Interesting Things To Do In Singapore

An Overview of Singapore

Singapore is a unique super-city in SE Asia.  It has incredible economic capabilities, rendering it one of the most important cities in the Eastern Hemisphere.  It has a long colonial history, most prominently as part of the British Empire. Following a challenging political period after WWII, Singapore was eventually merged with the nation of Malaysia due to its cultural and heritage ties.  However, Singapore’s economic status dwarfed Malaysia and the city often overruled policy for the entire nation.  In 1965, the Malaysian Parliament voted unanimously to expel Singapore from the nation, giving Singapore status as a singular, sovereign entity.  It is the only country in the world which has had independence forced upon it. Due to this, it’s enormous wealth and super-city status, there are many interesting things to do in Singapore.

In the modern era, Singapore is a super-regional power, able to project military force, control global economic agreements and patrol the surrounding sea. The country is notoriously expensive to visit.  Despite this, it is an architectural icon and one of the cleanest, safest cities on Earth.  

Singapore Travel Information

Singapore is among the most expensive places in the world. Visitors should prepare to spend accordingly.  Fortunately, Singapore is somewhat small with a robust transportation infrastructure.  Even though it’s more expensive, it’s very easy for a person to explore the city and it’s surrounding neighborhoods.

Singapore is in a tropical climate, which means rain and humidity are factors throughout the year.  Be sure to bring appropriate clothes and gear.

Public transport in Singapore is sublime and wonderful, making it easy to travel throughout the city.  It’s polite not to speak in public transportation and to listen to sound with headphones only.

Singapore has a very hard stance on crime.  Littering, cigarettes, spitting gum or letting a dog poop without cleanup results in heavy fines.  Vandalism and drug use may result in incarceration.  

Tipping is not typical in Singapore.

Singapore is not actually a single island, but a main city surrounded by satellite islands.  Taking ferries is often necessary to get around.

Interesting Things To Do In Singapore

Haw Par Villa

This is an old, garish amusement park sold as an alternative amusement attraction.  This run-down display was nearly abandoned in the 90’s after visitors tapered off.  It is now a creepy place in Singapore to visit.

Southern Ridge Trail

This is a lovely 10 km hiking trail that wanders through parts of Singapore’s green and urban areas.  It extends from Kent Ridge Park to Mount Faber.  This is one of the top activities to enjoy in all of Singapore.  The route goes on several treetop walks, arcs over various streets and districts and allows for stellar views of the entire country. Since the ridge trail crosses so many places and landmarks in the area, visiting the Southern Ridge Trail is one of the most interesting things to do in Singapore.

Pulau Ubin

More commonly known in Malay as Granite Island, this is one of the last truly rural areas found in Singapore.  The nearby island was once a giant quarrying site, but is now a major ecology preservation area.  Kayaking around the mangrove canals and habitats is a popular visiting activity and one of the more interesting things to do in Singapore.  There is also an authentic kampong (Malay traditional village) in the area.  Also in this area are the Chek Jawa Wetlands, intertidal flats with coral reefs and biking routes.  Generally, this area is very crowded on weekends. Tourists should expect to visit twice to cover everything.

Joo Chiat and Katong Neighborhoods

The Peranaken people are a major ethnic group rooted in the Singapore area, descendants of 15th century Chinese immigrants throughout the Indonesian archipelago.  The neighborhoods are painted in bright hues with white trim.  Culture guides are necessary for the full experience.

The Night Safari Tram Ride

This is a very strange activity, but Singapore is equipped with a large, free-range zoo, where local tropical animals wander around.  While it’s possible to visit during the daytime, it’s far more interesting to try the night tours. The tour costs about $25 dollars and includes a large dinner during a drive through the safari.  Animals that are active usually only at night, including tapirs, can be spotted.

Kampong Glam

This is a large neighborhood district famous for street artwork.  The lanes are cartoonish, colorful and exotic with lots of outdoor seating for various snacks.

Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown

This is a unique district famous for its nightlife.  The colorful boulevard has numerous stalls which open in the evening, including trinket booths, curiosity shops, hawker markets, Hindu good stalls, Buddhist temples, Muslim mosques and street food.

Jurong Bird Park

This is Asia’s largest bird park, found on Jurong Hill.  There are over 5,000 different birds showcasing over 400 species.  The Waterfall Aviary is the world’s largest walk-in aviary, but there are other unique features, including the Penguin Coast, Flamingo Lake, Pelican Cove and Lory Loft Forest Enclosure.

Clarke Quay

This is Singapore’s de-facto party district.  Many pushcart merchants line the streets, but there are also nightclubs, river cruises in bumboats and floating cafes.

Siloso Beach

Located on the nearby Sentosa Island, this is a high-class restaurant area known for outdoor activities, especially volleyball.  The beach is entirely man-made, created by pouring down recovered sand on the beachfront, preventing heavy shoreside erosion.

Rooftop Bars

Singapore heavily promotes rooftop spots to view sunsets while drinking cocktails.  There’s actually an uncountable number, but 1-Altitude and LeVeL33 are somewhat notorious.  This is a pricey pastime, but one of the more iconic activities in the city.

Little India

Little India contains a small series of brightly-painted streets. This area also hosts the famous wet-market known as the Tekka Centre.  There are Chinese stallholders, Tamil salesmen, Northern Indian banana-wraps, Taosit crabs and strange veggies. Little India is the largest wet-market in Singapore.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

As a large Buddhist temple and museum complex based on Tang Dynasty architecture, this building allegedly houses a tooth from Buddha discovered in the 1980’s.  The building has a meditation center, orchid rooftop garden, monk living quarters and a basic vegetarian restaurant.

Changi Airport

Though this might seem odd, Changi Airport has been voted the world’s greatest airport for many, many years.  The entire complex is worthy of visiting several hours early to properly explore.  There are interior butterfly houses, sculpture installations, indoor gardens, suspended trampolines, a functioning swimming pool, rest areas, lounges, scaled restaurants and a famously scenic indoor waterfall. Getting a Priority Pass here allows a person to experience the lounge access program. As the most unusual and notorious airport in the world, visiting the Changi Airport is one of the most interesting things to do in Singapore.

Mini-KTV In Singapore

Karaoke is an Asian-culture delight.  There are many late-night locations dedicated to singing along to karaoke machines.  However, Singapore famously has mini-KTV booths.  These are small, soundproof, air-conditioned booths placed near MTR Stations and shopping malls.  Visitors can step in and sing their hearts out for a time.

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

The oldest temple in Singapore is also a prominent Hindu temple with a history layered alongside Singapore’s colonial culture.  Migrant workers of India worshipped here and took shelter during WWII Japanese bombing raids.  The temple was unscarred by all events and has been refurbished in 2017.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Singapore’s only UNESCO Site is the Botanic Gardens, which are a series of cherished, decades-old gardens in the heart of the city.  The gardens are stunning and worth at least three hours to visit while walking under the various fern and flower arches.

Kinokuniya

Kinokuniya is an obscure bookstore offering music and manga.  There are many off-beat gems found here in a strange book-bargain alley.

Gardens by the Bay

The Gardens by the Bay is a very popular tourist attraction.  This structure has a huge series of buildings designed to house flora and fauna from all over the world.  The Cloud Forest Section is shrouded in artificial mist and hosts the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.

Supertree Grove Show

Shown nightly, this display is found behind Marina Bay Sands.  Marvelous structures known as Supertrees light up the night with the Garden Rhapsody Show.  These large fern-covered structures are over 25 meters tall.  The show takes place every night between 7:45 and 8:45 PM and is entirely free to watch.

Drinking Den Speakeasys

There are a lot of hidden bars in Singapore.  The more popular ones include Maison Ikkoku and Bitters & Love.

Singapore National Library

A sleek, amazingly designed 16-story super-library offers amazing views of Singapore, a functioning drama center, an art exhibition and strong wifi for digital nomads.

S.E.A. Aquarium

This is an absolutely enormous aquarium showcasing many different species of marine animals in their recreated habitats.

Tanjong Beach Club

This is a wonderful place to visit on quiet weekdays, known as a great place to relax and spend some time on sun-soaked sands. It’s one of Singapore’s quieter, more accessible beaches, though it still gets quite busy over the weekend.

We Are the Fuballs

This is a brilliant, coffee-delicious, very-clean dog café. The dogs are very polite and are very accommodating towards guests.

Orchard Road

This is a shopper’s paradise following a wide walking road showcasing the most celebrated shopping precinct in all of Asia.  The location was once home to orchards and nutmeg plantations.  It is now the most expensive real estate in all of Singapore.

Sultan Mosque

Also known as Masjid Sultan, this is a famously ornate mosque in historic Little Arabia Kampong Glam.  The area of worship includes a towering prayer hall, golden dome and intricate designs.  It was built in 1824 for Sultan Hussein Shah, the first Sultan of Singapore.

Haji Lane

Haji Lane is a fun hippie street known for artistic cafés printing photos on coffee cup foam.

Kebun Baru Birdsinging Club

This is a local social hotspot filled with tall poles housing songbirds who sing endlessly to one another.  The Birdsinging Club is found in Ang Mo Kio Neighborhood.  Songbird enthusiasts bring their birds here for training each weekend.  

Blinking Snails

Singapore is home to a strange creature known as a Terrestrial Mollusk.  The snail is unassuming in the daytime, but at night, they flash like low-wattage fireflies.  The flashes are called by a bioluminescent organ called the Organ of Haneda, found in the “head” of the snail.  Even the eggs of the creature glow.  Seeking out these unique creatures is one of the more interesting things to do in Singapore. The Blinking Snails can be found after rain storms in lawns, gardens and garbage dumps.  

St. Joseph’s Church

This is an enormous, stately Neo-Gothic Catholic Church with Portuguese azulejos decorative tiles and tones of marble statues.

The Henderson Waves

Part of Singapore’s Green Project, these huge bridges connect portions of the Southern Ridges.  The Henderson Waves connect Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park.  The huge structure goes over the city and creates a unique, wave-like design made from slats of yellow Balau wood.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

This is a very special wildlife haven and Singapore’s first ASEAN Heritage Park.  The reserve has trails passing through coastal areas, forest trails, upper-canopy walks and migratory-bird-viewing-platforms.  In terms of outdoor activities, visiting the wetland reserve is one of the most interesting things to do in Singapore.

Chan Hon Meng’s

Chan Hon Meng’s is a restaurant stall which only costs two dollars.  The stall is considered the most impressive and cheapest Michelin-Star Meal on Earth.

Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum

This is an excellent little museum and zoo dedicated to turtles and tortoises.  

St. John’s Cat Island

Officially called St. John’s Island, this large island has sandy beaches, great swimming areas and the Sisters Islands Marine Park Public Gallery.  However, best of all are the hundreds of friendly cats wandering around the various landmarks of the island.

Thian Hock Keng

Tianfu Temple is Singapore’s oldest and grandest Buddhist temple.  It has elaborate architecture in a traditional Chinese style with dragon and phoenix sculptures everywhere.  Photos aren’t allowed inside, but the exterior is beautiful.  The temple allows free entry.

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