r/SingaporeTravel

Hi everyone,

We’re visiting Singapore for the first time with our kids (ages 9 and 5) for a 3-day trip in the first week of June, and we’ll be staying at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore.

Here’s our tentative itinerary:

• Day 1: Arrive early morning, visit Gardens by the Bay and watch the Marina Bay Sands light show
• Day 2: Universal Studios Singapore
• Day 3: Singapore Zoo / River Wonders

Does this sound doable with kids, or would it feel too rushed? Are we missing any nearby must-see spots or family-friendly recommendations?

Also, what’s the best transportation option from Changi Airport to the hotel for a family of 4 with 4 large check-in bags?

• Does Uber work well in Singapore, or is Grab better?
• What would the approximate cost be from the airport to Capitol Kempinski?

Thanks in advance! 🙏

Hi! My family and I will be visiting Singapore for 4D3N, and we’re planning to spend 1 whole day in Sentosa. We’ll be staying in Jalan Besar and heading back to the hotel at night.

We’re hoping to do Skyline Luge, visit a beach, and go to Universal Studios all in one day. Is this feasible, or would it feel too rushed? If yes, how early should we start the day?

Also, which beach in Sentosa would you recommend for families/tourists who just want to relax for a while, take pictures, and enjoy the view? 😊

Hi everyone, I’m in Singapore for less than 48 hours. Staying at the JW Marriott. I’m on the plane about to land for the first day. We’re doing the cloud forest tonight, walk around marina bay sands, dinner at La taperia and drinks at long bar. I didn’t pick the dinner or drinks… (feel free to give feedback on this)

For tomorrow this is what I made looking through Reddit. It looks chat gpt but I just wanted to format it, I made this myself haha. Thoughts? Thanks In advance!

Singapore Day 2 Itinerary

Morning
- Breakfast at JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
- Head to Singapore Botanic Gardens
- Visit the National Orchid Garden before it gets too hot

Late Morning / Midday
- Grab to Orchard Road
- Explore ION Orchard, Takashimaya, and Paragon
- Coffee/snack/shopping
- Lunch in Orchard area

Early Afternoon
- Head to Haji Lane + Sultan Mosque area
- Walk around murals, cafes, boutiques, and Kampong Glam

Mid-Afternoon
- Return to hotel
- Shower/reset/possibly nap
- Change for dinner and Night Safari

Evening
- Chili crab dinner at Jumbo or Palm Beach Seafood
- Leave around 6:30–6:45 PM for Night Safari
- Arrive around 7:15 PM

PSA: posting this to prevent transportation ruining your trip, both international tourists and Singapore tourists to Malaysia

Despite the Solitaire advertisements on their website and YouTube, do note that their Google ratings at their HQ Grantral Mall is only 2.5 out of 5.

Timings are misleading, no matter what tier of seats you buy, they transfer you on 40 seater shuttle buses everywhere all over Singapore to combine passengers. A lot of time wasted waiting for other passengers in different locations, and even after the immigration custom to fill up the bus

If I wanted a 40 seater shuttle service, I could have paid around 1/3 the price within the same company instead of paying almost 3 times more expecting a more direct and premium experience.

The Solitaire bus was old and dirty, and my partner got bitten by something on the blanket provided.

We bought return tickets and AFTER we arrived in Malaysia, we were informed on our return trip, we would transfer to a free seating shuttle bus. Do note especially if you’re travelling with children, elderly, worse if you have prams and wheelchairs

This sub was super helpful planning our trip, so here are some thoughts that might help others! Happy to answer Q's.

Hotel

We stayed at Village Hotel Katong, in a family room with 2 double beds. The carpets in common areas are looking pretty worn, but our room was great (exactly like pictures), the buffet breakfast had heaps of good choices that varied every day, and we loved the pool - kids were in it every afternoon. The shallowest part is 1.2m deep though, so we were happy that our kids were competent enough swimmers for that.

I was second guessing being this far out of the centre, but it worked out really well for us. The kids loved taking the MRT and buses wherever we needed to go, and it was super easy. 3 minute walk to the MRT at Marine Parade, or bus stop right out front of the hotel - so minimal walking at the start / end of the day at least. The only day we used taxis was to go to Mandai. The supermarket in the hotel building was also great for buying snacks and fruit for the kids.  

There were lots of good and affordable food options for dinner nearby. We ate at Katong Shopping Centre, 328 Katong Laksa, Marine Parade Food Centre, Bei-Ing Wonton Mee / Bruce Lee Chicken Rice (2 stops on the bus) and on Joo Chiat Rd. It was also nice to walk around the Katong / Joo Chiat area.

The only reason I wouldn’t stay here again is because we explored that area quite well, and might look to do similar in a different area another time. 

Itinerary - happy to answer Qs about any of this!

Day 1 - arrival, Jewel, Joo Chiat / Katong walk. 

Day 2- Sentosa. Cable car, Skyline Luge, Adventure Cove. 

We enjoyed all of these. A big day but worth it! Glad we didn’t stay in Sentosa though, very resorty and expensive. 

Day 3 - Gardens by the Bay. Cloud Forest, Supertrees, Jurassic Nest Food Hall, ArtScience Muesum. 

Cloud Forest was a highlight of the trip for me. The plants, architecture, dinosaurs… I could have spent hours in there or gone straight back the next day! The cooler temperature was very welcome too. 

ArtScience Muesum was a miss for me, especially for the cost. It’s only a bit more engaging than a series of instagrammable rooms, and they’re not very unique. Once you have had one drawing “come to life on the wall” it’s not very fun even for kids to do that again. And most other attractions (cloud forest, zoo etc) have some digital / interactive elements now, which were enough for my kids. 

Day 4 - Chinatown, Keppel Centre for Art Education. 

I was looking forward to seeing the Buddha Tooth Temple and disappointed that the roof garden is closed and most of the facade covered in grey sheeting. I made a scavenger hunt of YYC murals for the kids to find which they enjoyed, but then it started raining heavily so we bailed. 

Day 5 - Singapore Zoo, River Wonders. 

We were here 7 hours and thoroughly recommend. Highlights were the feeding interaction at the fragile forest, Ranger Buddies Quests and elephant feeding. But all the exhibits we saw were very well done. We saw the Into the Wild and Once Upon a River shows - there were some similar bits but both were very well done, and a good break from walking for the kids. We had lunch and cooled off at Food Republic between Zoo and River Wonders. 

Day 6 - Singapore Children’s Museum, Tiong Bahru bakery 

The Children's Museum was worthwhile and perfect for 4-6 year olds on a rainy day - a mixture of play and learning a bit. We planned to explore more of Fort Canning but it was chucking down with rain so we went back to Katong. 

We arrived on Sunday and left Saturday, so hit all the “attractions” midweek and didn’t have to book ahead or queue. 

I wanted to see Kampong Glam and Little India too, but the days we would have fitted this in the rain was set in. Our 4 year old doesn’t nap and was crashing out by 7:30, so we never made it back out for a late arvo river trip or Garden Rhapsody show. Maybe next time!

Before we left home I made a little Singapore guide book for the kids to give them an idea of what it would be like (couldn't find anything existing at the right level) and it was a big success - got them excited about the trip and gave them a bit of an idea what it would be like. I also made scavenger hunts of things to see when we were walking around suburbs, to make that a bit more interesting / gamified for them. Would definitely do this again too.

Overall, Singapore was a fantastic location for kids first overseas trip from Perth. A good balance of fun activities and new cultures. And of course super clean, well organised and helpful locals 😊

Hi! I’m going to Singapore solo for The Weeknd concert and looking for budget-friendly hotel recos 😊

Not my first time in SG. I went there with my partner and his family last year, so I’m already pretty familiar with the area and transpo.

This time I’ll be staying alone for 4 days and 3 nights, so I’m hoping to save a bit more while still staying somewhere convenient and safe for a solo female traveler.

Current choices:

Ibis Budget Bugis — around SGD 400+

Hotel Boss — around SGD 540+

Hotel Mi Rochor — around SGD 590+

Bonus points if it has a bidet or small fridge

Would love to hear your thoughts on these hotels or if you have better budget hotel recommendations, preferably near an MRT station and with some nearby spots to explore or eat around.

Thank you!

Budget up to 600 SGD for 4D3N

I am sure this question gets asked a lot so i apologise in advance. My friend and i are visiting singapore from the 1st of October-6th of October and we are both fine with sharing rooms to keep costs down.

We are looking for hotels with good value (Under $800 SGD, could push towards $1000 total)
close to the metro.
breakfast included would be helpful but not essential.

Thank you!

I’m travelling to Singapore and I’m struggling to decide which hotel to book. I’ve got two options with different room types in mind. Never stayed in either of them so whichever is the better one.

1. St. Regis - Room (Astor Grand Deluxe, King) 1 night 75,200 points + 100SGD for breakfast
2. JW Marriott - Room (Premier Executive Lounge Access,King) 1 night 70,000 points + 170SGD cash

Hi! I’m an international student and currently looking for an apartment in Singapore, so I’m trying to understand how public transportation works before choosing a place.

Is there a specific app people in Singapore usually use to check the nearest MRT station or bus stops, routes, travel time, etc.?

Would really appreciate any recommendations, thank you :)

*Please note I used AI 🤖 to condense my itinerary into a reddit friendly format, but I am a real person who is open to anything from sightseeing to clubbing*

Hey everyone — I will be in Singapore from May 22nd → May 27th (leave for Indonesia in the early evening).

I’ve built a loose itinerary and would love feedback on pacing, routing, and any must‑do local suggestions.

I’m staying in central Singapore.

🇸🇬 Singapore (May 22–27)

(Mostly locked in — just looking for small tweaks or food recs)

📅 May 22 — Arrival Day

• Airport → hotel
• Hawker center lunch (Maxwell)
• Walk Chinatown
• Marina Bay waterfront
• Merlion Park
• Helix Bridge
• Marina Bay SkyPark (sunset)
• Dinner at CE LA VI
• Spectra light show

📅 May 23 — Culture + Gardens

• Little India (morning)
• Hawker center lunch (Char Kway Teow)
• Gardens by the Bay (Cloud Forest + Flower Dome)
• Clarke Quay nightlife

📅 May 24 — Wildlife Day

• River Wonders
• Break / early dinner
• Night Safari

📅 May 25 — Open Day

Nothing locked in yet — likely beaches, Sentosa, or more sightseeing.
Open to suggestions.

📅 May 26 — Solo Day

I’ll be on my own this day.
Plan is to walk Little India more + explore anything I missed earlier.
Open to suggestions.

📅 May 27 — Travel to Bali

I think the first 2 days are full but after that the days are either empty or only have 1-2 main activities.

Hi Singapore Travel Community, I'm an Indian passport holder and currently based out of Bali, Indonesia. I'm trying to visit Singapore for a couple of days next month and I'm in a bit of a fix with regards to the tourist visa application process.

The nearest Singapore overseas mission is in Jakarta and is not really feasible to travel there all the way from Bali to just submit the tourist visa application however I was wondering if there'd be any great soul here who is willing to be my local contact and help me apply for a Singapore Tourist Visa or any leads to someone who can.

Thanks in Advance.

as the title says me and my family are to visit SG at the last week of June! our hotel is located at mosque street. I would like to ask what is the weather for SG during that time? and can you guys suggest what places we can go to! I dont trust the tourist-y recommendations I see in tiktok and was hoping that I could get to experience SG the local way! money and time is not a problem for now, so I would like unfiltered suggestions! :)) thank you guys in advance 🫶

I have driven once into Singapore in January 2026, it was all good and smooth and I enjoyed my trip thoroughly. Entering carpark was ok, for example we went to hawker centres (golden mile, Haig road etc), malls like one holland, and new Bahru. I was able to tap to enter using my autopass card.

This time (May 2026) when I entered, man it was discouraging. I can’t believe how much has changed in such a short period of time.
Yesterday I tried tapping to enter new Bahru (it became gantryless) which was different from last time, my autopass card couldn’t be read. I wanted to reverse and forget about entering but there was a car behind me. So I went ahead. I quickly exited but it says no entry record found, as expected.
Pressed the intercom and was advised to renew my autopass but I just applied for it in Jan?

Same thing happened at old airport hawker too. I later found out they rolled out a new gantryless parking scheme (they scan your car plate) and it was too late for me when I found out because there was no where for me to tap when I entered. I tried to also register my vehicle via the parking hdb app but I couldn’t.

When I exited i tried tapping my autopass and it said have a nice day but honestly I didn’t know what I did right or wrong?
This parking issue has made me relatively anxious because my previous trip was smooth sailing and I had a great time in Singapore.

Would like to know if anyone has experienced the same thing and what are the ways I can work around this issue?
Honestly I have no idea which department to write to for answers.
Is it the LTA? I don’t want this to be my last trip to Singapore by car. It’s so convenient and I get to eat so much more food and explore so many more places because of the time saved by commuting. Haha.

Thank you in advance. I love Singapore 💖
Truly, a Malaysian.

20F, solo visiting Singapore for 5 days. Would like to cover parks/aquariums/Sentosa etc on budget of 250-300 SGD. Want places that are happening but chill. Ideas?

Hey everyone! 👋

I'm a student living in Singapore and I've been helping a few people plan their trips here recently and honestly I really enjoy doing it, so I want to keep going!

If you're visiting Singapore soon and want a proper insider's perspective (not just the same recycled "top 10" lists), DM me and I'll put together a personalised plan for you, best food spots, hidden gems, nature trails, sunset viewpoints, whatever you're into.

It's completely free. If you go on your trip and feel like my plan genuinely made it 10x better, a small tip is always appreciated but honestly no pressure at all I'm doing this because I love it.

Just drop me a message with your dates and what kind of trip you're after and I'll take care of the rest! 🇸🇬

WhatsApp: +65 8121 2507

Hi everyone! Just wanted to share my experience from my 3 days in Singapore. I met up with a local from this subreddit who kindly offered to show travellers around, and it turned out to be a really positive experience.

I had a lovely time exploring the city and scarfing down so much good food. Definitely going to hit the gym once I get home 😅

I really appreciated the effort they put into it, and I'm glad I took the chance! Thank you again for hosting me :) 3 days was way too short!

Hi, I just opened a Grab account. Can I just not save any credit card in the app, and instead just rely on my iPhone's Apple Pay feature? That is to say, when I request a ride, can I just pay using Apple Pay, without having configured anything in the app in advance? Thanks!

Coming to Singapore for a work trip and want to experience more night market life (not drinking, mainly food hawkers etc. Or night shopping).

Stayed at Orchard Road last time at ION but that was very quiet at night.

Any recommendations for USD300-350~ per night?

Or at least the area to stay around? Thanks !