Singapore is one of my favorite cities in Southeast Asia. When I can, I plan my trip to Asia with a stop in Singapore. Singapore a multicultural city full of the flavours and streetfood of the whole of Asia, but at the same time it’s a clean city where you can enjoy a lot of modern conveniences.
Where to stay in Singapore
Accommodation in Singapore is generally expensive. Of course there is a lot of demand for accommodation and free access to the view and infinity pool right at the Marina Bay Sands hotel, but it’s not the cheapest. Twice as expensive is another iconic hotel, Raffles, where the Singapore Sling cocktail was born. Speaking of expensive hotels, when it comes to quality, better than these two famous ones is the luxurious Mandarin Oriental, which is in Marina Bay overlooking Marina Bay Sands. It may not have the “iconic feel” but it has the best views and is superbly modern. In general Marina Bay is a great location if you want to be in the heart of the action.
On the other side of the spectrum, if you’re looking for more budget accommodation, Chinatown is the best option if you want to stay near downtown and have cheap food nearby at the same time, as there are several hawker centres in the area. There are defacto only smaller hotels in Chinatown, the houses here are usually no more than 3 stories. Also affordable but further away from the centre is accommodation near Orchard road, which is a shopping street and there are a lot of hotels, or around Arab street.
If you want to live in the liveliest area full of bars, shops and better hotels, then the riverside area of Clarke Quay.
Tips for accommodation in Singapore
- Parkroyal Collection Pickering – near Chinatown metro, a beautiful hotel with wellness, fitness, swimming pool and literally surrounded by green gardens.
- Jyu Capsule Hotel (hostel) – in Chinatown, beautiful and clean hostel. In addition to the lockable luggage locker, there is a lock box right in the capsule, the capsule is a little wider than the bed so there is room for stuff.
Capsule hotels
Singapore and its relatively expensive accommodation (especially if you’re travelling solo) taught me about capsule hotels. These are hostels, but where you have your own capsule (not an open bunk, but a solid cell, closed on all sides) where you can crawl in and have full privacy, your own light, outlet, etc. But at the same time there are more such capsules in the room, you have shared bathrooms, just like in a hostel. Capsul hotels in Singapore are often quite modern, even boutique. The price/performance ratio is great, especially if you just need a place to stay. They often have capsules for couples, which are twice the size and you can be there in two.
What to see in Singapore
Singapore is a great city for walking around, the city is very diverse, the different parts are very different from each other, both visually and in terms of what you can find for food, shops or sights.
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands is an iconic hotel that dominates the Singapore skyline. Its most famous attraction is the Skypark, which offers breathtaking views of the city, and the Infinity Pool, the world’s longest outdoor swimming pool in height. Also downstairs is The Shoppes, an upscale shopping mall with a number of shops by famous brands or restaurants by famous chefs.
There’s Le Cho colat Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton or Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen.
The hotel has 3 towers with 55 floors. The towers support a huge, 340-metre-long rooftop, which represents a ship. This refers to the city’s history as an important commercial and maritime crossroads.
There are basically 3 ways to get to the view from Marina Bay Sands:
- you will stay at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel – as a hotel guest you will have access to the Infinity Pool (non-guests cannot get in at all),
- go for a drink in a bar (or coffee or even food) – you can visit the Cé La Vi or Spago restaurant in Tower 3 or the Italian restaurant LAVO on the 57th floor of Tower 1, a cocktail will cost you about the same as a ticket to Skypark,
- you pay to enter the Skypark – the entrance is from the 3rd tower.
Gardens by the Bay
Garden on 101 hectares behind Marina Bay Sands. A new model of urban green space, the futuristic park is known for its innovative design and ecological features.
Entrance to the garden as such is free, only some individual attractions are paid. There are several things to see in the garden.
Supertree Grove
The most striking feature of the Gardens by the Bay is the 18 giant trees, which reach a height of up to 50 metres. Their “trunks” are covered with plants and flowers. At night, they are illuminated. There is a great view of both the entire garden and the Marina Bay Sands.
Skyway
A 22-metre high observation bridge stretches between several supertrees overlooking the garden and the city.
Cloud forrest
A huge greenhouse in which there is an artificial mountain covered with tropical greenery with an indoor waterfall. There are suspended walkways with views of the plants.
Flower Dome
Another greenhouse with a collection of temperate climate plants from around the world. The greenhouse is divided into several themed gardens that present different ecosystems and cultural landscapes.
Dragonfly & Kingfisher Lakes
Lakes, which are part of the ecological sustainability of gardens.
Herritage Gardens
Four themed sections of the garden that tell the history and culture of Singapore and its major ethnic groups.
Merlion
In front of Marina Bay Sands is one of Singapore’s most iconic symbols, the Merlion statue. The mythical creature is half fish and half lion, spewing water. The statue is almost 9 metres tall.
From this place you can also have a great view of Marina Bay and in the evening the colourful fountain in front of it.
Chinatown
Chinatown tends to be the most vibrant and diverse neighbourhood, and this is no different in Singapore. There used to be streetfood stalls right on the streets, now they’ve been relocated to hawker centres and right on the streets it’s less interesting, but there are still loads of stalls selling goods that can make nice souvenirs and lots of other things. The architecture and facades themselves are beautiful too, and Chinatown and the streets are decorated with typical Chinese red lanterns.
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
The Temple of Buddha’s Tooth is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Singapore. It is quite new, built in 2007 and serves as the home of the Buddha’s Tooth. The Buddha’s Tooth is considered one of the most sacred relics in Buddhism, as it is believed to be a direct physical reference to Buddha Siddhartha Gautama.
The temple is a typical architecture of the Tang Dynasty, which is considered to be the peak period of Chinese culture and art. The multi-layered roofs are covered with dark green tiles with gold ornaments. The decorated roof edges are topped with animal figures and dragon motifs. This is, among other things, symbolism protecting against evil spirits. The temple itself is decorated in red and gold, which are traditionally colours that express good luck and prosperity.
In the main hall there are richly decorated altars with Buddha statues. The inside is really beautiful, one of the most beautiful temples I’ve ever seen. The Buddha’s tooth itself is on the top floor, but public access is only possible under certain conditions and during special ceremonies.
On the roof of the temple (4th floor) there is a roof garden with orchids.
The temple is right next to Maxwell Station, and admission is free (but closes at 5 p.m.). Veils are available for rent.
Maxwell food centre
Large hawker centre right next to the metro station. There are 3 rows of stalls offering all kinds of local specialities and several stalls mentioned in the Michelin Guide, including an award-winning coffee stall. There’s also the famous (blue) Hainanese chicken stall, which you’ll probably recognise by the very long queue at the exposed times.
Hong Lim Market
Smaller hawker centre, less touristy. There’s a few stalls, but they’re all mobbed. The complex also sells fresh fruit, seafood and other ingredients for home cooking.
Little India
Typical colourful Indian bristle. There are Indian restaurants and gold shops. There’s still a caste system among the Indians, so you’ll only see poor Indians in this neighborhood, the rich wouldn’t come here.
Tan Teng Niah Villa
An unmissable Chinese villa in an Indian neighbourhood. It’s probably the most colorful building in the city. It was built in 1900 by Tan Teng Niah, a Chinese merchant who traded in sugar, an important commodity for the Indian community, so they tolerated a Chinese house here.
Arab Street and Kampong Glam
Kampong Glam is a historic district that was originally allocated to the Malay and Muslim communities in Singapore. The centrepiece of the district is the Masjid Sultan, a magnificent mosque with a gilded dome. Around the mosque is a network of streets filled with shops selling textiles, carpets, perfumes and traditional Arabic souvenirs.
The neighbourhood has a much richer feel than Little India, there are lots of beautifully painted facades and there are nice modern cafes and good restaurants here and in the surrounding area. This area may be my favourite after Gardens by the bay in SIngapore.
Haji Lane is a “famous” narrow street in Kampong Glam that is known for its boutiques, vintage shops, cafes and bars. It’s a place for shopping and is quite photogenic.
Boat Quay and Clarke Quay
From Merlion there is a nice walk around the river (Singapore river). There are some nice bridges across the river, such as the Cavenagh bridge, one of the oldest bridges in Singapore, or the elegant and large Anderson bridge, which also carries the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix track.
The path around the river continues through the Boat Quay area, which is a kind of waterfront with lots of restaurants, and Clarke Quay, which is also a waterfront with lots of businesses and nightclubs, less traditional and more touristy.
Singapore zoo
Singapore has one of the best zoos in the world. Over 2,800 animals can be seen in their natural habitat. There is also the Night Safari, which is the world’s first night zoo where you can observe the nocturnal behaviour of animals.
East Coast Park
If you’re here for a longer stay, you’ll appreciate some relaxation by the beach. East Coast Park is the coastline that stretches from downtown towards the airport. There’s a bike path, beaches and plenty of cafes, as well as a small hawker centre or a branch of Jumbo seafood.
Hawker centres and streetfood
Hawker centres are a key part of the local dining scene. These are large indoor markets with lots of stalls. Hawker centres here are clean, well organised and subject to fairly strict hygiene standards.
A simple rule of thumb is to pick a stall where there is a long line of locals and have what they are having. The prices here are much lower than for meals in restaurants. The famous malls are Lau Pa Sat, which is sort of I would say the most modern, Maxwell centre and Hong Lim Market, the latter is smaller and I would say the least touristy.
In 2020, Singapore’s hawker centres were recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco, in recognition of their unique contribution to the city’s culture.
What to taste in Singapore
Singapore is a gastronomic paradise full of hawker centres where you can sample a variety of streetfood. Thanks to the clash of many cultures in this small area, you can taste almost anything you can think of from Asian cuisine, but especially Malaysian, Chinese and Indian.
When visiting Singapore, you shouldn’t miss the Hainanese Chicken Rice, although the originally Chinese dish is considered Singapore’s national dish. The chicken is cooked in chicken broth and served with rice. Famous is the chilli crab, a whole crab cooked in a spicy chilli sauce. You’ll find it all over the city, but Jumbo seafood is considered a frontrunner with several branches around town.
For good streetfood, whatever you order, you need to visit a hawker centre.
Where to go for a good view
For the best views in Singapore, click here:
- Sands Skypark Observation Deck or Lavo Restaurant upstairs at Marina Bay Sands Hotel, with views of the city on one side and the Gardens by the bay and the coastline beyond the gardens on the other,
- 1-Altitude – Singapore’s tallest rooftop bar, on the 63rd floor of One Raffles Place. It has a 360-degree view of the city.
Jump to Malaysia
Singapore is small, so it’s a quick trip to a neighbouring country. The Malaysian city right on the border with Singapore is Johor Bahru, which is a modern city, but there’s nothing really worth a special trip. Unless you’re a fan of Legos, there’s Legoland Malaysia.
There is a train between Johor Bahru, specifically JB Sentral Station and Singapore, specifically Woodlands Station. The journey is only 2 kilometres across the “river” and takes 5 minutes. Trains (Shuttle Tebrau, operated by KTM) run several times a day but I recommend buying in advance, they tend to sell out. You can get to Woodlands with the MRT Thomson-East Coast Line (brown), there’s still a short bus ride from the subway to the train, it runs all the time.
From Woodlands or Johor Bahru in Malaysia you can easily continue by train or bus to Melaka or even Kuala Lumpur. I took the route in the opposite direction and it’s a breeze.
Where is Singapore
Singapore is a city state and is located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, separated from Malaysia by the Johor Canal (or if you prefer the Johor River), the border between Malaysia and Singapore runs right through the middle of this water front. Singapore is separated from Indonesia to the south by the Riau Strait.
Singapore is an island, or rather the main island of Singapore (Palau Ujong) and 63 other small islands around it. But it is connected to Malaysia by a land route, the Johor Bridge.
Singapore is unique in its highly urbanised structure and is one of the most densely populated places in the world. It is a global financial centre, a major port and has one of the most advanced economies in the world. Its strategic location on the maritime trade routes between the Indian Ocean and the
How to get to Singapore
Singapore is most often reached when travelling to Southeast Asia. From Prague, the most common connections are to Indonesia (Bali), the Philippines or Australia. For these trips, it makes sense to plan a two-day stopover here or appreciate a longer layover. Even with a seven-hour layover, it’s worth it to go sightseeing.
International airlines flying from Prague include Air France, Swiss Air, Turkish Airlines, KLM, Finnair, Qatar, Emirates, Austrian Airlines and Etihad. The national airline is Singapore Airlines, which is rated as one of the best airlines in the world.
How to get from the airport to the city centre
The airport is connected to the city centre by metro, with the green East West Line running from the Tanah Merah stop. From there you can either go directly to Raffles place or City Hall.
Or you can transfer to the Blue Downtown line at the Expo stop and get off directly at either the Promenade, Downtown or Chinatown, whichever is most convenient for you.
You can also order a taxi via the Grab app, the journey to the centre takes about half an hour and will cost around 400 – 500 CZK.
Transportation in Singapore
Transportation in Singapore is extremely easy. The subway, MRT (Mass Rapid Transport), gets you to all the important places (or close to them) easily, the navigation is excellent, the subway is air-conditioned and there’s no need to deal with tickets – you simply pay with your card when you enter the subway.
In addition, there is a rich network of buses, which are double-decker and you can pay here by card. In Singapore, you drive on the left, so keep that in mind when you’re looking for a bus stop in the right direction.
Paying by card works contactlessly by just swiping your card (phone) at the turnstiles when you enter the bus or subway as if you were paying. The amount is only deducted at the end of the day when the amounts for the rides are added up. The fare is based on the number of stations you travel. Of course, you can buy a normal prepaid ticket (card), but that seems completely unnecessary when it’s so easy to use the card.
