Things to Do · Singapore
Updated September 2026The Best Things to Do in Singapore
Supertrees that light up the night, hawker food worth flying for, an island of theme parks and one of the world’s great airports — here are the 12 best things to do in Singapore, and which ones to book before you land.
The short answer
The best things to do in Singapore are Gardens by the Bay and its free nightly Supertree light show, the Marina Bay Sands observation deck, a day on Sentosa for Universal Studios and the beaches, dinner at a hawker centre, and the Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi — which you can see for free on the way home. Singapore is small and superbly connected, so you can fit far more into three days here than in most cities. Timed-entry attractions do sell out, so book the big ones ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Key takeaways
- Three days is the sweet spot. Two is enough for the highlights; a week is more than the city needs unless you day-trip.
- The best of it is free. Garden Rhapsody, the Botanic Gardens, Merlion Park, the Rain Vortex and every neighbourhood walk cost nothing.
- Book Universal Studios and the observation decks ahead. Both use timed entry and both sell out at weekends.
- Eat at hawker centres. It is the best-value food in any major Asian city, and it is where locals actually eat.
- Klook usually has the deepest Singapore inventory — compare it against GetYourGuide before you book anything ticketed.
The highlights
12 best things to do in Singapore
Gardens, hawker stalls, theme parks and one very famous rooftop — the attractions worth your time, with a note on what to pre-book.
Gardens by the Bay
The Supertree Grove is the image everyone has of Singapore, and Garden Rhapsody — the light and sound show beneath it — is free, twice a night. The Cloud Forest and Flower Dome conservatories are ticketed and worth it for the indoor waterfall alone.
Book conservatory tickets on KlookMarina Bay Sands SkyPark
The observation deck on top of the three-tower hotel gives you the view down over the Gardens and the shipping lanes beyond. Sunset slots go first. The infinity pool is hotel guests only, whatever Instagram implies.
Book SkyPark entry on KlookUniversal Studios Singapore
On Sentosa, and compact enough to do properly in a day — which is exactly why it beats bigger parks for a short trip. Minion Land joined the line-up recently. Book a dated ticket before you travel; weekends and school holidays sell out.
Book Universal tickets on KlookEat at a hawker centre
Maxwell for Hainanese chicken rice, Lau Pa Sat for the satay street that opens each evening, Newton for seafood, Old Airport Road if you want where locals go. Cheap, excellent, and the single most Singaporean thing you can do.
Book a food tour on GetYourGuideJewel Changi Airport
The Rain Vortex — the world’s tallest indoor waterfall — sits inside a glass dome full of forest, and it costs nothing to walk in and look. Genuinely one of the best things to do at Singapore airport if you have a long layover, and it is before immigration.
Book Canopy Park on KlookSingapore Zoo & Night Safari
Consistently rated among the world’s best zoos, with open enclosures rather than bars. The Night Safari next door is a genuinely different experience — a tram through nocturnal habitats after dark. River Wonders and Bird Paradise share the same Mandai site.
Book park tickets on KlookChinatown, Little India & Kampong Glam
Three neighbourhoods, three cultures, all walkable and all free. Sri Mariamman and Buddha Tooth Relic temples in Chinatown, the Sultan Mosque and the murals of Haji Lane in Kampong Glam, and the best food and fabric shopping in Little India.
Book a walking tour on GetYourGuideS.E.A. Aquarium
Also on Sentosa, and one of the largest aquariums anywhere. The Open Ocean tank is the centrepiece — a wall of water with manta rays drifting past. A reliable rainy-afternoon plan, and there will be rainy afternoons.
Book aquarium tickets on KlookSingapore Botanic Gardens
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, free to enter, and a genuinely lovely couple of hours. The National Orchid Garden inside is ticketed and the one part worth paying for. Go early — it is cooler and quieter before ten.
Singapore Flyer & Merlion Park
The observation wheel gives a slower, higher view than the SkyPark, and the capsules are big enough to walk around in. Merlion Park below it is free, takes ten minutes, and is the photo everyone goes home with.
Book Flyer tickets on KlookNational Gallery & ArtScience Museum
The National Gallery holds the world’s largest public collection of Southeast Asian art, inside two restored colonial buildings. The lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum on the waterfront runs the big touring digital-art shows.
Book museum tickets on TiqetsThe Southern Ridges walk
A ten-kilometre chain of parks and treetop bridges along the city’s southern hills, with the wave-shaped Henderson Waves at its centre. Free, mostly shaded, and the closest Singapore gets to a proper hike. Start early and carry water.
Beyond the city
Day trips from Singapore
Singapore is small enough that a day trip means leaving the country — which is easier here than almost anywhere.
Bintan or Batam, Indonesia
A ferry from Tanah Merah gets you to an Indonesian beach island in under two hours. Bintan for resorts, Batam for a cheaper, rougher-edged day out. Bring your passport.
Ferry and day trips on KlookJohor Bahru, Malaysia
Across the causeway, and a different country’s prices. Legoland Malaysia is here, which makes it the obvious move if you are travelling with children. Cross early — the border queues are real.
Legoland tickets on KlookPulau Ubin
Ten minutes by bumboat from Changi Point and about forty years back in time — a village island of dirt tracks, rented bicycles and mangrove boardwalks. No ticket needed, just cash for the boat.
Before you go
Planning your visit
Book the big ones before you land
Universal Studios, the observation decks and the conservatories all use timed entry, and all sell out at weekends. Booking ahead costs the same and saves the queue.
FAQ
Things to do in Singapore: FAQs
What are the best things to do in Singapore?
Gardens by the Bay and its free nightly Supertree light show, the Marina Bay Sands observation deck, Sentosa for Universal Studios and the beaches, dinner at a hawker centre such as Maxwell or Lau Pa Sat, and the Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi. Add the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari if you have a third day, and the Botanic Gardens if you want a quiet morning.
How many days do you need in Singapore?
Three days is the sweet spot. Two is enough for the headline sights if you are efficient, because the city is small and the MRT is fast. Four or five only makes sense if you are doing Sentosa properly or adding a day trip to Bintan, Batam or Johor Bahru.
What are the best free things to do in Singapore?
More than you would expect in a city with this reputation for being expensive. Garden Rhapsody at the Supertree Grove runs twice nightly and costs nothing. The Botanic Gardens, Merlion Park, the Rain Vortex at Jewel, the Southern Ridges walk, and wandering Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam are all free. Hawker centres keep eating cheap too.
What are the best things to do in Singapore with kids?
Sentosa is the obvious base — Universal Studios, the S.E.A. Aquarium, the beaches and the Skyline Luge are all on one island. Off Sentosa, the Singapore Zoo and River Wonders are excellent with younger children, and Canopy Park at Jewel Changi turns a layover into a playground. Legoland is a day trip away in Johor Bahru.
Is there anything to do at Singapore airport on a layover?
Changi is the rare airport worth arriving early for. Jewel and its Rain Vortex are free to walk into, and Canopy Park upstairs has nets, slides and a mirror maze. Inside the terminals there are gardens, a cinema and a swimming pool. With more than five or six hours, you can clear immigration and reach Marina Bay by MRT in about half an hour.
What are the best things to do in Singapore for couples?
The Supertree Grove at night is the one everyone remembers. Beyond that: a rooftop bar in Marina Bay, the Singapore Flyer at sunset, dinner along the Singapore River at Clarke Quay or Boat Quay, and a slow morning in the Botanic Gardens. A cable car to Sentosa at dusk is better value than most paid attractions.
Do you need to book Singapore attractions in advance?
For the ticketed ones, yes. Universal Studios, the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark and the Gardens by the Bay conservatories all use timed entry and sell out at weekends and during school holidays. Booking ahead through a platform costs the same or slightly less than the gate, and you skip the ticket queue. The free sights need nothing.
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