Things to do in Singapore
Singapore is a great out-of-the-country destination for Filipinos as it’s a quick plane ride away from both Manila and Cebu, and it doesn’t require a visa for entry. While the country is small, it’s a melting pot of cultures that allow for diverse experiences during your trip.
To help you make your itinerary, we’ve compiled a list of 16 things to do in Singapore for Filipinos. These include free-entry and budget-friendly attractions for a trip that doesn’t break the bank.
1. Check out the attractions at Changi Airport
Rain Vortex.
Image credit: Darren Nunis via Unsplash
You probably know about the famous Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi Airport. But there are plenty more attractions you can check out without leaving the place.
The Shiseido Forest Valley by the Rain Vortex is another free-entry spot. Meanwhile, you can have fun at mazes, walking and bouncing nets, Discovery Slides, and Foggy Bowls starting at SGD8 (~P336.59).
There are also child-friendly attractions at Jewel Changi Airport. There’s a toddler-friendly play area at L5 Jewel Changi and a public indoor playground at T3 for older kids, both free-entry. There are also paid attractions such as the ball pits at PLAY! By Kinderplay (from SGD12, P504.88).
Address: Airport Boulevard, Singapore
Contact: +65 6595 6868
2. Watch a free light and water show at Marina Bay Sands
Spectra.
Image credit: V via Unsplash
Marina Bay Sands may seem like an intimidating shopping spot, with its sheer expanse and many designer stores. But PSA to tourists on a budget – the integrated resort also holds Spectra, a free 15-minute light and water show every night.
To be exact, the light and water show over the scenic Marina Bay happens twice every night, at 8pm and 9pm.
We recommend arriving 20 to 3o minutes earlier than your preferred show schedule to snag the best viewing spot. And remember not to stand too close to the water if you don’t want to get sprayed.
Address: Event Plaza, Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore
Opening hours: 8pm & 9pm, Daily
Contact:+65 6688 8868
3. Admire the local biodiversity at the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Tropical Montane Orchidetum.
If you love taking photos with flowers, check out the Singapore Botanic Gardens. They have over 2,000 species at the National Orchid Garden, which is also where you can find the scenic greenhouse Tropical Montane Orchidetum.
For more snaps for the ‘gram, head to the COMO Adventure Grove and pose in front of their giant installations.
While you’re at the botanic gardens, you should also visit the Forest Discovery Centre. It’s an educational gallery about local wildlife that’s housed in a beautiful, colonial-era bungalow.
Admission to the Singapore Botanic Gardens is free but there’s an SGD15 (~P631.11) entrance fee for foreigners to enter the National Orchid Garden.
Address: 1 Cluny Road, Singapore
Opening hours: 5am-12am, Daily
Contact: +65 6471 7138Â
4. Dine at Michelin-awarded hawker stalls
Singapore has an expansive array of Chinese, Malaysian, and Indian cuisines that you can sample at a budget-friendly price in their many hawker centers.
Because of Singaporeans’ lifelong dedication to perfecting their recipes, several of these local food spots have earned Michelin stars and Bib Gourmand titles.
For chicken rice, head to Liao Fan Hawker Chan. It’s the OG hawker stall which brought us the Singaporean restaurant chain, Hawker Chan.
Other Michelin-awarded hawkers stalls to check out include Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle and Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee.
Liao Fan Hawker Chan
Address: Â 78 Smith Street, Chinatown, Singapore
Opening hours: 10.30am-7.30pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6221 1668Â
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle
Address: 466 Crawford Lane, #01-12, Singapore
Opening hours: 9.30am-8.30pm, Daily
Contact: Facebook
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow
Address: Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-17, Singapore
Opening hours: 6am-3pm, Daily
Contact: +65 9838 7619
5. Admire Western to Southeast Asian art at Gillman Barracks
Mizuma Gallery at Gillman Barracks.
Image credit: Mizuma Gallery
Singapore is home to many museums and art galleries. But for a free-entry attraction, check out Gillman Barracks, a British colonial location that Singaporeans have now filled with contemporary art galleries.
These galleries display everything from Western to Southeast Asian art. Some of the artists whose works have been displayed here include Ai Wei Wei and Yayoi Kusama.
If you’re in awe of Singapore’s smart urban planning, you can also learn all about it at the Singapore City Gallery, which is free-entry even for foreigners.
Gillman Barracks
Address: 9 Lock Road, Singapore
Opening hours: 11am-11pm
Contact: Facebook
Singapore City Gallery
Address: 45 Maxwell Road, The URA Centre, Singapore
Opening hours: 9am-5pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6221 6666Â
6. Learn about Singapore’s history at Fort Canning Park
Fort Canning Park Tree Tunnel.
Image credit: @desyananda via Instagram
If you’ve seen the photos of a spiral staircase in Singapore on social media, then you’ve seen Fort Canning Park.
Aside from the iconic Tree Tunnel staircase, this free-entry attraction is also where you can learn about Singapore’s history.
Explore 9 gardens, including Singapore’s first botanical garden as well as gardens that feature Javanese flora and architecture.
Fort Canning Park is also where Singapore’s last king, Iskandar Shah, was purportedly laid to rest.
Address: Bounded by Hill Street, Canning Rise, Clemenceau Avenue and River Valley Road, Singapore
Opening hours: Open 24 hours
Contact: +65 1800 471 7300
7. Take a picture with the Merlion
The Merlion at the Merlion Park.
Image credit: Jisun Han via Unsplash
Taking a photo with the Merlion is a must when you visit Singapore. The most popular Merlion can be found at the Merlion Park with Marina Bay as the background.
But there are actually 5 more Merlion statues peppered across the country.
There’s a mini Merlion at Merlion Park opposite the most popular Merlion statue, one at the Tourism Court, one at Mount Faber, and 2 at the Ang Mo Kio neighborhood.
Merlion Park
Address: 1 Fullerton Road, Singapore
Opening hours: Open 24 hours
8. Check out Indian goods and food at Little India
Residence of Tan Teng Niah.
Image credit: @vikayoga via Instagram
There’s so much to see in Little India besides vibrant, picture-worthy shophouses and murals.
This neighborhood is where you’ll find stalls selling colorful clothes, accessories, and other Indian goods. If you want a good curry, roti, or biryani, you can also find plenty of restaurant here that specialize in authentic Indian cuisine.
While you’re in Little India, you should also check out Mustafa Centre, which sells everything from groceries to gold jewelry, for food pasalubongs at a wallet-friendly price.
Mustafa Centre
Address: 145 Syed Alwi Road, SingaporeÂ
Opening hours: 9.30am-2am, Daily
Contact: +65 6295 5855
9. Get a view of the Singapore skyline at ION Sky
View from ION Sky.
Image credit: @phrancphoo via Instagram
For a picturesque view of the Singapore skyline, head to ION Sky, an observation deck at the 55th and 56th floor of ION Orchard.
You have to spend at least SGD50 (P2,103.69) at the shopping mall to get a ticket but you can easily cover that with a meal at a restaurant.
We recommend going at night for the best snaps of the city lights.
Alternatively, you can also get a bird’s eye view of Singapore for SGD40 (P1,682.95) on the Singapore Flyer .
ION Sky
Address: 2 Orchard Turn, ION Orchard, Orchard Road, Singapore
Opening hours: Tue-Thu 4pm-8pm | Fri-Sat 2pm-9pm (Closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Contact: +65 6238 8228
Singapore Flyer
Address: Marina Bay Street Circuit, 30 Raffles Avenue, Singapore
Opening hours: 2pm-10pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6333 3311
10. Shop and dine at the trendy Haji Lane
Image credit: Bna Ignacio via Unsplash
If you love exploring hole-in-the-wall restaurants and buying cute trinkets when you’re in a new place, check out Haji Lane in Singapore.
It’s similar to Metro Manila’s Cubao Expo, with trendy cafes and lifestyle stores. If you’re a dog lover, you can have coffee while petting the resident pugs at What The Pug cafe.
Also check out Arab Street near the area for Middle Eastern cuisine and clothing items.
11. Have a relaxing day out in nature at Jurong Lake Gardens
If you want to take a stroll in nature, head to Jurong Lake Gardens, a nature reserve in Singapore with plenty of attractions.
It has nature attractions such as streams, a promenade overlooking the lake, and picture-worthy grasslands. There are also scenic walking and cycling trails. Adults can rent a bike from GoCycling for SGD10 (~P420.74) per hour.
If you’re looking to do more activities, you can also rent a kayak or a paddle boat (from SGD10, ~P420.74).
Address: Yuan Ching Road, Singapore
Opening hours: Open 24 hours
12. Discover an unseen side of Singapore at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Image credit: @msshellag via Instagram
Get even closer to nature and check out Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
This free-entry nature reserve with forests, mangroves, mudflats, and ponds is where animals such as otters, monitor lizards, and more roam free.
You’ll also spot beautiful birds such as herons and kingfishers. During migration season from September to March, you’ll even get to see other bird species that are not native in the region.
There are scenic photo spots in the area such as the Observation Pods, Canopy Walk, and the Mangrove Boardwalk.
Address: 301 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore
Opening hours: 7am-7pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6794 1401
13. Check out free-entry attractions at Resorts World Sentosa
Musical Fountain.
Image credit: sentosa.com.sg
Resorts World Sentosa has several free-entry attractions you can check out. Fort Siloso Skywalk, Magical Shores, Palawan Beach, Musical Fountain, and Nature Discovery are only some of them.
Entrance to the island resort is also free entry if you go in on-foot through the Sentosa Boardwalk. Meanwhile, admission fee costs SGD4 (~P168.29) via Sentosa Express and SGD6 (~P252.44) if you come via car or taxi.
Sentosa is also home to Universal Studios Singapore. For SGD82 (~P3,450.05), you can go on unlimited rides and shows such as the Transformers 3D ride, Battlestar Galactica rollercoaster, and the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure.
Address: Sentosa Island, Singapore
Opening hours: Opening hours differ for each attraction
14. Go on a shopping spree at Don Don Donki
Japan’s famous discount store chain Don Quixote is in Singapore as Don Don Donki and has several stores across the island.
They have a wide array of ready-to-eat Japanese food and snacks. You can also grab some Japanese cosmetics, skincare, and wellness products to try out.
You can also find blind boxes with Sanrio and anime characters which are popular souvenirs in Japan right now.
15. Explore Singapore Chinatown
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum
Image credit: Tamal Mukhopadhyay via Unsplash
Singapore’s Chinatown is a great place to sample Chinese food and learn more about Singaporean history.
Admire the architecture of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum. You’ll also come across various belief systems in one place in Chinatown as it’s also home to the Hindu temple Sri Mariamman and the mosque Masjid Jamae.
At Mohammed Ali Lane, you can take photos of murals depicting life in 1960s Singapore.
You can also try traditional Cantonese pastries from Tong Heng and bring home tea from Pek Sin Choon.
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum
Address: 288 South Bridge Road, Singapore
Opening hours: 7am-5pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6220 022Â
Sri Mariamman Temple
Address: 244 South Bridge Road, Singapore
Opening hours: 6am-12pm, 6pm-9pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6223 4064
Masjid Jamae
Address: 218 South Bridge Road, Singapore
Opening hours: 1pm-9pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6221 4165
Tong Heng Traditional Cantonese Pastries
Address: 285 South Bridge Road, Singapore
Opening hours: 9am-7pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6223 3649
Pek Sin Choon
Address: 36 Mosque Sreet, Singapore
Opening hours: 8.30am-6.30pm, Daily
Contact: +65 6323 3238
16. Buy pasalubong at Bugis Street
Image credit: Che Pin Chuang via Google Maps
If you’re looking for a place to buy souvenirs for everyone at home, head to Bugis Street. This is where you can get fridge magnets, keychains, t-shirts, and more at an affordable place.
You can also shop trendy clothes and accessories, such as DIY phone cases, without breaking the bank.
Plus, there are stalls selling local and international street food here, from min jiang kueh (Singaporean peanut pancakes) to yangnyeom chicken (Korean-style fried chicken) to moo ping (Thai grilled pork skewers).
Address: 3 New Bugis Street, Singapore
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Budget-friendly things to do in Singapore.
With the attractions listed above, you’ll never run out of things to do in Singapore on your vacation. And since most of them are affordable, you won’t even have to blow your budget.
For more travel guides curated for Filipinos, check out our lists of things to do in Hong Kong and the visa-free Jeju Island in South Korea!
Cover image adapted from: @msshellag via Instagram, Bna Ignacio via Unsplash, Jisun Han via Unsplash, The Smart Local Singapore
Photography by The Smart Local Singapore