3 days in Singapore

Day by day

1. Day 1: Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands SkyPark

   Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands SkyPark and Merlion Park and the Marina Bay promenade, then Night Safari in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Gardens by the Bay

      Gardens by the Bay is a 101-hectare waterfront park whose 16-storey Supertrees are vertical gardens of ferns and orchids.

   2. Late morning

      Marina Bay Sands SkyPark

      Go up about 30 minutes before sunset to see the skyline in daylight and after dark on one ticket.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hainanese chicken rice

      Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown is the classic stop; most hawker centres have a chicken-rice stall.

   4. Afternoon

      Merlion Park and the Marina Bay promenade

      The 8.6-metre Merlion, half lion and half fish, spouts water into the bay opposite Marina Bay Sands.

   5. Evening

      Night Safari

      Take an early entry slot so children are not exhausted, and walk the trails after the tram for quieter viewing.

2. Day 2: Singapore Botanic Gardens and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

   Singapore Botanic Gardens, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Little India, then Singapore River bumboat cruise in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Singapore Botanic Gardens

      Come at 7–8am with the joggers, when it is cool and the swans and terrapins on Swan Lake are most active.

   2. Late morning

      Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

      Built in 2007 in Tang dynasty style, this five-storey temple houses what devotees venerate as a tooth relic of the Buddha in a gold stupa on the fourth floor.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Laksa

      East Coast Road in Katong is the home of Katong laksa; hawker versions are everywhere.

   4. Afternoon

      Little India

      Come in the late afternoon, then eat dinner at Tekka Centre or a Race Course Road fish-head curry restaurant.

   5. Evening

      Singapore River bumboat cruise

      Take a sailing after dark to see the skyline lit up and, with good timing, the Spectra show from the water.

3. Day 3: Kampong Glam and Sultan Mosque and National Gallery Singapore

   Kampong Glam and Sultan Mosque, National Gallery Singapore and Asian Civilisations Museum, then Clarke Quay in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kampong Glam and Sultan Mosque

      The golden dome of the 1928 Sultan Mosque anchors the old Malay quarter, where Arab Street sells batik and fabric and Bussorah Street is lined with palm trees and restaurants.

   2. Late morning

      National Gallery Singapore

      Even without a gallery ticket, head to the rooftop for the view over the Padang and the bay.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Chilli crab

      Seafood restaurants at East Coast Seafood Centre and along the river at Clarke Quay; it is priced by weight.

   4. Afternoon

      Asian Civilisations Museum

      On the Singapore River at Empress Place, this museum traces the trade links that shaped Singapore, from Chinese ceramics to Islamic manuscripts and Indian bronzes.

   5. Evening

      Clarke Quay

      Neon riverside bars and clubs in restored warehouses, busiest on Friday and Saturday nights.

Before you go

• Gardens by the Bay: Buy conservatory tickets online on weekends and school holidays to skip the counter queue.
• Night Safari: Timed entry slots sell out on weekends and holidays; book online.

If it rains

• Swap in National Museum of Singapore (Civic District): Climb Fort Canning Park behind the museum afterwards for its spice garden and colonial-era gates.
• Swap in Jewel Changi Airport (Changi): Leave luggage at the airport's storage counters and come for the evening light show on the waterfall before a late flight.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Marina Bay keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Chinatown ($$) suits first-timers, food lovers, budget, culture and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 21–27 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 12 hours in December to 12.2 hours in May.

More or fewer days

• One day in Singapore
• 2 days in Singapore
• 4 days in Singapore
• 5 days in Singapore
• 7 days in Singapore

Questions travellers ask