay is the tall Supertrees (some reaching as high as 50 metres tall!). Standing underneath the giant supertrees feels so surreal – you feel so tiny and like you’re in Avatar!
There is so much greenery surrounding the supertrees: it is really idyllic and you can get some fantastic pictures here. This is definitely one of the most Instagrammable places in Singapore!
It is free to walk around these soaring trees or if you like you can pay S$8 to go up to the OCBC Skyway (22 metres high) and walk across from the top of one of the supertrees to another! See the pictures below for the view!
I advise to visit during the morning when the weather is cooler and there are less crowds, and then also to come back in the evening when the super trees start to light up and you can witness the incredible Gardens By The Bay Light Show. Every night at 7.45 and 8.45pm there is a free light and sound show called Garden Rhapsody.
The trees will light up in harmony to many different songs and the performance is different every time. It can be busy, but lie underneath one of the trees, watch the show and you’ll feel like you’re a million miles away: it’s so relaxing! Once the last show is over, the gardens empty pretty quickly so if you hang around a little you can get some nice night shots without the crowds in.
You can walk amongst the Supertrees from 5am until 2am so even though it gets quite busy here during the day there are plenty opportunities to get pictures.
The super trees are equally impressive during the day and at night and both offer a totally different experience so I highly recommend you to see them in the day and then again lit up at night.
Cloud Forest
Open: 9am-9pm (last admission 8pm)
Cost: The combined ticket for Cloud Forest & Flower Dome is S$28 (S$15 for children).
The Cloud Forest is a unique and hugely impressive mist filled multi-level conservatory with a giant waterfall at the entrance. The waterfall is 30 metres high, making it one of the tallest indoor waterfalls in the world! Whilst the entrance fee may seem expensive for some, it is a fantastic experience and many people say out of the three indoor conservatories at Gardens By The Bay, the Cloud Forest is definitely their favourite.
The Cloud Forest is really big and quite a mysterious place, and inside you’ll find lots of rare plants and even some impressive stalactites. There are lots of walkways and levels, and the vegetation changes as you ascend/descend the walkways of the Cloud Mountain, which is meant to replicate how vegetation changes at different altitudes.
Cloud Forest is climate-controlled, with temperatures kept low to resemble a tropical mountain. The temperature gets cooler towards the top thanks to the cool vapour and air-conditioning – great for when the heat and humidity of Singapore gets too much! There are several levels you can climb to get to the top of the ‘Cloud Mountain’ where you can get great views of Singapore and down the waterfall.
Even if you are not a plant enthusiast, the architecture of the glass dome and the displays at Cloud Forest will surely blow you away. This is a firm favourite for many visitors to Singapore and one of it’s most popular attractions. Try to get there early to enjoy it without the crowds as it can get very busy! I found it really special and calming walking around first thing in the morning without other people around, and I could hear all the unique sounds and therefore really imagine I was in another world, which I’m sure would be hard to do if there were lots of other people.
Flower Dome
Open: 9am-9pm (last admission 8pm)
Cost: The combined ticket for Flower Dome & Cloud Forest is S$28 (S$15 for children).
Right opposite Cloud Forest is the Flower Dome. The Flower Dome is another impressive glass dome: infact it is the world’s largest glass greenhouse. You’ll find flowers and plants from 5 continents here. There are some really nice floral displays and archways you can get pictures at. Again, it gets quite busy in the day here so try to get here as early as possible.
Floral Fantasy
Open: 9am-9pm
Cost: S$20
A short walk from Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome but still within Gardens By The Bay is Floral Fantasy. Another floral indoor conservatory – this place is, as it’s name suggests, a complete fantasy land! You’ll see inspiration from fairy tales here in the 4 diverse garden landscapes, and with over 3000 plants and flowers arranged in beautiful displays and canopies there are plenty opportunities for photographs here.
Floral Fantasy is located near the Dragonfly Bridge connecting Marina Bay Sands to Gardens by the Bay. As The Gardens By The Bay is right next to the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel and you can get a stunning view of it from Gardens By The Bay.
Marina Bay Sands Hotel
Soaring over the bay is Marina Bay Sands: one of the most famous and iconic hotels in the world! The unique architecture can be seen for miles. The best place to take pictures is by the bridge and the lake in Gardens By The Bay.
Art Science Museum
Open: 10am-7pm
Cost: Depending which exhibition you want to see, tickets start at S$19. Click here to see more.
The ArtScience Museum is located at the base of Marina Bay Sands next to the Helix Bridge and overlooks Marina Bays. It is a large and impressive white lotus flower shaped building that you simply can’t miss, and that you’ve probably seem on many pictures of Singapore’s skyline.
The exhibitions inside the Art Science Museum are incredible, even for someone like me who is not a museum person. They are really interactive and suitable for all, young and old.
I went to the Futureworld: Where Art Meets Science exhibition, located in basement 2. This is a permanent exhibition and I absolutely recommend this one if you only go to visit one exhibition. It is created with TeamLab so it is great if you can’t make it to the TeamLab exhibition in Tokyo! You buy your ticket at the entrance and your ticket states your entry time. You can’t go in before your allocated time, to ensure the exhibit doesn’t get too crowded.
My favourite parts of the exhibition were City In A Garden (above) and Space (below) – the digital light canvas. Space is actually at the end of the exhibition but is the highlight for many people! You can spend as much time taking photos here as you want (I think in the Tokyo TeamLab exhibition there is a 2 minute limit).
2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY
EVENING:
Merlion Park
Merlion Park is located just a short walk from the ArtScience Museum and Marina Bay Sands on the other side of the bay. It is a really nice place to watch the sunset and offers a stunning view of the skyline including Marina Bay Sands Hotel. The Merlion statue (a half lion, half fish statue with a waterfall coming out of the mouth) makes for some great photographs too.
If you are looking for ways on how to explore Singapore on a budget, head to nearby Lau Pa Sat Hawker Centre for some cheap food. Hawker Centres are food court that offer value for money, casual late night dining. There are many cuisines of Singapore in this stunning building.
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place
Infinity Pool at Marina Bay Sands/ Rooftop Drinks
The infinity pool at Marina Bay Sands is the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool and offers one of the best pool views out there! You can only access the infinity pool if you are staying overnight at the hotel – there are no exceptions to this!
If you can’t afford a stay here then head up to the rooftop bar CE LA VI on level 57 of Marina Bay Sands which looks out onto the pool. Enjoy an incredible view of the pool and Singapore skyline whilst sipping on a cocktail – Singapore honestly looks so special illuminated at night. Despite the impressive views, the cocktails are reasonably priced (for Singapore prices – around S$20).
Make sure you time it right to head back over to Gardens By The Bay to see the light show (at 7.45pm and 8.45pm)!
2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY
DAY 2:
After seeing the glamorous tourist sights in Singapore on Day 1, it’s time to discover more of the culture and unique neighbourhoods on Day 2. Despite its small size, Singapore is a melting pot of cultures, with a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian influences, and prides itself in being a multi-racial country. Many expats from around the world call Singapore their home, and you’ll see pockets of different cultures in different neighbourhoods.
Peranakan Houses
In the east of Singapore is the charming Joo Chiat neighbourhood where perfect rows of unique vibrantly coloured houses dot the streets here. The beautifully ornate, intricately detailed and well-preserved terraced houses date from pre-war and are called Peranakan houses. Peranakan is a Malay/Indonesian word which means ‘local born’. It refers to the locally born people of Chinese heritage who are descendants of Chinese immigrants going back several hundred years. Many of them settled in this area.
The brightly coloured 2 storey shophouses are what Joo Chiat has become famous for. One place in particular where you will see perfectly quaint houses is on Koon Seng Road. This is one of the most perfect photogenic streets I have ever seen and is one of Singapore’s most popular Instagram spots! Lots of people like to take pictures outside the pink and blue house.
Make sure to explore the streets around here – there are lots of unique cafes and eateries and boutique heritage shops.
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar or Eunos Station, both a 15 minute walk from Koon Seng Road. Alternatively, to get here quicker take a 10 minute Uber ride from the centre.
Haji Lane & Arab Quarter
In Singapore’s Kampong Glam neighbourhood lies the extremely vibrant and lively hipster Haji Lane. Colourful street art adorns almost every wall in Haji Lane and the surrounding streets and the area has a very indie/retro vibe. You’ll find lots of cute cafes, restaurants, bars and independent boutique shops here so be sure to stop for some food and a browse around the shops here!
There is a great atmosphere down here, especially on Sunday afternoons when the streets and outdoor seating areas of the cafes are busy. Prices on Haji Lane are more geared towards Western prices, however there are some cheaper places off on the side streets and on the snack food stalls towards Masjid Sultan.
In the 1950’s and 60’s the area around Haji Lane was the Muslim Quarter and you’ll still find several Middle Eastern Cafes here that serve delicious food. You’ll also find the Masjid Sultan Mosque a couple of streets away.
Nearest MRT: Bugis Lane (500 metres)
Masjid Sultan
Masjid Sultan (Sultan Mosque) is just around the corner from Haji Lane. The beautiful gold domed mosque was built in 1824 for the first Sultan of Singapore. It was rebuilt in 1932, and in 1975 was considered a National Monument. It is considered the National Mosque of Singapore.
Look beneath the gold onion-shaped domes and you will see the base is made of glass bottle ends. These were donated by Muslims with a lower income, so the rebuilding of the mosque could include donations from all Muslims and not just rich ones.
You can get a really nice photograph underneath the archway on the corner of Kandahar Street and Muscat Street.
The mosque is free to enter if you would like to have a look inside.
Opening times:
10.00-12.00, 14.00-16.00 Saturday – Thursday.
14.30-16.00 Friday
Old Hill Street police station
Old Hill Street Police Station is one of the most colourful and definitely most photogenic buildings in Singapore! Nowadays known as MICA or Ministry of Information and Communications Building, but still more affectionately referred to as the Old Hill Street police station. This is a very beautiful building with all the window shutters painted bright colours of the rainbow.
Do be very careful when crossing the road here as it is located on a busy road. There is a small pavement in between the lanes of traffic. Most people choose to stand here, whilst the person taking the photo stands at the other side of the street. There are a few seconds when traffic stops on both sides and you’ll be able to get a clear shot without any cars in.
2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY
EVENING:
Clarke Quay
Just around the corner from the Old Hill Street Police Station is Clarke Quay. Clarke Quay is a great place to go in the evenings for dinner and drinks as there are many restaurants and bars and it is really lively.
Opposite Clarke Quay you can pick up a Singapore River Cruise and do river tour on Singapore river.
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay, Fort Canning
ALTERNATIVE 2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY
DAY 1:
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Open: 5am – midnight daily
Cost: FREE
Located 6 km from downtown Singapore are the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The Singapore Gardens are free to visit and are a really nice way to spend a couple of hours. They are 160 years old and the first UNESCO Heritage Site of Singapore and are in fact one of the most beautiful Botanical Gardens in Asia. The grounds are very large and there are two main entrances:
Closest MRT: Napier Road or Botanic Gardens. Note these 2 stations are located on completely opposite sides of the gardens and are over 2km apart so check which one is most convenient for you.
Orchid Garden
Open: 9-5
Cost: S$5
The Orchid Garden is located inside the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Whilst The Botanic Gardens are free to visit, if you would like to visit the Orchard Garden it costs $5. The gardens aren’t too busy and there is a really photogenic archway here as you go in to the right.
Little India
Experiencing the diverse culture of Singapore’s Indian community in Little India: one of Singapore’s most vibrant and bustling neighbourhoods, is a must! Little India is a colourful, compact multicultural area with many Hindu, Islam and Buddhist places of worship. The smells, sights and sounds of Indian culture are everywhere.
Here you can experience the diverse culture of Singapore’s Indian community and see Singapore’s most colourful building: Tan Teng Niah. Tan Teng Niah was built in 1900 is now the last remaining Chinese villa of it’s kind in the neighbourhood. It lies in the middle of Little India despite being Chinese, not Indian!
Prior to visiting Little India, after only seeing pictures of this house on Instagram, I had presumed it was a whole street of houses like this but it’s not. The Chinese villa stands amongst a market, shops and Indian restaurants in otherwise unassuming buildings.
We were here in the middle of the day and it was very easy to get pictures without other people in, despite it being a popular place for tourists to visit.
Check out the Mustafa Centre nearby – a 24 hour mall with literally everything you need, at much lower prices than a lot of places in Singapore. Little India is fairly compact and can be easily discovered by foot, great for discovering all the colourful street art.
There are many great reasonably priced restaurants in Little India – if you like Indian food make sure to eat some here as the standard of food is so good! We ate an amazing lunch at the restaurant Amaravati right next door to the Tan Teng Niah house. The food was great, the staff were so friendly and helpful, the restaurant was packed (which is always a good sign!) the view was perfect, and the Paneer Manchurian was to die for!
Nearest MRT: Little India
Fort Canning Park Tree Tunnel
Behind the Old Police Station is Fort Cannning Park. If you walk all the way across the park in the direction of Orchard Road and Dhoby Ghaut MRT station there is a pedestrian underpass leading into the park.
To get a picture like this you will need to climb onto the barrier/hand rail at the side of the stairs. We got there at around midday and had to queue for about 20 minutes to take the photo!
Ideally you want a wide lens on your camera. If you are using a phone that doesn’t have a wide angle lens you can use a clip-on wide lens – you can purchase them at an electronic gadgets shop. The picture below was taken with the phone clip on, not with a professional camera!
For the Google maps location of the Fort Canning park Tree Tunnel click here. (type “Fort Canning Park Tree Tunnel” into Google maps).
Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut. But easy to walk from the Old Police Station/Old Fire Station if you are here.
Orchard Road Library
Orchard Road Library, or Library@orchard as it is more popularly known, is a library located inside the Orchard Gateway mall.
There is a beautiful section of the library with swirling bookcases, and a bookshelf with a ladder you can get some pictures.
The library entrance is on the 3rd level of the Orchard Gateway mall and the address is 277 Orchard Road. If you are coming from the Fort Canning Park Tree Tunnel it is 1km to walk to the library.
You don’t need to be a member to access the library. However, please remember this is a busy library used by a lot of people so please be quiet and respectful when you are here.
Nearest MRT: directly opposite Somerset MRT
ALTERNATIVE 2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY
EVENING:
Chinatown
Head to Chinatown in the evening for food and also to see the stunning Buddha Tooth Relic Buddhist Temple beautifully lit at night. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple has the world’s largest prayer wheel, and you can also watch the Buddhist monks during ceremonies.
The beautifully colourful and decorative Buddha Tooth Relic Temple houses the Buddha tooth relic in a gold stupa. Admission is free, but a donation is greatly received. The temple is open for visitors from 9-12 and then from 3-6pm, but please respect no photos are to be taken inside.
Chinatown not only has lots of great food places, but it’s also really lively and has lots of cheap souvenirs if you need to buy any. Chinatown Food Street has lots of places to get food day or night at a reasonable price.
The architecture of the buildings is nice, in the colourful Peranakan style. There are also lots of colourful Chinese lanterns and decorations in the streets.
Nearest MRT: Chinatown
ALTERNATIVE 2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY
DAY 2:
Sentosa
And now to take your foot off the sightseeing pedal and have some real fun! Sentosa is an island off the south of Singapore and is known as the State of Fun! It was created as a popular tourist destination after previously being used as a British military base and then a Japanese Prisoner Of War camp. The island is full of beautiful golden sand beaches, resorts, rainforests and themed attractions scubas Universal Studios.
On the south coast of Sentosa is Palawan beach. There are lots of bars here and places to grab food, or head to the hanging suspension bridge that leads to a small island for the perfect Sentosa Instagram shot. From the lookout tower here you can even see as far as Indonesia on a clear day.
Sentosa can be quite busy so head to Tanjong beach if peaceful and tranquility is what you are after.
Sentosa Island can be reached by pedestrian walkway, car, MRT or cable car. If you would like to go by cable car it is cheaper to book online.
Nearest MRT: Harbour Front
Haw Par Villa
Cost: FREE
Open: 9am – 10pm daily
Carrying west past Sentosa is Haw Par Villa, Singapore’s largest outdoor art gallery. It was built in 1937 and was formerly known as the Tiger Balm Garden as it was created by the inventors of Tiger Balm. Haw Par Villa is the last remaining Asian culture park in the world of it’s kind, featuring giant statues and retelling Chinese mythology and legends.
It is very unusual and quirky, and supposed to be light hearted, but to some people parts of it may appear a little creepy, especially the Ten Courts of Hell. I was here on my own and the place was deserted so yes at times I was a little creeped out! It is definitely worth a visit though, and unlike anywhere I have ever been before! Click here to visit the official website for more information.
Nearest MRT: Haw Par Villa. Located along Pasit Panjang Road.
Rain Vortex at The Jewel
Cost: FREE
Open: 24/7 however water is only turned on from 9am-11.30pm.
At 40 metres high, the Rain Vortex at The Jewel, Changi Airport is the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and it is so impressive! The rain vortex is surrounded by the Shiseido Forest Valley and reminded me of Cloud Forest!
The rain vortex is lit up at night and there are 5 Light & Sound shows here every evening: one every hour from 7.30pm until 11.30pm.
It is quite busy at all times of the day as flights are coming and going 24 hours at Changi Airport. However, the rain vortex only has water from 9am until 11.30pm so make sure you arrive during these times! If you arrive after this time, there will be no water flowing so it just won’t be the same.
Check what times your flights are and make sure you get to the airport early to get some photographs here! The Jewel is the name for the whole complex, not just the waterfall. The jewel is actually 10 floors high and has hundreds of restaurants and shops inside, so it is a great place to come and relax before taking your flight back home. It is located a bit of a walk from the passenger terminals so just bear this in mind so you don’t miss your flight!
These photos are particularly special to me as the were actually taken right before my last ever flight as Cabin Crew! Click here to head to my Flight Attendant archives for tips, advice and gossip on FA life!
Nearest MRT: Changi Airport
Continuing your journey from Singapore:
You can get the ferry to Indonesia (Bintan) or take the bus to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (5 hours) from Singapore. The buses are quite comfortable.
2 DAY SINGAPORE ITINERARY
Budget for a 2 day Singapore Itinerary
Singapore is honestly a place where you can spend a lot of money, or not spend too much, and still get to see and experience so much. There really is something for all budgets here.
Many of the sight to visit in Singapore are free. Day 1 of the itinerary will most likely be the most expensive as the cost of the ArtScience Museum, Cloud Forest plus a drink at Ce La Vi in Marina Bay Sands will set you back around $70.
In pretty much all the other locations mentioned (unless stated otherwise), entrance to places is free, and so therefore your only costs will be your food and your transport.
EATING OUT IN SINGAPORE
In Singapore you can find very modest places to eat, as well as lots of expensive places to eat, so you can find something to fit your style and budget. Places that serve local food will always be cheaper (for example in Hawker Centres and markets you can get a meal for around S$4!), whereas eating in posh restaurants and in typical touristic restaurants will cost you a lot more.
Hawker centres are basically a bunch of inexpensive street food stalls located outside serving up delicious local food. The locals eat here, and well, you know the food is good if the locals are eating there! There are some really good ones near Marina Bay and also in Chinatown, where you can get meals for as low as $5SGD (£3)! For Singapore this is super cheap!
TRANSPORT IN SINGAPORE
Transport is also reasonably priced in Singapore! The MRT subway system is efficient, economic and easy to use, and it takes you pretty much everywhere in Singapore! You can purchase a one day Singapore Tourist Pass for $10 SGD (£5) for unlimited rides, as single tickets of roughly $4 SGD quickly add up. Taxis are also a decent price (seeing as Singapore is small, your taxi is never going to be too expensive or out of your budget!). Use the ‘Grab’ app (SE Asia’s answer to Uber) or normal street taxis – they usually charge similar prices.
When going to and from Changi Airport, I would advise to take a taxi (around S$20) as the journey is very long if you take public transport.
Where To Stay On A 2 Day Singapore Itinerary
When it comes to accommodation, Singapore caters to every budget. You can get cheap hostels for around S$20 a night, budget hotels start from around S$70 per night, and more luxurious hotels that will set you back a few hundred dollars per night.
Top money saving tips for Singapore:
- Tap water is safe and free to drink, so save money and plastic!
- Alcohol is very expensive here (a lot more expensive than food) so be wise with how many drinks you have.
- Hawker centres are a great place to have a casual affordable dinner.
- Several of the sights in Singapore are within walking distance, so always check the map to best plan your itinerary!
Important Things To Bear In Mind When Visiting Singapore
Whilst Singapore is an extremely pleasant place, make sure you are aware of the strict laws here before visiting. Chewing gum in prohibited, and eating and drinking on public transport is not allowed and you will be fined heavily if caught. There are also very strict drug laws here, with a mandatory death penalty if you are caught with drugs. Click here to read the laws in Singapore.
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