Singapore is such a fantastic city and it's easy to get around, meaning you can pack a lot into a three day itinerary. Singapore has a bit of everything; great modern architecture, traditional heritage areas with heaps of character, interesting museums, ritzy 5 star hotels and also lots of green space, which is definitely our favourite part of Singapore.
3 day Singapore Itinerary
We've been lucky enough to visit several times and have put together the perfect three day Singapore itinerary for you.
Day 1 - The Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay is a really impressive sight day or night. We visited early in the morning, around 8am and there were very few people around. We'd recommend coming early to have a good old wander without the crowds.
The famous trees you will have seen in pictures are called the 'Supergrove' and there are actually a lot more of them than we expected, as well as other landscaped garden areas to check out too. It was wonderful to see so much greenery in the heart of a busy city.
It's free to visit the Gardens themselves, though if you want to walk across the sky bridge it is charged at $8 for adults and $5 for children.
We wanted to walk across at night but on return the queue was monstrous. If you are happy to walk across in the day time, early morning would be perfect, no queues and the bridge all to yourself.
Be aware if you do want to go at night last entrance to the bridge is at 8pm.
Getting there: The Supertrees are a short stroll from the Cloud Forest.
The Cloud Forest
This is our favourite thing to do in Singapore. The cloud forest is an incredible place to visit early morning (it's right by the Supertrees) with the golden light streaming in through the glass. It's also nice and quiet at this time, we went again in the late evening and it was heaving.
It's a living breathing forest complete with gorgeous waterfall. Various walkways at different heights take you around the forest. There are hundreds of plant species, including so many beautiful orchids. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to look around.
You can also visit the flower dome, Included in the $28 SGD entry ticket. We didn't really rate this dome, it felt a bit more like a garden centre, and after the cloud forest it just couldn't compare. It's worth a peep though as it is included in the ticket.
Getting there: The Cloud Forest is in the Gardens by the Bay. You can either get the MTR to Bayfront or a taxi to the entrance of the Gardens by the Bay.
Future World at the Art Science Museum
We're not going to lie, we actually decided to visit this exhibition because we wanted to take a photo of the beautiful light installations. However, when we got there we actually realised the whole exhibition is really cool and definitely worth a visit. It would be an amazing place to take kids, with loads of interactive activities.
The first part of the exhibition is an immersive projection in a darkened room with moving images on all the walls and floor. It was really amazing, although did make me feel a little dizzy!
In the second part there were huge bean bags on the floor while you could sit and watch the waves on huge screens. It was so relaxing I was almost ready to take a nap!
The light installation is the last part of the exhibition and is every bit as beautiful as you might imagine. It is actually quite a short walkway, but the lovely thing was that everyone lets each person walk the whole way through before going through themselves.
This means you get to experience the wonder all to yourself, which was perfect, especially for taking photos.
Getting there: The Art Science Museum is a 10-15 minute walk from Gardens by the Bay. Just follow the signs to Bayfront MTR and then continue on towards Marina Bay Sands Mall. It is not far from there.
Dinner at Clarke Quay
There's no better setting in the city for dinner than Clarke Quay. Situated by the river, the food is nearly as good as the views of the city.
It isn't cheap, but it's a bit of a must do in Singapore.
Getting there: Clarke Quay is in the city centre, so you can either get a taxi or the MTR to Clarke Quay station.
Day 2
Check out the colourful side of the city
It doesn't get more colourful than the Old City Hill Police Station. It's a cool place to check out on the way to the MTR for the next part of your morning.
It is also one of our favourite instagrammable spots in Singapore, just ensure you shoot when there's a gap in the traffic!
Getting there: Old Hill Police Station is a short walk from Clarke Quay MTR or City Hall.
The Chinese Gardens
The Chinese Gardens feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre - especially as the metro journey to get there is a long one! It's worth the effort though if you are looking for some tranquility, there were hardly any other people around on our visit.
The grounds are quite large with lots of little areas where you can stop and take it all in. There are also several temples to look around.
Entry to the gardens is free and they are open from 6am to 11pm.
Getting there: The best way to get to the Chinese Gardens is by MTR. It is a long journey, but not too expensive. Hop on the North-East Line at Clarke Quay heading towards Harbourfront. Change at Outram Park for the East West Line towards Tuas Link. The Chinese Gardens is only a short walk from Chinese Gardens station.
Indulge in a Singapore Sling at Raffles
So we know it's a bit of a cliche but honestly it was a lot of fun! The long bar has retained its colonial feel, complete with dark wood, and huge swinging palm leaf ceiling fans. You even still throw the monkey nut shells on the floor!
In the spirit of full disclosure the Singapore Sling itself is not the best we have ever tasted, but the atmosphere was a lot of fun and you know, when in Singapore.....
*Raffles is currently closed for refurbishment and expected to reopen in the latter part of 2018.
Getting there: Hop on the East West line again getting off at City Hall. Raffles is a short walk from here.
The light show at Gardens by the Bay
We aren't usually huge fans of light shows but this one is on another level. It runs twice a night, check with staff for exact times incase it differs from our experience, which was at 7.45pm and 8.45pm.
The show lasts for 15 minutes and is an extravaganza of light and dramatic music. The shows are themed and ours was Star Wars. It's free and as the Supergrove area is so big it wasn't difficult to find a spot to sit or stand and take it all in.
It's also good to look around the Supertrees area after the show, when most people head home.
Getting there: The Gardens by the Bay are a short taxi ride from Raffles. Otherwise you can get the MTR to Bayfront and then walk.
Day 3
Get into the jungle Bukit Timah
If you are looking to stretch your legs we would recommend a visit to Bukit Timah reserve. It's a nice bit of forest and gives you the chance to climb to the highest hill in Singapore (which isn't really that high at 163m!).
It seemed to be popular with locals getting their exercise fix, and whilst the walk didn't blow us away it was nice to get a walk into our stay. The reserve is 12km from Singapore, we took the bus but a taxi is probably a bit quicker.
It is free of charge and open from 7am to 7pm daily. Here is a handy map showing the various walking trails. We chose route four, marked as difficult, which it isn't really, the true difficulty is walking in that humidity!
Getting there: Bukit Timah is accessible by taxi (about 20 minutes) or you can get the Downtown Line to Beauty World. Then it is a short walk.
Hawker food and colourful streets of Little India
This is the place to go for colourful buildings and great food. There are lots of interesting buildings like the Residence of Tan Teng Niah, shown in the photo above, just minutes from the metro station. It's a great place to go for a wander and then stop for a bite to eat at the Tekka Centre. This hawker centre has loads of great food options at really low prices.
However, if you want to check out some cheap Singaporian dishes, have a look at these places which serve delicious food for under $10.
Getting there: From Bukit Timah (Beauty World MTR Stop) Little India is a short trip on the Downtown line of the MTR. Alternatively, it is a 10 minute taxi ride.
Where to stay in Singapore
Marina Bay Sands
The height of luxury - and Instagrammable places - is Marina Bay Sands. This hotel is the height of luxury and has the most epic infinity pool in the world and overlooks the stunning Gardens By the Bay and the iconic city. Staying in this hotel is an experience.
Check the latest prices & reviews on:
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. :-)
Like it? Pin it!
Follow us on Social Media
Are you planning a trip to Singapore? Would you change any of our itinerary? Let us know in the comments below
How to find the most beautiful rockpool on the South Coast, including details on the right tide and swell conditions you need for a safe visit.